Getting by (A Knight's Tale) (2 page)

Kiss, make out, or perhaps use my condom?
My phone didn’t have enough reception to play a movie. I decided to play a genius mix based on one of her favorite bands, which were pretty much the same as mine. I discovered she had a huge obsession with eighties movies and enjoyed classical music too. I pulled out the keyboard application on my phone and began to play the famous Moonlight Sonata. One hand pressed to her chest in awe and the other touched my arm. She gifted me a bright smile which made her eyes twinkle and there was no trace of the golden and brown freckles I had seen before—
a super power?
I stopped playing and touched her fingers. A super charged current of electricity ran between us and my body wanted to ignite an entire country with her.

Cautiously, like a hunter, I maneuvered with vigilance. A kiss and she’d be clay in my hands. No such luck. Another jolt from the elevator car made it move—stupid thing. I stood up and helped her stand from the floor. She was tall, around six inches, maybe seven, shy from my six three. Those heels weren’t as big as I predicted. I picked up my jacket and her shoes from the floor, and handed them to her. She thanked me with a smile. The perfect moment to taste those pouty lips; however, the doors opened on the third floor where the concierge, manager, and other hotel personal waited for us. We thanked them and made our way to floor number five using the emergency stairs. She didn’t want to risk spending the night inside an elevator.

When we reached the fifth floor, I opened the emergency door for her to go in, but before she left me standing, I lightly grabbed her elbow. “Not so fast, beautiful, you’re skipping a step.” She lightly turned toward me, and we almost faced each other. Her cheeks were two or three shades lighter than red. “The hero gets a kiss after the rescue.”

“Silly me,” she said, and placed her lips over my cheek. I moved fast enough to receive a half kiss on the lips. Wide eyed, she froze for a second before moving away and waving. “Have a great life, hero.”

“I will if you give me your name and number.” I kept holding the door open waiting for her to throw something my way. “You read the stories, watched the movies, don’t mess up with the script, babe. Destiny brought us together.”

“Serendipity,” she said loudly, and quickly covered her mouth with her hand shrugging. “If it’s meant to be, you’ll see me again. So long for now.” Her composed voice lingered for a few more minutes with her sweet aroma. I waited until she got inside her room, and then I went back to the emergency stairs, heading down. I made my way back to the party, where my brothers and I drank another beer and visited with Dad.

A month later Serendipity brought us back together at JFK airport where a plane would take her to Sweden, while I was landing in America. It was worth taking a commercial airplane instead of flying my own jet. She declined my request for a name or a number, only a peck on the lips and a beautiful smile. Two months later…bam, my lucky strike.

Late one Saturday afternoon I went to the pub while Mom and Mitch—my twin brother—finished their acquisitions for his restaurant in New York. There she was, curly reddish-brown hair, light jacket covering her canary yellow dress, and shoes that matched perfectly. No boyfriend, girlfriend or husband. The table contained a salad bowl and a plate with fish and chips—cliché English food. When I approached, I startled her with my voice. “Is this seat taken?”

Not waiting for an answer, I pulled out the chair next to her and sat. Ignoring her stare, I signaled the waitress who rushed to take my order; a beer on tap and fish and chips. By then I understood that this pretty girl’s eyes changed color with her mood, from puzzled, to excited and finally annoyed. All in under ten seconds—adorable.

“Stalker,” she said, and pinched a spinach leaf and chewed on it before her next sentence. “How do you do it, did you attach a tracking device while I wasn’t watching?”

“Damn, I never thought about that one.” I faked regret and moved close enough to give her a lingering kiss on the lips, they froze—no response on her part. But her eyes went a little greener diminishing the amount of brown speckles. “Paid that friend of yours.” She arched an eyebrow, grasping her fork tight. “Serendipity. And it brought me my lucky strike.” I winked at her. “Charged me an arm and leg to set this up. Now, can I get a name?”

A sincere laugh began, and continued for minutes as she hugged herself tightly with both arms. It satisfied me to see her smile that way. She seemed the kind of person who took everything too seriously when others watched.

“Name?”

“You seem like a nice guy.” I hated the speech, the nice guy got turned down and then the hot guy scooped the girl. But wait, in my experience, I was the hot guy, so why was she turning me down? “I told you once, you don’t want to deal with this,” she said, and waved her index finger around herself. “I’ll give you my name, but then I might have to kill you. You, being a hero, won’t allow it and things will get bloody and messy. Let’s avoid the drama and gory scenes, skip the trailer, and move on to the finale where you walk toward the sunset—alone.”

I didn’t get a name, but I convinced her to give me a couple of hours with her. It took me a glass of wine and the promise of decadent pastries. We stopped at different stores to admire the local products. She bought a few scarves, a pair of shoes, hair knickknacks and souvenirs, all in cash, and none of her cards or identifications showed inside her wallet. I watched very closely every time she opened and closed it.

Before I could make a move, Mitch called, reminding me we had plans for the evening and I couldn’t cancel them. Fucking Serendipity, he loved to tease me. Once again she refused to give me a name and a number. “Let it go.” She crinkled her nose. “Life happens. There’s a reason for everything. Now, move on, Pretty Boy, and stop those stalkery tendencies.”

Her speech annoyed the hell out of me, and I shut her up with a kiss. Gentle at first. I explored her lips and got them used to mine, and continued with some pressure as my tongue begged to be let inside, gliding slowly until I met hers and had a quick play date. Our mouths synchronized with each other, producing enough pyrotechnic material to ignite the entire European continent.

“Until next time, Pretty Girl.”

The next time wasn’t as long as the others. Serendipity put her next to me, in The Ritz Hotel. K&W, the advertising company my brother Liam headed in London, held yet another stupid office celebration, and I had to attend—being a silent partner and all. For obvious reasons, I didn’t divulge to my nosy family, I arrived late. Before heading to the room I reserved to change into my formal attire, I made my way to the ballroom where they held the event to give Liam a quick apology.

“This sucks,” an angry voice, belonging to a beautiful woman who wore a pretty yellow dress kicked the door of the room next to mine with her pointy yellow shoes and cursed. “Two keys, next time ask for two. You demagnetized it—again. They’re going to think you’re stupid and crazy for talking to yourself.”

Chapter 2

Emma

I WASN’T COUNTING ON seeing him again, but darn, once again he magically appeared out of nowhere. Now he was in front of my hotel bedroom while I fought with the key and the door; another demagnetized badge to add to my Brownie vest.

“I’m on duty,” a voice came from behind.

Great, Pretty Boy’s going to laugh, or worse kiss me until I lose my mind. Yes please.

“The way I see it, you have two options. One, we go downstairs and get you a new card, or you can sleepover next door.” He wiggled both eyebrows. “We can continue that kiss the rude pedestrians interrupted.”

Can you say blunt? He remembered the stupid kiss. Who wouldn’t? If those are his kisses, I can only imagine what he’ll do during the sleepover. Dangerous territory, did I remember how to do it? Wait, is he timing me? Cocky boy, now he’s whistling the jeopardy song. Everything but that, he’s attacking me with my own weapons.

“You’re looking for more than a sleepover, right?” I scratched my nose and crinkled it. He looked up to the ceiling searching for spiders, checking the structure or praying for strength. Maybe he would give up and decided to turn around, regretting he asked me to sleep with him. Longing, and the need to share something with him, pushed me to make a decision so unlike me. “I can’t fight it, what are the odds. This is what, five chance encounters, well technically four since I only saw you earlier today. I should’ve skipped the party and stayed in my room; decision making is a bitch. How much did you pay Serendipity—because, man, you are consistent.”

His grin, followed by a few movements to open the door of his room, made my legs wobble. Yet, I followed him while my mouth mumbled more nonsense. “You got protection, Pretty Boy, because God and you only know where you have stuck that thing before me.” That was a smooth way to remind him about condoms, right? “No names, this is a once in a lifetime event. I don’t do complicated.”

“Have you done this before?” He closed the door behind me.

Yeah, but with a normal guy, not a godlike boy who has the power of…make me forget my…where am I?

“Because I don’t want to—”

“Take my V card?” I laughed, hiding the nerve-wracking moment. Would it be stupid to confess that I did it after our first encounter, because if a situation like this ever presented, I didn’t want to be unprepared?
No, don’t be stupid, Emma.
“Believe me you won’t. I’m twenty one.” I gave him a proud look while he frowned.

“Not twenty five?”

I shook my head. Since I turned twelve my body and face had always said older. Everyone believed I was a freshman in high school back then.

“Twenty one….” His Adam’s apple moved slowly.

I nodded. “And you?”

“Twenty six.”

“That’s nothing, and I’ve done it a few times, before today.” I pushed my nose making sure it didn’t grow. “Though, my experience is limited to normal stuff. I’m not into weird things, like my sister. She…well, started too early in life—fourteen,” I whispered. “Oh boy, when Dad caught her having sex with two guys… Luci wanted to hire him as his right hand guy.” His frown deepened. “Lucifer,” I clarified, “as in the fallen angel—the one who runs hell.” I threw my hands in the air as if trying to tell him to forget it, because he didn’t seem to understand me. “Anyway, last time I heard, she enjoys pain and all that fancy stuff. Or that might be a rumor—we don’t talk to each other. But I’m game for the normal.”
I think?

“You’re uncomfortable,” he said. I felt my eyes open wider and my gut tried to talk me in to jump from the window. Did he notice? “I’ll get you a new key card and we’ll forget about this. Don’t get me wrong, I’m also into normal stuff, no pain or other guys involved—I don’t like to share. And I like you—a lot. But you’re nervous.”

“Wouldn’t you be?” Wasn’t it obvious—lack of godliness experience aside? “The kiss, come on, Pretty Boy. You swept me off my feet, got my panties excited and wow. You’ve got experience. I don’t. I’ve only gone through basic training—very basic.” I stretched the last two words. Would he notice that I barely lost my hymen and never felt the orgasm? He looked at me twice, and I didn’t know if he liked the idea or wanted to run the other way. Yet I continued making a fool of myself. “Guy on top of girl, a few movements and voila. I can’t promise I’ll do much for you.”

“I’ll take you through the basic training; a refresher,” he said, and smirked.

More like sex 101, I wanted to correct him, but refrained.

Aware of how fast my heart was beating inside my chest, I wondered if this would kill me. As he approached, I felt my insides twirling for him. Pretty Boy wrapped his arms around me and kissed the hell out of me, until I forgot everything but him. The little calm I had left was shattered with the hunger of his kiss. His hands slid from the base of my throat, over my shoulders, arms, hands and hips and then continued up along my back. I wanted to combust, while my senses begged for him to stop or do something to take away the ache. To undo the pulsing knot that had formed in my stomach. As he reached the nape of my neck, he unzipped my dress and grabbed the fabric pulling it up, breaking the kiss.

“So pretty,” he said, looking at me in awe. Left with a skimpy thong and my bare breasts, I felt gorgeous.
How… when did he take off my bra?
He kissed my neck, then flicked, licked and sucked my skin; shoulders, breasts, arms, tummy. My body began to tremble and beg for more, or for him to stop. I gripped his shoulders to keep myself steady. But then I wanted to explore him. Those strong biceps matched his eight pack abs, and his penetrating green eyes devoured mine, making me want to expire. “Bed,” he gasped, and gently eased me down onto it. He fondled one of my breasts and then lifted his gaze to meet my eyes giving me a playful smile. “Lesson number one, scream while I take you high enough with my fingers, babe.”

*

Saturday flew by with multiple screams; Sunday made me want to be his slave; Monday was when reality kicked in.

“No names, no numbers and let Serendipity do the job,” I said, and winked. After he gave me one last deep kiss, I went back into my own room with the new key he had requested from the front desk.

I arrived at K&W Advertising, where Suzy, one of the creative executives, introduced herself and gave me a warm welcome. After the brief tour through the four floor brownstone that housed K&W and some other businesses, I set up shop in the conference room. Liam Knight introduced himself an hour later, apologizing for the inconvenient wait—family issues. The man reminded me of someone with his chiseled features, but this man had amber colored eyes and darker hair. I disregard my infatuation with Mr. Perfect-sex and began to discuss accounts with my now second boss. The success in the New York branch had given me the opportunity to broaden my horizons within the company and allowed me to handle accounts worldwide.

“Jacob, what the hell?” Liam lifted his gaze when the door opened and fumed at whoever had barged in without knocking on the door. “Do I interrupt your meetings? No, no, leave my employees alone.”