Another long day in the City
. The overnight flight from the States was brutal, as I went right from Gatwick directly into an all-day meeting. By 2pm UK time my body said it had had enough, and it was all I could do to stay awake for the rest of the day. Mercifully the day and the meeting ended, and rather than attend the dinner in the evening with everyone I had just had the "pleasure" of spending the day with, I pleaded exhaustion and got myself back to the hotel. After a workout in the hotel gym and a hot shower in my room, I headed downstairs to the restaurant for a quick bite.
I didn't mind eating by myself, but I could have used a little company. I was actually feeling a bit horny earlier, as I had been stroking myself in the shower. I probably would have come had the hot water not started to run out on me, and the impending cold dampened my mood. I was looking over the menu seeking out the least dangerous item when a nice looking couple came in and sat down. The young lady was a real beauty, with shoulder-length blonde hair (not bleached!) She had a tight body and a cute ass, and all of a sudden I felt another rush in my drawers as she bent over to pick something she'd dropped on the floor (she'd tell me later, that while totally out of character, she did that on purpose to better show off her wares!)
I couldn't help but eavesdrop, and as handsome as the guy was, he struck me as somewhat of a bore. I checked myself, wondering if I sounded the same way when I talked about business, but this guy clearly cared about it way too much. I'm ambitious and happy with the work I do, but in the end, it's just a job.
Miss Blonde Hair To Die For with the Cute Ass was sincerely pretending to care about the supply agreement between Company X and Company Y being brokered by this clown, and since I happened to work for Company Y, I knew a little bit about the transaction myself. I also knew the influence this guy said he was having on Company X was a pile o' shit. He also shouldn't have been talking so much. It seems that despite all the bravado, the head of Company X was about to accept our terms on a five-year agreement. I filed away that juicy bit of intel for later on.
His back was to me, and while I was very interested in what he had to say, I could tell his date was trying to keep from yawning. As she put down her menu to try to give Hotshot Boy her undivided attention, I managed to steal a quick look. I flashed her my best Goofy American Toothy Grin, and she quickly looked back at her date. Ever the disruptive sort, I started making a face, as if I was captivated by every word the dude was saying (of course I was kinda interested in what else he might spill). She looked back over, and suppressed a giggle. Hotshot looked back toward me, as I knew he would, and so my head was already buried back in my menu. When he looked back, I turned up the "charm" by rolling my eyes and doing the old "blah blah blah blah blah" face as he continued his incessant chatter.
Predictably, his cell phone rang. His ringtone was some familiar sounding opera tune, pretty gay, really. He smiled haughtily and said, "'cuse me, lovely," in a pretty dismissive British way. He spoke into his phone, still too loud of course, and when he was done, explained that something had come up and he had to run out for about an hour. Of course we already knew that, everyone in a two-mile radius knew about it, loud as he was talking. His lady friend looked a little uncomfortable—I didn't think she was local--she hadn't said a whole lot but what I could make of her accent suggested she wasn't British. He assured her if she'd just sit tight, he'd promise to be back as soon as he could. As much of a dick this guy seemed to be, I believed he would be back, but not for two hours at least.
So, off he went, and me, old dog that I am, wasted little time. Sexy Blonde Chick (her code name for the time being) knew I wanted her. I'm about as easy to read as a children's book, but she was suddenly playing it totally cool, almost frosty. I'm thinking to myself,
c'mon Ice Princess,
but she was gonna make me work for it, as if daring me to keep up the Goofball routine now that Hotshot had hit the bricks.
"I know she wants me by the way she ignores me," I exclaimed.
"Are you talking to yourself?" asked Sexy Blonde Chick.
"So, you think that deal will happen?" I asked her, reprising my Goofy American Grin.
"I dunno, maybe," she said, "could really care less."
"You looked fascinated."
"Could you tell?"
"He couldn't."
"Yeah, a bit self-absorbed he is. Good bloke, though. Works his arse off."
"Makes for less time with a beautiful woman, don't you think?"
That took the edge off. "Hey, m'name's Bobby Yeppers," I continued.
"That's a bit of an odd name."
"It's Armenian. Our family name was Yepremian, but they shortened it when we came to America."
"Sounds like bullshit to me, anyway, I'm Maddy."
"It's true. Maddy…hmmm…cute name."
"Uh, thanks….It's not Armenian, that's for sure."
I laughed as she broke into a playful smile. We seemed to be having a moment, and I felt there was nothing that could have spoiled it. Well, except for maybe one thing.
"Well, my lovely, wasn't such a big deal after all," Hotshot exclaimed as he strutted back into the restaurant, having been gone all of five minutes.
"Shee-it," I whispered under my breath. I coulda sworn Maddy said the same thing. Hoping she'd take my lead, however, I flipped open my cell phone and pretended like I just received my own important call.
"Yep, it's about 8:00 here," I said. "Hold on a sec let me step outta where I am…hold on...yes...hold on." I rushed out of the restaurant, but fucked up the grand exit a bit as I fumbled with the door, which I forgot opened the opposite way than they do in the States (real fire hazard by the way!) I was standing by the elevator (sorry, the "lift") and peered around the corner. No Maddy.
