reminded him of the stereotypical used-car salesman seen in the movies. The man's dinner invitation hadn't come as any surprise to him either. Bruce's eyes hadn't moved off Sara since they walked in. When he'd heard the invitation and Sara's sharp intake of breath, he'd reacted without any hesitation just like the night he'd walked into the ballroom and saw her ex-boyfriend giving her a hard time. That night he'd reacted more out of a need to protect. Today, jealousy fueled his actions. Just the idea of Sara out with Bruce tied his stomach in knots. Rationally, he knew it shouldn't. She hadn't hinted about her feelings toward him. Still the emotions had him moving in to protect what he perceived as his.
Now with Bruce and his office behind them, he felt more like himself again. "I hope I didn't overstep back there. You didn't look like you wanted to have dinner with Gordon." Before she could open the car door, he pulled it open.
“No, thank you.” Sara placed a hand on his upper arm. The heat from her palm seeped through his suit jacket branding his bicep. "And if you don't already have plans why don't we get together."
Her words sent a shot of adrenaline through his system. "You name it."
Sara beamed up at him from the passenger seat, her large gray eyes bright and a full smile on her face. "I hoped you'd say that," Sara answered before closing the car door and preventing him from responding.
A thousand different potential outings went through his head as he walked to the driver’s side of the car. None of them had included dinner at the Charter House, an upscale seafood restaurant near the ocean and then listening to a local band play on the beach before a fireworks show. Yet that was exactly what Sara wanted to do that evening. She told him she'd read in the hotel magazine that the band REAL played every Tuesday at Venice. He vaguely recognized the band’s name from the popular reality show Do You Have What It Takes. He knew they hadn't won but couldn't remember how they'd done overall.
Since neither had been dressed for that type of outing he dropped her off at her hotel before returning to his apartment where the first thing he did was grab a quick snack. The meeting with Bruce and his associates had included lunch, yet his stomach already wanted more food and dinner was a few hours away. In fact he figured he'd have enough time to eat and get in a quick swim before he went back to the hotel for Sara.
The refrigerator contained a wide variety of items. Before arriving he'd had the kitchen stocked, however nothing appealed to him. He wanted something simple and quick, nothing that required much preparation. As a kid his favorite after school snack had been a marshmallow fluff and banana sandwich. Even to this day he enjoyed the combination. He knew all three items were in the kitchen. Grabbing a bottle of iced coffee from the refrigerator he closed the door and pulled the jar of fluff from the cupboard.
A few minutes later he sat down at the table with two sandwiches, his iced coffee, and his laptop. Email didn't stop just because he wasn't in the office. With the first bite of the sandwich memories of coming home from school and spreading his homework out on the kitchen table flooded his mind. It had been almost a ritual for him every day throughout elementary and middle school. By high school, he'd often go straight to his part-time job or the library after school. With four younger sisters, home wasn't always the quietest place to study.
Halfway through the second sandwich, his phone rang. Christopher's shoulders slumped when he heard the ring tone. Jake. He'd avoided his friend's calls and texts for weeks. He couldn't do it any longer.
"How's it going?" Christopher asked after answering the phone.
“No complaints. You? I heard you're working on an ad campaign with Sara."
He instantly envisioned them kissing in her hotel room after the movie. What his friend didn't know wouldn't hurt him. "We should
Now with Bruce and his office behind them, he felt more like himself again. "I hope I didn't overstep back there. You didn't look like you wanted to have dinner with Gordon." Before she could open the car door, he pulled it open.
“No, thank you.” Sara placed a hand on his upper arm. The heat from her palm seeped through his suit jacket branding his bicep. "And if you don't already have plans why don't we get together."
Her words sent a shot of adrenaline through his system. "You name it."
Sara beamed up at him from the passenger seat, her large gray eyes bright and a full smile on her face. "I hoped you'd say that," Sara answered before closing the car door and preventing him from responding.
A thousand different potential outings went through his head as he walked to the driver’s side of the car. None of them had included dinner at the Charter House, an upscale seafood restaurant near the ocean and then listening to a local band play on the beach before a fireworks show. Yet that was exactly what Sara wanted to do that evening. She told him she'd read in the hotel magazine that the band REAL played every Tuesday at Venice. He vaguely recognized the band’s name from the popular reality show Do You Have What It Takes. He knew they hadn't won but couldn't remember how they'd done overall.
Since neither had been dressed for that type of outing he dropped her off at her hotel before returning to his apartment where the first thing he did was grab a quick snack. The meeting with Bruce and his associates had included lunch, yet his stomach already wanted more food and dinner was a few hours away. In fact he figured he'd have enough time to eat and get in a quick swim before he went back to the hotel for Sara.
The refrigerator contained a wide variety of items. Before arriving he'd had the kitchen stocked, however nothing appealed to him. He wanted something simple and quick, nothing that required much preparation. As a kid his favorite after school snack had been a marshmallow fluff and banana sandwich. Even to this day he enjoyed the combination. He knew all three items were in the kitchen. Grabbing a bottle of iced coffee from the refrigerator he closed the door and pulled the jar of fluff from the cupboard.
A few minutes later he sat down at the table with two sandwiches, his iced coffee, and his laptop. Email didn't stop just because he wasn't in the office. With the first bite of the sandwich memories of coming home from school and spreading his homework out on the kitchen table flooded his mind. It had been almost a ritual for him every day throughout elementary and middle school. By high school, he'd often go straight to his part-time job or the library after school. With four younger sisters, home wasn't always the quietest place to study.
Halfway through the second sandwich, his phone rang. Christopher's shoulders slumped when he heard the ring tone. Jake. He'd avoided his friend's calls and texts for weeks. He couldn't do it any longer.
"How's it going?" Christopher asked after answering the phone.
“No complaints. You? I heard you're working on an ad campaign with Sara."
He instantly envisioned them kissing in her hotel room after the movie. What his friend didn't know wouldn't hurt him. "We should
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