Copyright April 2001

 

Part One


//That's it.// I thought. //If those teenagers run just once more past my hotel door I am going out there and giving them a peace of my mind.//

Another burst of inane girlie giggling assaulted my senses. Not caring that I was wearing only a t-shirt and my pyjama bottoms I got up and flung open my door.

Fuming I stormed down the hallway to the lift lobby where they were gathered.

'Do you lot have any idea what time it is?' I asked sarcastically.

'Do you have any idea who is staying on this floor?' one of them replied defiantly.

'Yes, I am very aware of who else is staying here. I am also aware that he is here for a little bit of private downtime with his family and that you have probably woken him and every other person in this building by now.

Several of the girls shrugged their shoulders as if say 'so?'

Enough. I was going to put a stop to this. 'Now unless you want me to call security I strongly suggest that you return to your rooms this very minute. You are doing yourselves no favours running around like a herd of screaming banshees.

At that one or two at least had the good grace to look ashamed at their behaviour.

'So,' I reiterated, 'which is it to be?'

'Ok, ok, keep your hair on.' A young girl who couldn't have been more than fourteen or fifteen grumbled.
'We're going.' And motioning to her friends she stormed towards the lift doors.

'And if you come back I will call security.' I threatened. 'Some of us are trying to get some sleep.'

A dark haired girl flipped me the finger as the lift arrived and they all got in.

Waiting until the lift had departed, just to make sure they had really gone, I shook my head in bemusement and started to walk back to my room.

'Thank you.' A quiet voice said.

Looking round I saw that the door to one of the suites was open.

'Sorry,' I apologised on behalf of the unwanted visitors.

'No worries, 'he replied, quietly closing his door behind him and coming down to where I was. 'I've been wanting to do that for the last hour but reckoned that that was probably playing straight into their hands.'

'They're just young and excitable. They'll learn – hopefully,' I added with a grimace.

'One of the drawbacks, I'm afraid. I'm sorry they woke you.'

'No problem.'

'Look now that I've indirectly woken you, do want to join me for a cup of tea? I was in the process of making one anyway when I heard you rush to my defence.'

'Ok, why not, I'm awake now anyway.'

Which is how I came to be standing in a hotel corridor, in the middle of the night, talking to Darren, both of us dressed in nothing more than our pyjamas.

I followed him back down to the far end of the hall where all the suites were. Quietly he pushed open the door and ushered me in.

'Make yourself at home.' He said as he finished off making the tea.

I sat down on one of the plush sofas curling my legs up under me and making myself comfy.

'Very nice.' I commented as he came over and handed me a mug.

'One of the perks, I guess.' He said modestly, siting down in an armchair opposite me.

An object on the side table caught my eye. 'and since when did you smoke?' I asked with a smile.

'Ah,' he blushed slightly, 'they're not mine.'

'They're mine.' A sleepy voice said from the bedroom doorway.

'Hello there.'

'Hi there…umm,?'

'Amber.' I supplied.

'Hi there Amber.' Daniel smiled. 'So they've gone?'

'Yes, for the moment at least.' I told him.

'Thank you.'

'You're welcome. I didn't know you were staying here as well.'

'Just flew in tonight.'

'In that case, I'm probably the last person you want hanging around.' And I made to get up.

'No stay,' he replied, 'I was genuinely asleep, jet lag's a bugger you know. It may be,' he looked at his wristwatch, '2:30am for you guys but for me it's…' his brow furrowed with concentration, 'ah shit I don't know, sometime mid evening.'

He gave up trying to work out the time differences and came and flopped down in a chair next to Darren's. Picking up his cigarettes he took one and offered them to me.

'Why not.' I said and reaching across took one, waiting while he held his lighter open so that I could light it.

'Great,' Darren muttered, 'I'm surrounded by nicotine addicts.'

I caught Daniel's eye and we laughed conspiratorially.

'Sorry babe.' He smiled at Darren, not sorry at all.

'Er, Dan.' Darren suddenly looked very worried.

'Oh shit.' Daniel cursed as he realised what he had said.

Both looked at me with concerned eyes.

'Hey, don't worry about it,' I waved away their fears, 'it's cool, whatever. I'm not about to tell anyone.'

'Thank you.' Darren said almost audibly letting out a sigh of relief.

'So what brings you here?' Dan asked, inhaling deeply.

'Much the same as you guys, I'm on holiday, just chilling out.'

'And what do you do the rest of the time…that's if you don't mind me asking?' Darren questioned.

'Not at all…I'm a writer.'

Dan groaned.

'Hey I said I'm a writer, not a journalist. Fantasy books, dragons, goblins that sort of thing.’ I explained, quick to reassure them.

'Vampires?' Darren asked hopefully.

'Yes,' I laughed, 'vampires too.'

Dan groaned again. 'That's my cue to hit the sack. Once Darren gets going on the subject of vampires there is no stopping him.'

Stubbing out his cigarette, he got up and leaning over Darren placed a light kiss on his forehead. 'Night you.' He said affectionately mussing his lover's hair.

'Nice to meet you,' he gave me a slight up-nod, 'goodnight.' And he went back into the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind him.

Darren looked longingly at the bedroom door then turned his attention back to me.

'Shocked?'

'No, not really. But I think if the screaming hordes knew you would shatter a few fantasies.'

'How so?' he asked, hooking his legs over the edge of his chair.

'Oh you know, the one where they just happen to bump into you in their local 7-11 and you instantly fall madly in love with them. Even though what most of them are contemplating would constitute statutory rape.'

At this he grinned. 'Ah that one, and you don't have that fantasy?'

'No.' I replied shuffling further back into the sofa.

Darren undraped himself from the chair and came and sat over next to me, his eyes dancing mischievously. 'So tell me Amber what fantasies do you have?'

'The grown-up kind.'

'Oh yeah, like what?' he moved so that he occupied the other end of the sofa, his feet inches from my knees.

Stubbing out my cigarette, I looked at him slyly. 'Tell you what, you tell me yours and I'll tell you mine.'

'Deal,' he said, 'but you first.'

Fuck, he was serious. 'Ok.' So I told him and he told me one of his, adding that it wasn't just his but that Daniel shared it too. Then I told him something more about me, including one very important factor that I had omitted up until this point.

As I spoke his eyes grew wider and I could tell that this excited him.


The sky had grown pale and streaked with pink before we finally stopped talking. We had both moved slightly so that we were sitting with our feet side by side. One of his, one of mine, one of his and then one of mine again, like two students sat up half the night putting the world to rights.

'I really should go.' I said as he yawned for the third time in as many minutes.

'Mmm,' he said with a stretch, closing his eyes briefly.

'Hey, don't you fall asleep on me.' Playfully I extended one of my feet, rubbing teasingly at his crotch.

He caught my foot and began absently massaging the toes.

'Ok, I'm out of here.' Taking back my foot I stood up and moved to leave.

'Remind me again of your room number.' He asked as he held the door open for me.

'517.'

‘517,’ he repeated, ‘and how long are you here for?'

'All week.' At this slow smile crept over his face. 'Goodnight Darren.'

'Goodnight.' He paused and then drew me into a tight hug, rocking me slightly and running his hands over my back.

Willing I returned the embrace.



With exaggerated care I turned the handle of my own door and without putting on the lights made my way back to bed.

'There you are.' Two strong arms snaked their way around my waist.

'Sorry I got talking.'

'Thought I heard voices after you had seen those kids off. So?' he prompted.

Nestling back into the warmth of his body, I placed a soft kiss on his shoulder. 'So I think I might have found us two new playmates.'