The Business Trip

CHAPTER 7 - First Date (II)

CHAPTER 7 

The car stayed silent for a while as we passed slowly through Detroit's streets. The night sky was navy blue and bright city lights flashed across. I'd been staying here for a week now and I still didn't like it too much. I sat up straight in the leather seat, awkwardly adjusting my skinny jeans and my T-shirt. Marshall looked over at me occasionally, my eyes pretended to be distracted from his gaze. I toyed sexily with my lower lip and smirked when I knew he was looking, teasing him.

"Uh, Athena, you hungry?", Marshall spoke up after a while.

"Um, yeah, a little, why? Are you? ", I responded truthfully.

"I'm pretty hungry. I was thinking, do you want to go for dinner somewhere?, I could take you out or something, it's not too late"

Oh no! I was so under-dressed. Why now? I sighed and Marshall turned his head towards me waiting for a response.

"I feel a little casual Marshall, I'm not dressed for dinner really, Why don't we just order in room service or something?", I gulped, feeling bad at refusing his offer.

"You look, nice. You don't need to dress up. But if you'd prefer staying in the room, then, that's okay with me", his eyebrows rose suggestively.

"Thank you Marshall. Are you sure your okay with that? I'm sorry, may be another time", I apologized.

"Yeah, it's totally fine". He placed his right hand onto my left thigh and squeezed softly to reassure me. I placed my hand over his and it remained there until we pulled up outside the hotel.

We entered my suite at around eight thirty and I proceeded to remove my sneakers and cardigan. Marshall copied and removed his leather jacket, his arm and neck muscles seizing as he pulled it off.

"I'm going to the bathroom, can you order Marshall?", I said, walking swiftly towards the washroom.

"What shall I get?", he questioned.

"Anything! I don't mind. Something light?", I said loudly, the door muffling my reply.

I re-entered the room to find Marshall sat on the foot of the bed, his brows were knotted and he was typing away on the keyboard of his phone.

"Is Caesar Salad with grilled chicken okay?", Marshall enquired, his eyes still fixed onto the phone.

"Mmm. Sounds delicious", I allowed the words to roll off my tongue sensually and licked my lips.

I kneeled down beside the small fridge, pulled a bottle of champagne out and proceeded to fill up two flutes skilfully holding each glass between my fingers. Walking over to the bed, I seated myself next to Marshall, he looked confused as I handed him the flute.

"Uh, I don't drink, I'm sober", He whispered, putting his hand down his shirt and retrieving a delicate diamond encrusted sobriety necklace.

"Oh, why? You don't mind me drinking?", I whispered back.

"No, enjoy yourself. I got crazy with my addiction and almost died. Not to make this too tense of a moment", His eyes looked downcast, but he laughed it off.

"Oh my goodness, I don't know what to say. What about your kids, you have three right? What are their names?", I sipped my drink.

"Yeah, they aren't all my kids though. Hailie is, Alaina is my niece and Whitney is my sort of, step-daughter. I just took them both in when there was no-one else. I'm their Dad now", He explained.

Placing my hand over his, he looked up at me. I gazed back sympathetically and leaned forward to kiss him lightly on the cheek. The mood lightened and we talked for a while until there was a knock on the door.