Page 46 of Sun, Sea and Spotted Squid

This reminded him he hadn’t even thought about packing yet. Now he didn’t know what the evening had in store for him, he figured he should get on with it.

It took him a while. Things were spread from one side of the room to the other. His untidiness drove Wolfgang mad. In the end he’d flatly refused to spend time in Sam’s room.

Once he’d finished, the room had returned to its bleak, cell-like appearance. He’d even thrown the bits he’d bought at the flea market in the rubbish. That trip had probably been Sam’s first inkling about his feelings for Wolfgang.

I wonder who’ll have this room next. I hope they don’t have the rollercoaster I’ve had.

He killed the rest of the time gazing out of the window until the clock struck three. He had an hour to make himself presentable. For some inexplicable reason, butterflies swirled around in his stomach. Of course not knowing what Wolfgang had planned caused a wardrobe crisis. In the end he settled for a pair of navy shorts and a white short-sleeved shirt. He added a generous splash of cologne and set off to discover what his crazy German hunk had planned.

Sam couldn’t believe his eyes when he got to the square. There Wolfgang sat in navy shorts and a white shirt. They looked like twins. Except for Wolfgang’s bulging muscles and chiselled jawline of course.

“Great minds,” he said, laughing.

“Shall I go home and change?”

“No need.”

He held out his hand and they strolled across the square. Sam tried to guess which restaurant Wolfgang had chosen but they passed them all and went down a narrow alleyway.

“Is this where you murder me to cover your tracks?” Sam joked.

“You foiled my dastardly plan.”

Sam hated it when his own words were used against him. Especially when they were words he still stood by.

They stopped at a nondescript doorway with a tiny plaque that readHotel Turia.

“I don’t understand.”

Wolfgang pushed open the door and led him inside. A lush courtyard greeted them with several waiters in crisp linen suits flitting around, serving customers.

“Oh wow,” Sam exclaimed. “I didn’t even know this was here. I bet they do a brilliant dinner.”

Wolfgang winked. “All in good time. Come on.”

He pulled Sam toward a staircase to their left and they ran up.

“What are you doing?” Sam asked.

“Let’s explore.”

“We can’t. We’ll get thrown out.”

The cool corridors were dimly lit. Everything screamed expensive, from the soft carpets to the furnishings. Even the cast-iron numbers on the doors were posh.

After living in those hovels for eight weeks, this place didn’t have much competition. Even so, Sam felt out of place.

They reached the end of the corridor.

“Okay, we’ve seen it all now,” Sam said, glancing around. “Let’s go.”

Wolfgang opened the door in front of them.

“Stop it now. Someone might be in there.”

Gently, Wolfgang pushed him inside. The room gave a whole new meaning to the wordspectacular. A huge bed dominated the place with a bath in the corner next to a window with views over the rooftops of Valencia and down to the sea. Sam had only ever dreamt of staying somewhere so grand.

Rose petals were strewn all over the bed. Sam frowned and walked closer. They weren’t haphazard but in the shape of a squid. He spun around. “You didn’t.”