Four Weddings and a Swamp Boat Tour - Erin Nicholas Page 0,34
the world. He worked hard. He laughed and loved hard.
She did not want to break his heart. She did not want to make promises to him, even implied ones, that she couldn’t keep.
“I guess we try to just be friends. No physical stuff.”
That sounded like a really good idea.
She hated it.
But she nodded. “Okay.”
“So, you can take that room.” He pointed at the door furthest from his.
She had to smile at that. “Okay.”
“I moved your suitcase in there.”
She’d pulled it up the stairs and left it in the bathroom after she’d showered. She hadn’t known which room was his for sure.
“Thanks.”
“And… I’m going to head to bed.”
She nodded. “Okay. I think I will too.” It wasn’t like the man downstairs was going to entertain her or engage in a deep conversation with her. Or even a not-deep conversation. And if Mitch didn’t want to hang out, then yeah, she might as well go to bed and read or something.
He stood just looking at her.
She looked back.
“This is going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he finally said.
Well, at least there was that. She smiled. “Glad to hear it.”
He gave a short laugh and ran his hand through his hair again. “If you change your mind on the getting married thing, I want to be the first to know.”
Her eyes went wide. But it was more just surprise that he’d said it. She didn’t actually feel the stab of dread that she would have expected. “Uh. I thought you said you wouldn’t propose.”
“That wasn’t a proposal.”
“You sure?”
“Pretty sure.” He frowned. “Was it?”
“I’m going to give you a pass on it this time because you didn’t actually ask, but watch yourself, Landry,” she said.
It was the strangest thing to be fighting a smile. Proposals had always sent a wave of panic through her. Even when Garrett had asked her. He’d actually been her boyfriend for over a year at that point. She’d been expecting it, more or less. And still, the question had made her catch her breath. Not in a good way. She’d forced a smile and said yes.
Now she was trying to keep from smiling at the man who was not supposed to be talking about marrying her.
“Goodnight, Paige,” he finally said.
“Goodnight, Mitch.”
They still just stood looking at each other.
“You need to go to your room,” he said, his voice a little tight.
“I will. You too.”
“Yeah, but—” He sighed. “You’re right by my door.”
She looked at the closed bedroom door again. And smiled. “I guess I am.”
She didn’t want to torture the guy. He was trying to be noble. Or something. But she wouldn’t deny that she liked that resisting her would be difficult.
“You need to move away from my bedroom door, Paige.” His voice was a little gruffer.
“You’re in my way of getting to my bedroom too,” she pointed out.
“But are you tempted to throw me over your shoulder and say to hell with all of your good intentions? Already? Within twenty minutes of deciding you even have good intentions?”
She laughed even as warmth filled her. Not just heat. Not lusty heat anyway. But a feel-good warmth that she didn’t quite understand. But she liked it. “Kind of.”
He swallowed hard. Then said, “Go to bed, Paige.”
She moved to the right, away from his door. As he came forward, she playfully pressed her back against the far wall.
He smiled, in spite of himself, and went to his bedroom door. He twisted the knob but paused and looked over at her.
She inched her way toward her bedroom, still against the wall. When she got to her door she reached for the knob and shot him a smile. “Goodnight, Mitch.”
“’Night.”
“And I’m just right here if you have any nighttime needs. Bad dreams.” She paused. “Good dreams.”
“Stop it.”
“Stop what? Just being a good friend.” She grinned.
“My dreams might include white dresses and tuxes,” he warned.
Again, no sense of oh shit. Instead, she tipped her head. “You’re pretty good at bringing all of that up without asking the four-word question.”
He didn’t comment on that. “See you in the morning.”
“Okay.” She gave him another smile, then slipped into her room, feeling his eyes still on her until the door shut.
She slumped against it, pressing her hand to her stomach.
Dammit. She really liked him.
It was really too bad they weren’t going to kiss anymore.
Maybe she should just head to Colorado now. She didn’t have as much money as she’d intended to have when she showed up in Steamboat Springs in August, but she could