Seven Letter Words #Wattys2016

Part 15

Liam

We drove the next four hours without stopping. I was exhausted by the time we pulled into a small hotel outside of Dallas. It was dark and the bugs were already chirping when made out way to the small lobby. It wasn't a large chain hotel, but my phone informed me most hotels were full due to a Rodeo being in town. The lady behind the counter looked like she could clearly be someone's great grandmother. She watched as we approached and I wondered if she would give us any grief for sharing a room. Sometimes these small towns held on tight to ideal family traditions.

"Welcome. How can I help you?" she asked, retrieving a logbook instead of firing up a computer. I almost changed my mind about staying there, but it was late and I didn't think I could get back into that truck for even another minute. We'd just have to make due. Juliet smiled at me and tried not to laugh.

"We, um, we need a room." She smiled kindly at the older woman. "Just for the night."

"Oh," the woman said, turning the page to an empty sheet. "How lovely. I have a room available. It's got a king size bed and a little table where you can have breakfast." I moved to ask for double beds, but Juliet reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze. I looked up to her face and she just shook her head slightly, warning me away from making my request.

"Thank you," Juliet drawled and I wondered how often she used that Texas accent to get what she wanted. It was sure working on me, whether she wanted it to or not. Pines must have had it rough having her as a sister. I bet his friends were always falling in love.

"Are you two on honeymoon?" The old woman asked. Her face quickly fell when she noticed we didn't have rings. I saw as she pulled the logbook back across the counter.

"Sure are," Juliet answered, pulling me a little closer. I wrapped my hand around her waist and prayed the shocked look on my face didn't give away her lie. We needed this room. "Can't wait for my beautiful ring to be sized." She held her hand up to show where it would be...you know if it wasn't a total lie! I looked too, like some how I might have missed that part and a ring would really be there. "This sweetheart right here," she continued in the sweet southern drawl, "he said he would not put his ring on until I got to wear mine." Juliet rested her hand on her chest with a look of complete admiration for me.

"Well goodness sakes," the older woman said. "They just don't make gentlemen like him anymore. You're lucky you got him." She smiled and quickly handed Juliet a pen so she could fill out our information. I watched Juliet bite her lip as she filled in all the spaces. I was not a great liar, so I just smiled and tried to keep my eyes on her so I wouldn't give us away by saying something like, "Are you serious?" I had never heard such a fancy romantic story. If a man had a wedding ring, but wasn't wearing it—he was out with his girlfriend. End of story.

She handed us a key and I grabbed it. When we finally got out the main doors I turned to Juliet, but she was doubled over with laughter. "You should have seen your face," she gasped between giggles. "Holy shit. You would have thought I was proposing in there. You got all pale and freaked out." She laughed and I couldn't help but join her. Perhaps that had been a little out of my comfort zone.

"Shit, Juliet. Who do you think you are? In there spinning up stories like you're Nicholas Sparks or some shit. You might want to fill me in before you dive right off the deep end."

"She would have never let us stay," she managed, wiping a little tear that escaped with her laughter. "She was about to kick us out. Did you see that judgy look?" she motioned behind us with her thumb. "Grandma Busybody in there was about to give us a come-to-Jesus speech."

I put my finger beneath her chin and lifted her face. "You're full of surprises." I looked down at her lip as she swiped her tongue across it. The last little giggle falling from her lips. "I think you might be trouble." I felt this overwhelming urge to kiss her. My heart was hammering in my chest and my lungs burned. She was all kinds of trouble and I wanted to sign up for every experience.

"I doubt that I'm much like what people expect me to be." Her voice drifted softly between us as her eyes looked into mine.

"You're beautiful and intelligent. You're funny and a damn good liar. I don't think I misjudged you," I answered, letting my thumb gently rub her chin as I stared into her bright eyes. "I think I've only begun to figure out who you are."

"And so far?" she asked, closing her eyes for a second and sucking in a deep breath.

"I love what I see." I leaned in slowly and kissed her forehead. If I didn't put some serious space between us, I was going to kiss those perfect lips. I let her go and headed out to the truck to get our bags. One king sized-bed. It was going to be a very long night.