Viktor:Heart of Her King(7)

"Good grief, I'm a mess." Kat groaned in frustration as she slapped the  clock with one hand and felt the cold empty space beside her with the  other. Huffing her bangs out of her face, she jerked her hand away from  the empty sheets and ran it through her tangled red curls.                       
       
           



       

She was being irrational, childish even, and the worst part was she knew  it. There was no way any man, especially Viktor Katsaros, was going to  sneak into her room for an afternoon tryst. It was stress, had to  be...maybe even a little jet lag. It was the only explanation.

But...it had been so damned real. So real her lips still tingled from  his kisses. She could still feel the warmth of his hands as they moved  over her skin. Goose bumps were still raised on her arms. It was so real  she honestly did believe, at least for a moment, he was going to be  there when she opened her eyes. Sadly, she was still alone.

Deciding that lying in bed and brooding wasn't getting her anywhere, Kat  threw off the covers and sat up. The minute her feet hit the plush,  slate grey carpet, she wrapped the fluffy hotel robe around her and  headed downstairs to find something to eat in the hopes of throwing off  the remaining shadows of her dream. Kat needed to focus. Her  presentation wasn't going to pitch itself and everything had to be  perfect.

Changing her mind, she grabbed the phone at the base of the steps and  called room service. Kat couldn't help but grin when the waitress's  British accent chirped through the receiver. "Good Afternoon, Miss  Romalesky. This is Jasmine. How may I be of service?"

Kat was shocked by the use of her name but then remembered caller id.

Duh! I really am off my game.

"Hi. I wanted to order some tea and scones, but there are so many  flavors on your menu I have no idea where to start. And to be honest I'm  not even sure I like scones. It's just something I've always been told  you have to have when you're in London." She laughed before adding,  "What do you suggest?"

The girl giggled, causing Kat to suspect she was probably no more than  eighteen or nineteen years old. Since Kat's first job had been slinging  burgers at the Sonic Drive-In-complete with roller skates, short shorts  and tube socks-she was pretty impressed that someone so young worked for  such a prestigious hotel. "Well, my favorite is Yorkshire Gold with  milk and sugar. Be sure to add the milk first, it gives it a richer  flavor." Jasmine spoke as if they were friends swapping secrets, which  made Kat smile even more. "And if I may suggest our fresh sweet  biscuits. They are just delish dunked in your tea."

Kat chuckled at the young woman's enthusiasm over a simple pot of tea  and a snack. Teasingly, she asked, "Now, just to be sure, biscuits are  cookies, right?"

Laughing out loud, Jasmine immediately caught on to Kat's joke and  quipped, "Oh, you are a sly one, Miss Romalesky." She stopped and took a  quick breath before powering on, "Yes, ma'am, they're like your  American cookies and chef's special recipe. A real treat for sure.  You'll find no better anywhere."

"Then send up a pot of your favorite and a plate of those biscuits. My mouth is already watering."

"Yes, ma'am. And one more suggestion if I may?"

"Absolutely."

"You can take your tea on your rooftop terrace. It gives you a lovely  view of the River Thames. This time of day, you can watch the sunset.  It's truly breathtaking."

"I will do just that. Thank you so much, Jasmine, you have been such a big help."

"My pleasure, ma'am. James will meet you on the terrace straight away. Have a nice evening, Miss Romalesky."

"You too, Jasmine, and thank you again for all your help."

"My pleasure, I'm sure, ma'am."

Kat hung up the phone and flew up the stairs. There was no way she was  going out on the terrace in a robe and her underwear, not even if she  was twelve stories off the ground. It just seemed untoward somehow.

Yeah, but sex dreams about a man you've never met that you're going to  ask to bankroll your company's latest project isn't unseemly at all,  right, Kat?

Shaking her head and blaming all her delusions on nerves and jet lag,  Kat dashed into her bedroom and threw the smaller of her two suitcases  on the bed. Sliding open the zipper, she grabbed her black leggings, a  long, dark green T-shirt, and her favorite black sweater that hung to  her knees before she even had the case open all the way, then dressed in  record time.

Throwing her hair up on top of her head in a messy bun, she pushed the  button on the control panel next to her bed for the blinds and waited.  The floor to ceiling slats slowly opened and Kat's heart skipped a beat  as the most spectacular view she'd ever seen was slowly revealed. Not  only could she see the Thames, but also the London Eye already lighting  the sky with so many twinkling lights it looked like the stars  themselves were perched upon each tress and trellis of the huge Ferris  wheel. As if that wasn't already enough, the remarkable display was  reflected in the calm waters of the river. It was the first postcard  come to life moment Kat had ever experienced.                       
       
           



       

Staring at the scene before her and opening the sliding glass doors,  Kat's wayward thoughts once again landed on Viktor Katsaros. What was it  about the man that made him so irresistible even before she'd laid eyes  on him? Why did she think of him as so much more than just a business  acquaintance, especially after hearing his voice over the phone?

Thankfully, her wayward thoughts were cut short as the service elevator  dinged its arrival. Turning toward the noise, she smiled at the young  man whose nametag did indeed say James, just as Jasmine had said.

After thoroughly enjoying her tea and biscuits and making a mental note  to leave a positive comment for Jasmine and the chef, Kat spent the rest  of the evening perfecting her presentation and snacking on some of the  goodies from Viktor's gift basket. With pride that she'd avoided  obsessing over the man she was to meet tomorrow and anticipation of  going home with a signed contract from KI, Kat slid into bed and slept  without a single dream for the first night in over three years.

The next morning, the time difference between London and her home had  Kat up before the sun, something that normally would've been the start  to a really long, really bad day, but she was energized and felt like  she could take on the world. After a long, hot shower, Kat styled her  hair to perfection, put on her makeup like she knew what she was doing,  and dressed in her favorite black suit with a cream silk blouse  underneath. It was only six a.m. when she took her last look in the  mirror and declared her efforts a success.

I look pretty good, if I do say so myself...

Kat wasn't conceited. She knew she was cute most of the time and when  she worked at it some would even call her pretty. It was no secret that  she'd never win any beauty contests. She was too tall, had too many  curves, and loved chocolate covered almonds way too much. Not to mention  the hundreds of freckles that appeared across the bridge of her nose  and the apples of her cheeks every single time she was out in the sun.  But none of that bothered her. Kat was a solid seven out of ten on any  given day and that was just fine with her. She felt good and that gave  her the extra confidence boost she needed on the most important day of  her life.

Deciding a treat was in order since she was ready early, Kat remembered a  restaurant called Balthazar that Courtney, one of her college roommates  who had been to London several times, had told her about. It was  reported to have the best breakfast in town. Of course, Courtney had  gone on and on about the fabulous Bloody Marys, but that would have to  wait for another time. Showing up with alcohol on her breath was not the  first impression Kat wanted to make.

Making her way down to the Concierge, Kat found out that Balthazar was  less than a mile away and decided to walk. It was shaping up to be an  unusually sunny London morning and fresh air was just what she needed to  keep her anxiety at bay.

Kat was so absorbed in the beauty of her surroundings that she ran right  into the back of a man waiting at the crosswalk. Jumping back as  quickly as she could, Kat started apologizing before the man was turned  all the way around.

Thankfully, the man's murderous look changed to a smirk as Kat stuttered  and stammered her way through an apology. "Oh, my God, I am...I mean I  was...Are you...Oh Lordy, I am truly messing this up?"

She chuckled nervously as her unintentional victim thankfully stepped in  with his amazing British accent and English charm, saving her from  further humiliation. "It's quite all right, pretty lady. It must be my  lucky day."