|5| Bunked

Riley’s POV

“What do you mean by bunking with a stranger?” I snapped at the receptionist.

I was refusing to believe the sharing thing. I wanted a vacation for myself. Was that so hard to ask for?

I stared at her, waiting for her to tell me it was a prank, but she just kept blinking and repeated what she had been saying for the past ten minutes.

“You two will share the room, as there are no vacant rooms.”

“But I booked it first,” I argued back.

“So did I,” a deep voice was added in the background, and I turned around, looking at the person who just spoke.

A man in his mid-twenties, maybe my age. He approached me with slow steps, his amber eyes locked with mine as he fixed the mass of his dirty blonde curls, tousling them to the back.

It would be a lie if I said that man was ugly because he looked like he came straight out of a modeling magazine.

His mesmerizing eyes looked deep into my soul, erupting some butterflies in my stomach. I forgot how this feeling was exciting to me, now I hate it.

Wake up, Riley. You had enough from men, and you are here just to relax. My inner voice scolded me. I tore my gaze away, looking at the receptionist.

The handsome stranger leaned on the desk, offering the woman a flirtatious smile, and I grimaced at him. “No, you won’t flirt your way through this, buddy,” I hissed at him, and he looked at me before chuckling.

I ignored him and focused my attention on the receptionist. “Please, isn’t there any option?” I pleaded, and she sent me a sad smile, shaking her head.

Her male colleague popped up behind her and offered me a sheepish smile. A smile that gave me hope. Maybe he found another room.

“I’ll explain the problem here.”

“The gentleman booked the room a day earlier, but the servers were down, that’s why it was available for you, he was nice enough to share the room with you,” he spoke in his fake sweet tone, then left me with the woman and the stranger.

“Fuck,” I muttered.

“Swearing isn’t nice, princess,” he purred, and I glared at him.

I rubbed my forehead, thinking of my next step. There wasn’t any next step, all the other hotels were fully booked because it was summer.

Leaving me with hostels. Am I leaving my chance to stay in a freaking suite?

Hell no.

“Why are you being fussy about it? I offered to share my room with you,” he said casually, stepping so close to me to the point I was smelling his cologne.

“Don’t you find it suspicious to offer to share your room with a woman?” I questioned him and he smirked, rubbing his chin as he got my point.

“I won’t try anything funny, princess,” he reassured, his playful smirk changing to a tight-lipped smile.

I nibbled on my lips, feeling heat traveling to my cheeks. I embarrassed myself for assuming he was a creep. He placed his hand on his chest, his amber eyes locking with mine.

“I swear on my heart-“

“Fine, I trust you, just stop being too dramatic,” I cut him off, and he grinned at me, nodding his head slowly.

“See you later.” He winked at me before walking away. I stared at his figure as he walked to the other receptionist to get his keys.

So, I was sharing an entire suite with a stranger, a very sexy stranger. I wished Athena was with me right now. She could’ve said no and taken the suite for herself.

That was a big fat lie. She would’ve agreed before even hearing his offer.

I turned my focus to the receptionist and saw her staring at the stranger, who I hadn’t got his name yet. “I love my job for letting me see sexy men,” the woman muttered loud enough for me to hear.

I cleared my throat, and her eyes snapped at me. She blushed and focused her gaze on her computer. “You don’t know how lucky you are to stay with him,” she spoke as she handed me the keys.

Is he supposed to be famous? I glanced at him, and he was talking on his phone, running his fingers through his curls with frustration.

He looked normal to me with his summer cargo shorts and tight white shirt showing off his chiseled chest.

“Well, he isn’t Tom Holland, or Chris Evans,” I joked, and she chuckled.

“Have a pleasant stay,” she chirped, and I offered her a wide smile, thanking her before I left.

I wore my backpack and dragged the suitcase behind me to the elevator. I pressed the button and glanced at the decreasing numbers.

I shoved my worries about sharing the room to the back of my head and focused on the fun activities I would do.

It was dark outside, so there was no sunbathing. A walk on the beach doesn’t seem like a bad idea or attending a party by the pool. Nope, that’s a horrible idea.

Too much crowd.

There will be men, and I want time for myself. My thoughts returned to square one, and all I could think about was sharing the room.

I was sharing a room with a man…

A playboy, to be specific. He would be considered the first man I spend some time under the same roof for the next few days until I find an empty room to move to.

Chris scared me, made me hate all mankind. I could remember myself when I first left the house to get groceries.

The power went out, and I panicked. Things became worse when the worker tried to help me.

Just to be safe, I’ll draw some lines between that person and me, and I won’t let my guards down.

That means less contact with him. Avoiding him would be great, too.

My thoughts ended when I heard someone clearing his throat. I glanced in the sound’s direction, my eyes meeting those mesmerizing amber eyes.

He extended his hand out for me to shake, introducing himself with a wide grin. “I’m Zack,”

I eyed him from bottom to top and ignored him, staring back at the closed elevator door.

That was kind of… rude. My inner voice commented.

No, I’m not rude. I don’t want interactions with him.

The doors opened, and I walked inside the elevator, followed by him. “Playing hard to get, huh?” He teased, pressing the tenth-floor button.

I glanced at him and offered a fake smile. “It doesn’t mean we share a room that we have to talk,” I retorted.

“You should thank me for being noble and offering to share my room with you,” he remarked sarcastically, and I focused my gaze on him.

“Well, I paid for it too,” I talked back, looking at him with a grimace. The annoying smirk didn’t leave his lips.

He was about to talk, but I beat him up. “Since we are sharing the room, I have my rules, you don’t come with women in the room, no walking around half-naked or fully, and the bed is mine,” I threw the bunch of orders, then lifted my gaze meeting his curious eyes.

“And why is the bed yours?” He questioned, narrowing his eyes at me.

Seriously? The bed was the only thing catching his attention.

“Are you going to leave a lady to sleep on the uncomfortable couch?”

“You know we could ask for an extra bed?” He mumbled, raising a single eyebrow.

Embarrassing. My inner voice sang in my head, and I felt the blood gathering in my cheeks.

“The big bed is mine,” I proclaimed, crossing my arms against my chest.

He smirked, leaning closer to me. I could feel his minty breathing fanning over my face. His eyes were set on mine in a long staring contest. None of us was even blinking.

The butterflies were back, swarming again in my stomach. He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and I think I couldn’t breathe anymore.

How I didn’t shout at him to move away? I don’t know. He had that intimidating aura, luring me slowly.

“You look cute when you’re blushing,” he murmured, his finger grazing my cheek before grabbing my chin, lifting my face slightly. “And I love bossy women,” he flirted.

Is it hot in here or is it just me? I was boiling on the inside by now.

If he had a super hearing, he could hear my pounding heart. His face was only a few inches apart, making me grow nervous.

My mind wanted me to slap him, but my muscles tensed up, not following my brain’s order.

“Also, no flirting with me,” I whispered, adding to my list of orders.

“But you seemed to like it,” he asserted, smirking devilishly at me.

The elevator door opened. He pulled away and walked out, pulling behind him his only suitcase.

I was stunned, completely frozen in my place, before I heard his deep voice, “aren’t you coming, stranger?”

I woke up from my trance and grabbed my bags, following him down the hall. He stopped in front of the room, opened the door, then disappeared inside before coming back to help me with my bag, but I stopped him.

“Stop being stubborn, little princess,” he ribbed, taking my suitcase from my grasp.

Yeah… the nickname was getting to me now.

He’s just a playboy, it’s very obvious. He booked an expensive suite, which I got for half of the price. He’s always on his phone, and the receptionist gave him special treatment.

He could be a businessman or a gang leader.

I followed him inside, glancing at him as he set the luggage next to the wardrobe. My gaze roamed the spacious room. It had a king-sized bed in the middle of the room facing the wide balcony that was viewing the sea.

There was a wall separating two dark brown couches from the bed and I guess the tv was there along with a mini-fridge.

Zack walked inside the room and opened the balcony, filling the room with fresh air. It was dark outside, but there was light not so far from the room.

“I gotta thank my assistant for booking this room,” he muttered under his breath, loud enough for me to hear.

His gaze snapped to me, and I walked to the bed, throwing myself on the soft mattress, and he sighed loudly.

I propped myself on my elbows, gazing at him with a teasing smirk. “I see what you’re doing there,” he pointed out with a cheeky smile.

He put his hands on his waist and pursed his lips. “So, stranger, you said your list of orders. Can I say mine?”

“Whatever,” I grumbled, sleeping back on the bed and staring at the roof.

“Well… it would be… um… inappropriate for me to assume such a thing,” he stammered, and I sat up, noticing him blushing furiously.

A chuckle escaped my lips, and he rolled his eyes, scratching his neck awkwardly. “Can I get your name at least?” He asked, not in his regular cocky tone.

“Riley,” I answered.

“Nice to meet you, Riles.” He smiled back, showing a perfect set of white teeth.

He even made my nickname sound so much better coming out of his mouth.

No, that’s what all playboys do, make you fall for them, then dump you.

“I wish I could say the same,” I mumbled, but he heard me as he rolled his amber eyes to the back of his head for the second time.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” I asked as I saw him enter the balcony, returning with a plastic chair.

“Not at the moment,” he answered, setting the chair across from the bed, and sitting down while his gaze was on me.

He was getting on my nerves, and I wanted to punch his perfect face. I exhaled sharply before getting up and walking to my bag, completely ignoring Zack’s presence in the room.

I put my bag on the bed and opened it, grabbing out a rainbow dyed crop top along with jeans shorts, feeling Zack’s gaze at me.

Don’t snap at him. I chanted in my head.

“Has anyone told you before that you are annoying?” I snapped at him, offering him a fake tight-lipped smile.

“Yes, a lot of people, princess,” he answered with a taunting grin.

I’ve only known that guy for thirty minutes, and they were enough for me to grow hatred. He’s annoying with a big fat ego.

“Jack.”

I said his name wrong on purpose to annoy him.

“Zack,” he corrected me, his smile never leaving his face.

“Whatever. We are just temporary roommates, not friends,” I stated. Maybe he would get this through his thick skull.

He eyed me slowly before meeting my gaze. “Who hurt you?” He asked, and I was taken aback by his question.

Was it very obvious that I was hurt?

You are just acting like a bitch. The voice in my head remarked.

And he’s being cocky and annoying. I tried to give a reason to hate him.

“You are filled with so much rage and anger. You just went through a breakup,” he mumbled, his eyes flickering between mine, waiting for my answer.

“A terrible breakup.” He continued in a low tone.

“Are you somewhat of a detective?” I retorted, letting my anger get the best of me.

“Nah, I’m just good at reading people.” He shrugged his shoulders. “So, am I right?” He trailed off with another question.

I didn’t answer him. Not because I didn’t have an answer, but talking about Chris made me remember what happened that terrible night.

I tore my gaze off, staring at my opened bag. Did I come here, so this Zack shows up and annoys me?

I didn’t travel overseas for him to annoy me.

I closed my bag, glancing at Zack, who was still staring at me. “Don’t you have anything to do? Somewhere to go? Or are you just going to annoy me?” I snapped at him. His eyes widened for a second at my rude self.

But he was also rude, and nosey, trying to get into my business.

“I’m waiting for you to finish, then I’ll get ready. Maybe we could go get dinner together and get to know each other.”

I blinked at him. Was he serious? I asked myself.

He was one hundred percent serious. He must be an idiot or straightforward stupid.

“I’m good at being alone,” I said with a tight-lipped smile, grabbing my clothes before walking to the bathroom to change.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror after I was done, a smile rising on my lips as I checked myself.

I was here to relax, have fun, and not worry.

There were rumbling sounds from the room, but I ignored them as I pulled my hair up in a messy bun.

I left the bathroom, not seeing Zack in the room.

Thank God.

One week, I had to stay with Zack for a fucking week. Let’s hope they have a room in the next few days before Zack pulls my last strings.