I Can't Remember To Hate U

CHAPTER 27

The Palazzo Hotel in Lisbon was, serenely busy around the time we arrived. I recognized familiar faces, the kind who show up in the "style" section of the New York Times as well as in the political and business pages.
A young woman was at the desk. Oren asked for a room, and she said, "Oh, is the reservation under the name of Mr. Tremblay?" Oren confirmed. "Please wait a moment." She hurriedly left her seat. She returned with a man who was roughly the same age as her. He looked shorter than me by a couple of inches, and his complexion was ruddy, as though he spent a lot of time outdoors. "This is Anthony. He'll be escorting you to your room."

I wondered why Oren hadn't told me that we were going straight to the hotel without changing. Maybe he thought I would have backed out. Wrong, Oren, I thought. I can't wait to get a chance to learn something about my mother, especially from Thomas Tremblay. But I needed to control my anger. I intended to be all ears and have little to say.
So this is what money can do, I thought as Oren and I followed the escort down the marble corridor to our room. We reached our room in less than five minutes. It was a pretty room, but this time there were no separate bedrooms. The bed was relatively large and the room was quite spacious with a large square table in the center that is beautifully surrounded with miniature trees that symbolize the season.

   The escort left me with Oren, and I followed him across the room to the table. I could see that there was something troubling him. Was it the questions I was asked earlier, or was it his father's presence? "Everything you'll need has already been prepared for you. Even the dress you chose to wear," he explained to me as he pulled out a chair for himself. I was glad that everything was brought to me. It spared me the necessity of going through the motions of fixing myself up.
I took a seat next to him, placed my hand on top of his and gently asked, "Are you alright?" He smiled, caressed my cheek and replied, " I should be the one asking you that. Are you okay with all this?"
"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." I smiled back.
"That's my girl." He held me into his arms.

We had to cut our little moment short because the clock was ticking. Oren allowed me to shower first and as soon as I was done, he went in. I noticed that he was taking a generous amount of time in the shower so I also took my time with getting ready. I don't usually do my makeup but when I do, I aim for perfection. I chose to go with a soft-glam look and a bright red lipstick to match my dress. When I heard the bathroom door open, I panicked. I didn't want him to see me, not yet, I thought.
    Before I could hide from him, he walked in on me in the dressing room. We looked at each other for a while then he said, "I want to fuck you in that dress." My heart couldn't stop beating fast and all I did was tick my lips nervously. He continued to stare at me so I became increasingly nervous.
"I'll let you change now." I said as I walked out of the room.

As soon as I was out, I let out a strong sigh of relief and placed my hand on my chest. I was being shaken by his every gesture and word that I forgot what happened last time. I was forgiving him way too easily and I didn't like that.
About twenty five minutes later, he came out. My God he is handsome, I thought. His dark-gray suit with almost indiscernible narrow stripes looked like an Armani. The soft-red-gray figured tie on a crisp white shirt completed the picture. I bet several women will be looking at him tonight, I thought.