A GAME OF CHASE

The dress was a stunning red and black ball gown. The design looked like it would fit perfectly around Ava’s curves. She wore an elegant, high necked lace ruffled blouse underneath the gown with a sheer off the shoulder, long, loose sleeves. Her long brown hair flowed over her shoulders in loose curls. She had on the most delicate makeup on her face, giving her features an exquisite look. She sat across from him in the room where the party was being held. The lights were dimmed so that only a few candlelight candles lit up the small, intimate space. He couldn’t seem to stop staring at her, even though he knew she wasn’t the sort who would take his interest as anything but polite. His gaze was locked firmly onto hers. His dark eyes were intense, focused and piercing. He was handsome, dressed impeccably with a tailored suit, tie and shirt. His jet black hair curled elegantly over his forehead and jawline. The man looked more like a movie star than a CEO, but there was no way anyone could mistake the intensity and determination in his eyes for anything other than pure business. Her heart fluttered with nervousness when he finally spoke. “So you’re Ava.” She nodded, trying not to let her nerves show. “Yes. I’m Ava.” “It’s nice to meet you, Ava.” “Likewise.” They both fell silent after that. They didn’t talk much about themselves. Just their company and what they did, what clothes they wore and how good or bad their outfits were. They both seemed to enjoy the silence. It was comfortable enough, and it was easy for them to forget that there was a party going on outside. Suddenly, a loud crash erupted from outside the suite, followed by yelling. People ran into the hallway screaming and shouting about fire alarms. People began pouring out of the suite, rushing to get to safety. It took every ounce of self control she possessed not to rush out of the room. Instead, she stood up, looking down at him curiously. “I guess we better go check it out.” She said simply. A smile played across his lips. “Yeah, probably a good idea. Let me just grab my coat.” “Here.” He offered her one of his own coats. She smiled gratefully, “Thank you. That will really make this easier on me.” She slipped her arms through the thick leather jacket and fastened it around her waist. After adjusting her purse strap, she turned toward him. “Ready?” She asked. He grinned. “Lead the way.” She gave him a brief nod, then headed for the door. As soon as she stepped out into the hall, she quickly pulled her phone out of her purse and checked her messages. There weren’t any emergency calls and there was nothing important she needed to do right now. “Is it all clear?” She asked, turning back toward him. “Looks like everyone has already cleared the area. Why don’t we go look? We might learn some interesting things if we see what caused the explosion.” He suggested, offering her his arm. She looped her arm around his. “Sure. Sounds like fun. But… where exactly should we look?” “There may have been some kind of gas leak. If so, we may need to search for evidence before the firefighters find anything.” He explained. She looked confused. “What kind of gas leak? And why would you think there was one?” Jacob laughed. “Gas leaks can cause fires or explode buildings sometimes. They can be very dangerous. I imagine the fire marshal’s office will want to conduct a thorough investigation into all areas where there is possible damage.” “Oh, right. I forgot about that.” She sighed quietly. “You’d think we’d learn about these types of incidents in schools.” He chuckled. “Well, they do teach us basic first aid in school, but the real work happens during college. I wouldn’t count on getting the job done before graduating.” “Why is that?” She asked, sounding intrigued despite herself. He glanced over at her, smirking slightly. “Well, we can’t really expect our students to know how to fight fires properly, can we? Especially ones of unknown origin.” She nodded. “No, I suppose not.” He paused, considering his words carefully before continuing. “Also, we do tend to spend quite a bit of time studying chemical substances. That could pose a problem if we’ve gotten ourselves stuck inside one.” She frowned, glancing down at him. “Doing drugs, huh? You sure know how to break the ice.” He raised an eyebrow, c*****g it to the side. “That was a joke, dear. Nothing serious.” She looked back up at him and smiled. “Right. Of course. Sorry.” “Don’t worry. It was pretty funny.” “I mean, it wasn’t really a pun.” “But it was funny nonetheless.” He pointed out. She shrugged indifferently. “Well, I don’t know. Most jokes aren’t funny until people laugh.” He grinned at her, raising an amused brow. “Well, you must have seen lots of comedy before.” “Well, yeah. A lot of my favorite comedies are about girls who fall in love in secret, or get caught by parents. Or guys who get into trouble and end up in jail.” “And you watch those because…?” “Because of the humor.” She replied simply. She tilted her head and gave him a curious look. “Why do you ask?” “Because I think you might enjoy watching those shows.” “Oh, well, thanks for saying that, Jacob. I hope I haven’t made you uncomfortable.” “Not at all.” He reassured her. “Good.” She smiled. “Now come on, let’s hurry and find out what happened. I’d hate to miss out on seeing a fire!” She grabbed his hand and tugged him along behind her. He felt a tingle race down his spine when she touched him. Even through his expensive designer suit and soft leather shoes, he felt the heat from her small hand searing his skin, branding him forevermore. **** As soon as they reached the main lobby, people were streaming out the front door, fleeing for safety. There were fire trucks parked at the curb. Jacob walked through the crowd slowly. He spotted a group of women gathered together in the corner of the hotel lobby. One of the ladies was pointing excitedly, talking loudly. “Oh my god! Look! Someone threw a fire extinguisher in someone else’s direction!” Ava rushed forward. “Who threw the fire extinguisher? Did anyone see who threw it?” “No, they moved too fast. No one saw who threw it.” A woman with short, curly blonde hair replied. “Did anyone see what happened?” Ava continued asking questions relentlessly. “Nope, the person ran away when the fire alarm went off.” Another woman added. Ava sighed, running a frustrated hand through her hair. “I hope everything is alright.” “It’ll be fine.” The blonde lady assured. “This hotel is one of the safest in New York City.” “Still, a little help wouldn’t hurt.” She muttered. The blonde lady smiled kindly. “Don’t worry. We will find the culprit. We always do.” Ava glanced back at Jacob. “Are you ready to go?” “Yup.” He replied simply. He gently tugged her hand and led her to where the fire trucks were parked. His grip around her hand tightened ever so slightly when the smell of smoke filled the air. The fire alarms were blasting, creating a deafening background noise for them to hear each other. The crowd of people parted as they entered the parking lot, letting them walk straight ahead and away from the crowds. The crowd dispersed gradually, only making way for the two of them. They walked past the fire trucks, towards a black SUV waiting for them on the other side of the road. They got in the car, taking their seats as they waited for another car to pull up. A man in a blue shirt hopped into the driver’s seat. He started driving quickly, pulling away from the curb almost immediately. “Damon.” “Yes, Jacob.” “You made it just in time.” “I guess you can call me your lifesaver now.”