Chapter 2

I slowly inserted the room key into the slot on the door and prayed Katie wasn't in her room. I hadn't seen her around the hotel for a couple hours, but that didn't mean she wasn't napping.

As I pushed open the door I held my breath, hoping the door wouldn't creak, announcing my presence. Thankfully, the door was as silent. Leaving the lights off for the moment, as some measure of secrecy, I allowed the door to close-but not latch-and walked past the bathroom toward the bedroom area. It was then that I saw her.

Clothed, Katie was beautiful. Naked, as I found out at that moment, she was even more gorgeous than I could have imagined. Far from being in another part of the hotel, Katie was very much in her room, very much in bed, very naked and masturbating. I should have left. I know this, but I just couldn't. I'd like to say I fell in love, but it was most likely lust. At that moment however, I didn't care. I was transfixed.

The bag of rose petals slipped through my fingers, falling silently onto the carpet of the short hallway. As slowly and quietly as I could, I crept closer and closer to the bed, finally stopping about six feet away, still hopefully in the shadows, and watched.

Katie's long, red hair flowed down over her shoulders, barely covering the tops of her uncovered breasts. Her face was a mask of passion. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she concentrated on bringing herself off.

Her movements were slow and languorous, one hand idly toying with her erect nipples, the other straying lightly over her pubic mound. She seemed in no hurry, as if she enjoyed playing with her body as much as I enjoyed watching. My cock swelled and lengthened, pressing out against my jeans.

As I watched, Katie quickened her pace and soft panting escaped from her lips. My cock bulged. I considered unzipping my pants and pulling out my penis but couldn't bring myself to do it. Instead, I slowly stroked my shaft through the front of my slacks.

Katie's panting became more fevered and deep. Her hips rocked insistently against her right hand. Although her hand was covered by a fold in the bedspread, it was plain it was buried in her pussy. Katie's other hand alternated between her beautiful breasts, tugging frantically at her nipples. Her flush deepened on her cheeks and spread down her neck.

I never would have stood there as long as I did if her eyes had been opened. I was hidden in the shadows, but I was still incredibly nervous about being caught. Still, even as anxious as I was, I couldn't have left. Katie was the embodiment of sex appeal, so sultry that I wanted nothing more than to join her. But I didn't want to embarrass either one of us. And I didn't want to think what would happen if she opened her eyes and saw me.

Katie's hips began to thrust harder against her hand, her face opening up in ecstasy. Her head fell back on the bed, her mouth hanging open, frozen in a silent scream. I watched in amazement, my cock standing at full attention as her back arched up into the air. It appeared for a moment as if she couldn't breathe, until the breath that was caught in her lungs burst out in something close to a scream.

Katie's orgasm rolled through her body, the quivering of her lips and the jiggling of her breasts the proof as wave after wave washed over her. She kept her eyes shut as she settled back down on the bed, her hands still working slowly along the insides of her thighs, but slower and more gently, now that she had reached her peak. And then she spoke.

"Oh, Peter... I love the way you make me feel... Peter!"

My eyes nearly burst out of their sockets and it was suddenly hard to catch a breath. Had she somehow spotted me? Did she know I was there? I fought the urge to run from the room, embarrassed beyond belief at being caught. But there was no way she could have seen me! Her eyes were closed the entire time. But she somehow knew I was there. She just said my name.

"Oh Peter, fuck me Peter..." she moaned. Suddenly her hands were moving more insistently over her breasts, tugging roughly at her turgid nipples. I watched in amazement, feeling my own passion growing again.

"Oh Peter, fuck me Peter..." She moaned it over and over, as if imagining me between her thighs, slowly pumping in and out of her soaked pussy. I breathed a huge sigh of relief, my nervousness gone, replaced immediately by a surge of arousal. She was imagining me! She was fantasizing about me.

I watched for a few more moments as Katie's fingers once more moved between her widespread thighs. She had thrown off the bedspread, and I could see her in all her naked splendor.

Her pussy was framed by the tiniest thatch of pubic hair-the same fiery color as on her head-neatly trimmed into a tiny strip. Even from a distance, I could see how darkened and engorged her labia were, damp and opened wide with arousal. Her bright pink inner lips were clearly visible, like delicate flower petals. Damn, I wanted to suck at her nectar.

Adjusting my erection in my slacks in the hopes it wouldn't be so obvious, I backed quietly to the door. Peeking out, I saw the hallway was clear and with one last look at Katie, still coming down from her orgasm, I closed the door behind me.

When I arrived back in my room, I realized I had quite a lot of thinking to do. Katie was great, there was absolutely no doubt about that in my mind. She was fun to be around, smart, pretty, vivacious, and oddly enough, seemed to think I was a pretty cool guy.

Only one thing bothered me about all of this, and that was how sudden all of this was. I liked Katie, I really did, and I would be thrilled to get to know her and go out with her, but she had somehow gone way beyond what I was feeling and seemed to be well along on the way to "love."

I didn't know if I was ready for that, as fantastic as she was.

I decided to take advantage of what my father had said was one of mankind's greatest inventions. I took a nap.

"What do you mean she's gone?" I asked a very confused desk clerk, who unfortunately for me was not the one who had helped me acquire Katie's room key. "I just saw her earlier this afternoon!"

"I'm sorry, sir," the girl stammered.

Unbelievable! I had just woken from a nap, and Katie was gone.

"Do you know where she went? Is she coming back, or did she check out?"

The girl looked at her computer screen, punching in a few keystrokes until she received the answer she was looking for.

"I'm sorry, sir," she repeated. "She checked out an hour ago, and isn't due back for another month."

"A month?"

"Yes, sir."

"Great." I was almost at a loss, and was considering heading back up to my room when something else occurred to me. "Miss, did she leave me any messages?"

"Let me check," she replied. "Hmm... nothing in the system. Let me check the office." The girl hurried away, returning shortly with a piece of paper.

"Thanks," I said, taking the offered note. I quickly read it over, finding out to my surprise that Katie-although she had somehow failed to mention this earlier-would be spending the entire month of January in Europe. The good news was that her room was now unoccupied, and I was welcome to it for the one night I was without housing.

"Is there anything else, Sir?" the girl asked. I shook my head that there wasn't, before remembering the cost of the room.

"Should I pay for the extra night now, or later?" I asked.

"Oh no, sir," the girl exclaimed. "There is no charge."

"What? How is that possible?"

"Miss Stewart signed for it before she left."

I was beginning to wonder if I was crazy. First this girl I'd looked at from a distance in college just happened to be working in the hotel I'm staying in, then she tells me she's going to marry me. Then I see her in bed, obviously thinking of me. And then... she's gone, but she somehow manages to get me set up in her room.

"I don't understand," I said. "How can the room be free, and how does Katie manage to keep her job if she's going to be gone for a month?"

"Sir," the girl said, fighting hard to stifle a laugh. "Miss Stewart doesn't work here!"

"I've seen her, though... she's been working... here... behind the counter. I don't understand."

Even as I was saying it, I happened to glance at a brochure on the front counter. "Welcome to the Bridger Trail Inn," it said, "Part of the fine family of Stewart Hotels." It went on to name and give a short bio of the corporate owner of a half dozen large hotel chains. Suddenly everything fell into place. Why Katie was staying at a hotel instead of a dorm. Why she was able to pay for things at the drop of a hat. Why she was able to be gone and why she was able to sign off on my room.

If I'd been staying in a Stewart Suites, I might have made the connection far earlier. As it was, I felt like a bit of a dolt.

"Katie Stewart. Stewart, as in Stewart Hotels, right?" I asked. "Her father owns this place?" The girl nodded.

Holy crap. I couldn't believe it. I was falling in love with an heiress.

A month later, I was still trying to figure out what was going on. I'd called the number for Katie listed in the campus directory, but the girl that answered said she'd only seen her "roommate" a couple of times, and had no idea where Katie was now.

"She didn't leave any kind of note or anything?" I asked in desperation. "You really have no idea where she might have gone?"

"Sorry, no."

"Okay. Well, thanks, I guess," I said, hanging up the phone a bit more harshly than was necessary. I didn't understand Katie! I liked her-a lot-but she was driving me up the wall. Or maybe that's what love was. I don't know.

If I ever found Katie, I'd be sure and ask her.

Then one day, early in February, I returned back to the dorm from studying in the library to find an envelope taped to door of my room. I tore it down.

Still standing out in the hallway I ripped open the envelope. Inside was a note, written on official Stewart Hotels stationery, and a very familiar room key. I read the note with growing excitement. It was from Katie, She was back and wanted to see me.

I unlocked the door, rushed past my startled roommate, who managed a quick, "how's it going?" before I was past him, and then I bolted into the bathroom. I had some grooming to do.

Did I look okay? What did Katie want? Had she seen the bag of rose petals? Did she figure out that I'd seen what she was doing? I started to panic. I dug out the note from my pocket.

"Love, Katie," she had written. I felt better. I was still uneasy, as a million butterflies churned away in my gut, but that signature assured me Katie was happy to be back and excited to see me.

I looked myself over in the mirror and decided my library clothes were good enough. I ran past my roommate, tossing a "Don't wait up for me" over my shoulder as I slammed the door shut.

On the way over to the hotel, I could hardly contain myself. The month I'd gone without seeing Katie hadn't been the worst time I'd spent away from someone. That belonged to the time my father passed away. But aside from that, I couldn't remember missing anyone as much or as deeply as I had missed Katie.

I felt a bit silly since I had Katie's room key in my pocket, but I didn't want to just barge in on her. What if she wasn't expecting me this early? Or what if she had left the key for me early in the day and wasn't home right now. So, I stalled. I breathed into my cupped hand to smell my breath. I smoothed out my sweater. I checked my hair. Finally, I heard movement from inside and decided I'd wasted enough time. With my pulse pounding wildly, I knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Katie's voice was faint from inside the hotel suite.

"It's Peter," I called back through the door.

"Wait a minute." A moment passed before Katie called out that it was okay for me to come in. I tried the knob, surprised to find it locked, before realizing I had the key.

I fumbled with the lock, finally getting it unlocked. There was no light on in the apartment, which confused me for a moment.

"Katie?" I called out.

"In the bedroom," Katie replied immediately. As my eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, I could make out a trail of rose petals leading me back into the suite. Could Katie possibly be doing what I hoped she might? My pulse quickened a bit as I walked past the bathroom and into the bedroom.

Resting on the table next to the bed was a single candle. The room was nearly dark, but the light was enough for me to see Katie, just as I'd imagined. She was naked, her red hair fanned out around her on the pillows. The bed had been stripped except for a single sheet, and spread all over the white cotton were hundreds of-what else?-rose petals.

I gawked.

Katie's voice drifted up to me, quiet and nervous. "Say something," she said.

"My God, you're beautiful."

Katie smiled at that, reaching up to me, opening her arms in invitation. She wanted me. I wanted her. I inched my way to the bed until my thighs pressed against the edge of the mattress. I hadn't noticed my state of arousal until Katie reached out to me, her hand brushing over the bulge in my jeans. Her fingers squeezed lightly up and down my shaft, cooing as she felt how hard I was.

Hard for her.

And then I almost ruined it. I'd like to think it was because I was in love, and men in love often do crazy, stupid things. But this had nothing to do with love. Sometimes I'm just stupid.

"You own this place?" I asked. "No wonder you didn't want me to pay for dinner. Must be nice being rich."

I hadn't meant to sound snippy, but at my words, Katie pulled back as if I'd slapped her. Her arms, which a few seconds before had beckoned me closer, now covered her breasts protectively. She stared at me in surprise, her eyes opened wide.

"What?" she finally managed. "No. I don't own it. My father does. What does that matter?"

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling like a twit, my cock now embarrassingly obvious, no longer exciting but obscene. I sat down in a chair beside the bed.

"Sorry, for what?" Katie asked. She no longer looked offended or angry, but genuinely curious.

"I... I thought you worked here," I stammered, as if that explained everything. To me it did, I suppose. I couldn't understand, and still was having a hard time understanding, how she would want me. Surely the daughter of the owner of one of the country's largest hotel chains would be interested in someone a little more a part of her world. Someone who didn't drive a beat-up Ford, someone who owned more than one pair of dress shoes. Someone... someone not me.

"I do. Sometimes."

"But you don't "work here" work here," I insisted. "You don't really need the money." I was almost accusing by now, my tone darker than I intended. Katie shrank back against the headboard.

"It's good experience," she said. "I need that if I want to go work for my father."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked. "God, I feel like such an ass."

"Why?" Katie replied. "Peter? Why should it matter?"

"I don't know." I really didn't know. I'd like to think that I'm confident enough that it shouldn't matter if the girl I loved has more money than I do, but now, faced with that reality...

"Would it be better if I was poor?"

"Like I am, you mean?" I snapped.

"Peter!"

"Isn't that what you meant? God!"

"Peter, no!"

"Then what? What do you want?"

"I just want you to love me."

"I do!" God, did I ever. "But..."

"But what, Peter?"

"How can you love me? I have nothing to offer, nothing to bring to this relationship."

Katie looked stunned at that, and when I realized what I'd said, I was just as surprised.

"Peter, you think that..."

"I'm sorry. That's not really what I think."

We were silent for a moment, sitting there in the dark, the flickering of the candle beside the bed our only light. Finally Katie scooted close to the edge of the bed where I was sitting, and placed her hand on my chest. Her fingers felt like hot pokers, and I reached to cover her hand with mine.

"All I want from you in our relationship is you, " Katie stressed, looking me dead in the eye, her eyes begging me to understand. "I don't want money from you, I don't need the money."

"I know!" I blurted. "But that's..."

"That's not important to me. Is it to you?"

Was it? I have to admit the idea of it not mattering one bit if I was the breadwinner in the family was slightly disconcerting, but did it really matter?

"I don't know," I said, exhaling deeply. "Yes. No. Kind of?"

"Oh, Peter," Katie said, patting me lightly on the chest. "I should have told you before, but..."

"But what?"

"But for the first time in a long time, you were looking at me and appreciating me for who I am, not for who my father is, and I liked it. At first, I thought you were just beyond all that, but all your comments about getting in trouble finally made sense, and I realized you simply didn't know."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked. "I could have handled it."

"Really?" Katie arched an eyebrow at me. "Handled it. Like you just did?"

I laughed, bitterly at first, but quickly the humor in her observation got to me.

"Maybe not so well," I admitted. "Katie, you're amazing, you know that?"

"Really?" she smiled. "Tell me more."

"I feel like a big ass right now. Look at you! You're kind, gorgeous, funny, sensitive, smart... you're everything I want, and instead of being happy about it, I seem to be doing everything I can to push you away."

"I noticed."

"But you're still here," I said. "You're still trying to convince me that you're right and I'm wrong."

"True. But it is my room. But how am I doing on convincing you?"

I laughed. "You still think we're good for each other?"

"Absolutely perfect," she replied.

I don't know if I came to a conscious decision or if it just felt right, but I realized Katie was one hundred percent right. Maybe I was too stupid, too slow, to prideful to admit it at first, but money didn't matter. Not one bit.

"So now what?" I asked, almost startled to realize we were still sitting in bed together, me fully clothed while Katie was completely naked.

"Now? Maybe for starters you kiss me," she said.

That seemed like a damn good idea, so I did. Katie's lips were soft and warm, and it wasn't too long before I felt them part, allowing her wet tongue to slip between them and probe insistently at my lips. I opened my mouth and her tongue slipped inside. She was warm and wet, her tongue slithering over mine as we kissed.

As we kissed, I brought my hand up from the bed, slowly tracing a line up Katie's naked back. Her skin was smooth and dry, warm to the touch and incredibly soft. I could have spent hours just touching her, feeling her muscles move under my hand, but Katie had other ideas.

With a contented sigh, she caught me by the wrist, forcing my hand around to her front, where she placed it squarely on one firm breast. Katie wasn't the most well endowed woman I'd ever met. But what she may have lacked in volume, she more than made up for in quality, and as I soon found out, sensitivity.

"Oh!" she squeaked when my fingers first touched her nipple. The pink nubbin of flesh was already engorged with blood, puckered and almost hard to the touch. I traced a circle around the aroused flesh, bringing another moan to Katie's lips. Breaking away from our heated kiss, I slowly worked my way down Katie's body, first planting a line of kisses along her jaw and neck and then directly between her breasts.

When I had reached the pale valley between her breasts, I turned my head, kissing the soft mass of one breast, then turned to kiss the other. All the while, my hand gently squeezed and teased Katie's warm flesh while my other hand rested on her hip.

Katie's hips flared out nicely from her waist, and as I smoothed my hand along her hip and buttock I felt her squirming under my touch. She wanted more from me and now all my doubts had been erased. If not during our conversation, they were certainly put to rest the moment our lips met.

While her hips rotated in small circles on the bed, Katie's chest began pushing insistently against me. Her nipples danced teasingly in and out of view, as if begging me to capture them between my fingers or lips. Katie saw where I was looking and gave her shoulders a gentle shake, causing the firm flesh of her breasts to jiggle enticingly in front of me.

With a low growl, I darted forward, managing to capture a fleshy nipple between my teeth. As I gently manipulated the sensitive bud, Katie brought her arms up around my neck and pulled me closer.

Even in candlelight, I could see a pink flush spread over Katie's neck and chest. The scent of aroused woman permeated the air and mixed with the candle to create a heavy, musky aroma. I let Katie's nipple pop out from between my teeth so I could move to the source of the heady smell.

"No," she moaned when I lost contact, but she squirmed in delight when I carefully pushed her back on the bed. Working my way down her torso, I kissed and licked her hot skin, moving ever closer to her wet center.

As I was teasing Katie's belly button, fingering the sensitive flesh, I felt the warm wetness of her pussy rub against me when she hunched up, craving more contact. I moved down, over the soft swell of her lower belly until at last I reached Katie's pussy.

Even without direct contact, Katie's lips were engorged, flushed deep pink, and already damp. Her sex was parted, revealing the lighter pink of her sticky, inner lips. At the top of her slit sat her clit, peeking out from under its hood.

Katie's muscles trembled as I parted her legs and placed them over my shoulders to give myself easier access to her wet opening. The scent of her pussy was stronger now, spicy and sweet with a hint of tanginess that I was eager to taste. With one last look at Katie's aroused face, I bent down and stuck out my tongue.