Page 15 of Veiled Fantasies

He made a vague gesture. “The usual.”

She wondered what the usual might be. Did he really spend that much time on the go?

“How was your day?”

She smiled. “Not quite the usual.” But surely he wasn’t interested. Her eyes wandered over his desk. The laptop sat amidst a sea of paperwork, with a small gap reserved for a miniature vodka bottle and glass from the mini bar. Both drained empty. “Have you eaten?” she asked. “It’s already six.”

He glanced outside, checked his watch, looked a little surprised. “I guess it is.”

There it was—her chance! An entire cheerleader squad egged her on inside.Come on Jill ! You can do it! Ask! Ask! Ask!

“Um…would you like to get some dinner? There’s an Indian restaurant right near here.” Her words sounded smooth and confident; in other words, completely faked.

Erik glanced at his laptop, then his phone. She was positive he would say no.

“Sure,” he said, pushing back his chair.

She stood in stunned silence before pinning the smile back on her face. They rode the elevator down in silence. Jill hadn’t planned for anything beyond a polite rejection. She had lots of experience with those. Now that they were actually going to dinner, she was at a loss. By the time they reached the lobby, however, she had cobbled together a game plan. She’d make polite small talk, eat her meal, and then bury her nose in a book. After all, it was his hotel room. She’d make herself unobtrusive and admire him from a safe distance. Not let on.

* * *

Erik blinked at his new roommate, waiting. Surely, any second now, she would erupt into mindless babble. Spew out all the unimportant details of her day, starting with the pounding heat and lost luggage. She’d complain about the airline, the volcano, inept authorities. Berate the shopping as expensive, uninteresting, and foreign, then wax poetic about home, wherever that was for her, and how everything was better there. And somewhere along the line she was sure to start flirting, teasing, giggling. All the things he couldn’t stand.

He used to be able to. In fact, he vaguely remembered even enjoying it. A night out, a little fun.

His foot tapped under the table. When was she going to start?

“One Sprite, please.” Jill smiled politely at the waiter. Then she scrutinized the tabletop, apparently fascinated by the Formica.

Erik ordered a beer. Where was he again? Hong Kong? He looked out onto the street. Not crowded enough. Kuala Lumpur? Not humid enough. Dry air papered his cheeks as he glanced at the guide book Jill had placed on the table.

Dubai.

Still silent. Maybe she was stunned about the canceled flight. He sipped his beer and decided he should get it over with. Listen politely, eat quickly, make an excuse and get back to work. “So how was your day?” he started, then realized they had already been through that. Never mind.

Nice smile, if reserved. Nice blue eyes. A little tired in the corners, but shining bright inside. “Interesting,” she nodded.

And?

And that appeared to be all. No, here it comes. She was about to start and then she’d never stop.

“Did you get a lot done?” she asked.

Oh. Work. “Good. Good Internet.”

She nodded. “Good.”

Nothing more? NotTell me about your work!followed by a volley of fluttering eyelids? That’s how women usually warmed up their advances.Must be fascinating!

No, he’d admit, just a series of mind-numbing meetings and unfamiliar faces.

So much exotic travel!That was usually the next line. And they never believed his answer.All the airports look the same after a while.

He could play out this entire conversation in advance. That’s why he usually avoided this kind of thing.

You must be really good at what you do!

No, it’s just that guys with families would never work this schedule.

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