Chapter 20
One week later
"I need to fix that damn heating," Jodie grumbles when Katherine, who has just gotten up, zips up the hoodie Jodie lent her all the way to her neck before burying her hands in the pockets.
The Mallois owner moves dangerously close and kisses her neck. They had dinner near Jodie's house last night and stayed over, and while they didn't notice the low temperature between the sheets, the cold hits hard when they get up.
"I can help you with that," Katherine purrs.
"No," Jodie roars like a lioness, and Katherine steps back smiling, raising her hands in surrender. "You're doing enough for my mother."
"We've already discussed this, Jodie."
"I said no," she insists, pointing a threatening finger at her.
Katherine nods and heads to the kitchen to make coffee. She had already made it clear in another conversation that she could help if asked, and she won't pressure her.
"What are you doing today? Do you need me for anything this morning?" Jodie asks, following her to prepare breakfast.
"Not this morning. All I have pending is paperwork and then a meeting with Annie at the bank," Katherine says.
A sudden silence falls over the kitchen. They haven't mentioned Annie since they started dating, this is the first time, and Katherine watches Jodie's reaction from the corner of her eye.
"She's not my favorite person, you know that," Jodie suddenly clarifies, "but I trust you, so you can tell me anything about her and mention her whenever you need to."
"Alright," Katherine smiles, leaning against the marble counter with a casual air while eating a cookie.
Jodie can't find her more sexy.
"Stop eating, you'll leave half your breakfast later," she says, snatching the package from her hands.
Katherine wants to tear her clothes off, but she contains herself.
"I do need you this afternoon," she says when she finishes chewing. "Yesterday I asked Lamir Kumar to send me the names of the hotel cleaners he thinks would be suitable for Marjorie's position."
Jodie's eyebrows shoot up.
"I thought you were going to hire someone from outside the hotel."
"That was my intention. But a week has passed and according to Lamir, we're not getting good profiles, and it occurred to me that I could look within the hotel to fill the position, after all, you all know better than anyone what needs to be done."
Jodie nods.
"And what do you need from me?"
"Your opinion. You know all the staff, I don't want to rely solely on Lamir's opinion, and let's be honest, while the man is efficient as a director, I think he lacks judgment with personnel. Otherwise, he would have dealt with Marjorie long ago."
Hours later, Jodie goes down to reception to deliver a couple of items she found in one of the rooms she cleaned when something catches her attention near the elevators. Her eyes immediately drift while a silent alarm activates inside her body without knowing why, until she notices the person waiting in front of one of the elevators: Annie Cohen.
A strange heat begins to flood Jodie, turning into sudden fury. She knows Katherine hasn't left yet because she can see Mike in the hotel lobby, talking distractedly with one of the bellboys. With her pulse racing and a fixed gaze, she watches as Annie enters the elevator and stands still like a statue when the doors close. Then her gaze rises to the numbers right above, and although she's sure she knows which floor she's heading to, she doesn't blink once until she confirms that, indeed, the elevator stops on the top floor, right where Katherine's penthouse is.
Irritated, she climbs the stairs to the third floor, where she knows Sarah is, and not even the physical effort of having climbed in record time manages to diminish her discomfort.
"What are you doing here?" Sarah asks when she notices her colleague's presence.
"Annie is in Katherine's penthouse, she just went in," Jodie pants.
Sarah makes a face while placing Annie in her memory.
"The woman Mrs. Taylor was sleeping with?" she asks, squinting.
"That's the one."
Sarah scratches the tip of her nose.
"But she told you she has nothing with her anymore, you should give her the benefit of the doubt," Sarah opines.
"She also told me she was having a meeting with her at the bank today, not in the penthouse," Jodie counters.
"Aaah," Sarah replies, not knowing what to say.
"I want you to help me keep track of her, I can't be watching all the time and I want to know how long she spends in the penthouse," Jodie asks her.
"Count me in," Sarah joins the mission, raising the disinfectant bottle she has in her hand.
Katherine is about to open her penthouse door to meet Mike in the lobby when the doorbell nearly bursts her eardrum. Despite being inside her home, she instinctively clutches her purse tightly because of the fright, and when it passes, she opens the door.
"Annie," she says surprised, "I thought we were meeting at the bank."
The look of confusion in Katherine's expression causes a small amused laugh from Annie, who approaches and kisses her cheek before passing by her and entering the penthouse.
"Yes, we agreed on that, but since lately we always meet there and haven't had time to talk about anything but business, I thought we could have it here and relax a bit," she says, and pulls out a wine bottle from a bag while showing a seductive smile that Katherine knows very well.
With the bottle in hand and before the Mallois owner can open her mouth, Annie takes two steps toward her and corners her against the wall while her free hand slides down her waist.
Used to this thing they've done so many times, for a fleeting instant, Katherine feels tempted to let it continue, but sanity immediately returns to her and reminds her that these aren't the lips she wants to feel, nor are these the hands from which she desires caresses despite always having enjoyed sex with Annie Cohen very much.
"Wait, Annie," she says placing her open hand on her chest while turning her face just in time to avoid the kiss the banker was about to give her.
Annie stops dead in her tracks, confused, and takes a step back to allow Katherine to move away from her. She watches her walk while processing what she's heard, trying to guess if she's serious or joking.
Katherine walks in the middle of that awkward silence to the cabinet where she keeps the wine glasses, while thinking about the best way to explain the new situation to Annie, but what comes out is a rather clumsy and dry explanation.
"We can't keep sleeping together."
Annie blinks and lets a few seconds pass.
"Were you serious?" asks the banker, still dumbfounded.
Katherine walks past and leaves the two glasses on the table in front of the sofa.
"Yes, Annie, I'm serious."
"Don't tell me you've got a crush on that maid who's been hanging around here lately," Annie blurts out with a rather contemptuous tone that greatly bothers Katherine, "because she's cute, Katherine, I won't argue with that, but that woman is..."
"Stop, Annie," Katherine cuts her off so sharply that Annie reaches for her glass and drinks the contents in one gulp, "be very careful with what you're going to say because this is serious."
Annie puts down her empty glass and takes Katherine's, drinks it too while the Mallois owner watches her with some perplexity.
"Sorry, I need to drink to digest this," Annie says.
"Do I need to throw you out of my house?" Katherine asks, not knowing how to take the comment.
Annie shakes her head so hard that the businesswoman fears the banker's perfect bun might come undone.
"No, I'm sorry, I just didn't expect it. We're talking about you and a cleaner, Katherine, understand that it's hard for me," she asks and sits down.
Katherine refills both glasses.
"I understand, as long as you speak about her with respect. Sometimes I feel like you forget where you come from."
Annie's greenish gaze intensifies so much when she raises it to focus on the woman who has been her lover for months that Katherine has the sensation of seeing a green meadow through her.
"I assure you I don't forget, Katherine, I'm very clear about my origins."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, it was wrong," the hotel owner apologizes.
"No, you should have because you're right," Annie says, surprising Katherine, "it's been so hard for me to enter this world where appearances, power, and money are everything, that sometimes I behave like a tyrant. As if I had more rights than the rest of mortals just for having achieved everything I have coming from such a dysfunctional and poor family that no one gave a dime for me."
Annie reaches for another glass, but Katherine crouches in front of her and stops her when she sees her intention is to empty it in another gulp.
"Drink slowly, this one, enjoy it with me, as friends," she asks putting a hand on her knee.
Annie draws a frustrated grimace that makes Katherine smile, but nods.
"I must admit it sucks that I can't fuck you anymore, but if you like that woman and it's serious, I'm happy for you, really," she finally says.
"I know, thank you."
"What's her name?" she asks when Katherine takes a seat beside her, "it's so I can stop calling her the maid," she jokes raising her glass.
"Jodie, her name is Jodie," Katherine smiles toasting with her friend.
Two hours later and somewhat impaired by the wine, Annie leaves Katherine's penthouse after finishing the meeting. Jodie isn't even spying on her at that moment, but chance makes them cross paths on the main floor. They see each other from afar and when their gazes connect and Annie notices that wariness in who she now knows is named Jodie, she winks at her with a touch of mischief she can't help and continues walking toward the exit.