Chapter 3
Amy
I couldn't believe this guy.
I mean, he was about to win nearly $5,000 and he just turns it down. Who the hell does that?!
He walked around the table and reached for my hand, lightly brushing his lips over the top of it. Maybe he was just a real gentlemen? I didn't meet too many of those at the poker table. No, it was all about money usually.
He walked back around to his side of the table and started packing up his chips. I did the same.
“Let's cash out,” he said, leading me through the casino and over to the cashier's desk. We both placed our chips down and were each given a thick pile of notes. I'd walked in with $2,000 and was walking out with over $4,500. Not bad for a few hours work.
He curled his money back up into a tight bundle and slipped it into his upper jacket pocket. The jacket was grey, with a white shirt beneath it and black pants wrapping around his well built thighs. He looked in great shape, with a slim waist tucked in under a simple black leather belt, and broad, wide shoulders filling out his jacket. The ensemble looked like it cost a lot of money.
He walked forward through the crowd, reaching back and taking my hand in his. He smiled as he did, this disarming glint sparkling in his eye. His touch was gentle, yet firm, his fingers starting on my palm and then slipping down and hooking against my own curled up digits.
The crowd was heavy, but soon thinned as we neared the doorway. As we walked out into the night I slipped my hand from his and dug into my purse for my cell. I checked the time – Jesus Christ it was 1 AM already!
“So you want to start a date now?” I asked. “At 1 AM?”
He turned to me and smiled. “Sure, no time like the present. For all I know you'll run away and I'll never see you again after tonight.” He leaned in closer towards me. “I've gotta take my chance while it's here!”
For any other girl this might already seem like a late night, but not me. My work often took me into the small hours of the morning, so this was nothing. Not that he knew that, of course.
“OK....so what exactly do you want to do?” I asked. I checked the time again. “You've got 3 hours, remember....time's ticking.”
“Well, we said we'd start with some food, so let's go.”
He reached back and grabbed my hand again, leading me straight off down the street. I don't know why but I felt no impulse to pull back or retract my hand. I didn't know this guy from Adam but, for some reason, I didn't care. He felt safe to me.
“OK Spade....so what the hell is open NOW! It's so late!”
He didn't look back but kept on marching down the street. “No, it's all right. I know a place, it's just round the corner.”
I skipped forward in a bid to catch him up. “Hey, would you slow down a bit.”
He laughed. “You said it yourself, we've only got 3 hours, and I want to make the most of every minute!”
We turned a corner at the end of the block.
“You see, there it is.”
About 50 feet ahead was a flashing sign for Chan's. A vague memory of the place crept into my mind as we approached. I think I'd been there before.
We walked straight in through the entrance and into a dim and intimate setting. The walls were blood-red, with various different murals painted onto them of old Chinese imagery and calligraphy. Long lights hung down from the ceiling, black shades around them dimming their glare. There were only about a dozen tables, with red tops, black legs, and matching chairs.
I looked around to see only one other couple sitting talking quietly in a corner. The rest of the place was empty, which didn't surprise me, given the time.
A young Chinese waitress came walking quickly over to us and bowed lightly.
“Table for two?” she asked briskly. She was dressed in a flowery red kimono, her jet black hair tied back neatly.
“Please,” said Spade, “over there in the corner.”
The waitress nodded and led us over into the corner. Spade pulled out my chair for me and I sat down with a “thank you.”
“So, am I going to get your real name now that we're away from the poker table?” he asked, sitting down opposite me.
I smiled at him and lightly shook my head. “Why bother?”
He arched his eyebrows up. “Why bother? Well, what if this goes well...I'd like to know who you really are.”
“Then maybe I'll tell you,” I said. “But it has to go well first. If it doesn't go well, I'd rather you didn't know who I really was.”
He reached forward and poured us both a glass of water. “OK, that's fair.”
The waitress came back out and took our order. I was never great at ordering Chinese food, so let my mystery man do it for me.
We spoke as we ate, but it was hard to do it without giving anything away. I could tell he was making stuff up, and having a lot of fun with it. I started doing the same.
“So you dad's a general? I asked him. “Where has he served?”
“Iraq, Afghanistan, everywhere and anywhere the US Army wants him really!” he said it with a knowing smirk on his face. “And you...what about your dad?”
“He's a pearl diver in the Caribbean,” I said, keeping my face straight.
“Really?”
“Oh yeah, there's a lot of money to be made diving for pearls you know. And the lifestyle out there...beautiful.”
“So is that where you live now?” he asked.
“Sometimes, yeah, I like to move around a lot.” That bit was true.
We kept on going like that for a little while, each of us spinning lies and trying to catch the other out. I liked his playfulness, the way he'd smile when trying to think of an answer. He'd look away from me and crunch his eyes up slightly as he thought, before delivering an even more ridiculous lie with this cute laugh.
An hour went by as we ate and drank. It seemed like no time had passed but every time I checked my phone another ten minutes had vanished.
“So what's next?” I asked, as the waitress carried away our empty plates. “It's 2 AM already.”
“Well, I guess we need to work some of this off? Come on, I've got an idea.”
He stood quickly again and pulled a couple of notes from his jacket, dropping them onto the table. It looked like way too much.
He quickly stepped over to me again, his eyes lit brightly. They were a beautiful blue, clear like the summer sky, shining out against his tanned skin in the dim light of the restaurant. He reached out his hand again as I sat there, and I took it. He smiled as he pulled me up, a little forcefully so that my body pressed close into his. I could feel his hard muscles tensing under his shirt.
A moment passed as we stood there. He looked like he wanted to kiss me, but all he did was smile and whisper to me: “you know what, you're the hottest person called Ace I've ever met.”
Then he turned again with a laugh and started leading me back out into the cool night. We moved once more down the street, slightly slower than before. It was a clear evening, the air so fresh and pure, unlike many places I'd been staying recently.
I'd been spending a lot of time under the warm Nevada sun in Las Vegas, where the evenings were usually humid and sticky. Here it was clean and fresh. It smelt of home.
“So where are you taking me now?” I asked him as we walked down the street. It was quiet around us, the sound of bars and clubs way off behind us in the opposite direction.
“Just a walk,” he said. “I like to stretch my legs after a meal, get my blood pumping a little bit.” I suspected that that wasn't the end of it.
I knew this part of town vaguely but not that well. There was a wooded park just down the street that I remembered, and it seemed that was where we were headed. He kept his hand on mine the entire time, walking through the quiet night with me.
With anyone else I might feel a little threatened. I mean, this was a guy I didn't know, leading me into a dark park in the middle of the night. But I felt just as safe as if I'd been walking with my best friend in the light of day.
He was sweet, and charming, and appeared completely genuine. As we talked I felt myself wanting to know more about him, the real him, not this character he was making up. When he spoke about his job I didn't know whether he was being real or not. He told me he ran a bar just a few blocks away. It seemed unlikely given that he was only 21 – or maybe that had been a lie as well.
While one side of me wanted to know more, however, the other wasn't interested. I suspected that I might only be back in town for a couple of days, so any attachment I'd make would be pointless. I'd lived for years now without making any strong bonds because I knew I'd always be on the move soon after. So why start now?
But this guy was different to the people I met. I was chatted up in bars all the time, but those guys only ever wanted one thing. This guy was different. He was fun, lively, and charming. I felt at ease walking with him as we entered the park, under the dark shadows cast by the trees. Nothing felt uncomfortable to me.
Ahead I could see this shimmering. Light from the moon was spilling over a small lake, flanked by the odd tree. I could see ducks sleeping in huddles over at the other side, curled up in their feathers.
Spade kept moving towards it, and slipped his hand out of mine as he approached. He took off his jacked, and placed it over a bench looking out on the water. His hands then lifted to his shirt, slowly unbuttoning it and pulling it open.
“What are you doing!” I exclaimed, my voice breaking the quiet.
He looked up at me, as if what he was doing was completely normal.
“What does it look like? Taking a swim. Come on....”
I huffed as he pulled his shirt off and then caught my breath at the sight. The shape of his pecs, the indentations on his abs, those lines pointing down towards his crotch. Jesus he looked beautiful under the moonlight, shining off his torso.
He must have done this for a reason. He must be doing this to show off. I mean, seriously, why else would you strip off like this in the middle of the night. I doubt he'd be doing this if he was on his own!
He dropped his pants. Underneath her wore a pair of tight black boxer briefs, his strong thighs bursting out from the bottom of them. He looked up at me and caught me staring. I couldn't help it.
“Well...you coming or what?!” he said, before turning and jumping straight into the water.
I looked on, shaking my head, as he submerged and reappeared, blowing water out of his mouth.
He stood there, the water up to his waist, his body shining, and held up his arms. “Come on Ace, it's not too cold!”
He dived again and started shooting off under the water away from me towards the other bank.
Screw it. You only live once.
I pulled my dress down and stepped out of my shoes as Spade kept shooting off underwater away from me. I looked around quickly to see that the place was completely deserted, all except the ducks huddled on the opposite bank.
When I got to the water I dipped my toe in. It was warmer than I thought it would be. Maybe it was all the alcohol in my body that was keeping the cold at bay. I heard a whistle from away in the water and looked up. I could see Spade's head bobbing on top of the surface as he waved his hand, before diving under and swimming back in my direction.
“Just jump in, quick,” he shouted as his head hit the surface again. “It's a lot better that way, trust me.”
I took his advice, running quickly down the bank and jumping in as soon as the water reached my thighs. I felt a surge of cold rush straight through me. Jesus Christ it was freezing!
I jumped up immediately as he came swimming back in. “Not cold!” I shouted, my teeth chattering. “It's freezing.”
He laughed and moved in towards me, wrapping his arms around me. His body was warm as his pecs pressed against my chest. His hugged me briefly, rubbing his hands over my wet back.
“It's best to keep moving,” he said, releasing me and sliding back under the surface. His head reappeared a few feet away. “Swim with me, it'll warm you up.”
I gingerly dropped back into the water and shot down after him. The water was so clear underneath as I opened my eyes, the sound of the world going dull as water filled my ears. I could see him ahead of me, twisting below the surface to turn back to look at me. His movements were graceful and athletic. He looked truly at ease under the waves.
We returned to the surface and swam across the lake, my body quickly warming as my muscles worked. I watched from behind as Spade kicked his legs, his muscles rippling like the water. He wasn't too big, or too heavily muscled. Far from it. No, he was more athletic, with the body of a toned underwear model or swimmer. Just the way I liked it.
We returned to the bank and back into the shallows, my eyes darting to the shore to see that our things were still there. I looked back over to him as he waded up through the water, stepping heavily as his drenched underwear clung to his body.
I followed after him, the sudden realization hitting me that we had no way to dry ourselves. It was cold as soon as the evening air hit, and I spontaneously began shivering.
“I don't suppose you've got a towel do you?” I asked him, my arms wrapped over my chest.
He didn't seem to be shivering at all. I guess I'd been away long enough so was used to warmer weather these days.
He smiled at me. “No, but I know where we can get one. Come on, quick.”
He picked up his clothes and I did the same, before jogging off up through the park the way we came.
What now?! Where's he going?!
I grabbed my dress, shoes, and handbag and, without thinking, followed. We must have looked ridiculous, running through this park at the dead of night in our underwear, carrying our clothes out in front of us to stop them getting wet. For a first date this wasn't what I was used to!
I could hear him laughing as he ran, looking back and seeing the expression on my face. I must have looked completely baffled by what the hell was going on.
“Where are we going?” I asked as we jogged.
“There's a place just over the road ahead.”
“A place? What place?” I really had no idea what he was talking about.
He kept going and we burst out onto the street. Then I saw it, right ahead of us.
A hotel.
“Come on,” he said, rushing forward over the road and towards the entrance.
“What! I can't go in there like this.”
Again, he didn't take notice, disappearing in through the doors.
I looked left and right across the street, keeping in the shadows. I could hear a group of guys talking loudly, but they were way down the road and getting further away. I stepped forward and crept quickly towards the hotel, the tarmac biting at my exposed soles.
What was going on? Was he staying here or something?
I could hear talking as I opened the main entrance. The hotel was small and cosy, probably with only a couple dozen rooms. Spade was there, standing at the front desk, being passed a key by a weary looking guy at reception. He looked a bit bemused at the sight ahead of him, his eyes turning on my body as the door shut with a quiet thud behind me.
Spade turned on me and smiled. “This way,” he said, walking briskly over towards a set of stairs to the right. I followed. I didn't really have any other option.
We moved up the stairs and onto a corridor on the first floor. He stopped at room 105, fitting the key to the lock and opening it up. He turned and nodded me inside. Was this all just a big play to get me alone in a hotel room?
“OK,” he said, shutting the door behind me, “let's get you a towel.”
He walked past me into the bathroom and came quickly back out with two towels in hand. He threw one to me and I quickly dropped my dress, shoes, and handbag to the ground, wrapping the furry white fabric around my body.
I looked at him quizzically as he did the same, rubbing the towel over his body and through his hair. I was getting the distinct impression now that this was just a play, and an elaborate one at that. He knew what he looked like, standing there in his briefs. This might have been his plan all along. To get me a bit drunk, get me wet, and then give me no choice but to follow him into this room.
I think he must have known those thoughts were running through my head, because he brought it straight up.
“OK, I know how this looks,” he said, sitting down on the bed.
I stayed quiet, but just looked at him, the warm towel still wrapped tight around me.
“You think this is just a pick-up, don't you? You think I planned this, right? I can see why you'd think that.”
He still spoke with a smile, this affable charm just radiating out of him. It was hard to not be drawn in by it.
“And is it?”
He laughed. “It would be a bit elaborate, wouldn't it? If I want to pick a girl up I usually just ask them outright if they want to sleep with me.”
“So you don't want to sleep with me?” I asked. I kept my face blank. I had a great poker face.
His facade cracked. “Umm, well, errr....I don't know what the right thing to say is to that!”
I stepped towards him. “Honesty usually works.”
He stopped smiling, his gorgeous blues eyes sticking to mine. “Well, you are really beautiful...and sexy.” He didn't sound quite as confident saying the words as I might have thought. He didn't seem like a player all of a sudden.
“So that's a 'yes' then?” I stepped in again, now only a foot or two away from him as he sat there in front of me on the bed.
His eyes stayed on mine as he nodded.
“And you?” he asked.
My eyes washed over his perfect body. How could any girl not want to sleep with this guy.
I didn't answer, but he didn't let me. After a second or two of quiet thought he stood up and moved close to me. His towel dropped from his waist as he moved up to my body. He stood over 6 inches above me, his neck arched down.
When he kissed me I couldn't help but kiss back. I dropped my own towel quickly as my hands rushed up to his hair, ruffling through it. His tongue squeezed between my lips and met mine as this passion engulfed us. I couldn't help it. I didn't want to help it.
He stopped suddenly, leaving me kissing air. “What's your real name?” he asked.
I smiled and kissed him again, not willing to answer. I wasn't here to make friends. I wasn't here to get to know anyone. I was here to see my father, nothing more. I didn't intend on staying.
“Tell me your name, just your first name,” he said again.
“Why do you care? Why does it matter?”
He started nodding lightly. “All right, if that's the way you want it. One night. No names. Nothing.”
He stuck his hand out in front of me. “Deal?”
I took it.
“Deal.”