*****Chapter 5*****

More Surprises

Mark

I paid for the two teas and I followed Jo out of the cafe. As we came out I put my arm round her waist again. Not because she looked shaky anymore but because I liked it there. It meant we were walking side by side and I could feel her body against mine.

We walked along in companionable silence and I thought about the situation.

I was really attracted to Jo but I didn’t know what to do about it and whether she felt the same way.

My mind was a jumble of thoughts. I wasn’t going to try anything on with her because she was obviously badly shaken from her attack.

And then there was the fact that I didn’t even know whether she liked me in that way. I hadn’t got one of those huge popstar egos that meant I thought I could have any woman I wanted. She had kissed me but perhaps she was just grateful to me. But maybe she had kissed me because she liked me.

So if she did actually like me then form the reaction I got before, that she hadn’t known who I was, she would like me because I was Mark Read and not Mark a1. It was a nice thought and it made me remember all the girls that had followed me round clubs knowing full well whom I was then approaching me pretending not to know me. It made me laugh out loud.

"What are you laughing about?" Jo said.

"Nothing," I said.

"Yeah right," she said hitting me playfully on the chest.

"Ow," I mocked. "That really hurt!"

"Are you saying I’m weak!?" she laughed.

"Maybe."

"Hey!" She hit me again a bit harder than last time.

"Ok, ok, peace," I said holding my spare hand up in surrender.

Jo

Mark’s arm was round my waist again and I liked it there. It made me feel safe and secure. I couldn’t believe I was walking along and messing around with this famous popstar.

The hotel Mark was staying in was very big and very posh. I was very conscious of my holey tights and bit of a bedraggled appearance. As we walked into the hotel lobby I slipped out of Mark’s arm, "How about I walk behind you," I said walking behind.

Mark stopped so suddenly I bumped into him, "Why?"

"Because I’m surprised you’re not embarrassed to be seen with me," I said still behind him.

"Don’t be stupid, stand next to me," Mark said. He turned round so he was behind me and pushed me forward to the reception desk. It was highly embarrassing. The young receptionist gave me a funny look then obviously knowing who Mark was gave him a dazzling smile. "How may I help you?"

"Room 405 please," Mark said receiving the key and propelling me towards the lift.

"Thanks allot," I said in the lift.

"What?" Mark said innocently.

"That receptionist gave me a well dodgy look, she looked like she was wondering why you had picked up this stray of the street," I said.

"Shut up, you are not a stray and I don’t know what you are on about, you are beautiful."

I felt my spirits lift. Mark had called me beautiful!!

Mark’s room was one of the biggest in the hotel by the look of it. It was like a small flat! In one corner there was a small kitchen and mini bar, then there was a living room section with a sofa, widescreen tv and Playstation.

"Sit down and I’ll go run you a bath," Mark said. "You do want a bath?"

I don’t know where this guy had come from; he was good looking, caring and incredibly kind. "Mm that would be lovely."

The bath took a few minutes to run then Mark ushered me into the bathroom, "Ta da!"

The bath was massive and Mark had filled it high with warm water and poured every bottle of bubble bath in by the looks of it.

"Clean towels are hanging up there."

I spent a long time in the bath nursing my injuries and I washed my hair with the little bottle of complimentary shampoo. When I got out I wrapped a white, fluffy towel round myself and secured it tightly under my armpit. I didn’t want to expose myself to Mark, well not yet anyway! (lol)

I came out of the bathroom and froze in horror. A man had his back to me and was going through the mini bar. It was definitely not Mark because this man was smaller and his hair was darker. I couldn’t believe my luck, first I got attacked and now Mark’s room was been burgled. For the second time that evening I screamed.

The man shot round in surprise, "Who the hell are you!"

I stood in silence looking at him as the bedroom door opened and Mark appeared.

"Mark!" the stranger and me both said in unison.