by JF Holland
God, those eyes still haunted his dreams. Visions of them smouldering and darkening as he'd made love to her. Lightening and laughing into his own as she'd imparted some stupid joke that she'd always forgotten the punchline to. Time stood still as he breathed her in, and the band of guilt he'd been carrying around his chest for the last few years began loosening. But then their connection became severed as the lift doors closed, blocking her from his view. He panicked at the loss, wanting to storm over and prise them apart with his bare hands for taking away his sanity.
Helen got into the lift and turned to press the button for her floor just as a man moved into the entry foyer. Her heart stuttered in her chest, pulse fluttering alarmingly. Not today. No, she wasn’t ready to see him today. But unbelievably, whether she was ready or not, there he was. Only feet separating them stood Jeff Haneran, her only lover and the tormenter of her dreams. Their eyes met across the distance, trapping her in his hazel gaze. His dark eyes slit in concentration as they slowly travelled the length of her body. She shivered in reaction, goose bumps breaking out on her skin as the hair rose on the back of her neck at the sensation. He seemed to be looking for something, maybe some similarity to the woman, and complete pushover she used to be.
He wouldn't find her though as she was no longer that woman, she'd disappeared long ago. Much to her annoyance though, she still reacted to him. His eyes roaming over her body felt like a physical caress, making her skin tingle in places that hadn’t tingled for a long time. She didn’t like the reminder of her folly, and her chin came up as she stared back into those now expressionless, hard as granite eyes. Eyes she knew were capable of showing great emotion, but only if he let down his guard.
They darkened now, they would be greener if she was close enough to see, because he looked as if his emotions were getting away from him. A slip? Surely not. He took a hesitant step forward, as if he was going to come to her, but the lift doors began to close.
Helen let out a shuddering breath as Jeff was shut off from her view. She wasn't ready to see him yet, never mind hold a civil conversation. She needed time to get her bearings, to settle in and find her feet. Sooner or later she was going to have to deal with him. She had something of him that he was going to have to face up to. Not today thought, he didn't have to know today.
Taking deep breaths, she ran her hand down her trouser legs again and stepped out of the lift on her floor. Giving herself a pep talk with each step she took as she headed towards the office of the legal department. It would be good to take up her old job, she reminded herself. It may only be part time, but that was all she wanted or needed at the moment.
Lightly tapping on the door she'd stopped before, Helen took a breath and pushed thoughts of Jeff Haneran from her mind as she stepped inside. She was greeted by the beautiful, but shy Alison Pope. Easily recognisable by Audrey Bennet (Blake Dennison's secretary's) description. Audrey had given Helen a run down on who she would be working with. Alison was petite, with dark hair, and the most beautiful, but unusual, lavender eyes. They were the colour of cornflowers. Or maybe the witches in the film adaption of Roald Dahl's 'The Witches.' She'd thought the eye colour stunning in the film, but had never seen it in real life, well, before today anyway.
She let thoughts of witches and eye colour go, as Alison stood as she entered. She seemed a little nervous, and unsure how to proceed, moving from foot to foot. Audrey had mentioned that she was shy, so Helen pulled up her own reserve as she confidently walking towards her with her own hand extended.
“Hi, I’m Helen Orpington, and I believe you must be Alison?”
“Hi, yes… yes, I am,’ she answered, seeming a little confused as her brow puckered. Helen grinned, showing off her pearly whites, and dropped her hand as she tapped her nose.
"Audrey gave me your description, and I quote. 'You can’t fail to recognise Alison, she has the most unusual, but beautiful lavender eyes,' unquote.” Helen said using her fingers as she spoke with a grin.
“Thank you,” Alison blushed, her cheeks flushing as her long dark lashes lowered as she took the proffered hand, Helen once again held out. Alison gave a firm, friendly shake, then gestured towards the coffee machine in the corner.
"Can I offer you a drink?"
"Oh god, that would be fabulous," Helen said as she followed her over. After seeing Jeff earlier, she could do with a pick me up, something stronger would have been preferable but she'd make do with a caffeine hit. She berated herself for the slip, and again pushed thoughts of him away.
"Wow, this is new?"
"Blake, had them set up in each of the offices a couple of weeks ago. He said it was quicker and more efficient than a kettle, plus it looks better if a client stops by. I’m sorry, Len isn’t here to greet you but he'll be back in later."
"Is Len okay?" Helen asked accepting the coffee she handed to her, doctoring it to her liking, a drop of milk and two heaped teaspoons of sugar. Len had cancelled her interview and had left a message on her answering machine to say the job was hers and when she started.
"As far as I know, he’s fine," Alison said as she moved back towards her desk, taking her seat again. Helen dropped into the chair opposite Alison’s desk as she didn't want to seem presumptuous by taking a seat at the empty desk.
"Oh sorry, I forgot to say that your desk and computer are all set up for you," Alison said, pointing over Helen’s shoulder. Helen smiled her thanks and let out a relieved sigh. It was her old desk, and she couldn’t wait to re-acquaint herself with her old workspace.
They sipped their drinks while Alison explained about all the changes that had occurred since she'd left. It had grown and diversified, so there was a lot more required of them these days. Alison was easy to talk to, although awfully quiet, but that could only be a good thing as far as Helen was concerned. It meant that she wouldn't be into office gossip, or digging into matters she'd much rather be left alone.