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….

with a tall

Haswells. Beth Haswell is the spit ‘n image of Charlotte, and her husband is tall

my

shut

mind is spinning overtime, running on whirring red-hot axles. The Charlotte I met was certainly the same

for changing

“She seems nice.”

“I suppose.” Ben shrugs.

Doesn’t he like her?

very pretty isn’t

I suppose so. Mike certainly thinks so. She’s a bit

burst out laughing. “You

sideways. “I prefer

*****

strikingly good-looking man enters the lobby. He

sinks as I recognise

Oh, God. It’s him….

Am I going to be seeing them both

This could be embarrassing.

me, his brilliantly blue-eyed gaze sweeping past me as instead, he heads straight for

doors, he abruptly slows, turns

“Sorry to seem rude, but do

two or three years ago. You were with

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

damn blush rises up my face again. I tap my lapel badge. Moving closer, he peers in and grins. “Ah, Kirstie.”

brain scrambles for something to say that is not related to this amazing looking

to check with anyone if you have

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

your friend said that

You’ve met him

just the other

grins. “Was he

He

good man; one of the best, but sometimes…. um… empathy’s not

isn’t he. If you cut him in half, it’d say ‘Dom’ running right through the

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

What a great guy….

Shame he got married….

*****

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

through my lunch, staring into space and pondering the incandescent joys of fucking

carrying a tray loaded

smiles brightly. “Hi,” she says. “Mind

I shuffle up my chair to make space as she puts her tray

thought we might as well take the opportunity to get

“Sure…. er….”

eyes me over her coffee. “Something

words. What can I politely

Ben’s your brother-in-law, but

shut up about you whenever I’ve

of dates. Please don’t get the wrong impression about where we are with each

my impression that you need

voice comes from

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