*****

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 dark-haired guy

was the Haswells. Beth Haswell is the spit

my

to shut

running on whirring red-hot axles. The Charlotte I

for changing

“She seems nice.”

“I suppose.” Ben shrugs.

Doesn’t he like her?

pretty

so. She’s a bit er…. ginger

burst out laughing. “You

slide sideways. “I prefer

*****

doors swish open and a blond, strikingly good-looking man enters the lobby. He is tall, although not overly so,

sinks as I recognise

Oh, God. It’s him….

Am

This could be embarrassing.

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

turns

rude, but do we know

two or three years ago. You were with your

the most charming of smiles, he stabs a finger

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

say that is not related to this amazing looking man fucking my brains out in a threesome with his

to check with anyone if you have

rolls his eyes. “Sorry, of course, you’re new. No, don’t worry. They know me here. I’m just going to

said that you’d

met him

just the

he grins.

He was

He’s a good man; one of the best, but sometimes…. um… empathy’s

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

laughs. “You’re not wrong there. Gotta go Kirstie. See you around.” He heads back to the lifts, turning back as the doors

What a great guy….

Shame he got married….

*****

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

into space and pondering the incandescent joys of fucking

Charlotte, carrying a

says.

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

says as she seats herself. “I saw 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 we’re going to be

“Sure…. er….”

me over her coffee.

words. What can I politely

know Ben’s your brother-in-law, but I barely know

not shut up about you whenever I’ve seen him

dozen times and had a couple of dates. Please don’t get

my impression that you need

voice comes from above us.

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