Chapter 46
Everyone starts murmuring, finishing off their drinks, standing to leave. Liam stays seated beside me, stretching out his long legs like he’s got all the time in the world.
I glance at him. “You don’t seem in a rush.”
His lips twitch. “What’s the point? We both know they probably put us in the worst room possible. Might as well let everyone else clear out before we find out just how bad it is.”
Céline giggles, twirling a loose blonde curl around her finger. “You think they would do that?”
Liam grins. “Oh, I know they would.”
“Not everyone is as petty as you are, Calloway,” Lacey quips.
I shake my head, I can’t help but smile.
As the crowd thins out, Zane finally makes his way toward our section, Becca trailing behind him. His eyes skim over me like I’m barely worth noticing before settling on Liam.
“I trust you’ll be comfortable,” he says smoothly, but there’s a hardness in his tone.
I raise an eyebrow. Not so fond of his favourite hockey player anymore?
Liam leans back in his chair. “We’re looking forward to it,” he drawls, a slow smirk playing at his lips.
I cross my arms and turn to Becca. “Should we be expecting a dungeon or-?”
She lets out a light laugh, resting a delicate hand on Zane’s arm. “Oh, Emilia,” she purrs. “Are you always so dramat-
ic?”
I flash my sweetest, most insincere smile. “Just making sure I’m prepared for whatever hospitality you have planned.”
Zane’s jaw tenses for a fraction of a second before he covers it with a smirk. “Enjoy your night.” He says this to Liam of course, I’m met with silent treatment.
He turns on his heel, Becca clinging to him like she’s never known struggle a day in her life.
Liam waits until they’re out of earshot before murmuring, “I swear, if we get to our suites and find mattresses on the floor-”
I sigh. “You’re extremely pessimistic, aren’t you?”
He stands, holding out a hand to me. “Not without good reason.”
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I take it without hesitation.
I wish there was a mattress on the floor, after all. I would take it over the alternative.
A beautiful, cozy suite…
With only one bed.
I stare at the bed.
The one bed.
The undeniably soft, luxurious, way-too-small-for-this-situation bed.
But it’s still just one bed.
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Logically, I should have expected this. It makes no sense for them to give us separate beds, but my cheeks still heat up at the thought of…
Of…
Sharing a bed with Liam.
No matter how natural and easy things have felt between us, it doesn’t change the fact that this relationship is fake. Just words on paper. A contract.
So why does that thought make my stomach twist in a way I can’t explain?
Liam, of course, is completely unbothered. He scans the room, taking in the luxury like he actually expected some- thing worse. Then, to my absolute horror, he leans against the doorway, grinning like this is the funniest thing to ever happen.
“They really went all out, huh?” He chuckles. “Maybe we should send them a thank-you card. This surpassed my ev- ery expectation.”
I gape at him. We are not thinking about the same thing right now.
He’s acting like the single bed in the middle of the room doesn’t even exist. Meanwhile, I’m on the verge of an inter- nal crisis.
I groan, running a hand through my hair. “This isn’t funny, Liam.”
He steps further inside, sits on the edge of the bed, and smiles at me. “You’re right. It’s hilarious.”
I don’t even think-I just grab the nearest pillow and hurl it at him.
He catches it mid-air, smirking. “What are you so stressed out about?” His voice is way too amused for my liking. “I was expecting the suite to be so bad we’d have to sleep on the deck or something.”
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“Maybe you can,” I mutter, crossing my arms.
Liam just grins wider and leans back on the bed, resting on his elbows like he owns the place. Like he belongs there. His shirt pulls tight across his chest, and I instantly look away, because-nope. Not doing this.
“I call dibs on the left side,” he says casually, watching me with that infuriating smirk.
My jaw drops. “You can’t just call dibs-”
“Too late.” He fluffs the pillow I threw at him, completely at ease. “Guess that means you’re stuck with the right side. Unless…” His smirk deepens, eyes gleaming with mischief. “You want to sleep on top of me?”
I grab another pillow and throw it at him again.
“Alright, alright. No need to throw things, love. Let’s be rational about this. We’re two mature, responsible adults-”
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