“Yes?” Sara said.
“I’m glad you made it to the ball.”
“Oh, it was my pleasure. My best friend made me go. She’s obsessed with you.”
“Then I should meet her someday to thank her for making you come,” Nick said, watching her closely, hoping his statement would help her open up to him, but she simply smiled and gathered her things, ready to leave his office.
“She’ll be thrilled,” Sara said.
“Do you have a moment to spare?” Nick asked as he opened his office door. He had to try and woo her, just enough to make her spend the rest of the day with him.
“Yes, a few minutes,” she said.
Nick noticed the look of anticipation in her eyes, like she wanted something more than she was letting on. Maybe she did like him as much as he liked her. "Please come inside," Nick requested. He led her into his office, opening the door wide to let her in.
She walked in front of him and he walked behind, his eyes glued shamelessly to her behind. He observed her as she walked, her hips moving and gliding against the fabric of her coat. He knew what was wrapped underneath her coat - dangerous curves that could mess him up. He shut the door behind him.
"Nice office," she told him, and Nick pointed to a seat for her.
"Thanks." He smiled as he sat across from her.
"Very nice,” she said when she noticed a huge 3D painting of a large forest that took up most of one wall of the office. “I like the outdoors. Impressive painting.”
"Thanks," Nick said. Impressive was not the word most girls he had brought to his office used for that picture. In fact, none of the girls he’d ever dated had noticed or commented on the picture. They had been too busy trying to spread out on the table for him, something Sara was clearly not going to do anytime soon.
"You must love the outdoors," Sara said.
"I do.” Nick looked at Sara, who avoided his eyes. “Do you?”
"Yes," she simply said. “A lot.”
“Great. Then you should visit sometime," he said, pointing at the painting on the wall. “That’s the most peaceful place on earth.”
“It’s real? That’s amazing,” Sara said, her eyes lighting up.
“That's the preservation we raise funds for annually through the ball. My company wants to preserve all nature as we know it.”
Sara looked at the picture again. “Is it okay if I get a little closer?”
"Sure," he said, walking over to the picture with her. The only thing he wanted to get closer to was the woman in front of him, but he didn’t want to scare her any more than he had already. He watched her walk gingerly toward the picture. He gave her some decent space, not wanting to crowd her, but as she stood observing the picture, he inched closer to her.
"There, over there, is a tree that’s over a hundred years old." He drew nearer to her to point at a tree in the picture. Gosh, she was sweet, he thought. She smelled sweet! Her scent was tugging at all the right parts in his body. He could smell her hair - fresh berries with a hint of orange. What conditioner did she use? He wanted to ask her but knew that would be weird.
"Wow. It looks like a lost kingdom. A place you could live forever."
Nick's heart stopped. He would love to own a home close to the preservation if it meant Sara would be with him there forever. They could play all night and sleep all day. Heck, she could even do whatever she wanted as long as she was always close to him.
He looked at her childish admiration of the painting and decided to tease her. "I don't know. A girl like you may not survive there.”
"You'd be surprised. I'm not one of your skinny, blonde girlfriends you can kiss at will."
"Regarding that," Nick said, walking away from the painting so she was forced to follow him. "I am so sorry that happened. It was not meant to happen. I didn’t do it to make anyone jealous, as you imagined."
"So, why did you kiss me? Do you make it a habit of kissing women whenever you feel like it?”
"I warned you," he chuckled. “I did ask you to kiss me.”
"Telling me to kiss you is not a warning. It's a command, and I'm not your child to boss around."
Nick’s tone changed, and his voice lowered. "You’re right, Sara, and I'm truly sorry. I don’t know what came over me. You looked so beautiful that day, and I couldn’t resist the urge to get closer to you. I wanted to kiss you so badly, since the first day I saw you at the coffee shop. I guess I just gave in to my desires when I saw you at the ball.”