CROSSING THE LINE by Rhonda Russell

Author:Rhonda Russell [Russell, Rhonda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Firefly Press
Published: 2019-09-08T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Three chain hotels later, they finally found one that passed muster. Hotel number one had a surly desk clerk who displayed poor personal hygiene and hotel number two had, according to his companion, “smelled funny.”

It would not do.

This one, however, boasted the clean scent of lemon cleaning solution and had a huge vase of purple irises—her favorites, she’d explained—on the check-in counter, and she was certain it would do nicely.

Tanner watched her lean over and sniff the blooms, and the small smile that captured her lips made his own inexplicably slide into a halfhearted grin. For someone with such high standards, the littlest things made her happy. She was a conundrum, Tanner thought, with more facets to her personality than the most complexly cut diamond.

“I love this shade,” she said, fingering a bloom as the desk clerk located their rooms. “It’s the color of my bedroom.”

“Purple?”

“More lilac I would say,” she told him, as if he would understand the difference. She lifted her foot and absently rubbed the back of her calf. Her long curly hair was once again pushed away from her face and secured with her ridiculously large sunglasses. They swallowed her face and looked especially bizarre with that tiny little nose.

Naturally, because he was quickly losing any perspective—provided he’d ever had it to start with—he found it charming.

“You’re in luck,” the desk clerk said. “We’ve got one room left.”

Rhiannon blinked and her mouth rounded in a little O of surprise. She looked at him, then back to the clerk. “Only one?”

“Oh, you’re not together?” the clerk asked.

“We’re traveling together,” Tanner explained before this could get any more awkward.

She smiled regretfully. “I’m afraid it’s all I’ve got. It’s a double,” she said. “If that makes any difference.”

To his amazement, Rhiannon merely shrugged.

“I’m cool with that, if you are,” she said, as though sharing a room with him wasn’t the least bit disconcerting. “It’s late and I’m tired.”

“I’m fine with it,” he said. He slid a credit card to the desk clerk. “I just didn’t expect you to be.”

She blinked up at him, her eyes innocently surprised. “Why not? I’m much more logical than you.”

An incredulous laugh broke apart in his throat. “You are so full of shit.”

She tsked under her breath. “Cursing again. You’ve got a terrible mouth.”

He grinned at her. “But it’s minty fresh.”

“You’re on the second floor,” the clerk told him, handing him the key card. Her lips twitched. “Elevators are just around that corner. Continental breakfast is served from six to ten. Enjoy your stay.”

He nodded his thanks, then slung his bag over his shoulder and reached for Rhiannon’s.

“I’ve got it.” She grabbed it and they headed toward the elevators. “Honestly, it’s on wheels.”

He depressed the call button. “I was trying to be nice.”

“I know.” She sighed as though it were a bad thing. “You open doors and pull out chairs and everything. A girl could get used to that kind of old-fashioned courtesy.”

They stepped into the elevator and his gaze slid to her once more.

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