Page 14 of Christmas in Quincy (The Edens 0.50)

“They’re out of rooms,” he said, walking around the end of the bed to the side closest to the window, barely giving me a glance as he set his backpack beside the dresser. He took the phone from his pocket and deposited it on the nightstand. Next came the wallet from his jeans pocket.

As he moved, my gaze wandered down his spine, past his belt and to his scrumptious behind—when a man had an ass that perfect, any woman two bottles of champagne into the night would look.

Austin gripped the sides of his shirt and yanked it free from the waist of his jeans.

My mouth watered. Then the two brain cells still functioning in my hazy stupor tuned into what was happening here. Austin was making himself comfortable. “Oh, no. No. No. No. No. No. You can’t stay in here.”

“They’re out of rooms,” he repeated.

“Then find another hotel!” My hands flew in the air as I shrieked. There was no way I could sleep in the same room—and bed—as Austin Myles.

“There is one other hotel in Quincy, Montana, and a bed-and-breakfast. And they’re all sold out.”

“Then go to another town.”

He scowled. “The nearest town is fifty miles away. Trust me, I asked.”

Oh, God. This wasn’t happening. We could not share a bed. What if I fell asleep and tried to cuddle with him? Or worse, what if my hands wandered and I groped him while unconscious?

“Then go home. Take the plane. I’ll call my father and tell him I refused to come home. I’ll make sure he knows that it was my decision and—”

“Cleo, calm down.” Austin held up a hand. “It’s one night. Would you mind just putting something on?”

I glanced down at myself and a crimson wave of shame spread across my skin. I imagined the color was about the same as my silk pajamas.

I’d put them on earlier to scare Austin off. It had worked. Except now it was painfully obvious that my nipples were pebbled and there was a lot of skin showing.

My arms banded around my chest and I rushed to my drawers, finding a cream sweater and pulling it over my head. The moment it was on, draping midthigh, Austin’s shoulders relaxed away from his ears.

Really? Were my nipples that horrific? Ugh. Why did I have to crush on such a jackass?

Another knock came at the door and I turned, ready to collect my dinner, but in a flash Austin vaulted over the bed and was yanking me away from the door.

“Peephole.” He pointed to the circle.

I pointed to the handle. “Room service.”

He frowned and opened the door, barely cracking it until he could assess who was on the other side.

“Seriously,” I muttered.

Austin opened the door further, not before shooting me a scowl, and waved the same bellboy from earlier inside.

I rushed to my purse, taking out another twenty because this kid had earned it tonight. “Thank you.”

He nodded and his smile widened as I handed over his tip. “Just roll the cart into the hallway when you’re done and I’ll come collect it later tonight. Have a good night, ma’am.”

“You too.”

The moment he pulled the door closed, Austin flipped the deadbolt and secured the chain.

“Paranoid much?” I lifted the metal lid on my plate and the smell of french fries and a cheeseburger filled the room.

Whoa. The Eloise Inn didn’t mess around. They’d sent an entire basket of fries with nacho cheese on the side, and the burger was bigger than my face.

Austin’s gaze zeroed in on my food.

Good. Maybe if he was hungry enough, he’d go somewhere else to find food. Like West Hollywood.