Craig walked into the hotel and looked around. He didn’t recognize anyone, but apparently, someone recognized him. A redheaded girl of about twenty ran over.
“Are you Craig Miller?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Craig mumbled. He almost started to hit on her. She was the type of girl he would normally pick up, but that wasn’t what he was here for.
“Ally didn’t tell me you were coming! I’m her roommate, Shannon. I’m another dancer,” she said.
Wow! Good thing he didn’t start hitting on her. “I’m here to surprise her. What room is she in?”
“Room 327. She’s not here, but she’ll be back soon. I’ll take you up there and let you in. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you!” Shannon exclaimed.
She quickly led him upstairs and then ran off to talk to Fatima about something, leaving Craig alone - just what he wanted. He opened Ally’s luggage and began to dig through it until he heard her voice in the hallway. Quickly, he closed the suitcase and plopped down on the bed as the door opened.
“Yeah, see you, Nick,” she called, making Craig’s blood boil. She closed the door and turned to see him. She narrowed her eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to apologize,” he lied, plastering a fake look of sadness on his face. “I shouldn’t have accused you of cheating last night.”
Ally’s features softened. “You flew all the way here just to say you’re sorry?”
“Yes, I did,” Craig replied.
All thoughts she had of breaking up with him instantly diminished as he flashed his thousand-watt smile. “You didn’t have to do that. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have been in Nick’s room in the first place. I’m sorry, Craig,” she said.
He stood up and swallowed her lips in his, then immediately reached down to take off her shirt. While leaving a trail of rough kisses down her neck, he led her to the bed and unhooked her bra.
Chapter 11
Nick looked down at the box of candy and the rose in his hands, unsure of how to deliver them. He wanted to be anonymous, but how could he get into her room without her knowing? When he saw Shannon, an idea struck him. “Shannon!” he called.
The spunky girl bounced over. “Yeah?”
“I have a huge favor to ask you!” he said.
“Okay, what do you need?” Shannon asked. The question was unnecessary; she knew it was about Ally.
“Will you let me into your room so I can leave this secretly for Ally?” he requested quietly. Brian was nearby, and if he found out, he’d have a fit.
Shannon paused. Didn’t Nick know she had a boyfriend? She almost told him, but decided it wasn’t her business. Craig and Ally were surely gone by now, so what was the harm? She pulled out her room key and handed it to him. “I’ll be at the bar. Just return it when you’re done!” she said.
Nick smiled and thanked her before running up the stairs, two at a time. The elevator wasn’t fast enough. He reached Ally’s door quickly and slid the keycard in the slot. When the green light flashed, he opened the door. His eyes widened in shock.
“Oh, God, Craig,” Ally moaned. She giggled softly as Craig kissed her. Sheets covered their naked bodies, and Nick quietly closed the door.
He rushed back downstairs, still holding Ally’s gifts. Shannon was at the bar talking to Fatima. “What happened?”
“You can have these, Shannon,” Nick muttered. “She’s busy fucking her asshole boyfriend.”
Chapter 12
Brian stepped into his room to see “Friends” on TV. Nick hated that show. “Why are you watching this?” he asked.
His best friend shrugged and continued staring at the TV, not registering anything the characters were saying. “It’s on.”
Annoyed, Brian switched it off. What had Ally done to him to cause this? “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” Nick mumbled. “Hey, why’d you turn that off? I was watching it.”
“I know you’re lying,” Brian said.
“Nothing is wrong!” Nick exclaimed defensively. “I’m just tired! That’s all! Leave me alone!”
“I know something’s going on, Nick,” Brian said. “Why did Ally stay here last night?”
“She and Craig got into a fight, and she was really upset. I didn’t want to leave her alone in that condition, so I let her stay here,” Nick explained.
“You two kissed, didn’t you?” Brian asked. He had known Nick for eleven years, and things like this never slipped by him, unnoticed.
“Of course not!” Nick lied.
“You did, too! I can tell!”
“Okay, fine,” Nick admitted. “I kissed her…or she kissed me, and I was about to take her shirt off when I realized what I was doing.”
“So you stopped?”
“Yeah, I stopped.”
“So why are you so down?”
“After the argument, I told her that she was better than Craig, and I thought she believed me. I was under the impression that she and Craig were going to break up, but I just walked in on them having sex,” Nick muttered flatly.
“Ooh, harsh,” Brian replied, righting back the urge to say, “I told you so!” Instead, he said, “I’m sorry.”