After she'd watched him until he was out of sight, she spun back to her work but eyed the small box. She'd never been a patient girl when it came to gifts. Many Christmases her parents spent coming up with new hiding places for her presents.
Beth pulled her scissors out of the desk drawer and snipped off the string. She unfolded the lid and gasped. A tiny chocolate cake with fudge icing sat picture perfect inside the white box. Tears formed in her eyes. That simple pastry was the most thoughtful gift she'd ever received from a man.
At five minutes before noon, Sean appeared at Beth's cubicle.
"Ready?" he asked.
She nodded.
Holding out his hand, he helped her to stand, then protectively placed that same palm on the small of her back. They silently took the elevator to the front entrance.
"I thought we were going to the cafeteria," she said.
Shaking his head, he said, "Hell, no. We're going to have a real lunch."
They ended up across the street at a small Italian restaurant that was consistently overcrowded for lunch. It was far from romantic that time of day, but it definitely beat out the hospital mush.
Once they were seated and placed their orders, Sean watched Beth unroll her silverware, fastidiously place her napkin on her lap, then adjust the silver in its proper place. He recognized the mannerisms but wondered how far they went. With her hearing loss, it would make perfect sense if she was obsessed with life needing to be orderly. Was she that way before she lost her hearing?
When she finished, she looked up at him and blushed bright red.
"Sorry," she said softly.
His smile was warm. "Don't be."
"How's work today?" she asked.
A simple question, but it meant so much more to him. Not one woman he'd gone out with in years asked him about his day. They only wanted a certain piece of him. The piece that gave them an earth shattering orgasm.
"Busy," he said. "I have to be in surgery in an hour. How's your day?"
"When you came up this morning, I just opened an audit that needs gone over before we send out the records," she answered.
"You must be detailed oriented in order to do that job," he observed.
She shrugged. "I tend to see things others might miss."
The next question was on the tip of his tongue. Should he ask? Would she become upset? Would it end their lunch? He let out a long breath and went for broke. "Why don't you work for the president any longer?"
She blinked. Then blinked again. Shit, he pushed it. Holding up his hand, he apologized, "Sorry."
"No, that's okay," she said softly. "When I lost my hearing, I was laid up for six months. He needed a secretary. When I was able to return, he didn't want to replace the woman they'd hired. She has three kids and was going through a divorce. I understood. I mean, the man's really nice, and he felt terrible when I returned. He's the one who secured my job for me. I think he actually made up the position, but it turns out I've saved a load of money for the hospital. Luckily he made sure my salary stayed the same." She smiled. "He always takes me out to lunch for Administrative Assistant day and remembers me at Christmas and my birthday."
Sean wasn't too pleased with that information. Not the fact the president kept her on staff, but the fact the man still catered to Beth. Entirely familiar with the head of the hospital from many golf outings, dinners, and conferences they attended together, Sean knew the man's game all too well. Mr. President often brought his mistresses along with him while his wife stayed home with their two children. The man always looked for a new, young woman to bring into his bed. Sean would bet money that he tried to get innocent Beth between his nasty sheets.
Instead of giving her the bad news, he decided to keep that tidbit to himself. "That's really standup of him to make sure you had a job."
She concurred. "It is."
The waitress brought their salads which ended the questioning. They finished a pleasant luncheon in a half an hour, and afterwards, Sean escorted Beth back up to her cubicle.
"Dinner tonight?" he asked.
"All right," she said.
"Seven?"
She nodded.
"Great," he said, leaned down and kissed her chastely on the lips. "I'll see you tonight."
7
Over the next six weeks, Sean relentlessly courted Beth. He'd never put that much effort into dating, but she was unlike every other woman he'd gone out with. Each time he took her to dinner, he learned more about her, finally getting her to open up. Like how much she loved kittens and puppies when they'd walked by the pet store last week. They'd spent an hour in that place while she touched each and every animal. He offered to buy her one, but she disheartenedly refused. She explained she feared for the animal's safety because she couldn't hear if they would ever need help. Sean tried to explain she would be fine, many people who couldn't hear owned pets, but she still rejected the idea.
He learned her love for chocolate could be considered an obsession which she happily indulged. And he loved to help her with it. Every date he bought her some form of chocolate pastry or candy, and every single time, she applauded in delight and did a charming bouncy thing on the balls of her feet.
When he pressed further about her family, she explained that she was an only child who was raised by two hard working middle class parents, her father a retired Army sergeant and her mother, a part-time secretary for the Turner Law Firm in Pittsburgh. Apparently she was a daddy's girl, and her father still worried and catered to her. They hadn't introduced each other to their parents, but that was on next week's agenda. They'd seen each other every day during their courtship and didn't seem to be growing tired of one another.
But with the good also came the disheartening. When he took her to The Point a few times, she seemed to over relish her time outside. Apparently she developed a fear of going out doors after she lost her hearing. With him she felt safe enough to endure the outside world. The subject of how she lost her hearing never came up, though his curiosity to find out what happened that created her fear nagged him. But he refused to push. Beth should be the one to feel she could tell him anything. She also admitted how much she missed music. Years ago she frequented concerts and musicals but no longer attended.
Which was how they ended up in his living room, swaying to the sound of music. It was Friday date night, but this time Sean decided to bring her to his house and cook for her. Lights dimmed and candles shimmered throughout the bottom floor. They'd already eaten their meal that consisted of a salad, lasagna, garlic bread, and of course chocolate cake.
After their appetites were filled, Sean led Beth to the center of the living room floor, picked up the remote and turned on the stereo system with the base turned up at full volume. If it blew his speakers, but he'd buy new ones. He wanted to give this to her.
At the start of the soft music, he wrapped his right arm around her tiny waist, then took her left hand into his and held it against his chest.
"Follow me," he said and gave her his best sultry smile.
Those beautiful blues glassed over.
Swaying to the music, it only took a few moments before the bass could be felt vibrating the floorboards. The smile that crossed her gorgeous features was worth it. She released his hand and tossed her arms around his neck, then buried her face into his chest. With his other arm, he wrapped her up, pulled her close, and held her tight. The feel of her in his arms was perfect. He didn't want her anywhere else. She belonged with him, they belonged with each other. Everyday he felt himself falling harder and harder for her. Somehow, in a short period of time, she managed to wrap herself around his heart. He found he couldn't stop thinking about her‒What was she doing? Was she sleeping? Did she miss him? Did she want to see him?
He'd transformed back into a high school kid, needing to be near her at all times and wanting her to need him. When they were together, all was right with the world. When they were apart, he was cranky, short tempered, and antsy. But because he had no idea how she felt, since they hadn't expressed their feelings to each other, he kept all that pent up emotional stuff to himself.
Circling the living room, they became lost in one another. Always a decent dancer, Sean breezily led her in a smooth glide. He swore he felt his chest swell when she allowed him to take charge.
When the song changed to a more upbeat tune, Sean led her from the living room to the kitchen, through the dining room, and back to the living room. The sound of her laughter sent him flying. Eyes illuminating warmth and a joyous smile that spread from ear to ear confirmed his attempt to see her happy a success. Swinging her around, when she brushed against him, his body began to stir. Nothing like an extremely attractive woman in a man's arms to get him riled up.