Choosing Her Lover

Chapter 13

*****

I wake to sunlight streaming over the bed. My view is blocked by Ryan, standing over me, offering me a mug.

“You like coffee on a morning?” he asks.

“I sit up to take the mug from him. “It’s one of the food groups.” I grin.

When was the last time I woke up in a man’s bed?

He sits by me, sipping from his own cup. He doesn’t speak, but repeatedly, his glance strays my way before he looks away again, smiling.

The obvious question finally looms. “What time is it?”

“Ten to eight.”

“Jeez! I’ll be late to work!”

“Hey, calm down. I’ll drive you there.”

“I can’t go like this….”

“The shower’s through there….”

As it is, Ryan delivers me on squealing wheels to Haswell Building at two minutes to nine,

And as I swipe my entry card, James Alexanders is coming in right behind me. He must have seen Ryan drop me off and he wears the kind of half-smile that says he knows exactly why I am wearing yesterday’s blouse and a rapidly painted-on expression of dignity.

“Morning, Kirstie.”

“Morning Mr Alexanders.”

*****

That evening, walking the dogs on the beach, Ben jogs up to me, and Scruffy barges in to meet up with my canine gang again.

“Hi.” he puffs, bending to rest hands on knees for a minute as he catches his breath. “How are you? Great to see you again.”

“I’m fine.” In truth, I am a little uncomfortable. The speed, and for that matter, the direction in which my ‘relationship’ with Ben is progressing is unnerving me. He seems to believe that we are a lot closer than I do, and I am not at all sure that I want to take things with him any further.

What’s a safe topic of conversation?

Oh, yes….

“I was surprised when I met Charlotte at work and realised who she is. You and your brother aren’t much alike, are you?”

He frowns. “Sorry? You’ve met my brother?”

“Yes, I saw him with Charlotte in the lobby a few days ago.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that. He must have been picking her up.”

“Er, no. They were on their way out actually. I would never have taken the pair of you for brothers….”

“I don’t think we’re that unalike, are we? I know he’s a lot blonder than I am….”

Blonder?

“No, the man I saw was dark; much darker-haired than you. “

He shakes his head. “Mike’s blond, very blond. He looks like something from a toothpaste advert. You know, the kind with the sunshine-healthy family, all corn-fed, and eating wheat germ and yoghurt.”

Mike….? Not James then….

Time to tread carefully….

I saw Charlotte with a tall dark-haired guy and assumed

his fingers. “I know who you saw. It was the Haswells. Beth Haswell is the spit

my

to shut my

running on whirring red-hot axles. The Charlotte I met was

for changing the

“She seems nice.”

“I suppose.” Ben shrugs.

Doesn’t he like her?

very pretty

certainly thinks so.

laughing.

sideways.

*****

strikingly good-looking man enters the

sinks as I

Oh, God. It’s him….

Club. Am I going

This could be embarrassing.

brilliantly blue-eyed gaze sweeping past me as instead, he

at the doors, he abruptly slows, turns and

pauses. “Sorry to seem rude, but do

yes. We met two or three years ago. You were

most charming of smiles, he stabs a finger at me. “Debbie. That

up my face again. I tap my lapel badge. Moving closer, he peers in and grins. “Ah,

say that is not related to this amazing looking

do I need to check with anyone if you have an

“Sorry, of course, you’re new. No, don’t worry. They know me here. I’m

your friend said that you’d got

met

the other

grins.

yes. He was

grin grows wider. “Glad to hear it. He’s a good man; one of the best,

now I laugh. “He’s a Dom, isn’t he. If you cut him in half, it’d say ‘Dom’ running right through

See you around.” He heads back to the lifts,

What a great guy….

Shame he got married….

*****

But I prefer to get out for a while for a change

window seat and I’m halfway through my lunch, staring into space and pondering the incandescent joys of

carrying

says. “Mind if

at all.” I shuffle up my chair to make space as

across the road and thought we might as well take the opportunity to get to know each other, since it looks as though we’re going to be seeing each other

“Sure…. er….”

me over her coffee.

words. What can I politely

I know Ben’s

He’s not shut up about you whenever I’ve

of dates. Please

think it’s my impression that

voice comes from

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