Cinema Files s1 p14

The Cinema Files
page 14, chapter 14

Rancid Romance

The bed squeaked every time we moved. I'm sure the people in the next suite were jealous thinking we were hot and heavy for hours. I know that would have been my automatic thoughts with each creek and moan. Sadly, for me it wasn't the case.

"Hand me the page again about that CEO fellow." Detective Whitechapel said mindlessly as he wandered slowly across the room, having just ordered our second pot of coffee from room service. Leaning over, I plucked a bad photocopy of the report from it's position on the pillow, causing another round of squeaks and creeks. I followed this with a yawn. "You getting bored?" he asked.

"No just haven't slept much this week. I'm thinking I'm going to have to bail on you soon." I replied, daring to finally glance at the bedside clock. It was already after midnight.

"Oh? Should I be jealous?" he poured what would be my fourth cup of coffee handing it to me. "After all, you are my fake wife." he winked causing his blue-green eyes to shimmer in the lamp light.

"The only thing I'm cheating on is the box of identical files I have waiting for me at home."  my cell phone started to ring suddenly causing my purse to vibrate slightly on the arm of the sofa.

"You sure about that? That's the fifth time in the last hour your phone's gone off."  Getting up from my cozy corner of the bed, I finally checked my messages. Rudolph had called twice, there was a text from Blake and another two from Vincent. "Popular girl."

"You boys are all the same. Only want me when there is a crime wave happening." I snorted shaking my head fighting back a few tears my throat having tightened. I had to bite my lip to keep it together. Sighing, I made a decision. "Fine. Let's get this ganger banger over with shall we?" Another sigh as I sent off a group text telling them all to meet me at the video store before it opened in the morning. Ryan looking over my right shoulder the whole time. I felt the air change around me then as he seemed to process this information. His breath hitting the back of my neck, lighting up my flesh with steam.

"Huh." the detective tossed the pages he was holding onto the sofa. "Well in that case..." he scratched the edge of his thumb against the corner of his mouth licking his lips. "Since you're already here Desdemona, you might as well stay."  There was a sudden awkwardness between us as I blushed beyond control. I felt so unsure of myself then, like I was fourteen again.

"For?" I closed my hazel eyes unable to control my stomach as butterflies took possession of it. I needed to hear him actually say it. So there was no mistaking his motive, no chance I misread the tension between us. Ryan Whitechapel flirted like most people breathed. It was so normal so part of his moment to moment dna that he'd accidentally led on so many; I could not risk ruining our friendship over my own one sided attraction.

"Ah for the love of Odin!" he swore under his breath running his left hand over his neck before proceeding to undo his belt and the buttons on his shirt cuffs. "Stay find out."


I was not dressed for work. It was 9am and I was still wearing the outfit, though more professional than my usual t-shirt and jeans; that I had been wearing the night before. I could not pass up the invitation, I had to stay. And to be honest, I don't think he was prepared for me to. I had agreed, tossing my purse back down on the sofa, sitting back down on the bed. Ryan stood in the dimly lit room frozen for a half heartbeat before removing his shirt and joining me on the bed. For a man who was normally as smooth as silk and in total control of every situation, he became quiet. One would almost say nervous. I had called his bluff and he was scattered by it. The awkwardness filled every pore around us. Every breathable molecule of air in the room. That clumsy embarrassing first time with someone you just met at a drunken bar moment.  Only worse because neither of us were drunk and we'd known each other for the last four years. The uncomfortable weirdness didn't stop there though. The good detective Whitechapel, got called into the station around 2am, and asked me to go with him. "Just in case." he said as he struggled with his underwear. The man could dress faster than he could undress. It was painfully obvious he'd been in the situation many many times before.
I ended up waiting for almost an hour for him. Just pacing back and forth between his desk and the front lobby vending machines. I was about to call a taxi to go home when Ryan darted out of one of the little closed doors, his jacket clutched in hand the biggest grin in his face I think I'd ever seen. Startling me, he planted a kiss on the side of my mouth as he leaned around me to open the lobby door. "We've still got a few hours before we have to meet your friends."   I was expecting the next sentence to be that he'd drop me off at home, but instead he just smiled at me kissing me again. "That means you're still my fake wife for another few hours at lest. I still owe you breakfast. Why don't we go work up a real appetite?"


Tune in again for another installment of the Cinema Files starring your heroine...me(straight up story. At some point, everyone has those awkward butterflies.)