"So, what’s the first course of this gossip marathon?" she challenged. "Kelsey? The BDSM club? Vanessa? Or the Donaldsituation?" She gestured toward my wine glass. "Actually, don't start yet. I’m going to need a stiff drink to digest all of this."
We dove into it, and soon I lost all track of time. We ordered room service and ended up having a late lunch spread out in the bedroom. Now, we were like a couple of teenagers again, sprawled out on the carpet with our feet kicked up against the side of the bed.
She let out a loud cackle when I told her about the weighted seed whip and Kelsey’s analogy about buying a Ducati before knowing how to ride. Then, the conversation turned to Donald.
"Honestly, Megan," Sarki remarked, shaking her head, "that man is getting more flamboyant by the hour. At this point, the only people who don't realize he's gay are the ones who are actively looking the other way."
"He was wearing YSL shoes, Megs! Or so Elisa told me, anyway," Sarki laughed. "She said they cost a fortune. Personally, I’ll stick to my sneakers."
"And the dress shoes your wife buys you," I countered with a grin, "because if it were up to you, you’d wear running shoes to a federal inauguration." I let out a long sigh, one hand resting on my stomach; my muscles actually ached from laughing so hard. "Anyway, I booked a table at the Plaza for dinner tomorrow. It felt like the right move. I invited Vanessa, too."
"Are you planning on sleeping with her? Because that would be a hell of a Christmas present," Sarki teased, cutting straight to the point. She propped herself up on an elbow to look at me properly. "Wait... look at your face. What are you actually afraid of?"
"Of it being bad," I admitted softly. "My last encounter was so incredible that I’m terrified the next one will just be... a letdown."
Sarki let out a loud cackle and whipped a throw pillow at my head. "What?!" I yelped, batting it away.
"What a ridiculous thing to fear! Just go in there and do what you know how to do. And if it’s a bust? You move on to the next one," she advised with a shrug.
I nodded, staring up at the ceiling as the silence settled in. We both realized it was much later than we’d thought.
"I have to head out," Sarki said, pushing herself up off the carpet. "I need to check if Elisa needs anything. We’ve got the whole day off tomorrow, then dinner at the Plaza, right? I think Elisa’s going to want to see the Rockefeller tree."
"Take her. And then go have some champagne at the top of the Empire State Building," I suggested. "Do something romantic for your wife, for God's sake."
I got a playful slap on the arm for that one. "I’m not even going to dignify that with an argument. See you tomorrow." She kissed me on the forehead and waved me off as she headed for the door.
I stayed there on the floor for a while, feeling the last of the wine tingling in my fingertips. I fired off a few texts to Vanessa to confirm the times and received a video in return. It was taken on the hotel terrace; she was at a table buried in paperwork, surrounded by people who looked equally exhausted.
Vanessa Brown:"I considered coming down for a glass of wine, but I’m going to be stuck with these leeches until my brain melts. Wish me luck."
I smiled at the gesture and wished her a good night. After a long, steaming shower, I collapsed onto the bed. I took a quick photo of myself curled up against the sheets, the light catching the necklace Kelsey had sent. It was a discreet, elegant 'K' in white gold.
I didn't wait for a reply. Before I could even check my notifications, I drifted off into the arms of Morpheus.
???
The clock struck 8:00 p.m. just as my phone hummed with a video call. I was struggling to fix my hair; it had been a while since my last touch-up, and the cool blonde was starting to fade, allowing the warm red tones to peek through. When I saw Kelsey’s name on the screen, I answered with an immediate smile.
"Are you actually working on Christmas Eve?" I asked, watching her shrug nonchalantly. "Are you spending the holiday alone?"
She raised her whiskey glass in a silent toast."Do you really want to know? I wouldn't want to make you jealous, Megs."
"I'm not jealous of what I already know," I countered. And remarkably, I wasn't.
"I have to attend a dinner party with some acquaintances here,"she explained, taking a sip while simultaneously signing a stack of documents.
"And do you have... regular company when you visit Amsterdam?" I asked, trying to sound casual.
"No. I’m not in the habit of maintaining 'relationships.' But you... you make me want more,"she murmured, her gaze intensifying as she raised an eyebrow. "I think I might be addicted to you. To all of you."
"You've only had a taste once," I reminded her with a sly smile.
Kelsey shook her head, laughing softly."See? I can talk about anything, even get a little dirty, and you still manage to carry yourself like you have a noble title."She bit her lip, but the moment was broken by the sharp ring of my doorbell.
"They're here," I whispered, mentally cursing the timing. "Have fun tonight, Kels. Enjoy your Christmas."
"Goodnight, Kitty."
