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‘Does this kinda thing happen often?’ he asked as we descended.
I nodded and rubbed my eyes. ‘I mean, not always, but yes, sometimes I do have to cover for…’
Before we could reach the lobby, the doors opened on the eighth floor and a group of five women filed in, chatting and laughing.
Instinctively, I took a step closer to William at the same time as he came to my side and my back bumped into his chest. I looked up and over my shoulder in surprise and met his eyes. His beautiful eyes that got me every single time we made eye contact. It made me forget things.
‘Sorry,’ I whispered, but I didn’t move away. He didn’t move away either.
I have no idea whether I was so-tired-that-you-act-stupid kinda tired, but even though there was still some space in the elevator, I shifted on my feet and got half a step closer to him, my back firmly resting against his chest. I closed my eyes and savoured the feel.
Then he put his hand on my waist, and my heart lost it. It wasn’t just butterflies that I got when I was close to him, it was more than that.
The women were clearly a group of friends because they were laughing and chatting loudly while I was having a small heart attack in the corner of the elevator. I tried to breathe like a normal person and not make a big deal out of a very tiny situation, but I realized I was holding my breath to see how long he would keep his hand on my body. I didn’t know what to do with my hands or arms.
A slow heat flooded my chest as the laughter got louder and my heart started thudding heavily. For the second time in the same night, I was starting to feel lightheaded by just being around him and the possibility of us. Unable to stop myself, I looked up at him. His eyes were already on me. I gave him a weak smile then looked away again.
The elevator doors opened, and I cursed under my breath. The girls started exiting, but William and I didn’t move a muscle. For a few seconds we let everyone else leave, then I felt him give my waist a slow and gentle squeeze that radiated throughout my entire body and I had to force myself to put one step in front of the other.
I cleared my throat as we started walking across the lobby. ‘What are we gonna do? Get an Uber or…?’ My hand automatically went for my handbag so I could check the time, but I realized I wasn’t holding it.
I stopped walking and turned to William. ‘Oh. My things are back in the car. I dropped them when he pulled me in.’
He looked around, then headed towards the reception desk, towards the concierge who had helped us sneak into the hotel. A few minutes later we had the car keys and we were heading out to get my things.
William unlocked it, and I reached for the back door and leaned inside. Before I could bend down and get my stuff from the floor where it had fallen, William’s hand on my waist stopped me. The spot tingling, I looked over my shoulder.
He sighed. ‘Maybe you shouldn’t do that in front of me again.’
I straightened up. ‘Do what?’
‘Bend down like that. Let me.’
A little confused, I moved to the side and watched him lean inside and get my things. Then as my eyeballs landed on his ass – that ass that had gotten my attention the first day I’d seen him in the lobby – I understood why he didn’t want me to get my stuff myself.
Feeling giddy, I bit down on my lip and tried my very best to hide my grin and not say anything.
Unfortunately it didn’t take him long to come back up.
‘Your phone,’ he started, holding it out to me and looking a little uncomfortable. ‘You missed some messages.’
Frowning, I took it from him and checked who had texted me.
One was from Valerie, the other three were from Ralph.
After reading them, I glanced up at William and opened my mouth, but this time his phone started ringing. His eyes still on mine, he took it out of his pocket and checked who was calling. Instead of answering, he lowered his phone, but it kept ringing.
‘Who is it?’ I asked, thinking we could have another late night working. To be honest, I wouldn’t be complaining.
‘My ex,’ he answered.
‘Oh.’ I tried to think of something to say, but couldn’t come up with any words. I looked away.
‘What was Erasmus saying?’
‘Erasmus…’ I shook my head. ‘We have a date tomorrow. He wants to know where I wanted to go.’
He nodded. ‘That’s good.’
It was? It was good that I was going out for a date with another guy? I didn’t see the good in it. Not anymore.
