Erica Clifford - Completed

Twenty one

"I ordered you another coffee." My head tilted a little bit more. 

"Why?" 

"Because I can't say this was a date if you just sat there and watched me drink one. Also it's rude to not buy you something on a first date." 

"I'm sorry, come again?" I raised both my eyebrows and sat back slightly. "Did you say date?" 

"Twice." I watched his lips curl up. A cheeky smile on his face. He was proud of how he'd been able to slip that in there. It had been very casual I'll give him that. "I wasn't sure if you'd pick up on it." 

"Sorry, I'm still stuck on this being a date." He laughed and moved the chair so he was sat a little bit closer.  "Are you serious?" 

"Deadly." I looked down at the table nervously as my cheeks flushed a bright red. "You're blushing." 

"Stop it." I looked up and gently slapped his arm, making him chuckle. 

"What are you doing today?" 

"Working." The words came out as a chuckle. Like he needed to ask. 

"Can you escape it for the day or does it all need your attention? If I said we can run away for the day, could you?" I narrowed my brows at him as his smile only grew. 

"I don't know." Quickly I opened the book and flicked through my to-do list. "I don't have any meetings." 

"So that's a yes then?" 

"I'll fall behind on it." 

"No you won't. Your dad's there if people need anything. One day off won't kill you Erica." 

"No but it might kill other people." I laughed ever so slightly but it came out more as a sigh. "I would if I could Lee." 

"Then do it." 

"What?" 

"Come spend the day with me. Please?" He put his hand on mine before moving it and wrapping our fingers together. "I really want to spend the day with you." 

My eyes glanced down at the list again but all my mind could think of was the feeling of host calloused fingers around my own.

It could all wait right? I could take off just one day for the first time in months. If anyone asked I could just say I was lost in work and forgot to check my phone?  I coffee in a paper cup was placed in front of me and I looked up at him. 

"I wasn't taking no for an answer beautiful." 

.

.

Everything stopped. 

.

.

Pure silence. 

The world was suddenly empty and all the background nose that had made it impossible to hear him before was gone. It was just him sat there with his hand in mine. And my heartbeat. That's it. 

I could hear his breathing. Slow and husky. He was anticipating my answer. God, I was too. I felt like I was suffocating. All the air was vanishing. Until his hand squeezed mine and everything came back. 

The woosh from the barista's working the huge machine, people's conversations, phone's ringing, the door opening and the bell chiming, the traffic outside, the beeping of horns and distant alarms and sirens.  I was staring at him as the world kept spinning. 

But I was stuck. I couldn't move. 

I don't know why. I wasn't breathing fast, my heart wasn't racing. Both were slow and steady like they should be.