At times like these I could kiss my mother. She may have psycho-analysed my childhood to death, but she does have her more human moments. And she also gets some pretty awesome perks for what pretty much boils down to being an agony aunt to all the desperate and crazy women in the world.
I whisper in Ruby’s ear that the bedroom looks even more amazing, just to confirm to her that that is our final destination. She melts further into a dreamy state and begins to almost glide along to the front desk. Her trance is broken by the concierge who asks her if she would like some assistance. She immediately hunches her shoulders, as if she is about to be attacked. I stifle a laugh. Most of the girls I bring here are smug and have a sense of entitlement. But this girl feels like a fish out of water. The thing is, of all of them, she’s the one that probably fits here the best.
I step in and take charge and the concierge hands over the key to suite 612. I almost feel like Richard Gere in Pretty Woman. Shame Ruby isn’t wearing some sexy PVC knee-high boots. But considering the first thing I want to do is get naked; the boots might've been more of a hindrance.
Ruby appears to be in a state of shock, so I put my hand on her back in order to move her along. The more time spent in the lobby means less time in the bedroom. Now I’ve got the key the excitement is really building and I am just desperate to get the clothes off our bodies. The lift to the sixth floor seems to take eternity but with every floor we go up, I feel something else in my trousers go up as well.
We make it to 612 and as I open the door to the suite I hear Ruby take a deep breath.
She walks around the room her eyes gleam with delight and there is a slight skip in her step. She seems mesmerised as she explores the room, inspecting the bathroom and then pushing the curtains at the window apart to admire the stunning view of the city at night. As she gazes out, I take the condom from my wallet and put it on the bedside table in readiness, and then walk up behind her and circle her waist with my arms.
I know she can feel the hardness in my trousers as I caress her elegant neck with kisses. As she succumbs to my touch, she moves her hand from the curtains so that they fall closed again, and turns around. She pushes her body fully against mine, deeply kissing my mouth. My hands slide her dress off her shoulders until her bra is exposed and then her dress falls to the floor.
I begin to undo the belt buckle on my trousers as she starts unbuttoning my shirt. Within moments our clothes are in a crumpled mess together on the floor and we are already tearing at each other’s underwear. I push her down on to the bed so and let my hands explore the whole of her body. Such beautiful pale body with hips that have the right amount of curve and breasts that need the attention of my hands.
Her hands on my body are gentle yet firm, gripping just where they need to in order to increase the pleasure. The foreplay is intense and I wonder how long I can go on for before needing to reach for the condom and get deep inside her.
Then suddenly she stops. She lets me go, her hands and mouth removed from my body. I feel like I have been doused with cold water. I wonder if it is some kind of joke. Is she teasing me? Or have I done something wrong? Or maybe she thinks my dick looks like a potato. I take a quick look and it looks just fine to me, though certainly less erect than it was a few minutes ago.
Looks like Ruby has decided that’s my lot. Her hands are now resting behind her back and she has made a small space between us. I don’t push her to go further. I’m not a monster and would never force a girl to do anything she doesn't want. I let out a deep sigh and I turn over to the side and pretend to sleep.
This is the first girl to ever get this far and turn me down. Ah, Gemini. Switching from saucy twin to sensible twin. My mother always said be careful with Gemini’s…Oh god why I am thinking about my mother at a time like this. Just go to sleep Ryan. But then she curls her arm around me, and though my initial impulse is to bat her away as I would normally do, I let her stay there in the spooning position, finding the feeling of her body against mine and her arm tight around my chest surprisingly comforting.
She whispers in my ear that maybe next time might be the time I get to fuck her. I think she’s just trying to make things better, but I doubt she means it. I might take her up on her offer another time if nothing else is available. But for now I close my eyes and pray for sleep so that this rather unsatisfactory and confusing night can come to an end.
* * *
I must’ve dozed off as when I re-open my eyes I see that the clock says 8am. I look down my chest and see that Ruby’s arm is still wrapped tightly round my chest. I stare at the arm and think about all the ways I could move it without disturbing her in order to escape but just before I put any plan into action I feel the arm snake away from my body.
Looks like Ruby might be beating me too it in trying to get out of here. I decide to close my eyes again and pretend I am still asleep, allowing her to make a swift exit and avoid any awkward ‘about last night’ chat. I hear her putting back on her clothes and the sound of the bathroom tap running. I then hear the scraping of furniture as if she is moving it out of her way to get to the exit. I brace myself for the sound of the door clicking to open and close but as much as I strain my ears I hear no noise.
I count to one hundred in my head and still I hear no sound of movement or doors closing. I begin to wonder if she was just super quiet when she left and I didn’t hear her. Or maybe I have become deaf at the grand old age of twenty seven. Perhaps she has flown out of the window like Superman? I roll over onto my back to see if she has flown back to Krypton. But she is still here.
She is sitting at the bureau in the room. Her left hand seems to be moving frantically and as the hand is on the table I rule out the possibility that she is engaging in some early morning masturbation. Which is a shame. I then see that she is holding a pencil, and it then dawns on me that this girl might not be as sweet and innocent as she looks. She could be one of those fucking tabloid journalists out to dish some dirt on my mother. Only a few weeks ago she's was on billboards around Sydney promoting her new chat show as if she is the Australian equivalent of Oprah Winfrey.
I feel such an idiot. I should’ve checked her out in more detail. I bet she is loving the fact that Doctor Lara Turner’s son doesn’t believe in all this relationship guff she promotes and is only interested in one night stands.
I decide to stop her in her tracks and rat her out. I push the bed sheets back from me and leap from the bed, roaring towards her.
She looks like a rabbit caught in the headlights as I grab hold of the small leather bound book she has been writing in to see exactly what she’s up to. But she hasn’t written a single word. Instead there is a sketch of the hotel lobby downstairs and it is probably one of the best sketches I have ever seen. I’ve pissed myself off now. I let myself jump to conclusions.
As I flick through the pages, Ruby looks mortified, as though I am reading the pages of her teenage diary so I deliberately take my time to pour over the images, knowing that it is making her uncomfortable, but also because I am taking in their beauty. She says she’s never had anything published. She is truly talented and I tell her that she should do something about that.
Talent should not go to waste. Which is why I make sure I show all the girls my talents. Ha. I sound so vain, but without the confidence I have gained over the years I wouldn’t have had so much fun. As she turns her back on me to pick up her bag and to start to make an exit out of here, I take the opportunity to tear out the picture of the hotel lobby and quickly shove it in my pocket before giving her back her. sketchbook.
I immediately feel guilty for stealing one of her sketches, so I try to make a swift exit so she doesn’t have time to realise the drawing is gone whilst I’m still with her. I keep answers short and to the point. Besides I’m still a bit peeved that I didn’t get laid so I am not going to be that nice to her this morning.
Eventually I get dressed and we head down to the lobby where I give her a peck on the cheek and tell her I will
text her. I won’t. The girl always texts first, I text them back saying see you later, and that’s the end of the story. Although last night was interesting. And confusing. And I would like to know if she really would offer me another chance for a slice of cherry pie.
I shrug it off, text Chad to see if he wants to grab a beer later tonight at the Oaks. I don’t think I’ll bother with finding a Miss Sunday.
CHAPTER 13
Why? Why, do I still feel the need to see this guy again? He clearly doesn’t see me as girlfriend material. Yet I want to find out if there is more to Ryan than his Mr. Lothario act. I cannot text him. It would look desperate. I mean, I am desperate. But even I have standards.
Besides it’s 4:50am, and no one should be texting at this time in the morning. In fact no one should even be up at this ungodly hour. But needs must, and I really can’t afford to fuck up what might be this might be my only chance of getting a job and getting enough money to get out of that hostel. I swear I have been bitten by something lurking in those threadbare yellowing sheets as my arm looks and feels red raw.
I walk down the steps of Martin Place Station bleary eyed and itchy but as I get to the station forecourt and see the mini Babylon before me known as ‘Fascinating Florals’ I already feel a sense of happiness. It was an illusion that didn’t last long. Tess barks at me as soon as she sees me.
‘What time do you call this Ruby?’ Her arms are crossed in front of her chest.
My stomach plummets to the floor; I swear I am on time. Maybe I misheard the time and it was actually 4am…oh god…I might as well go home now. No it was 5am. I wrote it down. I am definitely not late.
I decide this job means too much right now for me to just walk away as I really need the money. I take a deep breath and for once in my life, I stand up for myself.
‘It’s 4:57am, you did tell me 5am,’ I quiver back to her.
‘That’s right, and I love someone who is punctual.’ She lets out a hoarse laugh and then punches me on the arm. ‘I had ya going for a bit there didn’t I?’
‘Just a bit.’ I reply nursing my throbbing arm, which now makes a match for the other one..
‘Okay let’s get cracking, these flowers don’t sell themselves,’ she says to me more seriously, thrusting a bucket of tulips into my hands.
The work is more physically demanding than I thought, and there are so many different names for all the flowers, and there is so much more to learn than I ever imagined. But despite feeling super tired I absolutely love it. The sweet smell that rises from the stall is intoxicating and the shapes and textures of the flowers are divine. I feel like I am going to really enjoy working here.
At 8am, Tess lets me have a break for breakfast and I head for the cafe just outside the station to get some porridge. And, sucker that I am, I check to see if Ryan has sent me a message. One message received. My heart starts pounding in my chest. Please let it be him. Please be Ryan. It isn’t. It is Laurence.
I had almost forgotten about him. He was such a lovely guy and how I wish he was still in Sydney rather than in the arse end of nowhere. We might have stood a chance.
The message read: ‘Good luck on your first day. I hope all is going well. I thought you might appreciate a selfie with my new breakfast buddies, Kylie and Jason. X’
I let out a snort of laughter as the selfie is him with two kangaroos and one of them appears to be wearing Laurence’s sunglasses.
I have a quick conversation with him to say thanks and to update him as to how things are going, but avoid mentioning Ryan. Just as when we were face to face the conversation just flows and I find it so easy to talk to him. Just as my mind starts to wander into ‘getting married and having kids’ territory, he shatters my dreams by mentioning someone called Sam. He is sharing a room with Sam. Sam is clearly a girl. Sam takes an age in the bathroom. I let out a sigh and lament that the good guys are snapped up so quickly and end the conversation, ready to head back to work.
It was nice of him to text though, and it is good to have a friend like Laurence. Even if I can’t put the word ‘boy’ in front of the word ‘friend.’
‘You have a bit of a glow about you after your brekky break,’ shouts Tess as I walk back down the steps into the station.
‘You weren't chatting up the guy behind the brekky counter were ya? If you’re not careful you’ll end up spending all your wages in there trying to impress that boy.’
I look at her slightly shocked and embarrassed as the guy behind the counter at the cafe looked about seventeen and his skin was covered in so many pustules, it looked like it had more chance of erupting at any second than Mount Vesuvius.
Tess lets out another throaty laugh.
‘Only joking. God sometimes you Pommies need to lighten up.’
I grin and try to think of a good comeback or a funny joke to throw back to Tess but my mind is blank so I decide to bury my head in the gladioli and pretend I am sorting them out in colour order.
Tess however, comes up really close and I try to think of something witty to say so that she will hopefully back off a little. Although so far the only joke I can think of is; ‘Why did the chicken cross the road?’ I don’t think I will be winning any comedy awards with that one.
I can now feel her breath on my cheek and it’s making me feel really uncomfortable.
‘Now on a more serious note,’ she whispers in my ear. ‘I am promising that this time I am not joking…see that man standing in the kiosk opposite. I suggest you stay away from him as I just have a bad vibe about that one.’
I look over to where she is indicating and see a guy serving a commuter in the newspaper and sweets kiosk. He is of a slim build with slicked back blonde hair and big thick black rimmed glasses that make his otherwise baby-face seem older, although he is probably in his mid-thirties.
He seems harmless enough although Tess seems to think otherwise.
‘The guy’s name is Michael, that guy gives me the heebee jeebies. I don’t know why, but there is something not right about him. I’ve seen the way he has looked at Carmen before and I don’t like it. I suggest be polite when he comes over to us but keep contact with him to a minimum.’
Thankfully a customer comes along to break up the conversation. I’m sure that Michael isn’t as bad as Tess is making out. He seems popular with the commuters, as there has been a non-stop queue outside his kiosk this morning.
My first customer of the day is a middle - aged business man with greying hair and a paunched stomach. He buys a bunch of red roses, not for his wife but for his mistress. Or at least, he said these were for his mistress. He might have been joking. Between train arrivals, the station is quiet and the stall is quiet. I take a moment to breathe and look around the station. There’s not much to it other than the convenience store opposite us, the electronic train ticket machines and the ticket barriers before the platforms. Our stall is the only source of colour in an otherwise very dull, grey building.
Suddenly a large herd of people surge towards the ticket barriers and a barrage of beeping fills the air as they tap their tickets on the machine to enter the station. It’s like the start of the zombie apocalypse. Each commuter looks tired and spaced out as they go through of the motions of tapping their travel card against the machine and walking mechanically to work.
Amongst the zombies I spot a man who, despite the tiredness round the eyes, looks rather handsome and is wearing a rather nice tailored navy suit. Something makes me think I have seen that style somewhere before.
Oh Christ, that’s Ryan. And he is heading straight towards me. I really do not need him on my first day, especially as I feel I am doing so well even if I can’t work out Tess’s jokes. The more I am pleading in my head for him to turn around or just disappear into thin air the closer he is getting.
‘Hello Ruby,’ he grins as he stands in front of me almost toe to toe.
I literally want to die right now.
‘Hey,’ I respond, trying to act natural but failing by miles
.
‘I’ve come to buy some flowers,’ he says confidently with a poker face.
Bastard. He didn’t even ask how I was or whether I got home okay after we parted ways yesterday morning. Instead he wants to buy a bunch of fucking flowers for some other girl. I am absolutely fuming right now. I try to ask some subtle questions, I might have gotten the wrong end of the stick. They could be for his mother.
‘So Ryan, who is the lucky lady?’
‘You probably know her. Help me pick out a suitable bunch of flowers for her.’
I know her? Who else would know Ryan…oh good god, maybe he shacked up with Party Pam.
I am finding it really hard just to choose a bunch as my head is swimming. Thankfully Tess has come to my assistance and fills the air with her deep and calming voice;
‘Maybe you should get ya girl a big bunch of roses, most girls like roses from a man.’
‘Yes that sounds perfect.’ He flashes Tess one of his winning smiles and I can immediately see she is smitten. He is such a player.
‘I am sure Ruby will be able to wrap the bunch up all fancy for ya.’
Oh will I now Tess? Yes of course, I’ll go and wrap up a bunch of roses for that toss bag who just went on a date with me just the other day, who has failed to text me and is clearly romancing some other girl. No problem at all. I really hope the girl who receives them gets stabbed with each and every single thorn when she unwraps them.
‘So Ryan, who would you like me to write the card out to?’
He grins slyly and the name that comes out of his mouth surprises me.
‘Ruby.’
Ruby? How the hell did he manage to find another girl in the city with the same name as me? This is unbelievable. It’s not like my name is that common. I look up at him with my pen still poised as if this is some sort of wind up.
‘Don’t look so shocked Ruby. They’re for you. Although you can only collect these later tonight. Meet me at Gino’s Restaurant tonight at 7pm. I’ll text you the details.'
When Love Meets Lust Page 8
