Mistletoe Between Friends Read Online Free

hotel before my first meeting,” he said.
    â€œWhat time do you start?”
    â€œTwo o’clock. We’ll check in at the hotel, have lunch, and then I’ll need to go.” That was all said very matter-of-factly, much like everything Cam said.
    â€œOh, okay,” Lily replied, her mind racing with thoughts of how she was going to spend her first afternoon in the city. “And there’s a welcome dinner tonight, right?” Cam nodded. “What time is that?”
    â€œIt starts at seven thirty.”
    â€œDid you still want me to go with you?” She hoped that she sounded casual about it, but deep down, Lily was terrified that she would do something to embarrass Cam and let him down.
    He was about to reach for her suitcase on the carousel when Lily asked the question. “Why would you even ask me that?” he replied. Lily noted with surprise that he let the suitcase pass. Missing it was unlike him, though he did grab his own as it went by.
    â€œYou know, it’s your first night and maybe you’d rather just have the time with your colleagues without me tagging along,” she said lightly before muttering, “and ruining it.”
    Cam set his suitcase at his feet before taking Lily by the shoulders to face him. “Listen to me,” he said in a stern but loving way. “There’s nothing you’ll do to ruin anything for me. I asked you to come with me, and I want you there with me tonight and all the nights that we’re here.” When she still didn’t look convinced, he added, “Besides, you’re my girlfriend. What would people say if I left you alone in the room while I went out on the town?”
    That made Lily laugh. “You are so not going out on the town. You’re a group of scientists with big brains. You’ll sit around and debate the universe until you realize the night is over.” She said it lightly, but there was more than a hint of truth to it. Without thinking about it, she leaned in and hugged him. “Thanks, Cam. I needed that.” For the first time in the history of their friendship, Lily broke their embrace first. She was just about to comment on that when Cam motioned that her luggage was coming around again.
    Maybe it was for the best. If Lily started analyzing every touch and look, she’d make herself crazy. Cam was pretending to be in love with her. That was it; end of story. She might have to remind herself of that several times a day because they had only been playing the part for a few hours and she was already blurring the lines.
    * * *
    Their hotel was right in the middle of the Times Square neighborhood, and Lily couldn’t help but gape at the flurry of activity going on around her as they arrived. “Oh my gosh,” she gasped when the taxi came to a stop. “You didn’t tell me we were staying right in the heart of everything!”
    Cam simply shrugged and paid the driver as they got out of the cab. Once in the hotel, Lily stood silently while Cameron checked them in. As he was signing the paperwork, he said, “I booked us a suite so that you can have some privacy and I’ll have a little more space to work.”
    â€œSo there are two bedrooms?” she asked as she looked around in awe of her surroundings.
    â€œNo, but the living area has a sleeper sofa. I’ll take that and you take the bedroom.”
    Lily didn’t want to put him out. “Cam, you need your rest more than I do. You take the bedroom and I’ll take the sleeper.”
    He thanked the front desk clerk as he took their room cards and paperwork and then turned to Lily, who had her roller case by her side. “Let’s just get to the room and we can argue logistics later, okay?” Cam took his luggage in one hand and Lily’s hand in the other and led them toward the elevators. He was really starting to get the hang of this, Lily noted with delight.
    Once they were in their