Also, why would they order us back to our rooms?
I hope it’s nothing too serious.
After telling myself its’ not big deal, I feel a little better, and I sit up and kick off my shoes. I wonder what Mary is doing? I think I should check on her after I make my phone calls.
It sounds quiet on the other side of the wall, so maybe she’s napping or reading. I picture her stretched out in her bikini, lying on her bed.
I have to shake my head and focus. There will be plenty of time for fantasies later, I remind myself. That’s all I can do for now I guess, since my plans with her were ruined. That really bums me out. I seriously wasn’t expecting that to happen.
I decide to get a drink from the bar in the hotel lobby before going to use the phone. I need it.
Chapter 7
Randall
When I’m back on the bed in my suite, I try calling the front desk, the concierge service, the trip planner I used to book our travel, but no one picks up. I feel dazed and confused, distracted by Mary.
I really need to figure those feelings out, but now is not the time. There is too much going on. It’s like the whole building is in a panic, which is crazy.
I pull out my phone and scroll through the day’s headlines, wondering if there’s anything in the news that will clue me in to what’s going on. I see something that catches my attention.
I’m about to click on the article when a rushing sound between the walls distracts me. It sounds like Mary is taking a shower. I start to imagine her naked. She’s getting herself all wet and soapy. I would love to see that.
I groan softly and turn my attention back to the news. I need to know what’s going on. I sip my drink and open the article.
After I read through it, I think this must be some kind of a joke or something. I click through other news headlines and read them as well, but they all say the same thing.
How could this be happening? I flick on the TV, but every station is just repeating what I already know.
I set my drink down and take a deep breath. All the stories are about a government-mandated quarantine because of an outbreak of a virus. Well, now I know for sure what’s going on. No wonder everyone was panicking earlier, and was so upset.
I quickly check social media, and it’s all that anyone is talking about. Which is understandable; a pandemic is something that could affect the entire world. This is certainly going to change our plans here in a very big way.
I need to tell Mary right away, because I don’t think she has seen anything about it yet, so I yell out for her. I pound on the wall that separates our rooms from the bathroom in between our rooms. We need to talk about what we are going to do. I can’t hear the water anymore, so maybe she’s finished her shower already.
I look up from my phone when I hear her feet come running in. I’m prepared to tell her about everything, but her state takes me by surprise.
“What’s the matter?” she asks, breathless, her eyes wide with alarm and concern.
She’s soaking wet, obviously having run out of the shower as soon as she heard me pounding and yelling, and she is trying to wrap the towel around herself. She fastens it around her chest, then tries to pull it down to make sure everything is covered. She pulls a little too hard.
When she does, the towel slides right off and lands on the floor. This happens in a matter of seconds. She stares at the towel, frozen in shock. I can’t speak. I’m mesmerized by her naked, glistening body.
“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. I thought there was an emergency, so I hurried out of the shower…” she stammers, trying to explain.
She reaches for the towel. Her face is bright red with embarrassment.
I hold out a hand and tell her, “No, stop apologizing. It’s fine. It’s more than fine, to be honest. Your beautiful body is a calm and welcoming sight after what I just found out.”
The words are out of my mouth before I can catch myself. I don’t regret saying them, though. She’s still frozen as she looks at me.
“Um… what’s wrong?” she asks, after a few silent beats.
She keeps glancing from me to the towel and back. She’s clearly unsure of what to do.
“Keep the towel off and I’ll tell you,” I say to her.
“Okay…” she says, looking at me with anxious eyes.
I tell her everything I read about the quarantine and the virus, trying not to let her gorgeous body distract me, but that’s quite a task. I keep my eyes focused on her face, which looks distressed.