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….

it must be my mistake. I saw Charlotte with a tall

know who you saw. It was the Haswells. Beth Haswell is the spit ‘n image of Charlotte, and her husband is tall

my

shut

whirring red-hot axles. The Charlotte I met was certainly the

for changing

“She seems nice.”

“I suppose.” Ben shrugs.

Doesn’t he like her?

very pretty isn’t

so. She’s a bit er…. ginger

out laughing. “You don’t like

slide sideways. “I

*****

enters the lobby. He is tall, although not overly so, broad-shouldered and strappingly

heart sinks as I recognise

Oh, God. It’s him….

friend from the Club. Am I going to be seeing

This could be embarrassing.

me, his brilliantly blue-eyed gaze sweeping past me

turns and looks

“Sorry to seem rude, but do

or three years ago.

then his face clears. With the most charming of

lapel badge. Moving closer, he peers in and grins. “Ah, Kirstie.” He laughs. “I see. Nice to meet

scrambles for something to say that is not related to this amazing looking man fucking my brains out

anyone if

course, you’re new. No, don’t worry. They know me here.

said that you’d got

met

the other

grins. “Was he

He was

“Glad to hear it. He’s a good man; one of the best, but sometimes…. um… empathy’s not his

If you cut him

back to the lifts, turning back as the doors open, and waving.

What a great guy….

Shame he got married….

*****

lunchtime. I could go to the staff canteen; 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 road, ordering myself a

and I’m halfway through my lunch, staring into space and pondering the incandescent joys of fucking with Ryan when a

Charlotte, carrying a tray loaded

smiles brightly. “Hi,” she says. “Mind if I join

chair to make space as she puts her

you from across the road and thought we might as well take the opportunity to get to know each other, since it looks as though

“Sure…. er….”

eyes me over

over my words.

take this the right way. I know Ben’s your

up about

couple of dates. Please don’t get the wrong

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

from above

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