My Arrogant Boss by Kylie King
Chapter Fourteen
FINN
It was nearing two in the morning, and I couldn’t get enough of Rachel. I had planned on cutting it short to an hour max with her if I got even the slightest bit annoyed, but our conversations were effortless. I felt myself unloosening, unwinding, and getting comfortable with her. I didn’t realize she and I had so much in common and felt like we should have called this truce sooner.
We were both feeling our drinks, and sweat was beading at my brow line from drinking so many scotches. I loosened my tie and adjusted on the stool, and Rachel checked the time on her phone.
“It’s getting late,” she murmured.
“Yeah. It is. And I have a brunch in the morning. No mimosas for me. I can already feel a hangover brewing.”
“Well, I should get going then.” Rachel polished off her drink and then collected her purse and phone from the counter. When she stood up, I followed suit.
“Let me walk you out,” I offered, and she nodded.
I walked with her through the bar of the hotel and to the lobby. When we were out the door, I asked, “Did you drive?”
“Yes. One of Katie’s cars.”
“Are you okay to drive?” I asked, and as soon as I did, she stumbled a bit.
“Um…” she sputtered a laugh.
“Damn, Rachel. I don’t think I should let you drive. Remember the engagement party when you took my keys?” I stuck my hand out. “Well, I’m gonna need yours now.”
“No way!”
“Yes, way. Your keys, Quinn. I’ll book you a room here, and you can sleep it off until you’re sober. I’m not letting you drive like this.”
She looked at me reluctantly and then at the street where a few cars were driving by. “Okay, fine. But we’re not sharing a room, are we?”
“Of course not,” I laughed. I hooked my arm through her elbow. “Come on.”
We went back into the hotel, and I requested two rooms at the counter.
“I’m sorry, sir, but we only have one more room for the night, and it’s a penthouse King suite,” the receptionist said with an uneasy smile. “There was a wedding this weekend, so we’re low on accommodations.”
“Are you serious right now? There’s nothing at all?” Rachel pleaded.
“I’m afraid not,” the receptionist said anxiously.
“There are hotels nearby,” I offered Rachel. “We could walk to one.” She pressed her lips and shook her head. “Are you kidding? There’s no way I can walk in these heels. Screw it. We’ll share until I’m sobered up, but you have to take the couch, bud.”
“Fine by me.”
I booked the room, collected the key card, and went to the elevator with Rachel. She stood in the corner opposite of me inside the elevator and gave me a lazy smile. I smiled back and shook my head. “What’s so funny?”
“You,” she snickered. “Pretending you aren’t excited to share a room with your worst enemy. I bet you can’t wait to brag about this to your homies.”
“Okay, first of all, don’t ever use the word homies again. What are we, in fifth grade?”
She busted out laughing.
“Second of all, there’s no reason for me to tell them about this. We’re simply sharing a room for a few hours because we’re both too drunk to drive.”
“Mm-hmm,” she said in a sing-song tune.
The elevator doors peeled open, and I walked out first, leading the way to the room. Shoving the key card in the slot, I twisted the handle and walked into the immaculate suite that provided a city view of downtown Los Angeles.
Rachel came in after me, in awe of the view too. The room became completely dark when the door shut behind her, and she stood next to me, staring ahead at the velvety midnight blue sky and the lights twinkling on the skyscrapers. A plane was flying in the distance and appeared to have just taken off.
“It must be nice to pay for places like this and get views like these without any financial worries,” Rachel said breathily.
“It is nice…but it sucks sometimes when there’s no one to share the views with.”
“Well, we’re sharing this moment right now, aren’t we?”
I turned a fraction to face her. “We are, huh?”
Her blue eyes swooped up to mine, and she smiled. “You’re actually a really decent human being, Finn.”
“And you’re not as self-righteous as I thought, Quinn.”
She giggled. “Our names rhyme.”
Damn it.I couldn’t stand this anymore. Beneath the milky light of the moon, she was even more beautiful, and perhaps I was drunk and stupid, but one thing was for certain—I wanted to kiss her.
With that in mind, I turned her toward me, cupped her face in my hands, and planted my lips on hers, taking what I’d been aching for since last night.