Holy shit! Was that Bartholomew Stone? 

This guy's reputation was legendary. Supposedly, he had slept his way through half the students AND a portion of the faculty! To rake up that kind of score, he didn't discriminate on race, religion, or gender!

As long as they were willing to tolerate his bombastic character, Bart could get anyone into his bed! I had seen pictures of him but never expected to see him in the flesh. It felt like spotting a celebrity.

Tempted to walk up to him and ask for an autograph, I watched him walk away towards the gates.

"Due to heavy snowfall, all flights have been grounded until further notice. Please visit your airline counter for more information. Thank you for your understanding."

Shit! How could I be stuck in an airport the day before Thanksgiving!?

If it weren't for Tapas, I would have gone mad during the long wait at the counter.

"Sir, I can't predict the future but I can tell you that your scheduled flight is canceled. Here is a voucher for a hotel room."

"That's it? A voucher?" I said in quiet defeat. It wasn't the woman's fault and I understood the difficulty of her position.

"The airline cannot be held responsible for unforeseen weather circumstances," she said, giving me the rehearsed standard answer.

I was astonished when she looked over my shoulder and whispered, "I have a friend that works in the gate-side airport hotel. It will soon be fully booked, after all the flight cancellations, but I can call in a favor and get you a reservation."

I was at a total loss for words. "Why would you do that for a random stranger?" I asked, deeply curious.

"Because you are the only person that didn't scream at me," she said, picking up the phone.

***

The hotel's reception was almost as bad as the airline counters. I quietly waited my turn, as I read my book.

I was almost there when the lady in front of me was told that the hotel was fully booked. She went into Full Metal Bitch mode and almost attacked the receptionist with her handbag.

Pandemonium erupted as the news spread amongst the sea of people behind me. I took advantage of the chaos to quickly check-in.

Moments after signing the registration form, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Please don't think I am crazy but I am desperate for a room. They canceled my London flight and I simply cannot sleep on a bench."

I sucked in a breath, as I saw who it was that spoke to me!

"I am willing to pay you double if you give me your room," he said, revealing his intentions.

Processing the odds of this happening to me, gave him the impression that I was thinking about it. He whipped out his wallet and started counting his cash.

Bart had transitioned from campus slut to one of New York's titan defense attorneys. He was known for taking unwinnable cases and flipping them upside down, with juries handing him verdicts on a silver platter.

As a defense lawyer at the beginning of my career, I was meeting my idol. I also realized that double the hotel fee was small change for a man like him.

Clearly, the universe had aligned some stars for me tonight. I hoped that tomorrow I could catch a flight to LA. I would hate for Mom to be alone for Thanksgiving but right now I needed to take a chance.

"We both know that my room is worth a lot more than double," I said as calmly as I could muster. I stuck my hands into my pockets to stop them from shaking.

To my utter amazement, he was now grinning. "A negotiation!" he said triumphantly. He grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the bar.

"Get my friend..." he looked at me for a name.

"Simon," I offered.

"Get my friend; Simon a drink," Bart told the bartender with a jovial smile. He turned back towards me and said, "You are either a lawyer or you know who I am."

"Both," I said, trying to stay aloof. I sipped carefully on my dirty Martini, wondering what he would say next.

"Which firm?" he asked, taking one of the three shots of bourbon that he had lined up in front of him.

"I just started as a public defender."

His eyes widened but he said nothing.

"Why should I give you a room that I got through an act of kindness?" I asked, sagely.

"What did you do?" he asked, without answering my question.

"Apparently, the lady at the airline counter was grateful that I didn't take my frustration out on her," I answered truthfully.

"Wow," Bart said in awe. "I tried bribing my way onto another flight, not realizing that they had grounded all of them."

"Doesn't someone like you have their own plane?" I asked without thinking. Was I being too forward?

"I don't keep most of what I earn. I charge those scumbags a King's ransom and then donate ninety percent to charity."

I almost spat out my drink. "Are you for real?" I asked in shock.

"Nah, just messing with you. The jet is in the repair shop." He patted my shoulder, as he laughed warmly. "You should have seen the look on your face!"

"The room is a suite with two double beds. I'll share it if you reimburse me and pay for all the extras, including dinner and the minibar."

"Why do I feel like I am getting screwed in this deal?" he asked, still smiling.

"Because you are!" I said, plainly.

Bart ordered us another round of drinks and asked the bartender to make a reservation in the only hotel restaurant. Did that mean, that he accepted my offer?

***

"What is a clever kid like you doing in the DA's office?" Bart asked, raising his glass of Chateau Margaux for a toast.

"I believe in putting criminals behind bars, not letting them run the country," I said, taking a handsome gulp of wine. Wow, this stuff was smooth.

"Bold statements fueled by youth and ideology." Bart countered as he cut into his steak.

"Why do you defend the monsters?" I asked.

"Because when the day comes that people are no longer innocent until proven guilty, America will cease to be the land of the free."

"Now who is the idealist! Do you truly think that we are free?"

"Freer than most," he said, finishing his steak and waving over our server. Had I touched a nerve?

"I'll get the cheesecake," he said gruffly. No please. He pointed at me but I shook my head.

"Let me have my dessert and we can go upstairs. Are you ready for the best sex you've ever had?" he said smoothly, wiping the corners of his mouth with his napkin.

My eyes almost popped out of my head as I mumbled, "I...I..."

"Come on, Simon! Do you really think that I didn't notice how you have been looking at me?"

I was utterly flabbergasted. Was he serious? Or was he joking again, like before?

***

After a quick shower, I was on my back, and Bart...

Holy shit! This guy really knew what he was doing. I guessed all that practice must have helped.

Once it was over, we lay panting on the bed. He was clearly not a hugger, so we raided the minibar instead. I finally passed out halfway through a movie and all I could think about was how I had just slept with a legend. 

When I woke up, he was gone but there was a business card and a note on the bedside table. 

I could use someone with a heart for the firm's pro bono work. Call me if you're interested.