Page 7 of The Heart You Kept

Wait…have we met before?

Mr. Doe’s eyes hold mine. “Leave us.”

I glance around as I suddenly realize the bellboy is still here.

“Yes, sir.” The bellboy turns to me and nods. “Dial nine if you need anything, Miss Doe.”

“Thank you.” I can’t even look the poor bellboy in the eye. Does he know the perverted shit we’re here to do?

Of course he does.

I just want the earth to swallow me whole, I’m very vanilla usually…I promise. What must he see working in a place like this?

The door closes as he leaves and we are left alone, I’m so nervous that I can hardly breathe.

Mr. Doe has a dominant power about him, why the hell would he be paying for sex?

He walks to the bar. “Would you like a drink?”

“Yes please,” I say timidly.

“What would you like?”

Cyanide sounds good.

“Umm….” I can’t even think, let alone string two words together. “Whatever will be fine.”

He stands with his back to me and as he pours our drinks my eyes roam over him. He’s tall, standing over six foot three with dark hair, and well built. His suit is perfectly fitted and something about his aura and the way he holds himself tells me he’s wealthy.

He turns and walks toward me with a crystal tumbler of amber fluid and ice. My heart somersaults in my chest as I take it from him.

He gestures to the table and chairs and we sit down opposite each other.

Just being close to this specimen of a man is unnerving.

“Thank you.” I take a sip and wince.

Fuck.

Tastes like gasoline, only stronger.

He sits back in his chair and sips his drink as his eyes hold mine.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump goes my poor panicked heart.

What’s he thinking?

An awkward silence hangs in the air between us and I just need to break the ice.

“You’re not what I expected,” I say softly.

“What did you expect?”

His piercing gaze has some sort of intimidation superpower, I want to crawl under the table and hide.