AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Charlie, can you move?’ Gayle asked.
I looked up at her in confusion. ‘Move? Where?’
Taking a sip of her martini, she motioned towards William with her chin. Or more like to the tiny spot next to William. ‘My spot is taken. You sit across, I’ll sit here. My feet hurt.’
I frowned. ‘Why don’t you go and sit there? I’m already sitting here.’
‘I want to talk to William, and I can’t do that sitting next to him. Do you have something to say to him?’
‘I…’ I glanced at an amused William as he scooted to his right a little.
‘Does he bite or something?’ Gayle asked, making me go all bright red. I looked at our table, but realized no one had heard her.
My face fell. ‘Gayle,’ I said simply.
She raised her hand. ‘Okay, sorry.’
Flustered, I got up.
‘Did you hear back from your contact yet?’ William asked Gayle as I sat my ass down next to him and settled my bag on my lap again.
Shaking her head, Gayle took her stolen seat and put her martini on the table. ‘Tomorrow is the day, I think.’
Lola returned with our drinks and put them on the edge of the table before leaving. Suddenly before I knew what was happening, William was all in my personal space as he leaned over me to get the beers. His chest was against my shoulder, his arm almost brushing my boobs and god help me… his face, that stubbled cheek was just inches away.
And his cologne…
His cologne.
Extremely too close.
Extremely too much.
Gayle had completely disappeared from my view, and all I could see, all that I could smell, was lots of William. If I leaned a few inches forward I’d touch his cheek with my lips, and the idea fascinated me. I felt myself sway a little, my chin tipping up to get a deeper sniff of his cologne, and I thought how cool I would look if I could rest my forehead on his neck and just stay there for a second or two. Sounded very rational at that moment.
Essentially it was like dangling a big, sweet, juicy carrot in front of a bunny. Too much closeness, too much touching, and I knew myself enough to know that I’d start acting like an idiot and my heart would decide to take the carrot and just run with it.
Remembering where I was and what I was doing, I looked up at the ceiling and released a long breath. Being this close to him was clearly not the best idea. Especially when I could feel his body heat searing the right side of my body.
As a bonus, William’s thigh pressed against mine and I closed my eyes.
Game over.
Thankfully he stopped the torture and as soon as he got our beers – which I could’ve easily reached for – he pulled back, and I was able to take a normal breath again.
‘Here you go,’ he said softly, completely unruffled and unaware of the battle I had just faced. As I was trying to find the right words to say, my eyes met Gayle’s across from me. I didn’t like the gleam in them.
‘Thanks,’ I muttered and watched as he laughed at something Rick said and drank almost half of his beer at one go. My hearing wasn’t working at full speed so I had no idea what the hell was going on around me.
After I gained my equilibrium, I took a long sip from my beer and enjoyed the cold drink sliding down my throat, until Gayle put her arms on the table, leaned forward and opened her mouth.
‘So, William, six years ago, why did you stand Charlie up?’
I started coughing uncontrollably, hitting my chest with my palm. ‘Gayle!’ I choked out. I already knew my face was as red as a tomato as I gasped for air. I felt William’s hand on my back as he tried to make sure I was okay. When I calmed down he handed me a bottle of water out of nowhere, and I managed to drink without killing myself in the process. Our eyes met, and I couldn’t tell if he was angry or not.
‘Where did that come from?’ I asked, turning back to Gayle, my voice still scratchy.
‘What?’ she asked as if she hadn’t just dropped a bomb. ‘I was just trying to…’
‘I’m assuming from that question, Charlie told you we met a few years back,’ William interrupted quietly.
‘I told her ages ago. She knew from way before,’ I rushed to explain.
Her gaze turned to William and she nodded. I held my breath. I hadn’t asked that question myself at the end of that first day at the office because I actually did not want to hear the answer to it. Self-preservation and all that.
‘I think that’s private between me and Charlie,’ he said.
I let out a breath – too early.
