Hotel Ruby by Suzanne Young Read Free Book Online Page A

my neck as we pass the restaurant, surprised when I find my father still inside, now talking with Kenneth. How did the concierge get over there so fast?
    My dad gets to his feet, his arms gesturing wildly as he and Kenneth engage in what appears to be a heated conversation. My father takes Kenneth’s arm, desperate. And then, suddenly, as if he knew I was here, Kenneth’s dark gaze snaps to me. Dread falls around my shoulders; my breath catches.
    â€œCome on,” Elias says, oblivious to Kenneth’s new location. He takes my arm, and then we’re next to each other again, starting off down the hallway. I wonder momentarily what my father and Kenneth were arguing about. Was it about me? But then Elias laughs, and his fingers slidedown my arm to take my hand. The sensation on my skin makes my heart race, draws me completely into his world. It’s been so long since I’ve wanted something—someone. I forget everything else.
    â€œDon’t freak out,” Elias says, his dimples deepening with his smile. “But I was thinking we could start at the spa. Namely, the steam room?”
    Hot and sweaty while wearing a towel. I can’t believe I’m going to agree to this. “Interesting suggestion,” I say.
    â€œYes, I thought it was brilliant.” We both laugh, and then he tugs me toward the frosted glass doors at the end of the hallway.

    I’ve been in a steam room only once or twice, after working out at the gym. But the YMCA’s white-tiled floors and benches have nothing on this place. The smell of cedar immediately hits my nose as we walk into the small room, a light fog hanging in the air. We have the place to ourselves, and I cross the wet floor to the benches. I sit first, expecting Elias to take a spot next to me, but he goes next to the water bucket and sits down.
    When we walked into the spa, the woman at the desk didn’t even glance at us, instead smiling at her phone like she was reading a text. I imagined Kenneth wouldn’t be at all happy, but Elias only put his finger to his lips and pulled us past the receptionist. A girl in a bright-white dress stopped us then, greeting Elias with a kiss on thecheek. I didn’t roll my eyes; my time as Ryan’s girlfriend was a crash course in handling jealously. Not that he would have strayed.
    Elias asked the girl if we could borrow towels, and she shot him a disapproving look before grabbing a large, fluffy towel and extending it in my general direction. Like Catherine at the party, this girl didn’t appear very pleased to see Elias talking with me. I thanked her and took the towel.
    I changed in the bathroom and then met Elias in front of the steam room, a little stunned to see him without his shirt. Of course, I was standing in a towel as well, but I could barely formulate a sentence that didn’t start with “Wow . . .”
    Elias is not Ryan—he’s not bulked up, thick and strong. Instead he’s incredibly tall and thin, fit, with muscles corded around his frame. I actually like it better. Being with Ryan always made me feel a little self-conscious, like I should be working out instead of chowing down on movie theater popcorn.
    I expected some recognition that I was also nearly naked, but Elias only looked me over once and then opened the door to the room.
    As we sit here now, the room is certainly warm. I settle back against the heated wood bench behind me, staring across the room at Elias. He takes a ladleful of water and pours it over the hot rocks, the spitting steam hisses,quickly enveloping the room. The vapor reaches me, hard to breathe in. But it’s intoxicating, the pure heat licking my skin.
    Elias stands and then comes over to where I am, climbing up to take the bench above me. I reposition myself, my elbow on his seat as I rest my chin on my arm. Elias lays his head against the wall and then looks down at me. Moisture has started to gather on his face, his