The Dry Cleaner

Chapter 18

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She twisted and turned and tried to sleep for two hours but it was impossible. She couldn't sleep at all. No matter how hard she tried.
With a heavy sigh, she rose for the bed and switched on the lights. She got into a pair of jeans and a baggy shirt and tied her hair into a messy ponytail not caring how she looked, she made her way out of the room and down the elevator.

The hotel wasn't as crowded as it was during the day. I mean obviously why would it be crowded at eleven in the night. She walked into the hotel's bar and sat on the high stool and called the bar tender.

"Good evening what may I get for you?" asked the young bar tender with a heavy French accent.

"One glass of whisky please." She said as she smiled sweetly at him.

A few minutes later, he returned with the drink. She thanked him and he left. She pulled out her phone and tried to see if she had gotten any missed calls or texts and she did.

It was from Joanna but she decided that she would call back the following day. She returned the phone back to her pocket and took the first sip of the throat burning liquor.

A few more sips later, she felt someone sit beside her. Out of curiosity, she turned to look at who it was. Off course it was none other that Malcolm. He was in dark jeans and a figure hugging shirt. She quickly finished her drink and jumped out of her stool when she felt his warm hand around hers.

"Oh come on Keyna, have a seat. You don't have to leave just because I'm here. Let me not ruin your night."

"Well its already ruined." she said pulling her hand away from his.

"Why is that?"asked Malcolm.

"Because of you,"she said flatly.

"Oh come on. Don't be like that. Please sit. Drink. I won't disturb you,"he lied.

She sighed.She did want to have one more glass of whisky so reluctantly she sat down on the stool next to him. They both ordered their drinks and silenced enveloped them as they drank a few sips avoiding each others glares.

"You couldn't sleep could you?" he asked as he turned to look at the caramel goddess.

"Not at all. I don't know why," she said.

"Me too. "

"Interesting," she said as she took the last sip of the strong whisky.

"Have another glass," he said as she caught her staring at the empty glass.

"I cant. I need to go,"

"Oh come on. Go and do what? You can't sleep so just stay here? Please have another drink," he pleaded which was quite unusual for him.

"I really can't drink anymore and why are you pleading me. I thought you never have to plead anyone to get what you want.," she said meeting his enticing brown eyes.

"Why is that? And I'm not pleading I'm just speaking" he inquired.

"Because I'm a lightweight drinker okay. I get tipsy very easily." she said

"Just one glass. Come on."

She sighed into submission.She mentally promised herself that she wouldn't have more then two glasses but she didn't keep it. Five glasses later she was laughing her head out with the stranger that Malcolm had dared her to talk to prove that she wasn't the coward that he claimed she was. He was well built with a beautiful jawline and piercing dark blue eyes that took in her every detail with pleasure. He had a strong french accent and at times they would break off from English and start talking in French.

"Excuse my friend here. She's had one too many drinks. I'll just take her to her room now," said Malcolm as he got her to her feet.

"Let me help," said the French man who's name was Lucien.

"No man. I can handle this on my own." said Malcolm as he pulled her away from Lucien.  She dreaded the fact that that man was even interested in Keyna. No he wasn't jealous or so he thought, he just didn't like seeing her laugh with him and smile that beautiful smile of hers to him.

She mumbled under her breath and laughed on her own as he walked her to the elevator, her arm around his shoulder, his arm around her waist. He pressed the button for the twentieth floor and with no time they had arrived. He walked her to the door of room where he had to pill the key out from her back pocket and his fingers got slightly excited with the contact with that part of her body. 

He opened the room and turned the lights on before placing her gently on her bed. He said his goodnight before she heard her call his name. She turned around and met her innocent face and even on this state she looked beautiful to him even though he would never admit it. "What do you want Keyna?" he asked in a soft tone getting closer to her bed.

"Please stay for a bit."

"Why?"

"Because I can't sleep. I need someone to talk to."

"You've not even tried to sleep and you're drunk you need to rest." he said to her.

"Please," she pleaded as she met his eyes and held his gaze.

He found himself sited on the couch. Two hours later, they were still talking laughing and awkwardly enjoying each others company.

"No way!" exclaimed Keyna form where she was seated on the head rest of the bed.

"Yes way. It was the worst experience of my life. Most embarrassing day of my life," he said as she laughed at the story she had told him about how he wet himself in school when he was in sixth grade.

"Tell me something else," she said as she let out a long yawn.

"You're sleepy you need to rest."

"Just the last one please. After that I promise you that I'll sleep," she said as she smiled at him.

Her smile was most certainly his weakness

"Fine. You know I still remember the first time I saw you smile."he said.

"You do?" she asked curiously.

He nodded. " It was about five years ago. You were new there.I guess it was still your first week. You had on black jeans and white sneakers and your work shirt. You still had long hair and it was held by pins at the back of your head. I walked in and came to you and you smiled at me. A rally wide smile .I mean you are supposed to smile at every customer but the smile you gave me made me happy, I felt like it had a lot of meaning. But then again I must have been confused or hallucinating. Maybe I was seeing emotions that simply weren't there. But you had me smitten by just a smile. One smile. One beautiful smile," he said as he looked at the ground.

He heard light snoring and realized that she must have fallen asleep while he was talking. He looked at her sleeping so quietly and beautifully. He covered her before leaving the room and cursing himself for thinking that she was beautiful and openly admitting it. He didn't want to have  feelings of attraction towards especially someone who didn't respect him the way he demanded to be respected. He needed to take his anger out on something and so he found himself with a stranger in his bed.

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