Between Desire and Power

Chapter 2 - Hotel

～7 Years Ago～

We had just come out of the bar when we realized that it was already drizzling outside—very Seattle-esque. I didn’t have an umbrella, and neither did he. “Let's go!” He suddenly took off his jacket and draped it over my head before taking my hand and rushing into the rain. My heart immediately sped up; it was like I was electrified, and my whole body warmed up as I followed him into the rain.

I couldn’t remember the last time I was so carefree, running in the rain, or, actually, free to do anything. I didn’t care about my hair getting wet or my shoes getting muddy. It was as if my world had shrunk to just him and me.

As he walked, he turned his head and smiled at me, and it was like there was something special in his eyes, as if I was the heroine of his novel, as if I was the one piece missing from his life. I’d never dared to walk alone on the streets at 2 a.m., but now, holding his hand, I wasn’t scared at all.

“We’re almost there!” he said. In the meantime, his cell phone rang, and it seemed to display quite a few missed calls and messages. He quickly replied to one of them and then turned his phone off.

“Are you sure it’s okay that I stay?” I asked sheepishly, not wanting to disturb his personal life too much. Maybe his friends or his bodyguard (who knows) were worried.

He looked at me firmly in the eyes and, without any hesitation, said, “You are more than welcome to stay, trust me.”

I blushed a deep shade of red.

- - -

I thought it would be an ordinary hotel, but it turned out to be a lot more than that. It's a modern skyscraper blending into the South Lake Union complexes. It felt like a place for all the tech and finance elites to rest after a full day of work.

As the elevator climbed upward, Andrew kept holding my hand tightly, so tightly that my heart raced—not sure if it was excitement or last-minute panic. The transparent elevator walls allowed us a view of the entire city. Most buildings were already shrouded in darkness. Only the Space Needle and a few other buildings still had flickering lights. Even though I felt very small in comparison to the city, somehow, with Andrew beside me, I felt like I could take on the world, and he would be there for me, always.

This random thought scared me; I couldn’t understand how this stranger I had just met could have such an effect on me. I pushed that thought away.

“We are here, Kate.” It was the first time he said my name, and his voice was warm and deep, like wine that had been brewed for years. It made me a little dizzy.

I nodded and followed him into the largest hotel suite I had ever been in. A large king-sized bed sat in the middle of the room, its plush pillows and silky sheets inviting me. The floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the room in starlight, casting a soft glow over the furniture and marble floors.

“You must be thirsty,” he offered me some water. “Forgive me if I am a bit forward, but I really felt a different connection with you, and I don’t want tonight to be over too soon.”

I flushed scarlet. “I felt it too, and I am glad you invited me over.”

He smiled, his eyes sparkling. Stepping a bit closer to me, he said, “I want to be honest with my feelings, but nothing needs to happen if you don’t want it to,” his voice deep and sincere.

I nodded, dazed by his closeness once more. “I am good with that.”

Andrew paused for a bit before continuing, “You are the most attractive woman I have ever met. When I look into your brown eyes, I feel like I am drowning. When I talk to you, I feel that you really know me, like you have known me for years.”

I swallowed. I couldn’t believe my ears.

“I want to get to know you better, if you are okay with that.”

“I am okay with that,” I immediately replied, too eager not to.

He approached me almost too slowly. Putting his hand on my jaw, he whispered to me, “May I kiss you?” I was dazed by his handsome face, and for a moment, I didn’t register what he said.

“Please…”

I immediately came to my senses. It was as if he were a man in the desert who had not drunk water for days, and I was the water he craved.

“Yes…” I replied, not believing what I was hearing or what I replied, my heart almost pounding out of my chest.

He leaned forward, looking deep into my eyes. Then, his lips touched mine.

It was an overwhelming sensation, hard for me to put into words. His lips felt like honey, making me want to suck on them. His hand gently caressed my cheek, leaving a tingling sensation like electricity.

Our bodies pressed together without a single gap, and I could feel his heart beating extra fast as well. Maybe I'm not part of his weekend routine; maybe I'm unique indeed.

His tongue gently touched my lips, as if trying to gain access. My brain was already a little oxygen-deprived from the excitement, and I wasn’t going to be able to say no to anything he offered at this point.

Seeing my mouth open slightly, he gently teased my lips open, and immediately, our tongues started fighting for domination.

Soon, I was out of breath, intoxicated by his presence and his skilled tongue. I had to push him away, panting loudly.

“You are cute when you are out of breath,” he said to me, his eyes tender.

“Thank you, you are very handsome yourself,” I smirked, enjoying the surprised and smug look on his face.