LEO'S POV
The ride to the airport was dead silent. I kept glancing at Zoe in the passenger seat, waiting for her to say something, anything, but she just stared out the window like the passing scenery was the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen.
This wasn't like her at all. Usually, I couldn't get her to stop talking about music, about her ideas, about whatever random thought popped into her head. But today she'd barely said three words since I picked her up.
The flight to Los Angeles was just as quiet. She had the window seat, and I watched her press her forehead against the glass, her eyes focused on the clouds below us. I tried to read, tried to review my notes for the competition, but I kept finding myself stealing glances at her profile.
She had to be thinking about the other night. About the kiss.
God, that kiss. I'd been trying not to think about it for the past two days, but it kept creeping back into my mind at the worst possible moments. The way she'd wrapped her arms around my neck, the taste of wine on her lips, the soft sound she'd made when I'd almost—
Stop it, Leo. Just stop.
She was probably embarrassed. Hell, she should be embarrassed. We'd crossed a line that should never be crossed, and now we had to spend three days together pretending it never happened.
Maybe that was for the best. Zoe was a beautiful young woman with her whole life ahead of her. She deserved someone her own age, someone who could give her everything she wanted. Someone like that Kai kid I'd seen her with around campus.
I'd noticed him a few times when I was walking to my car after late faculty meetings. Tall, good-looking, probably around her age. The way he looked at her when they walked together, it was obvious he was crazy about her. And who wouldn't be? Zoe was the kind of person who lit up every room she entered.
She deserved hot young blood, not a broken-down professor with more baggage than an airport carousel.
The cab ride from LAX to our hotel was another exercise in uncomfortable silence. I tried to make small talk about the competition, about the other schools we'd be up against, but she just nodded and gave one-word answers.
When we finally pulled up to the hotel, I was relieved to get out of the cramped backseat.
"Here, let me get your bags," I said, reaching for her suitcase as she climbed out of the cab.
"No, it's fine," she said quickly, pulling the suitcase away from me. "I can handle it."
"Zoe, it's heavy. Let me—"
"I said I can handle it."
But she was struggling with the weight, and her pride was going to make her throw out her back.
"Just let me help," I insisted, taking the handle from her hands. "It's not a big deal."
She sighed and let me take the suitcase. "Fine. But I can carry your bag."
I looked down at my small backpack and almost smiled. "This thing? It weighs about five pounds."
"So? I'm offering to help."
"Okay," I said, handing her the backpack. "Thank you."
We walked into the hotel lobby together, and I had to admit it was a nice place. Modern, clean, with a view of downtown LA through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The competition organizers had recommended it, and it was close to the venue where we'd be performing tomorrow.
"Good evening," the receptionist said with a bright smile. "How can I help you?"
"We have reservations," I said. "Two suites under the name Mercer."
She typed on her computer for a moment, then frowned. "I'm sorry, sir, but I don't see any reservations under that name."
My stomach dropped. "That's not possible. My assistant made the reservations two nights ago."
"Let me check again," she said, typing more slowly. "Mercer, you said?"
"Yes. M-E-R-C-E-R. Two suites for tonight only."
She shook her head. "I'm really sorry, but there's nothing here."
I pulled out my phone and dialed Dave's number, stepping away from the counter. He answered on the third ring.
"Dave, we're at the hotel in LA, and they're saying we don't have reservations."
"Oh, shit," he said. "Sir, I'm so sorry. I forgot to call you back. I couldn't get the reservations. The hotel was booked solid that day."
"What do you mean you couldn't get the reservations?" I could hear my voice getting louder, and I saw Zoe raise an eyebrow. "I told you to book them two nights ago. If it was booked that day, what about yesterday morning or even this morning. What the hell is wrong with you, Dave? And you couldn't even tell me?"
"I was going to call around to other hotels, but then I got swamped with that Peterson case, and I totally forgot. I'm really sorry."
I wanted to throw my phone across the lobby. Instead, I took a deep breath and lowered my voice. "Dave, we're standing in the lobby right now with nowhere to stay."
"I'll make some calls. There have to be other hotels—"
"Just... forget it. I'll figure something out."
I hung up and walked back to the counter, where Zoe was waiting with a concerned expression.
"Everything okay?" she asked.
"My assistant forgot to make the reservations," I said through clenched teeth.
"Oh no. What do we do now?"
I turned to the receptionist. "Do you have any rooms available? Anything at all?"
She checked her computer again. "We do have one room left. It's not a suite, though. Just a standard room with—"
"We'll take it," I said quickly.
"Actually," I said, reconsidering. "The room is for her. I'll find somewhere else to stay."
Zoe's eyes widened. "What? Where will you sleep then?"
I opened my mouth to say I'd figure something out, maybe sleep in the airport or find a hotel across town, when she cut me off.
"Out in the open? Never! We'll take the room."
I furrowed my brows in confusion. "What are you saying?"
"We'll both stay in the room," she said matter-of-factly.
My mouth fell open. "Zoe, we can't—"
But she was already turning to the receptionist, holding out her hand for the key card.
"One room, please," she said with a smile.
The receptionist looked between us, clearly sensing the tension. "It's a standard room with one king bed," she said carefully. "Is that... okay?"
"It's perfect," Zoe said, taking the key card before I could object.
I stood there in shock, staring at her like she'd just suggested we run away and join the circus.