New Encounters

by Helena Smith

  ‘I thought you might enjoy this view Bella, I hope you like it’

  ‘I love it, its a gorgeous place, thank you’

  The waiter brought over the champagne, and deftly poured some into our glasses. To my delight it was pink and I hoped it wasn’t the cheap kind, as cheap champagne always gave me indigestion. We lifted our glasses and clicked them. Looking deeply into each others eyes, there is no denying the mutual attraction now. Good grief his eyes.... I could get lost in them.

  ‘To a beautiful evening, with a beautiful lady’

  ‘Are you always so complimentary?’

  ‘Only when I mean it Bella. Only when I mean it.’

  Wow. This guy is intense for someone who just wanted a spot of company for the evening. We

  ordered our entrees and main course. We didn’t run out of conversation throughout. It just flowed, so easily, no hardship at all. Before I know it, we are onto the second bottle of champagne and I am starting to feel a little lightheaded. I am not sure if this is from the champagne or if this is from the attention this guy was lavishing me. He just seems so different from the other men. More together and comfortable with himself, so attentive.

  ‘Come Bella, let’s go for a stroll’. I nod, enthusiastically. Probably a little too eager, but hey ho! in for a penny in for a pound. The perfect gentleman that he is stands up and walks around, holding out his hand to escort me. I accept his hand and immediately feel the pleasure soaring through me at his touch. We walk down some steps towards the beach the moonlight reflected off the water so perfectly. My heels started to sink in the sand, so I slip my heels off one by one.

  ‘Bella.... my darling, you appear to have shrunk’.

  I giggled at this ‘It appears I have!’

  He slipped off his shoes as well, and we walked towards the waters edge. Staring out to sea, gazing at the moon’s reflection on the water. The sound of the waves is somewhat hypnotic. He span me around and gently placed his hands either side of my face, his fingers in my hair and gazed at me. My heart is thumping so loudly I am sure he can hear it. He leans towards me and kisses me. Oh wow, his lips are softer than they look. Oh wow, I could jump up and down right now. He puts his arms around me and pulls me closely into him.

  ‘What time do you leave tomorrow?’

  ‘Urmmm I think I have to leave the hotel at 9am.’

  ‘Well my beautiful, I shall meet you at 7am for breakfast’

  I smile at him, but feel a stab of disappointment. The evening is over, but I guess that’s a good thing. I am so attracted to this man but I don’t want to sleep with him. Well I do, but I don’t want to have a one night stand.

  ‘Bella, what are you thinking about’

  ‘Nothing...’ I squeeze his hand. Pushing the thoughts far from my mind. We walk back towards the restaurant and slip our shoes back on. The driver is waiting by the car, with the door open. I slid into the plush leather seating and I really don’t want this evening to end. He closed the door as Robert moves around the car and slips beside me. He grabs my hand and strokes my knuckles with his thumb. Butterflies are dancing in my stomach. The drive back to the hotel was too quick. As we walk into the lobby he placed his hands on the top of my back his hands touching my skin and leads me through to the lift.

  ‘What floor Bella?’

  ‘Floor 2’

  As we arrive and walk down the corridor I resist the urge to ask him in for a coffee...... and instead blurt out

  ‘Would you like a nightcap’

  He reaches up to my face and gently responds ‘No Bella, that would not be a good idea’. Before I have a chance to feel rejected he leans down and kisses me softly on the lips.

  ‘Thank you, for a beautiful evening. I will see you at 7am in the restaurant for breakfast’.

  I nod and slide my key card in the hotel room door. I feel so tired, yet giddy! But why on earth does he keep saying it would not be a good idea. Surely he likes me, or he would not have gone to the trouble, and he would not have kissed me. Oh dear, I feel confused but I am so ready for my bed. I dive in the shower and have a quick wash and wash off my make up. Climbing into bed, I drift off finally......

  CHAPTER 5

  My alarm goes off at 6am. Oh god, to my horror I realise I am leaving this morning and I have not packed a thing and I am meeting him at 7am for breakfast. My heartbeat quickens at the prospect. I have the quickest shower of my life and run around packing everything. I throw on another suit, and apply some make up. Looking at my hair it is a tad unruly today so it’s best to tie the sodden thing back. A ponytail will be fine.

  On walking into the restaurant, I spot him immediately. Sitting in a window looking like a model that belongs in a magazine or a Hollywood actor. Wow he is a hot. He makes everything look just so effortless and graceful. I just always look like a clutz! Within seconds he spots me and smiles. I walk over to him and hope that he didn’t notice me perving at him. He stands and kisses me on my cheek.

  ‘Good Morning. Did you sleep well?’

  ‘I did sleep well, but to my horror this morning I realised I had not packed a thing. Its not a favourite job of mine’.

  ‘hahaha..... its not one of mine either. Would you like coffee or tea?’

  ‘Coffee please’.

  ‘How do you take your coffee?’

  ‘Milk with one sugar and as strong as possible this morning’.

  He chuckled again.... I have to stop gazing at him. He is going to think I am one of those Psychotic women!

  He asked about what I was doing for the rest of the week. Who I lived with and what I liked to do. He asked for my number, so I wrote it down on the napkin for him. It was only when I realised that I had to go and get my luggage from my room and check out, that I realised I have not asked him half as much as I would have liked. But it was definitely time to go.

  ‘Bella, I would walk you to your room, but I am afraid I have to leave now for a meeting.’ I nod and smile and he stands as I stand. He looks at me, like he is looking into my soul. Leans towards me he kissed me gently on the cheek and whispered ‘I will be in touch’. I nod at him and smile. Walking away, I could feel his eyes burning into me.

  After retrieving my luggage I check out and before I know it I am en route to the airport again. He said he will be in touch? I feel exhilarated, yet sad. I don’t want to leave yet. I have had a holiday romance.... well a business trip romance. Where would it have gone if I could stay for a few extra days. Oh well, it was nice to feel attractive again. But then I wonder.... wonder what he meant when he kept saying that we shouldn’t. Oh well.... maybe one of life’s mysteries. Time to do more work at the airport and fly home.

  Within an hour of being home, the washing machine is shaking away like a demented animal. The tumble drier patiently awaits its turn. Ash will be home any minute. I am going to have a shower and get my unruly hair washed.

  As I am drying my hair I hear the front door closing.

  ‘Hey Bells. Get your ass downstairs and fill me in with your gossip’.

  I smile and shout ‘Give me 5 minutes’. I need 5 minutes to prepare myself before the round of questioning that’s about to come my way.

  A large glass of red is waiting for me and Ash is sat at the breakfast bar looking like a very excited 5 year old. ‘SOOOO???’ I take a sip of my wine, and a large breath before filling her in. After I finish, I have a gulp of wine.

  ‘Bells..... this is so exciting?’

  ‘Is it?’

  ‘ISN’T IT??’

  ‘Ash, he rejected me twice and why is he going to get in touch?’

  ‘Because he wants you dummy. As for the rejection, he was still kissing you, so he technically didn’t reject you. Stop over thinking it and revel in it instead.’ I nod. She is right. It is high time I stop over thinking things. We have dinner and I am in bed early. I have so much work to do tomorrow, that I actually do not know where to start.

  The next day was dull at work. Full of phone calls and emails. It was a day wh
ere I am so busy but getting absolutely nowhere. Where you get no where fast, and achieve nothing. I find myself repeatedly checking my phone, which is annoying. I get a few texts from my friends. But nothing from him.

  After work I drive home through the rush hour traffic and the usual plebs on the road that pull out at the last minute... Very annoying. As I pull up outside my house, the next door neighbour comes out. I groan internally, and then scold myself for doing so. She is so lovely, but when she starts talking she really doesn’t stop.

  ‘Hi Emma’ I try to sound cheery as I clamber out of the car and go round to my boot to retrieve my laptop.

  ‘Hey Bella. I have a package for you.’

  ‘Oh right thanks’. Ash has probably been ordering again from Amazon, but then I notice it’s a slender white box. My heart rate quickens.... what is this?

  ‘Thanks again Emma, gotta dash I am dying for the loo’. She smiles and says cheerio and I go into the house. I open the box and there is another coral rose with another card

  *Beautiful Bella. I look forward to seeing you soon. x*

  ‘Oh my god!’ I am jumping up and down like a kid. Wow...... I can’t believe he sent this. Actually, how the hell did he know where I am? How does he know where I live? Oh I don’t care. He wants to see me again. I haven’t felt this excited for years. Later that night Ash is actually as giddy as me and as perplexed as to how this guy knows where I live! But we are too excited for minor details.

  CHAPTER 6

  I was a bit too excited to sleep last, and this morning as I glimpse through squinted eyes in the mirror I have aged around 10 years over night. Is it possible? Looks like it is. Then the rush of the excitement from last night comes flooding back. My aim is to get through the mountain of work today and try not to sit all day long day dreaming.

  I manage to get to around 1 hour into my day without daydreaming about Mr Encounter. Damn it.... I do hate it, but I love it. My personal phone vibrates on my desk and it’s a text... but to my disappointment its not from him its from my network reminding me about an offer they have on at the moment. Annoying. It vibrates several times in the next hour but they are all jokey texts from friends or pointless emails. After lunch, my phone vibrates again, if its another jokey text I might just scream. As I open the message inbox it’s a text from a number, so they are not a contact already in my phone.

  *Beautiful Bella. May I take you out to dinner tomorrow night?*

  Oh my. This guy is something else! Dinner, tomorrow night..... the answer is a resounding yes. I can’t reply yet though, it will look to keen. Ok, if I wait until 3 o’clock... then it will look like I haven’t been watching my phone for days. The clock says 2:47pm..... Oh stuff it I will reply now.

  *Hi Robert. Yes you may. Let me know what time*

  I hit send. My heart feels like its thumped its way into my throat. I re read the text, maybe it sounds too formal. Oh it’s too late now I have sent it. The phone vibrates;

  *I will pick you up at 7pm*

  Oh wow. I seem to bounce my way through the rest of the day. Later that evening I tell Ash, who is as excited as me. Just as a best friend should be. Then the dilemma arrives... what the hell am I going to wear? It’s too late to go shopping, so I have to find something in my wardrobe. Ash opens the wine, and I pile my clothes on the bed and speed my way through changing into the different outfits. Ash has a yes, no and a maybe pile going. I am beginning to remember what hard work dating is! I try on a bright purple dress that I have not worn for years. I take it, that its a hit when Ash nearly falls off the bed screaming ‘YES! that’s it’. We choose my bright red shoes and handbag to go with it. It’s definitely a statement dress.

  ‘Where is he taking you?’

  ‘I don’t know Ash, I hope its not going to be the chippy if I am wearing that dress’.

  ‘You’re going to have to defuzz tonight’

  ‘I will to a point’

  ‘Bell! You can’t not’

  ‘Ash.... if I have some fuzz down there, then I am less likely to get carried away. I really do not want to sleep with him on the first night. If there is some hair going on, then I definitely won’t shame myself will I ‘

  At the same moment we both start singing ‘welcome to the jungle’ and collapse about laughing. Then its a case of face pack, followed by body scrub and head to toe fake tan. Men really have no idea about the effort we go to, in order to look decent.

  The next day, I am ladened down with reports, customer complaints. But nothing can dampen my mood. I have a hot date. Surprisingly I seem to work better, and fly through everything without distraction. The traffic on the way home is bad. It would have to be today of all days. Every minute I spend sitting in the damn car is a minute less for me to preen myself. Finally I pull up at home and rush into the shower. I sit on the end of the bed waiting for my nail varnish to dry and realise that Robert has not even asked for my address, before it dawns on me he has already sent me a flower to this address. I am going to have to ask him later how on earth he knows where I live. Ash gets in, just in time to see me putting on thin layer of lip gloss.

  ‘Wow, you look amazing. If he doesn't fall for you then he is a fool’.

  ‘Thanks Ash, but you are biased’

  ‘Nonsense. You look a million dollars. Actually scrap that, you look 10 million dollars! What time is he picking you up?’

  ‘7pm. I can’t stop weeing. I am so nervous. How ridiculous’.

  ‘You will be fine.’

  There is a knock at the door, wow this guy is punctual. Oh no, this is it. My heart has thumped its way out of my body and out of the back door. My inner goddess is sprawled across a chaise lounge screaming ‘You may enter’.

  I know Ash is peaking from the top of the stairs. I pull the door open and he is stood there. Looking casual, smart, gorgeous, god like.... all rolled into one. With the biggest bunch of flowers ever. I smile and his lips curl into a smug smile, his blue eyes scorching.

  ‘Bella, I am lost for words. You look...sensational.’

  ‘Hi, and urmmm thanks.’

  He hands me the bouquet of flowers, ‘These are for you’.

  ‘Thanks, you shouldn’t have’.

  I have to use two hands to carry them to the kitchen they are that big. I shout bye to Ash, before we head out of the door. He puts his hand around the small of my back to guide me to the car. His touch makes me weak at the knees. I need to get a grip of myself, my inner goddess agrees but wants me to get a grip him and not myself. The driver of a black sleek car runs around to open the passenger door for me, and Robert waves him away so he can do it. He is such a gentleman, I love it. Robert slips into the other door and slides closer to me and slips his hand into mine. I am sitting wondering if he always has a driver, if its the same guy or if he has one in every country. Robert brings my hand to his mouth and brushes his lips across the back of my hand and kisses it gently. Oh dear.... this is too much. I feel myself flushing, but think about reports on my desk in order to get some sort of a handle on myself.

  ‘What do you want to ask Bella?’

  Urmmmm how you can read minds? I refrain from this question and stick with one that I have been wondering about.

  ‘How did you know where I lived?’

  ‘When you want something, you will let nothing stand in your way. Not even the small technicality of an address.’

  ‘oh’ Is this a reasonable response? I really do not know. I mean I can’t exactly post this question to my friends right now. In all honesty, I do not want this situation or whatever this was to be drowned in people’s negativity. I know for a fact what some of my friends would say, and it would be one word. Stalker. But I know he isn’t, he is just too suave and amazing to be a stalker. He really does not look like a desperate kind of guy. In fact, women keep gazing at him wherever we have been. I do wonder about the driver thing though. I wonder if he drives at all.

  ‘What else are you wanting to ask’

  At this I giggle ‘Do you d
rive?’

  He looks quizzically at me and says ‘Of course, why do you ask that?’

  ‘Just wondered, that’s all’.

  ‘This is David, he is my driver and assistant.’

  ‘Oh. So where are we going to tonight?’

  ‘I thought we would go to a nice Italian restaurant, if that is ok with you?’

  ‘Sounds super’

  We pull up to a very expensive looking Italian. When we get in there is only one table in the middle. Everywhere has been decorated with candles and rose petals. I look at him and he smiles

  ‘I hope you like it’

  ‘I love it, thank you. But what about the other customers?’

  ‘I have hired out the restaurant for us tonight so we would not be disturbed’.

  Ok, this was extreme. I mean, every time I have been taken out for a meal, they were nice restaurants with other humans about. For him to go to this length.... I was lost for words. All I could do was beam at him like a love struck schoolgirl. He guides me over to the table and pulls out my seat. There is something so mysterious about him.