We were on our way back to my hotel, the quiet car ride gave my thoughts the stage and they ran with it. I was so busy allowing myself to be the princess I felt that I was all evening, that I had completely agreed with myself to pretend that Kai was my date for the evening. Three glasses of champagne and two glasses of wine later, I was completely his.
The evening had truly been magical, I didn't want it to end; seeing and meeting this particular side of Kai had to be what had been the most magical about it. We danced, and talked and laughed the entire evening, and for once he seemed so relaxed that he was able to really enjoy himself. It made me want to see this side of him more often. I turned to look at the man behind the wheel of the car I was currently riding in.
If only the timing wasn't so off.
If only I knew for certain that what I was feeling for this man was enough to sacrifice everything and go for it. Or how about a small confirmation from him that I am not the only one in this pretend relationship?
Okay, maybe I had one glass of champagne too many.
A short while later, we arrived much to my dismay and I grunted in disapproval as I unfastened my seatbelt.
"Are you ok?" He asked me suddenly.
I paused turning back to look at him. "I am fine, thank you." I say to him plastering a smile on my face. "I guess the champagne is catching up to me now that the evening has come to a close." I resume opening the door and move to get out and as I close the door, I notice that he has gotten out as well.
"I can walk you up to your room, if you don't mind." He said coming around the car to stand beside me.
"Of coarse I don't." I say naturally taking is arm. "As my escort, it is part of your job to see me to my door. I would have complained if you hadn't." I said with a laugh.
"Glad you see it my way." He said as we entered the lobby.
The elevator doors opened, and we stepped inside. Any other time, the elevator would have delayed me, but not today it seems. Even the ride up to my floor went without interruption. The fact that it was 3 in the morning could have played a small role in this.
"I had such an awesome time Kai, thank you. And to think that I almost preferred to stay in an binge watch television because I didn't have anything to wear."
He eyed me intently. "I would not have left you behind, even with what you were wearing before, you would have still been the hottest looking woman in the building."
I was pretty sure I was blushing from the way he looked at me and suddenly, the elevator seemed way too small, so when the doors suddenly opened, I practically jumped out. I spun back around suddenly to face him. "Whoa, you think I am hot?" I asked as what he had said finally registered in my brain. "Seriously?"
"Of coarse I do." He said casually as if he was confirming a food order. "Am I not allowed to think so?"
"Well normally when a guy is so in love with his girlfriend, he tends to not notice other women." I say matter-of-factly as he falls in step beside me as I start walking down the hall.
He gave me a quiet smile as he looked at me out of the corner of his eye. "Well you are pretty special, it is quite hard to not notice you." He said shyly. "I can see why Garren behaves the way he does where it concerns you."
I make a clicking noise as I roll my eyes. "That man."
Although, I tried walking as slow as possible, we seemed to have reached my door all too quickly.
"Thank you, again." I say while retrieving my key card from my clutch. With the alcohol cheering me on, I reach out to hug him and immediately get lost in his smell and the feel of his arms around me. I don't know why I did it, but I pull back slightly looking into his eyes. His beautiful, deep, dark, almond shaped eyes...
And that is when it happened.
At first, he kissed me on the forehead, but then he kissed me fully on the lips. My head spun with a thousand thoughts and a small part of me was ecstatic. It was the softest, most beautiful, experience; exactly what I thought it to be. However, as suddenly as it happened, it was over, leaving me crying on the inside.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." He said quickly before walking away.
"Wait! Kai, wait!" He didn't stop, he didn't even slow down as he walked on ignoring my calls to him.
I stood there for what felt like hours just staring down the empty hallway.
Needless to say, I was a wreck the next day at the launch of the Washington office. I was a wreck for many days after that, the kiss playing over and over in my mind along with the moments that led up to it.
What was worse, I hadn't heard from Kai since. I tried calling and texting him, but he didn't get back to me. There were several meet-ups scheduled, and each one was cancelled last minute. As the weeks passed, I became worried, even if the situation was terribly awkward, I would like to think that he would have contacted me back by now. If only I knew where he lived. I knew the area, but not the exact location and I would have to answer questions if I called Garren.
When I had finally worked up the courage to mention what happened to Greg, and after he took several minutes to cuss me out, he told me not to worry too much about it; or to even bother reading into it any further since so much time had passed. He was of even less help then I thought he would be, I am not sure why I even bothered. Perhaps I was hoping for some epiphany by talking to him, I had no one else with whom I could talk to and no one else that would understand the situation.
I glanced at the clock on my desk. I had a meeting that was going to start in twenty minutes and I was just not in the mood. I stood up from my desk and stretched before leaving out of my space. Maybe a quick walk around the floor would help me to clear my mind and wake me up a little as I had been feeling overly tired from the normal stress load and then the added stress from thinking about Kai.
It didn't help either that the VP was such a perceptive individual, immediately calling me out several days after it happened for being reserved and distant. If I go into the meeting with my current frame of mind, a round of twenty questions will extend the meeting. I hadn't paid him any mind at first, but then people I didn't even know that well started coming up to me and asking if I was okay. I hadn't realized how noticeable my change in mood has been in the days and weeks that followed. How could one kiss, if you can even call it that, affect me so much?
Then there was Ian.
While he had guessed something was up a day or three after I came back from Washington DC, he instantly assumed that it had to be something he had done wrong and has since been bending over backwards to fix it. His antics only served as a distraction though, the chaos resuming the moment he left me to my thoughts. Nowadays it isn't as bad; thoughts of Kai only float to the surface about once every few days.
"Gabe!"
My head whipped around at the sound of my name, and I see a figure jogging toward me. Janet.
"Where are you going? The meeting is supposed to start soon."
"Just taking a walk around the floor, I need to wake up a little." I confess.
"Oh. Well can I join you?" She asked with a huge grin on her face.
I wasn't much in the mood for that either. However, I felt like if I said no, it would just come out sounding rude. "Sure."
She fell into step with me.
"I have been meaning to ask you about something." She began. "You know that the Gala will be coming up soon. I was wondering if you would like to go in my place. I have a family function coming up, my sister's wedding, and out of all the weekends she could have picked, she picked the one that is the same as the Gala. I just about disowned her. Anyway, I remembered how you were originally supposed to go, so I wanted to ask you before I told Jonathan.
I came to a dead stop causing someone who had come up from behind to nearly fall on top of me. I made a face as he fussed at me while dodging me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I was being given back my opportunity to go! "That is awesome! I mean it sucks that you can't go, but I am so glad that you asked me! I hope Jonathan agrees."
"I am sure he will. Why wouldn't he? Besides, if he says no, the next possible choice would be Marlyn. I don't think that Jonathan would want to send that guy." She said laughing so hard that she actually snorted a bit.
I couldn't help but to laugh too. "That guy, jeez, he would more than likely show up to the function wearing some sort of see-through ensemble because its art."
"And as we all know, that is the wrong kind of publicity." She said practically gasping for air.
"Can the two of you keep it down over there? Some of us are trying to work."
We both turned to see who had spoke only to find it was Brian and he looked a little full of regret when he saw whom he had reprimanded. Although I had forgiven his earlier indiscretions weeks ago, he doesn't know that. I have been enjoying the attention that has been showered upon me by him. I don't make him grovel like I used to, but I still work to keep him on his toes. My eyes turn to slits causing him to pale slightly and take a step back.
"Sorry. Lunch on me tomorrow, okay?" He said before darting back behind the divider.
Janet covers her mouth in an attempt to hold back her laughter. "When are you going to let him off the hook?"
I shrug my shoulders as I continue my walk. "Probably up until the point he finds out about me taking your place at the Gala. Between the luncheons and Brian, I am rarely paying for a meal these days."
"You are my hero." She glanced at her watch. "Oh, I think we should head back now. We have about five minutes. Feeling better now?"
I nod as we turn around heading back the way we came. "I must say that I do. I wasn't sure if a walk would help at first, but it was better than sitting at my desk at the time. I think what helped the most however, was your news." I put my arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. I was so excited to have something to look forward to after so long. Please let Jonathan say yes.