Facing Complications

This NSFW (R for nudity) PicStory introduces a new storyline featuring Roman Lenox and Hayes Markel. I am hoping this storyline will appeal to both male and female readers! I’m calling it the Complex Connections storyline.

~~Ailana

Acknowledgements: 

Readers who look closely will see slight variations in the clothes and/or items depicted in the story. These small changes should not take away from the narrative.

Some of the images needed by the story were challenging to create. The AI generator did not alway cooperate with the demands of the plot, and a few images are more thematically relevant than they are visually appealing.

Facing Complications

“Are you sure this trip is going to be so simple as you said on the phone?” Hayes Markel said to her boss who sat beside her on the red-eye flight from Seattle to New York.

Roman Lenox was a founding partner for an international consulting firm specializing in productivity, efficiency, and profitability through the integration of technology, especially AI solutions: Lenox, Davis, & Marston. Their business promised to find ways to make their client’s tech more efficient through improved connectivity and communications. 

Hayes was a recent graduate from University of Texas at Austin with a degree in business. Her mother was friends with Roman’s business partner, Hanah Davis, who had recommended Hayes to be Roman’s assistant. Though she had just graduated from college with little real experience, she and Roman hit it off in the interview and she got the job.

“Seems so…” Roman replied. “Let me pull up the email.

Roman navigated his iPhone as Hayes leaned her head over to look at it.

Someone looking on might see a happy couple sharing TikToks rather than a prominent business consultant and his assistant.

Roman, sorry for the short notice. Everything just came together fast because I have to get out to Hamburg right away, and my itinerary got changed.

I need you to be here at DataFlex by 11:00 a.m. for a greet and meet for the new CIO, Cliff Grayson. There’s a short reception after, then all the normal new executive stuff. I’m attaching some flight info with links so you can get here on time. By the time you see this, you’ll have about two hours to make it to the airport. Hope there’s no delays…

Once you get to the HQ, check in at security, then they'll get me and I’ll take you where you need to go. I assume you’ll bring Hayes, by the way, so she’s in the headcount for everything.

See you tomorrow.

Dale

Dale was the CFO for DataFlex. Whereas DataFlex was one of Lenox, Davis, & Marston’s biggest clients, Roman did not think there was an option to decline the invitation.

Hayes shook her head a little, then replied. “Still seems like a trip like this should amount to more than shaking some hands and snacks.”

Roman shrugged. “Well, you know everything I know. I called a few times, but it went to voicemail. Texted… but no reply. I assume he’s asleep or busy. East coast… “

Hayes sighed and smiled. “Well, we should try to sleep, if we can. It’ll be a whirlwind day.”

Roman nodded and looked at Hayes. “At least I’ll have good company.”

Hayes smiled and cut her eyes his way. “Aww… I should say something nice, shouldn’t I?”

Roman laughed. “Only if you mean it.”

Hayes took the airplane pillow and put it on Roman’s shoulder, then leaned over onto it. “I’ll think about it. I’ll come up with something.”

Roman smiled and reclined his seat.

They landed five hours later and consumed way more time than was expected getting from the airport to the DataFlex offices. They were on time, but only just. Hayes changed out of her Chucks when they got out of the Lyft. 

When they got to the security desk, she asked if they would store the backpack Roman carried with her shoes and a few other travel essentials in it. They agreed.

It was only a moment later that Dale arrived. “Hayes… you look as lovely as always.”

Hayes smiled as she and Roman turned toward him. “Thank you. You are too kind.”

Dale turned to Roman. “Mr. Grayson is looking forward to meeting you. He’s impressed… and intrigued… by your work.”

Roman shook Dale’s hand. “I’m glad for the chance to come out. It’s been at least six months since I was here. Looking forward to meeting Mr. Grayson.”

“Well, then, let’s get going,” Dale replied.

“Roman needs to stop in the gentlemen’s room and put on his tie first,” Hayes said, looking at Roman.

“I do. I’ll be just a moment.” Roman ducked into the nearby lavatory and put on his tie.

Pleasantries exchanged, the next hour passed in a blur. Security guards, elevators, corridors, another elevator to the top floor of the building where the C’s all had offices and where there was a grand room that was designed for receptions and other forms of entertaining.

Roman took his turn to meet Grayson, Hayes at his side as always. “Nice to meet you, Mr Grayson”

“Please… call me Cliff.”

Roman went on to introduce himself and Hayes as being from Lenox, Davis, & Marston.

Cliff responded with a slight elevation in his excitement level. “Ah… I was looking at your database backup solution. So you have AI monitoring server calls and adjusting the backup strands to optimal times?”

“In a nutshell, yes.” Roman replied. “Your IT guys can seed the decision process with schedule information… holidays… audits… It will learn as time goes on and then start asking the IT guys if it's making the best decisions.”

“Impressive,” Cliff replied.

The reception then proceeded essentially as expected. After it was over, Cliff pulled Roman and Hayes into an office that was part of the IT center. He wanted to take closer at the LD&M’s backup package.

Roman and Hayes approached one of the terminals and accessed the software, and Roman pointed at the screen. “Okay, this is your tech’s interface.”

Roman demonstrated a few of the things techs could do to teach the AI and to alert it to known future events. Cliff followed along and asked questions. Roman, and in a few cases Hayes, answered them. Each answer led to another batch of questions, and the discussion went on.

They had been with Cliff for some time when Dale entered. “Okay, you two can set up a meeting to go through the code line-by-line if you want, but we have other things to do now.”

“Oh, the board?” Cliff asked.

Dale nodded. “Roman, if you and Hayes have time, some of them want to see what we’re spending all our hard-earned money on.”

“You want us to meet your board?” Roman asked.

“It’s just some of them,” Dale replied. “Since we’ve brought on Cliff to take over as CIO, it seems like a good time to introduce Lenox, Davis, & Marston’s best asset.”

“If you say so,” Roman replied.

“I was talking about Hayes,” Dale said, slapping Roman on the shoulder. “But you can come, too.”

The meeting with the board wasn’t particularly interesting beyond shaking some hands and answering a few questions. Roman and Hayes understood that meeting Cliff was the point of the meeting, so they assumed the goal had been accomplished.

Things seemed to be winding down when Cliff approached. “Okay… I think we are through the worst of it. All that’s left is the dinner tonight. Be back around 5:00 for more hand-shaking. We’ll seat for the actual meal at around 6:00 and you can fill in the rest of the details. Nothing unexpected.”

“Five o’clock…” Roman nodded and glazed at Hayes.

“See you two then,” Cliff said as he motioned to Dale and a board member.

As Cliff stepped away, Hayes looked at Roman. “There’s a dinner at 5:00.”

Roman laughed a little. “So it seems.”

Hayes shook her head. “I’ll get our flight changed and you figure out how we are gonna get clothes for this thing… at least I need something besides a sundress. It’s almost 2:00. We gotta get moving!”

“At least we aren’t in Manhattan,” Roman replied. “At least we’ll be able to get around from place to place.”

After a frenzy of phone calls, Hayes reported that their new flight was at 11:30 p.m and Roman reported that the Lyft was on the way to take them to a dress boutique. It arrived a few minutes later and Hayes and Roman got in.

“We have a problem…” Roman looked at the driver. “Can we hire you for the rest of the afternoon and until you bring us back here at 5:00?”

The driver agreed and they headed off to the first stop to get Hayes a dress and some shoes for the night. Once there, the driver agreed to wait while they shopped.

Inside, Hayes said to one of the sales people, “I’m not picky. Black semi-formal that fits.”

The clerk got busy and in no time, Hayes had something to try on. She hurried to the dressing room as Roman waited nearby.

Moments later, Hayes called to Roman. “Hey are you there?”

“I’m here.”

“Come back, I need you…”

Roman went to where Hayes was changing.

Hayes was scratching her head, confused. “This is way too big. I think the tag is wrong.”

“I see…” Roman nodded, his face showing a little surprise.

Hayes began pulling off the dress. “Take it to the clerk and get a smaller size.”

“Hayes,” Roman said as the dress went up over her head, “I’m still standing right here…”

Hayes looked right at Roman. “We are in a hurry here, right? Stop staring like you've never seen a naked girl before, and go get the right size… please…”

Roman went and got the same dress in a different size and returned. Hayes was waiting for him in a different dress.

“I don’t think this is right for the dinner… What’a you think?”

Roman smiled and shook his head. “Definitely not.”

Roman tentatively held out the dress he thought was the right size. “But, you look good in it, though.”

“Aww…” Hayes quickly removed the dress, then looked at Roman.

“Here, I’ll take that,” Hayes said, reaching for the smaller size. “I have this other one to try, then I’ll try that one.”

“Okay…” Roman replied. “I’ll… wait back in the store…”

Hayes smiled deviously. “Tired of ogling my boobs?”

Roman shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t ogling!”

Hayes started putting on the dress. “Your loss, then… I’ll call you if I need you.”

Roman had only been in the main story a few seconds when Hayes called him back. “Zipper issues. Come help”

Roman returned to find Hayes with a dress half on or off; he wasn’t sure.

“I don’t like this one anyway. I can’t get it off.” She turned around and backed closer. “Zipper…”

Roman overcame the stuck zipper and she let the dress fall to the floor, then stepped out of it. 

Roman stepped back. “You’re naked again.”

Hayes shook her head. “I’m not naked. I have on my shoes… I’ll be right out. This last one has to be it.”

Roman had been back in the main part of the store a few seconds when Hayes called to him as she walked out from the fitting room. “This is it. I’m ready…”

“That’s… beautiful,” Roman said as he motioned Hayes toward the clerk.

“You pay…” Hayes pointed at the fitting room. “I’ll change back and we can get going.”

The next stop was a men's store. Roman needed a different shirt and tie, and more formal shoes for the dinner. They were easy to come by.

“Okay, this is fine…” Roman said, picking out a shirt.

Hayes pointed at his selection. “You need to try it on, don’t you?”

Roman shrugged. “I wasn’t planning on it. It’s my size.”

Hayes shook her head. “Sizes vary by designer a little. You don’t want it to be too small. Go…”

Hayes pointed toward the changing area, a group of small stalls with racks outside them for all the clothes that were not bought. Roman started for it and Hayes followed.

“Yell if you need me…” Hayes said as she stopped and Roman went on in.

A few minutes passed and Roman called out. “You were right. Could you get me the next size bigger?”

“Got it…” Hayes replied. “And I won’t even say I told you so!”

A minute later, Hayes entered the changing area with Roman’s shirt.

“Well…” Hayes said smiling, “I hope you don’t mind if I ogle a little before I give you the shirt.”

“Okay,” Roman laughed. “Weren’t you the one claiming we were in a hurry.”

Hayes slowly handed over the shirt. “I think we can spare a few seconds…”

The second shirt fit, and Roman and Hayes hurried back to the Lyft.

Slightly more difficult than finding a white shirt that fit was finding a laundry that would immediately freshen up the new shirt and press it. The Lyft driver came through with a recommendation that worked out. 

Visible from the laundry was a chain hotel that Roman and Hayes were familiar with. Hayes told the driver to take them there.

“We can get a room where we can clean up and get dressed.” Hayes said.

Once at the front desk, the clerk shook his head. “We don’t start check-ins for another hour. We’re short handed, and the rooms aren’t ready.”

Roman shrugged and shook his head. “Really?”

The clerk nodded.

Hayes then said, “I am sure you have at least one room that is ready. We can pay full price and you can even charge us for today and tonight.”

The clerk shook his head. “We don’t start check-ins now.”

Roman caught on to Hayes’s idea. “Set it up so we are checking in for last night, or something. We really need a room. Or go get your manager.”

The discussion was finally resolved when the manager finally got involved. “It’s just a queen and a bathroom.”

“More than enough,” Roman replied. “We have to dress for a dinner party. That’s all.”

As quickly as possible, Hayes and Roman made their way to the room. Once inside, they put their travel bags on one bed and the new purchases fresh from the cleaners on the other.

“How much time do we have?” Roman asked.

“About 45 minutes,” Hayes answered. “If we get good traffic.”

“Okay… Don’t think I’m being… anything… actually.” Roman started undressing, stripping down to his boxer-briefs.

“Aren’t you wearing that suit?” Hayes asked.

“Yeah… which is why,” Roman said as he moved toward the bathroom, “I took them off. I need to shave.”

“Roman,” Hayes said as he looked for the hotel-supplied razor and shaving cream, “I need to take a shower.”

“I’ll hurry.”

Roman started the water, as Hayes began undressing. When she was ready for her shower, she stood at the door to the bathroom.

“Roman, for the sake of me getting my hair a little dry, I’m getting in the shower now. You okay with that?”

Roman turned and looked at her. “Hayes… what…”

Hayes continued into the bathroom. “You shave. I’ll shower… It will be… something… just…”

“Just what?” Roman turned back to the mirror.

“Nothing,” Hayes said as she started the water to the shower.

For a moment, neither of the two said anything. It was Roman who broke the silence.

“Hayes, do you think it’s bad… think it’s okay for me to see you naked and…” Roman seemed unable to finish his thought.

Hayes answered from the shower. “I don’t know what to say. I’m sure you’ve seen naked girls before, at least pictures… It’s not like we’re… doing… anything.”

Roman kept looking at his face in the mirror. “No… I guess we are just in a strange… situation. I’ll hurry and get out of here.”

Hayes quickly replied. “I’m nearly done. So… no biggie.”

She turned her head and looked over to where Roman was shaving. Roman saw her in the mirror and their eyes met. Roman smiled at her reflection and she smiled back.

They both finished at about the same time and paused, each yielding to the other to exit the bathroom first. In the fleeting moment, both Hayes and Roman’s eyes roamed over the other person.

Roman caught himself first and turned his head. “Sorry… I… guess I shouldn’t be looking at you that way.”

Hayes took a step back. “I guess not, but I… Well, it didn’t bother me… if you were worried.”

Roman turned away. “I’m not worried… I just… don’t want you to think…”

Roman hesitated so Hayes pressed for him to go on. “You didn’t want me to think what?"

Roman kept looking away. “Back at the dress store… you said I was ogling you… I don’t want you to think I’m like that toward you.”

Hayes shook her head. “I was kidding. Roman… Turn around… It’s fine….”

Roman did as he was told.

“I don’t think you're that kind of person, or else I wouldn’t be sharing a bathroom with you like this. And I don’t want you to think I’m some trashy woman who lets just anyone see her naked… To be honest, I don't even know why I'm okay with…with…  Well… it’s… this… situation and the fact that…” Hayes trailed off her words.

“The fact what?” Roman asked.

Hayes picked up a towel and moved past Roman, placing her hand on his chest to gauge the distance as she passed. “The fact that… that… we are in a big rush and about to be late.”

Roman followed her out of the bathroom. “That’s not what you were going to say.”

“Well, it’s true,” Hayes shrugged and replied as she began to quickly dry off. “You need to get dressed.”

As quickly as possible, Roman and Hayes dressed. Getting her hair dry made Hayes second-guess her decision to take a shower, but in the end, they were out the door of the hotel in time to get to the dinner on time.

As expected, it was a lot more hand-shaking and introductions. Eventually, everyone sat down, and the meal was served.

From what Roman and Hayes could tell, they both could have left when the wait staff was pouring the water; after that, no one had anything more than polite conversation to say to them.

Just before dessert was served, Hayes got an alert on her phone. Roman could tell it was upsetting.

“What’s wrong?”

Hayes looked at him and forced a smile. “Flight has been canceled. There’s a link…”

A few seconds later, Hayes looked at Roman and smiled. “Well… according to the website, the plane had mechanical issues. We were auto-booked to fly out tomorrow… afternoon.”

“Tomorrow?” Roman blinked his surprise.

“Site says rebookings were done in the order that the original tickets were bought.”

Roman rolled his head around and sighed. “And we booked last night… so, we’re…”

Hayes finished the thought. “Spending the night in New York.”

“Well,” Roman added, “maybe that hotel can give us a second room.”

It turned out that they couldn’t. The clerk called a few nearby hotels and reported that none of them had any rooms for that night, either.

“Guess you’ll have to make do with what you have,” the clerk said.

Roman and Hayes went back to the room where they had cleaned up for the dinner. Roman held the door for Hayes and then followed her in.

Roman looked around the room. “Well, if I’d known we were coming back, I’d have cleaned up a bit more.”

They looked around the room for just a few seconds, then Roman said, “Is it hot in here?”

Hayes nodded. “Extremely.”

Roman took off his coat and draped it over a chair, then looked at the thermostat. “It’s set for 74°, but it says it’s 87°.”

“Too hot. Is it on-on or is just the fan running?”

Roman looked again. “It says ‘Cool-Auto’ so I think that means it's on.”

“So it’s busted,” Hayes replied. “And thus, the day just keeps throwing surprises to us!”

“I’ll call the desk.” Roman went to the phone and called down.

The clerk was far from helpful. Clearly, he explained, there were no technicians in the building at that time of night, and as they had previously discussed, there were no other rooms. He offered his apologies and said he would comp the room and double their travel miles reward.

“Well, that’s that,” Roman said when he hung up.

Hayes fanned herself a little. “How are we supposed to sleep in this heat?”

Roman looked around the room. “I… I’ll… I’ll make a pallet on the floor over here….”

“That’s not what I meant… I was talking about it being so hot.” Hayes shook her head. “And don’t be dumb… It’s a queen size bed, and… We… can share it…”

Her voice trailed off and she looked down. Roman wasn’t sure what she was thinking, so he began taking off his tie and waited to see if she’d explain.

Hayes sat down on the edge of the bed. “Roman…”

Roman stopped and looked at her, then let her finish her thought.

“I have no pajamas…”

Roman nodded, and looked down. “And… if our shopping and showering have anything to tell us, you have no underwear, either…”

Hayes laughed a little and looked down. “Right… Sundress… I didn’t think I’d need… And I’m not inclined to sleep in a dress…”

Roman stood still and nodded again. “Okay…”

Hayes stood up and began taking off her dress. Roman turned away from the bed and took off everything except his boxer briefs. He hung them over furniture so they would not wrinkle.

When Roman turned back around Hayes seemed to have resigned herself to the situation. “You can still sleep on the bed. It would be dumb to sleep on the floor. Or I’ll sleep on the floor if you just can’t…”

“Hayes, I don’t want you to sleep on the floor. If anyone sleeps on the floor, I’d have it be me.”

Hayes shook her head. “I don’t want you to sleep on the floor, either. If you sleep in… or on the bed with me, can you handle me naked?”

Roman looked away and laughed. “Handle you naked?”

Hayes looked down and shook her head. “Bad choice of words. Can you cope with me being naked beside you, or…”

Roman closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, then looked at Hayes. “Look, I can cope, if you can. I think… If you…”

Hayes looked curious and sat down on the bed. “If I what?”

Roman turned back to face her. “I was going to say, if you behave, but I know you will… You’re… not…”

Hayes looked up. “I’m not what?”

Roman laughed. “I was going to say you’re not the kind of girl who’d try… that sort of thing.”

“I’m not.” Hayes looked down and spoke softly. “I… today, you’ve seen me naked more than every other person on earth combined… I mean not counting when I was a baby… You know what I mean…”

Roman nodded, but said nothing.

“I… don’t know why I don’t feel… embarrassed… I guess…” Hayes shrugged and her voice almost quivered. “Trust…”

Roman sat down on the bed. “I trust you, too. The partners… I’d be in big trouble, you know… This kind of thing… I know you wouldn’t… At least I believe you wouldn't. But others… Claims and charges and HR matters and… you know…”

Hayes looked over. “Trust and this strange… situation. This is… not normal for us.”

Roman nodded. “Well, it hasn’t been, up to now…”

Hayes looked over at him, smiled, and furrowed her brow. “Up to now? What are you saying?”

“Saying?” Roman shook his head. “Saying nothing… I… I was just agreeing with you…”

Hayes smiled. “Okay.”

She shook her head and took a deep breath. “I… suppose we should try to get some sleep… It’s so hot…”

Roman nodded. “I don’t think I’ll need a blanket or…”

Hayes nodded as she crawled toward the pillows. “Me neither… Which side do you want?”

Roman waved his hand at the bed. “You pick… I’ll… cope.”

Hayes settled down on the left side of the bed and Roman eased himself down on the right. Neither said anything for a few awkward seconds.

Hayes finally broke the silence. “I guess I feel like I need to say goodnight to you.”

Roman nodded his head. “Oh yes. Goodnight, Hayes.”

“Goodnight Roman.”

== Roman's Dream ==

Roman lay on his back and tried to get comfortable. Moreover, he tried to forget the fact that a beautiful woman was lying beside him naked. It was all he could do to ignore the situation.

Hayes had been borderline flirty all day, starting with the ogling comment. Even before that, on the plane.

To be totally honest, the two of them had flirted back and forth with each other in more or less innocently almost as soon as they had met.

 Hayes's showering had convinced Roman that she was, at least, comfortable with him. He did not mind at all. As much as he had wanted to seem uncomfortable with her undressing in front of him, it had been exciting and had stirred… his ideas.

At some point after turning off the lights, Roman managed to push the thoughts of Hayes out of his mind enough to fall asleep. 

He had no idea how long he had slept when he was jolted out of a dream by his hand brushing against Hayes’s hand.

As quickly and quietly as possible, he pulled it back. Even as the shock of the moment passed, the details of the dream flooded in.

He and Hayes were back in the server room at DataFlex, but they were alone. As it was a dream, the details were not fully logical, but they had to do something to fix something or else DataFlex was going to have to shut down. The technical aspects of the dream were muddled and not very defined.

What was defined was that Hayes and he turned into each other by accident, and Hayes reached out and took his arms.

Roman then pulled her to him and they kissed long and deeply right between the servers. It was vivid. It was amazing. And the feeling evoked by the dream lingered on, even after Roman was awake.

Roman adjusted his position in the bed, then lifted his head to look at Hayes. She slept soundly, undisturbed by his hand touching hers.

Roman settled back down. The dream still rattled in his head, but he knew he had to control himself.

As a partner in the firm, having a relationship with his assistant would not go over well with anyone. Accusations of favoritism would ring throughout the organization. The partners would be compelled to create an official HR incident. Any employee could bring claims against the firm.

What had happened there in New York couldn’t become public knowledge. Roman would have to make sure Hayes understood, and he knew she would.

Still, the dream rattled in his head…

== Hayes Wakes==

Hayes rolled over in the bed and felt something against her leg. For a moment, she was confused; all she could think of was that her leg was touching someone else’s leg that shouldn’t be there.

She woke herself up enough to remember where she was. She raised up and looked over at Roman.

He was still sleeping. He seemed undisturbed.

As she looked at him, she felt the urge to cuddle him well up inside her.

Something about the day had been different. The first time Roman walked into the dressing room to see her in the oversized dress, she had not meant to show herself to him. But that first incident had surprised her. He clearly saw her breasts, and he seemed to like what he saw, but that was expectable.

It was a feeling inside her that surprised her. She had caught his attention in a different way; that too was not the surprise. It was that she had not felt embarrassed. In some slight way, it felt good to have him look favorably at her. It felt nice to see him respond to her breasts.

Over the months, he had responded favorably to her business ideas. He had seemed to enjoy their casual conversations. He had expressed interest in her ideas about food, music, and life in general. Their whole relationship was solid and satisfying.

But not until she shocked him with her bare chest had there been any sort of evidence that there was a physical connection, too. Hayes had liked how it felt to be seen, and had let the urgency of the day prompt her into what amounted to being an exhibitionist. 

She hoped she had not been playing a game. She hoped his restraint was due to his self-control and not some sort of disapproval. She really couldn’t sort out all her thoughts at once, so she took a deep breath and looked at him sleeping beside her once more.

Though she, at that moment, wanted to feel his skin against her, she couldn’t give in. She knew better.

Though she, at that moment, wanted to feel his skin against her, she couldn’t give in. She knew better.

It was bad enough that everyone believed she just got the job because her mother knew somebody. Being in a relationship with one of the partners would utterly taint any success she might have.

Propriety aside, she didn’t want to be an assistant anything forever. And she didn’t want people to think she’d slept her way up the ladder.

Roman was an amazing man. But she couldn’t be sure how he felt about her. Any man would become interested if they had been exposed to a naked woman all day.

Hayes decided she’d have to hold back on her feelings and resist. Resist the urge to scoot over to him and pull herself against his back and spoon him.

She turned over the other way, took a deep breath and fought her way back to sleep.

When she woke up the next morning, Roman was in his suit pants and shirt, standing in the bathroom combing his hair with the hotel’s complementary comb. He saw her stirring and turned to her. 

“I’m done. All yours…”

Hayes made her way into the bathroom and located the complementary toothbrush and toothpaste. Roman offered a warning.

“Tastes like cough syrup.”

Hayes laughed. “That’s how I like to start my day.”

Roman nodded, then paused, then said. “Well… I’ll step out… so you can have privacy.”

Hayes turned to him and nodded. “Yeah… Showering is one thing… but there are some things I need to do that I would be embarrassed… Yeah… so… I won’t take long.”

Hayes used the toilet, brushed her teeth, then showered. She took only a few minutes, avoiding wetting her hair as much as possible to save time.

Once done, she put on the sundress she had worn coming from Seattle. She opened the door to let out the steam and used the brush she had packed to straighten out her hair.

Roman returned to the doorway. “I have an idea… Tell me what you think.”

Hayes looked over at him and nodded.

“So, we left Seattle Sunday night thinking we’d be back on Monday night. We won’t be back until tonight, Tuesday. We are supposed to leave on Wednesday to get to Miami for meetings on Thursday and Friday.”

Hayes thought through the schedule and agreed.

Roman went on. “Suppose we just slow down, get some clothes and stuff… toothpaste that doesn’t taste like medicine… and go directly to Miami tonight. We can just hang out together on Wednesday, and be ready for our meetings on Thursday.”

The only words that stuck in Hayes’s thoughts were “hang out together.” She nodded and replied.

“I’d like that. I mean… slow down. Get settled in Miami.”

Roman smiled. “Me too. I’ll call for a hotel if you can deal with the airlines.”

Hayes nodded.

It took a lot longer to get everything arranged than Hayes would have guessed, but eventually everything was arranged. She and Roman gathered their few things and started out of the room.

Roman was in front, and he paused with the door open to the hallway, looking back. “It was an interesting night… we handled it, didn’t we?”

Hayes could not resist herself; she playfully punched his shoulder. “No one handled anything that I know of.”

Roman smiled and looked down. “We coped.”

“We did,” Hayes replied.

They exited the room and started for the elevator.

When they got to the elevator, they had to wait. Hayes looked at Roman.

“We can’t tell anyone what happened. I don’t want people thinking I’m sleeping my way up the ladder of success. I love working with you. But I want to grow, and I don’t want people thinking I got where I get to by… to be crude, spreading my legs for the boss…”

Roman didn’t seem surprised. “We can’t mention this. I agree. So much could unravel if word got out.”

The elevator arrived and the both got on, then Roman added a thought. “Hayes, I… want you to know… I have no regrets about what happened.…”

Hayes smiled. “Same…”

Neither of them said anything about what didn’t happen, and Hayes wondered…

They checked out and for the next couple hours, they stocked up on fresh clothes and other traveling supplies. They made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare, then, when they landed in Miami, grabbed a Lyft to the hotel.

They checked in, and Hayes cleaned up and put on fresh clothes. Roman did the same—but in a different room.

The day was mostly done by then, and a nice, relaxing dinner at a restaurant overlooking the ocean, then they returned to the hotel. Roman walked her to her room and then, in an awkward goodnight moment, he hugged her. It was warm and friendly. She told herself it was—could be—nothing more.

Hayes took off her skirt and blouse and hung them up. Before taking off her bra and panties, she went to turn back the covers on the bed.

A single thought passed through her mind. “Goodnight Roman”

The trip to New York had been riff with misadventures, but through it all Roman was there. Hayes back at the door to her hotel room. Somewhere beyond that door was Roman, in his own room.

Situations in New York  had thrust them into a few—interesting—situations, but through them all he had been a true gentleman and she, a proper lady. 

Hayes took a deep breath and shrugged. She wondered what it would have been like had they behaved… differently.