Part I

Is this day really over, Kathryn thought? The last of the crowd was moving out of the pool area and back into the lobby of the hotel. I am never going to let myself get roped into something like this again. She pulled the clip from her hair and ran her fingers through the auburn cascade that fell free to below her shoulders. She walked over to the house phone by the lifeguard's chair and dialed the front desk.

"This is Kathryn Evans. You can shut down the lights in the pool area now. Just leave the underwater lights on. I don't want anyone tripping over a piano bench and ending up in the water. Oh and rope off the area for the night. Thanks."

She looked down the length of the room and sighed as the overhead lights went out two at a time. An unearthly glow from the depths of the swimming pool filtered up and cast a shimmering light on the fourteen grand pianos ranged around the edge. This had to have been one of her best campaigns yet. Certainly the manufacturer of the pianos thought so. He'd had nothing but praise and compliments for her and the results of her planning all afternoon and evening.

She chuckled as she headed for the elevators. Pianos were romantic - that's all there was to it. So the best way to bring a new manufacturer to the public's attention was to make sure that the public understood the romance. And what better way to ensure that than to couple those romantic pianos with the sensual concept of water? She chuckled again. Damn, you're good Kath. She shook her head. I'd better be, she thought, because after all this work, and aggravation , something good had better come of it.

She was exhausted. Weary to the bone. But it was a good tired. She had set out to sell the public on these new pianos and from everything she had seen today, she had succeeded. The manufacturer had told her as he was departing, that sales from today alone would allow him to recapitalize and expand his plant. She definitely had this account sewn up. All she wanted now was to relax and go to sleep.

She arrived at her room, and let herself in. She showered and then slipped into bed. But she found herself too keyed up to fall asleep. Oh, shit. All I want to do is relax, she thought. A drink? No. That's not what I want. Well what then? On a whim, she got out of bed and put on her swimsuit. I certainly won't be disturbed by anyone if I go to the pool it's been roped off. I'll just let them know at the front desk that I'm going to take a quick dip - fifteen minutes, half an hour at the most. She pulled the full-length terry robe from its hanger and slipped it on.

Five minutes later she was back in the pool area. The concierge had been very gracious about her request. Even offered to turn the lights back on. Kathryn had told him no. The semi-darkness was as soothing as the water. She just needed some alone time. She walked around the piano-lined pool and dropped her robe on a chair near the hot tub. Hmmm that might be even better than the pool. As she walked over to the controls to turn on the jets, she heard music coming from the other end of the room. Moonlight Sonata. Somebody was playing one of the pianos! She looked around and finally spotted him. In the dim light, all she could really make out was dark hair, and the fact that he was probably fairly tall judging from how much of his torso was visible above the body of the piano.

"Excuse me," she called out. The music stopped abruptly. "The display area is shut down for the night. I'm going to have to ask you to leave." "I'm sorry. I didn't realize" came from the end of the room. The man stood up and, after a moment's hesitation as he gazed at her, he walked away from the piano toward the lobby.

She turned the hot tub jets on and lowered herself into the steamy water with a sigh. This is definitely what the doctor ordered, she thought. She closed her eyes and gave herself up to the bubbling waters. Her mind floated into a warm, black cocoon. For some reason, the music she had heard on the piano haunted her. She started humming the melody. The warmth of the water and the bubbling jets supplied a counterpoint to the music running through her head. A few minutes later, her thoughts were scattered by the intrusive sound of glassware clinking - close by. She opened her eyes and searched the room again. Someone was headed toward the hot tub, with a bottle and glasses in hand. Oh, god no. Party time. Maybe if I ignore him, he'll go away. She closed her eyes again, determined not to be railroaded out of her relaxation.

"Mind if I join you?" Soft-spoken, baritone, gently blurred accent. Kathryn said nothing. He waited only a moment before stepping down into the pulsating water. The glasses clinked again. Kathryn sensed movement in the water. Whoever it was apparently wasn't waiting for a response. "I'm sorry about before," he said. "But I was wondering if the area is shut down for the night, why you're still here."

The piano player. Oh great. Kathryn had had enough. Without opening her eyes, she said, "Because I'm the person who's in charge and can throw you out."

"Okay, okay. I'm just trying to make conversation. Would you like some champagne?"

"Look, I've had a really long, trying day. I don't want to make conversation. I don't want a drink. I just want to relax and be by myself. Do you understand?"

"Yeah fine."

Silence. Well, that was an improvement. But why didn't he leave? She was beginning to feel ridiculous, sitting here with her eyes closed, ignoring him. With a sigh, she stood up and moved toward the steps to get out of the tub. I'll just take a quick dip in the pool and head back to the room

He watched as she rose above the level of the swirling water in the hot tub. She wouldn't even look at him. Well okay. That didn't mean that he couldn't look at her. He watched as the water sheeted and dripped down her body, and admired the contrast between the dark gray two-piece swimsuit and her lightly bronzed skin. She walked up the steps, and he sucked his lower lip between his teeth and bit down as her hips gently swayed.

He had wandered down to the pool after the concert, trying to unwind and forget about the things that were troubling him. But right now, he couldn't remember what those things were. Finding the pool deck crowded with grand pianos had been startling, but minor in comparison to his reaction to this woman. When she had called out to him and he had seen her standing in the semi-darkness, his first thought had been that she looked like something out of Greek mythology. When she had told him to leave, he had retreated without thinking. But the trip back up to his room had given him time to weigh the situation, and he had decided to try again. He told himself that there was a mystery here And then he laughed at himself. Definitely too much reading on this leg of the tour. The fact that she was pointedly ignoring him intrigued him as well. As he watched her dive into the pool, he found himself getting up to follow her.

She dove into the cool water and covered a third of the length of the pool before surfacing. She looked up just in time to see her unwanted companion dive into the water. This is ridiculous! Is he stalking me? That thought sent a little thrill of fear up her spine. Then she got angry. All she had to do was call security. They'd get him out of here. She started to swim for the ladder. As she closed the distance, he surfaced - directly between her and the ladder. She stopped. But her anger was still there, making her assertive. She confronted him.

"Why are you following me?"

"Just looking for some company. I've had a long, tough day too." He grinned. Recognition played around the edges of Kathryn's mind. I've seen him somewhere before, she thought.

"Well, I don't want any company. I told you that back there in the hot tub."

"I know, but I didn't think you really meant it." That lazy grin again. Come on, loosen up, he wanted to say.

"Okay, I can't stop you from using the pool or the hot tub. But the sauna is not co-ed. If I go in there, are you going to try to follow me there too?"

"Probably. But I'd rather follow you back to the hot tub." Suddenly the accent, the grin, and the face clicked together.

"Wait a minute aren't you Kevin"

"Richardson guilty as charged." He laughed. "Now can I talk you into keeping me company for a little while? Please? I'm trying to unwind from today too."

"I'm sorry," Kathryn said. "I thought well, it doesn't matter."

"Can we get out of the pool now? Or do you really want to tread water for the next hour or so?" he asked.

She laughed softly. "Fine." She headed toward the ladder and climbed out. Kevin looked up as she ascended the ladder. The view of her lightly clothed ass was enough to make his balls tighten. It's a good thing the water is cool, he thought. Otherwise I'd be stuck in here until 'things' settled down. He climbed out after her.

The air was cool on her skin and she shivered. Kevin was behind her and wrapped her robe around her shoulders. She looked up at him. "Thanks."

"You have me at a slight disadvantage you know who I am, but I don't know your name."

"Kathryn...Kathryn Evans."

"Hello, Kathryn Evans."

She couldn't believe how deep those green eyes were. He was standing way too close. Kathryn was suddenly shivering again, and not from the cold. She stepped back. "Hello, Kevin Richardson."

Surprisingly, he made no move other than to hold a chair for her at the nearest poolside table. She sat down, and he turned away. A moment later he was back with the bottle she had seen earlier, and two champagne flutes. "Are you sure you don't want a drink?" he asked raising an eyebrow. When she nodded acceptance of his offer, he poured for both of them.

"Are you really responsible for all this?" he asked, gesturing around to the pianos as he sat opposite her. "Yep. That would be me - public relations guru to the movers and shakers of the world. Well - future movers and shakers." She grinned.

"It's very impressive. I'd have to guess that your reception was pretty successful. I'm sorry I missed it." He smiled and saluted her with his glass.

"Thanks," she said returning the salute. "Actually, these pianos will sell themselves, once the company name becomes a household word. They are really fine instruments. All I have to do is shove the name down people's throats."

Kevin almost choked at her choice of phrase. He looked at her closely and decided that she hadn't intended any double meaning. "Do you play the piano?" he asked.

"Not as well as you do," she replied. "Of course, I took lessons when I was a kid, but if you don't keep playing"

"Oh, come on. You don't unlearn how to play. You're probably just rusty. Would it be all right for us to use one of the pianos as long as you're here?"

"Are you planning to serenade me?" she asked softly. His breath caught in his throat as she looked up at him and smiled. That smile could melt just about anything. "Maybe Or we could try a duet Whatever you like"

"Okay. Come on." She stood up and walked over to the nearest piano, carrying her champagne with her. Kevin followed, bringing his own glass and the bottle. Kathryn stood in the curve of the piano and waited for him to sit down on the bench. He placed the bottle on the floor and adjusted the bench to accommodate his long legs. He was very conscious of her watching him.

As he began to softly caress the chords from the instrument, Kathryn found herself wondering how she could have thought she was ready for sleep. Her body was awake and tingling. She watched his fingers on the keyboard and visions of those hands on her body superimposed what she was watching. He looked up at her and she was caught again in the depths of those green eyes. She shifted slightly and realized that she was pressing her pelvis into the side of the piano.

"What would you like me to sing?" he asked softly. He looked down again, because he was finding it difficult to look at her for very long without wanting to touch her.

"Nothing just keep playing." He looked up, startled, to see if she was serious. Her eyes were closed and she was listening raptly to the music he was drawing from the piano. He smiled. His eyes wandered over her torso as his hands wandered over the keys. I wonder what her skin feels like? He wanted to twine his fingers into her hair and She opened her eyes, and began to walk around the curve of the instrument to stand behind him.

"This is an incredibly beautiful piece of music. Are there lyrics to it?"

"Not yet. But I'm working on them."

"You wrote this?"

"Um hmm. About three years ago. You really like it?"

"Yes, I do. It has a very sensuous line to it. Maybe you should just leave well enough alone and keep it an instrumental. Lyrics would only clutter it up." And then her hands were on his shoulders. He fought the urge to gasp and succeeded in funneling the rush of feeling into his hands, producing an intensely emotional passage before getting himself under control. He came to the end of the piece, and looked up over his shoulder at her.

"Come on, your turn. Show me what you can do," he said as he stood up. Kathryn let her hands drop from his shoulders and hesitated before sitting down.

"I don't even know where to start. I remember bits and pieces of things I learned, but nothing from start to finish." She haltingly tried a few arpeggios and then slowly picked out the melody line for the first song that came into her head.

Kevin was now behind her as she had been behind him a few moments before. He looked down at her. Her hair was beginning to dry and he saw that there was a slight natural wave in it. The terry robe covered her, but he remembered what she had looked like as she climbed out of the hot tub. He wanted to reach down and caress those breasts. To push aside the robe and claim what lay beneath it. He felt his groin tighten again. He forced himself to concentrate on what she was doing. He listened carefully. She had a nice light touch on the keys. What would it feel like on him?

"Okay, I know that one," Kevin said with a smile. "From Chorus Line, right?" She nodded as she continued to work at the melody. Kevin's left hand came from behind her and began to add some chords to the melody. She could feel his breath on the nape of her neck as he leaned over her to play. She was about to compliment him on his improvisation, when his right hand moved in and started to play a descant above the melody. The music was flowing through her now, and Kevin's arms had her surrounded. She drew a deep breath. The lyrics soared through her brain - 'and I won't forget what I did for love.'

The song came to an end. Kevin slowly withdrew his arms from around her. She wanted to scream. Then he sat down next to her. "You see," he said quietly. "I told you that you couldn't have forgotten everything" His eyes were only inches from hers. Kathryn was drowning in them. His hand came up to her cheek, and he gently brought his lips to hers. A jolt like an electric shock went through her body, and she gasped. As her lips opened, his slid his tongue gently into her mouth. A soft groan rose from his throat as he explored the recesses of Kathryn's mouth. His arms slid around her and tightened. Her tongue engaged his and sparred with him. She ran her hands up his arms and over his shoulders, registering every ripple of his muscles as her hands caressed him. The intensity of the feelings coursing through her shook her. Kathryn broke the kiss and drew a ragged breath. He looked into her eyes and pulled back slightly to allow her time to breathe.

"I think I'd like a little more champagne," she said softly. Kevin reached down and picked up the bottle. He tilted it to pour into the glass she held out to him. His hand shook slightly, and the sparkling wine missed the narrow opening of the glass and poured onto Kathryn's chest. She inhaled sharply as the cold liquid came in contact with her skin.

"Oops, I'm sorry," Kevin said softly. "I think maybe I'm drunk.

"On half a bottle of champagne?" she chuckled. "Not much of a head for alcohol, huh?"

"It's not the wine," he whispered. "I think it's you." His eyes burned into hers. "Here let me clean that up for you."

Kevin's breathing was uneven as he slowly slipped his hands into the opening of Kathryn's robe and pushed it aside. He bent down and kissed the hollow of her neck. Her head dropped back and her eyes closed as the heat of his kiss washed over her. And then she felt his tongue licking the champagne from her skin. His mouth was incendiary. His lips and tongue moved lower and left a burning trail behind them. As his hands pushed farther into her robe, the belt at her waist loosened and fell away.

Part II
Stories by Emma