hair. The dark strands were so soft, and he couldn’t leave its thickness alone. He pressed a kiss against her forehead and studied her dark lashes resting against her cheeks while she breathed deeply against him. She’d fallen asleep. How he’d love to see this sight every night and morning. He ran his hand down her delicate arm and couldn’t wait for the moment when she told him that she loved him. Was that silly? They’d known each other for such a short time, but he was half in love with her already.
His stomach lurched. He’d have to fight his fear. It would be harder than anything he’d ever done. He studied her smooth cheek, her soft lips; she looked so fragile. She had stumbled under the weight of his body when she’d returned him to his room, yet in some ways she was stronger than he was. Could he borrow some of her courage?
His eyes grew blurry, and he rested his cheek against the thick darkness of her hair. He must’ve fallen asleep soon after because he woke up to the sound of an opening door from the hallway. Was it morning already? He blinked his eyes, seeing a sheepish Mikey tiptoe inside—he was back from his fake arrest. “Oh, sorry to wake you!”
Gangster Mikey was gone and British Mikey was back. Aaron was both grateful and irritated at the interruption from his best friend. His arm was asleep, and his back was killing him from sleeping upright all night, but elation filled him when he felt the warmth of her body next to his. Charly stirred, and he pressed his lips against the back of her hair.
A cheesy grin traveled across Mikey’s face. Aaron shot him a warning look. There was no telling how Charlize would take this in the light of day. Her cheeks were only slightly pink when she lifted her head from his shoulder. She was gorgeous under the morning light shafting through the stained glass windows. She scooted back, her hair catching on his sleeve.
Mikey lowered his voice to a whisper. “I was worried half to death. Our Murder Mystery tea party’s this afternoon. I’m glad I looked for you here.”
Aaron could only be sorry he had. They had more than enough time to burn before the game started. Charlize blinked in the bright light just before disaster struck. Her cousin Barnett walked in. She shot upright with a gasp. “We were locked in!” she cried in a half daze.
Barnett’s eyes went wide as they traveled from her to Aaron and then they narrowed. Aaron wasn’t sure how to reassure her cousin that nothing had happened. Well, if his heart growing “three sizes that day” didn’t count.
Their new spectators needed to go away so he could have her to himself. If she was kissable last night, she was even more kissable now, and suddenly, he didn’t care if they were surrounded or not. He gathered his arms around her and scooped her into his lap, so he could carry her away from all this.
Her hands tightened over his bicep, and she laughed. “What are you doing?”
“Taking you to your room. You look exhausted.”
“So do you!”
He was wide awake now. He glanced over at Mikey and Barnett. “I’ve got this.” He pushed to his feet with her in his arms. Charlize let out a small gasp as he headed out the door with her, leaving Mikey and Barnett behind.
“What are you doing?” She snuggled against his chest, nudging him meaningfully with her shoulder as they got onto the elevator. “You shouldn’t be carrying me.”
“I think I can handle you, unless—” He cracked a smile, “you want to be the one who carries me?”
“I thought you didn’t want anyone to see us together.”
The door of the elevator trapped them inside together. It was all he could do not to kiss her again now that they were alone, but she brought up a good point. Mikey could know, and her cousin wouldn’t go to the media, but there was no telling what the others in this hotel might do. Keeping his distance might also help him decide where he wanted to take things. He didn’t want to move too fast.
The elevator opened, and he brought Charlize down the hallway, setting her down at her door. Aaron ran his hands through her hair again. He couldn’t stop touching her. “I don’t know how much we’ll be able to fool everyone into thinking we’re not a thing,” he said.