No Strings Attached

Part Two: No Strings Attached

Kimberley smiled as she heard Riccardo humming along to the lift music of "New York State of Mind". The song reminded her of her childhood, when her family had moved back to New York and her father would sing the song constantly. But the past was not something Kimberley liked to dwell on. Focussing on the past was not beneficial to anyone, and besides, the future was the most important thing. And Kimberley wanted hers to be bright. 

Suddenly, the lights in the lift went out. A scream from the mother, a cry from the baby. The lift screeched to a halt, making that classic "nails on a blackboard" sound which made everyone cringe as they covered their ears.

"What's going on?" exclaimed a voice

"Well, what do you think is going on?" a female said in a patronising voice

"I don't know! Why do you think I asked?"

"No one knows! The most obvious answer is that we're stuck in this lift." A vaguely New York accent was heard this time. It was a distinct voice with a hint of Italian...or was that Spanish? Kimberley couldn't put her finger on it.  

Then to their relief, the lights whirred into action. But, to their immediate dismay, the lift was still stuck in the same position.

Riccardo sighed, taking off his jacket, loosening his tie and undoing the top button of the crisp white shirt he was wearing. He continued to show his distress by sitting on the varnish wood floor.

"Well. It seems as if we're going to be stuck here for the foreseeable future," he sighed, "Hi everyone, I'm Riccardo Alonso. Rick if you prefer."

"I'm Jenny White," smiled the mother, rocking her baby back and forth in her arms, "This is my daughter Trina, who I'm really hoping will remain asleep until we get ourselves out of this mess."

The BO guy laughed which seemed to remind Kimberley of a jolly Santa Clause in a toy store, "I'm Bob Jones. I run a hot dog stall in Downtown New York. The best hotdogs in New York, if I do say so myself."

The nurse frowned, "Those greasy things - salmonella in a bread roll is why half of my patients come to see me. Anyway, I'm Nurse Xin Hao. I was actually making my way to a conference on floor 55 to accept my degree as a doctor of medicine but I suppose there's nothing I can do about that now."

Everyone in the lift smiled sympathetically.

Kimberley knew it was her turn to say something. She smoothed down her LBD, adjusted her YSL's and moved one of the chopsticks in her hair. Maintaining the upmost professionalism at all times was something that Kimberley's mother had taught her from a young age.

"Kimberley Rae Scott. United States attorney for Whyte and Browns. It's very nice to meet you all."

Bob the BO man laughed and kissed Kimberley's hand which looked very elegant as her boss had made her an appointment at The Ivy Hotel's Salon and Spa the day before where she proceeded to have a hot rock massage and a manicure, all compliments of the beautiful hotel. She suspected her boss and the manager were very comfortable with one another, but brushed that aside as she was not interested in the sex life of the balding 60-odd year old man.

Bob curtsied, "I am delighted to meet a beautiful woman such as yourself, sweetheart."

Kimberley sighed. She was more than used to men like this. The type of men to leer or make cat calls on the street. Thankfully, surrounded by the company of Xin, Jenny, Trina and Riccardo, she would be okay. 

It was only then that Kimberley realised.

"Wait a second!" she exclaimed, frantically dropping her hand to her side and consequently pointing at Rick vigorously, "You mean you're Riccardo  Alonso. Founder of The Alonso Advocate Corporation, practically the most famous law firm in the entire country? The entire world? Oh my goodness, you are like, an icon!. I.. you're all over the law papers practically every day, when you're not gracing the front page of the New York Times or Forbes!"

He winked and smiled, pulling a Forbes magazine out of his briefcase. He placed it, face up her hands.

Kimberley marvelled at the front cover, and everyone in the lift crowded around the magazine, gasping and double-taking.

Rick shrugged his shoulders and folded his arms waving one hand to make his point clear,

"Personally, I don't think it's very flattering. I mean look at the airbrushing, it makes me look like I've got a patchy tan, and it takes ages to maintain a body of this standard. I'm smart, successful, rich and frankly the most handsome devil I've ever lain eyes on and this front cover is just not up to the criteria that I was expecting."

"You truly are a modest gentleman." Kimberley said, pulling on the chopsticks which held up her hair. Blonde curls now tumbled around Kimberley's shoulders and she grabbed a strand which presently stuck itself to her plump apple red lips. She smoothed down her dress and sat down next to Rick whilst the others found various other places to sit down around the 4ft by 5ft lift.

"As a great man once said, modesty is only arrogance by stealth."

Riccardo directed her a panty-dropping smile that made her weak at the knees.

Swoon!