---10---
He felt uncomfortable in first class. A flight attendant offered him a warm towel and he didn't know what to do with it.
"Here, hun," Kate said, calmly showing him.
"Thanks, I'm used to riding down below with the luggage," he joked.
"You're doing fine. Don't worry about it," she said as she placed a reassuring hand on his arm, and then quickly turning her attention back to her Vanity Fair.
Upon landing, they were greeted by their driver, who carried their bags to an awaiting black Lincoln Towncar.
"Sorry it's not a limo," she said with a smile once inside. "John must be getting cheap on me."
"I'll try not to be too insulted," he replied. Kate put her hand on his leg, gave it a quick squeeze, then whipped out her files for this afternoon's meeting, and began re-reading them. Roman just looked out the window at the passing images. He hadn't been to New York in years, and never had he visited like this---in a suit, with a driver and a beautiful woman en route to a four star hotel. He glanced over at Kate, who was deep in thought, jotting something down on the front of a notepad. She was dressed in her usual, but for some reason, today there was something different. She seemed much more empowered. The black pinstripe suit paired with a still very mysterious aura made for the loudest presence in the car. Her attention focused only on business made a few feelings of inadequecy stir inside him. She was, afterall, quite the breadwinner, but that was only the beginning. Her electric personality, intelligence, looks and contagious laughter could win her the attention of any man, so why, he thought, was she here with him? It didn't add up. He selfishly wished this meeting went smoothly. He didn't want to hear her speak one word about business the entire weekend, as unrealistic as that might have been.
The car pulled up to their posh hotel in downtown Manhattan, and as soon as the driver opened the door, the noise of the street filled the car. Kate applied her sunglasses, and held her leather-bound file case under her arm. Roman began assisting the bellhops in getting the luggage out of the trunk, but was stopped by Kate, who grabbed his hand. "You don't have to do that," she said smiling. She pulled him inside, obtained the room key, and stopped the elevator just as the doors were closing.
"Hey," he said nudging her arm with his. "Remember the last time we were in one a' these?"
She laughed slightly, "I'm sure you would never let me." She leaned over and kissed him on his jawline. It amazed him how such a simple gesture from her could get him so worked up. He placed an arm around her waist, and leaned in so as not to be overheard by the elderly man next to him.
"Do we have time to christen the room before you head off?" he whispered in her ear.
She looked at her watch. "I have a little under an hour. It takes twenty minutes to get there with traffic, and I still have to take a shower, so I think I have some bad news for you, Captain."
"No, I heard 'shower' in there somewhere, so I think if we just get creative..."
She shushed him. The elevator stopped on the top floor, and they both stepped off and walked down the hall to their suite. Filled with flowers, and a welcoming fruit basket from a grateful client, the room was worth every company penny it charged. A generous space with sofas, a piano, and view of the city. Kate dropped her things and rushed over to the bathroom, which was higher than the rest of the room. She walked up three small steps and over to the large clear glass shower and turned the water on. Quickly, she removed her clothes and grabbed a robe from a nearby closet.
"Our bags need to get here. I refuse to use hotel soap."
Roman unlocked the glass door and stepped out onto the balcony. The sun was high above the buildings, which cast dark shadows down onto the streets. Cars, the size of ants from that height, but certainly not as quick. Traffic was congested as far as the eye could see.
"Roman, can you get that?" she yelled from inside as she checked on the water temperature.
He thanked the bellhop, handed him a ten, and closed the door. Kate rushed out from the bathroom and rummaged through one of her bags to find her toiletries. As she showered, Roman flipped on their large wall screen television, and began drifting off. By the time he awoke, she was gone.
He felt uncomfortable in first class. A flight attendant offered him a warm towel and he didn't know what to do with it.
"Here, hun," Kate said, calmly showing him.
"Thanks, I'm used to riding down below with the luggage," he joked.
"You're doing fine. Don't worry about it," she said as she placed a reassuring hand on his arm, and then quickly turning her attention back to her Vanity Fair.
Upon landing, they were greeted by their driver, who carried their bags to an awaiting black Lincoln Towncar.
"Sorry it's not a limo," she said with a smile once inside. "John must be getting cheap on me."
"I'll try not to be too insulted," he replied. Kate put her hand on his leg, gave it a quick squeeze, then whipped out her files for this afternoon's meeting, and began re-reading them. Roman just looked out the window at the passing images. He hadn't been to New York in years, and never had he visited like this---in a suit, with a driver and a beautiful woman en route to a four star hotel. He glanced over at Kate, who was deep in thought, jotting something down on the front of a notepad. She was dressed in her usual, but for some reason, today there was something different. She seemed much more empowered. The black pinstripe suit paired with a still very mysterious aura made for the loudest presence in the car. Her attention focused only on business made a few feelings of inadequecy stir inside him. She was, afterall, quite the breadwinner, but that was only the beginning. Her electric personality, intelligence, looks and contagious laughter could win her the attention of any man, so why, he thought, was she here with him? It didn't add up. He selfishly wished this meeting went smoothly. He didn't want to hear her speak one word about business the entire weekend, as unrealistic as that might have been.
The car pulled up to their posh hotel in downtown Manhattan, and as soon as the driver opened the door, the noise of the street filled the car. Kate applied her sunglasses, and held her leather-bound file case under her arm. Roman began assisting the bellhops in getting the luggage out of the trunk, but was stopped by Kate, who grabbed his hand. "You don't have to do that," she said smiling. She pulled him inside, obtained the room key, and stopped the elevator just as the doors were closing.
"Hey," he said nudging her arm with his. "Remember the last time we were in one a' these?"
She laughed slightly, "I'm sure you would never let me." She leaned over and kissed him on his jawline. It amazed him how such a simple gesture from her could get him so worked up. He placed an arm around her waist, and leaned in so as not to be overheard by the elderly man next to him.
"Do we have time to christen the room before you head off?" he whispered in her ear.
She looked at her watch. "I have a little under an hour. It takes twenty minutes to get there with traffic, and I still have to take a shower, so I think I have some bad news for you, Captain."
"No, I heard 'shower' in there somewhere, so I think if we just get creative..."
She shushed him. The elevator stopped on the top floor, and they both stepped off and walked down the hall to their suite. Filled with flowers, and a welcoming fruit basket from a grateful client, the room was worth every company penny it charged. A generous space with sofas, a piano, and view of the city. Kate dropped her things and rushed over to the bathroom, which was higher than the rest of the room. She walked up three small steps and over to the large clear glass shower and turned the water on. Quickly, she removed her clothes and grabbed a robe from a nearby closet.
"Our bags need to get here. I refuse to use hotel soap."
Roman unlocked the glass door and stepped out onto the balcony. The sun was high above the buildings, which cast dark shadows down onto the streets. Cars, the size of ants from that height, but certainly not as quick. Traffic was congested as far as the eye could see.
"Roman, can you get that?" she yelled from inside as she checked on the water temperature.
He thanked the bellhop, handed him a ten, and closed the door. Kate rushed out from the bathroom and rummaged through one of her bags to find her toiletries. As she showered, Roman flipped on their large wall screen television, and began drifting off. By the time he awoke, she was gone.