I reached down to feel for my bag as the car came to a stop near the glass entrance of the hotel. The driver turned toward me. "I'll let you out here. It's not too crowded, so you shouldn't have any problem getting a room."
The lights from the hotel lobby were bright in the surrounding darkness, but they didn't quite light up the interior of the car enough for me to clearly see his face. I was tempted to tell him to go ahead and park, so we'd have to walk in to the lighted area together, but one foolish move per day was my limit. I'd already accepted a ride from him. I wasn't going to push my luck.
I slid out of the car and bent to look back inside. "Thanks for the ride."
"No problem. I was happy to help. Have a good night."
I wished him the same, said goodbye, then shut the door and headed into the hotel.
The driver was correct about there being plenty of room available, and it wasn't long before I was making my way to the elevator. I hadn't seen anyone else come in to the hotel, so I figured that I'd be able to get to my room and get settled in no time. I turned the corner and stopped short. My driver and another man were standing at the elevator landing and seemed to be engaged in quiet conversation. Neither man had noticed me, so I took a minute to weigh my options. Should I hang back and let them go first? I'd most likely have the next car to myself, which would eliminate the possibility of one of those awkward moments that always seem to occur in elevators. It would also keep me from getting to my room within the next few minutes. Perhaps it would be better to just join them and share the ride.
I took another look at the two men. The plump stranger looked like a typical tourist in his over-sized t-shirt, camouflage shorts and sandals complete with camera and sunburn. He looked tired and rumpled and not at all threatening. The driver was a different matter.
The odd thought popped into my head that I should stop thinking of him as "The Driver". I knew his name. He'd introduced himself as Gabriel, but using his name, even just to myself, seemed a little too intimate. It's hard to get to know someone during a ten minute car ride, so he was essentially still a stranger to me.
He was a good-looking stranger, though. He wasn't really tall, maybe a little less than six foot, but he looked neat and stylish in his khaki pants, blue button-down shirt and loafers. A leather messenger bag slung across his chest completed the look. He had a full head of dark hair with what could either be a smattering of gray or the shine from the overhead lights. He was sporting a slight five o'clock shadow, but it enhanced, rather than detracted from, his appearance. The only thing that I couldn't figure out from this distance was the color of his eyes - eyes that were currently fixed on me and full of curiosity. I wondered just how long I'd been staring. I could feel my face heat, so I quickly lowered my head and pretended to look for something in my bag to help cover my blunder.
"Are you going up, or are you on your way out?" the tourist asked.
I looked back up and felt my cheeks flame even more. I hadn't even noticed that the elevator had arrived. Both men were now inside the car and waiting for me.
"Sorry. I'm going up," I said, and hurried inside.
My embarrassment kept me looking straight ahead during the short ride. We came to a stop and I hastened to exit only to feel a light touch against my right elbow. That and the very loud voice of the tourist made me jump.
"Well, this is where I say goodbye. It was great meeting you, Gabe!"
He didn't seem like a "Gabe" to me. There was potency about him that only "Gabriel" seemed to fit.
"It was nice to meet you, too, Glenn."
Just like that, Glenn the tourist was gone. My nerves seemed to go into overdrive.
"I'm sorry I startled you when I touched your elbow, but I thought you were getting ready to exit on the wrong floor."
I gave a short laugh. "Fortunately for me, you thought correctly. I didn't even check to see which floor it was. I guess tonight is your night to rescue me. Thanks...again. "
We both laughed as the elevator stopped. This time I made sure it was the third floor, then tossed out a "See you later" as I exited. I heard footsteps and turned slightly to see Gabriel walking behind me. I didn't expect to see him walking my way. I just assumed that he was on another floor. I was almost to my room, but some previously unused caution made me unsure of whether I wanted him to know exactly which one it was, so I slowed. He must have picked up my nervous vibe because he went ahead of me without stopping, and then turned to walk backwards.
"I'm headed farther down," he said with a gesture. "Maybe I'll see you around."
"Maybe, but my car should be ready tomorrow, so I doubt I'll be around for long. Thanks again for that ride."
"You're more than welcome. Goodnight." With those final words, he turned and continued to walk down the hallway. I'm not even sure he heard me echo the goodbye.
I walked over to my door and slid the key card into the lock. The light flashed red, so I tried it once more. All the while, I was mentally kicking myself for being an idiot. He seemed like a very nice man, and I acted like he was a stalker. I should have at least offered to buy him a drink or a cup of coffee as a thank you for his help.
The light on the lock finally flashed green. I turned the handle to open the door, when suddenly, a body pushed into me from behind. Arms banded around me and pinned mine to my side as our momentum propelled us through the door and into the hotel room. My bag was quickly pulled from my shoulder and dropped to the floor. I was picked up and pushed face down on the bed as the door to the hotel room clicked shut.
My hands were held behind my back, and a hand clamped over my mouth before I could even try to scream or struggle. I could hear soft pants and feel moist breath on my ear.