wouldn’t doubt
that. Susanna had been different from other women even in school,
and was used to being outcast.
Making an effort to keep her focus on the
workday and away from thoughts of those she missed, Susanna took a
breath. She jogged the last leg of her trip to work. Dwelling on
the negative wouldn’t help. Yet grief called to her, begging her
for attention.
Stepping up to the building, she let the
automatic doors open. Another day. How depressing. Then Tomas came
to mind for no apparent reason. Actually, he had never been far
from her thoughts since she had left him. It felt good to think of
his hard body, his pale green eyes, and of the way he made her
feel.
Being with him was different. Tomas was warm and
real, making Susanna wish she could roll back time and feel his
arms around her again. He smelled so good, so male. And he fit with
her so well. It would be a while before she would forget him.
If she did forget him. That worried her. The
feel of him close to her, the sense of his presence and how he
smiled. Even the way he launched into telling her a fairy tale,
cross-legged on the bed with a pillow on his lap, was
endearing.
What if she had stayed? Should she have? Susanna
knew she had done the only thing possible. Surely once they left
the hotel room and walked straight into real life, it would all
fall apart anyway. It was better to leave with a good feeling, and
leave Tomas with only pleasant memories of her.
Though leaving hadn’t been easy. But there had
been no way around that. Tomas would get over it soon enough. The
maid service would toss the shredded panties she had left behind,
and he would start his new life in Dublin. He would forget about
her, long before he met some nice Irish girl and fell in love. So
why did she keep thinking about him?
* * * * *
Chapter 7
Early the following morning, Tomas showed up at
the gym. The facility was equal to any he had been to. It had a
modern style, and good lighting. The tranquil feel made it a haven
from the stresses of the workday.
Though he had lots of relatives in Ireland, he
didn’t have any friends yet. Starting the job would remedy that.
For an hour that morning, he got lost in his workout, pushing heavy
weights. Feeling his muscles ache from the effort was
refreshing.
The process enlivened him, and he pushed harder,
wanting to make up for all the days he had recently missed. Several
others worked out on the machines or in the free-weight room, but
no one was overly social. They were there to concentrate on their
routine, like Tomas was.
When he finished his workout, he stopped to wipe
the sweat off and gulp some water. A dark-haired guy came over to
say hello. “Haven’t seen you here before.” He stuck out his hand.
“I’m Jason Vail.”
The guy was about an inch shorter than Tomas,
who stood at five eleven. But he was nearly as muscular. The guy
was good-looking and about the same age. “I’m Tomas Dempsey.” He
shook hands.
“Did you start with the company?”
Tomas took another swig of water. “Soon. I just
arrived in the city. I’m scheduled for this coming Monday, but
thought I’d get a head start on the workouts.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Jason nodded
toward the expansive gym. “Here, check it out. This is quite a
place they have set up for us. I’ll show you around.”
Tomas tossed his towel over his shoulder and
followed his co-worker.
Jason looked over at him. “And you will want to
make use of these facilities, because the food they give us up
there is good. Plus there is plenty of it.”
“I read that there is a big lunchroom.”
“Yep. You’ll see.”
Jason sauntered around the enormous space,
pointing a few things out. There was a sauna big enough for twenty,
a deck-level lap pool, and a large steam room. Tomas had already
seen the strength-training equipment and free weights. In addition,
there were rows of cardio equipment, including forty
treadmills.
They headed toward the executive
that. Susanna had been different from other women even in school,
and was used to being outcast.
Making an effort to keep her focus on the
workday and away from thoughts of those she missed, Susanna took a
breath. She jogged the last leg of her trip to work. Dwelling on
the negative wouldn’t help. Yet grief called to her, begging her
for attention.
Stepping up to the building, she let the
automatic doors open. Another day. How depressing. Then Tomas came
to mind for no apparent reason. Actually, he had never been far
from her thoughts since she had left him. It felt good to think of
his hard body, his pale green eyes, and of the way he made her
feel.
Being with him was different. Tomas was warm and
real, making Susanna wish she could roll back time and feel his
arms around her again. He smelled so good, so male. And he fit with
her so well. It would be a while before she would forget him.
If she did forget him. That worried her. The
feel of him close to her, the sense of his presence and how he
smiled. Even the way he launched into telling her a fairy tale,
cross-legged on the bed with a pillow on his lap, was
endearing.
What if she had stayed? Should she have? Susanna
knew she had done the only thing possible. Surely once they left
the hotel room and walked straight into real life, it would all
fall apart anyway. It was better to leave with a good feeling, and
leave Tomas with only pleasant memories of her.
Though leaving hadn’t been easy. But there had
been no way around that. Tomas would get over it soon enough. The
maid service would toss the shredded panties she had left behind,
and he would start his new life in Dublin. He would forget about
her, long before he met some nice Irish girl and fell in love. So
why did she keep thinking about him?
* * * * *
Chapter 7
Early the following morning, Tomas showed up at
the gym. The facility was equal to any he had been to. It had a
modern style, and good lighting. The tranquil feel made it a haven
from the stresses of the workday.
Though he had lots of relatives in Ireland, he
didn’t have any friends yet. Starting the job would remedy that.
For an hour that morning, he got lost in his workout, pushing heavy
weights. Feeling his muscles ache from the effort was
refreshing.
The process enlivened him, and he pushed harder,
wanting to make up for all the days he had recently missed. Several
others worked out on the machines or in the free-weight room, but
no one was overly social. They were there to concentrate on their
routine, like Tomas was.
When he finished his workout, he stopped to wipe
the sweat off and gulp some water. A dark-haired guy came over to
say hello. “Haven’t seen you here before.” He stuck out his hand.
“I’m Jason Vail.”
The guy was about an inch shorter than Tomas,
who stood at five eleven. But he was nearly as muscular. The guy
was good-looking and about the same age. “I’m Tomas Dempsey.” He
shook hands.
“Did you start with the company?”
Tomas took another swig of water. “Soon. I just
arrived in the city. I’m scheduled for this coming Monday, but
thought I’d get a head start on the workouts.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Jason nodded
toward the expansive gym. “Here, check it out. This is quite a
place they have set up for us. I’ll show you around.”
Tomas tossed his towel over his shoulder and
followed his co-worker.
Jason looked over at him. “And you will want to
make use of these facilities, because the food they give us up
there is good. Plus there is plenty of it.”
“I read that there is a big lunchroom.”
“Yep. You’ll see.”
Jason sauntered around the enormous space,
pointing a few things out. There was a sauna big enough for twenty,
a deck-level lap pool, and a large steam room. Tomas had already
seen the strength-training equipment and free weights. In addition,
there were rows of cardio equipment, including forty
treadmills.
They headed toward the executive
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