Chapter Text
Neil Melendez stood in the busy lobby of the New York City hotel, glancing down at his phone. Theses medical conferences were always a whirlwind of activity, but this one seemed to be even more chaotic than usual and it hadn’t even started yet. The check in line was moving at a snail’s pace, and even from afar Claire could tell his patience was wearing thin.
She quickly joined him, dragging her suitcase behind her. “I just asked and there’s no express check in. They said there was some sort of problems with the rooms today,” she said. “Can you believe it?”
Neil sighed. “Of course there is. What else could go wrong today?”
Their flight had already been cancelled leaving them on an alternate one where to Neil’s annoyance he was bumped from business to coach and then their pre-booked ride from the airport had picked up the wrong passenger, but at least they’d finally made it.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached the front desk. The receptionist, a young woman with a bright smile, greeted them, Neil gave her both of their details explaining their rooms had been booked under the hospital’s company account. The receptionist spent a little too long on her computer, before moving across the desk to her colleague and speaking in a hushed tone before turning back to them, a sheepish look on her face and Claire didn’t get a chance to ask what was wrong before she spoke.
“Dr Melendez, Dr Browne, I’m so sorry about the mix-up. Unfortunately, due to an AC problem and the hotel being full for the conference, we can only offer you one room. It's one of our deluxe suites, although we can offer you another room at our partner hotel, complimentary upgrade of course.”
Neil’s jaw clenched but he managed to slap on a smile. “I’ll stay at the partner hotel. Claire, you might as well stay here.”
“Thanks.” She smiled.
“Great,” the receptionist nodded. “The hotel is in Union City, I’ll call ahead and arrange a transfer for—“
“Union city?” Neil interrupted. “That’s not even in the city.” He turned to Claire answering the question before she could even ask. “New Jersey.”
“Our other hotel in Tribeca is also unfortunately full,” the receptionist said sympathetically. “We’ve already moved as many people there as we could before you arrived. All I can do is apologise.”
“It’s fine,” Claire smiled, trying to come across friendly despite the fact she was as annoyed as Neil. It wasn't this woman's fault.
“Can we get a fold out bed in the suite?”
“None available,” The woman shook her head apologetically. “But it’s a king bed if that makes any difference.”
Neil opened his mouth to speak, but before he could have a go at the receptionist Claire held up her hand to stop him. “We’ll take it.”
“We will?” Neil raised an eyebrow.
Claire nodded, “we will.”
Neil’s brows furrowed but when she didn’t back down he sighed heavily. “Fine. We’ll take the room.”
They checked in and silently waited for the elevator, once inside Neil shot her a confused look, Claire shrugged, trying to make the best of the situation. “Well, it’s not like we have much of a choice. We’ll figure it out. Perhaps find another hotel in the morning, but right now it’s late and we have an early start.”
They made their way to the room, which, as promised, was spacious and luxurious. The large bed dominated the room, flanked by elegant nightstands and a large window offering a stunning view of the city skyline. Neil set his suitcase down and rubbed his temples looking at the large armchair in the corner as if working out whether it was worth trying to sleep on it. “This is going to be interesting.”
Claire chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “Don’t worry, I promise not to snore.”
Neil smirked, the tension easing slightly. “I’ll hold you to that.”
As they unpacked, the awkwardness of the situation began to settle in. Claire took a deep breath and looked at Neil. “Look, we’re both adults. We can handle this, right? It’s just for tomorrow.”
Neil nodded. “You’re right. It’s just a bed. No big deal.”
They spent the rest of the evening registering for the conference which started tomorrow and grabbing snacks. By the time they returned to the room, exhaustion had set in. Claire grabbed a set of pyjamas and headed to the bathroom to shower and change. When she emerged, Neil was digging through his suitcase.
Neil took his turn in the bathroom. After about twenty minutes, the door opened and he walked out, lost in thought and clearly forgetting the situation. He was wearing only his boxers with a t-shirt slung over his shoulder, his well defined muscles and sculpted abs on full display. He froze mid step when he saw Claire standing there looking at him, her eyes wide and her cheeks turning bright red.
“Uh… sorry,” Neil mumbled pulling his t-shirt on. He couldn’t meet her eyes, his own face slightly flushed.
Claire, feeling awkward in her stuffy pyjamas, tried to recover. “It’s fine. I mean, it’s your room too. You can wear, or not wear, whatever you want,” she laughed trying to inject some humour into the situation.
As he returned to his suitcase and pulled out a pair of sweat shorts couldn’t help but notice how good he looked, and her mind raced with thoughts she tried to push away. She glanced down at her own red plaid pyjamas, suddenly self conscious. It wasn’t like she was trying to seduce her attending; she was just forced to share a room with him. But still, the contrast in attire was embarrassing.
Neil cleared his throat, breaking the silence. “I’ll, uh, take the left side.”
“Sure,” Claire replied, her voice a bit too high pitched. “That’s fine.”
They both settled into bed, the awkwardness hanging in the air. The city lights outside cast a gentle glow through the curtains, and the distant sounds of traffic provided a soothing backdrop.
As they lay there in silence, Neil turned to Claire. “Thanks for being cool about this. I know it’s not ideal and I didn’t fancy the commute from Union City every morning.”
Claire smiled, still feeling a bit flustered. “No worries, like I said we can sort it in the morning. There’s going to be other hotels available.”
“Yeah,” Neil smiled before rolling onto his side, facing away from her. “G’night Claire.”
Claire smiled to herself and pulled the covers up higher. “Goodnight Neil.”
•••
The first rays of dawn filtered through the curtains, casting a soft light over the room. Claire Browne stirred slightly, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings. She felt something warm and solid against her, and as her senses sharpened, she realised she was tangled up with Neil. His arm was wrapped around her waist, and her head rested on his chest. Panic set in, but she forced herself to stay still, not wanting to make the situation any more awkward than it already was.
Neil, on the other hand, was already awake and aware of their predicament. He moved carefully, trying to extricate himself from her embrace without waking her. His breath was shallow as he attempted to slide his arm out from under her, inching away slowly.
Claire’s heart raced as she felt Neil’s movements. She kept her eyes closed, feigning sleep to save them both from the embarrassment. Each second felt like an eternity as Neil continued his painstaking escape.
Just when she thought he might manage it without incident, his movement caused the bed to creak, and he froze. Claire had to resist the urge to roll over, keeping her breathing steady and even. She could feel Neil’s hesitation, the tension radiating off him.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, Neil managed to slip out of bed. Claire remained still, listening to his quiet footsteps as he moved around the room, clearly trying to make as little noise as possible. She heard the bathroom door click shut and let out a silent sigh of relief.
A few minutes later, Neil emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed and looking composed. Claire decided it was safe to ‘wake up’ now. She stretched and yawned, opening her eyes slowly as if she were just coming out of a deep sleep.
“Morning,” she said, her voice deliberately groggy.
“Morning,” Neil replied, his tone carefully neutral. “I ordered coffee on the room service app. Should be here soon.”
“Great,” Claire said, sitting up and running a hand through her hair. She hoped she looked convincingly disoriented from sleep. “Did you sleep well?”
Neil hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, it was fine. You?”
Claire smiled, trying to appear casual. “Same. No complaints.”
Just then, a knock on the door signalled the arrival of their coffee. Neil moved quickly to answer it, grateful for the distraction. He returned with a tray holding two cups of steaming coffee, setting it down on the small table by the window.
They sipped their coffee in a slightly strained silence, Claire was replaying the morning’s events in her mind and she imagined he was too. Claire decided to break the tension with a change of topic.
“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” she asked, trying to sound enthusiastic.
Neil seemed to relax slightly, grateful for the diversion. “There’s a keynote speech at nine that should be interesting. After that, a few workshops. Should be a busy day.”
“Sounds good,” Claire replied. “I’m looking forward to it.”
•••
The day at the conference was long but productive. Neil and Claire had attended numerous sessions, networked with fellow doctors, and absorbed a wealth of information. By the time the evening rolled around, they were ready to unwind. They joined a group of fellow doctors for dinner and a few drinks at a nearby restaurant. Among the group was a charming doctor from the UK who had been particularly flirty with Neil from the moment they’d been introduced.
As the night progressed, the British doctor’s attention toward Neil became more obvious. Claire found herself watching the interaction with a mix of amusement and mild annoyance. After a few drinks, she couldn't help but notice how Neil, usually so composed, seemed a bit flustered by the attention.
Back in their hotel room later that evening, Claire couldn't resist bringing it up. “So, Melendez," she began with a playful smirk, “you seemed to have quite the admirer tonight.”
Neil, who was rummaging through his suitcase, didn't look up. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh, come on,” Claire said, laughing. “Dr. Lovelace from the UK? She was practically hanging on your every word.”
Neil sighed, clearly not in the mood for teasing. “She was just being friendly.”
“Friendly, huh?” Claire leaned against the dresser, her smile widening. “If that's friendly, then I’d hate to see what it would be like if she did actually want to get you into bed.”
Neil glanced at her, unamused. “Very funny, Claire.”
Undeterred, Claire continued. “You should have seen your face every time she complimented you. You looked like a deer caught in headlights.”
Neil rolled his eyes, but a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. “I was just trying to be polite.”
Claire chuckled, enjoying the banter. “Sure, let's go with that.”
Neil walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth, and Claire began changing into her pyjamas. As she slipped into them, she heard Neil's voice calling out from the bathroom. “You sound a little jealous, Claire.”
Claire froze for a moment, flustered. “Jealous? Of what?”
Neil stepped out of the bathroom, toothbrush in hand and toothpaste foam around his mouth, looking surprisingly disheveled. “Of Dr. Lovelace. Maybe I did give her too much attention tonight.”
Claire laughed, trying to hide her embarrassment. “Oh, please. I just think it's funny watching you try to handle her... enthusiasm.”
Neil raised an eyebrow, still brushing his teeth. “Admit it, you were a little jealous.”
Claire stumbled over her words, her face growing warm. “You know you might be handsome, but that ego of yours is way too big. Besides, she was laying it on pretty thick, I’ve never understood the appeal in that.”
Neil spit into the sink and rinsed his mouth, then turned to face her, a playful look in his eyes. “So, you think I'm handsome, huh?”
Claire's eyes widened as she realised what she had said. “That's not what I meant! I just—“
Neil leaned against the bathroom doorframe, his usual composure starting to return. “Sure, sure. Whatever you say, Dr Browne.” He grinned, crossing his arms and watching her.
Claire rolled her eyes, trying to regain her footing in the conversation. “You know, for someone who spends so much time saving lives, you sure do let a little flattery go to your head.”
Neil laughed, a genuine, warm sound that made Claire's heart skip a beat. “And for someone who's always so anti romance, you sure are bad at hiding your feelings.”
Claire opened her mouth to retort, but found herself smiling instead. “You are something else. Whatever, I can’t wait to see how the rest of your bad rom com plays out.”
Neil chuckled, shaking his head. “Maybe I’ll send her your way, you can be head of my fan club.”
Claire couldn’t help but laugh too. “Keep dreaming. Now, get out of the way. I need to brush my teeth.”
Neil moved aside with a mock bow. “All yours, Dr Browne.”
As Claire brushed her teeth, she caught a glimpse of Neil in the mirror, stretched out on top of the bed, scrolling through his phone looking more relaxed than she'd seen him in a while. She couldn't help but smile at the sight. Maybe sharing a room wasn't going to be so bad after all.