Ava put her hand on the armrest of one of the seats. “I’m all good,” she assured us.


    After that, we decided to split up, and we dropped off Alexander and Richard so they could ride back to the hotel together. Since <b>four </b>out of five of us were muddy and sweaty, we decided to go back to the hotel to shower and change before we went to dinner.


    My legs felt heavy when I walked into the hotel and entered the elevator with Ava, Alexander, Richard, Gai, and Aiden. It had been a long day, and all I wanted to do was fall into bed and sleep for two days straight.


    “Hey, Aiden, do you mind showering in Richard’s room?” Ava asked. “We only have one shower in our room, and it would take forever to wait for the three of us to shower. And thest person wouldn’t get any hot water.”


    Alexander’s head whipped around, and he red at Aiden. “You’re staying in the same room as Olivia?”


    The younger man’s face flushed. “It’s a suite.”


    “We are all separated by doors,” Ava exined impatiently. “It’s not like Aiden and Olivia are sleeping in the same bed. Calm down, Alexander.<i>” </i>


    “Book Aiden, another room. Now,” Alexander instructed Gia and his jaw clenched.


    “The kid can stay in my room,” Richard offered. “I have two beds in the


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    room <b>I’m </b>staying in,”


    Aiden shifted his feet and nced at me. I could tell that he didn’t want to leave the same space as me. Alexander caught on to this too and narrowed his eyes at Aiden.


    “Yes, Aiden can stay in your room, Richard,” he said with finality in his tone. “That way, you can keep your eye on him.”


    Aiden opened his mouth to argue, but Ava shook her head.


    “It’s not worth it.” she muttered to her brother.


    The elevator doors slid open. Despite Ava’s instructions, Aiden tried to follow Ava and me down the hallway to our room, but Richard grabbed his shoulder and steered him in the other direction.


    “You’reing with me, buddy,” Richard said.


    Avaughed as she watched Richard strong–arm her brother down the hallway. “I’m d that someone like Richard is here to keep my brother in line,” she said.


    “I can’t wait to shower,” I said as Ava opened the door to our hotel room with the key card.


    “You can go first,<i>” </i>Ava said as we entered the suite, and she headed for the mini fridge. “I’m so thirsty. I’m going to drink all the water bottles in here, and I don’t care how much I have to pay for it.”


    “Save me one,” I said as I headed for therge bathroom.


    I took my time in the shower, turning the water as hot as it would go andthering myself invender scented soap.


    Wrapping myself in a fluffy white robe and putting my hair in a towel,


    12100


    I left <b>the </b>bathroom <b>in </b><b>a </b>cloud of steam.


    “The bathroom is all yours,” I told Ava and went to my <b>room </b><b>to </b><b>change </b>


    I put on a pair of my mostfortable jeans and a light blue shirt. As I was blow drying my hair, my phone lit up with a text.


    Alexander: I’ve just ordered room service. Why don’t youe up and join me?


    My heart mmed against my ribcage, and my mouth dried as I read his text at least three times. I didn’t know how to respond. I didn’t want to ditch my friends, but after the crazy day we have had, it would be better just to get room service and go to bed. And a part of me wanted some alone time with Alexander. Today had been so hard, and when he wasn’t being a jerk, he brought me a lot offort.


    As I finished with my hair, I was still unsure what to do. I left my room just as Ava came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Quickly, I told her about Alexander’s invitation.


    “Oh, don’t worry about Aiden and me. I’ll invite him and Richard over and we can eat room service together. Go get your man,” she said and winked.


    My stomach swooped. “He’s not my man,” I muttered, then left the


    room.


    On the elevator ride up to Alexander’s penthouse, my mind kept going back and forth whether I was making the right decision or not. As I walked down the long hallway, my pulse quickened with each step I took.


    Right after I knocked on the door, I began to regret my decision toe here. But it was toote.


    The door swung open, and I swallowed nervously.


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    <b>Chapter </b>201