Roman's Vow (Riley's Pride #4) - Sandra R Neeley Page 0,89

the center console.

He looked her way after he put the SUV in gear again, and she smiled at him. She put her hand in his, completely at ease with the decisions she’d made. This was good. For the first time in her life, she wasn’t second guessing her decisions.

About three hours later Roman saw the well lit signs beckoning to weary travelers from the interstate exit. There were a few smaller independently run motels as well, but he wanted the biggest and most well known for the rest of the night since he was traveling with his wife. He grinned to himself as he had the thought. His wife. He looked at her as he pulled up to the main entrance of the hotel and smiled as she just kept on sleeping, a soft smile on her face while she slept. He’d covered her with a blanket he kept on the back seat for when Darcie was cold on the way to school in the mornings, after she fell asleep.

“Talie?” he said softly.

She mumbled and snuggled into the blanket even more, not even waking.

“I’ll be right back,” he said softly though he knew she was sleeping, taking the keys and locking the doors behind him as he walked into the hotel lobby. He stopped and looked back to be sure he could see the SUV well lit in the main entrance just outside the sliding doors of the lobby. Sure he could keep an eye on her while he checked them in for the rest of the night, he went straight up to the front desk. “Hi, I’d like to get a room for the night.”

“Of course, sir,” the desk clerk responded. “How many traveling with you?”

“Just myself and my wife,” he answered, smiling brightly at his answer.

“Do you need any particular floor?” the man asked.

“No, just a king size bed if you have it available.

“Sure do,” the guy said. “And if you park over to the left,” he said pointing, “you’ll be able to see your vehicle from the window. We have security in the parking lot and all is well lit for your safety.”

“Thank you,” Roman said, taking the key card from the desk clerk and returning to the vehicle. He pulled around to the area the clerk indicated, then turned off the engine. He moved the box with Talie’s belongings to the very back of the SUV and covered it with some extra blankets, then moved the rest of the clothes he’d bought her to his duffle before slinging it over his shoulder and going to her door to get her out of the car.

Chapter 20

Talie realized the car had stopped moving and opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that Roman wasn’t in the driver’s seat. Then her door was opened. Startled, she swung her eyes in that direction, only to find Roman bending down to reach over her to undo her seatbelt. “What are we doing?” she asked sleepily.

“I got us a room for the night. We’re both beat and it won’t hurt us to spend a few hours catching up on some rest. Darcie doesn’t know we’re headed home yet, so she won’t be waiting and worried, so I made the decision to stop,” he explained, as he released her seatbelt and lifted her, blanket and all into his arms. “Is that okay?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered on a yawn. She realized as he started walking and pressed the key fob to lock the vehicle that he had his duffle hanging from its strap on his other shoulder. “Need me to hold your bag?” she asked.

“Naw, I got it. Already placed your box beneath some other blankets we keep in the back of the SUV, and the windows are tinted so nobody could see through. So, we’re good for the night,” he said, carrying her back through the lobby, then to an elevator that would take them up to the third floor.

As he approached the door of the room they’d been assigned, he shifted her to one arm as he dug in his pocket for the key card to swipe and open the door. Smiling as the light on the door handle turned green, he pressed on it and let them into their room.

“I can walk,” she said.

“Not until I carry you in,” he insisted. He paused beside the dresser the T.V. sat on, and tossed his car keys and the card that opened the door on top, then he approached the