“There was a little mix-up with the room.”
Five minutes later, the two of us were standing in front of a king-sized bed. A huge heart of red rose petals smack dab in the center.
“Wow!” I said. “It’s absolutely gorgeous!”
“It seems they thought we were...honeymooning.” Marcus seemed to be having trouble getting the words out. “Needless to say, they’re booked up for the event—no other cottages are available.”
I looked from him to the rose-petal heart and said nothing.
“I know, I know,” he held up his hands quickly, “it’s completely unacceptable. I’ll tell them that someone will just have to be moved, or combined, or...I can figure out where my flight crew is staying and have some of them bunk—”
I held up my hand. “As long as you don’t snore, we’ll be fine.” My arms crossed over my chest, and I stared at the bed in a resigned sort of way. “It’s not like I didn’t think you were going to do this.”
He looked appalled. “Rebecca, I swear I didn’t—”
A stray giggle broke through my solemn mask, and he threw up his hands in exasperation.
“Why do you do that to me?” he demanded.
“It’s one of the only perks I’m getting out of this relationship.” I grinned mischievously.
He shot me a seductive look. “We’ve got this crazy chemistry. How the hell are we going to share a single bed?”
“The cottage has one bed, not one room. I’ll sleep on the couch in there.”
There was a meaningful pause after which Marcus rolled his eyes obediently.
“As I’m the man, why don’t I sleep on the couch?”
“How chivalrous,” I said cheerfully, tossing my purse in the center of the heart. “But I’ve put you through hell. I’ve kicked you, Maced you, and even asked you to join the Mile-High Club. If anyone deserves the couch, it’s me.”
“I’m making you be my girlfriend. Please let me take the couch.”
“I kind of like being your fake girlfriend.”
“Miss White, are you still drunk?”
“I love the limos, the private plane, (throwing up in front of everyone would’ve been way more embarrassing) the fancy room, the clothes, kissing you.”
He peered at me intently. “Can you say the last part over again?”
“Kissing you. I really enjoyed kissing you. It’s an added perk that wasn’t in the job description.”
“Fake kissing me?”
“It didn’t feel fake to me,” I said.
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. He softly placed his lips on mine and kissed me.
“You mean like that?” he asked.
I stared up into his eyes. “I really love it when you kiss me like that. And lingering kissing must never be rushed.”
“I have to agree.”
And I’m not sure how long we kissed, but it was long, slow, romantic, and beautiful. We started to unpack.
I unzipped my suitcase. “So believe it or not, I did look at the itinerary, and all it said for today was a dinner cruise?”