Chapter Seventeen

Clarke opted for an expensive hotel suite and reserved it for three nights. She rarely spent money, living on site, a few beers here and there, books, - everything else was supplied by the army, even her phone. Also living on site meant that Clarke never got to have a bath and she was determined to have one every single day. She booked for three nights because she didn't know what the expectation was. Now that she was here and they seemed to have gotten through the awkward bit, she might even have fun.

Clarke balked at the thought of herself having fun, it seemed such a foreign concept to her, but not as foreign as the prospect of a romantic encounter. With the Commander of the whole Polis Army, no less. Not that she felt concerned about that because she had every expectation that the Commander would, in a day or two, make some vague noise about how they didn't quite connect, and Clarke would say she had to go back to work anyway and thank you very much, see you around. That would be that.

She was aware of a vague knocking somewhere in her brain or her psyche or her heart but she slammed the door loudly and got on with looking out of the metaphorical window. After lunch Lexa had to return to the office for a couple of hours but asked her to text when she had settled in to her suite and Lexa would have her suitcase brought over. When Lexa answered the door, she laughed and shook her head to see that Lexa herself, in civvies had brought the case. "Civvies." She said by way of welcome and let her pass through.

And wow did Lexa look good in a pair of jeans, and a turtleneck. Holy sheet! Clarke had not leered at someone like that for a long, long time, but she watched Lexa walk all the way down the hall without moving. Lexa turned at the end sensing Clarke was not with her, and caught Clarke staring, she raised her eyebrows but said nothing. Clarke cleared her throat, swallowed and tried to act like a decent human being. "Thank you, for bringing this."

"Swanky suite," said Lexa, "We must be paying you too well."

"Careful," said Clarke, "or I will start putting in for over time."

"Speaking of overtime, Clarke, would you have dinner with tomorrow night?"

"What has that to do with over time?"

Nothing, but we were speaking of it." Clarke laughed, Lexa was proving quite the character.

Clarke wanted to say yes but she had a confession to make, "I didn't bring any civvies."

"Why not?"

"Um, it was in the same vein as turning up unannounced. Sorry" She shot Lexa a guilty look.

"Ah punishing me, again!" she feigned having been shot in the heart.

"Just tell me the dress code and I will go shopping tomorrow."

"Ok, what about Central?"

"Oh sure like you we could get a table at Central!" Lexa gave Clarke a look, "Wait. You can get a table at Central with no notice?"

"I can't but someone on my team can! I think."