All characters are over 18 years.
***
A few days later Leona was sitting in the coffee lounge of the hotel in Nicholson Street.
Glancing up from the book she was reading, she saw the figure of Gareth Hamilton standing in the doorway, making a careful survey of the room.
She watched him approach her table. He was wearing well-worn denims and a black cotton sweater.
'All alone?' he enquired and, when she nodded, asking suavely, 'mind if I join you?' - sitting down not waiting for an answer.
'Not at all,' -- attempting to sound friendly yet wanting to retain her privacy.
His eyes, she noted, were a deep, unfathomable sea green.
After ordering coffee he said, 'My sister hasn't been here, has she?'
'No. I haven't seen Jules since last Saturday. She's probably out some where with Nathan.'
He shot her a glance, taking in the thin white blouse and blue skirt. She was hardly made up at all.
'You're a strange girl,' -- a totally unexpected comment. His eyes became hard as marble. 'Very strange indeed!'
'Not a girl, Gareth,' -- smiling -- 'I've been in the adult world for quite some time now.'
'You look like Lorelei with your hair down your back.'
She laughed and ran her fingers through her hair.
'And who's Lorelei? Some girl in your past?'
'A siren who lured sailors to their deaths in ancient times.'
'Do I appear that strange to you?'
'You appear very self-contained. Confident, yet a little reserved. A full womanly woman.' His voice held deep and resonant tones.
He was giving her that shot-in-the-arm confidence she so badly needed, she thought.
