5:00p.m. James & Clarkson Partnership Manhattan, New York.
Richard looks forward to tomorrow’s business trip to London. His excitement made him personally organise the hotel reservations, for him and his business partner, rather than have his personal assistant do it. He has not been to London for several years. The city and its vibrancy excite him. The last time he recalls was shortly after his divorce, when he went through his celebrational ‘I’m free and single’ phase. At thirty-nine he is happily divorced, and doesn’t intend on exploring if he can get marriage right a second time. His ex-wife was a handful to say the least. She spent his money faster than it came in, to his surprise the vow of faithfulness was not high on her list of priorities either. Richard has always deep down been a one-woman man, prior to his experience with his ex-wife, he’d look by all means but never touch. Divorce changed him and his willingness to commit, in fear that he’d be taken for a fool again. Three years have passed since he received his divorce papers from his lawyer, women have come and gone. He has moved forward from his ex-wife emotionally; however, he remains hesitant to trust anyone with his heart or fully commit. Yet he longs for companionship, of late it has felt like a constant catch twenty-two battle, between his logical headstrong attitude and his real wants and desires.
While marriage is off the cards, if he is honest with himself, he would not turn down the chance to spend time with a woman who not only pleases him between the sheets, but also has half a brain. In New York while there is no shortage of beautiful looking women ready and willing to please him, the deeper level of connection just has not happened. For now, he put dating –serious dating to one side. He plays the field as and when he feels fit, or lust takes over him.
The last memory he has of London he and fellow shareholder in James and Clarkson Partnership, Dan James, along with a few mutual friends hopped on a flight across the Atlantic to ‘The Big Smoke’ three years ago. The diverse people, the narrow, busy pavements of central London, and most importantly the women are all vivid in his mind. To Richard, there is something alluring about British women, they ooze class, intelligence and style. More than what his ex-wife oozed. Why he had been so blind to marry her is still a mystery to him.
“Excuse me sir, sorry to bother you Mr. James is here to see you.” Richard spins around from the coffee machine to Nina, his personal assistant. Nina is stunning and of Mexican descent. Her mocha skin, delicate features, curvy figure and chestnut brown shoulder length hair, send all the right signals to his lower region. He has a hunch Nina has a ‘thing’ for him, it’s written all over her face. Every time she comes into his office the look she gives him makes it clear. As he watches her just as closely from across his office, he never fails to notice the extra sway in her hips or undone button at the top of her blouse each morning.
He thought about starting something with her, dinner, a movie, nothing fancy. Dan James his partner warned him off. ‘Don’t fuck with the help.’ Has been his motto for years, he learned his lesson when they were young and just starting out in business. Richard had to manage a female employee who wanted more from him, right after he bent her over his desk and had his way with her.
Richard sighs with lust as his gaze washes over Nina, in a black pant suit with a sharp white fitted shirt tucked in. The curve of her ample breasts strain against the buttons. As she plays with a string of pearls around her neck, his eyes focus on her chest. Richard shakes his head and clears his throat, somehow hoping it would remove his ex-rated thoughts from his mind.
“Sure Nina, send him in.”
“Will do.”
Nina turns on her high heels and sashays out of the room. On cue the extra sway in her hips returns. Richard’s core lights up as he watches through the glass partition how inviting her behind looks, as she moves across the open plan office outside his own. There she goes again, what a prick tease.
About The Book
The Red Room is book one of the Romance In The City novella series, of steamy and romantic standalone short stories.
Rita Lane lives a double life in her day job she’s a receptionist at the prestigious London Park Hotel. By night her adventures begin. As a thirty something year old woman she is content with her single status. Richard Clarkson a New York based guest at the Park Hotel has firmly closed the door to romance, after a rocky marriage. As soon as Rita checks Richard into the hotel as a guest the sparks and electricity between the two begin.
After hours, the day before Valentine’s Day , their paths cross in an unexpected way. Rita and Richard’s desire for each other is on maximum …. will they cross the line to become more than just friends? The Red Room is a steamy short story set in London with diverse characters that will leave you wanting more.
Release date 23rd December 2017 available now on presale on Amazon.
Now it all feels even more real, to see my latest works in paperback, not just on Amazon in e-book. To feel it physically in my hand makes my heart race!
Author, Kim Knight 