14

Sat upon a bed, that would have filled the entire bedroom in her flat, River looked around with nervous eyes. Everything seemed so luxurious and not at all what she expected a Scottish hotel room to look like. It didn't have tartan everywhere, or stag heads hanging from the walls. It looked normal. Normal and expensive.

Even the bed covers had a feel of luxury and the mattress, itself, seemed to curl about her bottom, embracing it with softness and warmth. She wiggled her bum as she looked at the rest of her room. She had already unpacked her suitcase and the wardrobe and dresser had swallowed up her few items, leaving space for so very much more.

The evening dress, still in the long, protective bag, hung upon the front of the wardrobe and River wondered when, or if, she would really need it. She had never worn an evening dress before. Party dresses, for certain, but never an evening dress. Gown. She should call it a gown, she supposed. Something for a special occasion, but she had no idea what special occasion Celeste had in mind.

Was it for that night? The next? It made River nervous to consider it. If Celeste turned up at her door in her gown and River had put on something more plain, she would die of embarrassment. Or the other way around. Dressing in the gown to find Celeste in normal clothes. The entire situation felt like a minefield ready to blow up in her face.

More than anything, she needed a bath, or a shower. Travelling so far in the car had made her feel sweaty and dirty. It wasn't as though the Lexus was at all cramped, it certainly was not, but every time River thought about the following days, the nights and Celeste, she had felt sweat begin to pour from her.

Celeste must think her the most sweaty, neurotic person in the world. She had no choice. Lifting herself from the bed, leaving the comforting embrace of that mattress, she entered the en suite and began running the water into a bath that she could swim in. She found several thick towels with the logo of the hotel upon them, and a bathrobe that River didn't doubt cost more than her entire wardrobe. A knock at her door forced her to jerk her hand away from the bathrobe's material as she touched it.

"Just seeing if you've settled in." Celeste looked as fresh as morning dew and River assumed the beautiful woman had already had her bath. "How's the room?"

"It's brilliant. And big. So big. And the bed is big. So, very, very big." Not knowing whether she she should invite Celeste in, River toyed with the edge of the door, standing a little to the side, but Celeste didn't try to enter. "I've never known such luxury. Have you felt the bath towels? They're so fluffy. Like sheep, but without the smell and those weird eyes. It's the only way I can describe it. Luxury."

"I never noticed." Celeste seemed to think about it for a second and then gave a light shrug. "Well, do you want me to come and get you for dinner, or shall we meet downstairs?"

Of course Celeste wouldn't notice the luxury of the hotel. She had probably stayed in hotels all around the world. Places that made this place seem like a little B&B in Bournemouth by comparison. It made River feel so parochial. She and Celeste could not be more different if they tried. Once again, River felt out of place.

"Dinner. Right. Umm ..." Almost hiding behind the door, now, River picked at the edge as she looked down at her feet. "I was wondering, because I don't know, because this is all a bit 'gaaah' to me and I've little, no, experience in these kinds of places, whether I should wear that evening dress, gown, that evening gown tonight, or not. Or ... or ..."

"No, that's for the party tomorrow." With a little smile, Celeste glanced away to the side and gave a little point of the finger. "I tell you what, let's meet downstairs in, say, an hour? Don't forget your bath."

"Bath? Oh! Shit!" Letting the door go, River dived into the en suite and turned off the running water, in time to stop it overflowing onto the marble floor tiles. Letting out a sigh of relief, she moved back to the room door. "What party?"

Celeste had gone, the door had closed as she had saved herself from having to explain to the hotel management why she had flooded the place within minutes of checking in. River opened the door and looked both ways up and down the hall, but she could see no sign of Celeste. River couldn't work out whether that was rude of her, or Celeste.

She could forgive Celeste a little rudeness, but not herself. In fact, she could, in almost every circumstance, forgive Celeste anything. She need only glance at those deep brown eyes and River would find herself melting into a puddle upon the floor. Forgive her? River would feel blessed that Celeste took the time to do something rude to her.

River almost choked at that thought, looking around, her hand darting to her mouth, and praying that her internal thought had not become an external one. Once again, she looked up and down the hallway. If she had said it aloud, no-one had heard. Another sigh of relief escaped her lungs. She closed the door and collapsed against it, fingers clutching at her hair.

It felt more than a little infuriating. She had no idea how to act around Celeste. Didn't even know why she had come along to this little trip. In fact, she didn't know why Celeste had suggested this trip. River still assumed that Celeste was straight, that thick, gold band dangling from her neck proved the biggest giveaway. And River still held out hope for something a little more ... intimate.

If she thought about it, it wasn't fair to Celeste or herself. To Celeste, this trip was, most likely, a weekend away with a new friend. Something to take her mind away from not having a job, even though she had said she could make a call and have a job the next day. To River, this was a trip in the company of someone she found wildly attractive. Ridiculously attractive.

Those two states were like oil and water and, somewhere along the line, one or the other of them would become destined for disappointment. Perhaps even hurt. It wasn't fair on Celeste to masquerade as a friend, while, underneath it all, River wanted to take Celeste to bed and imprint every square millimetre of her body to memory. More than once.

It also was not fair upon River, to pine for a woman that, probably, could not return her affections. If River had had any sense, she would not have agreed to any of it but, now, as she thought about it, she didn't want to let Celeste go. If that meant pretending to like her only as a friend, then so be it. She could do that. She felt certain she could do that. Maybe.

After peeling herself from the floor, River reentered the en suite, letting some of the bath water out before undressing and stepping into the soothing heat. She had to make a decision about this relationship. A decision that could cement a friendship, or break it forever. As she relaxed in the bath, letting the heat creep into her muscles, relaxing her, she made a decision. One that she could only enact once they returned home.

This subterfuge of her feelings could not continue. It almost felt as though she were taking advantage of Celeste. A voyeuristic friendship, where Celeste, the object of River's fascination, were nothing more than an object for River to lust after. Once again, she thought how unfair that was. No better than a stalker, taking pictures from afar. Except River got her kicks by sitting right beside Celeste.

Having bathed, dried, dressed and battled with make-up that she did not normally use, River took a deep breath and set off downstairs to the dining area. She had worn a plain, but pretty, long black skirt, flat shoes and a sleeveless, black top. She didn't feel either over or under-dressed. In fact, she had no idea what people wore to dinners in a Scottish stately home turned into a hotel.

She felt much better upon entering the dining room to see everyone else wearing normal clothes. Not an evening dress, tuxedo or tartan kilt in sight. It looked like a normal restaurant and, there, at the far side of the dining room, sat Celeste. She wore her normal, business-like jacket and pants, high-heels and a brilliant white blouse that seemed to shine like a beacon across the room. Upon seeing River, Celeste raised a hand, mouthing 'Hi' to her.

Weaving her way through the tables, River smiled at the other guests as she passed. Some returned her smiles, others ignored her, still others wished her a good evening. Reaching her and Celeste's table, River found herself dazzled by Celeste. Even though she wore clothing little different to normal, something made River feel almost overwhelmed by her beauty, reflected in the candles upon the table.

"I was thinking." Celeste stood as River approached and then began to sit again as River sat in her chair. "After we've seen what Scotland has to offer, tea-wise, why don't we go somewhere further afield? Which part of the world would you most like to see?"

"India." The word came out of her mouth before River could even think and she tried to hide her internal groan. "But, I'm really not sure. I think, if I ever went abroad, I'd like to go somewhere completely different. Somewhere that isn't noted for its tea. Or somewhere that has a different kind of tea. Just tea, really. Find something new and exciting."

"That's settled, then." Flipping her napkin out to the side, Celeste draped it across her lap. "You tell me the country and that's where we'll go. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of ordering for both of us. Local caught, fresh salmon. It can't be beaten."

"Okay." Fumbling with her napkin, River cursed herself.

So much for putting a stop to this. Now it had become unimaginably worse.