“Shit, sorry,” James apologized, keeping eyes forward as he spoke, “Now tell me more about this exhibit.” Unable to keep excitement and urgency out of his voice, his request came out like an order.
Ash gave James a concerned look but carried on. “Well… it’s primarily centered around Babylonian art and masonry. That’s what I focused my studies on, if you recall. Really fascinating stuff, and we still know so little. But I guess the museum thought I was best suited to supervise the construction of the new exhibit here.” James could tell his sister was proud of herself, and he was proud of her; this was clearly a big opportunity for her. But he couldn’t help but hang on the details. Babylonian art and masonry…
“So you’re sort of an expert on this stuff?” James asked.
“Not ‘sort of,’ little bro. I am an expert. Didn’t get the degree for fun. Well, I did, but-” Ash carried on talking about school and work at the museum, about the challenges in excavating and documenting blah blah blah… James had tuned out most of it; an idea was forming in his brain.
“Cool, cool,” James interrupted, “You’ll have to tell me all about that later.”
“Well, okay,” said Ashley, “But only if you tell me about your swanky new job, deal?” James nodded in agreement.
Ten minutes later, James pulled up under the awning of the biggest, nicest hotel in the city.
“Uh, James. Tell me we’re just here getting directions…” said Ashley.
“Nope, sorry Ash. Welcome to home for the next two weeks.” James smiled at his sister, who looked up at him with concern.
“James… there’s no way I can afford this place.”
James shook his head, “I’ve got it covered.”
Ashley’s brown eyes were wide. “You sure about this, little bro? This place can’t be cheap…”
“Don’t worry about it. Besides, I figured you’d prefer this to crashing on my couch.” Ash made a face and the two laughed.
“Alright, but now I really do owe you.”
While they’d been talking, two employees of the hotel had come over. One, a tall, middle-aged man with a goatee welcomed them to the hotel and asked if they had a reservation. James replied an affirmative and the second man, a valet, came around the other side of the car with a ticket for James.
He got out of the car, opened up the hood, and pulled out Ashley’s suitcase while the hotel representative, whose nametag read “Bernard,” opened the passenger door for his sister.
“Are you coming in?” she asked James, “I figured you’d just want to drop me off and get me out of your hair.” She was mostly joking, but she wouldn’t complain if James wanted to stick around a little longer.
“I thought I’d come up and see the closet they stick you in,” James teased. “Besides, it’s still the weekend. We’ve both got time to kill, right?” Ash smiled and nodded. She hadn’t been sure what to expect from her brother when she visited, but she was happy that they could be friends… “And maybe more,” a dark voice whispered in the back of her head.
“Don’t worry, Miss,” Bernard said to Ashley as the valet pulled away from the curb, “I guarantee your ‘closet’ will be to your liking.”
After an expedited check-in and a trip up the elevator to the top floor, Bernard led the two siblings down the hall to the corner suite, one of the biggest in the hotel. When Bernard swung open the doors for them, Ashley gasped audibly. James was impressed too, and happy to see the cost of this place was worth it. Bernard offered to give them a quick tour, and they accepted. Ashley grabbed James’ hand and walked with him as they were led through the suite. James’ wasn’t sure if she was even aware she was holding his hand, but he didn’t resist.
The suite was beyond opulent; it looked like an entire mansion had been compressed into just a few rooms. The entryway opened into a tall-ceilinged living room containing a luxurious, sectional leather couch and several comfortable-looking armchairs. A large Persian-style rug sprawled out over the marble floor and covered much of the surface of the living room. Opposite the seating arrangement was a gargantuan TV mounted on the wall. The rest of the walls were decorated with paintings from renowned modern artists. Ash was like a kid in a candy shop, oohing and aahing at every decoration. The occasional tall window provided a view of the entire city beneath them, and multiple balconies were accessible from the living room.
“Look, James! There’s the museum; it’s only a couple blocks away!” Ash said excitedly, smiling at her brother. “Did you know it was this close when you chose this hotel?”
“Pfft,” he responded, “Of course I did.” He didn’t.
Next to the living room was the kitchen and dining room. White granite countertops and new appliances made apparent just how much money had been put into the room. A glass dining table set with mahogany chairs sat under a small chandelier.
“This place is beautiful, Bernard, thank you for showing us around.” Ashley said.
“It’s my pleasure, Mrs. Marshall,” Bernard responded warmly. Ashley cocked an eyebrow and cast a sidelong glance at James, who met her gaze and stifled a laugh. “Lastly,” continued Bernard as he led them to the other end of the suite and opened a door, “is the bedroom.”
The large, carpeted room contained a king-size bed and another massive TV. There was also a small wooden desk for a workspace, a small couch, and a leather recliner. The far wall of the room was a large window that slid open to another balcony. The bedroom connected to a master bathroom, complete with all the amenities, including a big bathtub with jets. James could see Ash eyeing the tub greedily.
“I’ll leave you two to your privacy,” spoke Bernard. He left Ashley’s suitcase in the bedroom and made his way back to the door. James followed. He didn’t have much cash on him, but he gave $20 to the man and thanked him for his help before closing the door to the suite. When James turned back around, Ashley was there.
“Did he think we were…?” she asked, an amused look on her face.
“Yeah, I think so.” James answered, entertained as well that they’d been mistaken for a couple twice in one day.
Ashley laughed and stepped forward to hug her brother. She buried her face in his chest to hide her reddening cheeks and spoke, “Thanks again for putting me up in this fancy place.” James put his strong arms around his sister and hugged her back. “And for buying lunch,” she continued. James’ embrace was so warm, so safe. God, it felt so good to be wrapped up in him. “And for picking me up from the airport.” He smelled so nice, so masculine. His scent pervaded her senses and worked its magic on her body. Ashley realized she had been rubbing James’ broad back absent-mindedly. “I really do owe you…” she finished, now looking up at her younger brother. She could feel the heat in her face – and between her legs. She could hear her heartbeat – as well as James’.
James too was experiencing sensory overload. He met Ashley’s eyes, deep brown pools that reflected his own. He listened to her breathing, in sync with his own. He watched her lips part ever-so-slightly.