by Claire Angel
She was asking me a lot of questions and I knew she was nervous and babbling on. I found it endearing. Maybe she thought I was going to browbeat her for being late earlier. If she was anybody else, I might have done just that. I did not like tardiness, but I could tell by the way she had reacted earlier, that she had gotten the point. There is no need to say anything.
“I haven't tried anything yet. I just got here and saw you. I thought I would come over and say hello, since I didn't see you after the speech this morning. I usually do.” I was trying to be as casual as I could about it, but I think just commenting and observing had made it clear, that I cared more than I was supposed to. I was miles away from her and at least seven years or so older. I shouldn't be looking at her as a perspective mate. But that's exactly what I was doing.
“Yes, I had to be somewhere. You know that I always like to have a moment with you after your speech, if you have the time. To pick your brain as it were, but my schedule did not allow for that today. I did see that you had quite a following, like you also do here.”
She was complimenting me, but I wasn't worried about all of those other women. I had gotten at least a dozen phone numbers after that speech was done. I had no intention on calling any of them. I wasn't looking for someone on campus. Truth was, I wasn't looking for anything at all, but then Sarah had popped up on my radar and she had been in the back of my mind ever since.
Tonight, her soft green dress made her eyes pop out even more. It was hard to take my eyes off of her, but she did not seem to notice. Sarah could have fifty guys looking at her, but she just brushed it off like they didn't even exist. She was in her own little world and every other man in the room, wanted desperately to be in it with her. I was no different than them.
“So, would you like to dance? It seems like we have a little bit of time before the dinner is served.” I could tell she was once again surprised to hear that, and I could see the moment of indecision in her face. I liked to think that she would agree to it in a heartbeat, but that was not the way it was at all.
As much as I wanted to think that I had her right where I wanted her, like every other woman in my life, there was a moment that I wasn't sure. My confidence was part of the reason I could walk into a room, buy a company and chop it up into pieces. I was able to do the impossible, just because I thought that I could. With Sarah, I made a misstep and it felt strange to lose my footing for even a minute.
“Sure. I am not that good of a dancer though. I know how to rock back and forth, if that is good enough.”
“Anything you do Sarah, would be good enough.”
She made a soft giggling sound and then hid her face for a moment. I wanted to know what was going through her mind, I needed to see it in her eyes, but she was making it impossible to see it. It was like she knew exactly what I was looking for.
“You’re being too nice Richard. I feel like I am about to get a talking to. That’s how it works, compliment and then the lecture. I really wasn’t trying to be late today. It just sort-of snowballed into a series of events.”
“I am not worried about you being late Sarah. The speech was not required for you.”
“I always go to them though.” She looked like small kid explaining this to me. And wanted to kiss her right there but that was not the right place.
It was something that I, myself had noticed as well. That’s why I was upset for a few minutes, when I didn’t find her there. I was happy that she had turned up at all, but she had done so in a very unfortunate part of the message I was sending out. It was almost comical, the timing.
“I know you do. I appreciate your support.”
Again, she couldn’t look at me and I could feel her trembling in my arms. I shouldn’t have liked how much I bothered her, but I did. I really liked the way I affected her, as well as her reaction to it. I couldn’t think of a better way for her to show me that she was interested.
Chapter 3
Sarah
He pulled me close to him and I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. I didn’t expect him to be so close, or to smell so good. His aroma took over my senses and I was wrapped in the musk and vanilla smell that was coming off of him. It was different but reminded me of him. There was also a smell of coffee thrown in the mix.
When he turned to talk to me, I could smell a bit of whiskey on his breath. It hadn’t made the glint in his eyes though, so I didn’t imagine that he’d had that much to drink. He certainly didn’t move around like he had any problems.
“You look beautiful today. I just want to let you know that.”
It was hard to look at him straight on, when he was saying sweet things like that. I wasn't used to such a handsome man, giving me so many compliments. If I didn't watch myself, it was all going to go to my head.
“Thank you. You're quite handsome yourself.”
He chuckled at me and thanked me for the compliment. It was hard not to think of his words like butter. It was certainly smooth enough to spread. I could listen to him all day, it wouldn't really matter what the context was. Just the sound of his voice, the deep timber that excited me so. That would be all I needed.
“Well I assure you, that sometimes we wish we could just throw on a jacket and go. It would certainly make being on time a lot easier.”
“I agree. I don’t know how you guys do it. The results though, are magnificent. I think you are going to steal the spotlight tonight in that dress. Green suits you.”
He looked like he was going to say more, but I was almost relieved when he didn’t. Richard certainly had a way of getting in my head. I think that he liked that I was bothered by him on occasion. As much as I wanted to believe that I wasn’t noticed, maybe I was. Maybe I wasn’t the only one, looking from afar. For one reason or another, I felt like he was actually seeing me at the moment.
The music stopped, but the grip on me didn’t loosen up at all. I should have pushed back, because everyone else was breaking apart, but he just held onto me. And I didn’t stop it from happening. I liked the feel of his hard, and hot body pressed up against mind. I didn’t even come up to the top of chest, but I liked the feeling of him towering over me as well.
“Are we just going to keep dancing like we hear music?”
“I can still hear it. I don't care if the band takes a break or not, I am not letting you go.”
I was shocked for a moment and I didn't know what to say. Richard had never said anything to me like that before. He had thrown a couple any innuendos my way, but that was it. This was far blunter and I just kind of looked at him for a moment, more shocked than anything else that he had said such a thing.
“What, do you think you're the only one that thinks about that sort of thing?”
“What makes you think that I was entertaining such dirty thoughts in my mind?”
“It is kind of easy to see. Your expression gives you away.”
I sighed out loud and kind of shook my head. It certainly wasn't the first time that I had heard such a thing before. Every time I turn around, my face was giving it all the way. Sometimes, I wish I could just keep my emotions in a little bit better.
“Well, you don't have to let me go, it sounds like they’re starting back up.”
I couldn’t imagine standing in the middle of the dance floor for too long, moving back and forth together with no music playing. That would get people talking about us, which might have already happened, because I was allowing a second dance. All eyes were strictly on us because of Richard. I knew that and I was trying hard to avoid the cat eyes that I was getting from other women in the room. They certainly did not even try to hide the animosity that I could feel directed towards me.
He pulled me a little bit closer to him and I could feel the looks increasing. This wasn’t proper. As much as I liked to believe that I was relaxed about that sort of thing, it obviously wasn't true. Just having him that close to me, was making it almost impossible for me to pull away. I knew that I shoul
d. But I just couldn't.
“So why did you leave early today?
“I told you Richard, I had somewhere I had to be.”
“And where was it that was so important?”
I almost told him that it was none of his business, but I couldn’t form the words. If it was anybody else, that's exactly what I would have said. But instead, I found myself rationalizing it.
“I knew that I had to come here tonight, so I got a blow-out a little while after your speech.”
He touched my hair that was coming loose from my up-do, ever so gently and ran his fingers through some of the strands. He then pushed some more out of my face and tucked it behind my ear. It only was a few seconds of touch, but it made my whole-body tremble inside. What was it, that this man was doing to me? It was like I couldn't control the way my body was reacting, and I didn't like it at all.
“It was worth it. Although I did like the curls earlier today. It was different, I don't think I've ever seen it like that before.”
“We have not seen each other all that many times Richard. I am surprised that you remember anything about my hair.”
“I remember a lot more than you can imagine. I have had my eyes on you for a while, Sarah. I was also rather excited to read about your new algorithm for merging companies. It seems like you have found a way to take a hostile takeover and make it a lot more civil.”
“That wasn't really my intention. I was trying to give companies an extra tool to save themselves. It is really supposed to be used to go for more funding. It gives all of the information that a bank or other financial institution will use. It could really help save businesses.”
“I hear good things about it. If it can do half of what you claim it can do, it will revolutionize business in a whole new way. It might even put the actuaries out of business. I don't like to pay their exorbitant fees anyways. Imagine if I could get all this same information, from an app.”
He seemed impressed and for some reason, I was even more embarrassed when he was talking about my actual accomplishments. Telling me that I looked pretty in my dress was nice but didn't really say much about me. He had noticed some of the exterior aspects of my personality. A compliment for my work, was so much more than that. It meant that he actually saw me. I don't know why that seemed so important.
We talked a little bit more and when the second song stopped, I finally moved away.
“I think I am going to get a drink Richard. Thank you for the dance.”
I was breathless and I hoped that he couldn’t tell the difference. I would imagine that he was plenty used to women flocking all around him. I didn’t want to be like them, even though I was. I was usually better at hiding it. Though in my defense, this was the first time I had ever been in his arms. The feelings and emotions that I had for him, were only multiplied by contact.
“Don’t go too far Sarah, I feel like we have a lot to discuss.”
I agreed, but I didn't really know what else to say. I just kind of nodded uncomfortably and went the other way. My nerves were rattled from the dance with Richard and the best thing that I could do at the moment, was get a drink. I don't know why I was letting him get to me so much.
I was just about to the bar, when I saw Amber standing there. She was someone that I went to school with and we had the same major, so of course we had basically every class together. She was competitive to a fault and I found myself bickering with her far more than I would like to. There had been occasions that we had to team up together, this whole shindig was one of those situations. I had taken care of the food and she was taking care of the bar. From the looks of it, Amber was taking a few more liberties with the drinks, then she should be.
“I hear that one of the waiters is coughing all over the food.”
“I'm sure somebody will give them a cough drop and they will be just fine.”
She made a face at me and I ordered a drink.
“Do you really think that it's wise to be drinking right now?”
“Are you really going to ask me that Amber? You seem to have had enough for both of us.”
“Yeah, well, I don't have to go on stage.”
I had to give away the lifetime achievement award that was going to Richard Grant. I don't know if he even knew about it or if he'd even care, but the idea of being up there with him, seemed even more unnerving, now that I had gotten close to him. The dance had really gotten to me.
I ordered a shot of vodka and downed it without looking at her. I already had enough going on in my head, and the last thing I needed to worry about, was Amber. She always made everything more complicated than it had to be. And today, I was just not in the mood.
There was a scoffing sound behind me, and I knew if I turned around, I would get into it with her. It would really be just that easy, but I wasn't in the mood. The last thing I wanted to do, was get into it with Amber. I was on cloud nine and she would make sure that I was grounded in no time. I had to stay away from that kind of negativity. She was right, I was going to be on the stage soon to give out the lifetime achievement award to Richard Grant, but I still needed the drink.
Every time I had heard that name before, there had always been a feeling that came over me. Now it was an even stronger feeling, and the trembling hit other parts of me. I wasn’t going to ever be able to hear his name and not remember the hard body that he had pressed me up against. That was the fleeting moment that was going to stay in my mind, for a long time to come.
I was just going to have to push what Amber had to say, out of my mind, and go on about my business. She wanted to get to me, that was the point and I wasn’t going to let her.
Chapter 4
Richard
I lost track of Sarah when I got to talking with Steve from Titans Incorporated. I had always loved the name of his company and thought of coming up with something witty like that, but the Grant name was fourth generation in business, and it would be crazy to do so. I was just going to have to be jealous and continue on under Grant.
“So, tell me what you’re planning on doing with that little start-up that you scooped up at the close of business today?”
“You know that I am not going to do that Steve.”
His beady eyes and slack jaw didn’t fool me. I knew that he was interested, because he wanted to get a taste of the action. I had thrown bones his way before, but tonight I really wasn’t interested in a quid pro quo. Tonight, I was finalizing a decision that I’d made about how I was going to deal with Sarah. It had been a long time coming.
“Come on, you’ve found my services helpful before.”
“I have, but I already secured it. I don’t need another buyer to get what I want. I do have a few other buyouts that I am looking into. Same deal as before. Same cut. I will have Charles call you when I get some more information to him. It’s going to be a good week, but tonight I am going to find me a pretty face to talk to. I have had enough of your ugly mug.”
That would have offended most people, but not Steve. He wasn’t the sort of person that I had to be delicate with and I appreciated that trait about him, far more than any of the others. I didn’t want to have to deal with hurting feelings, which I did way more than I cared to, but with Steve, he just agreed, and we parted ways.
Now I could focus on finding Sarah. I was still debating what I was going to do with her, when I got to her, but it didn’t matter. I already knew the outcome with me and her. I didn’t get told no, so once the decision had been made, there was only a matter of the where and when. The ‘if’ question was gone.
Once Steve walked away; my eyes searched the room for Sarah. I knew that all I had to look for, was the pile of her hair I had seen earlier. And that green dress. The color of it was quite unique and I didn't think that I would find it anywhere else.
Once I started to scan the room, just looking for the color, I saw her in the back with a few other people. She had been talking to a female at the bar the last time
I looked up, but now she was surrounded by three men. They were all people that I had worked with in the past and she was most likely just networking, but there was still another pang of jealousy that made me move forward a little faster than I should have. I shouldn't have rushed in and tried to pull her away. It was rude and something that I would advise against when I did my mentoring at the college.
“Sorry to bother you Sarah, but I need to speak to you for a few moments.”
I made it look like it was urgent, and I left them all believing that something catastrophic was going to happen if Sarah did not leave with me at that precise moment.
When we got a little bit further away, she asked me what was wrong, and I just shook my shoulders.
“Nothing really. I just wanted to talk to you, and you know, save you from those guys back there.”
“Why would I need to be saved? I am not really the damsel in distress.”
“They looked like they were bothering here. Am I wrong?”
Why was I so worried about who Sarah was talking to? I knew that I had no reason to feel the possession that took over me. I wanted to believe that it was a protective trait that I had, because of my sister. But I knew that it wasn't the truth. Nothing that I felt for Sarah, was in any way, shape or form, anything like what I felt for my little sister. I was trying to protect her from the big bad wolf, I was just upset that the wolf was someone else, instead of me.
“No, they aren’t bothering me. We were just discussing my app. I am rather surprised that I am getting such good feedback from it. You know that it was actually a class project. I am surprised that it is done as well as it has so far. It has certainly gotten a buzz going. I have been talking to some people like those guys, that would be able to help me get it coded and finished. I might actually be able to get it to market before Christmas. Can you believe that?”
“Wow, that's great!”