Chapter Three
Kate wheeled her suitcase into her room closing the door behind her. She grunted as she lifted the heavy case onto the bed. They had only an hour to unpack and get their things organized before meeting and heading over to the courthouse.
Kate unzipped the top and flipped it open. Sitting on top of her clothes was the cutest brown teddy bear dressed up in a police uniform. She smiled and picked it up. Lying underneath was a note:
Hey Beautiful,
I sent this guy along to watch over you and keep you company since I can't be there, his name is Robear.
Call me anytime you want to talk, day or night.
I miss you Kate.
Be safe,
~Roman~
P.S. I know you have tears in your eyes right now but don't cry we'll be together again soon. Until then just know I love you.
"How did I get so lucky?" she thought as she dabbed the tears away with a Kleenex. "I miss him already and I've only been gone for an hour." She quickly busied herself organizing her room so she wouldn't think about Roman. With almost 20 minutes to spare she had everything in it's place and was dressed and ready to go.
There was a sharp wrap on the door and Kate peeked through the peephole to see who it was. Standing there in a perfectly tailored navy suit was one of the most attractive men she had ever seen. He had dark wavy hair, piercing blue eyes, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. Kate found herself wishing he would turn around for a second. "Snap out of it girl," she told herself, "You're in love, he's nothing but eye candy. Mighty fine eye candy though. Oh well, it doesn't hurt to look now does it." Kate silently laughed at the running commentary in her head as her conscience battled with her hormones.
Finally she opened the door. "Hi, I just wanted to introduce myself." He extended a hand, "My name is Derrick. Derrick Hughes. Looks like you and I ended up with the single rooms, I'm right across the hall."
Kate placed her hand in his firm grip and he lifted it to his lips. "Kate Roberts, it's nice to meet you Derrick," she said feeling a bit of heat creep into her cheeks.
He looked at his watch, "Looks like it's almost time to meet everyone in the lobby. I just need to grab a couple things from my room then would you like to walk down together?"
"Sure. That would be nice." Kate replied.
"Be right back." Derrick turned and walked back to his room. Kate watched him until the door shut behind him. "Just as I suspected," she thought, "Mmm, very, very nice. How could I not have notice that Adonis earlier?" Once again her conscience chimed in reminding her how much she loved Roman. She pouted, "Oh, like he doesn't check out other women." Kate grabbed her purse from inside and stepped back into the hallway to wait for Derrick. Her mind drifted to the night before and she grinned, "No one, not even that stud muffin Derrick, could satisfy me the way Roman does anyway."
The click of the door interrupted her thoughts. "Ready?" Derrick asked.
"Yep. Let's go."
***
After a long day of listening to the opening statement from both the D.A and the defence Kate was enjoying a quick shower before dinner. There was a very nice restaurant at the Hotel where they would be meeting for supper at 7pm.
She was ready to go at 6:30 so Kate decided to give Roman a quick call. He picked up on the first ring. "Hi beautiful. I miss you."
"Aww, it is so good to hear your voice. I miss you too," she replied. They chatted for a few minutes about anything that came to mind until Kate was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Just a sec Roman, there's someone at the door." Carrying the phone with her she walked over and opened the door. "Oh, Hi Derrick."
"Derrick, Kate who's Derrick," she heard Roman's intensely curious voice in her ear.
"I'll be ready in a minute, I just need to finish this call, okay." Kate said. Derrick nodded and waited in the hall for her. "I have to go for dinner now Roman."
"You didn't answer my question. Who is this Derrick guy? What's he doing knocking on your door to take you to dinner?"
Kate laughed, "You sound like you're jealous dear."
"I'm not jealous! Just curious, that's all," he replied stubbornly.
"Yeah right! Anyway, he's just another juror. His room is across the hall so we're walking down to dinner together and... I'm going to be late if I don't hurry. I will call you later on, I promise. I love you."
She heard him sigh in defeat, "I love you too. Enjoy your dinner, talk to you later."
***
Kate sat beside Derrick with a young blond woman on the other side of her, Sharon. They were a very mixed group of individuals, not a group you would often see together. They ranged in age from 24 to 78 and in occupation from M.D. to street vendor. A middle-aged man named Joe was the comedian of the group and he had them roaring with laughter all night long.
The food was excellent and as they were finishing a band started playing music. Joe quickly jumped up, "I don't know about the rest of you but I'm a dancing fool." He extended a hand to the eldest member of the group, "Deliah, would you do me the honor?" He led her onto the floor and they slowly waltzed in time to the music. Before long a few others joined them. "Kate?" Derrick motioned towards the dance floor.
"Uh no thanks," she said hesitantly.
"Oh come on, just one song." He stood up grabbing her hand.
"Well...maybe just one." She followed him to the middle of the floor and let him pull her close as they swayed gently to the music. It had been a long time since she'd danced with anyone besides Roman and Kate was nervous, it just didn't feel right. Derrick was a lot taller that Roman and he confidently took the lead.
Kate could tell Derrick was attracted to her and she was suddenly unconfortable so before the one song was even finished she excused herself and walked back to the table. "If everyone would excuse me, I'm pretty tired. I'm going to head up to my room now."
A chorus of "goodbye", "goodnight", and "see you in the morning" quickly followed and without another glance at Derrick she grabbed her purse and left.
A few minutes later she had already put on her pajamas and Kate was about to give Roman a call when once again she was interrupted by a knock on the door. She silently prayed that it wasn't Derrick again as she yanked open the door. Her jaw dropped, standing there dressed in a hotel uniform was Roman, pushing a room service cart. "Oh my God, "she hissed, "What are you doing here?" Kate looked up and down the hall then quickly pulled him inside. "Roman you know I'm not allowed visitors, we could both get in a lot of trouble."
"Well, I was not about to let that pretty boy you were dancing with keep you company tonight Katie girl." Before she had a chance to reply he pulled her against him and kissed her. The intensity of his kiss shocked Kate at first but before long she was responding just as intensely.
Shaking her head and pulling back she said, "Roman we can't do this, you need to go home. What if someone finds out? Please Roman, you have to leave now."
He stepped around behind her and gently lifted her hair off her neck. As he slowly pulled the zipper of her dress down her back he whispered in her ear, "Not a chance Kate."
Kate wheeled her suitcase into her room closing the door behind her. She grunted as she lifted the heavy case onto the bed. They had only an hour to unpack and get their things organized before meeting and heading over to the courthouse.
Kate unzipped the top and flipped it open. Sitting on top of her clothes was the cutest brown teddy bear dressed up in a police uniform. She smiled and picked it up. Lying underneath was a note:
Hey Beautiful,
I sent this guy along to watch over you and keep you company since I can't be there, his name is Robear.
Call me anytime you want to talk, day or night.
I miss you Kate.
Be safe,
~Roman~
P.S. I know you have tears in your eyes right now but don't cry we'll be together again soon. Until then just know I love you.
"How did I get so lucky?" she thought as she dabbed the tears away with a Kleenex. "I miss him already and I've only been gone for an hour." She quickly busied herself organizing her room so she wouldn't think about Roman. With almost 20 minutes to spare she had everything in it's place and was dressed and ready to go.
There was a sharp wrap on the door and Kate peeked through the peephole to see who it was. Standing there in a perfectly tailored navy suit was one of the most attractive men she had ever seen. He had dark wavy hair, piercing blue eyes, broad shoulders, and a narrow waist. Kate found herself wishing he would turn around for a second. "Snap out of it girl," she told herself, "You're in love, he's nothing but eye candy. Mighty fine eye candy though. Oh well, it doesn't hurt to look now does it." Kate silently laughed at the running commentary in her head as her conscience battled with her hormones.
Finally she opened the door. "Hi, I just wanted to introduce myself." He extended a hand, "My name is Derrick. Derrick Hughes. Looks like you and I ended up with the single rooms, I'm right across the hall."
Kate placed her hand in his firm grip and he lifted it to his lips. "Kate Roberts, it's nice to meet you Derrick," she said feeling a bit of heat creep into her cheeks.
He looked at his watch, "Looks like it's almost time to meet everyone in the lobby. I just need to grab a couple things from my room then would you like to walk down together?"
"Sure. That would be nice." Kate replied.
"Be right back." Derrick turned and walked back to his room. Kate watched him until the door shut behind him. "Just as I suspected," she thought, "Mmm, very, very nice. How could I not have notice that Adonis earlier?" Once again her conscience chimed in reminding her how much she loved Roman. She pouted, "Oh, like he doesn't check out other women." Kate grabbed her purse from inside and stepped back into the hallway to wait for Derrick. Her mind drifted to the night before and she grinned, "No one, not even that stud muffin Derrick, could satisfy me the way Roman does anyway."
The click of the door interrupted her thoughts. "Ready?" Derrick asked.
"Yep. Let's go."
***
After a long day of listening to the opening statement from both the D.A and the defence Kate was enjoying a quick shower before dinner. There was a very nice restaurant at the Hotel where they would be meeting for supper at 7pm.
She was ready to go at 6:30 so Kate decided to give Roman a quick call. He picked up on the first ring. "Hi beautiful. I miss you."
"Aww, it is so good to hear your voice. I miss you too," she replied. They chatted for a few minutes about anything that came to mind until Kate was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Just a sec Roman, there's someone at the door." Carrying the phone with her she walked over and opened the door. "Oh, Hi Derrick."
"Derrick, Kate who's Derrick," she heard Roman's intensely curious voice in her ear.
"I'll be ready in a minute, I just need to finish this call, okay." Kate said. Derrick nodded and waited in the hall for her. "I have to go for dinner now Roman."
"You didn't answer my question. Who is this Derrick guy? What's he doing knocking on your door to take you to dinner?"
Kate laughed, "You sound like you're jealous dear."
"I'm not jealous! Just curious, that's all," he replied stubbornly.
"Yeah right! Anyway, he's just another juror. His room is across the hall so we're walking down to dinner together and... I'm going to be late if I don't hurry. I will call you later on, I promise. I love you."
She heard him sigh in defeat, "I love you too. Enjoy your dinner, talk to you later."
***
Kate sat beside Derrick with a young blond woman on the other side of her, Sharon. They were a very mixed group of individuals, not a group you would often see together. They ranged in age from 24 to 78 and in occupation from M.D. to street vendor. A middle-aged man named Joe was the comedian of the group and he had them roaring with laughter all night long.
The food was excellent and as they were finishing a band started playing music. Joe quickly jumped up, "I don't know about the rest of you but I'm a dancing fool." He extended a hand to the eldest member of the group, "Deliah, would you do me the honor?" He led her onto the floor and they slowly waltzed in time to the music. Before long a few others joined them. "Kate?" Derrick motioned towards the dance floor.
"Uh no thanks," she said hesitantly.
"Oh come on, just one song." He stood up grabbing her hand.
"Well...maybe just one." She followed him to the middle of the floor and let him pull her close as they swayed gently to the music. It had been a long time since she'd danced with anyone besides Roman and Kate was nervous, it just didn't feel right. Derrick was a lot taller that Roman and he confidently took the lead.
Kate could tell Derrick was attracted to her and she was suddenly unconfortable so before the one song was even finished she excused herself and walked back to the table. "If everyone would excuse me, I'm pretty tired. I'm going to head up to my room now."
A chorus of "goodbye", "goodnight", and "see you in the morning" quickly followed and without another glance at Derrick she grabbed her purse and left.
A few minutes later she had already put on her pajamas and Kate was about to give Roman a call when once again she was interrupted by a knock on the door. She silently prayed that it wasn't Derrick again as she yanked open the door. Her jaw dropped, standing there dressed in a hotel uniform was Roman, pushing a room service cart. "Oh my God, "she hissed, "What are you doing here?" Kate looked up and down the hall then quickly pulled him inside. "Roman you know I'm not allowed visitors, we could both get in a lot of trouble."
"Well, I was not about to let that pretty boy you were dancing with keep you company tonight Katie girl." Before she had a chance to reply he pulled her against him and kissed her. The intensity of his kiss shocked Kate at first but before long she was responding just as intensely.
Shaking her head and pulling back she said, "Roman we can't do this, you need to go home. What if someone finds out? Please Roman, you have to leave now."
He stepped around behind her and gently lifted her hair off her neck. As he slowly pulled the zipper of her dress down her back he whispered in her ear, "Not a chance Kate."
