*****

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….

Charlotte with a tall dark-haired guy and assumed that it

Haswell is

Definitely my

shut

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

opt for changing

“She seems nice.”

“I suppose.” Ben shrugs.

Doesn’t he like her?

pretty

suppose so. Mike certainly thinks so. She’s a bit er…. ginger

burst out laughing.

slide sideways. “I prefer

*****

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….

James Alexanders’ friend from the Club. Am I going

This could be embarrassing.

sweeping past me as instead, he heads straight for the

turns and looks back at me,

pauses. “Sorry to seem rude, but do we

We met two or three years

moment, then his face clears. With the most

tap my lapel badge. Moving closer, he peers in and grins. “Ah, Kirstie.” He laughs. “I

related to this amazing looking man fucking my brains out in a threesome with his friend at a sex

I need to check with anyone if

rolls his eyes. “Sorry, of course, you’re new. No, don’t worry. They know

your friend said that you’d

You’ve met

the

he grins. “Was

He was a

hear it. He’s a good man; one of

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, turning back as the doors open, and

What a great guy….

Shame he got married….

*****

a while for a change of air, so I head for the coffee bar over the road, ordering

and pondering

It’s Charlotte, carrying a tray loaded

she says. “Mind if

chair to make space as she puts her tray down on

as well take the opportunity to get to know each

“Sure…. er….”

over her coffee.

chew over my words.

take this the right way. I know Ben’s your brother-in-law, but

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

times and had a couple of dates. Please

pensive. “I don’t think it’s my impression that you need to

comes from above

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