My Safe Refuge

Chapter 7

Luckily Chris finally breaks the awkward and quite frankly embarrassing silence.

"Ellie, you look stunning!" Chris says as he smiles at me warmly.

(Christ.....I was not expecting him to say that....No one has ever called me stunning before, let alone the hottest guy I have ever seen in my life. Que the stuttering, babbling mess that is Ellie.)

"Em......Thanks....you don't look so bad yourself."

(What I really want to say is you look so damn fucking hot it hurts and all I can think of is how it would feel to have your hands and your lips all over my body!)

Jake pulls me from my dirty thoughts. "Okay....yes we all look great now if you wouldn't mind making your way outside....the taxi is here!"

I can feel my face burn red from embarrassment. I swiftly make my exit outside and hop into the tax before I make an even bigger fool out of myself."

"Chris, I forgot to ask is Hayley meeting us in town?" Jake asks as he slides into the taxi.

"I think she said she would drop by for a quick drink, her train back to New York is tonight so she can't stay too long. I 'll be heading back tomorrow afternoon."

(Great....I should of known, of course he has a girlfriend. I probably already knew deep down that he did but even still, a sudden pang of disappointment hits me straight in the gut.)

Chris' voice suddenly rings in my ear. "Ellie you will get to meet my assistant from New York. You will probably have quite a bit of contact with her when we are working on the new project, so it's important that you acquaint yourselves."

"Assistant? Oh.....yes, great.....I mean yes I can't want to meet her." I say stupidly.

(I feel like jumping for joy right now. I know it doesn't mean he doesn't have a girlfriend back in NY but at least I can enjoy his company tonight.)

We arrive at Javu.......It's probably one of the most popular bars in the town. The weekends are always manic. Luckily it's a Monday night so it is less cramped and we should be able to hear each other speak.

We grab some drinks and sit down in a booth near the back of the bar. Chris sits across from me and Jake slides in beside me. It's near damn impossible not to look at Chris. He draws me to him like a magnet, I feel like I have no control over it. I can smell his fresh, masculine cologne as it tickles my nostrils sending little tingling waves through my body.

"So Chris, when will you be coming back to Jersey?" Jake asks, breaking the silence that had settled over us.

"Well I suppose there isn't a lot that I can do at the moment. All the plans are drawn up and the re-building is underway. I suppose I could come back in a week or so and see how things are progressing. Luckily, structurally the shopping center is in good condition but we obviously have to put up a lot of partition walls to separate the rooms and there's the plumbing and electrical work to be done but I would be guessing that in a months time it should be ready for Ellie's touch."

Chris looks at me and smiles softly.

"That's great, well you know you are more than welcome to stay with us any time you are visiting." Jake says.

"Thanks Jake I really appreciate that."

Before I have a chance to join in the conversation my attention is pulled when I see a very attractive, red-haired young woman walking straight towards our table, dressed way too fancy to be a barmaid or waitress.

The woman addresses Chris much to my surprise. "Chris....I see you have started without me?"

She brazenly slides in beside Chris with a great big smile plastered over her face.