We didn't talk much on our way to Ruff and my apartment, he hasn't mentioned the outburst of passion that exploded in the elevator. Should I? Should we talk about it or pretend that it didn't happen? It hardly seems real, my first proper no-hold-barred-kiss. As time ticks on, I assign it mythical, Arthurian legend, Lost City of Atlantis status. It never happened, it never existed. Perhaps I imagined it all. No. My lips are swollen, it definitely happened. I am a change woman. I want this man, desperately, and surely he wants me too.
I glance at him and opened the door in our apartment and shit, there, I knew this would have happened, opening the door and the heck, the couch? Seriously Ruff? I look at the Henry then to them then at my back, shit, Ruffnut? And gods, Henry Haddock's brother? Even him saw them. I don't want to see this, in that way, I won't see her grinning on me being an innocent virgin.
I turn around and ready myself to look at her.
Just close your eyes if anything happens.
I saw the other Haddock smiling at me, shirtless. Being attractive to Henry Haddock's abs, very sexy body, yes, but his brother? Nope.
"Hey," he smiles, his blue eyes twinkling, and I guess he could handle Ruff for the being. He's obviously nothing like Henry.
"Hey," I smile at him then look at Ruffnut, giving her a death glare.
"What?" She said in a low voice or not.
"Hi, you must be Astrid," He offer his hand on me as I answered back his gesture by putting my hand on his on a handshake.
"And you must be Scott,"
"And we must be going, Snotlout." Henry said mildly.
"So awesome to meet you, Ruff told me a lot about you," He said as he puts his shirt back onto him.
"Snotlout find your shoes, some of us have meeting to attend to,"
"What you're doing with Mr. Scrawny here, I have no idea," he then winks at me.
I look at Ruff on her nighties, as Scott, Snotlout as what I heard Henry called him, pulls her into his arms and gives her a long lingering kiss. Jeez… get a room. I stare at my feet, embarrassed. I glance at Henry, and he's watching me intently. I narrow my eyes at him. Why can't you kiss me like that?
"Laters, baby," he grins.
Ruffnut smiles widely. I've never seen her like this before.
"I'll see you tonight, email me when something's changes," he looks at me in his serious face, oh, seems like nothing change.
"My computer's broken,"
"I'll call then; you know I have your number" He tucks a stray strand of my hair that has worked its way free from my braided hair behind my ear. My breath hitches at the contact, and I lean my head slightly into his fingers. His eyes soften, and he runs his thumb across my lower lip. My blood sears in my veins. And all too quickly, his touch is gone. "Laters, baby," he murmurs, and I have to laugh because it's so unlike him. But even though I know he's being irreverent, the endearment tugs at something deep inside me. After Henry move out, I look at Ruff and saw her smirk.
"Scott seems a nice guy,"
"Na-ah, we're starting with you, you're seeing him again tonight and that means something happened." She said, emphasizing the word 'something'.
I take a deep breath and move away.
"Astrid,"
"Hmmn,"
"Astrid, you have to tell me something," She giggle while pushing back to face her.
"I have to go to work," I said, wanted to get away from the conversation. "We just kiss, once" and I said it, me and my big mouth.
"Only one? That's odd," she said, totally break down knowing nothing serious happened.
"Hmmn, odd, doesn't cover it," I murmur, then look away, still smiling.
"Uh-huh,and a new jacket... hmn."
The day drags at Clayton's even though we're busy. We've hit the summer season, so I have to spend two hours restocking the shelves once the shop is closed. It's mindless work, and it gives me too much time to think. I've not really had a chance all day.
I remember the kiss then, that wonderful one. I touch my lips, still feeling his to mine.
Henry mentioned some kind of written paperwork, and don't know if he was joking or if I'm going to have to sign something. It's so frustrating trying to guess. And on top of all the against, I can barely contain my excitement or my nerves. Tonight's the night! After all this time, am I ready for this? My inner goddess glares at me, tapping her small foot impatiently. She's been ready for this for years, and she's ready for anything with Henry Horrendous Haddock III, but I still don't understand what he sees in me… mousey Astrid Hofferson- it makes no sense.
I open the door and saw Henry's friend, what's his name again? Yes, Gobber.
"Hi, it's Gobber right?"
"Good evening, Ms. Hofferson, Mr. Grey will be joining us then." His voice is polite and professional. He opens the door in the backseat of the car and closes it.
The drive through Henry's at is short. We headed into a building, straight to a set of elevators. Elevator! The memory of our first kiss this morning comes back to haunt me. I have thought of nothing else that day. Daydreaming at the register at Clayton's. Twice Mr. Clayton had to had to shout my name to bring me back to Earth. To say I've been distracted would be the understatement of the year. Up there I saw him, Henry Haddock, at his black suit on, I smile widely.
"Good evening, Astrid." He said. I nod and want to say for anything, but I can't articulate the words as I'm too nervous, too excited. Helicopter? Really Haddock.
Henry opens the door and directs me to one of the seat at the very front. He shuts the door with a slam.
"Wait, you're flying this?" I ask.
He lifts his eyebrows. Oh
I'm glad that the area is floodlit, otherwise I'd find it difficult to see inside the small cockpit. I sit down in my allotted seat, and he crouches beside me to strap me into the harness. It's a four-point harness with the straps connecting to one central buckle. He tightens both of the upper straps, so I can hardly move. He's so close and intent on what he's doing. If I could only lean forward, my nose would be in his hair. He smells clean, fresh, heavenly, but I'm fastened securely into my seat and effectively immobile. He glances up and smiles, like he's enjoying his usual private joke, his green eyes heated. He's so tantalizingly close. I hold my breath as he pulls at one of the upper straps. I look at him breathlessly. I wasn't thinking about sex at all, no, no way.
"No escaping now," he whispers, his eyes are scorching. "November 1234, Charlie Tango is ready to depart," He said, glancing and grinning on me while giving information with the air traffic control. It all sounds very professional me. I think we're moving from Portland's air space to Seattle International Airport's.
"Roger that, Charlie Tango, your flight plan to Seattle has been clear."
I heard the other says after I put the headphone he gave me.
"Seattle? That's where we're going?" I smile widely.
Seattle is getting closer. We are on the very outskirts now. Wow! It looks absolutely stunning. Seattle at night, from the sky…
Do you always impress women this way? Come and fly in helicopter?" I ask, genuinely interested.
"I've never bought a girl up here, Astrid. Another first for me." His voice is quite, serious.
Oh, that was an unexpected answer. Another first? What's the other one?
I look down. It looks otherworldly, unreal, and I feel like I'm on a giant film set, Thuggory's favorite film maybe, 'Bladerunner'. The memory of Thuggory's attempted kiss haunts me. I'm beginning to feel cruel for not calling or talking to him.
He starts talking to air traffic control again, but I am no longer listening. Holy Thor… I think I'm going to faint.
We are now flying amongst the buildings, and up ahead I can see a tall skyscraper with a helipad on top. The word Escala is painted in white on top of the building. It's getting nearer and nearer, bigger and bigger… like my anxiety. Gods, I hope I don't let him down. He'll find me lacking in some way. I wish I'd listened to Ruffnut and borrowed one of her dresses, but I like my black jeans, and I'm wearing a soft mini green shirt and Ruffnut's black jacket. I look smart enough.
The helicopter slows and hovers, and Henry sets it down on the helipad on top of the building. My heart is in my mouth. I can't decide if it's from nervous anticipation, relief that we've arrived alive, or fear that I will fail in some way. He switches the ignition off and the rotor blades slow and quite until all I hear is the sound of my own erratic breathing. Henry takes his headphones off, and reaches across and pull mine off too.
"We're here." He says softly.
His look is so intense, half in shadow and half in the bright white light from the landing lights. Dark knight and white knight, it's a fitting metaphor for Henry. He looks strained. His jaw is clenched and his eyes are tight. His unfasten his seatbelt and reaches over to unbuckle mine. His face is inches from mine.
"You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. You know that don't you?" his tone is so earnest, desperate even, his green eyes impassioned. He takes me by surprise.
"I'd never do anything I didn't want to, Henry." And as I say the words, I don't quite feel their conviction because at this moment in time, I'd probably do anything for this man seated beside me. But this does the trick. He's mollified.
He eyes me warily for a moment and somehow, even though he's so tall, he manages to ease his way gracefully to the door of the helicopter and open it. He jumps out, waiting for me to follow, he takes my hand as I clamber sown on to the helipad. It's very windy. On top or the building, and I'm nervous about the fact that I'm standing at least thirty stories high in an unenclosed space. Henry wraps around my waist, pulling me tightly against him.
"Come," he shouts above the noise of the wind. He drags me over to an elevator shaft and, after tapping a number into a keypad, the door open. It's warm inside and all mirrored glass. I can see Henry on infinity everywhere I look, and the wonderful thing is, he's holding me to infinity too. Henry taps another code into the keypad. Then the doors close and the elevator descends.
Moment later, we're in an all-white foyer. In the middle is a round, dark wood table, and on it is an unbelievable huge bunch or white flowers. On the walls there are paintings, everywhere. He opens two double doors, and the white theme continues through the wide corridor and directly opposite where a palatial room opens up. It's the main living area, double height. Huge is too small a word for it. The far wall is glass and leads on to a balcony that overlooks Seattle.
To the right is an imposing 'U' shaped sofa that could sit ten adults comfortably. It faces a state-of-the-art stainless steel, or maybe platinum for all I know- modern fireplace. The first is lit and flaming gently. On the left beside us, by the entryway, is the kitchen area. All with dark wood worktops and a large breakfast bar which seats six.
Near the kitchen area, in front of the glass wall, is the dining table surrounded by sixteen chairs. And tucked in the corner is a full size, shiny black grand piano.
"Do you play?"
"Yes."
"Hmmn, of course you do,"
Of course… he plays the piano too. There is art of all shapes and sizes on all the walls. In fact, this apartment looks more like a gallery than a place to live.
I walk to him. A paper?
"What's this?" I asked him, before putting my jacket in a seat, sitting on the table where he fill the glasses with margarita and a kind-of document.
"It's a nondisclosure agreement."
What?
"It means you cannot discuss anything about us with anyone. I'm afraid my lawyer insists on it."
"I would never talk to anyone about us anyway," I said out of nowhere then gets the pen beside the paper, signing it. "Are you gonna make love to me now?" Holy shit. Did I just say that? His mouth drops open slightly, but he recovers quickly.
"two things: First, I don't make love, I fuck- hard,"
My mouth drops open. Fuck hard! Holy shit, that sounds so… hot.
"And the second thing?"
"Come." He stands, holding out his hands. I let him lead me back out of the corridor. On the right of the double doors, where we came in, another door leads to a staircase. We go up to the second floor and turn right.
"It's just around this door."
"What is it?"
"My playroom,"
"Like your Xbox and stuff?"
"It's important you know that you can leave at any time."
"Why? What's in there?"
"I meant what I say, the helicopter is not standby to take you whenever you wanna go" he said, producing a key from his pocket.
"Henry, just open the door,"
he unlocks it and open the door and stands back to let me in. I gaze at him one more. I so want to know what's in here. Taking a deep breath, I walk in.
and it feels like I've time-traveled back to the sixteenth century and the Spanish inquisition.