Vancouver Nights Read online

  “I'm gonna shower and change,” I said, drying my hands on a paper towel. “Order anything you'd like. It's on me.”

  “Showering after you wash your hands,” Nat cocked an eyebrow and reminded me that she knew me inside and out. I was nervous with no outlet for my anxiety… Nat knew I did weird things when I was nervous.

  “Get the drinks when they come. They're already paid for,” I said, walking past her and past Avery to head to the bathroom where I could take a minute and be alone.

  “Don't take too long,” Nat said.

  I nearly bumped into Avery in my attempts not to seem too turned on or flustered by Natalie’s very sudden attentions.

  “Sorry,” I said, passing Avery to get to the hall.

  I'd forgotten what it was like to be around someone I actually cared for. I was always really bad at it. There was really no hope for me.

  3

  (Avery)

  We were a happy little group on the way to the room. I didn’t know Olivia but I could swear that Natalie was right. Olivia seemed very flustered. I ignored it though. Natalie and I acted as we always did and worked around it. I was dying to ask her later about all of this.

  The woman was even more of an interest now that I knew she had broken my Natalie’s heart years ago. What made her tick?

  “Which salad do you want baby," Nat asked. She picked up the phone to call my order in.

  “Oh, I don’t care. Anything that doesn’t have ranch,” I told her.

  She was sweetly sitting on the bed and I slid into the spot next to her, draping as much of my body on hers as I could.

  Naturally, she shifted so that she was holding me better and feeling me against her.

  Between talking she kissed my skin and pet me.

  “Sorry it was so long,” she apologized. “If it made sense to get out of it I really would have. You just know how I get about charity.”

  Nat hated to back out on any agreement she made. Charity events were even more important to her.

  “It’s fine. I know these things are necessary and look how it ended up. You got to reconnect with Olivia and I got to meet her. So, it was so much more interesting than the normal event.”

  “This was just chance,” Nat said, scooting down a little more so she could be better under me.

  She hung up the phone and pulled me further ontop of her.

  “I think she’s been too scared to talk to me,” Nat shared. I felt her nuzzle into my cheek and breathe me in, body responding in pleasure. “What do you think of her? Is she freaking you out?”

  “No, I think she’s interesting. I wish I could figure out what’s making her all out of sorts. Maybe she still loves you. I would if I were her.”

  “I dunno,” Nat said. She always talked about her like Olivia hung the moon. But then she’d mention how stubborn she was and how she could be so angry and childish. It was hard to say what she really thought. “Just let me know if she makes you uncomfortable, okay? Sometimes she gets weird.”

  “I’m good. I can do weird. Unless you’re talking dresses-up in fur suits weird,” I joked.

  “Oh, I’m sure she’s been there,” Nat smiled. “You feel really good,” she breathed.

  A knock came at the door.

  “Shit,” she said. “That’s probably those drinks Olivia said she bought.”

  She moved to get up, being careful but temporarily leaving me.

  I watched her, appreciating the way she moved and how the dress she was wearing looked on her body. Glamour and sex. Nat just oozed it with her enviable curves.

  Seconds later, Nat wheeled in a cart with drinks on the top.

  “Wanna get in the hot-tub?” She posed.

  “Mmm, sure,” I smiled.

  Every move she dared to make was sex in itself.

  “Come on,” she smiled. She pushed the cart toward the sliding door that led out to the private deck. Once we were outside she picked a drink up and sipped it, turning so I’d unzip the back of her tight dress. “The air feels really good.”

  “Agreed,” I said. I liked seeing her unwind after a night like tonight.

  I unzipped her dress and parted the back of it, moving my hands over her skin.

  “You’re amazing and I will never get over that.”

  She turned and started to push at my dress. “You’re amazing too,” she said. “Come on, get in with me.” She helped me get my dress off and we both laughed because it was so puffy.

  “Can you imagine trying to get this thing off by yourself?” I asked.

  I waited until she got in and then I stepped down into the water. It was glorious. The heat was a lot at first but I got used to it after a second and I could let it soothe my aches. She pulled me over close to her and I settled between her legs facing her.

  “This is almost as good as the one we have at home,” I commented.

  “It’s fun for a change,” she stared. Then I felt her hand leading my jaw in towards hers and I felt her smile into me as I kissed her.

  I pushed myself forward and ended up on top of her. I loved that feeling. She could push and pull me apart with just her touch.

  “I missed you but I also like how it feels to get you back,” I whispered.

  “God, you are really fucking attractive,” she laughed. “I kept watching you all night. I never left.” She lazily opened her lips and touched my tongue again with hers, savoring me, then kissing me all deep and slow.

  She was in control. She knew that was my thing. All of that power she had could do magical things to me. If I could just unwind all of the tension from the week, forget the email my editor sent me about the pages I sent her.

  “You taste like sex,” she whispered, kissing me again for good measure.

  “Because I’ve been thinking about you,” I confessed, smiling into her lips when she ended the kiss.

  “Oh yeah? And what have you been thinking,” she smiled.

  I felt her hands kneading the skin on my sides beneath the water as she lovingly stared.

  “That I want to spend all day tomorrow in bed with you. We don’t have anything to do so we could order food if we get hungry and then maybe take a shower after but then get right back in bed,” I said.

  “What do you mean, we don't have anything to do? That sounds to me like a real solid and thought-out plan,” Nat smiled.

  “I meant,” I said, getting super close to her face and kissing her nose. “That we don’t have responsibilities.”

  “Mmmm, well… You’re my responsibility though, aren’t you?” She teased. “Don’t I have a responsibility to please the woman I’m with? Heaven knows she goes through hell and high-water for me.”

  She started to make out with my neck slowly. Get me to feel her and notice that her attentions were tuned to me now and only me.

  I felt her arms wrap around my lower back and encourage me to be closer.

  “Uh,” I uttered.

  “Mmmmm… That’s right,” she breathed, licking my skin and really trying to get to me.

  A knock came from behind us.

  “Did you order food?” It was Olivia. She walked out and saw us. “Oh,” she said. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  She looked like she was about to go back inside.

  “Mm, yeah, I’m sure,” I heard Natalie say.

  Olivia was clad in thin silky dark matching PJs: a long-sleeve v-neck, and a pair of pants. Her hair was wet, just towel dried, and down. If at all possible she was even more beautiful than before.

  “I’ll just, um… I’ll leave it right here,” Olivia laughed, setting my salad down.

  She smiled at me, bashful and she rolled her eyes at Natalie behind her back so that only I could see.

  At the very least, she stole a mixed drink and went back inside. Because of our conversation I was very aware that she was pushing off sadness.

  “We should be nice and get her to come back,” I said.

  “She’s fine,” Nat said. “Believe me, I know her.
She’d rather us do this and then go back in. It’d be worse if we didn’t. The tension would eat her up inside, you’ve seen.”

  Nat tugged me down and kissed me even deeper than before, really keeping me.

  “If you want to get out we can,” she whispered. “I just know Olivia and she’s going to be uncomfortable no matter what we do. So we may as well take our time.”

  “I'll defer to the expert,” I whispered.

  Really, I just wanted to keep kissing Nat even if it seemed rude of us to isolate ourselves while Olivia had invited us to her room.

  I knew why she had done it. As soon as she recognized Nat, that was it. She wanted her to come here by herself. I was a little in the way.

  That would have been okay and I wish Nat had just let me go home to wait for her in our bed. They needed to talk without me. Olivia wouldn't open up to her all the way like this.

  It was also distracting me from fully enjoying the current situation. I wasn't sure at what point my fingers had become tangled in Nat’s hair but they were now. Her hand was teasing my side and sliding to the side of my breast.

  “You're not getting any sleep once we get home. You know that, right?” I teased.

  “Sleep is overrated,” she claimed. “And I hope that's a promise.”

  I held up one hand. Water dripped down to the surface of the water as I put on a solemn face.

  “I swear that you will not get any sleep until I'm done with you,” I said.

  “Mmmm,” she hummed into me, hands greedily grasping as she led me to kiss her deeper and fall into it more.

  I let her lead me and tried to forget where we were and how we had gotten here but it was hard. If we had been at home, I’d already have her bra off and mine would follow.

  I just liked the way it felt when our whole upper bodies touched while we kissed.

  She pulled back from me after a while. “It’s the setting huh,” she asked, searching me. “Come on baby, let's at least feed you then.”

  “I'm sorry. I just can't forget that we aren't technically alone and I feel bad,” I explained.

  “It’s okay, baby,” Nat soothed. “Come on. Let's get you comfy. Despite what’s gone on with us, Olivia’s like my family, okay? I don’t care that we haven’t seen each other in forever. I know in some way she really gets me, so you don’t have to be scared about offending her or anything. I’m more scared she’ll offend you,” Nat laughed.

  I shook my head.

  “How could she offend me?” I asked.

  “Oh, I dunno,” Nat rolled her eyes. “Any number of ways,” she chuckled.

  “Well, I doubt that will happen. Do you feel like she has unfinished business with you?” I asked.

  “Of course,” Nat said. “Olivia’s a really different person,” Nat whispered. “Relationships are hard for her, even friendships. Her mind runs away.”

  “Are you sure you don't want me to let you guys have some private time to talk?” I asked.

  She was so good with people. I knew she would get more out of Olivia than she would if I was watching.

  “You can go talk to her and I'll chill out here,” I said.

  I was also curious what would come of it. People were fascinating and I enjoyed observing behavior.

  “I don’t want to ditch you outside sweetie,” Nat said. “But, I mean, if it makes you uncomfortable, I can get you a hotel robe and you can eat out here.”

  “No, no, I'm not uncomfortable. I was more thinking of Olivia. I just figure she'll talk to you more if I'm not there but you know I love to figure people out,” I said.

  “Alright,” Nat said. “You’re being a little weird so I’m just gonna go talk to her.”

  “I am not!” I laughed and stared her down. “I'm not the weird one.”

  “Oh, okay,” Nat nodded, teasing me.

  “You're so cute,” I said with a laugh after. “It's no wonder there are millions of people who dream about just getting to meet you,” I traded back.

  “Oh god, don’t start with that,” she rolled her eyes. “Okay, I love you but I am gonna go inside now and drink with Olivia. You are very welcome to join or chill here.”

  She kissed me again but then got out to take the drink cart and push it back inside.

  “I'll be in in a bit but at least leave me a drink,” I called after her.

  She was dripping wet and about to go inside. I shook my head and sighed.

  After my comment she left the whole cart and instead took two drinks with her and stared back at me as she walked away.

  4

  (Olivia)

  I tried not to spend too long in the shower but I hadn’t realized how great it felt to spend some time away from my usual life until I was locked inside of my see-through little room. I used to love this hotel, I’d forgotten how much. I’d been spending so much time in my house lately, really living in it, in a way that isn’t exactly advised.

  Life has a way of draining me. Bad spirits, bad times. My house is my sanctuary but when you’re alone, like I feel that I am, it can also make you sick of it, no matter how great it is or how expensive or how perfect.

  Being back here is a little odd. So much time has gone by since my childhood where I felt truly stuck here. Running into Natalie is something I always hoped for but also avoided like the plague. Not because I didn’t want to see her but because I did. I’m a bad fit for her. She has so much life and I have this pessimism and this perpetual sickness inside, this inability to understand that people actually can be good and happy, people actually can have fun. Also, I always knew I wasn’t normal. And I stole her will and her light. And why would I curse her with me, with this selfish fucked up person? I couldn’t do that. The thoughts eat me up.

  It sucks to look back on us now. Did she meet Avery right after I left her?

  I often find myself sick of everyone and wanting to just stay at home at my estate in Los Gatos talking to the women who clean my rooms and answer my front door. Or the men who water my plants and organize the landscaping of my many hedges and lawns.

  They’re all related, see. And they’re a family to me but I’ll never know if it’s out of duty or gratefulness or guilt. So I fail them too, every day.

  The odds of their love being completely separated from my money and my station? They’re pretty high. So I try not to take too much or be too grateful. And I try to love them from afar and leave them alone but they push and I take.

  I washed my body clean and squeezed the water from my hair, coating the dark in oils and scents.

  Natalie was taken now. 5 years? May as well be married...

  What was I even doing here with them?

  At the gala, I wasn’t capable of saying no. It would’ve made it look like I was only interested if it meant I could touch her again.

  But Nat was smart and I was a transparent idiot. I knew she had known what I meant.

  I walked out to find them in the hot tub making out. An obvious show from Natalie to tell me to back off and let her be.

  I watched a little but then the knock at the door jarred me back to the living.

  Natalie with another woman, it was something I constantly imagined when we were together because I thought: hey, it would make more sense if you were with someone more beautiful and saner.

  She reproached me for such thoughts but that didn’t make them any less fucking valid.

  When I went off to school, she came to visit a little but I acted off and she got the hint and stayed away.

  “Your salad.”

  “Oh,” I said, confused. “Did my drinks come?”

  “I’m… Not sure, Ms. I can check with the kitchen.”

  “It’s no problem,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ll call if I need anything else.”

  “Thank you, Ms.”

  “No, thank you,” I said, handing him a tip.

  The hallway was dim; the whole room was actually.

  I preferred it but I also worried that maybe Natalie was avoiding me.


  It didn’t make things any better when I went out to mention the salad and she teased me, knowing I probably stared.

  I got the bottle of wine from my hotel bar and opened it, settling down on my bed, propped up against the oversized pillow with my laptop on my thighs.