“I do! All of our suites have jacuzzi bathtubs.”
Sofia Sol moans and wilts a little. “Oh, yes please.” A relieved grin spreads on her face.
I have to head away or I’ll keep staring at her.
“We have breakfast from seven to nine-thirty every morning in our cozy dining room right over there,” she points to it, “And if you’d like a list of the best restaurants in Sedona there’s one in each of your rooms. Here’re your keys—welcome! If you need anything, just call me. I work every day but Sunday. My name is Sherry.”
Tyler smiles, “Thank you, Sherry, will do,” tapping his plastic room key on the counter as Sofia Sol picks up hers and removes it from the paper sheath that holds two keys per room. I’m just glad she’s not on my floor, I was listening to everything they said. Made sure I didn’t breathe a sigh of relief when I found out she’s on ground level. Too much temptation for a man who’s been thinking about that woman too damn much.
“You wanted to keep up tradition?” I mutter to Tyler. “Stay on the first level for a reason, or what?”
He booked me on the second floor, but we always stay on the first. Easy to make a run for it.
“Just habit,” he shrugs as we head to the bikes for their saddlebags. “No plans for anything here but some much needed R&R.” He unharnesses his bags and throws them over his shoulder. “Don’t think I’ve had a day off from breaking necks or changing diapers in two years.”
I glance to Sofia Sol. She sneaks a look at me, pretending to be listening to Tyler. Her gaze drops to my body and up quickly, but I catch the sly intent, which makes it a failure. Grey eyes squint at her bag as she tries to pull it off, but it’s stuck. She grimaces a little, doesn’t want the thing to give her trouble in front of us, and make her look like she can’t carry her bags.
I glance to Tyler. He smirks at me and we watch her, both knowing better than to help. She wrestles with the thing, swears under her breath, and pulls her leather jacket off because she’s starting to sweat. My amused stare drops to her breasts as they jiggle with her struggle. Her ass out like that, body bent over, boobs bouncing, it’s just too much. And when she throws a boot on the back wheel for support the curve of her thighs is murder.
“Alright, enough,” I growl, stomping over.
She snarls, “I’ve got it, Luke!” thinking I’m impatient with her ineptitude. It ain’t that, but I’m not going to tell her the truth, that if she keeps working this thing I’m going to work her.
“Just back the fuck off and let me give it a shot.” I pry her hands away and she makes likes she’s going to hit me. So I grab her wrists and hold them between our bodies, leaning in close. She’s got animal in her eyes, always like this when she’s embarrassed. “Soph, the Ciphers let the men do some of the heavy lifting, remember, because it makes us feel good. You wanna make me feel good?”
Her eyes flicker and drop to my lips a couple times. It’s unintentionally hot as fuck. “No,” she grumbles. “I don’t want to.”
“Pretend.” I roughly let go of her wrists, turning to the green Triumph I’ve secretly been missing for weeks on this forced exile. I bend a little and pull up the leather to see what’s going on. “You’ve broken a piece of metal here, and it stuck in the leather like a fish hook. Gonna have to get both repaired. There, all good for now.” Hoisting the bags I throw them over my shoulder and not hers.
“I’ll carry them!”
I walk to the hotel and smirk at Tyler as I pass him and tell Soph a firm, “No.”
Ty says to her, “Man earned the right by helping the little lady out.”
“Screw you, Tyler,” she mumbles, grabbing her leather jacket and following us inside. “I’ll give you a little lady right in your crotch.”
“My wife might object to that,” he laughs. “She already thinks you’re too pretty for your own good.”
“For her own good, you mean,” she counters as we stop in front of the elevator. “I never go after married men.”
“I know that.” He heads down the hall to his room, saying on his way, “Oh, and why you taking that when you’re on this floor, Soph, huh? Other direction, I’m this way.”
“Shit,” she mutters, stepping back. “Give me my bags.”
Ignoring her I head where he pointed, and she comes with me, reading the numbers with the usual amount of hip-shake. We stop in front of her room and Soph swipes the key. Half our lives have been in hotels and motels, but not as nice as this place. “How ya been out here on your own?”
“Just fine. I like my own company.”
She opens the door, leaning on it to push it open as she flicks a glance up and down my body. “Me too. I like your company, too. I missed you.” I pause, and she walks inside, taking in a sharp breath as she spins around. “Look at this place!” She runs in the bathroom and whoops, rushing to stand in the doorjamb and hold her hair back from her face as she points behind her. “The bathtub is half the size of our bedroom back home! Look!”
Motherfucker, why does she have to be so damn unpredictable? Total bitch one minute, excitable little girl the next, dropping me compliments when I least expect one, and then acting like it never happened.
I drop the saddlebags on the bed, rolling my shoulders in a good stretch. “I’ll leave you to it.”
Her smile falls as I pass her. “Luke, how long you been in this place?”
“Few days,
