She pushed past him and walked into the room. “Actually, they said they would try to get us a room with two beds.” He picked up the phone on the bedside table and she held out a hand to stop him. “I think we’ve put them through enough downstairs. They’re obviously fully booked, so let’s try and figure this out ourselves. Maybe they can work out another arrangement tomorrow.”
Sawyer slowly lowered the phone. “You’re right.”
She threw her big tote bag onto the bed. “Of course, I am. Besides, we’re both adults.”
She didn’t mean to linger on the word adults. But she did and Sawyer took notice. His gaze landed on her lips. He shoved his hands into his pockets, and quickly averted his eyes and looked at the bed.
Yep. They were two adults who were clearly lusting after each other staring at a big comfy bed.
Not awkward at all.
“I can always just sleep on the couch,” Sawyer offered.
“No,” she said. “I’m smaller. I’ll fit better on a...” Riley did a quick lap of the room, which had been decorated in soothing white, beige and warm brown tones.
There was the infamous bed with two end tables. A sliding door led out to a balcony with a beautiful view of the mountains. The snow was falling faster and heavier now, reflected by the nighttime ski lights. To the left of the door was a closet and to the right was a dressing area and bathroom. She saw a little sitting area with two oversize chairs, a table and a television.
And absolutely no couch.
Well, damn.
Sawyer shook his head. “Why don’t I ask the front desk if they have a cot?”
She shimmied out of her cardigan. “No.”
“No?” His eyebrow arched.
“Sawyer, we have to get over this. So we made out a couple times.”
He sat on the edge of the bed and studied her for a moment. “Is that all it was?”
She gulped, her throat suddenly feeling dry. Very dry. “Of course. Anyway, it’s a huge bed and it’s only a couple nights.”
Again he remained quiet for a moment as he considered her words. “If you’re sure.”
“Yes, I’m sure. It’s fine. Totally okay.”
Since she’d known him her entire life, neither of them had ever had any problem talking to the other. They had a lifetime of conversations and inside jokes to fall back on. However, the tension in this room was thicker than the snow covering the ground.
Sawyer cleared his throat. “I think I’ll just go grab a coffee.”
“Sawyer, it’s ten o’clock at night.”
“Oh, right. I meant I’ll get a decaf. Want anything?”
Yes, you. Ugh. “Um, no, I’m fine,” she said as he started walking out of the room. “I’m going to jump in the shower. I can’t wait to get out of these clothes.”
Sawyer stumbled and fell into the closet door.
“Ohmigod, are you okay?” She rushed to him.
She’d never seen his face—or anyone’s really—quite that shade of red.
“I’m fine. I don’t know how that just happened,” he said, trying to right himself awkwardly.
“Here, let me help you.” She grabbed onto his shirt and gave one big yank. Next thing she knew, she felt Sawyer’s body launch toward hers, and they both fell against the opposite wall.
“Oomph.”
Their bodies were flush together. In an attempt to break their fall, his hand had landed on her breast and her mouth was snug up against his throat. Even at the end of the day, he still smelled amazing. She tried to move her mouth to say something and her lips brushed against his skin. Sawyer shivered.
He must have realized where his hand was, and he swiftly removed it as they tried to untangle themselves. Still, they were close. So close. His warm breath fanned across her face and her lips parted.
Next thing she knew Sawyer muttered, “To hell with it,” and his lips were on hers.
There was nothing sweet or subtle about this kiss. It was fast and furious and completely intoxicating. Riley heard herself groan as her fingers clenched his shirt, pulling him even closer. His mouth devoured hers.
When they finally came up for air—a minute later? Five minutes later? Who knew. They stood, staring at each other. Her chest was rising and falling as she attempted to calm down her pulse and get her breath back in check.
He searched her face, looking for something as his mouth opened and closed. Finally he pointed to the door. “Coffee.”
She nodded. “Right. Shower.” She inched back toward the bathroom as he slipped out of the room.
Yeah, she was definitely getting into the shower now. A nice cold shower.
Chapter Nine
Sawyer slept a total of fifteen minutes that night. How could he sleep longer than that when Riley’s warm, soft body was lying right next to his?
When he’d returned from getting his coffee, she’d emerged from the bathroom, smelling even better than before. If that was possible.
As he’d lain in bed, his senses had been assaulted by the smell of her freshly washed hair. The lotion she’d used had a hint of lavender, which he’d always heard was supposed to be calming. Then why was his heart beating triple time?
He’d never stayed so still in all his life. It was as if moving, even to turn onto his side, would break some kind of spell. Instead, he stared at the ceiling, replaying their earlier kiss over and over in his mind.
What had he been thinking?
Easy answer. He hadn’t been thinking.
Hence, now he was lying in this bed, not sleeping.
At some point, Riley began dreaming. She was murmuring in her sleep. Sawyer watched as she turned onto her side and curled up into a ball. His fingers were itching to reach out and stroke her hair, but he knew if he touched her, even once, he’d never be able to stop.
He had to wonder what his teenage self would think of this development. They’d always been in each other’s lives, but when they were growing up, he’d never experienced feelings like this. In fact, he used to offer her advice about boys.
He remembered her first crush, a guy named Josh. She’d written him a note and they’d had a typical two-week-long junior-high relationship. When Josh dumped her for another girl in their class, Sawyer took her out for ice cream.
As he thought about the happy memory, he finally drifted off.
Morning came way too soon. Despite barely getting any shut-eye, Sawyer had never been happier for a new day to come. He sprang from the bed and hit the shower, then dressed quickly.
He peeked at the bed, where Riley remained asleep. She was on her back with one arm thrown over her face, her red hair a stark contrast to the white sheets.
He didn’t want to wake her, so he scribbled a quick note and left it on the table next to her. Before he left, he took another moment to study her beautiful features. Again, the urge to touch her washed over him. It seemed to grow stronger and stronger each day.
As that thought entered his mind, he realized he had to get out of the room immediately. He made his way quickly down to the lobby.
“Good morning, Sawyer.”
“Hey, Jack.” Sawyer shook hands with his friend, Jack Rodger. The two had met when they worked together at the Washington Post in DC. Jack had stayed in the city and was now running a successful magazine. “Didn’t see you yesterday.”
“I got in late,” Jack explained. “I couldn’t make it here until the end of the day. Coffee?”
“Absolutely.”
They hit the free breakfast buffet and caught up. Sawyer filled him in on the first day of the conference, the Bugle and Riley. Well, most of the Riley situation.
“Riley Hudson.” Jack sat back in his seat, the remnants of his pancakes dotting the plate. “I haven’t seen her in years. Didn’t she visit you in DC when she was still in college?”
> Sawyer smiled. “Yeah, took the train down from New York. That was a long time ago. She’s definitely not in college anymore.”
Jack studied him before a grin broke out on his face. “Oh, really?”
“What does that mean?”
“You tell me.”
Sawyer groaned. “It’s complicated.”
Jack waited patiently. It was unnerving.
“What? We’re not together,” Sawyer said.
Jack leaned back, studied him. “Do you want to be together?”
He knew he should deny it, but he found himself too exhausted to resist. “Yes.”
“Well, then, that’s new.”
Sawyer shook his head. “Not really. What’s new is me acting on things I’ve been feeling for some time.”
“What does she think of this?”
Sawyer accepted a refill of coffee from a passing waiter. “She’s...cautious.”
“Interesting that she’s here at all, then. Last time we emailed, you said you were coming alone.” He arched an eyebrow.
“It’s not like that. I didn’t bring her to... I mean...”
Jack’s face broke out into a grin. “I wasn’t implying anything.”
“She’s going through a rough time back home. I thought it would be good for her to get away. Plus, most of this digital information is right up her alley. I don’t know why I didn’t think of bringing her before.”
“Back to all those feelings you have for her,” Jack said.
At that moment, his phone went off. Saved by the bell. But when he saw who was calling, he stilled. Dan Melwood was surely calling to pressure Sawyer into this deal. He shoved the phone back in his pocket without answering. “More complications.”
Jack watched him with curiosity. “How about a subject change?”
“Yes, please.”
“How in the hell are you making the Bugle work?”
Sawyer groaned. “That’s part of that whole complicated subject. Fact of the matter is that...I’m struggling.” He sat back in his chair and let out a long exhale. It was the first time he’d admitted out loud to anyone that the newspaper was in trouble. Surprisingly, it actually made him feel a little better.
“I’m not surprised. Small papers are folding across the country. And you’re still publishing every day. Crazy. How in the hell are you doing it? More importantly, why are you doing it? Why not go down to a couple days a week?”
It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought of this. The Bugle was probably the last paper of its size to publish daily.
Not to mention, he had a tradition to uphold. The Bugle was his family’s legacy. Each generation made it work. He refused to be the weak branch in his family tree.
When his dad had been at the helm, everyone had insisted that newspapers were dying. His dad ignored the naysayers and started the digital edition.
He’d made his mark and Sawyer was determined to make his, too. If there was anyone in the world he wished he could emulate, it was his father.
“I’m proud that we publish every day.”
Jack considered that for a long moment. “Are you sure you’re not mixing pride with stubbornness?”
Jack’s words shocked him into silence. That’s not what he was doing. Sawyer didn’t consider himself a stubborn man. And yet...
“Listen, Sawyer, you have a lot going on in your life. You want my advice?”
More like, he needed his advice. He nodded.
“Make some decisions. Go for it. Whether with the Bugle or with Riley. It’s time to act.”
Sawyer couldn’t get his friend’s words out of his head all morning. It’s time to act.
Jack was right. Decisions needed to be made. When he returned from the conference, he had to tackle the newspaper. Right now, he still didn’t know what to do about Dan Melwood. And maybe Jack was right and had a point about his unwillingness to cut the paper down to a couple days a week.
Thoughts and ideas swirled around his head. This conference was no place to make big decisions regarding work.
Riley however... He may not be able to act on his whims with work, but he could address his feelings for Riley.
It’s time to act.
* * *
Again he felt bolstered by Jack. He wanted Riley. Yes, he was her boss. Yes, they’d been in each other’s lives forever. But the feelings he had for her weren’t going away. If anything, they were growing stronger by the day.
He didn’t want to belittle her concerns, but he did want to show her that he could be a good guy. He was someone she could trust with her heart.
So far, they’d kissed in the cold on his parents’ deck and in an alleyway. Where was the romance? She deserved more.
A plan began to form during his morning meetings. Between sessions, he worked with the hotel staff on logistics for his plan, including keeping Riley occupied. He knew from her text messages that she was attending an all-morning workshop. He had the front desk find her and present her with a gift certificate for a pedicure, something he knew she loved to get.
While she was busy getting toenails painted, he stopped at the gift shop and bought her two dozen roses in a variety of colors. Sawyer didn’t have any kind of eye for design, but when the food he’d ordered appeared, the waitress delivering it helped him set everything up.
Pleased with how it turned out, he barely had time to take it all in before he heard the key card at the door. Riley entered the room.
“You’ll never guess what I got?” she said excitedly, rushing toward him and showing off her bright red toenails, still clad in fuzzy spa slippers. When she noticed the flowers and the table set with candles, she froze. “Am I in the right room?”
“I believe so,” he said.
She touched one of the roses. “Do you have a date I don’t know about?”
“Kind of.”
It was as if all the air left her body, deflating her. “Oh.”
“Riley,” he began, but she was already inching backward toward the door.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize... You probably know women here.”
“Riley,” he tried again.
“We should have had a system. Like a hanger on the door handle or something.”
“Riley!” At that she stopped. “My date is with you.”
She dropped her bag on the floor and cocked her head. “Huh?”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I mean, if you want to have a date with me.”
“I...well...” She peeked around him at the set table. “You did this for me?” He nodded. “Why?”
“I wanted to thank you for coming up here with me.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “No, that’s not the truth.”
“You’re not trying to thank me?”
“No. Yes. I mean, of course I appreciate you attending the conference.” He gestured at the table with his arm. “But all of this is for you.”
She bit her lip as she walked to the table and ran her hand across the white tablecloth. She leaned over and smelled the flowers. “First, a free pedicure and then...”
She trailed off, her green eyes growing in size. “Did you pay for my pedicure?”
“You deserve to be pampered every now and then.”
She laughed. “Are you trying to romance me, Sawyer Wallace?”
“Yes.” He didn’t offer more. He wanted her to know he was serious. Needed her to know.
Her smile faded.
He stepped toward the table and began removing lids. “I wanted you to have a good dinner. Since the local options are limited and there was no dinner at the conference tonight, I ordered in for us.”
She studied the dishes and her mouth formed an O. “Is that...?”
“Mac and cheese with lobster.”
“Diet be damned. Holy hell, that smells amazing.
”
“I couldn’t decide what to get with it, but I figured filet mignon goes with everything.”
“Oh, yum.”
Her mouth was practically watering. His eyes fastened onto her lips. They were so close, so enticing.
“What’s that?” she asked, breaking his lustful thoughts.
“I ordered a special dessert just for you.”
He removed the lid of a fancy silver dish with a flourish, secretly hoping the hotel had gotten his special request right. And not only because he’d paid through the nose for all of this.
Riley stepped closer. “Chocolate cake,” she said with awe.
Sawyer finally sneaked a glance at the dessert. He smiled at the sight of two huge pieces of Riley’s favorite treat. “Not just any chocolate cake. It’s made with dark chocolate.”
“You really did this for me?” she asked, wonder in her voice.
“Of course.” Now he felt nervous.
As if Riley sensed it, she inched closer, a sly smile spreading across her face.
“Tell me something. If Bob had come with you instead of me, would you have ordered him chocolate cake?”
Relaxing, he grinned. “Nah. Bob’s a potato-chip man.”
She took another step closer and placed her hand on his chest. “Sawyer, why am I here?”
“I told you—”
“Why am I really here?”
Since he’d known Riley her entire life, he knew the set expression on her face. She was the most stubborn person when she wanted to be. So he relented.
“It’s just that you’ve been going through a lot lately. Missing your parents, being the blogger, admitting you are the blogger, your friends. I thought a couple of days away would help.”
Sawyer didn’t know what he expected her to do or say, and, as usual, Riley surprised him.
Tears pooled in her eyes and her lip trembled. Then she took a deep breath.
The tears never fell. Instead, she burst into laughter.
* * *
Riley could not believe she’d started laughing. She certainly hadn’t meant to. She just couldn’t believe what was happening, or she was completely insane. Maybe a combination of the two.
Once again, the idea of someone taking care of her and thinking about her needs was overwhelming.
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