[EVE]
"You should just take the room," he said after a moment, his voice smooth and unbothered.
I shot him a glare. "I will—if you sleep outside."
He chuckled, his laugh low and teasing. "Honestly, Eve, we're practically a couple now. Minus the formalities, of course."
My eyes narrowed, but he continued, undeterred. "I've seen all of you, kissed you, and done things—"
"Enough!" I hissed, cutting him off with a sharp glare. My face burned at his shamelessness, and I crossed my arms defensively. "Stop using that argument every time. It's getting old."
His grin only widened, a mischievous glint in his eyes that made my stomach flip. Before he could say anything more, the clerk called my name, mercifully interrupting the awkward exchange.
"Miss Rosette?"
Grateful for the distraction, I practically bolted toward her, desperate to escape Cole and the heat crawling up my neck.
The clerk gave me a sympathetic look as she shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't find any other rooms available in the area. It looks like this is your only option."
I stood frozen for a moment, the weight of her words sinking in. Sharing a room with Cole—no, sharing a bed with Cole—was now inevitable.
Behind me, I could hear the faint sound of his footsteps as he approached, his voice soft and insistent. "Eve, it's just sharing a room. I'll sleep in the couch if you're so worried."
I turned to face him, my resolve faltering as I met his gaze. There was no teasing in his eyes now, only sincerity. It wasn't fair—how could he disarm me so easily?
"Fine," I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. "But don't get any ideas, Cole. This doesn't mean anything."
He smiled, his expression warm and strangely tender. "Of course. Just two people trying to make the best of a situation."
Why did it feel like I had been had?
As we headed to the suite, my heart raced—not from anger or frustration this time, but from the quiet tension that hung in the air between us.
Opening the door to our suite, I froze in surprise. The room was impossibly cozy, yet luxurious, with soft lighting casting a warm glow over polished wooden floors and plush furnishings. A grand canopy bed stood in the center, its crisp white linens and pillows looking almost too inviting. To the side, a wide, elegant sofa stretched out near the window, offering a perfect view of the snow-dusted village below.
For a moment, I allowed myself to take it all in. It felt surreal, like stepping into a dream. But then reality came crashing back, along with the realization of who I'd be sharing this space with.
I turned to Cole, already setting my boundaries. "You sleep over there," I said, pointing to the long, wide sofa. "I think it's big enough for you. Like you promised."
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He glanced at the couch and gave a soft chuckle, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. No need to be so tense."
I frowned, still unconvinced. "I don't trust you. That's why I'm tense."
He laughed again, the sound warm and easy, as if my accusations amused him. "You should start getting used to me, Eve. I'm going to be with you forever."
The casual way he said it sent a rush of heat to my face. How could he be so direct? He used to be aloof and impossible to read, but now his words carried a weight that left me breathless.
He's so shameless! I thought, my face burning. He'd always been shameless, but this—this was on another level entirely.
I was still processing his bold declaration when he suddenly asked, "Want to take a shower together?"
"What?" I gawked, and before I could fully react, he began unbuttoning his shirt. "What are you doing?!"
"Relax," he said with an infuriatingly calm smile. "I'm just going to take a bath. You can join me if you want."
"Absolutely not!" I yelped, my voice embarrassingly high-pitched. "Go inside the bathroom and undress there!"
He ignored my protests, shrugging off his shirt and tossing it casually onto a chair. My eyes betrayed me, darting to his chest—his perfectly toned chest—and those sculpted abs that seemed carved by an artist's hand. My gaze dipped lower, catching the unmistakable line of his pelvis that disappeared beneath his waistband.
I quickly turned away, my face burning. "What are you doing?! Put your clothes back on!"
"I'm going to take a shower, of course I'd be naked," he said, completely unfazed. But then he slipped his fingers to the band of his pants, tugging them down with deliberate slowness.
My heart slammed against my ribs. He was still wearing his boxers, but that didn't help—especially not when I noticed the prominent bulge straining against the fabric. My breath hitched, and I felt an overwhelming urge to look away, yet I couldn't.
It was still growing, and I couldn't tear my eyes away, terrified yet transfixed by the possibility that his cock might break free from the confines of his boxers.
"W-why are you like this?!" I stammered, flustered and scandalized. Desperate, I grabbed the nearest object—a towel—and hurled it at him. "Stop being a pervert!"
He caught the towel with ease, laughing richly as he made his way toward the bathroom. "You're cute when you're mad, you know that?"
I could only gape at him, utterly mortified. "T-that hooligan," I muttered under my breath, pressing my palms to my cheeks in a vain attempt to cool them.
The sound of running water filled the room, accompanied by his low, velvety laughter echoing from behind the bathroom door. I sank onto the edge of the bed, burying my face in my hands as I struggled to calm my racing heart.
Why did he have to be like this? He had a way of disarming me, of making my emotions spiral out of control.
Moments like these made me question why I'd ever agreed to let him tag along.
Yet, as much as I hated to admit it, part of me wasn't entirely sure if I regretted it.