nothingness.
On Monday mornings, Mr. Jensen liked to treat everyone to their first cup of coffee at the office. I stumbled off the elevator and into Jensen Construction arms loaded with Starbucks. With great effort, I eased the two containers holding four steaming Styrofoam cups onto my desk feeling a great sense of achievement that I didn’t spill a drop. All those shifts waitressing at the diner taught me a thing or two, and I never got an order wrong. The office loved that about me.
“Good morning, love.” The voice I’d heard in my dreams every night this weekend smoothed over my senses, sending my heart to a heavy pitter patter. I twirled and leaned against the desk.
There he stood, inclined against the wall. All kinds of tall, dark, handsome and British, looking spectacular in a pitch black suit with a slate blue tie that matched his eyes. Good-looking didn’t even come close to Nathaniel Walker. He exuded confidence and sex appeal. So much so that I waved my hand against my face to cool the blush I knew was coloring me crimson.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, dumbstruck and breathless. Seeing him standing there blew me away like a dandelion’s flowerets escaping in the wind on the breath of a wish.
“Isn’t it obvious?” His smirk added the tiniest dimple barely hidden by his goatee.
“Not to me, it isn’t.”
“Let me be a little less obtuse then.” He took a few steps towards me, and I took a couple backward. Those pouty lips twitched in, what I could only surmise, was humor. Instead of caging me in like I expected, he stopped at the huge bouquet of flowers he’d sent. Long fingers toyed with one of the daisies. “I want to take you out to dinner. You’re going to say yes.”
“Nate I ca-“
“Yes, you can and you will. There’s something between you and me, and I want to find out what. The only way to do so is to spend time together…alone.” He emphasized the last word in a decidedly sultry tone.
“I’m surprised you still want to go out with me. After lunch…”
“It seems you have a past with my best mate, Ty.” I winced and tried hard to swallow the bile that rose at the mere mention of that horrible man’s name. “I can see it on your face, and, though it makes me feel as though I’ve gone raving mad, I can’t deny there’s something between us. Do you not feel it?”
I could have ended things right there by agreeing that I “did not” in fact feel anything for this beautiful man. Unfortunately, I was never any good at lying. My heart screamed lies at my brain, my brain yelled at my voice, and my voice spit out the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God. Dammit!
“Of course I feel it!” I put my fingers over my lips, wishing I had more control over myself.
A huge smile split Nate’s face and at that moment I would have said anything to see him alight with such joy.
“Brilliant! I’ll pick you up Friday evening.”
“Nate, no I can’t Friday. Um…how about Sunday?”
“Sunday is hardly the time for a proper dinner and night out. I want to take you on the town, Precious.” God that sounded so good. His term of endearment soothed along my nerves putting them at rest. It didn’t change that what he wanted was utterly impossible. I worked at Gems on Fridays. Saturdays, I watched the boys so Jin could work. Sunday was the only weekend night I had available.
“I have other obligations I cannot change. If you want to go out, it will have to be Sunday.”
His eyes twinkled as he stepped close to me. I inhaled deeply when I felt the warmth of his body, enjoying the manly goodness of his cologne. He smelled divine. Unlike all of the strong and overpowering perfume soaked gentleman that frequented Gems. Sometimes I had to wipe Vicks Vapor Rub under my nose to avoid gagging as I danced. Nate’s scent was distinct and unique; a mix of sweet, citrus and man. If I could bottle it and wear it all day people would think I was a drug addict for
On Monday mornings, Mr. Jensen liked to treat everyone to their first cup of coffee at the office. I stumbled off the elevator and into Jensen Construction arms loaded with Starbucks. With great effort, I eased the two containers holding four steaming Styrofoam cups onto my desk feeling a great sense of achievement that I didn’t spill a drop. All those shifts waitressing at the diner taught me a thing or two, and I never got an order wrong. The office loved that about me.
“Good morning, love.” The voice I’d heard in my dreams every night this weekend smoothed over my senses, sending my heart to a heavy pitter patter. I twirled and leaned against the desk.
There he stood, inclined against the wall. All kinds of tall, dark, handsome and British, looking spectacular in a pitch black suit with a slate blue tie that matched his eyes. Good-looking didn’t even come close to Nathaniel Walker. He exuded confidence and sex appeal. So much so that I waved my hand against my face to cool the blush I knew was coloring me crimson.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, dumbstruck and breathless. Seeing him standing there blew me away like a dandelion’s flowerets escaping in the wind on the breath of a wish.
“Isn’t it obvious?” His smirk added the tiniest dimple barely hidden by his goatee.
“Not to me, it isn’t.”
“Let me be a little less obtuse then.” He took a few steps towards me, and I took a couple backward. Those pouty lips twitched in, what I could only surmise, was humor. Instead of caging me in like I expected, he stopped at the huge bouquet of flowers he’d sent. Long fingers toyed with one of the daisies. “I want to take you out to dinner. You’re going to say yes.”
“Nate I ca-“
“Yes, you can and you will. There’s something between you and me, and I want to find out what. The only way to do so is to spend time together…alone.” He emphasized the last word in a decidedly sultry tone.
“I’m surprised you still want to go out with me. After lunch…”
“It seems you have a past with my best mate, Ty.” I winced and tried hard to swallow the bile that rose at the mere mention of that horrible man’s name. “I can see it on your face, and, though it makes me feel as though I’ve gone raving mad, I can’t deny there’s something between us. Do you not feel it?”
I could have ended things right there by agreeing that I “did not” in fact feel anything for this beautiful man. Unfortunately, I was never any good at lying. My heart screamed lies at my brain, my brain yelled at my voice, and my voice spit out the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God. Dammit!
“Of course I feel it!” I put my fingers over my lips, wishing I had more control over myself.
A huge smile split Nate’s face and at that moment I would have said anything to see him alight with such joy.
“Brilliant! I’ll pick you up Friday evening.”
“Nate, no I can’t Friday. Um…how about Sunday?”
“Sunday is hardly the time for a proper dinner and night out. I want to take you on the town, Precious.” God that sounded so good. His term of endearment soothed along my nerves putting them at rest. It didn’t change that what he wanted was utterly impossible. I worked at Gems on Fridays. Saturdays, I watched the boys so Jin could work. Sunday was the only weekend night I had available.
“I have other obligations I cannot change. If you want to go out, it will have to be Sunday.”
His eyes twinkled as he stepped close to me. I inhaled deeply when I felt the warmth of his body, enjoying the manly goodness of his cologne. He smelled divine. Unlike all of the strong and overpowering perfume soaked gentleman that frequented Gems. Sometimes I had to wipe Vicks Vapor Rub under my nose to avoid gagging as I danced. Nate’s scent was distinct and unique; a mix of sweet, citrus and man. If I could bottle it and wear it all day people would think I was a drug addict for
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