“Morning…” The dark haired woman purred up at him as Herbert stood in the middle of his kitchen. Sipping on a cup of coffee as he read the latest of the security reports he’d requested allowed him a few seconds to remember where she’d come from and why she was still there. Celeste City was a good enough place to live: calm, peaceful…but almost completely devoid of an open nightlife…unless you knew where to look. He’d only intended to flirt around, but the combination of liquor and pent up frustration had resulted in an invitation. Now he had to deal with it.
“Do you…want to go grab some breakfast?” She dipped under his bent arm and pressed against his bare chest. How had he managed to leave the bed, shower and make his coffee without noticing her? Eyes of darkened steel shifted down, over the voluptuous form covered in…his shirt. Well…that explained where it’d gone. Briefly, he considered another interlude…but then…today was the day he’d planned on returning to court. “I’ve got plans.” He replied, setting down his coffee and stepping away from her. One cool hand wormed its way from around his side and down his abdomen. Bold…and normally at least a little entertaining. But Herbert had already made up his mind.
“Plans that don’t require company.” He continued, turning around and removing the sole article of clothing she had on. “You’re free to use the shower if you need it. Lock the door behind you when you leave, all right?” The shirt made its way back onto its original owner who, no longer bare chested, located and slipped into the pants that had been so hastily discarded the night before. Herbert wanted to make as swift an exit as possible – so he didn’t bother with socks. The woman, whose name still escaped him, stood befuddled before him. This wasn’t the first time a woman had mistaken a one-night-stand for something more. Nor the last, if his sex love life continued on as it had since the year of the Princess’s debut.
For a second he was afraid that she would start to cry. That always managed to inspire a twinge of guilt in him – though certainly never enough to make him stay. What kind of woman thought something of substance could come from a drunken affair that begun in the back room of some underground club?
“I understand!” She replied, almost a bit too perkily. Still nude, her slender form slipped back into his bedroom. “Just give me a minute to get dressed. I ought to get to work anyway. We have a lot of prepping to do.”
“Uh huh!” Herbert called back, feeling a bit thrown aback by her quick acceptance. He spent the time finding and folding his military jacket, the one that marked him as a royal guard. It was tucked under his arm – no need for her to find out his occupation. Even though they were well away from the upper class area of the city, word traveled fast. The last thing Alarice needed was for her guard’s womanizing to do the rounds among the gossips. His side-holster was slipped on, guns already in place. Eventually she emerged and when he opened the door for her, she giggled and batted at his shoulder playfully. Not one of his better selections of the night…admittedly.
As soon as the two were out the door the woman stood up on her toes and placed a quick peck on his cheek. Before he could reply she began her retreat, her voice just barely carrying its message from the widening distance between them. “See you soon!” She’d said, making Herbert wonder what she meant.
Oh if only he’d known.