Nothing Personal [*Complete*]

19

The next morning I and my two suitcases stood at the elevator for longer than I'd care to admit. Those two buttons haunted me. Up or down? I sighed and rocked from one foot to the other. Undone by choices again. C'mon Natalia, it's not rocket science, up or down. Rising on my toes for a moment I closed my eyes and let out a slow breath as I lowered myself. In the end I hit the down button and the elevator on the left opened its doors. The little electronic beep sounded as like some kind of buzzer letting me know that I made the wrong choice.

All the same I stepped on and hit the ground floor button, pulling the hood of my coat down so I didn't have to look at my face in the mirrors. Mainly the reason I didn't want to see my reflection was because I might have over done myself. I slathered on the makeup like I would when I used to want to impress him.

Clearly whatever had control of my hands wanted his attention today but my brain with logic reigning once more wasn't so sure it was a good idea. Head and heart were having it out and there was no certainty who would win. Winston was already out front standing beside the limo as I exited into the biting cold. Though we had snow before there was something extra brutal about the chill on the air like it knew it had full reign to do as it pleased now. Before I reached Winston I started shivering.

"Cold one, huh?" Winston laughed as he took my bags.

"Yeah. So why don't you spend holidays with Mr. Emery?" I questioned him as he closed the trunk which already had Mr. Emery's bags in it.

"I have a lot of family in the area. Tara goes because all she has is her daughter, same with Steve. He grew up in the foster care system and his wife is one of those people who gets in massive fights with her family every few years or so. So without him they wouldn't really have places to go."

"That's really nice of him."

"MR. E's a good guy... which is why I have to ask. What is going on with you two?"

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't know?" I laughed nervously.

"Now he's given me money to buy Christmas gifts for my kids but he's never just given me the card, and he's never gone in with me. And then there's how he brought you roses the other day, we went to six different florists so he could find the right bouquet. Now he's given people flowers before, usually it's peonies and he just calls a florist and never looks at the bouquet."

"Well you said it yourself, men like him fuck the help." I crossed my arms.

"This isn't that. All I'm going to say is be careful. You're a nice girl, you're pretty and seem to have a good head on your shoulders. I've driven for him for years and I've never seen him look at anyone how he looks at you. Just make sure you don't get in over your head."

"Did you give Chloe the same speech?"

"No, like I said he never looked at Chloe like he looks at you. My sister met one of Mr. E's friends from Britain, they dated and she still won't talk about whatever the hell he did to her."

"Thomas Grant?"

"Yeah, I decked him so I get time off if he's in town. Just be careful, as nice as he is now... you won't be on equal footing in that relationship."

How can I say that I don't to be? That I want to utterly possessed? I smiled and pulled my coat tight around me. "I'll be careful."

That was when Mr. Emery exited the building he took on look at me and then glanced at Winston. Without saying a word Winston slipped into chauffer mode and opened the door for Mr. Emery and held it for me. When I got in I found myself consciously making a note of Mr. Emery's gaze. Did he look at me differently?