Just for one Night

•Sloane Rivers•

“I don’t know. There’s a storm so our flights have been shifted,” Gina said and I frowned. Gina was well… the only friend I had and we both worked in the same firm.

Apparently, she was supposed to be on ground today.

“Wait. What?” I muttered and I could hear her sigh from the other end.

“We can’t be in Switz today, Sloane. And there’s a high possibility of the retreat not starting tomorrow if the storm continues,” she said and I blinked.

A storm. Now? Really?

“Seriously?” I huffed. I was already on ground and out of the blues there was a snow storm.

I’d spent my morning taking a walk and was ready to retire to my lodge before I got a call from Gina.

I walked past the receptionist, who looked stressed as hell, with a man standing next to her. I didn’t catch his face because all I wanted was to get to my room.

“Miss Rivers?” the receptionist called. I paused and turned to her. She offered a small smile as the man beside her watched me.

He wasn’t tall, a little chubby, and bald. He rubbed his hands together.

“Miss Rivers, can we see you for a couple of minutes?” he asked. My brows drew together.

“Gina, let me call you back,” I mumbled before hanging up and walking towards them.

“Sorry for the inconvenience. I’m Harley, manager of the resort,” he introduced himself. I nodded, glancing at the receptionist.

“Is there a problem?” I asked. He lowered his gaze and nodded.

“Actually, we have piping issues in our left wing and it isn’t convenient for guests to stay in right now.” he said, and I nodded still having no idea where this was headed.

He picked at the buttons on his shirt and I shifted on my feet.

“We’re currently doing a temporary reassignment because we still have guests to check in,” he said. I stared at them.

“Well, that should be easy to sort out.” I shrugged. Harley let out a breath.

“That’s the problem, ma’am. We’re out of rooms, and since a storm’s rolling in soon, I doubt any resort will be less booked too,” he said.

I didn’t like where this was going.

“Okay? Is there something I’m expected to do?” I asked, glancing at the receptionist.

“So, we’re assigning someone to your suite, just as we’d done for all others. He’d be here soon, I think.” he said before hurriedly adding. “This is considered a weather emergency and we’re just making sure everyone is safe,”

But that wasn’t what I was fixated on. Him?

I was going to share my lodge with a him?!

“It’s a he?” I stated, looking at the man, who appeared apologetic. I huffed. “Mr. Harley, I can’t share my room with a male stranger. Who knows what could happen,” I said flatly.

Someone must have walked in because Harley perked up immediately—same with the receptionist. I glanced at the entrance and pressed my lips together.

I knew the one time I’d rely on Mother Nature, she’d disappoint me.

Because why was he here?

He walked up to us, rolling his suitcase behind him—and somehow that was effortlessly attractive. I looked away, pretending I hadn’t seen him, just as he did the same.

Harley cleared his throat. “Mr. Hale. You’re here.”

It was awkward. Everything.

“Um, I was just talking to Miss Rivers. The left wing of the resort suddenly developed piping issues and it’s out of use right now and with the storm around, we’re doing a temporary reassignment” he said. An alarm went off in my head.

“So, um, you’d be sharing a room with Miss Rivers. This is only temporary, a day tops.” he scratched his head.

I blinked. He was the he? Jesus fucking Christ.

“No. It can’t work. I’m really sorry, but you’ll have to find another way around this without involving me,” I interrupted. I wasn’t sharing a suite with an asshole.

“It’s simple. Check someone out,” Ethan said, his voice sounding way different than at the coffee shop—curt and chill. I resisted the urge to scoff.

It was obvious he wasn’t listening to the man. There was a storm coming in and no one in their right senses would want to check out.

Harley scratched his head. “That’s where we have a problem, sir. Nobody is checking out till at least tomorrow, and the other rooms in the right wing are fully booked.”

Ethan frowned. Valid reaction.

“What are you implying?”

“That you room with Miss Rivers. Just for the night.”

“No,” we both echoed at the same time. We exchanged glances and I looked away quickly, catching Harley staring between us, confused.

“Um, do you know each other?” he asked.

“I don’t. And that’s why I can’t have a man who behaves rashly in the same space with me,” I pointed out. Ethan shifted.

“Same. She’s likely to kill me in my sleep.”

I huffed. “That’s ridiculous.”

He glanced down at me. I’d never hated my height more.

“But not impossible, Miss Rivers.” He held my gaze a second longer, and I broke it by looking away.

Jesus, he was annoying.

Harley looked between us and nodded. “Okay. You know each other.”

I gave him a dry look. “I do not know this man.”

“She’s my ex,” Ethan said. I blinked. What?

Harley chuckled uncomfortably. “Explains it.”

“What?”

Ethan ignored me and adjusted his hold on his suitcase.

“That’s why I cannot stay in a room with my ex. My wife would be beyond pissed if she finds out,” he said, and I stared, stunned into silence.

The ex part was a lie, and I had no idea if the wife part was real, but whatever.

“Miss Rivers, Mr. Hale, I understand this is a failure on our part, and I genuinely apologize, but please—just for tonight. We’ll sort everything out in the morning,” he pleaded, looking exhausted.

Well, this was one expensive mistake.

I sighed and crossed my arms.

“He’s leaving in the morning, right?” I asked. Harley nodded quickly.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“He keeps his hands to himself and stays out of my sight and we’ll be fine,” I said flatly, and Harley turned to Ethan.

“Please keep your hands to yourself, Mr. Hale. I’ve no idea why you’d break up with a woman this gorgeous, but please—”

I caught the look of sheer disbelief on Ethan’s face. It warmed my insides.

“I believe I’m done here,” I said, turning on my heels and towards the elevator. I caught both men’s expressions as the doors slid shut.

I ran my hands through my curls, which had shrunken from the cold.

Yeah. I had to clear the living room.

Did I say how much I hate this?

God, I hated this.