by Jodie Larson
“I don’t believe you,” he says with a slight scowl. But then his face perks up with a determined look and I arch an eyebrow in response. “I guess I will have to prove you wrong.” I sigh and try my hardest to fight the feelings that are running through my body for him.
“Again, thank you, Andrew, for your company on the plane. I really enjoyed it.” I stick out my hand, but he just stares at it. He must see through the charade that I’m giving him. His lips curl slyly into a smirk and I hear the low rumbling in the back of his throat. He refuses to shake my hand though. Instead, he brings my hand to his lips and places a soft, gentle kiss on the back of it. His lips linger on my skin, making my stomach flutter and my breathing to hitch.
“Are you sure you don’t want to see me again Tessa?” Andrew smiles and kisses my hand again. He’s toying with me. He saw my reaction to his kiss and now he’s going to play it so I can’t deny it.
I pull my hand from his grasp and give him a smile while tucking my hair behind my ear. I contemplate my answer for a moment before deciding that honesty is the best route to go, especially since he seems to be able to know when I’m lying.
“I would be lying if I said no but that still doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. I’m only here for a short amount of time and my schedule will more than likely keep me extremely busy. Besides I’m sure you must be busy too since you’re just getting home from a business trip yourself. Anything extracurricular just isn’t in the cards for us.” Andrew’s hand brushes slowly down my arm and I’m about to cave into his request.
He gives me a smirk and a devilish smile creeps across his face. He leans in close, allowing his scent to wash over me again, sending my body into a frenzy of hormones and lust. “We will see about that, love,” he whispers into my ear before he turns to walk away.
And just like that he disappears into the crowd. I can do nothing but stand there and stare at the spot that I last saw his retreating form, silently wishing I could have just one more minute with him. And then the paranoia sets in. What if I never get to see him again? What if this is all just some horrible waking nightmare and none of this is real? He sounded so confident that we’ll see each other again that I have to believe it’ll happen.
A pair of arms suddenly shakes me out of my reverie as I stare into Kara’s bewildered face.
“Who was the hot piece of ass that you were just talking to? Tell me you got his number!” Kara squeals. Looping my arm into hers, we slowly make our way down the crowded halls to find the customs desk.
“All I know is his name is Andrew. We met at the airport in New York and then coincidently his seat was right next to mine on the plane. I don’t know why but I have this crazy feeling like I know him from somewhere.” Kara raises an eyebrow to that, but I just shrug in response. “Besides, we’re only here for a week and I’d be setting myself up for heartbreak if I even entertained the thought of something more between us.”
Kara looks at me like I’ve grown a second head. “Are you crazy? You could have a week fling and then part ways. In the four years I’ve known you I have never seen you with a boyfriend, let alone have a conversation with a guy. You need to put yourself out there girl or you’re going to end up being the crazy lady with seventy cats in the house. Besides, there’s no better sex than vacation sex.”
“Thanks Kara for putting that into my head now. As if I needed sex on the brain even more than it already is. And, believe me, I know how unused my lady parts are.”
“Well then fix it. Hunt that beautiful god of a man down and rock his world.”
I fish my passport out of my bag as we approach the customs desk. “Highly unlikely. So chalk it up to never going to happen and focus on why we’re really here.”
“Man you’re a Debbie Downer. Fine. Business it is then. I’m just saying, the way he was looking at you was screaming hot steamy sex. He wants you. What did he whisper to you before he left?”
“He said that he’ll see about that when I insinuated that we wouldn’t see each other while I’m here.”
The blues of her eyes narrow on me as she slaps her passport on the desk, causing the poor old lady behind the counter to jump slightly. Kara gives her an apologetic smile.
“Smart man. I have a feeling about him though. I wouldn’t count him out just yet.”
She gets her passport stamped and moves to the side, allowing me to place mine on the counter.
“Whose side are you on?” I ask. The lady hands me back my stamped passport and I thank her before we head to the baggage claim area to retrieve our luggage.
“Yours, but I’m just saying to keep an open mind. If the man is determined to find you, I wouldn’t doubt that he will. And if he does find you, please just go with it. You need some fun in your life.”
I puff out some air in frustration and sigh, knowing I’m not going to win this conversation.
“Fine. If he finds me, I will try my best not to fight it or him.”
Kara claps her hands together as she quickly finds her luggage on the rotating belt. “That’s all I ask. Now get your crap and let’s get going. There’s a hotel bed calling my name after having to sleep in that airplane chair all night.”
AS PER THE STYLE AND sophistication that I’m not used to whatsoever, it shouldn’t surprise me that there’s a waiting town car for us as we exit the airport. Kara just smiles that knowing grin of hers and allows me to have my moment. Once we’ve pulled into the bustling traffic of midmorning London, I can’t help but plaster myself against the window, taking in everything that’s around me.
It still seems almost surreal that I’m actually here, in London, and not in Minnesota. Of course, I’ve dreamed of going overseas when I was younger but never did I actually expect to have it fulfilled. I want to think I’m dreaming. That this is not real or I’m a princess in one of the fairytale books my mom used to read to me before she pulled away from me. Good things like this usually don’t happen to people like me, a child from a broken family with the broken life to follow it.
The busy city hustling by my window amazes me. The lush green parks we pass have my feet itching to ditch my shoes and walk barefoot through the blades of grass to find a nice shady tree to read under. Or the older brick buildings filled with rich history that I would love to wander through and lose myself as I study the times long passed. There are all the touristy things I would like to do as well: Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the Tower of London. So much has happened in just this one place. I’m not even sure the amount of time we’ll actually be here would be enough for me. I could spend weeks here and still probably not see everything.
Silently I wonder what it would be like to live here, to be a part of the world’s history every day. But I don’t think that would ever happen. I don’t know anyone here and there’s no reason for me to be here. Except Andrew. And I don’t really even know him that well. But yet again, he pops into my thoughts. I close my eyes briefly as I picture his features, the smile that graces his face whenever he looks at me or his low rumbling chuckle that I woke up to this morning. My hand instinctively goes to the spot above my heart and I let out a small sigh. In less than twenty-four hours, I’ve managed to strike up feelings for a stranger. This is so uncharacteristic of me. But still, there’s that familiarity about him, drawing me to him, almost on a cosmic level. It’s as if fate is tying us together. But I know that’s impossible. Fate doesn’t work like that. And I’m probably not going to see him again so it doesn’t matter.
Kara is still engrossed in her emails as the city passes by us with me acting like an excited eight-year-old watching everything in rapt awe and wonder. The River Thames is next to us and the sun shines perfectly on the calm water, causing me to squint from the glare.
“Kara! Look at this!”
I can’t help but bounce in my seat as we pass a few more landmarks I recognize. She barely looks up from her phone and shrugs her shoulders. With a heavy eye roll, I turn back to the window and try to take it all in. Heaven kn
ows I’ll never get to do this again.
“So where are we staying?” I ask, sitting back in my seat.
She finally looks up from her phone. “The Four Seasons Hotel London at Canary Wharf.”
“Yikes, that’s a mouthful,” I say.
She laughs as her phone beeps again. “I know. But since this is your first time here I figured you wouldn’t know what I meant if I said Canary Wharf.”
“You could have just said the Four Seasons Hotel though,” I respond.
“Yeah, but where’s the fun in that? Trust me. You’ll understand when you see it.”
We round the corner and our hotel comes into view. Wow. She wasn’t kidding. It’s absolutely incredible. Right along the river, it’s a picture of modern architecture with the most fantastic view. The skyline of downtown London is displayed right behind the river. Looking to the left and right I can see the Tower of London and the famous London Eye. Kara really did her homework when she booked this hotel. But then again, it screams high class and Kara accepts nothing less than the best. Her idea of camping is staying at a three-star hotel.
The driver pulls to a stop and opens the door for us. I do a quick spin in place, looking over everything, still awestruck by the splendor and beauty that surrounds me.
“Pretty amazing, huh?” Kara says.
I turn to face her as tears threaten to appear from being completely overwhelmed. She slides her phone into her purse and links her arm through mine as we head to the grand entrance of my new home for the week.
“Amazing doesn’t even cover it.”
“Well our meetings will be held just across the river in the business district so we don’t have far to travel and this hotel has the absolute best views of London hands down,” Kara says.
Nothing could prepare me for what I was about to experience when I walked through the doors. Luxury at its grandest is the first thing that comes to mind. My heeled shoes echo and click against the intricately polished white marble floors. My jaw slacks open but I quickly pull myself together so I don’t stick out like some hillbilly that’s never been in high society before. Everything just screams opulence, from the elaborately carved pillars to the burgundy seating areas, all leading up to the grand staircase. I know some people look at stairs and wouldn’t get that excited over something so simple and ordinary. Those people have obviously never seen these. A silver and glass banister, intricately designed with etching made to look like tall grass or tree branches, flank each side of the marble staircase. Beautiful yellow flowers paired with delicate branches sit atop two wooden stands on either side.
I stand near a small round table decorated with beautiful fresh cut flowers while Kara checks us in at the front desk. The lobby is relatively quiet with just a few people sitting about, reading newspapers or talking quietly off to the side with each other. Kara pulls me back to the here and now by handing me my room key.
“I asked that we had separate rooms when everything was booked last week. I hope that’s okay. Not that I wouldn’t mind shacking up with you, but I figured you might want your own space,” she says as we walk to the elevators.
“That really wasn’t necessary. I mean it just costs the company more money.”
Kara flicks her wrist at me, waving off my concern. “Don’t worry about it. There’s plenty of room in the budget for this. You’ll thank me later.”
“Are we at least close to each other?” I ask.
She hits the button for the eighth floor as we walk into the waiting elevator. “Yes, we’re right next to each other. Don’t worry, if you need me to check for monsters under the bed, I’ll do it for you. Or better yet, I’ll find that hottie you were sitting next to on the plane and he can keep the night terrors at bay.”
My face instantly heats up at the thought of Andrew. I can see Kara smirking out of the corner of my eye, knowing that she’s hit the nail on the head. “Well it’s a good thing he was just a stranger and I don’t know where to find him. And I can scare away my own monsters, thank you very much. I’ve been doing it by myself for quite a while now.”
Her face softens at my statement and we exit the elevator, heading down the brightly lit hallway. “I know. I’m just saying that it would be nice to have someone around to keep you company, even if it is just for a short period of time.”
We stop in front of our rooms and Kara pulls me into a quick hug. My arms wrap around her shoulders to return the gesture. “No more depressing talk of my pathetic life now, please. I want to enjoy this time over here and not think about how lonely and sad I am.”
She releases me and nods her head in agreement. “So we’ve got a few hours before we need to meet with the board. That should give you enough time to get settled and relax. I’ll stop over and get you in a bit.”
I nod my head and smile as she disappears into the room next to mine. I open my door and am surprised when I see my suitcase already sitting at the edge of my bed. Boy, they sure do have wonderful service here.
It looks like a standard hotel room, except it’s completely extravagant. I poke my head into the bathroom that’s directly on my left. It’s immaculate. Pale green tiles, dark wooden furniture, fluffy towels and a marvelous glass shower make up the space, creating a calming and homey feel. It looks like one of those bathrooms you see on HGTV or in magazines. It’s definitely something I would never see in my own apartment.
I walk into the main room and take note of everything around me. It has everything you’d expect a hotel room to have. A giant king sized bed covered in a soft cream colored duvet is located in the middle of the room with nightstands on each side. A large wooden dresser at the foot of the bed with a flat screen TV hanging on the wall above it and, of course, the standard desk area for the traveling business person. But that’s not what draws my attention. No, it’s the large sitting area in the corner and the massive bay window behind it that brings me further into the room. Magnificent views of the river and London are the backdrop to this quiet little area. I could see it as a space to sit and read a book or take an afternoon nap in my downtime while I’m here. I run my hand over the large cushioned bench showcasing the serene area. All the furniture in the room is light in color, giving it a very relaxing feel. The designers definitely outdid themselves when they thought up this room.
Needing to focus and keep myself from getting lost in the excitement of being here, I decide to unpack my things and get situated into my temporary home. Once everything has found their proper place, I snatch my Kindle from the top of the desk and settle on the bench with the intent to start my new book. But my gaze falls upon the gardens below and I see lots of happy couples down there, holding hands as they stroll about the grounds. One couple, in particular, holds my attention. A taller man with dark hair is walking along the path with a young woman when suddenly he gets down on one knee holding out what I assume is a small black velvet box. I watch her reaction as she brings her hands to cup her mouth. He reaches forward to brush away a few stray tears from her face as her head nods up and down. With a shaking hand, he places the ring upon her finger and picks her up off her feet, smothering her face with his lips.
A sad smile forms as a new ache takes place near my heart. Such a sweet and romantic gesture.
“Congratulations,” I whisper, wiping my own stray tear from my face.
Being the sucker for romance I am I decide to neglect my Kindle and watch the happy couples below me, wishing for just a few moments I could be one of them. Not wanting to sit in complete silence I pull out my phone and start up my playlist. I draw my knees close to my chest and watch the people down below as music fills the quiet space. My eyes slowly close as I allow myself the brief moment to pretend that I could be one of the lucky ones, finding that perfect someone and be completely happy and in love.
Before I know it, Kara’s knocking on my door. After I sat and people watched during most of my downtime, I climbed into the massive shower and readied myself for our meeting. Unsure of how I should dress, I er
red on the side of caution, choosing my gray slacks paired with my dark pink lace cami and marled three-quarter length cardigan. Light makeup and my favorite green jewelry set complete my look. I give myself a quick once over before opening the door to greet Kara.
She’s dressed to kill in her navy blue suit that accentuates her slim physique perfectly. Her blonde hair is done up in an elegant chignon, causing my hand to try and smooth down the flyaway strands of hair that I know I have. It’s no wonder she got to where she is in the company. She looks ready to rule the world. And she does. I have yet to see a client or coworker, say no to her. There’s just something about her that commands excellence. I’m sure it’s just her confidence in everything she does. It’s definitely a must in the business world and something I just don’t possess.
“Ready to go? We don’t want to keep them waiting.” Kara gives me a quick look over and smiles. “I love that outfit on you. It’s one of my favorites.”
“Thanks. You look great too.”
“Do you have all the files?” she asks as she walks over to my desk.
“Yes. They’re all set and ready to go. We can just bring my laptop bag if you want since I have everything right here.”
“Good idea. Less is more. I knew there was a reason I brought you along.” She winks at me before shoving me toward the closet to put my shoes on. “The car is waiting for us downstairs so let’s get a move on it,” she says with a bounce in her step.
“You are way too perky. How much coffee did you drink when you woke up from your nap?”
“Just enough.”
I grab my stuff and we head down to the elevator. Kara’s cell rings as we make our descent to the lobby. It shouldn’t surprise me that it’s Christopher Mattson, our CEO. Of course, he’s concerned about our meeting this afternoon with the board. But probably not too much since it is Kara who’s heading up this project. I half listen to their conversation while humming along to the music that’s being pumped out of the speakers in the elevator.