by Mary Tribbey
Chapter 13
The Grand Courtyard Suite Hotel was only a couple of miles from the airport, and, despite all the kidding around, Dave maneuvered the car to the hotel lobby without any mishaps. The doorman handed their luggage to the bell captain and had the valet park their car. Dave led Joan into the luxurious lobby. At the desk, he signed the resister and picked up their room key. Joan stood by silent, feeling more nervous and uncomfortable as time passed.
There was only one room key—only one room. In the elevator heading for the sixteenth floor, Joan kept her eyes on the carpet and was silent. The bell boy carried their luggage and the door key. He unlocked the door and walked inside. He deposited the two suitcases side by side near the window. He opened the curtains, pointed out the location of the wet bar and the bathroom. When Joan looked around, she noticed a large spa. He showed them the location of the controls and asked if there was anything else they needed. Dave gave him a tip, and then he turned and left them alone.
Once alone, Dave gingerly pulled off his jacket. He laid it over the back of one of the chairs in the living room.
“Let me put your suitcase in your bedroom. Do you have any preference? Which one do you want?” he asked as he opened the two doors that lead off from the living area.
“Either one will do,” she stammered, blushing deeply.
Dave noticed her discomfort. “Joan, I’m sorry if you misunderstood. I promised you this assignment and trip would be strictly business. I thought you understood that we have a suite of rooms,” he apologized. “I wouldn’t take advantage of you like that. I care too much about you. Don’t worry. You can trust me.”
“I feel so stupid, Dave. I saw you get only one key. I’ve never stayed in many hotels, and never in one like this,” she mumbled.
“Joan, it is so refreshing to meet someone who still is sweet and innocent enough to blush and has such high moral values. Don’t apologize or be embarrassed about it,” he said giving her a friendly hug.
After settling in, Dave ordered a late supper and a bottle of wine. They sat across from each other and talked about the flight and the Orlando area. Dave told her that he had grown up in a small town nearby and that his parents still lived in the same house. He talked freely about his family and his childhood.
Joan got up and grabbed her notebook. “How stupid of me, I’ve just been sitting here listening to all of this, and I forgot all about taking notes for the article. I was just so interested hearing what you were saying.”
“Don’t worry about it. Most of this is stuff I’d rather share just with you. Some of it might help you understand who I am and how I think and feel. It isn’t necessarily for the article, but I’ll leave all of that up to you. If there is anything you want to know about me, please feel free to ask. I promise to tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
After they had finished eating, Dave asked, “Did you bring a bathing suit?”
“Yes, I did,” she answered.
“Great, go put it on and join me in the spa. That will really help my shoulder relax before going to bed. Have you ever tried a spa before?” he asked.
“No, I’ve seen pictures of them in movies and TV, but I’ve never been in one,” she answered.
“Well, you’re in for a real treat. Come on. I promise not to bite,” he said as he headed into his bedroom to put on his trunks.
In her room, Joan pulled off her clothes and stepped into her bathing suit. It was an old blue and white floral one piece, but she had not worn it very much, so it still looked almost new. It was a conservative suit, but she felt self-conscious as she thought of sitting in the giant spa with Dave. She nearly chickened out, but was afraid to admit her fears. She was more afraid of her own desires flaring out of control than she was of Dave. He had promised it was strictly business, and she knew he would keep his promise. Besides, except for a couple of hugs, nothing had happened between them. Slowly, she walked across the room to the spa.
Dave looked up with a big smile when she walked in. He was already submerged in the waters that bubbled and swirled around his body. Only the top of his shoulders and his head were above water.
“I beat you,” he gloated. “Come on in, the water feels great.” Joan slipped off her robe and let it fall to the floor. She took the hand rail and stepped down into the water. Its warmth bubbled over her feet. She took another step and then another until she was standing in the middle. Dave reached out, took her hand and guided her into one of the seats across from him.
“Each seat along the edge is at a different depth and angle. Keep moving along and trying them until you find the one that feels best to you. That’s half the fun of getting into a big spa like this one.” After saying that, he shifted into another seat.
“Oh, wow,” Joan sighed, “this feels wonderful. I didn’t know the water would be so warm or that the bubbles would tickle.”
Dave laughed and moved one seat closer. As soon as he moved, Joan slid down one seat away from him. That only made Dave laugh harder.
“I’m not really chasing you, although that does sound like a fun game. I think I’ve found the seat I like the best. This top jet is doing fantastic things to my shoulder. Sit back and relax. It isn’t safe to stay in one of these too long, especially one this hot after having a glass of wine. These things are really relaxing, but they can sneak up on you if you aren’t careful. The secret is knowing when to get out—somewhere between mellow and unconscious,” he teased.
After 15 minutes, Dave moved his shoulder. “It feels a lot better, but it’s still very sore when I move it. I think I’ve had enough for tonight. We’d better get out while we still have the energy.”
Reluctantly Joan climbed out after him. He took a large towel from the stand and gently wrapped it around her shoulders. He pulled her tenderly into his arms. Joan felt herself relaxing against his body. The warmth of the spa had eased all the tension and nervousness out of her tired body, leaving it mellow and warm. Dave’s arms held her close and they leaned against each other. Dave bent down and tenderly kissed her forehead before tilting her face up and kissing her soft, pliant lips. Her lips parted at his touch and for a moment, his tongue darted inside and mingled with hers. With a deep shudder and a low moan, Dave released her and turned her around. With a playful slap on her bottom, he pushed her towards her bedroom door.
“You’d better scoot off to bed right now. It’s been a long day and we have places to go and things to do tomorrow. Sleep well, my friend. I’ll see you in the morning,” Dave said slowly.
“Good night, Dave,” Joan murmured as she quickly crossed the room to her bedroom door. Once inside, she closed the door, pulled off her wet suit, and sank limply down on the bed. Her heart was pounding and her body still tingled from the feel of the warmth of his body and the taste of his kiss.
She sat there until her legs regained their strength before slipping into her nightgown and crawling between the covers. In spite of feeling relaxed by the spa, Joan lay still for several minutes before falling asleep. Her mind kept replaying the sensations and feelings his closeness had aroused in her. Even in her dreams, Dave kept re-appearing. Each time he got close, she felt herself reaching for him, but he melted away, leaving her feeling strangely unhappy.
Joan was awakened by a soft knocking sound. As her eyes opened, she looked around quickly, for a moment disoriented. Then she heard Dave’s muffled voice coming through the closed door.
“Wake up, sleepyhead. Breakfast is here and we have places to go today,” he called.
Joan slowly sat up. She stretched lazily and pulled on her robe. She padded silently across the thick cream colored carpet and opened the door. Dave was already dressed in a pair of brown slacks and a maroon pullover shirt. He looked up when he heard the door open.
“Good morning, Joan. Did you sleep well?” he asked. “I’m sorry to wake you so early, but we have
several things to do today.”
“That’s all right. I slept peacefully,” she lied. “Is that coffee as good as it smells?”
“I don’t know. Have some,” he urged as he handed her a steaming cup of coffee. Joan sat down at the table across from him. A feast of fresh fruits and assorted sweet rolls covered the table. She helped herself to some of the fruit and a roll.
“That coffee hits the spot. Thanks,” she added. “What do we have to do today?”
“First thing, you probably should get dressed. You look too cute in that little robe,” Dave kidded her.
Joan blushed and laughed nervously. “No, I meant after we leave the hotel,” she stammered.
“Oh,” said Dave with mock innocence. “I want to give you the grand tour of where I grew up near Tampa Bay. The neighborhood has changed since I was a little boy, but I thought it might help you understand me better if you see where my early roots were. After looking around there, we are heading over to visit my family. At least, you’ll get to meet my mom and dad. My sisters and brother aren’t living at home now. My youngest sister Lila is in college in Alabama. My oldest sister Vicky is married to an Air Force pilot and is living in Germany with her husband and two boys. Teresa, my middle sister, is in law school in Chicago. My brother Billy is married and living in Miami. He’s an investment counselor. My mom is a housewife and community activist. My dad is a semi-retired automobile dealer. He says he’s retired, but he still keeps busy checking things out at his dealerships”
“That’s a very impressive family. I always envied people in large families. The ones I saw while I was growing up always seemed to be having so much fun together,” Joan added.
“It does have some advantages, but it has drawbacks, too,” he laughed. “Can you imagine having to wait in line for the one bathroom with three sisters and a brother who were usually earlier risers than I was? That’s one thing I can clearly remember from when I was young living in Tampa. When I was very young, we lived in a modest apartment building. Dad was working two jobs and mom struggled to make ends meet. I don’t know how he managed, with all the kids, but he saved and made some good investments. He also tinkered with inventions. Some of them seemed silly at the time, but one of his ideas caught on. After that he invested more, and we moved out of the city into a suburban area. He’d always been interested in cars. I think the real reason he bought the car dealership is so he could have a new car every year and get to drive all the different models. Whatever the reason, he had a knack for running the dealership. He expanded his business over the years, opening three other dealerships. Now he only goes to work when he wants to, which is fairly often judging by what Mom says.
“You seem very close to them,” Joan stated quietly.
“Yes, I think they’re both great. Even though Dad was always very busy, he always took time to be around for us. He encouraged me to practice and he took time to throw passes with me. He went to most of my football games. He and Mom are my number one fans. I don’t get home as often as I’d like, but they are still very important to me,” Dave admitted.
“I’ll hurry and get dressed. I’m anxious to see all these places and meet your parents,” Joan said.
“Pack your suitcase, too. We’ll be staying at Mom’s house tonight. She’s anxious to see us, too,” he added.
In thirty minutes, Dave and Joan climbed into the rental car, headed out of the parking area, and pulled onto the freeway heading towards Tampa Bay. As Dave drove, Joan asked questions about all the different things she saw. Dave answered all her questions. She was excited and curious about everything. Sometimes Dave looked at her and smiled. “What’s wrong?” Joan asked after noticing his expression.
“Nothing, absolutely nothing is wrong, Joan. I’m just enjoying this day more than I can remember enjoying any other day in Tampa. Have you ever been to Florida before?” he asked.
“It’s strange that I write mainly travel articles, because I’ve never had any chance to travel. This is only the second time I’ve been on a vacation. When I was very small, before my father died, I think we went to Oregon, but I don’t really remember it. Other than California, I’ve only lived in Texas. I had no idea Florida would be so green or so flat. After living in Texas and Southern California, I am almost overwhelmed by the greenness of everything,” Joan replied.
“I know what you mean. I notice the greenness every time I come home, but I don’t remember ever thinking about it as a kid. I guess it all depends on what you get used to,” he commented.
