London Harmony: Doghouse (14 page)

When we broke the kiss to gasp for breath, she giggled out, “Yippee ki yay.” And she sort of melted into me.  I took a long deep breath, taking in her scent, then just smiled.  I handed her an earbud and placed one in my ear, she put the other in hers.  Then we started walking along the Thames, with some smooth jazz playing in our ears, her head laying on my shoulders.

I murmured, “You're still frustrating.”

She crossed a leg behind her as we walked and kicked my butt, saying, “And you're still a yank.”

I awoke with a start, not knowing where I was.  The sounds were all wrong to be the hostel.  But then I grinned as it all came rushing back to me.  I snuggled back into the big spoon position around  Amarissa.  I was rewarded by a sleepy sigh as she snuggled in close to share our body heat.

After our walk, she drove us back to her place to talk some more.  We somehow wound up in an argument about who was the best reed man in jazz.  We went about convincing each other in the only logical manner.  The battle of seduction that followed was hot and steamy.  I was pleasantly surprised that she was that playful.

We wound up in her bed and I had possibly the most beautiful moment of my life there with her.  She showed me the difference between recreational sex and making love to someone you cared for.  Even if that person is a frustrating munchkin, who gets under your skin with no effort at all.

She was insatiable and I think I caught her crying at one point.  I felt the same way, I never knew it could be that way.  She was adventuresome and creative, and I couldn't resist her when she bit her lower lip.  That's sort of how we wound up on the floor like this.

I reached an arm up to the bed and pulled another pillow down to stuff behind my head so I could sit up a bit.  She shifted and laid her head on my chest and traced little circles on my skin with the tips of her fingers.

She glanced up at me, looking a little apprehensive.  I tilted my head and asked as I let my fingers drift along her hip, “What is it Aimes?”

She looked like a chipmunk poking its head out of its burrow.  “Was I... I mean... did I... do okay?  I mean, I've never really done this before.”

I cocked my head further and furrowed my brow. “This?  Or with a woman?”

She blushed and buried her face in my shoulder and mumbled out, “Both.”  Then she looked up.  “I mean, there was Hank Thomas in secondary school in his car after a school dance.  But it was over so fast and I'm not sure I liked it, he never spoke to me again after that.  I don't really count it.  And I've dated a couple blokes but it never progressed this far.”

I chuckled and kissed the top of her head, catching the floral scent of her shampoo.  “Good lord woman, you showed me things I didn't even know were possible.”  Then I stroked her hair lightly.  “I already thought I'd fallen for you so hard that I'll never recover, then you unload the big guns.”

She stopped breathing and looked up at my left ear and whispered, “You've fallen for me?”

I nodded at the admission and she grinned and said in a chirpy manner, “Thank goodness, I thought I was the only one.”  Then she grinned mischievously and said with a little swagger, “I read about these things.  A lot.”

I snorted, held up a hand, and replied, “I'll never tease you about those sappy romances you read ever again.”

She shook her head, pecked me on the lips then laid her head on my shoulder as she said, “Yes, you will.”

I exhaled.  “Yes, I will.”

We chuckled together then she pulled back.  She pulled the blanket off of us and tossed it up on the bed.  “As much as I want to lay in your arms forever, nature calls.”  She was starting to shimmy as she stood.  I chuckled at her until I realized I had to go too.  She saw that and her eyes went wide.  A moment later she was screaming all the way to the bathroom, naked, with me in hot pursuit.

Damn, she had a nice ass.  I grinned and laid a hand on the closed door.  What the hell was I thinking?  Falling in love with someone when I was about to leave the country?  I don't think I could handle saying goodbye.  Maybe she'd come with me.

I whispered to the ether, “Or maybe I should stay?”  I felt confused and clueless, two things I was not used to feeling.  Though it seemed that Amy brought them out in me.  I sort of didn't mind as long as she kept smiling at me.

I grinned and looked around.  There was an oversize tee by her bed that said, Frankie Says Relax, on it.  I grinned, it must have been her nightshirt.  I pulled it on and snorted.  On me, it just barely hung down enough to hide my modesty.  I was so turned on by how small, compact, and full of spunk and energy she was.

Oh hey!  I made it past the office of the gatekeeper!  I chuckled to myself as she stepped out of the bathroom wearing a light robe.

She crinkled her nose in mirth and asked, “What's so funny?”

I raised my chin in victory and said, “I made it past your office.”

She giggled and then looked up at me.  Something in her eyes was seeking, almost in desperation.  A desperation I could feel inside of myself.  She didn't want to be alone anymore.  Me either, but I was sure that I had finally found the one person that would make sure I never was.  Now I just have to figure out how to win an argument with the pipsqueak.  What?  Yeah, yeah, whatever, I didn't ask you.

Oh hey!  Opportunity!  Since she was conveniently right there, I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her gently on the lips.  I could feel the intense heat of her blush on my hands and feel her pulse quicken like mine had.  I released her then stepped past into the restroom at the urging of my bladder.  I gave her a backhanded swat to her cute little butt as I passed by.  She squeaked and giggled.

We took the time to get cleaned up and I wound up in a pair of sweats, her Frankie nightshirt, and some flip flops since nothing else she had would fit me and I would have felt silly in that dress again. I mumbled, “I need to get some real clothes on that fit full sized humans.”

She slapped my shoulder. “Be bloody thankful I had these.  My clothes fit me just fine, I'm just the right size.”

I smiled at her and grabbed her hand, lacing our fingers as I said softly, “Yes, you are.”

She looked down bashfully and I warmed at the sight.

She gave me a nose crinkle and said, “I have work to do.  We slept through breakfast.  And you have somewhere to be after lunch.  Let me drive you home so you can get some properly fitting clothes.”

I nodded and a minute later we were heading out to her little Fiat.  We paused at the door of the building.  She absently patted her pockets then reached up and followed the lanyard up to the glasses she had on top of her head.  She grinned and slid them down into place, then stared at the door and said loudly, “I can see you, you know?”

There was some chuckling behind us and I looked back to see three heads poking around a wall at the far wing of the building.  Fran, Natasha, and Max were all grinning at us.  Good lord, this was the walk of shame.

I saluted them with my middle finger, and they all clapped at us.  Amy curtsied as she sported a cheesy grin on her blushing face.  I dragged her out the door before things got any worse.

She mumbled, “They're going to be putting socks on my doorknob forever now.”

I squinted an eye at her and she giggled and said, “Oh, it's nothing.”

On the way to the Oxford, my cell started buzzing.  I looked at the four texts on the screen, all from Gina, most asking for tawdry details about the night.  I chuckled and answered.  “Hello?  Hi, Gin.  Yes?  I'm still with her.  Over lunch?  Fine, but I have somewhere to be just after.  Okay, bye.  What?  For God's sake woman.  Fine.”

I put the phone on speaker.  “Okay wench, you are on speaker.”

She chuckled and then said in a teasing manner, “Bye Amy.”

Amy looked to be almost ready to burst out laughing as she choked out, “Bye Gina.”

Then I hung up and she blurted out, “Bloody hell.  Your friends are just as evil as mine.”

Before long I was sadly saying goodbye to her at the Oxford.  I asked, “Lunch?”

She shook her head and held up her cell.  A text from Fran was displayed?  It simply read, “Well?”

She said, “It seems we each need to satisfy our gossips.”

I chuckled at her and then we locked longing gazes.

“See you after your meeting?”

I just nodded and she gave me a peck on the lips and then tightened her grip on her steering wheel, looking straight ahead.

I grinned and hopped out.  I waved and she gave a cute tiny wave and drove off.  As soon as she turned at the end of the block, I jumped into the air and did a “Hulk smash” move and yelled, “YES!”

A guy coming out of the Oxford pulled back in surprise.  I grabbed his hand and did a little dance move with him before releasing him on his way.  He looked at me with a crooked grin as I pirouetted and opened the door to step through.  What a Class A, fuckin' supermurgitroid day!

***

I stood in front of London Harmony, staring at the simple door and it's gold writing.  My cheeks hurt so very much from all the smiling I had done at lunch.  I endured endless teasing as I relayed all the tawdry details of my night with Amy.  Well, not all the details... you know what I mean.  Gina and Valerie had voracious appetites for gossip.

They agreed with my certainty that I was stuck in Amy's web, and happily so.  I even had to endure a few, “Awwwww”s in stereo at a few points in my “debriefing”.  Remind me why I hang around with those two?  Oh yeah, because they are awesome people.

I had done my daily bugging of the Factory after I left them on my way to meet with June.  I was still wondering why I was even going to the meeting.  I had my passport.  I hung my head.  Because Liza you idiot, you gave your word.  Not to mention that I was a little beyond curious what someone that high up on the food chain could possibly have to discuss with a little minnow like me.

I looked at the plain black door and took a deep breath as I looked around.  There wasn't a bell or anything, so I raised my hand, looked around for some reason, then just knocked on the door.  I felt a little silly, just standing on the corner like that.

After a few seconds, I raised my hand again but the door suddenly swung open, leaving my hand poised in the air as Jen stood there grinning at me.  I smushed my lips to one side of my face in consternation and embarrassment as she said, “Well hello there Liza.  I was told to expect you today.”  Then she added overly cutely, “Because you have one of these.”  She tapped the word 'appointment' on the door with a perfectly manicured fingernail.

I added a nose crinkle to my smushed face as I dropped my hand and said, “Yeeeaaaah.”  Then grinned at her.  “Hi, Jen.”

She chuckled and nudged her head inside and stepped to the side.  “Please, come in before any of the workers escape.  It's hard to keep them penned in.”

I stepped inside and looked around as she shut the door behind me.  Huh... I was not expecting this.  I was torn between watching Jen's hips sway, and gawking at the lobby.  I'm human, and she's sexy, so sue me.

I glanced back at the unassuming door, then back into the grand lobby.  I grinned at myself and mumbled, “It's bigger on the inside,” in a British accent.  The eye roll I got from Jen let me know I wasn't the first to make a Doctor Who reference about the lobby.

I feasted my eyes on the night and day difference between what was presented outside and the grandeur of the interior of London Harmony.  The open space was quite inviting.  There were massive original timbers fused with a modern lobby that the grandest of hotels would be envious of.  The hardwood floors were edged with white marble inlays.

Your eyes were drawn to a black marble front desk which imposed itself between the lobby and a grand staircase with an oak railing and wrought iron banister and newels.  Beside it was a glass elevator which had London Harmony written on it in big brass letters.

Besides that, there didn't seem to be anything else on this level of the studios, besides possibly a restroom or storage down the little hall past the stairs and elevator.

Jen motioned smoothly to a row of plush velvet chairs with a low glass table in front of them.  There was a carafe of water and crystal glasses on the table along with the latest international music magazines. She said in her honey thick alto voice, “Please, have a seat, I'll let them know you are here.”

I nodded dumbly and sat as she moved behind the desk.  She looked so at home there as she put in an earpiece and said into the little mic on it, “June?  She's here.”  She nodded, absently raising a hand up to touch the earpiece as she listened.  “Will do boss.”

She took out her earpiece and smiled at me.  “June will see you now Liza.”  She stepped beside the desk at an angle, in an invitation to join her.

I glanced around and smiled.  I could certainly see that this was her domain.  She commanded this grand lobby like she was born to it.

I stepped up to her and she asked, “Cardio or no?  We're heading to the third floor.”  She motioned to the stairs and the elevator.  I started moving to the stairs.  I laid a hand on the substantial railing and was awed by the grandeur and the welcoming feeling of it all.

Then a little smirking voice inside my head said, “Of course Liza.  That is what they are trying to project here, that you have arrived at someplace special.  That if you made it past the front door, that they are embracing you and welcoming you into their world.  I almost chuckled.  I had to hand it to June, it was pretty damn effective.

I smiled as Jen glided up the stairs with me at her elbow.  She guided me so smoothly, it felt like she was walking beside me instead of ushering me, it made me feel at ease like I was among friends.  I could see why she was chosen to be their greeter.