menial chores, including finding tools, lifting things and cleaning up. For some reason, it was hard for Charlie to concentrate. She was aware of Ryle standing just a few feet away, watching her. And that unnerved her.
She slipped in under the hydraulic systems to have a better look at a troublesome valve. She was surprised her hands were steady as she checked out the hydraulic systems; and that she was able to hold the tools without trembling.
“ Can you pass me the spanner?” She asked, reaching out her hand for the next tool. The tool was handed to her, and there was a momentary brush of strong fingers against her palm. It left a tingling feeling and her pulse gave a jerk. “Thanks.” She muttered.
“ No problem.” Ryle answered.
She shouldn’t be surprised it was Ryle, and yet, she was still surprised by how his touch, even when she didn’t know it was him, made such an impression on her senses. She took a deep breath before refocusing and loosening the relief valves.
Working with Ryle nearby was a strangely unnerving experience for Charlie. When he was near, she could barely concentrate. It took effort to ignore his presence and focus on her work. And she felt she was being watched, even when she wasn’t looking at him. It shouldn’t affect her, but it did. It was not the first time someone at work was interested in her, and in all honesty, it won’t be the last. But none had such effect on her before. Not even Jeff. So why should Ryle be different?
So he was incredibly attractive; there was something very sexy in the way he moved, so cool and confident; the way he talked; even the way he looked at her was arousing.
Ryle enjoyed watching Charlie work. She seemed so calm and confident, her voice as smooth and warm as she was. And when she laughed, the sexy infectious sound gave him the craziest urge to grab her and kiss her.
She led her team trying to solve the current problem so adeptly that he couldn’t help but admire her. Nothing seemed to deter her; and she remained composed. Composed except when their eyes happened to meet. He saw the way her eyes would brighten, almost like a deer caught in headlights. For several moments, there was surprise and some other emotions in her eyes, and then she seemed to close it like a shutter, and she was all business -like again. It was those moments that he knew she was not as indifferent to him as she wanted him to think.
He saw the way her hands trembled when his touched hers by accident. Whether she wanted it to be or not, she was as aware of him as he was of her. He gained some kind of satisfaction from that.
It was almost one o’clock when Charlie and her team finally broke for lunch. Supporting Charlie’s team gave Ryle an advantage to be near her. Although she was often surrounded by members of her team, he managed to fall in line behind her at the cafeteria, which took some maneuvering without being too obvious. Walking into the cafeteria with her team, various people, men and women, walked up to greet her. She seemed popular and he saw respect when others talked with her.
She seemed to be doing a pretty good job of ignoring his presence behind her in line, except for the sideway glances she gave him which told him she knew he was there.
“You seem to know a lot of people here.” Ryle commented, watching as she picked up a tray and some utensils.
“ Yes.” She answered shortly.
“ How long have you worked here?” He asked. He picked up a tray, utensils and followed her down the line.
She looked like she wasn’t about to answer him. She was busy studying the beverages in the cooler compartment. She finally selected a mixed vegetable and fruit juice and glanced at him.
“I’ve worked at PAL for fourteen years if I include the years I did part-time and summer jobs.” She told him.
“ Fourteen years, wow; you don’t look old enough.” He teased.
She gave him a cool look but didn’t take the bait. Instead she moved on without
She slipped in under the hydraulic systems to have a better look at a troublesome valve. She was surprised her hands were steady as she checked out the hydraulic systems; and that she was able to hold the tools without trembling.
“ Can you pass me the spanner?” She asked, reaching out her hand for the next tool. The tool was handed to her, and there was a momentary brush of strong fingers against her palm. It left a tingling feeling and her pulse gave a jerk. “Thanks.” She muttered.
“ No problem.” Ryle answered.
She shouldn’t be surprised it was Ryle, and yet, she was still surprised by how his touch, even when she didn’t know it was him, made such an impression on her senses. She took a deep breath before refocusing and loosening the relief valves.
Working with Ryle nearby was a strangely unnerving experience for Charlie. When he was near, she could barely concentrate. It took effort to ignore his presence and focus on her work. And she felt she was being watched, even when she wasn’t looking at him. It shouldn’t affect her, but it did. It was not the first time someone at work was interested in her, and in all honesty, it won’t be the last. But none had such effect on her before. Not even Jeff. So why should Ryle be different?
So he was incredibly attractive; there was something very sexy in the way he moved, so cool and confident; the way he talked; even the way he looked at her was arousing.
Ryle enjoyed watching Charlie work. She seemed so calm and confident, her voice as smooth and warm as she was. And when she laughed, the sexy infectious sound gave him the craziest urge to grab her and kiss her.
She led her team trying to solve the current problem so adeptly that he couldn’t help but admire her. Nothing seemed to deter her; and she remained composed. Composed except when their eyes happened to meet. He saw the way her eyes would brighten, almost like a deer caught in headlights. For several moments, there was surprise and some other emotions in her eyes, and then she seemed to close it like a shutter, and she was all business -like again. It was those moments that he knew she was not as indifferent to him as she wanted him to think.
He saw the way her hands trembled when his touched hers by accident. Whether she wanted it to be or not, she was as aware of him as he was of her. He gained some kind of satisfaction from that.
It was almost one o’clock when Charlie and her team finally broke for lunch. Supporting Charlie’s team gave Ryle an advantage to be near her. Although she was often surrounded by members of her team, he managed to fall in line behind her at the cafeteria, which took some maneuvering without being too obvious. Walking into the cafeteria with her team, various people, men and women, walked up to greet her. She seemed popular and he saw respect when others talked with her.
She seemed to be doing a pretty good job of ignoring his presence behind her in line, except for the sideway glances she gave him which told him she knew he was there.
“You seem to know a lot of people here.” Ryle commented, watching as she picked up a tray and some utensils.
“ Yes.” She answered shortly.
“ How long have you worked here?” He asked. He picked up a tray, utensils and followed her down the line.
She looked like she wasn’t about to answer him. She was busy studying the beverages in the cooler compartment. She finally selected a mixed vegetable and fruit juice and glanced at him.
“I’ve worked at PAL for fourteen years if I include the years I did part-time and summer jobs.” She told him.
“ Fourteen years, wow; you don’t look old enough.” He teased.
She gave him a cool look but didn’t take the bait. Instead she moved on without
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