Then, anger sparked in my chest. Why hadn’t Alexander told me about this before now? We had just spent a whole dinner in silence? Now, he wanted to reveal what he knew as a form of game.
I was about to scold him for keeping secrets, but ultimately thought better of it. He still had information that I really needed to hear
“What do you get if you win?” I asked suspiciously and crossed my
arms.
There was another knock on Alexander’s door. This one sounded more impatient than the first, but we both ignored it.
“I get to walk you back to your room,” he said, his gaze shooting down to my lips. “It’s as simple as that.”
Agreeing to the bet was a no–brainer. I needed to find out what else Alexander knew about Kelly and her mysterious family. The terms were simple: If Ethan was at the door, Alexander won. If it was anyone else, I won.
He took my hand again and walked me to the door. I leaned up on my toes to look through the peephole that Alexander had been watching me through earlier.
My stomach rolled with nerves as I looked through. I really needed to win this bet in order to advance in Ava and I’s investigation. As soon as I saw the man standing outside the door, my heart leaped with excitement.
I spun around and stuck–my tongue out at Alexander. “I won. gloated. “It’s not my ex. Just a hotel attendant.”
12<b>:</b>117
Instead of being a sore loser, Alexander beamed at me and <b>opened </b><b>the </b>door
The waiter stood in the hallway, holding out an expensive–looking bottle of red wine. “Good evening. Mr. Green,” he said. “Your friend had asked me to bring you a bottle of our finest wine.”
“Thank you.” Alexander replied and took the wine.
After he slid a generous tip into the waiter’s hands, Alexander closed the door.
I squinted my eyes and cocked my hip as I looked at him. “What friend do you have at this hotel? Do you know anyone in Ld?”
Alexander shrugged. “Maybe it was Gai or Richard.”
I pursed my lips. That was unlikely. Why would they order their boss <i>a </i>bottle of wine at nine at night? But then I thought about how I was in my bosses room at night, having just shared a meal with him, so I let the subject drop.
“Let’s open this bottle. Red wine is always delicious after a good meal,” Alexander went into the kitchen nook in search of a bottle opener.
“Wait,” I said and grabbed his warm hand. “You can’t just drink something that you received from a stranger.”
Alexander raised his eyebrows. “You think that this bottle of wine has been tampered with in some way?” he asked with skepticism dripping through his tone.
I crossed my arms and lifted my chin. “Yes, I do. Remember thest time you were drugged from something that you had received seemingly by chance? This is the same kind of situation.”
Alexander grinned and gently bumped my shoulder <b>with </b><b>his</b><b>, </b><b>causing </b>my mouth to dry. “With a feisty <bdy </b>like you around, <b>I’m </b>not <b>scared </b>of anything,” he joked.
“But. I’m scared.” I blurted out before I could think about <b>what </b>I <b>was </b>saying.
There was genuine fear in my voice, and I was terrified that Alexander would hear it and realize how much I really cared about him.
Alexander’s expression softened, and he put his arm around me and pulled me close. “It’s sweet how much you’re worried about me,” he murmured.
His gentle voice made my pulse quicken, and a hot blush spread across my cheeks.
He noticed and leaned close to study my face. “Chloe, are you alright? Do you have a fever?” He put the back of his hand against my forehead.
His woodsy, masculine scent surrounded me, making my head spin. His lips were so close to mine, and my body was begging for me to lean forward and press my mouth against his. Before I met Alexander, I prided myself as a person who had a lot of self–control. But now that I was faced with his proximity when he was showing such concern for me, my morals were about to go down the drain.
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