“We’ll run away together,” I joke, although neither of us is smiling anymore. “I’m thinking California would be nice.”
“It is,” he allows. “I grew up there.” Elias sets down his cup, pushes it aside, and leans his elbows on the table. He turns to look at the garden, the neatly trimmed shrubbery, the mountain view in the distance. Flowers—roses of several colors, vibrant and fragrant even from here, crowd the landscape. This is easily the best view in the house.
After a few minutes of comfortable silence Elias looks over at me mischievously. “I think I’ve changed my mind,” he says.
“About what?”
“Taking you back to my room. I’ll leave the phone off the hook.”
I laugh, considering the offer. The butterflies in my stomach, the twist of desire. I can’t even believe when I hear myself decline. “I can’t,” I say, lowering my chin onto my folded arms on the table. “I shouldn’t,” I say instead. “No matter how badly I want to.”
“We still have twenty-three hours,” he says, disappointed but not put off. He opens the black bill holder and signs his name with a quick swipe of the pen.
“Twenty-two,” I respond, laughing when he narrows his eyes.
“Come here,” he whispers, tossing the pen aside to lean closer. When I do, he kisses me, sweetly, teasingly, over the table. He runs his lips over mine, and then there’s the soft touch of his tongue, the warmth of his mouth. My head spins and I grasp his shirt, to pull him closer still.
“Sorry to interrupt.”
Elias and I jump, and I look up to see Joshua, dressed in his Hotel Ruby uniform, not looking at all sorry. He shoots Elias a smug smile and then turns back to me. “The front desk sent me over,” he says. “Your brother is looking for you, Audrey. Probably a good thing that I found you first.” He snorts a laugh and then turns on his heel, heading back inside.
“What is it with you and Joshua?” I ask, sitting up and feeling slightly embarrassed to be caught kissing. I glance around, glad when I see the other tables empty. I didn’t even think to look before. Although Joshua was right—I’m definitely glad it was him and not Daniel. That would have been awful.
Elias leans back in his chair, exhaling heavily. “Back when Catherine and I were miserable together, Joshua provided her with a much-needed diversion. I may have punched him in the face a few times because of it.” Elias lifts one shoulder. “It was a long time ago. Sort of comical at this point.”
“You’re frenemies,” I tease, but Elias looks confused. An older couple walks onto the patio, and sits at the next table over. They don’t acknowledge us, even though Elias nods politely at them.
I want to spend more time outside, carefree with a hot guy and no responsibility, but I shouldn’t leave Daniel hanging. I stand, and Elias reaches out to pull me close when I start to walk by. I lean into him, thrilled as he gazes up at me adoringly.
“Come back when you’re done?” he asks.
“Are you going to try to convince me to go to your room?”
His dimples deepen, his lips pulling into a slow, sexy smile. “Do you want me to?”
I give him a quick kiss and then hold myself just above him. “Kind of,” I whisper, knowing it’s true. And really, who cares what I do with Elias? I’m being hauled away to Elko, Nevada, for the foreseeable future. Why not enjoy my last moments of freedom?
Elias groans, rolling his eyes like I’m the biggest tease to ever live. “Hurry,” he says, and then drags his coffee cup in front of him.
The front desk is empty, so I look for Daniel in the restaurant, but both he and my father are gone. I see Warren busing the table and walk over to meet him.
“Hey, Audrey,” he says, his voice soft and comforting. “You rushed out of here earlier. Everything okay?”
“Fine. I’m looking for my brother, though. Have you seen him?”
Warren glances around, as if Daniel just switched tables without him noticing. Then he snaps his fingers. “Try the ballroom. Your father was talking to another guest about it after you left. Not sure what that was about, though. Other tables.” He motions around the room to prove his point. I thank him and let him get back to work, and then I take the turn down the hall toward the ballroom.