What I'm going to share with you in this chapter is based entirely from Hannah's later telling of what occurred during her appointment. In saying that, it is entirely possible that details may have been embellished or left out. I am relying on her perception and retelling of what happened. I have no reason to doubt her, but this was quite a big step forward. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
From my perspective, I was a big mess throughout the entire time from when she left me to when I saw her again. She completely fucked with me by leaving me with that smut filled Kindle that put all kinds of things in my head. Again, full acknowledgement here that she was now fully in control.
Her story:
Hannah made her way back to the hotel, back through the pool area. She could feel the many eyes on her. Did any of them know what she was heading to do? Did anyone suspect? Her head was dizzy with all the thoughts spinning around inside.
But then something that she really couldn't explain cut through and, as if a fog suddenly lifted, she saw him. A large, muscular black man with a bald head and tight beard had apparently just put down the newspaper he was reading as he caught notice of Hannah while he had been turning pages. Their eyes met. A connection. He smiled at her, pearly white teeth glistening brightly in contrast to his deep chocolate skin. His broad, muscular chest and thick arms were bare.
Hannah blushed and then had to suddenly stop herself. He had distracted her so much she almost plowed into an older Jewish man who was walking her.
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!"
"Oh my indeed, little lady. Are you alright?" he asked her out of genuine concern, but likely also to extend their discussion by the looks of his glance down her body.
"Yes, just distracted, I guess. Again, so sorry."
"Not a problem my dear. We didn't actually collide after all. Pity. Say, has anyone ever told you that you look a bit like a cross between Audrey Hepburn and Julie Adams?"
Hannah screwed her face up a bit as she tried to think, "Julie Adams?"
"Yeah, you might know her as the woman from The Creature from the Black Lagoon."
"Oh? Ok, yeah, I know her. Huh, yeah, I guess I could see that. Such a sweet thing to say."
She could kind of see what he was saying. I mean, no one really thinks they look like who people say they do, but she should see the elements that were similar.
"Oh, geez, the time," Hannah said looking at her watch. "I need to go. Have a good day."
"How could I not? I'm in Hawaii and I nearly bumped into you," the old man said with a sweetly dirty little smile.
As she went to continue on her way past the man, she glanced back one time in the direction of the man who had so distracted her. He was no longer there. Of course her interaction with the older Jewish man left her distracted enough he easily could have gotten up and left without any real hurry.
She went into the hotel and quickly got to the elevator. The door opened and the couple inside, a younger honeymooning pair they rode over on the ground transportation with, stepped out very into their own world. She let them by and then stepped into the elevator. She pressed the button for the fifth floor and then stepped back from the panel as one other person stepped into the elevator with her.
It was him. The man she saw reading the newspaper by the pool. He had put a short sleeve button down Hawaiian shirt in a very light pattern over his top but hadn't buttoned it up. The paper he had been reading tucked under his left arm. The noticeably pink paper gave away that it was The Financial Times.
"Top floor, please."
The request shocked her out of her deep thoughts.
"Oh, sure," she said as she selected the top floor on the panel.
He was being polite by not reaching across her. She appreciated that thoughtfulness might have come from both good upbringing but also from lived experiences as a strong black man.
The ride to her floor was brief, but she definitely felt the aura of this man and she could smell him, an unoffensive muskiness with a hint of something slightly spicy. Was it Chai?
The elevator pinged and the doors opened to her floor.
As she left silently, she heard him say, "Have a nice day" behind her.
She turned to reply but found the doors had already closed.
She strode the remainder of the way to her door when it suddenly came back to her- she had mere minutes to prepare for a sensual massage her husband has scheduled for her. And he had given her carte blanche to do whatever she desired.
Hannah hurried through the door once she unlocked it and went about preparing herself. A quick bodily refresh with a wet, soapy washcloth happened very fast but not fast enough as a knock came at her door. She took a deep breath and walked to the door wearing only the short light white robe provided by the hotel having removed her yellow bikini during her body wash.
She opened the door to a slender man of average height who had skin like a rich caramel. His facial gave Hannah the impression that he might have been of both Polynesian and African heritage, definitely reinforced by his skin tone. He gave her a confidant smile.
"Mrs. Steward?" he asked, confirming he had come to the correct room.
