by Claire Adams
"Earth to Emily!" Trish hollered in my ear as she jabbed an elbow into my side.
"Ouch!" I cried. "What did you have to do that for?"
"Because you were out there in outer space somewhere, and I needed to bring you back to earth," she said dryly.
"I'm sorry, what did you want?" I asked.
"Not me, Princess," she grinned mischievously. "Mr. Marks would like a warm towel and a glass of bourbon. I told him I'd send you in as soon as I changed you into the virginal vestments that we usually use when we're about to turn our bodies over to customers for the first time."
"You what?" I cried.
"Relax, I told him you'd bring it right in," she laughed as she pulled out the bottle of Benchmark that we kept hidden for only the most special customers and poured two fingers into a heavy lead glass. I grabbed a towel from the warmer and put it on the tray. Then, I swallowed hard and walked out into the cabin.
Austin was on the phone when I entered his pod and he motioned for me to set the tray on the ottoman. I nodded and then quickly left the room, closing the door behind me. I didn't breathe out until I was back in the galley.
Trish and I began preparing for the landing by storing everything we'd taken out and collecting what was still floating around the customer's pods in the cabin. When I returned to Austin's pod, the tray with the towel and glass was sitting on the floor outside the door and I felt a little sad when I realized that I probably wouldn't get this close to him again – ever.
Chapter Twenty
Emily
It took Trish and me nearly two hours to deplane everyone and clean up the galley. We weren't responsible for cleaning the cabin, but we always tried to keep it looking decent for the crew that came in to do the sweeping and polishing. Often times, they'd do little special things like cleaning out the fridge or scrubbing the sinks with steel wool to make the return trip even nicer, plus it was just a decent thing to do.
By the time we made it to the shuttle area, we had both been on our feet for almost twenty hours and were ready to take a hot shower and then fall straight into bed for at least twelve hours of sleep. That's how the long hauls often were. People always envied us, but I've given up trying to explain how completely exhausted we are when the flight actually arrives and how very little time we have to do any sightseeing or shopping. They never believe me, and it's probably just as well.
At the front desk of the hotel, Trish checked in first, got her room key, hugged me, and headed up to collapse in comfort. We were staying at the Marks Hotel about two miles from the airport and this time, we'd gotten luxury suites instead of the usual bed, desk, and dresser rooms. I was excited to see how the other half lived and anxious to soak in a huge tub.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Warner, there's no reservation listed here for you," said the desk clerk as he tapped the keyboard on his computer. "I'm not sure what happened, but there are no suites available in the entire hotel tonight."
"Wait, what?" I said as I looked at him through trip-weary eyes. My thinking was fuzzy and I wasn't sure I'd heard him correctly. "Are you telling me that I've been awake for almost twenty-four hours and that I now have no place to sleep?"
"Well, not exactly," he hedged as he frantically tapped the keyboard as if conjuring a kind of magic that would suddenly make a suite appear. "Let me check one more thing..."
"Oh God, I know that phrase," I groaned. "Let me check one more thing" is the bane of any service person's existence. It really means "abandon all hope, there's nothing I can do, but I'll keep you calm for a few more minutes as I try to think of something to save this situation," and I knew it because I'd used it myself. "Isn't there a room somewhere in this place? I'm exhausted and I just need to sleep."
"I'm checking..." he trailed off as he pounded more frantically on the keyboard.
"Hey, Karl, how are you tonight?" From across the lobby came a voice that I recognized.
"I'm...I'm...I'm good, Mr. Marks, how are you?" Karl said miserably as he shifted his gaze from computer to boss and then back again.
"Is there a problem?" Austin asked as he looked at me and winked. I immediately blushed from the roots of my hair to the tips of my toes.
"Well, it seems that we have no reservation for Ms. Warner," Karl replied as his voice went from miserable to desperate. "And I can't find a room for her anywhere in the hotel."
"Ah, I see," Austin nodded. "Well, how about you give her my suite and move me up to the penthouse or better yet, just put Ms. Warner in the penthouse and leave me alone?"
"Oh, Mr. Marks, I'm not supposed to-" Karl began.
"Karl, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I actually own this hotel, so technically it makes me your direct boss," Austin said in a low voice. "As such, I'm ordering you to book Ms. Warner in the penthouse for the next four nights."
"Okay, if you say so..." Karl said as he gave Austin a suspicious look. "I don't know what Mr. Bartholomew will say about this, but I'll tell him that you ordered it and that should clear it up."
"Reginald Bartholomew? That old son of a gun," Austin laughed. "I need to see him first thing in the morning, anyway. Don't worry, Karl. You will not lose your job over this."
"I appreciate that, Mr. Marks," Karl said as he breathed a visible sigh of relief.
I watched the exchange like it was a tennis match, and when it was over, I knew that not only had Austin prevailed, but that I had truly lucked out. My excitement was tempered by the fact that I was nearly dead on my feet and in desperate need of a bed. Karl quickly assigned me a room key and told me he'd have the bellman bring my bag upstairs.
"There's no need for that, Karl," Austin waved him off. "I'll take her up there and show her around since I know the place so well."
"Alright, Mr. Marks," Karl said hesitantly, but wanting no more trouble, he let it go and watched Austin and I walk to the elevator.
"You're crazy, you know that, right?" I said in a sleepy voice as I rubbed my eyes and tried to focus on the elevator door since I knew it would lead to a bed.
"Yeah, probably," Austin replied with a weak smile.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Oh, I'm fine. Just a little distracted, that's all," he said as he looked away and then up at the lighted numbers on the door above us as the elevator reached the ground floor and silently slid open.
"Alright, well, thank you," I said and offered him the best smile I had left.
"It's my pleasure," he said and then looked away again.
Something was going on, but I was too tired to try and find out.
Chapter Twenty-One
Austin
I took Emily's key and ran it through the special card reader above the keypad in the elevator and said, "Now watch this."
There was a low ping and then the elevator took off for the penthouse. This was one of my favorite features, the fact that you could run your room key in the elevator and have it take you straight up to the top floor where it let you off in the middle of the living room was luxury at its finest, and for some reason, I really wanted to show it to her.
"Welcome to the penthouse, Ms. Warner," I said as I swept my arm wide to show her the view. "There's a full view of Sydney Harbor Bridge over there near the dining room, and on this side you can see all the way to the edge of town.
"It's quite the view," she yawned as she eyed the king-sized bed that sat waiting for her to climb in to it. "I'm sure I'll appreciate it better over coffee in the morning."
"You might," I said. I moved closer to her and slipping an arm around her waist as I held her gaze and murmured, "And, maybe even more so if you had company?"
I could feel her breathing against my chest as I stopped and waited for a sign that my advances were welcome. As I searched her face, I saw it – the hint of a yes that gave me the green light to bend down and brush my lips across hers so gently that I felt something inside me shift as I moved in to kiss her.
"Austin, no, I...I...I can't," she stuttered as she laid her palms on my chest and
pushed me back.
"Oh, I see," I said backing up and trying not to show my utter disappointment. "I'm sorry, I read the signs wrong."
"No, no you didn't," she said as she moved closer and softly placed her hand on my cheek. "No, you read the signs exactly right. I just can't."
"I get it." I shrugged as I looked away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you when you're so tired."
"Austin, look at me," she said. I looked down into her beautiful soft brown eyes and felt lost as she spoke. "It's not that I don't want to, it's that..."
"It's that what?" I said impatiently. "Just tell me, I need to know what's going on."
"I can't because...," she said.
I stepped back and looked at her for a moment.
"I get it," I shrugged again. "No harm, no foul. I'm sorry I misread the signs."
"Austin?" she said in a tone that made me look back down at her for a moment. A moment was all it took for her to stretch all the way up on her tip-toes and kiss me on the lips. It was a soft kiss that held the promise of so much more than just lips touching, but she only kissed me once before she said, "You need to shut up and listen for a change."
Chapter Twenty-Two
Emily
I held my breath as I felt torn between wanting so badly to give in and go wherever this moment would take us and my loyalty to a husband who didn't even seem to know I was alive. It had been so long since Tommy had looked at me like I was beautiful and attractive and now here was a man who had everything anyone could possible want and he wanted me.
Austin leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine, sending a shiver down my spine and causing an agonizing ache between my legs. I knew what it meant, but I was loath to acknowledge that it had been months since I'd felt anything even remotely like it. All I wanted was to feel his lips on mine and his arms around me pulling me tightly against his firm body as his hands stroked my skin. I wanted to feel something.
As he leaned in closer, I suddenly saw Tommy standing in the garage at home looking at me with the saddest expression – like I was letting him down. No, like I was letting us down. I raised my hands and put both palms on Austin's chest and stammered, "Austin, no, I...I...I can't."
He reacted the way I imagined he would, that is, he was hurt and defensive. I tried to soothe his bruised ego by telling him that he hadn't misread the signs, but I couldn't tell him why. I didn't feel like he'd understand my dilemma, and why would he? He was a gorgeous billionaire with a bevy of beauties vying for his attention and a huge corporation to run. If I told him about my miserable marriage and my middle of the road life, he'd simply smile and walk away.
"Oh, I see," he said backing away with a look of disappointment on his face. "I'm sorry, I read the signs wrong."
"No, no you didn't," I said as I moved closer and softly placed my hand on his cheek. "No, you read the signs exactly right. I just can't."
I looked up into his dark eyes and felt myself fighting the urge to stand on tiptoes, wrap my arms around his neck, and press my lips to his. I inhaled sharply as I touched him. I could feel the electricity coursing through my body and I quickly pulled my hand back.
"I get it," he shrugged as he looked away. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you when you're so tired."
"Austin, look at me," I said. I took a deep breath and in a hesitant voice tried to explain, “It’s not that I don't want to, it's that..."
"It's that what?" he interrupted impatiently. "Just tell me, I need to know what's going on."
I wanted nothing more than to blurt out the whole tale of woe and find that he was a sympathetic listener, but I didn't know him well enough and I wasn't willing to take the chance. My gut told me that he would walk away, and I didn't want him to. And I especially didn't want him to walk away because he pitied me.
"I can't because...it's just not possible right now," I said. He stepped back and looked at me for a moment.
"Then why did you lead me on?" he asked defensively.
"I didn't," I said as I shook my head. "I didn't lead you on."
"I get it," he shrugged again. "No harm, no foul. I'm sorry I misread the signs."
"Austin," I whispered. "You didn't misread the signs."
"Yeah, sure," he replied as he rolled his eyes. He looked at me for a long moment, then turned and walked to the elevator and pressed the button. When the doors slid open, he stepped inside, pressed a button, and held my gaze until the doors slid shut.
I wanted to call out and stop him, but I knew that if I did, I'd have to explain everything and I wasn't ready to paint a picture of my life because I wasn't sure I wanted to see it myself.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Austin
I walked out of Emily's room and tried hard not to turn around and demand an explanation. If she didn't want to tell me what was going on, I sure as hell wasn't going to pressure her to tell me. Only a weak man would beg.
As I marched to the elevator and smashed my finger against the button, I tried to figure out why she'd rejected me and more importantly, how I'd misread the signals so completely. The doors quickly slid open and I stepped on, pressed the ground floor button, and then looked up at her and held her gaze until the doors slid shut.
I was quickly transported to the ground floor where I walked across the lobby to the bar. The bartender on duty nodded and brought me a glass of 12-year-old Balvenie without a word. I sat staring into my glass until a woman sat down next to me and said, "I'll have what he's having." She turned and looked at me for a long time, then looked back at the bartender and said, "Would you be so good as to bring him another one, Alec, and put it on my tab?"
"Oh you don't have to-" I protested.
"Darlin'," she said with an amused grin in a charming Southern U.S. accent. "When a woman offers to buy you a drink, you should be gracious enough to accept it."
"Of course," I said as I tipped my invisible hat to her. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Oh lord, do not even start with that ma'am crap," she drawled as she rolled her eyes and took a sip from the glass Alec set in front of her. "Do I look that old to you, mister?"
"No, ma-um, miss?" I chuckled as I stumbled over the words trying to find something that wouldn’t offend her and finally settling on, "What would you like me to call you?"
"Oh look, Alec," she called to the bartender. "We've got a boy with manners down on this end of the bar! What a hoot!"
I smiled and sipped my whiskey silently as I waited for her to tell me what she'd like to be called. She sipped hers, looking me up and down. She was a tall woman in her mid-forties with long honey blonde hair and big blue eyes. She was wearing a Herve Leger dress that probably just barely skimmed her thighs when she was standing and made me avert my eyes while she was seated. She wore an enormous diamond wedding ring that had to be at least five carats and a white ceramic Chanel watch that set off her sun-kissed skin. She was a woman who had a lot of money – or had married it. Either way, I immediately liked her.
"I'm Honey Beaufort," she said holding out her hand. "Or Honey B to those who know and love me. You can just call me Honey."
"It's nice to meet you, Honey," I said as I grasped her hand and shook it. "I'm Austin, and everyone just calls me...Austin."
Her laugh caught me off guard. It was loud and its richness filled the small room. I saw Alec grinning down at the other end of the bar as I felt myself begin to chuckle despite my attempt to hold back. I was grateful that the staff at all my hotels knew that I liked to travel incognito rather than be identified as the billionaire boy who ran Marks Enterprises. Most people with money already knew me thanks to my father, but if they didn't know me, I liked to keep a low profile.
"Well, Austin who everyone calls Austin," she laughed as she raised the glass to her lacquered red lips. "It's good to meet you! I think we're going to have a mighty fine time here tonight!"
"I don't know about that, Honey," I said shaking my head. "I have a feeling that you are a wild, wild woman with lots of tri
cks up her sleeve...er, in her clutch."
"Well, aren't you a charmer!" she roared as she looked over at Alec and nodded her head. He immediately poured two more whiskeys and delivered them to our end of the bar before returning to his dishwashing post well out of earshot. I made a note to tip him well later. "Darling, I'm a former Texas beauty queen," she said with a mischievous grin. "Miss Galveston to be exact, and we all have tricks in our clutches."
I couldn't help but laugh at her joke, and as I did I thought about Emily. I wished she was down here with me laughing with Honey and enjoying her American warmth and humor. I turned and looked at Honey.
"Uh oh, someone's got a serious look on his face," she drawled.
"Honey, can I ask you a question?" I said.
"You just did, darlin'," she grinned. "But I like you, so you can ask me another one."
"You're a tough woman," I laughed, sipping my whiskey as I thought about the wisdom of asking a complete stranger what I was about to ask her.
"Oh just spit it out, darlin'," she laughed. "You're either going to ask me to go to bed with you, an offer I will regrettably have to turn down, or you're going to ask me about another lady and I will have to give you advice."
"How did you know?" I said only partly stunned.
"Oh darlin', when you've been dealing with Texas men as long as I have, you know that they either want you or they want your best friend," she laughed. "And my Granny Vanny taught me how to deal with both issues with manners and grace."
"Sheesh, you women," I said shaking my head in amazement. "You always seem to know everything, don't you?"
