This is a work of erotic fiction. It is not meant to be and should not be read by minors or individuals who do not enjoy erotic writings.
PART ONE
I don’t normally drink hard liquor, but this had been a hell of a day, and as far as I could see, it isn’t going to pick up soon. So I checked in at the hotel, got my room key, sent my bags up to my room and looked for the hotel bar. The lobby was a mess as I worked my way through it. It was obvious to me that I wasn’t the only stranded person in Chicago tonight. The bar was much bigger than I expected. I don’t know why, I had no experience in hotel bars. I expected, for some strange reason, a small place, much more intimate than this, with a bunch of guys drinking at the bar. This one even has a dance floor. Booths surrounded the room, broken by the bandstand directly opposite from the large and ostentatious bar. The place was practically empty but I immediately envisioned a crowded dance floor and rocking music and I decided I’d come back later to see if that was so. For all I knew, maybe the action had been in bygone years and the place was a bust now.
There was, at least, a bartender behind the bar. He glanced up at me then went back to his duties and his conversation with the one young man in a “brooks Brothers” suit sitting on a stool at the bar drinking a drink. There were two men sitting at a booth with so many papers on the table there was hardly room for the two glasses of drink they had before them. I could see no waitress. But obviously someone had waited on the two men in the booth so I figured the waitress would be right back or the bartender doubled and waited tables too.
It seemed so incongruous, this huge room with no waitress, so empty. I almost didn’t enter, but finally I did walk to a table and sat down, placing my small bag on the table. I didn’t know if it would be lady like to sit at the bar or not knowing nothing of Chicago etiquette. I opened my purse, for my compact, to check my make up, which had survived very well, considering.
You see, I’d just flown from Ft. Lauderdale to Chicago into a snowstorm. I’m headed to my wedding tomorrow evening in Seattle, and it’s beginning to look like I’m not going to make it. I’d been debating calling to let my husband to be know of the problem, or chancing that the weather would clear by tomorrow when I’d spied the bar.
When I’d landed, and we’d found out that no one was leaving Chicago that night, there had been a scramble by the airlines to get everyone rooms. The hotels near the airport had disappeared quickly. I’d finally been placed at a quaint but upscale hotel, downtown, near the loop.
I looked up as someone cleared their throat near me. I laughed. I couldn’t help it. It was the young man in the “Brooks Brothers’s”suit. He was wearing a traditional white shirt but with a truly outlandish tie. On his feet were expensive Bally boots. What made me laugh was that he had a bar rag over his left suit arm and he had the silliest grin on his face..
He said, cutting off my laughter, “Hi there,” then beamed real big. “The waitress isn’t in yet, but you’re much too beautiful to sit at the bar with us common folk.”
He looked so silly.
“I do have some experience at this,” he continued. “I did wait tables when I was in school, whenever that was. So, what can I get you, do for you or do to you, not necessarily in that order?”.
“That rag really makes your suit, you know.” He joined my in good natured laugh. I continued, “Tell you what, I’ll come sit at the bar with you. That way I won’t put anybody out.”
He smiled, “Not only are you beautiful, you’re considerate too.”
He followed me and my purse to the bar. I sat down near him, but not next to him. I placed my purse on the seat beside me, between me and him.
The bartender looked up from washing some glasses and smiled. “What can I get you, Miss?”
“Sapphire and tonic, twist of lime,” I responded.
He began mixing my drink. He spoke over his shoulder, “You two sure you two don’t know each other? You drink the same thing.”
“Yeah” Brooks Brother’s says, “Those that drink together, you know.”
The bartender gave me my drink. I smiled at BB, “Drinking the same drink, not yet drinking together.”
“Ha! Ha! The lady has sharp tongue, and uses it well,” he said, and toasted me.
I raised my glass to him, then took a drink.
BB continued, naturally, “You stranded here too?”
I looked up, surprised, “Yeah, you too?”
“Yeah,” he says, “why not me too?”
“Well,” and I motioned at his Brooks Brothers, “you’re dressed for work, aren’t you, even with that tie.” I giggled despite myself.
“You making fun of my tie?” He held it out? “My favorite tie. My good luck tie?” Then he leans over to me, confidentially, as if anyone is going to hear in this empty joint. “It’s a long story. Why I’m dressed like this, and me from out of town, stranded here in Chicago in a snow storm. If we had the time, I’d love to tell it to you. Maybe when we’re alone some time.”
I laughed, “I’m sure it’s a wonderful story.”
“I don’t know, just in a hurry to get out of town. As it turns out, there wasn’t any reason to rush. I’m not going to make it my appointment anyway.”
“Me, either, it seems. Let’s drink to that.” I responded and lent over to clink his glass with mine, conscious, belatedly, that he could see down my dress from his angle, and my unfettered breasts were probably surely in his line of vision.
“Here, here,” he cheered, and that was picked up by the bartender. If he noticed my flagrant, if unintentional display, I realized suddenly he was too much of a gentleman to embarrass me with a public announcement.
I’d finished my drink, so I handed the bartender a twenty. He went to make change.
I turned to BB, “Nice talking to you. I’m gonna go take a nap now. I’m exhausted, and I think that drink went straight to my head, which I intended it too.”
“Nice to meet you. What’s your name, anyway? I can’t call you fellow strandee all night, can I?”
“Sarah,” I responded. “And yours?”
“Sam,” he responded, turning to look off behind the bar at the threatening sky. “Maybe we’ll see each other again if this weather persists.”
“Yeah, probably so,” I responded.
The bartender brought my change. I left him a good tip, smiled goodbye to Sam, and left the bar. I felt his eyes on my back, or my butt maybe, until I was out of sight. I didn’t turn around. I went straight to my room. I showered, dried off and dumped my weary body into bed. My last thoughts, just as sleep claimed me, were of Sam’s smile. I clutched the extra pillow to me and hugged it to sleep.
PART TWO
I woke with a start, shuddering.. I rolled over, felt for, then switched on the bed side lamp. A hotel room. I remembered. It was really strange coming awake in a strange room, waking in the dark.
I was starving. I found my watch. It was only eight o’clock at night. Surely the dining room would be open. I went into the bath and washed my face. I debated. The restaurant or room service. I decided I’d go downstairs to eat. First, I needed to call Ronald to let him know the wedding may not happen on time.
Ronald is older than I, substantially older, but I’m not marrying him for his money if that’s what you’re thinking. I love him, and I’m tired of being alone, one night affair’s. I teach at a college in Southern Florida. I should say I taught there until recently. Ronald coming into my life, my moving to Seattle, my marrying him, comes after too many sordid affairs. Too many married men I was not married to. It was time for me to have my own man now, maybe even children of my own.
I dialed Ronald’s number by heart. He answered. He was disappointed, but had figured out the problem. We spoke for 15 minutes. The wedding plans were put off for a day. They would be for another day if necessary.
“I’ve got to go downstairs and get something to eat,” I told him.
“Don’t they have room service in. those Chicago Hotels?”
“Oh, yes, but I’ just have to get out of this room for a while.”
He chortled into the phone, “well, just remember, Sarah darling, you’ve had your freedom extended for a few days so you do what makes you happy. Just don’t do anything you won’t tell me about.”
“Why Ronald, I didn’t know you were this lenient, and such a pervert too.”
