Chapter 2

They walked toward her hotel, making small talk as they strolled the five or six blocks in the now freezing cold. Claire wasn’t sure if it was the chill or her anxiety that send a shiver running through her. They made their way to the top floor in the elevator and then up the short flight of stairs leading to the rooftop bar. It was packed with people even at this hour of the morning. There wasn’t a table in sight.

“Looks like standing room only.”

“Hold on. I can fix that,” he said with a wink.

Claire watched as he walked away, speaking to a security type person who nodded at him. A moment later, he motioned toward her and she found herself following him and the other guy toward a small table near the edge of the roof. She looked over the cobalt glass that lined the edge at the incredible view of the city below.

“What would you like to drink?”

“Wine would be great.”

“Nothing stronger?”

“No, just a house red would be good.”

He ordered drinks for both of them and turned back to her.

“So, tell her more about yourself,” he said with a slow smile that revealed a row of perfect white teeth. Claire found herself mesmerized for a moment. In her mind, she was imagining them sinking into the flesh of her shoulder as he took her from behind. A flush spread up her face at the thought and she was glad he couldn’t read her mind.

“Where are you from?” Claire asked, realizing she had told him where she was from, but hadn’t asked him.

“What makes you think I’m not from here?”

“I don’t know. You were at Times Square in the middle of the night taking photos. I assumed you were a tourist.”

“Only tourists can admire Times Square then?”

“I don’t know. I suppose not. I guess I just assumed locals didn’t really hang out there and take photos. My mistake. So, what do you do for work here then?”

“You know what, let’s not talk about work. I thought we could just get to know one another.”

His words were accompanied by his leaning over the table a bit to take in quite an eyeful of her cleavage.

“Okay. What would you like to talk about then?”

“I don’t know. How about you tell me what you like to do for fun?”

Just the way he said the words made the question sound more than a bit seductive or was she just imagining it? Claire answered the question, opening the door to a free flow of conversation that could have been between old friends. It was if she had known him forever and could tell him anything. Before she knew it, they had already made their way through their first round of drinks. He motioned the waiter over for another round and then turned his attention back to her

“So, do you have a name?”

His eyes were a brilliant blue that twinkled when he spoke. Was that possible? Could eyes really twinkle or was it just the wine already playing tricks on her?

“My name is Claire. And yours?”

“Harper.”

“Have you always lived in New York, Harper?”

“Yes. I grew up in Brooklyn, but live over on the Upper West Side now.”

“You must really like it here then.”

“I certainly do. The city has been good to me,: he replied.

“Hopefully, it will be good to me, too.”

“I’m sure it will be. Beautiful girl like yourself is bound to be a success.”

“I don’t know about all that, but I plan to give it my best shot. I’m very nervous. I start a new job tomorrow,” Claire told him

“I’m sure you will do great.”

“Thanks. I guess we will see.”

“I have a feeling you’ll do just great,” he repeated.

Claire studied his face for a moment, taking in how handsome he truly was. She wasn’t usually attracted to older men, but something about him really drew her in and she found herself feeling more than a bit forward. Now, on her third glass of wine, Claire felt a bit bold.

“Look, how about we stop talking now? What if I were to suggest that we just finish off our drinks and get out of here?” Her words were full of suggestion and Claire knew she risked the chance that he would think she was too brazen, perhaps even a hooker if she kept acting like one, but she was in a new city and freed from her small-town values.

Big city, big girl. Time to live a bit. It’s not like she would ever have to see him again, Claire thought to herself.

“Bartender, we need to pay our tab,” he called out to a nearby server.

Claire suddenly realized she hadn’t thought this all the way through. He could be a serial killer or worse…married. For a moment, she almost backed down, but looking into his intense blue eyes, she changed her mind. A night of debauchery was just what Claire needed. She watched as he paid the tab with a platinum credit card, proving that he was either successful at whatever he did for a living or a thief.

“My room is downstairs,” she said.

“Would be damned hard for it to be upstairs.”

Claire laughed nervously as he slid off his stool and put his hat back on, completing a picture so sexy that she immediately forgot any reservations she might be having. She took his hand as he offered it and they made their way to the stairwell that led down to the top floor, catching the elevator to her floor.

What was she doing? She barely knew this man, but she was on her way to with him to her hotel room to do unspeakable things. A little twinge of excitement wove itself quickly into her second thoughts, sending them on their fleeting way.