A Dangerous Affair

Stephanie waited for a couple of minutes, contemplating her course of action, and then she rushed out of the door to the reception area to question the receptionists further. When she got there however she wasn’t entirely surprised to find that Tom had already beaten her to it and was in conversation with the dark haired lady. She eyed Tom as she approached the desk and addressed Mr Harvey instead. Tom’s eyes flitted momentarily to Stephanie as he continued his conversation.

“Sorry to bother you,” she began, hoping that her politeness would make the man more inclined to give her the information she sought, “we would really like to sort out this matter with the necklace and I saw my colleague over there hand the necklace to a blonde haired woman so I was just wondering if you can think of any point this evening when the desk might have been left by both of you, even for a short time.”

“I’m sorry Madam but I am not able to discuss this matter with you at this point, it is now in the hands of the police,” he informed her.

She frowned at looked across at Tom who was apparently getting information off the other receptionist. That didn’t seem fair.

“I’d just like a chance to figure this out so that we can clear our names,” she appealed to him.

“I’m sorry Madam but there is nothing more I can say.”

She stared at him, unsure of what to do or say next and then from the corner of her eyes she noticed Tom rush off into the corridor leading to the suites. She ran after him and found him waiting by the lifts. The lift door opened but she slid in front of Tom before he could get in and held the lift door open with one hand.

“What did she tell you?” she asked him.

“Ah ha, you’re not struggling to figure this out Steph are you?” he said, noting the lack of space between them and smiling down at her.

“Well if you have more information on this than me just because you managed to sweet talk the receptionist I’d say that was a bit unfair, wouldn’t you? That man said that he couldn’t give me any information because it was in police hands.”

“That’s a bit unfortunate for you Steph,” he replied.

“Come on Tom, what did she tell you?” she said with pleading eyes.

“What do I get for supplying you with this information?” he said, looking down at her mouth.

She narrowed her eyes at him and then smiled sweetly as she slid her leg forward to brush it against his. The material of her dress fell away at the split and his eyes darkened, surprised at her boldness.

“You already have what you want if you find the necklace first but you wouldn’t want to win unfairly would you now Tom?” she pouted.

He reached out his hand and ran a finger lightly over her lips. “I can wait. She said that the woman was in the back room looking for a parcel and she called the man in to help her so the desk was left unmanned for a short period of time. Now you need to move aside because I have a necklace to find.”

She smiled and moved out of his way back into the corridor. “Thank you Tom.”

He entered the lift and she hurried around the corner. She decided to take a quick look around that area of the hotel, checking everywhere she could think of to see if she could find the blonde haired woman. At least if she was in the same area as Tom he couldn’t get much closer to finding the necklace than her.

Stephanie spent the next fifteen or so minutes checking out all the corridors and exits in that part of the hotel, trying to establish how the woman could have possibly got out or where she could have gone. After a while though she realised that she was retracing her steps and getting nowhere so she stopped by the stair rail on the third floor to reassess. In her mind she collected together all the information she had and tired to recall Tom’s conversation with the woman he had handed the necklace to. This really didn’t help her much until her mind went on to reconsider what Tom had told her the dark haired receptionist had said about leaving the desk unmanned. The seed of an idea began to sprout and grow, filling Stephanie with confidence that she may well have worked out where the necklace was. With renewed determination she rushed down the stairs, heading for the ground floor with the intention of returning to the reception again. Just as she reached the bottom few stairs leading to the second floor she noticed Tom making his way up the stairs from the first floor. She stopped on the last step as he approached her.

“In a rush Stephie?” he asked, placing his hands on the stair rail and pinning her in.

She gave him a look of indifference, glaring at his hands on the rail. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m on my way down.”

He moved his hands grinning at her. “I think you can kiss that necklace goodbye Stephanie.”

Considering the direction in which he was heading she doubted it and smiled sweetly at him. “I’ve heard that there’s an awful lot of paperwork building up in the office lately.”

“I’m sure you’ll get through it all eventually,” he said moving up the stairs.

She called after him. “Oh, and Tom...” He turned, looking down over the rail at her. “Good luck,” she said, blowing him a kiss.

Tom had come up with a brainwave and he changed direction, taking the lift to the bottom floor and running across the reception area to the desk. He spoke to the dark haired lady again.

“Has anyone left a parcel here tonight to be posted?” he asked her.

“Yes actually a young man left one here earlier just after all the police arrived,” she replied.

He gave her one of his most charming smiles.“Listen sweetheart could you do me a favour? I need to check the contents of that parcel because I’m pretty certain that the lost necklace is in it. Just let me take a look; you don’t have to leave the desk and you can even check me when I come out if you want to,” he grinned.

She laughed. “I don’t think that will be necessary but good thinking, take a look,” she said, gesturing him around the back of the reception and opening a door behind the desk for him. “The parcels are at the back. Look for the one in a brown envelope,” she informed him. He strode into the room and rifled through the letters and parcels which were placed on a table at the back. He picked up a brown padded envelope and opened it.

“Well, what do you know?” he said to himself.

Moments later the door opened and Stephanie walked in, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw him. He was stood smiling, holding up the necklace between his fingers. “You didn’t really think that I would let you find this before me did you?”

“Tom, there was seconds in it,” she pointed out.

“Sure, but seconds make all the difference Stephie." There was a silence. “So,” he smiled.

“Hmm.”

“Guess I won then,” he grinned.

“Guess you did,” she confirmed. “Tom,” she began.

“What?” he said warily.

“I don’t suppose you’d settle for…”

He interrupted. “Not a chance in hell!”

“No, didn’t think so…fine.” she said shrugging.

“Good,” he nodded.

She backed towards the door and pushed it shut behind her. Then she took a deep breath and walked forwards, stopping just in front of him. He was motionless, leaning with his back to the table. She edged towards him, her eyes flitting over his face and his gaze became intense. He watched, fascinated as she took hold of the lapels of his jacket and inched closer. He stood up and his hands met her lower back, sliding up its length to her shoulders. She closed her eyes briefly then as a small shiver went through her.

“I’ve been imagining this and wanting it since I first set eyes on you,” he whispered. “You’re so hot,” he said under his breath. She breathed in deeply and continued to move towards him, determined not to lose her nerve. “I want to rip all your clothes off right now!” His eyes burned into hers and her face filled with colour.

“If you’re trying to throw me off balance Tom, it won’t work.”

He smiled slowly. “You’re just lucky that you’re in control this time.”

“This time?” She raised an eyebrow. Now they were inches apart. She bit her lip, moistening it as she did so and his eyes smouldered as they watched. Then she leant forward but her lips barely skimmed his. Instinctively, he moved his head to catch her lips but she pulled back, shaking her head.

“No, no.”

Closing his eyes, he smiled but he felt utterly strung with tension as his hands clenched at her shoulders. He watched her lips approach his again, and once again she brushed them over his and edged backwards. He growled, desperate for more. Then her lips finally slid onto his and he had to fight from crushing her to him. She caught his lower lip between hers and he felt the moistness inside. She grazed it lightly with her teeth but her lips remained soft. He ran his tongue along the inside of her lip and she gasped. Then he heard a noise behind them and she began to pull away. He moaned, almost beside himself with desire for her as he watched her flushed face, her eyes half closed, her mouth still slightly open. At that point she paused and he thought that she was going to kiss him again but then she swung her head around.

“We have found the necklace,” she said to the dark haired lady.

“Wonderful. I’ll inform security. Would you mind explaining it all to the police?” she asked.

Tom coughed and gave his head an abrupt shake, trying to focus his mind. He was still reeling from the kiss and felt too frustrated to even concentrate on what the woman was saying. The woman left to contact security and Stephanie turned to Tom.

“I think we’d better go now,” she said. He looked at her beseechingly. “Tom, the woman is waiting outside.”

He rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. “Fine, but we’re taking a rain check, okay?” She looked uncertain and he watched her walk out of the door with an expression of longing on his face.

He joined her in the lobby and leant against the reception desk as Stephanie spoke to a security man and explained what had happened. As he stood there Mr Harvey passed him and glanced at the necklace in his hands.

He smiled at him saying, “She said that you’d find it eventually.”

He looked at the man quizzically. “Who? Have they caught the woman who I handed it to then?”

“No,” the man replied, “I’m talking about your lady in the red dress. She said that you’d be back to look through the parcels when you figured it out.”

His head shot up then and he looked across at Stephanie who was in conversation. A slow smile spread across his face and he shook his head in amazement. He’d been well and truly outsmarted.

“Wow, what a woman!” he said to himself.