"No, that's okay. Give me a couple of minutes to get dressed."
Holy crap! He was staying here? Out of all the hotel, he was staying at my place of employment. What the hell. I couldn't like; he looked pretty good in just a towel. The deep V of his body tapered off, and I felt a wave of heat wash over my face as I imagined what it would be like take the place of that towel. What was wrong with me? Get it together. I waited by the door for him to return with towels and sheets. In and out, no chitchat. My bath was calling out for me, but so was what's under that towel.
The door opened and he was back. He was wearing shorts but not shirt. God, why couldn't I stop staring at him? Had it really been that long that I couldn't even function around a man with his shirt off?
“Come on in,” the man said as he ushered me through the door.
“So, I’m here to take your trash, give you some towels and provide new sheets.”
“My sheets are fine. I have no trash. So, there’s nothing needed for my room. However, you can sit down and take a break,” he told me as he sat down in the office chair.
“Excuse me?”
I stared at him, uncertain of his intentions. His dark eyes were intense, his thick hair still damp from the shower. He ran his hand through it, and my mind drifted back to the towel around his waist. I quickly looked away, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
"I'm sure you've been working hard all day. Plus, I owe you after knocking you down this morning," he said, pulling out the chair from the desk. "So how long have you worked here?"
"I just started today," I replied, "but I almost missed it because of you."
He winced at my words and mumbled an apology. "Again, I'm so sorry. I feel horrible about that."
The look in his startling blue eyes was deep and sincere. His broad shoulders were straight and his jaw was set in a determined line that made my heart flutter. I wondered how many hours he spent at the gym, lifting weights and running on the treadmill, to get that jawline and toned body.
“I’m usually here at least a week out of the month. I‘ve been staying at this hotel since they opened. The staff is friendly, and the rooms are luxurious.”
Oh, great, I thought, I was going to see him often. That made things even weirder. Out of all the hotels, why this one? He smiled at me again, making my heart skip a beat and my palms sweat. “It sure is nice, huh?” I said nervously. “I don’t know how anyone can afford to stay in one of these rooms, but I guess it’s worth it.”
He flashed a bright, white-toothed grin as he responded, “It’s not that much to stay here.”
I tried to suppress a smile as I retorted, “It costs as much as my mortgage to stay here. I would say that it’s expensive.”
I felt my cheeks start to burn and I quickly averted my gaze, studying the pattern of the carpet beneath our feet.
He extended his hand. "I'm Alexander, by the way."
I ignored it and instead changed the subject. "So, what do you do for a living?" I asked, looking at all the fancy suits hanging in the closet.
He rose from his chair and began to pace the length of the room, his fingers tapping against the side of his thigh. He explained that he was the founder and CEO of several companies, including a publishing business, a couple of restaurant chains and other ventures. His eyes gleamed as he excitedly spoke about all the new opportunities he was looking for.
Holy shit. He was way out of my league, rich and handsome. How old was he? He didn’t look any older than thirty. How could he be a CEO so young?
“How did you do that?” my voice rose with awe and admiration. “It’s a huge accomplishment.”
"It wasn't easy," he said, his voice soft but determined. "I had to put in a lot of hard work and dedication to excel in school and earn my Master's in Business. Once I knew what I wanted, I never lost sight of it.”
He sat back down, and I exhaled with relief. He was an attractive, wealthy man - out of my league with nothing but a hopeless fantasy between us. I felt a twinge of regret as the possibility of us being anything other than acquaintances is slim. I stood up, my skin prickling with awkwardness. I had to get out of there.
"I'm sorry, but I really must go," I said. "It was nice meeting you."
I wanted to turn back and gaze at him one last time, but I forced myself to leave, discontentment heavy in my chest.
Chapter Two
ALEXANDER
My mouth dropped open as I recognized her. I wanted desperately for her to stay and talk, so I could take in the sight of her golden hair that cascaded down her slender frame, and her sun-blessed skin that seemed to glow like a candle. I never expected to see her again, especially not here. In my shame, I remembered how I had carelessly bumped into her earlier in the day. But my curiosity got the better of me; a quick glance revealed she was single. My gaze lingered on her doe-like eyes, a captivating emerald green. Yet she seemed hesitant, barely making eye contact and never smiling. Was she just shy?
The next morning, the sun peeked through the windows as I laced up my running shoes, and stretched my legs, preparing for my job. I imagined bumping into her and asking her out for coffee. I looped around the same block ten times, keeping an eye out for her uniform and blonde hair, but there was no sign of her. The streets were filled with morning commuters. My shoulders slumped, and I kicked the dirt, wishing I had mustered up the courage to ask her out the day before.