Where The Ice Gives Way (Charlotte and Blake) novel Chapter 176

Where The Ice Gives Way

Chapter 176 Sleeping Arrangements

Emily

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We all stand in the hotel lobby while Gareth goes to organise the rooms. The place smells like carpet cleaner, coffee, and the faint

chemical bite of the indoor pool somewhere down the hall. Warm air hums from vents above us, and snow melts from everyone’s boots

onto the dark mats near the sliding doors.

Gareth comes back with a small stack of key cards in his hand. He passes one to Dr Hale first, then to each patrol member, giving quiet

instructions as he goes. “Check out is at nine,” he tells everyone. “Breakfast starts at six–thirty. We leave straight after.”

Everyone nods, and then he turns to Blake and hands him two sets of keys. Blake looks down at them, then at Charlotte, and then at

Theo. His teeth catch his bottom lip, and I can see the entire problem unfold across his face before anyone says a word. Two rooms. Charlotte and me. Blake and Theo. That would make the most sense. Except Blake wants to be with his mate, and Charlotte wants to be

with hers, and I am standing in the middle of it all like a suitcase someone forgot how to pack.

Before the awkwardness has a chance to spread, I step forward. “Theo and I can share a room.”

Theo’s head snaps toward me so fast I’m surprised his neck survives it, and Charlotte steps forward at once. “Em, no. It’s fine. The boys

can share.”

I shake my head. “No, really. It’s okay.”

Blake watches me carefully, and I understand why, but I am not afraid of Theo anymore. Nervous, maybe. Aware of him, definitely. But not

afraid. I step forward and take one of the key cards from Blake’s hand before anyone can argue me out of it, then turn to Theo. “You don’t

mind sharing with me, right?”

His mouth opens, then snaps shut, then opens again. “No. I mean, yes. I mean…” He drags a hand through his messy light brown hair,

looking briefly at the ceiling. “Yeah. We’ll be fine together.”

Charlotte’s lips twitch, Blake’s brows lift, and Theo clears his throat and tries very hard to look casual, which only makes him look more

nervous. “You guys go and enjoy the little bit of time you get alone before things get crazy again.”

Blake’s eyes stay on him for a second longer, and Theo looks back. Whatever passes between them happens silently, but I can feel the

weight of it. Then Blake gives one small nod and turns toward Charlotte.

Theo immediately heads back out to the truck for our luggage, and Charlotte catches my hand and gently pulls me aside, lowering her

voice. “Are you sure? Seriously, Em, I can stay with you.”

I squeeze her fingers. “You’ve done so much for me. You and your mate deserve to spend some time together,” I say, quieter now. “Plus, I

don’t want to see those googly eyes you two make when you’ve been apart too long.”

Charlotte’s mouth drops open before she laughs. “We do not make googly eyes.”

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Chapter 176 Sleeping Arrangements

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I look over her shoulder at Blake, who is watching her like she hung the moon, painted the sky, and invented breathing. I give her a look, and she follows my gaze, then blushes. “Okay, maybe a few.”

“A few hundred.”

She nudges me with her shoulder, still smiling. “Alright. But you mind link me if you need me, okay? For anything. Even if you change

your mind.”

“I will.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Her hand squeezes mine once more before she lets me go.

When I turn, Theo is coming back through the sliding doors with both bags, his overnight bag hooked over one shoulder and my purple

suitcase rolling behind him. He is bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet, biting his lower lip like he is trying to keep twelve different

thoughts inside his head at once. I could bite that lip. Sasha purrs, and my eyes widen. Down, girl. This is for Blake and Charlotte, I tell her

firmly.

Theo falls into step beside me as I make my way down the hall. Room 102 is easy to find. I tap the key card to the lock and wait for the

tiny green light before pushing the door open. Theo gestures for me to go first, but he’s the one holding the bags, so I hold the door

instead. He shuffles in with the luggage, careful not to brush against me. Then I step in behind him and run smack into his back when he

stops dead in the narrow little hallway.

“Oof.”

“Shit.” Theo spins too fast, his bag swinging with him and nearly hitting me in the hip. “Sorry. Shit, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

He tries to step back, but trips a little on thin air, and my bag slips from his hand. I barely jump out of the way before it lands where my

foot was. Theo freezes, both hands lifted in the air. “I’m so sorry.”

I stare at him for half a second, then I start laughing. It bubbles out of me as his face does something hopelessly panicked.

“Okay,” I say, holding up my gloved hands. “Whoa there, jumpy. What’s got you all worked up?”

His throat moves. “I… uh…” His eyes dart over his shoulder, then back to me. “Nothing. I just… um…”

I look around him, and then I see the problem.

The room is warm and dim, with pale curtains drawn over the window, a small desk near the wall, one armchair, one television, and one

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Chapter 176 Sleeping Arrangements

large bed sitting right in the middle of everything. One. Not two. One bed. My laugh fades into silence, and Theo looks like he wants to

launch himself straight through the window.

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