closer and I brace myself for a kiss, feeling the heavy lids of my eyes start to close until the jingling of my keys in front of my face breaks me of my trance. Oh God, could I make any more of a fool of myself in front of this man?
“Thank you. This wasn’t exactly how I pictured running into you again.”
I lock my car, this time making sure my jacket is free and clear of the door. When I turn to face Michael, his lips have curled up into an arresting smile.
“So you’ve thought about running into me again is what you’re saying.”
Why can’t I control the words escaping my mouth? Did my filter permanently take a vacation or just decide to stop working altogether when faced with drop dead gorgeous males? If there were ever a time for one of the plagues of Egypt to happen, now would be as good a time as any. I’d take a swarm of locusts over standing here making a complete ass of myself any day of the week.
“I … um … well … that is …”
Great. And now, apparently, I can’t speak either. If he doesn’t take off running, I’d be surprised. And Chris wants to give me a promotion? Hell, I can’t even speak coherently in mildly stressful situations. I need a drink and I don’t care if it’s not even eight in the morning yet.
He’s leaning into me, barely a breath between us. My breathing picks up slightly at his nearness and I watch his eyes travel over my features before locking onto my lips. Mine do the same and without realizing it, I lick my dry lips. Michael clears his throat, breaking his stare and shakes his head before offering me his arm to escort me out of the garage.
He wasn’t going to kiss you. Get a hold of yourself. Seriously, that drink?
“Well, now that you’re free from your car I better make sure you get safely to work. I wouldn’t want you getting stuck anywhere else.”
I laugh nervously as we cross the street, letting him hold open the door for me as we enter the lobby of our building. His hand rests gently on my lower back as he ushers me into the elevator, guiding me close to him as people begin to file in with us. But he keeps me to his front near the panel of buttons. He must remember my elevator rides all too well since I never actually told him about my prior predicaments.
We don’t talk on the ride up, which is good because the only way I’d be able to hear him is if he whispered directly into my ear. And I don’t think my body would be up for that right now. It’d be too intimate and confusing to my already swimming head.
As I approach my floor, Michael squeezes my side slightly, drawing my attention to him. He smiles down at me and looks nervous for some reason.
“Tessa, would you like to meet me for coffee tomorrow morning?” His eyes sparkle in the fluorescent lights of the elevator as the cheesy music swirls around us. I pause, giving it a moment of serious thought. Michael is a good guy and we have this easy rapport between us, making it seem as if I could talk to him about anything without feeling embarrassed about it. And I can always use another friend.
“Sure, coffee sounds good. You let me know where and when.”
“How about seven o’clock at the Caribou Coffee place on the corner?” He still looks nervous, a slight blush crawling across his cheeks. It’s kind of cute in a way.
I smile. “Sounds perfect. I’ll see you then.” Michael lightly grabs my hand, squeezing it before I walk through the open doors to my office. I turn back to look at him as the doors close and he gifts me with his perfectly white smile.
As I turn the corner, making note that this is now two days in a row I have arrived on time to work, I hear Kara call out to me as I pass her office. I backtrack slightly, peeking my head through the open doorway. She smiles and holds a finger up to me.
“One second.” She presses the receiver of the phone into the palm of her hand. “Hey, are you available for lunch today?” I nod. “Perfect. Does noon work for you?”
“Thank you. This wasn’t exactly how I pictured running into you again.”
I lock my car, this time making sure my jacket is free and clear of the door. When I turn to face Michael, his lips have curled up into an arresting smile.
“So you’ve thought about running into me again is what you’re saying.”
Why can’t I control the words escaping my mouth? Did my filter permanently take a vacation or just decide to stop working altogether when faced with drop dead gorgeous males? If there were ever a time for one of the plagues of Egypt to happen, now would be as good a time as any. I’d take a swarm of locusts over standing here making a complete ass of myself any day of the week.
“I … um … well … that is …”
Great. And now, apparently, I can’t speak either. If he doesn’t take off running, I’d be surprised. And Chris wants to give me a promotion? Hell, I can’t even speak coherently in mildly stressful situations. I need a drink and I don’t care if it’s not even eight in the morning yet.
He’s leaning into me, barely a breath between us. My breathing picks up slightly at his nearness and I watch his eyes travel over my features before locking onto my lips. Mine do the same and without realizing it, I lick my dry lips. Michael clears his throat, breaking his stare and shakes his head before offering me his arm to escort me out of the garage.
He wasn’t going to kiss you. Get a hold of yourself. Seriously, that drink?
“Well, now that you’re free from your car I better make sure you get safely to work. I wouldn’t want you getting stuck anywhere else.”
I laugh nervously as we cross the street, letting him hold open the door for me as we enter the lobby of our building. His hand rests gently on my lower back as he ushers me into the elevator, guiding me close to him as people begin to file in with us. But he keeps me to his front near the panel of buttons. He must remember my elevator rides all too well since I never actually told him about my prior predicaments.
We don’t talk on the ride up, which is good because the only way I’d be able to hear him is if he whispered directly into my ear. And I don’t think my body would be up for that right now. It’d be too intimate and confusing to my already swimming head.
As I approach my floor, Michael squeezes my side slightly, drawing my attention to him. He smiles down at me and looks nervous for some reason.
“Tessa, would you like to meet me for coffee tomorrow morning?” His eyes sparkle in the fluorescent lights of the elevator as the cheesy music swirls around us. I pause, giving it a moment of serious thought. Michael is a good guy and we have this easy rapport between us, making it seem as if I could talk to him about anything without feeling embarrassed about it. And I can always use another friend.
“Sure, coffee sounds good. You let me know where and when.”
“How about seven o’clock at the Caribou Coffee place on the corner?” He still looks nervous, a slight blush crawling across his cheeks. It’s kind of cute in a way.
I smile. “Sounds perfect. I’ll see you then.” Michael lightly grabs my hand, squeezing it before I walk through the open doors to my office. I turn back to look at him as the doors close and he gifts me with his perfectly white smile.
As I turn the corner, making note that this is now two days in a row I have arrived on time to work, I hear Kara call out to me as I pass her office. I backtrack slightly, peeking my head through the open doorway. She smiles and holds a finger up to me.
“One second.” She presses the receiver of the phone into the palm of her hand. “Hey, are you available for lunch today?” I nod. “Perfect. Does noon work for you?”
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