Thanks again for your replies !!!!!
Chapter 3
The cab stopped just in front of Liz. Searching for something in her bag, she looked up surprised and met Max's gaze who had just rolled down the car window.
"Need a ride, lady?" he asked with a smile
"Do you happen to be my knight in shining armor, coming to save me from this place and from this weather?" She responded, soaking wet.
"Yes, today seems to be let's-be-Liz Parker's savior. I just can't resist helping a damsel in distress." He paused, looking at her and added " But get in, it's pouring.."
He got out of the car, and like a true gentleman, held the door open for her. Once she was inside, he ran under the rain to get in by the other side.
"So, after this chivalrous kidnapping, please tell me where you're planning to hold me hostage, kind sir. In a keep?" She smirked.
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you've only gotten a poor knight who doesn't own a castle. You will have to content yourself with the hotel chosen by American Airlines."
"How charming. I just hope you don't often kidnap weak women waiting alone in the night."
"Do you know,that for us, men, women are so confusing??"
Liz raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"One minute I'm called Prince Charming and the next I'm a kidnapper.." And added muttering "They're crazy, don't make any sense.."
"What was that?"
"Nothing at all, I was just saying that I hope they have some free rooms in the hotel "
"Yeah, and you will have to work on your recoveries too." She laughed, locked gaze with him and said in a more serious tone:
"Do you know that I am more than glad to see you?"
He chuckled and replied "It's always good to know"
"Yeah, I wasn't very fond of staying alone outside while waiting for a cab"
"That's why I came back . Big brother's instinct you know." He said trying to interpret his urge to take care of her.
She gave him a little smile, one of those you couldn't tell if it was a happy or a sad one, and turned her head to look through the window, both of them never noticing the small grin on the driver's face.
Once they arrived at the hotel,they directly went to the reception, from where a tall thin man was scrutinizing them.
"Do you have a free room for one night, please?"
The man gave them a knowing look that made them pretty uncomfortable, like he was waiting for them to jump each other right there, right then.
"I'm sorry sir, all the rooms have already been reserved"
"I have a room offered by American Airlines, is it possible to make it a twin beds room please?"
At this point, the man in front of them was dumbfounded.
"I'm really sorry but all the rooms left are with king size beds."
The first thought that crossed Max and Liz's minds, without even knowing why, was 'you pervert!!' but Max looked down at the petite brunette next to him. She was soaked and he wouldn't be surprised if she caught a cold. He just couldn't put her back in a cab (if he managed to find one ) and let her spend the night searching for a hotel.
He took his decision, hoping she wouldn't misunderstand his intentions.
"Can you give us the key please?"
He put his hand on the small of her back and led her towards the escalator. While they were walking away, they never saw the receptionist smiling, thinking he was the new Cupid.
They arrived in the large room which was decorated with taste and took in its furnishings, but it didn't keep Liz from finally voicing her uncertainty.
"Ok look. I appreciate your help and all and you seem to be a good guy but I have to make clear that there's no way in hell that I would sleep with you!"
"What? Am I that repulsive?" He joked but added seriously "it's not what you think. I've simply taken this room because you have to change if you don't want to be sick. Please don't think that I only took it to have sex with you."
"Only?" she said smiling.
Max rolled his eyes and replied "I thought we were having a serious conversation, not playing with words."
"Ok. Seriously, I just don't usually sleep in the same bedroom than strangers, and moreover when there's only one bed. For all I know you could be a crazy serial killer."
"Yeah.." he said falsely defeated and shaking his head. "First I was a jerk, then Prince Charming, without forgetting just before that I was your hero.I suddenly became a kidnapper and now I'm a serial killer.. What will I be next time? Rapist or robber?"
"Stop joking, I'm serious this time"
"Honestly I understand. I could sleep on this armchair but I'm sure you wouldn't feel more secure. I will sleep in the salon next to the entrance hall, don't worry."
Liz looked at him surprised but also slightly happy.
"Are you sure that it won't disturb you?"
"No, I was the one to offer, remember."
Liz gave him the second mind-blowing smile of the day (what? Did he really count them?) and he was pleased with himself.
"Do you want to use the bathroom now or can I go first?"
"Go ahead, I will call the room service to see if we can have something to eat"
After he had ordered some meal, Max sat on the bed and started to type on his laptop with the sound of Liz's shower in the background, distracting him from working. But all his attempts to concentrate failed when a samba melody started to play.
He got up, and after searching several seconds, he found the source of the noise in his coat pocket.
"Oh my god! What had she done to you? She corrupted you, didn't she?" he muttered to his now cheerful cell.
He finally answered only to be taken aback by a more than joyful 'hello'.
"eh, I don't want to sound rude but who are you?"
"You're Max, aren't you?"
"Yes"
"I'm Maria, Liz's best friend. I see that she finally found you!"
"Nice to talk to you, but how do you have my phone number?"
"Do you know this thing called Caller ID? It's very useful sometimes. I suppose she isn't with you now."
"Eh, well, in fact.. She's in.. eh, the bathroom ."
"Can't you tell her through the door that I'm on the phone?"
"Eh.." He paused "In fact, it could be difficult because she's under the shower."
"Wait!! Where are you?"
"At the hotel.."
"WHAT??"she shouted. "If you hurt her, I'm taking the next plane and I will track you down until you pay, understood?"
Max put the phone away from his ear, trying to avoid Maria's babbling about all the ways she would make him suffer if he hurt Liz.
The brunette in question came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, wearing a pair of jeans and a red blouse. She had let her wet long hair down and looked utterly beautiful. No no no no. He hadn't just thought that again. Ok, yes he had. But it wasn't forbidden to check out a pretty woman even if you had a girlfriend, was it?
She gave him a questionning glance when she discovered him holding his phone between his thumb and his index and looking at it astonished... He looked up at her and mouthed 'Maria'. Understanding the problem, she took the cell and started telling everything to her best friend, including how he would sleep downstairs.
It was now Max's turn to take a shower. Why couldn't she help but listen to the soothing sound of the water falling on the floor? Or was she just more distracted by the person taking the shower? Hmm. She tried to pay attention to the TV but her mind kept wandering back to the man in the bathroom. The phone started to ring. Why did phones always ring when the person trying to be reached couldn't answer?
"Hello?"
"Who are you?"
Oh no. Not again.
"Liz Parker, temporary secretary, and you?"
"Tess Harding, Max's girlfriend"
Oh no. Why on earth did she pick up this call? And how was she going to explain that she couldn't talk to her boyfriend because he was naked under the shower just on the other side of the door? Bad thought, bad thought.
Tbc.
Chapter 3
The cab stopped just in front of Liz. Searching for something in her bag, she looked up surprised and met Max's gaze who had just rolled down the car window.
"Need a ride, lady?" he asked with a smile
"Do you happen to be my knight in shining armor, coming to save me from this place and from this weather?" She responded, soaking wet.
"Yes, today seems to be let's-be-Liz Parker's savior. I just can't resist helping a damsel in distress." He paused, looking at her and added " But get in, it's pouring.."
He got out of the car, and like a true gentleman, held the door open for her. Once she was inside, he ran under the rain to get in by the other side.
"So, after this chivalrous kidnapping, please tell me where you're planning to hold me hostage, kind sir. In a keep?" She smirked.
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you've only gotten a poor knight who doesn't own a castle. You will have to content yourself with the hotel chosen by American Airlines."
"How charming. I just hope you don't often kidnap weak women waiting alone in the night."
"Do you know,that for us, men, women are so confusing??"
Liz raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"One minute I'm called Prince Charming and the next I'm a kidnapper.." And added muttering "They're crazy, don't make any sense.."
"What was that?"
"Nothing at all, I was just saying that I hope they have some free rooms in the hotel "
"Yeah, and you will have to work on your recoveries too." She laughed, locked gaze with him and said in a more serious tone:
"Do you know that I am more than glad to see you?"
He chuckled and replied "It's always good to know"
"Yeah, I wasn't very fond of staying alone outside while waiting for a cab"
"That's why I came back . Big brother's instinct you know." He said trying to interpret his urge to take care of her.
She gave him a little smile, one of those you couldn't tell if it was a happy or a sad one, and turned her head to look through the window, both of them never noticing the small grin on the driver's face.
Once they arrived at the hotel,they directly went to the reception, from where a tall thin man was scrutinizing them.
"Do you have a free room for one night, please?"
The man gave them a knowing look that made them pretty uncomfortable, like he was waiting for them to jump each other right there, right then.
"I'm sorry sir, all the rooms have already been reserved"
"I have a room offered by American Airlines, is it possible to make it a twin beds room please?"
At this point, the man in front of them was dumbfounded.
"I'm really sorry but all the rooms left are with king size beds."
The first thought that crossed Max and Liz's minds, without even knowing why, was 'you pervert!!' but Max looked down at the petite brunette next to him. She was soaked and he wouldn't be surprised if she caught a cold. He just couldn't put her back in a cab (if he managed to find one ) and let her spend the night searching for a hotel.
He took his decision, hoping she wouldn't misunderstand his intentions.
"Can you give us the key please?"
He put his hand on the small of her back and led her towards the escalator. While they were walking away, they never saw the receptionist smiling, thinking he was the new Cupid.
They arrived in the large room which was decorated with taste and took in its furnishings, but it didn't keep Liz from finally voicing her uncertainty.
"Ok look. I appreciate your help and all and you seem to be a good guy but I have to make clear that there's no way in hell that I would sleep with you!"
"What? Am I that repulsive?" He joked but added seriously "it's not what you think. I've simply taken this room because you have to change if you don't want to be sick. Please don't think that I only took it to have sex with you."
"Only?" she said smiling.
Max rolled his eyes and replied "I thought we were having a serious conversation, not playing with words."
"Ok. Seriously, I just don't usually sleep in the same bedroom than strangers, and moreover when there's only one bed. For all I know you could be a crazy serial killer."
"Yeah.." he said falsely defeated and shaking his head. "First I was a jerk, then Prince Charming, without forgetting just before that I was your hero.I suddenly became a kidnapper and now I'm a serial killer.. What will I be next time? Rapist or robber?"
"Stop joking, I'm serious this time"
"Honestly I understand. I could sleep on this armchair but I'm sure you wouldn't feel more secure. I will sleep in the salon next to the entrance hall, don't worry."
Liz looked at him surprised but also slightly happy.
"Are you sure that it won't disturb you?"
"No, I was the one to offer, remember."
Liz gave him the second mind-blowing smile of the day (what? Did he really count them?) and he was pleased with himself.
"Do you want to use the bathroom now or can I go first?"
"Go ahead, I will call the room service to see if we can have something to eat"
After he had ordered some meal, Max sat on the bed and started to type on his laptop with the sound of Liz's shower in the background, distracting him from working. But all his attempts to concentrate failed when a samba melody started to play.
He got up, and after searching several seconds, he found the source of the noise in his coat pocket.
"Oh my god! What had she done to you? She corrupted you, didn't she?" he muttered to his now cheerful cell.
He finally answered only to be taken aback by a more than joyful 'hello'.
"eh, I don't want to sound rude but who are you?"
"You're Max, aren't you?"
"Yes"
"I'm Maria, Liz's best friend. I see that she finally found you!"
"Nice to talk to you, but how do you have my phone number?"
"Do you know this thing called Caller ID? It's very useful sometimes. I suppose she isn't with you now."
"Eh, well, in fact.. She's in.. eh, the bathroom ."
"Can't you tell her through the door that I'm on the phone?"
"Eh.." He paused "In fact, it could be difficult because she's under the shower."
"Wait!! Where are you?"
"At the hotel.."
"WHAT??"she shouted. "If you hurt her, I'm taking the next plane and I will track you down until you pay, understood?"
Max put the phone away from his ear, trying to avoid Maria's babbling about all the ways she would make him suffer if he hurt Liz.
The brunette in question came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, wearing a pair of jeans and a red blouse. She had let her wet long hair down and looked utterly beautiful. No no no no. He hadn't just thought that again. Ok, yes he had. But it wasn't forbidden to check out a pretty woman even if you had a girlfriend, was it?
She gave him a questionning glance when she discovered him holding his phone between his thumb and his index and looking at it astonished... He looked up at her and mouthed 'Maria'. Understanding the problem, she took the cell and started telling everything to her best friend, including how he would sleep downstairs.
It was now Max's turn to take a shower. Why couldn't she help but listen to the soothing sound of the water falling on the floor? Or was she just more distracted by the person taking the shower? Hmm. She tried to pay attention to the TV but her mind kept wandering back to the man in the bathroom. The phone started to ring. Why did phones always ring when the person trying to be reached couldn't answer?
"Hello?"
"Who are you?"
Oh no. Not again.
"Liz Parker, temporary secretary, and you?"
"Tess Harding, Max's girlfriend"
Oh no. Why on earth did she pick up this call? And how was she going to explain that she couldn't talk to her boyfriend because he was naked under the shower just on the other side of the door? Bad thought, bad thought.
Tbc.
