Chapter 250: Staying with Benjamin

Hayley’s POV:

The hotel manager appeared flustered. “Miss, the fire happened so suddenly. We had to quickly find rooms at nearby hotels, and availability is quite limited. It’s really difficult to arrange.”

“Please don’t worry. I’ll find another solution,” he said, his voice hesitant.

I nodded and waited. Benjamin’s gaze darkened, but he remained silent.

After a few calls, the manager returned with an apologetic expression. “I’m terribly sorry, but we couldn’t find any rooms.”

Benjamin spoke. “Give her the room. I’ll figure something else out.”

The manager quickly handed me the last room key. “Miss, you can take this room for now.”

I took the key. Had I not known Benjamin, I would have simply grabbed it and left. But I had known him for quite some time, and he had helped me before, so I couldn’t just leave.

After a moment, I asked, “Mr. Southwell, since there are no rooms left, would you mind sharing the room for the night?”

Benjamin immediately rejected the idea. “No, I’ll find another place to stay.”

His words left me oddly disappointed, and even Hera seemed restless. I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of anticipation about staying with Benjamin. The thought caught me off guard, causing me to suddenly slap my forehead.

“Hayley, what are you thinking?”

My odd gesture caught Benjamin’s attention. He furrowed his brows and asked, “Ms. Carson, what are you doing?”

I quickly explained, “Nothing. I just thought it was late, and most hotels are probably fully booked. Are you sure you want to leave?”

Benjamin narrowed his eyes. “Ms. Carson, are you inviting me?”

I immediately wished I could bite my tongue. I quickly denied, “Mr. Southwell, you misunderstood. I just thought it would be unfortunate for you to have no place to stay. It’s already two in the morning. What will you do for the rest of the night?”

The manager, seeing we knew each other, spoke up. “Sir, all the nearby hotels are fully booked, and Ms. Carson’s room is the only one available. I believe you can make do.”

I was taken aback. It was surprising the manager would suggest this. Though a bit embarrassed, I had no choice but to look at Benjamin.

Benjamin met my gaze. For a long moment, we just looked at each other. He gave a soft grunt, which I took as agreement.

So, Benjamin and I each took a room key and walked to the hotel next door. We walked in silence, one behind the other. Along the way, Hera kept urging me to seize the opportunity to be close to Benjamin. I rejected her, reminding her that I was no longer Hayley, but Hazel.

When we reached the door, Benjamin hesitated. I opened the door and said, “You go in first.”

Benjamin narrowed his eyes and then stepped inside. Once the door closed, I looked at the two beds and said, “You can take the bed closest to the door. I’ll take the one by the window.”

After saying that, I climbed into my bed. I pulled the blanket tightly around myself, leaving only my head exposed, and then added, “You should get some rest.”

At the same time, I was battling with my own desires. We were so close, and his scent was so intoxicating to Hera. I struggled to control her, suppressing the overwhelming urge to mate.

Benjamin was amused by my reaction. His expression, which had been tense when he entered, softened considerably. He glanced at the bed next to him before lying down.

After the ordeal, I realized my sleepiness had vanished completely. I stared at the ceiling, silently counting sheep. Even after counting thousands, sleep still wouldn’t come.

“Mr. Southwell,” I couldn’t hold it in anymore and tried calling out to him.