The Lost Fortress of Aphrodite
Chapter 2
When they arrived at the house Riley had shown Millie to where she would sleep. His guest bedroom was totally trashed so he gave up his bedroom for Millie while he slept on his living room couch.
Millie sat alone in the bedroom and glanced around. She pulled out her laptop and checked her email. There was nothing interesting so she went online to check the news back home. She sat up on the computer until about midnight. She guess her excitement kept her from being very tired. She hadn't been in the states since she was at least 15. Most of her traveling had been done in Europe and some parts of Asia. She reached into her suitcase and slipped out a silk teddy night gown. She grew thirsty and slipped out the bedroom. Thinking Riley was asleep she left her robe in the room. She stood in the dark kitchen with a glass of water. At once the light came on and she jumped. The glass fell out of her hand and onto the floor where it smashed. She turned to see Riley standing in a T-shirt and boxers.
"Oh sor-sorr-sorry." She stuttered, but he was unable to keep his eyes off of her.
"No I'm sorry I broke your glass." Millie said as she began to pick up the larger pieces of glass and tossing them into the trash can.
"It's ok." He said.
"Oh shit." Muttered Millie.
"You ok." Riley asked.
"Cut my foot." Millie said as she went to attempt to manage her way around the broken glass.
"You're barefoot here." Riley said as he slipped on a vacant pair of tennis shoes and slipped into them. He then walked towards Millie and swept her up in his arms and carried her into the dining room. Millie held on. Riley looked at her and their eyes instantly met. He then quickly sat her down at the cluttered dining room table. He pulled out a first aid kit from a cabinet.
"Thanks." Millie said as he patched up her cut foot. "Let me help you clean up the glass."
"No it's ok." Riley said. "You get your rest." He said with a smile. Millie smiled back.
"Well then goodnight." She said before slipping down the hall and into the bedroom.
Two days had passed. Millie and Riley hadn't had much conversation during these days. Millie spent most of her time in the room on her laptop or reading. Riley either showed off his very less then perfect cooking skills or ordered out for himself and Millie. It was Friday Night and they sat quietly at the table eating Chinese take-out. Millie twisted her fork in her Chow Mein as she glanced at Riley's bookcase.
"I read your book." She said finally speaking.
"My book?" Riley asked.
"Yes I saw a huge stack in your room so since I haven't had much to do I read it. It was quite interesting and I enjoyed it." Millie said.
Riley smiled. "Well thanks." Riley was just staring to feel a little more conformable with Millie around. He was expecting someone completely different from her and defiantly someone not as beautiful as her. The sight of her standing in the nightgown stuck in his mind.
"I was looking at the books over there?" she pointed at the bookshelf behind Riley. "I've read a few of them."
"Ah yes my books on Ancient Greece." He said.
"I love to study Ancient Greece and Rome. I studied in Greece for a year and it was wonderful. I learned so much. I want to go back very soon." Millie said.
"What was your main study of?" Riley asked.
"There are so many things." Millie said with a laugh. "I'm into so much. I studied some mythology, some paleontology, and other things. Umm, computer science. I can go on an on."
"That's a lot." Riley said.
"Yes, but I love it. I double majored in archeology and computer science and I did a minor study in mythical studies." Millie said before sipping up a noodle.
"So I am supposed to be showing you a good time so what would you like to do?" Riley asked.
"Well I saw all the D.C things when I was 15. You know the white house, Lincoln memorial, etc, etc." she said.
"So I guess we are going to have to find something more interesting." Riley said as he tapped his finger on the table. "I got it. There is an Ancient Greece exhibit opening up at a local museum. How about a trip?"
"Sounds nice. I'd love to go." Millie said as she sat her fork down. "Thanks for dinner it was marvelous."
"Great! By the way how is your foot?" he asked.
"Good thanks for patching it up and I am still really sorry for breaking your glass." She said as she picked up her plate and walked into the kitchen.
"No worries." Riley said as he picked up his plate as well and also walked into the kitchen where Millie had started washing her plate. "You know you don't have to wash your own dishes?"
"You are being nice enough to let me stay here so I want to help out." Millie said.
"You're a guest." Riley said as he took the plate form her and started to wash. He smiled and winked at her as he finished the dishes. Millie simply picked up the sprayer and sprayed him quickly with a laugh.
"How dare you!" Riley said as he splashed her with the water on the towel. Millie then laughed and sprayed him again. Riley grabbed the sprayer and sprayed her back. Back and forth they continued soaking one another. They both sat on the floor soaking wet and laughing. Millie laughed and leaned her head on his shoulder. Riley moved a strain of Millie's wet hair from her face. At the touch of his cold fingers Millie shivered.
"Let me get some towels." Riley then said as he stood. He returned moments later where he playfully threw a towel at Millie who smiled.
They worked together to dry the water from the floor and the counters. Millie was standing from the floor when she slipped in a small puddle that they missed. She fell into Riley's arms. They starred one another in the eyes and inched closer to one another. They were a split second away from kissing then Riley's phone rang. Both of them jumped. He quickly helped Millie back to her feet where she took a vacant towel from the counter and began to dry the puddle from the floor. Millie finished and walked out of the kitchen to see Riley on the phone in the living room. Millie slipped down the hall and into the bedroom where she changed out of her wet clothes. She smiled to herself as she ran her hand over where his hand had touched her face.
