Page 76 of Lost & Found

Maybe I should have actually done more than watch Allison and Bambi at the club last night. But it felt off. Every minute of it had. I’d even slipped out early. Once I knew Sebastian had left, it was easier to just head to the gym to burn off that restless energy.

“How is that going to look, though? To everyone?”

“Who gives a fuck? We’ll say you’re old-fashioned,” I teased because, truthfully, I didn’t give a fuck what the others would say. Her comfort level was my priority.

“I guess I assumed we’d share and keep it secret from, well, Sebastian, at the very least. I’m not that good at keeping things from my girls.”

A knot formed in my stomach. Was she disappointed? Upset? I was still getting to know the more vulnerable side of this woman. Her words caught me off guard.

Finally, finding my voice and ending the awkward silence, I spoke. “Are you saying you want to share a room?”

The words came out rougher than I intended. Her cheeks flushed a pretty pink, standing out even in the dim light of the streetlights. Sharing a room with her sparked something reckless in my chest. Something more dangerous than simple lust.

It wouldn’t be that simple with her. It would be intimacy. Proximity. No witnesses to keep me in check. And then Sebastian’s words echoed in my skull.

Don’t let her get hurt.

What if sharing a room blurred lines we couldn’t come back from. Destroyed our budding friendship. What if I crossed a boundary? What if she did? For a second, I felt like a teenage boy who’d never spent the night in the same room with a girl. Let alone the same bed.

“I…what if…something goes wrong, or I need…”

She looked out the window. I let out a long breath and leaned back against the seat.

Touch her, for fuck’s sake. My conscience roared.

Reaching out, I touched her shoulder and then grabbed her hand. Her head whipped around, and tears formed in her eyes. Her whispered words now made sense. She was frightened and didn’t want to be alone in case she needed someone. She wasn’t sure how to ask.

Something shifted in my chest. Clarity. I could almost hear Marcel in my ear.

Follow her lead.

“I’d be honored to share a room with you, Bella. I’ll be on my best behavior at all times.” With a soft squeeze, I pulled her hand to my lips. “It’s settled, then?”

She heaved and nodded, giving me a small smile that said a million words. The primary one was thanks for not making me ask.

“Can I be honest with you?”

“Please,” I breathed, watching her for signs of fear.

“I think I’m more worried about being around everyone. You know how I can get with…strangers. I don’t want to come across as rude.”

I nodded, expecting she’d have concerns about it.

“I understand. But I promise they’re really nice and one of the girls, Shelia, gets migraines. She’ll want time alone as well. There’s no expectation for you to be with them every waking moment. We have a few list items to tackle anyway, and I know we can knock a few off it while we’re here.”

She flashed me a smile, and I sucked in my breath. “I’ve never been nervous about being an outsider before. It’s strange.”

“You’re not an outsider. You’re with me,” I said before adding, “My beautiful princess.”

“And you’re my roaring lion,” she said dramatically before we both burst out into laughter.

I was glad we’d opted to arrive at night. It would give us a bit of time to not jump right into the craziness of my friends. Chase informed me Hannah and her date were flying in tomorrow morning, so knowing we didn’t have to see her tonight made things more relaxed.

The drive to the hotel took twenty-five minutes, and we drove in comfortable silence. Once we arrived, I turned to Isabella.

“You ready?”

“Yeah, I guess so. Let’s do this.”