Idolatry

As Cole and Win ate he asked her more about herself and told her things she didn’t know about him. To her surprise he made her laugh, a lot. Still she knew it was just a friendly thank you dinner but she was determined to enjoy it for what it was.

When it was time to leave Cole paid the bill and walked Win to her car. “That was fun” he said “maybe we can do it again.”

“Sure” she said looking down at her feet, “whenever you need a chaperone.”

“That wasn’t what I meant” he said.

Win’s head snapped up and she saw that he was frowning. Thinking he was worried about using her she said “you don’t need to worry,” her eyes slipping away from his. “I’m happy to help out whenever you need me. You don’t need to do anything else.”

“I thought you had a good time?” he said and his tone was almost angry.

Once again Win’s head lifted “I did” she said her eyes locked on his “but it’s fine, I didn’t read anything into it.”

“What if I did?” he said.

Win had no words now. Astounded she just stared at him.

“Would you mind?” he said in a low voice.

Win’s heart seemed to stop beating. “What?” she said.

“I don’t want to lose you as my assistant Win, that’s why I’ve never said anything but I got the feeling at dinner that maybe you felt something too. Do you?”

Still Win just stared at him. Her brain refused to take in what he was saying. He had to be joking. “What?” she said again.

He gave her a crooked smile. “I like you Win, do you feel anything for me?”

“You’re my boss” she said as fear spiralled through her. This couldn’t be happening. He wasn’t meant to like her. The thought that he might scared the crap out of her.

His smile widened a little “yes but is that all?”

Win didn’t know what to tell him. If she said no she would never know what might have been but if she said yes and things went wrong down the track she might not survive it.

When she didn’t respond he said “look if the answer is no, we’ll just forget this conversation and I’ll never mention it again.”

Taking a deep breath she shook her head and said “no.”

His smile faded “you’re saying you don’t feel anything.”

“No” she said with another shake of her head “no, it’s not no” she finally got out.

Idolatry

After a horrible, tense hour for Win, Merril rose and said she had to go. They had only had entrees so far but with their business discussion concluded there was little reason for the other woman to stay except to be sociable and it was clear she wasn’t interested in being sociable with Win. She hadn’t said one word to her and had done her best to exclude her from the conversation.

Cole got to his feet and put his hand out for Merril to shake. After the briefest contact and a final hard look at Win, the other woman stalked out of the restaurant.

Cole sat back down and said “phew.”

Win didn’t comment. She was waiting for him to find a reason to move away from her.

He didn’t. Looking down at her with a smile he said “thanks Win. Without you I don’t know how I’d have got out of that without being rude and losing her business.”

“No problem” she said, her eyes on the table.

“Right well lets order some food now” he said lifting his hand and signalling to the waiter.

“We don’t have to eat” she said as the waiter made his way over. She didn’t want him to feel he had to stay now.

“You’re not hungry” he said with a frown.

“It doesn’t matter” she said not looking at him. “I can get something at home.”

“I at least owe you a proper meal for putting up with Merril” he said. “Please let me buy you dinner.”

She looked up and met his gaze. Before she could stop it she became lost in his soft eyes.

“Please?” he said when she didn’t respond.

Once again Win couldn’t speak so with a nod of her head she agreed. 

Cole’s smile shone out again and he handed her a menu the waiter had deposited on their table.

Win knew this was just Cole being nice, he was a nice person so she wasn’t going to make the mistake of thinking it was something more.

“Hey is Win your full name or is it short for something?” Cole asked once the waiter had taken their order.

“It’s my full name” she said too quickly and causing him to give her an assessing look.

“It’s not is it?” he teased with a grin.

“It is now” she said “and don’t bother asking anything else because I’m not going to answer any more questions.”

“Why?” he said with a smile.

“I have my reasons. Let’s just leave it at that” she said praying he would leave it alone.

He did. “Okay” he said still smiling “you don’t have to tell me. Everyone has secrets.”

“Even you?” she said too distracted by what secrets he may have to guard her words.

“Why, ‘even me’?” he said with a grin “I’m just like everyone else.”

Win blushed. She had not meant to indicate his near god like stance in her eyes. “I just meant that you seem so open and straight forward” she hurried to say.

His grin widened “I see my carefully manufactured façade works.”

Win gave him a tight smile. She didn’t buy that. No one could manufacture the confidence he exuded.

“But back to our discussion, yes I have my secrets too.”

“Oh” she said but she didn’t ask anything more. If she didn’t want to tell him hers, she couldn’t in good conscience ask about his.

Idolatry

Their drinks arrived and a few minutes later so did Cole’s client. Looking at the blonde woman standing next to the table Win was astounded, she was beautiful. In her thirties, with sleek long blond hair, a figure any woman would kill for and a face that could have stopped traffic, Win couldn’t understand why Cole was putting up barriers. In fact the only thing that Win could find the slightest criticism about was the other woman’s hard, challenging green eyes. It was clear that Win being at the dinner was a surprise and one that was not to her liking. She looked at Win like she would have happily vaporised her. 

Win took a deep breath and hoped it wouldn’t be a long meeting. She didn’t like animosity especially when it was directed at her.

Cole got to his feet and introducing the woman as Merril Hayes he said as she took a seat opposite the two of them “Win and I were having a dinner meeting anyway tonight so I thought we could discuss your account at the same time.

“My business is private” Merril said making no effort to be polite.

Cole didn’t exactly frown but he didn’t look pleased as he said “as my assistant Win will have to be cognisant of your account.”

The woman gave Win a cold look and then said to Cole “very well” and she began to outline what she needed.

When Cole had sat back down he had done so a little closer to Win. She didn’t know if it was by accident or design but his leg was almost touching hers now and it sent her heart rate through the roof. She didn’t speak while Cole and Merril discussed business but she listened as well as she could with her heart pounding her chest. However she didn’t miss the way Merril focused on the narrow gap between her and Cole nor did she miss the way her eyes narrowed when Cole moved his upper body closer to Win as he spoke to her. 

The other woman was angry, that was obvious and the fact told Win that Cole had been right about her intentions. But while she was relieved that her god like boss wasn’t interested in the other woman she found she didn’t like that he was using her to rebuff her or was he trying to make her jealous? That thought didn’t please her either.

Going Home

Part 128

A few weeks later it was the morning of Grace’s birthday and as Josh and Grace had the day off they didn’t hurry to get up. Josh was the first to wake and rolling over he rested his head on his hand and kissing Grace’s bare shoulder whispered “Happy Birthday.”

Smiling Grace turned towards him “thanks, but getting to wake up with you, how could it be anything but happy?”

“Are you looking forward to tonight?” Josh asked referring the dinner they had planned with both their parents and the rest of Grace’s family.

“Yes, but it’s not tonight yet” and pushing Josh onto his back Grace straddled his body, sitting on his stomach. Then lowering herself with a hand braced on either side of him she stopped with her lips inches from his and looking into his eyes she whispered “and right now I’m looking forward to this.” Grace closed the distance between them and kissed him.

Not about to complain but ready for some fun Josh wrapped his arms around her and pulling her down on top of him rolled over so that he was lying over her. Then lifting his head and keeping it just out of reach he teased “this ha? But what if I’m not up for this?”

Laughing Grace reached up and hooked a hand around his neck and slowly pulled his head back to her. She said “who are you kidding Josh you are never not up for this and you know it.”

Grinning he closed the gap between and between kisses he said “you could be right.”

Idolatry

That evening Cole made sure that they finished on time, a rare enough occurrence these days to make her wonder again why he was so ante any involvement. No doubt she would find out soon she thought as she followed Cole in her car to a nearby restaurant. 

As ever the gentleman, after getting out of his car Cole waited for her to park and they walked into the dimly lit space together. It was an elegant, expensive restaurant and not the sort of place Win would normally visit. Straight away she felt under dressed and uncomfortable. She had worn a charcoal grey pencil skirt and a powder blue shirt to work that day. The garments were okay for work but they weren’t new and they weren’t something she would normally have worn out to dinner, let alone to a place like this. 

“I’m sorry I’m not dressed for this. I should have gone home to change” she whispered to Cole.

He turned his head and smiled down at her “no, you look great” he said. 

Win had to remember how to breathe then and it wasn’t until he moved his eyes away that she did.

He stood back as they reached the table the waiter had led them to and waited for her to take a seat on the bench seat of the booth before he followed suit. But to her surprise instead of sitting on the chair opposite her he slid onto the bench seat beside her. He was close enough that Win could feel the warmth from his body. It had a devastating effect on her senses. Sure she was going to pass out,  she lifted the glass of water on the table with a shaking hand and took a sip as she tried to get herself under control.

“What would you like to drink?” he said handing her the wine list.

Win had to cough to clear her throat. “Water is fine” she croaked.

“You’re sure?” he said.

“Yes” she said with a nod, dragging her eyes away.

“Okay, then I’ll have a coke” he said to the waiter who then disappeared.

“You could have had wine” she said without looking at him.

“Soft drink is fine with me” he assured her.

Win sighed. Now they were alone again she couldn’t think of a thing to say. Before the silence could stretch she said “maybe we should have brought some work.”

He laughed. “Am I that difficult to talk to?”

Surprised Win met his gaze and blushed. She looked away again and said “no, sorry.”

“Good” he said and for the next few minutes they talked. It was about work Win realised, what was scheduled for the next day, the reports he would need but at least the conversation flowed and felt natural.