AllFreeNovel
Share Us
After a long run, I was finally back at the hotel. I kicked off my shoes and stripped off my clothes as I ran for the shower. The water cascaded down my body. I was sore already.
Once dressed, I sat down at my laptop to answer some emails, but it was interrupted by a knock.
"Housekeeping."
I recognized the voice on the other side of the door as the same friendly housekeeper from yesterday. A smile spread across my face as I greeted her again.
"Oh, hello," I said with the door open just enough for me to peek out.
"Do you need anything today?" she asked.
She stood in the doorway, her eyes glancing away from mine. Her fingers trembled slightly as they toyed with the towels in her hand. "Come in," I said, trying to sound as friendly as possible. "I'll have to look around to see what I need. Having a rough day?"
"My day's going quite well. Fixing to head home after this. Oh, and I'm Ella, "she said softly with an endearing smile.
Her voice was soft and she finally looked up at me . I could tell she felt self-conscious and uncomfortable being caught in the gaze of another. Surely someone with such beautiful features shouldn't feel the need to hide them.
"Ella, what a beautiful name," I said with a pleasant smile. She remained expressionless.
"How is it being the CEO?" Her eyes lit up ever so slightly, and I took that as a sign of encouragement.
The money was good but the travel was lonely. I was always on the go, from bustling airports to tiny city hideouts, with little time for family and no time for a relationship. "It's relentless," I said, "From minute to minute I never know if I'm in an office or on a plane or even in a different country. And the work hours - twelve to fourteen hours a day, pretty much every day."
“Well, it doesn’t look like I need anything replenished. I only have a little bit of trash so no need to waste a trash bag just yet.”
“Okay, sir. I should make your bed at least,” she said as she headed to my bed.
“Nonsense. I can make my own bed. You go ahead and enjoy the rest of your day.”
I needed to do it now. I fumbled with my words, and couldn't think of what to say. Do it!
“Have a good night,” she replied.
Loneliness had become a part of my daily life. I had grown tired of meeting the same type of person, and the monotony of my past relationships had taken its toll on me. I was lonely, searching for something more, something real. I had become accustomed to women only wanting me for my money, but when I saw her something stood out. I hadn't found anyone who really sparked my interest until Ella. She was unlike anyone else. There was no artifice or false flattery. Instead, her genuine curiosity for getting to know me made me eager to learn more about her.
I dialed Shawn's number, my heart pounding in my chest. He was the only one who understood me.
"Hey, man, you remember me telling you about that girl I knocked over?" I could almost hear his smile through the phone.
He was more than a friend - he was my confidant. Every time I was away from home, stuck in some new city, he was back at home holding down the fort. His courage and adventurous nature was contagious.
“Yeah, what about her?” Shawn asked.
“I’m going to ask her out. But I haven’t had the chance yet,” I said.
“You haven’t asked a woman out in a long time. Are you sure you’re ready to go through all of that again? I know I’m encouraging you, but don’t do it if you don’t want to. No pressure.”
“Yes, there’s something different about her. She didn’t try to come on to me once she knew that I was rich. She almost seemed put off by it.”
“Go big, man. Women love jewelry and flowers. You can never go wrong with that,” he said, then rushed off the phone to go to a meeting.
He was right, something nice for her.
Chapter Three
ELLA
My calf muscles burned an ached from the hours of crouching the previous day, so I welcomed the light workload today. I stared at the paper clutched in my hand - his name stood out like a beacon. What was it about his room that kept me coming back? I considered skipping his room, but I didn't want to be reprimanded for not doing my job. Taking a deep breath, I prayed he didn't answer in a towel again and knocked on his door. "Housekeeping," I called out, voice trembling.
