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….

a tall dark-haired guy and

Haswell is the spit ‘n image of Charlotte, and her

my mistake

shut my

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

for changing

“She seems nice.”

“I suppose.” Ben shrugs.

Doesn’t he like her?

pretty isn’t

Mike certainly thinks so. She’s a

out laughing. “You

eyes slide sideways.

*****

and a blond, strikingly good-looking man enters the lobby. He is tall, although not overly so, broad-shouldered and strappingly

heart sinks as

Oh, God. It’s him….

from the Club. Am I going to be seeing them both

This could be embarrassing.

brilliantly blue-eyed gaze sweeping past

turns and looks back at me,

rude,

years ago. You were

me for a moment, then his face clears. With the most charming of smiles, he stabs a finger at me. “Debbie. That was it, wasn’t

he peers in and grins. “Ah, Kirstie.” He

this amazing looking

with anyone

new. No, don’t worry. They know me here. I’m just going to find my wife

your friend said

met him

just the other

he grins. “Was

He was

“Glad to hear it. He’s a good man; one of

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

around.” He heads back to the lifts, turning back as the doors open,

What a great guy….

Shame he got married….

*****

very good. But I prefer to get out for a while for a change of air, so I head for the coffee bar

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

look up. It’s Charlotte, carrying a tray

she says. “Mind if

chair to make space as she puts her tray down on the

you from across the road and thought we might as well take the opportunity to get to know

“Sure…. er….”

eyes me over

words. What can

I know Ben’s your brother-in-law, but

barely know him? He’s not shut up about you whenever I’ve seen

him half a dozen times and had a couple of dates. Please don’t get the wrong impression

think it’s my

comes from above

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