Awakening (26 page)

“Yes. We have to go to the city. Now, can we please drop this?” He takes my hand in his and looks at me pleadingly.

I watch him for a minute. Not sure if I am more curious or scared, but I want to know what this thing is.

“Okay. Fine. I’ll drop it. But it’s going be a long week, so you had better be around to help me pass the days,” I say, hoping I sound funny and not whiny.

“Well, Young. It’s already Monday night, so I think you can survive.” His shoulders relax and he looks much more comfortable.

“Ha. Shows what you know. You have no idea about the hell hole that I call my job.” I laugh as the jeep turns into my apartment parking lot.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

I’ve been sitting in my hell hole for four days, ticking off the hours one-by-one. It is now Friday afternoon and I am about to explode. Not a pleasant way to spend a workweek. Not only does this cause serious moodiness, but serves as a huge distraction as well, which, in turn, causes all kinds of stupid errors. I’m so ready to be done with this week and this job.

What I can’t get a handle on is, do I hate this job because it’s really a bad job, or because it’s just not the job I think I want? When I look objectively at what I do, working in corporate events is not a bad gig. In fact, David has a great business here, and the last few years have been a lot of fun. I know that I don’t get as worked up as David and Colleen about certain things, but I do a good job and at times, kind of like it. But, it’s not a law firm and I’m not a lawyer.

It’s now 3:30 in the afternoon and Ryan is picking me up around five at my house. My overnight bags are already packed for our mystery trip, so my plan is to get out of here in about an hour and freshen up before we hit the road.

Right now, that plan is dissolving.

“Hey Nora, do you have those schematics yet? I need to send them over to Colleen.”

Julie bounces into my office, but stops when she gets a good look at me.

“Not yet, but I’m working on them,” I clip back to her.

“Wow. You okay? You don’t look so great,” she asks.

I sit back from the mess on my desk and close my eyes.

“Sorry. I’m just so tired of all this. And I’m anxious to get my weekend started.”

“Oh, yeah, big date with Ryan. You want help with that?” Julie leans over the desk and peers at my work.

“I’ve been trying every which way, but I just don’t see how she is going to get that many people in that room. Maybe if she went for a more casual buffet style, but a formal sit down? I just can’t get it to work.”

Julie scoots me out of my chair and takes over. I happily oblige.

“Hmmm, what if we move this to a longer table and add round tops at the ends?”

“Yep. Did that. I’m still 20 spots short.”

“Hey guys, there you are. Listen, I need that planning sheet. The client wants to mull it over this weekend.” Colleen walks in my office.

“Working on it,” Julie calls without lifting her head. “Too many people for the room.”

Colleen comes over and slides closer to the plans. I scoot even farther away.

Colleen and Julie dive into the plan together, muttering about moving this table here, that table there, changing this shape to that. When I know they have completely forgotten that I’m even in the room, I slip out to go the bathroom.

Maybe I can freshen up a little while they’re busy. That way, I can get home a little late and still be ready when Ryan shows up. My stomach flutters again. What on earth are we going to do? I was told to pack light and that we would buy what we needed in the city. Mostly I packed makeup, toiletries, and shoes.

The question burning in the recesses of my mind all week is what is he into that should be illegal, and so intense that his ex-girlfriend felt compelled to offer me a shoulder to lean on, yet happens in the city?

I would have gone with Hannah being dramatic, but Ryan didn’t deny it. In fact, he said he wouldn’t tell me, that he would only show me. What does he not want to talk about? For four days I have wrestled with these questions, and more. Finally, tonight I get to find out.

~~~

A black and gold BMW motorcycle comes roaring into my apartment parking lot just as I’m climbing the steps to my front door. I turn and look over the railing just in time to see Ryan’s head come out of the helmet. Is he kidding me? Now he brings the motorcycle? All the way to the city?

Leaving the door open for him, I walk in and reassess my luggage. It would work for a car, but not for a bike. Damn, that second case of shoes and makeup are going to have to stay home.

Grabbing all my stuff, I haul it to the bedroom to repack.

“Hello?” Ryan calls from the entryway.

“In the back,” I call out. “Keeping up with you is getting harder and harder.”

“Huh? What did I do?” Ryan’s voice gets louder as he walks toward me.

“What’d you do? You showed up on a bike, Cole. On a frickin’ motorcycle. You said pack light, but yeesh. Do you not know that I am, in fact, a girl?” The irritation in my voice is genuine, the week’s tension and anxiety bubbling up.

Ryan’s face splits in two and his head falls back as deep roaring laughter falls out of his mouth. “Damn, Young. You’re a site for sore eyes.”

I stop and stare at him. “You’re laughing at me? You think this is funny?” Irritation is quickly moving to full anger.

“Hey. Hey. Nora. Take it easy.” Ryan approaches me like one would approach a wild animal. “Just chill. This weekend is going be great. Look, I thought the bike would be fun in the city. You said before that you wanted to ride the bike. We can take a car.”

I cross my arms and stare at him. “No. The bike is fine. I just, I just,” I stop because I realize that I am yelling at him.

Ryan encloses me in his arms. “Hey. Come here. I had a shitty week, too.”

I take a deep breath and lean into him. He smells so good. Why can’t we see each other during the week? It would make my weekdays so much better.

“Hi,” I say into his shoulder. “Sorry. You just caught me off guard.”

“Look. We don’t have to do this. We can stay here, hide in here all weekend.” Ryan pulls back and bends over until I look into his eyes. His stare is piercing, his eyes burning into mine.

“No way. Ever since Hannah opened her big mouth I’ve thought of nothing else. You either spill it now, or we go. No more waiting.” I match his piercing stare and narrow my eyes for effect.

“Okay. Let’s go. You don’t need much. We’ll go to a hotel tonight, enjoy the city tomorrow, do some shopping. Sunday we’ll do nothing but sleep.” He still looks stern, as if he’s still testing me.

“There’s a big gap in there, Cole,” I say, dryly.

Ryan laughs again and kisses my cheek.

“Yeah, I know. Come on. One bag, we’ll buy what you need. Change into jeans and a warm shirt. Let’s go.”

I go back to my reorganizing. When everything that made the cut is snugly in one bag, I zip it up and toss it to Ryan. He takes it to the door while I change into jeans and a warm shirt, as requested. I do one last check then lock up, turning off the lights as we leave.

Ryan straps my bag to the back of the bike and hands me a helmet and a leather jacket.

“The leather will protect you and keep you warm. The helmet is the law,” he says, without humor.

Okey dokey. The jacket is a little big, but not much, and the helmet fits snuggly on my head.

“There, now you look like a motorcycle chick,” he laughs. “Get on and hold on to me. Follow my lead. If I lean, you lean. It’s only a little over an hour. But tomorrow it will rock to have this.” He flashes that sexy grin.

Without much choice, I wait for him to climb on then do the same. My hands circle his waist and squeeze for dear life. I feel his body lift and shift as he turns on the bike. It roars to life. Just as we start to move, I feel his foot come off the ground and join the bike.

Leaning right then left, we leave the parking lot. At first I can barely see, I’m so terrified. I wanted a ride yes, but a two hour road trip? But pretty soon I get the feel of it, and my shoulders begin to relax. The drive to the city is actually exhilarating!

Windswept and very much awake, we roll into the Saint Francis in San Francisco. The valet looks at us like we’re from Mars.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll park it. Just gonna check in first,” Ryan tells him as he unstraps our two small bags from the bike.

We walk into the lobby and I take in our new surroundings. My ears are still ringing from over an hour on the bike, and the warm air is soothing to my weathered skin. The hotel is plush and old and as we step up to the counter, it is obvious that we are underdressed to be guests here. Ryan shows no discomfort whatsoever, he steps up, back straight, head held high, helmet in his hand.

I hang back, acutely aware of my jeans, tennis shoes, and too big leather jacket. I try to shake my hair around, but I know after that ride, it will take more than a head toss to control it.

I watch Ryan and admire the way he’s just so—Ryan. The front desk lady hands over the room key and he turns back to me. Grabbing my bag, I follow him to the elevator.

“This is a nice hotel,” I say, stepping into an elevator car.

“Yeah, this is one of my favorites,” he says with a grin. “We’re on a high floor, so get ready for a nice ride.”

“Okay,” I say, skeptically. The car whooshes up. I look around and sure enough, there are glass windows on the backside of the car. Just as I start to wonder why, the elevator bursts through the covered walls and we are surrounded by glass. We’re rising high above the city and can see the square below. Tiny tables cover the area, with smaller people milling around. I see Macy’s on my right and a three story Nike store on the far corner.

“Holy Cow!” I say.

Ryan comes to stand behind me, I feel him press against me, his breath on my neck.

“I could say the same about my view,” he almost growls in my ear.

This gets my full attention and I turn around abruptly to face him. My heart races with the surge of electricity pulsing through me.

“Well, now. Good to know I still trump the elevator view.” I smile at the look in his eye.

Ryan is clearly not watching the street below; my heart leaps as his sexy mouth grins. All too soon, the car stops and the doors open. He grabs my hand as we leave the car to find our room.

“Not the best view in town, but it’ll do,” Ryan says as he appraises the window. The room is small with a queen size bed, lush with pillows and a desk in the corner with a deep brown leather chair. There is also an overstuffed white sitting chair next to the bed. The armoire across from the bed holds the TV, a game console, and a minibar. The TV slides out and angles so that the viewer can watch from anywhere in the room.

I check the closet and find two terry cloth robes hanging in it. The bathroom is well stocked, and there is a large, elegant bathtub with a hand shower, as well as one overhead. Yep, just enough plush to make the small room seem cozy and intimate.

I realize that I’m nervous about the next 24 hours.

“Hey, I know it’s late, do you want dinner? Thought we could order before I go park the bike,” Ryan calls from the room.

Taking a deep breath, I join him. He looks up from the menu he’s reading and his eyebrows furrow.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

He looks so perfect sitting there at the desk, T-shirt, jeans, yet still commanding and sexy as hell. My nerves awaken just by the sight of him.

“Nothing. I was just checking the bathroom and my mind was wandering. Do you want to order in or go out?” I don’t want to worry him. Or worse, make him think I want to back out.

“Uh—” He looks at me suspiciously. “Okay. I think we can order in. This menu isn’t half bad.”

~~~

The food is amazing. Sitting on our fancy bed, watching a movie, eating delicious pasta, steak, salad, and raspberry mousse pie for dessert is the most fun I have had all week.

“Oh, my God. I am so full.” I stretch back on the bed. “I can’t believe I ate everything. What was I thinking?” I think I might have pulled a stomach muscle.

Ryan laughs. “Well, at least we know that you liked it.” He moves the dishes back on the room service tray. “Come on. Let’s take a bath.” He walks to the bathroom and turns on the water.

“Okay.” Not what I was expecting, but I’ll go with it.

I sit up on the bed and stare at the view. It’s beautiful, the city skyline shimmering just outside. Ryan comes out of the bathroom naked.

“You coming?” he asks. His voice is soft and seductive. Holy shit, he is one good-looking man. How does he stay so tan while working all the time? Maybe he’s a runner?

“Are you a runner?” I blurt out without thinking.

His eyes bulge out a little. “Excuse me?” he asks, looking slightly stunned.

“I’m sorry. It’s just your body is so spectacular. And tan. And I was wondering how you stay fit and tan with your work schedule.” I get up and wrap my arms around him. Up close, his body is rock hard. I smell his Ryan-scent and immediately feel my body responding to him.