Page 18 of Lordes

Her words charmed me. There was a hint of sarcasm that was clever and rebellious. She wasn’t afraid to be herself. She was nervous around me. Her poise probably came from time as a lawyer.

“I have a secret for you.”

“I love secrets. Let me guess. You are really a superhero and you want me to know your secret identity.” The alcohol was making her loosen up.

“No, that’s not it. You only got two more guesses. Make this a good one.”

“Let’s see.” She played with the rim of her wine glass. “You are a secret spy for the C.I.A. and you are here on this date with me as your cover, but you are really here to surveil the man at the table over there.” She inconspicuously tilted her head to the left. “That guy is a KGB agent here to plan a covert operation to infiltrate the American F.B.I.”

“My secret is I don’t want this date to end. Do you work tomorrow?”

“No, I have the day off.”

“Good, it’s Saturday. Maybe we can do something tomorrow morning. Breakfast at Navy Pier.”

“I don’t know.”

“I can get a hotel, somewhere nearby, two separate rooms.”

“You don’t have to do that. I can go home and we can still do something tomorrow.” She offered an alternative that I had no interest in.

“I want to get us a few rooms. Why travel? You’ve been drinking. I would feel safer with you staying in a hotel near here then having some random Uber driver take you home. You should be completely sober getting into a strangers vehicle.”

“I appreciate the concern but I don’t have any fresh clothes for breakfast. I’m a dress.”

“We can go to the closest Target and grab whatever we need.”

“I don’t know.”

Something was off. “Tell me, what worries you? I want to put your mind at ease. There are hotels in walking distance.”

“Everything is sudden.” She said.

“I’m having a good time with you and I don’t want it to end.”

“But Lord, you don’t have to spend all this money on a hotel and separate rooms. I can go home and we can just see each other again.”

“That’s true. You could go home. Money shouldn’t be the reason. Money doesn’t matter to me. Money isn’t and never will be an issue for me and possibly not an issue for five generations in the future if I have children. If you think I’m coming on too strong just tell me to back off.”

“I don’t think that you’re coming on too strong.”

“I’m glad you feel that way. Take a chance on a stranger. No funny business. Pick any hotel. We can walk over or take an Uber and of course separate rooms.”

Bria sat silently mulling over all the things I’d thrown at her. I didn’t know how to convince her I wasn’t a serial killer. I didn’t hurt woman.

“What about the hotel a few blocks from here?” Her voice lured me forward.

“By the Riverwalk?”

“Yes, the one by the Riverwalk.”

“The Hyatt Regency, that’s perfect.” I waved my hand up to signal the waiter.

After paying the check. I summoned an Uber. It was warm in the evening this time of year but she was in heels and city blocks were long.

“The Uber is here to take us to the Hyatt.”

She smiled and I hoped it wasn’t a nervous one. I didn’t mean her any harm. I stood and waited for her to do the same. I took her hand and led the way out the entrance to East Wacker Drive.

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