by Amy Brent
3
In the morning, Nicole woke up in a blissful state of relaxation. She knew she had to be at work soon, but she didn't even want to think about such things. Not when she was still savoring the experience she'd shared with Horatio last night. She was in too good of a mood to let anything spoil it.
She opened her eyes and looked around the room. A room service cart was parked by the bed, and the succulent smells of breakfast wafted from under the tray's lid. The curtains were open just a bit, letting the morning light into the room.
Nicole stretched out on the bed, and then frowned, looking for Horatio. She sat up, wondering where he could have gone. Then she heard the sound of the shower running in the bathroom.
She grinned and got up, lifting the lid on the food tray and snagging a bit of sausage. She nibbled on it as she headed to the bathroom on her tiptoes, planning to surprise Horatio by joining him in the shower. But she paused at the door when she heard Horatio's voice. He was speaking to someone, very softly, though she could barely make out what he was saying.
She leaned closer to the door, holding her breath and trying not to make a sound. There was no other voice in the room, so she assumed he must have been on the phone. Probably, she figured, speaking to one of his business associates about the trip he was leaving on later today. But his voice sounded heated, and she found herself curious what he could possibly be talking about.
“No, extraction shouldn't be a problem,” Horatio said. “Yes. Yes, I know. Don't worry, it's all taken care of.”
He was quiet for a moment. Nicole froze, wondering if he had heard her by the door. She held still and waited, feeling like a snoop but unable to resist her curiosity.
“Understood,” Horatio said. “ETA is eleven p.m. local time. That's right. Understood. Over and out.”
Nicole frowned, pondering the meaning of the strange, one-sided conversation. But she knew she couldn't say anything about it. She didn't want to anger Horatio by admitting that she'd been eavesdropping.
The faucet squeaked as Horatio turned off the shower. Nicole hurried back over to the bed, bringing the breakfast tray with her. When Horatio emerged from the bathroom, she smiled at him, pretending she had just been waking up to breakfast.
“Good morning,” he said, flashing a charming smile at her.
“Morning yourself,” she said. “Thank you for breakfast. This looks amazing.” She picked up the fork, scooping up some scrambled eggs.
Horatio gave her a kiss, and then he started getting dressed. “I hate to rush out so early, but I need to get going if I'm going to make my flight. It's a ten-hour flight, so I had to book the earliest one I could find.”
“I'll get dressed,” Nicole said, setting the breakfast tray aside.
“No, you don't need to rush yourself.” He smiled at her and gently traced his fingers along her cheek. “Take your time. Enjoy breakfast. I'll have a car waiting for you to take you home.”
Horatio finished getting dressed, and then gave her a long, sensual kiss before he left. Nicole lounged in bed for a little bit longer, taking her time eating and relaxing before she had to go back to work. The night in the hotel felt like a mini-vacation, a chance for her to get away from the stresses of her life, not to mention an opportunity to start something new and exciting. She didn't want to break the spell yet, though she knew she had no choice.
When she knew she couldn't delay it any longer, Nicole got dressed and headed downstairs. She found a man in a chauffeur's uniform waiting there, holding a card with her name on it. She walked up to him, smiling. She hadn't expected Horatio to go to so much trouble.
“Hi, I'm Nicole,” she said.
“Good morning, ma'am,” the chauffeur said, tipping his hat. “I'm to drive you home, or anywhere else you need.”
He led her out to a black luxury car, and he held open the door for her as she got in. The seats were made of the softest leather she'd ever touched, and the car was decked out with a mini fridge, a TV, and all the amenities. She looked around at the fancy interior of the car, wondering again just how much Horatio was worth. Not that she cared about such things. She wasn't dating him for his money. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.
By the time Nicole got home, changed into her work clothes, and drove to the hospital, it was starting to feel like the entire night with Horatio had been a dream. He remained in her thoughts throughout the day, and whenever she had a break between patients, she thought about calling him, just to see how he was doing and to make sure he hadn't just been a figment of her imagination. But then, she remembered that he was on a plane to Europe, and she had no way of reaching him.
The next day, while she was enjoying her day off at home, she was surprised to hear her doorbell ring. When she answered the door, she found a deliveryman there, holding a bouquet of flowers. She accepted them, smiling like a schoolgirl in love. The card read, “My Dear Nicole, our night together was magical. You'll be in my thoughts until I return. -H”
She held the bouquet up and inhaled the sweet scent of the flowers. It had been a long time since any man had given her flowers, and none had ever had a bouquet delivered to her home like this. It made her feel once more like Horatio was the perfect man. Though she couldn't help the nagging feeling that he was simply too good to be true.
Waiting for Horatio to return from his trip was hard, but Nicole knew that she was still in his thoughts. He called her a couple of times, and each time, they talked for hours. He never said much about his trip or what kind of business he was up to—he said it was all boring work, mostly sitting around in meetings while people argued about budgets and cost analyses—but he talked often about how much he was looking forward to coming home and seeing her again.
A few days before he was set to return, they were on the phone well past midnight. After a long talk about how his trip was going and the sights he'd seen in Europe, Horatio said, “I'd like to see you as soon as I get back. Dinner and a show. What do you think?”
“I'd love to,” Nicole said. “I can't wait to see you again.”
“My flight is landing in New York Saturday morning. I've booked us tickets for a Broadway show later that night, along with reservations for dinner.”
“That sounds wonderful. I've never been to Broadway.”
“Well, we'll just have to fix that now, won't we?” Horatio chuckled into the phone. “There's a whole world out there that I'd like to show you. You're going to love it. I'll have a car sent for you to bring you to New York. Oh, and I'll be sending a little something special along as well.”
“Something special?” Nicole asked, frowning in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“You'll see, my dear. It should be there Saturday morning, a few hours before the car arrives.”
“Can I get a hint?”
“No, no,” Horatio said in an amused tone. “Now that would spoil the surprise, wouldn't it?”
“I don't know if I can be that patient...”
“Well, my dear, you'll just have to be,” Horatio said.
Nicole's curiosity plagued her for the next few days, until Saturday morning rolled around. She was up early, pacing around her apartment, wondering when Horatio's surprise would get there. Every time she heard a car outside, she peeked out the window, wondering if it was the delivery truck. She tried to tell herself to settle down and be patient, but after two weeks without seeing Horatio, she found she just couldn't relax.
Finally, her doorbell rang. She hurried over to the door with a big grin on her face. When she opened it, a man was standing there with a rather large package in his arms. She signed for it, then brought it inside and laid it down on the kitchen table.
When she opened the lid, she found a black silk dress inside. She picked it up and held it against herself. The material was so smooth it was like heaven to touch it. And it wasn't just some ordinary off the rack dress, either. It was a designer label, and she couldn't even begin to imagine how much it had cost.
S
he tried the dress right away. She didn't know how Horatio had guessed at her size so perfectly, but the dress fit as if it had been tailored just for her. It hugged her curves in all the right places, and the low-cut top showed off a generous amount of cleavage. She couldn't wait to show it off in front of Horatio.
She was a bundle of nerves by the time the car arrived to take her to New York. Fortunately, the car had a mini bar in the back seat, and she helped herself to a couple of drinks during the long drive. She was pleasantly relaxed by the time the car pulled up in front of the restaurant. She found Horatio already waiting there for her, and seeing his charming smile once more lifted her spirits after the two weeks they'd spent apart.
He greeted her with a kiss, and then led her into the restaurant. They dined on some of the finest cuisine Nicole had ever tasted while he told her tales of the sights he had seen and the historic beauty of some of the world's oldest cities. Nicole found herself a bit dumbstruck by Horatio's stories, and she knew that her stories of drama in the emergency room simply wouldn't compare. It made her wonder what a man like Horatio could possibly see in her. Surely, she thought, he could find some rich, beautiful woman who was more in his league. But for reasons she couldn't fathom, he had chosen her.
At the theatre, they sat in a private box, their seats close together, so Horatio could put his arm around her. Nicole laid her head against his shoulder, captivated by the show on the stage. It was so riveting that she lost track of time while the performance carried on. She wanted the night to go on forever.
But the magic was interrupted when Horatio's cell phone started to vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out, frowning at the screen and sighing. He gave Nicole and apologetic look.
“Do you really have to answer that?” she whispered.
“I'm afraid I do,” he said.
He got up and stepped out of the box, leaving her alone. She looked over her shoulder, peeking out through the curtain that closed the box off from the corridor. Horatio stood in the corner, speaking into the phone in a low hush. Nicole watched him with a frown, wondering what could be so damn important that he would interrupt their first date together in two weeks.
She leaned a bit closer, trying to make out what he was saying. Most of it was too quiet for her to hear. Though it sounded like he was arguing with someone. She heard him say “No” more than once, and through the gap in the curtains, she could see him making angry gestures with his hands.
He looked up at her, catching her watching him through the curtain. She turned back around, trying to pretend that she hadn't been trying to eavesdrop. A few moments later, Horatio stepped back into the box and sat next to her. He straightened his jacket, sitting up straight, a stoic expression on his face.
“Everything okay?” Nicole whispered. She put a hand on his knee.
Horatio's spine stiffened. He didn't meet her eyes. “Yes. Everything's fine.”
But she knew he wasn't telling the truth. There was something in his posture, in the cold tone of his voice that told her something was wrong. Something that he didn't want to tell her. And while she wanted to respect his privacy, she couldn't help but wonder what the phone call had been about.
4
After the show, Horatio and Nicole walked out of the theatre arm in arm. The smile had finally returned to Horatio's face, and Nicole took it as a good sign. She tried her best to put her earlier concerns out of her mind.
Horatio's driver brought the car around to pick them up. Horatio opened the door for Nicole, kissing her lips before she got in. When the car started to drive, Horatio put a hand on Nicole's knee and asked, “Are you in any rush to get back home tonight?”
She smiled at him, feeling warmth spread through her at his touch. “I didn't have any other plans tonight,” she said. “Other than spending my time with you.”
“In that case,” Horatio said, “you should come back to my hotel. I left a bottle of wine chilling there, and we can put on some music and enjoy the rest of our evening together.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
Nicole leaned forward and kissed him. Horatio raised the divider between the front and back seats, giving them some privacy from the driver. He pulled her close, his lips caressing hers while his hands began to roam her generous curves. She shifted closer to him until she was practically on his lap, and his hand started to slide up her skirt. She broke the kiss for just a moment, nervous about doing anything in the car. But the windows were tinted and the divider was raised. No one could see what they were doing. And the thrill of fooling around in the car, while they drove past dozens of other people on the road, made her feel deliciously naughty.
She reached over and laid her hand against Horatio's thigh. He shifted to give her easier access as she started rubbing him through the silken material of his pants. Her hand rose higher, teasing his crotch. Horatio moaned, his fingers gripping her hair as he continued kissing her. She teased him for a few more moments, letting her nails trace across his bulge. It grew harder at her touch, straining against the fabric of his pants. She pulled her hand away and stroked his thigh, trying to spur him on and make him want it more. He let out a sharp groan and reached down to push her hand back, holding it firmly against his crotch. She giggled, pulling back from his kiss to look teasingly into his eyes. He gazed lustfully at her, a dominant growl rumbling in his throat.
“You're a tease,” he said, stroking her dark hair.
“Maybe,” she said, giggling.
Horatio reached down and unzipped his pants, exposing his hardness to her. She licked her lips, glancing down at it, and then looking back up into his eyes. He reached a hand behind her head and gripped her hair, pushing her down. She didn't resist as he pushed her head down onto his crotch. She opened her mouth and let his hot flesh slide between her lips. Horatio held her hair tight and guided her motions as she bobbed her head up and down, letting her lips caress his flesh. He moaned in ecstasy as she pleasured him. His head leaned back against the leather seats and he closed his eyes, letting her work her magic.
All too soon, the car arrived at the hotel. When the car stopped, Nicole sat up, wiping her lips. Horatio quickly zipped himself up and straightened his clothes, and by the time the driver came around to open the door, they both looked presentable again.
They got out and headed into the hotel. The driver flashed a knowing smile at Nicole on her way by. Her face heated up, as she wondered what he might have heard from the front seat of the car. But she told herself that she didn't care. She was a grown woman, doing what she wanted with a grown man, and she had nothing to be ashamed of.
Horatio led her to the elevator, and as soon as they were inside and the doors closed, he started kissing and touching her again. He pinned her against the wall, his firm hands massaging her full breasts. She gasped and moaned, grinding herself against him. She could barely wait for the elevator to get up to Horatio's suite.
When they got into the room, Horatio didn't even wait long enough to get to the bed. He pushed her against the table by the door, knocking a lamp out of the way. He reached down to grip her ass, lifting her up onto the table, and then he pulled her skirt up and her panties down. She kissed him eagerly, unbuttoning his shirt while he dropped his pants. He was still half-dressed when he plunged inside her, and she moaned in ecstasy as he filled her and started thrusting in and out of her.
Nicole clung to Horatio's shoulders as he held her against the table, giving it to her hard, just as she needed it. He kissed her ear and sucked on her neck, leaving love bites on her soft, caramel skin. She cried out in pleasure, not caring if anyone else in the hotel heard the racket they were making. All she cared about in that moment was the man she was with and the way their bodies were joined. She was in heaven, and she called out Horatio's name over and over as he filled her, bringing her to new heights of pleasure.
They moved to the bed and made love for hours, surrounded by silken sheets and caressing shadows. Later in the night, Nicole laid there in Horatio'
s arms, holding him close against her. She drifted into a sleep filled with wonderful dreams, and she felt warm and safe wrapped in the silk sheets and her lover's embrace.
Sometime later, she awoke to an empty bed. She looked around blearily, searching the shadows for her lover. She saw him standing by the door, hunched over the table there. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. He looked up at her, then came back to the bed, smiling.
“You should get some sleep,” Horatio said. He kissed her forehead, climbing into bed next to her.
“What are you doing up?” she asked him.
“Nothing. Just went to the bathroom.”
There was something tense in Horatio's eyes, something that made Nicole hesitate. “I'll be back in bed in a minute,” she said. She got up and headed to the bathroom, stopping to get her purse on the way. She found her purse sitting on the table by the door. She frowned at it, hesitating for a moment. She was sure she had tossed her purse on the floor when they got into the room. It couldn't have been sitting there on the table, not when that was where Horatio had pinned her down when they first got there. She would have known if she'd been sitting on the purse while he fucked her.
In the bathroom, she dug through her purse for some toiletries, wondering about what she'd seen. Had Horatio been looking through her purse? She couldn't imagine why. There was nothing valuable or interesting in there, and besides, he had so much money that she couldn't imagine him trying to steal from her. It must have been her imagination, she told herself. Though something in the back of her mind bothered her about the whole situation.
She made herself ignore the baseless worries. She finished cleaning up, and then went back to bed, snuggling into Horatio's arms. She drifted off to sleep, feeling safe and protected in his embrace, and certain that any concerns she had were nothing but her overactive imagination.
5
A few weeks passed, and Horatio didn't have to leave the country on business again, giving them a great deal of time together. Nicole savored every day she spent with Horatio, from the dinners together, to the plays and shows he took her to, to the nights they spent in bed together. She started feeling like he was becoming an undeniable part of her life. This made it all the harder when he told her he had another trip coming up soon.