of my birthday cake?”
“I’d love to.” Phil took off his coat and hung it up. He was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans and his upper body was massive as he sat across from her, close enough for her to touch.
She handed him a fork and she used her coffee spoon. Together they took a bite of the cake and grinned.
“That is good,” Phil said scooping up another forkful. “Pam knows what she’s doing, huh?”
“She sure does,” Vicky said. “My spreading hips can attest to it.”
Phil’s eyes were bright as they roamed over her body, relaxed and beautiful in a figure-hugging long green skirt and a simple cream knit cardigan. “Don’t you even worry about that, Vicky. You look fantastic.”
She knew he meant it and she blushed.
They chatted easily as they ate, about Open Skies and the summer campaign and Clarity. After they finished, Phil asked Vicky to come and help him choose a scarf, and she agreed. He accompanied her to the Western Union office first and watched as she counted out the money to transfer.
“For your Mom?’ he asked.
“Yes.” She pushed the bills under the glass divider. “I help her out.”
He nodded.
She accepted her proof of transfer slip and put it in her purse. “OK, let’s go get you a scarf.”
The store was tiny and stuffed from floor to ceiling with accessories. Vicky nosed around the women’s delicate silk scarves and purses and earrings while Phil examined the heavier scarves for men. He picked three and turned to Vicky.
“What do you think?”
She wandered over, a vibrant turquoise and red and white scarf in her hands. She studied the scarves on the counter and she shook her head.
“They’re all dark – black and dark blue and more black.”
Puzzled, he glanced down at them. “Yeah.”
“Why not try a bit of color?” She examined the scarves lying in rows and plucked out a dark green one. “Here. This one… it’ll look great with your eyes.”
“You think?”
“I do. Try it.”
Phil tied the scarf around his throat and regarded himself in the mirror. “Huh. Not bad.”
Vicky reached up and tucked it in a bit, brushing gently against his chest. He inhaled the sweet scent of her shining hair and felt the urge to grasp her fingers in his and bring them to his lips. He fought to keep his arms at his side.
She looked up at him and started. The look in his eyes was hot and close and she felt his desire as surely as she felt the heat from the fireplace in her living room. Flustered, she took a step back.
Phil cast around for something to say. “Umm. You’re right – a bit of color is much better.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah. I think I’ll get it.” He looked down at the silk scarf in her hand. “Did you try that on?’
“Oh. No. I mean, I’m not going to buy it. I just sent Mom money and so now I’m on a bit of a budget for the rest of the month.” With regret she set it down again.
“OK, I’ll tell you what,” Phil said. “How about I get it for you? As a birthday present.”
“Phil. You don’t have to –”
“I know I don’t have to, Vicky. I’d like to.”
“You would?”
“Yes.”
Vicky couldn’t remember the last time a man had bought her a present for her birthday. Her chest tightened; she thought she might cry.
Phil saw her face change. “Hey. You OK?”
She nodded. “I am, yes. And – I’d love for you to give me a birthday present. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He picked up the scarf and gently, slowly, he wrapped it around her delicate throat. His rough fingers touched her cheek, the back of her neck. Vicky shivered and dropped her eyes.
“There.” Phil took her by the shoulders and turned her to look in the mirror. “What do you think?”
Vicky stared at herself. The colors were perfect on her: bright and fresh and energetic. Phil was standing right behind her and she looked at him in the mirror. He was so handsome and sexy, her breath just caught.
Phil smiled. “Gorgeous,” he
“I’d love to.” Phil took off his coat and hung it up. He was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans and his upper body was massive as he sat across from her, close enough for her to touch.
She handed him a fork and she used her coffee spoon. Together they took a bite of the cake and grinned.
“That is good,” Phil said scooping up another forkful. “Pam knows what she’s doing, huh?”
“She sure does,” Vicky said. “My spreading hips can attest to it.”
Phil’s eyes were bright as they roamed over her body, relaxed and beautiful in a figure-hugging long green skirt and a simple cream knit cardigan. “Don’t you even worry about that, Vicky. You look fantastic.”
She knew he meant it and she blushed.
They chatted easily as they ate, about Open Skies and the summer campaign and Clarity. After they finished, Phil asked Vicky to come and help him choose a scarf, and she agreed. He accompanied her to the Western Union office first and watched as she counted out the money to transfer.
“For your Mom?’ he asked.
“Yes.” She pushed the bills under the glass divider. “I help her out.”
He nodded.
She accepted her proof of transfer slip and put it in her purse. “OK, let’s go get you a scarf.”
The store was tiny and stuffed from floor to ceiling with accessories. Vicky nosed around the women’s delicate silk scarves and purses and earrings while Phil examined the heavier scarves for men. He picked three and turned to Vicky.
“What do you think?”
She wandered over, a vibrant turquoise and red and white scarf in her hands. She studied the scarves on the counter and she shook her head.
“They’re all dark – black and dark blue and more black.”
Puzzled, he glanced down at them. “Yeah.”
“Why not try a bit of color?” She examined the scarves lying in rows and plucked out a dark green one. “Here. This one… it’ll look great with your eyes.”
“You think?”
“I do. Try it.”
Phil tied the scarf around his throat and regarded himself in the mirror. “Huh. Not bad.”
Vicky reached up and tucked it in a bit, brushing gently against his chest. He inhaled the sweet scent of her shining hair and felt the urge to grasp her fingers in his and bring them to his lips. He fought to keep his arms at his side.
She looked up at him and started. The look in his eyes was hot and close and she felt his desire as surely as she felt the heat from the fireplace in her living room. Flustered, she took a step back.
Phil cast around for something to say. “Umm. You’re right – a bit of color is much better.”
“You think so?”
“Yeah. I think I’ll get it.” He looked down at the silk scarf in her hand. “Did you try that on?’
“Oh. No. I mean, I’m not going to buy it. I just sent Mom money and so now I’m on a bit of a budget for the rest of the month.” With regret she set it down again.
“OK, I’ll tell you what,” Phil said. “How about I get it for you? As a birthday present.”
“Phil. You don’t have to –”
“I know I don’t have to, Vicky. I’d like to.”
“You would?”
“Yes.”
Vicky couldn’t remember the last time a man had bought her a present for her birthday. Her chest tightened; she thought she might cry.
Phil saw her face change. “Hey. You OK?”
She nodded. “I am, yes. And – I’d love for you to give me a birthday present. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He picked up the scarf and gently, slowly, he wrapped it around her delicate throat. His rough fingers touched her cheek, the back of her neck. Vicky shivered and dropped her eyes.
“There.” Phil took her by the shoulders and turned her to look in the mirror. “What do you think?”
Vicky stared at herself. The colors were perfect on her: bright and fresh and energetic. Phil was standing right behind her and she looked at him in the mirror. He was so handsome and sexy, her breath just caught.
Phil smiled. “Gorgeous,” he
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