Hold Me Down

chapter 27

"You know you shouldn't have paid," I frowned as he pulled me along the streets of Yorkshire. It was dark now, the town square dormant. The little shops were closing up for the night and people were heading back to their homes. The city was falling asleep.

"Why not?" He glances at me. His blue eyes twinkle in the dark. The moon casts shadows on his beautifully planed face. I almost want to reach out and touch him but something stops me.

"Because," I say. "You shouldn't pay for things just because you can. I'm perfectly capable as well."

"Well I wanted to," he grins.

I sigh. "Thank you though. Next time dinner is on me."

"Okay Theresa," he laughs. It's a pleasant sound, his laugh. Infuriatingly charming. We slow to a stop in front of the hotel building. It's one of the highest buildings in town, and the most modern. When I look up I see windows curtained shut, some wide open, emitting a warm orange glow from the square.

A doorman opens the door for us. The lobby is large, bustling with people checking in and out of the hotel. I see bellboys pushing along carts of luggage. The carpeted floors are plush and extravagant looking, unlike the musty carpets that Starkweather had installed.

"Can I get two rooms?" Will asks the front lady. She's impeccably dressed, in a sharp black blazer and blouse underneath.

She clicks a few buttons on her tablet and looks up apologetically. "I'm sorry, sir. We only have one room left."

Will blinks. "Well, that can't be right. I had someone call and check to make sure that you had space."

The girl beckons to me. "You can just share a room with your girlfriend over there."

Will just only seemed to have realized I was with him. "She's not my-"

"I'm not-"

Will runs a hand through his black hair. "Well does the room have two beds at least?"

She shakes her head. "Only one. But it's quite large. It's a king-size, in the penthouse."

I flush. "Will, we can't." I am turning red at the thought of sharing a bed with Will. Although, this wouldn't be the first time I had done that.

He ignores me. "Fine," he tells her. The lady presses a couple of things on her tablet again and reaches underneath the counter. She hands Will a key.

"Top floor, take the elevator on your left." She gives me a wink before I turn to follow Will.

I immediately turn red. "This is so embarrassing," I say under my breath.

"Calm down," Will chides as we step onto the elevator. I tuck loose strands of hair behind my ears to cool my flaming cheeks.

"She winked at me," I groan. "Imagine what she must think!"

"Literally who cares, Tessa."

"I mean, I know she's not relevant but still that was mortifying," I mumble.

When we get to our floor, we walk through the winding corridor to our room. The lights are dimmed for nighttime, making the place seem extremely cozy and inviting. Will struggles with the key, so I push him aside and unlock the door myself while he seethed beside me. I delighted in his annoyance.

The room is illuminated by moonlight, which comes from the large floor-to-ceiling windows on the right wall. I saw the shape of our overnight bags resting on a chair. Someone had brought them up for us. I call dibs on the shower, heading straight for my bag to get my toothbrush, towel, and clean clothes. I ignore the large, singular bed in the center of the room.

Once I've locked the bathroom door, I strip away my dirty clothes. The humidity and stickiness of Starkweather's house faintly clung to my skin. In addition to all the travelling I'd done today, I felt especially unclean. I set them aside and turned the knob in the shower to the hottest setting.

I scrubbed away at the dirt on my face and skin, letting the steam from the water fill the bathroom. The water worked its way into my weary muscles, providing me with relief and relaxation. I lather shampoo in my hair, delighting in the soapy suds that run down my body as I rinse my hair. I watch as water travels in rivulets over the curve of my breasts, wrapping around my hips and down my legs.

When I'm done, I dry my hair and wrap myself in a towel to go outside to grab my sleepwear. Will's eyes rake up and down my exposed body. The effect that his undressing gaze has on me is undeniable. I blush and quickly take a clean tank top and shorts out of my bag and head back into the bathroom to change.

I realize that I didn't pack a clean bra. The one I wore before felt dirty and I did not want to put it back on my body while I was sleeping. I wasn't flat chested so I felt self conscious walking back to the bedroom. I felt too exposed so I covered my chest with my hair.

I lay on the plush bed, flat on my back staring at the ceiling. I suddenly remember that I hadn't spoken to Clary since this morning. I pull out my phone from my bag and the display illuminates with my touch. The screen flashes 11:00.

Just as I send a quick goodnight text to Clary, Will walks out of the bathroom. My mouth goes dry at the sight of him shirtless. It'd been weeks since I saw him shirtless, and somehow he looked even better than he did the night I lost my virginity to him. The towel hung low around his waist and I could see the beginnings of his v-line. His black hair was semi-dried and messily arranged. The remaining water on his tan skin somehow made him more attractive.

He pays me no attention as he grabs a clean pair of pajama pants from his overnight bag. I fling the covers over the lower half of my body, feeling exposed in his presence, even though it was dark in the room.

I watch his shadow through the crack under the bathroom door, imagining him shirtless. I recall how it felt to run my hands along his body, to leave marks with my fingernails on his back. I feel my nipples harden through my thin shirt.

I should not have brought this shirt. It is much too thin, and the straps are too long. I had been laying in bed for not even an hour and it was already sliding down my midriff revealing too much of my chest. Irritated, I hastily pulled up the straps and readjusted my hair when Will walked back into the room.

"I take left side, you take right?" He cocks his head to the bed.

I nod. "Put on a shirt."

"I don't sleep with a shirt on," he cocks an eyebrow. "Does me being shirtless bother you?"

I hope the darkness hides my blush. "I don't care- just don't come into my space."

I feel the bed shifting under his weight. The mattress is not as big as I once thought it was. I hadn't considered Will's size, 6'2 with muscles that ripple with every slight movement. Warmth radiates from his skin, which is centimeters away from mine, causing the hair on my arms to rise. A tingle goes through my body at the near contact.

I am too hot, too cold. My slightly damp hair is too cold on my skin so I move it fully out of my face. I half kick the covers off of my body and lay flat on my back. Will shifts too. Out of the corner of my eye I see that he's staring at the ceiling.

"What are you thinking about?" He says suddenly.

"I miss Clary," I say the first thing that comes to mind. "I'm so used to sleeping with her in the next room, or right next to me."

"You two are like married," he chuckles.

I smile slightly. "She's my best friend. I love her."

"Jace is like that for me," Will says. "We act like we hate each other but he's my brother. I don't know what I'd do without him."

"That's so sweet. I didn't know you had feelings," I tease.

"Shut up," he grumbles. I laugh softly, and then there's silence.

"Will, why did you invite me to come with you?"

"Because you're my assistant."

"I know that. But I didn't even do anything. I barely spoke during the meeting, my presence did nothing. You knew you would score the deal."

After a long pause he says: "I wanted to be here with you."