Cold Feet

Chapter 16

RICK

I leave the office at seven. It’s Friday evening. It seems that I’m not the only one who worked later than usual. I ride the elevator to the ground floor with one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. I am surprised I have never seen her in the building before. I would have noticed her for sure.

Me and every other hot-blooded male in the building, I tell myself.

She’s a killer. Her perfume takes over the elevator like a humidifier working overtime. It’s a nice perfume and I inhale deeply without making it obvious.

I can’t let her go without at least trying my luck. “Excuse me. Do you work in the building?”

She looks at me, her gaze assessing me and then, deciding she likes what she sees, gives me a smile. Her smile exudes confidence and, when combined with her power perfume and killer outfit, I lose the ability to think and act rationally. She’s out of your league, my subconscious tells me. It’s no use. The negative self-speak of my subconscious in this regard is swept away

“Oh no,” she shakes her head. “I just had an appointment with a client.”

I nod. “That explains it. I was sure I hadn’t seen you in the building before.”

“And that would matter why?” she asks curiously.

“Well, I am sure I have noticed a woman as indescribably beautiful as you.”

She blushes. It’s clearly not the answer she expected. “Thank you,” she says hesitantly.

“I hate to be so forward but could I perhaps ask you if we could have a drink before you head off where you’re going?”

“Um…” she hesitates and I think she is trying to think of a way to decline taking up my offer.

I speak quickly, capitalizing on her hesitation. “There’s a bar around the corner from the building. They serve coffee and drinks. I’ll buy. Just one and then you can leave if you want.”

She blushes and then seems to decide that to decline would be rude.

“Okay,” she says.

“Great,” I smile and offer my hand. “I’m Rick by the way.”

“Christine,” she says as she tucks her long blond hair behind her ear and shakes my hand.

We step out of the lift and exit the building. I steer her to the bar and we step inside. I find us a table and head off to the bar to order our drinks after she tells me she’ll have whiskey just like me.

I return to the table a short while later with our drinks and she thanks me.

“Forgive me, Rick. I don’t normally have drinks with men who I’ve just met.”

“And I don’t normally ask woman in the elevator to join me for a drink,” I smile.

She laughs and the ice is broken. She begins to relax.

“What is it that you do?”

“I’m a wedding planner.”

“Really?” I ask. Are all wedding planners this hot? I make a mental note to consider fishing in the pool of wedding planners for conquests. I can’t believe my luck at running into another wedding planner who is almost as beautiful as Viola.

“Really,” she smiles. “You seem surprised.”

“No, it’s just that I met a wedding planner at a wedding the other day. We had a long chat. I can’t believe that I’ve met another wedding planner so soon.”

“Perhaps the universe is telling you something,” she smiles as she sips her drink.

“Such as?”

“That you’re going to find the woman of your dreams and get married soon,” Christine says.

“I don’t think so. I’m not one to work that fast. Besides I have no interested ladies on the horizon that I know of. If I were to get married soon it would have to be a whirlwind relationship or a shotgun wedding.”

Christine smiles and manages to swallow her drink before she bursts out laughing. “You are funny,” she says at last as I wait for her to tell me what is so amusing.

“Something amuses you?” I prompt.

“Well,” she says as she places her glass on the counter, “You certainly won’t have any ladies beating a path to your door unless you communicate more diplomatically.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” I say.

“Well, I would hope that the fact that I agreed to have a drink with a complete stranger I met in the lift tells you that I am an interested lady. However, I do suggest that while being in court may require you to be direct, I don’t think you should adopt that same attitude outside the courtroom. The mention of a ‘shotgun wedding’ is a passion killer” for anyone.”

I nod. “You are right.” Recovering quickly, I add, “Does that mean that I’ve just killed your passion?”

Christine giggles. “I have many passions Rick. Which one do you think you might have killed?”

“Hopefully none at all.”

“The quick lawyer comeback,” she smiles then continues, “You’re in luck. You haven’t killed any passions yet.”

“That’s good to know,” I say heaving a silent sigh of relief.

She changes the subject. “Who was the wedding planner? Maybe I know her?”

“I didn’t actually get her name,” I reply. I don’t want to mention Viola’s name. It might just be the passion killer Christine has referred to and I’m not going to take a chance on opening up the conversation in that direction.

I order another round of drinks and then another. We’re getting more and more comfortable with each other and the whiskey is having the desired effect and lowering our walls.

“So, what made you decide to talk to me in the elevator and ask a complete stranger for a drink?” Christine finally asks.

I hesitate and wonder if I should tell the truth. The alcohol gives me courage and I decide what the hell.

“Sometimes I like to be spontaneous.”

Spontaneous?” Christine asks surprised. “You mean you just ask girls to have a drink with you any time, anywhere when the need to be spontaneous strikes you?”

“Not quite...” I sit forward and lean towards her.

“What then?” she asks intrigued by my unfinished sentence.

I look around quickly as if worried that someone might see us or overhear. I gauge the noise level so that I can be sure she hears me but not everyone around us as well.

“When I see a beautiful, confident woman…” I slowly lean closer to her as I speak and she begins to lean towards me to be sure that she doesn’t miss a word of what I say. I look into her bright green eyes and hold her gaze. “… that has no idea of her beauty and the effect…” I move closer still.

Christine is rapt with attention as she listens and I draw nearer. She licks her lips and prompts me, “… the effect?”

“… the effect that she has on men … and absolutely no idea of how intoxicating her perfume is …” I am now standing next to her talking into her ear. Her long, soft hair brushes my nose and lips. “… a woman whose gaze mesmerizes me and whose lips promise the most amazing kisses if only she will let a man kiss them.” I finish and place a soft kiss just in front of her ear.

I begin to retreat and my eyes meet her gaze as soon as I am far enough away to see her eyes. She moves faster than I expected and grabs my shirt staying my retreat back to my seat. She pulls my shirt indicating she wants me to come closer again. I move closer and her lips find mine, hungrily, briefly. Then she pushes me back a little.

“How’s that for spontaneous?” she almost whispers.

“Perfect,” I smile.

Neither of us need to say another word right then. I call the waiter and get the bill. We finish our drinks as we wait for the bill. A short while later it’s settled and we leave. We hail a cab and head back to Christine’s place.