“When we get back, we’ll be happy to show you all you need to know about the electronic file system,” Serenity said.
“That sound great,” I said. “And thank you both so much for everything.”
“No problem,” the twins said simultaneously as they turned and hurried down the hallway.
I breathed a small sigh of relief. They would certainly take some getting used to.
When I looked at my watched, I noticed it was a few minutes before noon. I hoped I could go to lunch with Daniel again and I hoped I hadn’t missed him.
He wasn’t the type I normally went for either in looks or personality. He was more reserved and less self-assured than I was used to. He was almost the complete opposite of my ex-fiancé, which was certainly appealing, but there was more to it than that. I felt an inexplicable connection to him even though we barely knew each other. I was sure that I wanted to get to know him better.
When he popped into my office a few minutes later, my heart leaped. I was beginning to think he had gone to lunch without me.
“I was just finishing up with an intake,” he said. “You haven’t had lunch yet, have you?”
“No, I haven’t eaten,” I said. I didn’t want to admit that I was waiting for him.
“Great,” he said then seemed unsure of himself again. “I mean, it’s great if you want to have lunch with me again.”
I smiled and grabbed my purse. “Of course.”
His glowing smile lit up the room. “Let go.”
Daniel suggested we both get boxed lunches so we could take them outside and sit by the pond. I loved the idea.
We grabbed a bench close to a small waterfall and watched two ducks playing in the water. It had been a while since I actually got to listen to the blissful sound of water falling. “This is lovely,” I told him.
“I feel very fortunate to work here. It wasn’t easy trying to find a job when I graduated. Not a lot of organizations were hiring graduates with a degree in anthropology. Plus, the economy had gone from bad to totally sucky. Jobs were scare. My college roommate got a position here and he saw they had openings for Bachelor’s level clinicians. Luckily, I did a minor in psychology, so they gave me a chance and hired me. It helped that I told them I was planning on earning a Master’s degree. I applied for a graduate program as soon as I got the job here.”
“And I was fortunate that my boss in Illinois is good friends with Tom,” I said. “He hired me by phone. I’m not sure how brave I would have been to move here without a job lined up.”
Daniel looked into my eyes and I could feel my heart flutter a bit. It wasn’t a feeling I was used to. It wasn’t the panty-wetting kind of lust I felt with guys like Eddie (or my ex-fiancé); it was a softer but much deeper feeling, like we were connecting mentally and emotionally, not just physically.
“So, what do you like to do for fun?” Daniel asked.
It had been so long since I remembered having fun. I was always so driven, with school and then with trying to establish my career. It was one of the excuses Jeff used when I found out he had cheated on me. I could still hear his cruel words burned in my memory banks. “You don’t know how to have fun like your sister does.”
“I’m sorry,” Daniel said. “I didn’t mean to upset you.
I tried to smile but the act felt hollow. I heaved a sigh. If I saw myself having any kind of relationship with Daniel, I would have to tell him the truth about what brought me to Florida. “It’s not you, Daniel,” I said. “When I lived in Illinois, I was engaged for several years to Jeff, who was doing his residency to be a surgeon. I thought things were great between us even though we were both busy trying to establish our careers. I had just finished graduate school and I was working long hours as a new therapist. Jeff told me that I wasn’t any fun. So he found his fun with another woman. Unfortunately, the other woman he found so exciting was my sister.”
I could see Daniel’s jaw literally drop. “Oh, my God,” he said. “I’m so sorry.”
“Not only did I lose my fiancé, I lost my relationship with my only sibling.”
“That’s the kind of thing you think only happens in movies,” he said.
“Or reality television,” I added.
Daniel had so much warmth in his eyes when he looked at me. “I realize a guy has to have brains to be a surgeon but he’s obviously stupid to do something like that to you.”
“Thanks,” I said. “We’d better get back to work.”
As we stood up, Daniel touched my elbow. Even though he was barely making contact with me, I could still feel the heat from his hand on my arm and it warned the rest of my body.
“Wait,” he said softly. “The reason I asked about what you like to do for fun is because I wanted to know if you’d like to do something with me this weekend.”
It had only been a few months since I broke off my engagement and I wasn’t sure I was ready to date but I also didn’t have the heart to say no to Daniel, especially when I looked into his eyes and saw so much hope laced with apprehension.
“I’d love to,” I said.
He exhaled. “Great. Maybe we can meet for dinner on Saturday. I know a wonderful Mexican place on the beach. We can watch the sun set. How does that sound?”
“Sounds perfect.”
“If you give me your cell number, I can text you the address. It’s easy to find.”
I reached into my purse and grabbed my cell. “What’s your number?” I asked.
He gave me his number and I typed it into my phone. I typed a short text and hit the send button. “Now you have my number.”
I could hear his cell phone in his pocket bling. He removed it and looked at the text. He grinned then looked up at me. “I can’t wait for Saturday either,” he said.
***
By the time I got home, I was even more exhausted than the day before. The twins spent the afternoon in my office ‘training me’ in the computer filing system, which should have taken about ten minutes, but took three hours because of all of the banter between the two and the non-stop gossip they just had to tell me about everyone who worked there.
My thoughts returned to Daniel and how much I was growing to like him. He seemed so sincere and kind, a guy you’d call a real sweetheart. I felt warm and cozy just thinking about him. My mind didn’t immediately go to sex when I thought about him, which was a change. The guys I had dated in the past seemed to all have that effect on me. And none of those relationships had turned out so well. Obviously, or I’d still be with them. Daniel made me think about cuddling on the couch watching a movie, or walking hand-in-hand on the beach, instead of just jumping into bed with him.
I got into my sweat pants and a tee shirt and relaxed on the couch with the book I had been dying to read, Fight Club. I adored the movie and couldn’t wait to read the source material. I’m a bit obsessed with violent books and films. I think I find violent entertainment so appealing because of my psychology background. As a therapist, I see a lot of violent people and hear a lot of stories of violence. Perhaps in some ways, I was trying to figure out what’s behind it all. Or maybe I just enjoy watching, or reading about, a good fight.
I could feel myself starting to fall asleep in my book when there was a knock on the door. I looked at my watch. It was nearly nine o’clock.
The knocking continued until I opened the door and Eddie waltzed in.
“Hey, neighbor,” he said. “Sorry, I’m late.”
“It’s nine at night,” I moaned. “What are you doing here?”
He flopped on the couch. “Just wanted to see what you were up to.”
“I’m getting ready to go to bed,” I said and immediately regretted it.
Eddie raised an eyebrow. “Is that an invitation? I didn’t think you were that easy.”
I put my hands on my hips. “That was not an invitation.”
“Too bad. As much as I dig that sexy little tee shirt you’ve got on, I’d love to see it off.”
I could feel my
face turning red and the heat spreading throughout my body. How could a man simultaneously disgust and excite me?
“If you sit down and talk to me for five minutes, I promise I’ll leave.”
“Fine,” I said as I sat down on the other side of the couch. I stared at Eddie and waited for him to speak.
“So, do you know much about kite surfing?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“Do you want to see how it’s done?”
“Not particularly,” I said.
I caught a glimmer of something in Eddie’s eyes. A challenge, perhaps?
“How about a walk on the beach then?”
“It’s awfully dark out,” I quipped.
He grinned. “I meant this weekend. Maybe Saturday at dusk. We can watch the sunset. It’s romantic.” He emphasized the word romantic as if he was making fun of it.
“I already have plans for Saturday,” I said matter-of-factly.
Eddie’s cool demeanor slipped for an instant but was back just as quickly. “You work fast,” he said. “You’ve haven’t even lived here a week yet. I thought it would take at least few weeks for all the sharks to come out of the water.”
“I certainly wouldn’t call my date a shark,” I said.
Eddie rolled his eyes. “All guys are sharks. Some are just better at hiding it.”
“Whatever. You don’t even know the guy.”
“But I am a guy and I know how guys are.”
I glared at Eddie. “No, you know how you are. Not all guys are like you.”
Eddie shrugged. “Believe what you want. At least I’m honest about what I want.”
“And what is that exactly?” I challenged.
Eddie slid over to me so our bodies were almost touching. He looked at me with such desire I could barely breathe. “You and I both know what I want, and I think you want it, too.”
I nearly leapt from the couch to stop myself from doing something really stupid. All it would have taken was for me to move one inch toward Eddie and we would have been making out on my couch and probably in my bed shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, when I jumped from the couch, my knees were weak and I nearly fell over. When I righted myself, I turned to Eddie and glared at him. “You have no idea what I want.”
Eddie got up from the couch and stood right next to me. He got close enough to whisper in my ear. Feeling his breath on my neck sent a wave of shivers down my body that were so intense, I nearly collapsed. The sexual tension between the two of us filled the small room.
“You think you know me, Alexandria,” he said softly in my ear. “But you don’t. One of the things you don’t know about me is that I love playing games. I thrive on it. It’s an aphrodisiac. And this game you’re playing with me is the ultimate turn on.”
And with that, he strolled out the door.
Shit. I didn’t know what to do. Part of me wanted to roll right into bed with Eddie. It would be so easy. The sex would probably be mind-blowing. And the aftermath would most likely be messy. Especially when I had to live next door to the guy for at least a year, which was the duration of my lease.
Then there was Daniel. He was definitely the type of guy who wanted a relationship. But was I ready for that? Was I ready to fall in love again?
I moved to Florida to get away from the complexities and drama of a romantic relationship gone terribly wrong. Yet, here I was in Florida not even a week, and I found myself in the midst of not one but two possible romantic entanglements. What was wrong with me?
FOUR
Gale Force
The next day, work was a bit of a whirlwind, starting with the weekly staff meeting in the morning. Luckily, the meeting only included clinical staff in outpatient services so I wasn’t completely overwhelmed. Tom was there, as was Brad, the twins, Daniel and another guy, who I assumed was the other intake counselor. He had a dark complexion and nearly perfect features. Although he was seated, he looked muscular and fit.
Tom provided the group with a little of my background. The twins smiled, Brad scowled, and the other guy stared at me with a neutral expression. I hesitated looking at Daniel. I didn’t realize how awkward it would be to have a romantic interest in a guy I would also have to have a professional relationship with.
Fuck it.
I glanced over at Daniel, who was seated directly across from me, and he gave me a shy smile. I could see that his eyes were twinkling as he gazed into mine. I swallowed hard and tried to keep my rapid heartbeating at bay.
Tom opened up the meeting to the other participants and asked if anyone had a case he or she needed to discuss. Both of the twins raised their hands simultaneously. It made me wonder if they worked together with clients or if they had two different cases they wanted to talk about.
Tom gestured toward the twins. “What have you got?”
“It’s a family we’re seeing,” Serenity said.
“A mother, step-father and two teenage boys,” Trinity interjected.
“Who happen to be twins,” Serenity added.
“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?” Brad said in a tone I found condescending. “Or maybe the two of you consider that an area of expertise.”
Tom frowned at Brad. “Do you have a question about the actual case?”
Brad gave Tom a sly grin and asked, “How old are the boys?”
“I’m sure Serenity and Trinity were getting to that,” Tom replied.
Brad folded his arms against his chest in a defensive gesture and glared at everyone for the rest of the meeting.
Serenity and Trinity took the remainder of the hour explaining the details of the case and asking for alternative perspectives as well as treatment options.
I was nervous about contributing at my first meeting, so I kept silent, but the intake counselor, who I hadn’t yet formally met, added a unique perspective. When he spoke, I thought I detected a slight accent but I couldn’t quite place it. It made me think he was Hispanic though.
I tried to avoid direct eye contact with Daniel but it was difficult. He was like a magnet I was constantly being drawn to. And I couldn’t help but notice that every time I glanced over at him, he was looking at me, his beautiful blue eyes dancing. I had heard the term ‘undressing someone with your eyes’ before, but this was the first time I had actually experienced it. I just hoped no one else noticed the way Daniel was looking at me.
I was wrong.
As soon as the meeting was over, the twins pulled me into the ladies room.
“Oh, my Goddess,” Serenity said. “What is going on with you and Daniel?”
“The eye flirting between the two of you was intense,” Trinity added.
I gulped. I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to reveal to the twins. I had already ascertained they were the organization’s gossip whores.
“We’ve been having lunch,” I said matter-of-factly.
They both gave me the same incredulous look at the same moment. I had the distinct feeling I was being double teamed.
“It’s also possible we have a date Saturday night,” I said.
They both went wide-eyed.
“Daniel has worked here for years and we’ve never heard about him dating anyone,” Serenity said.
“He’s quiet, though,” Trinity added. “And mainly keeps to himself.”
“He is attractive,” Serenity said. “If you like rugged guys.”
I shrugged. I wasn’t sure what I liked anymore.
Serenity continued, “Do you think it’s a good idea to get involved with someone at work?”
“What if it doesn’t work out and the two of you still have to see each other every day at the office?” Trinity added.
“Have you heard the term cart before the horse?” I asked. “We’re really just friends and we haven’t even gone out yet.”
Trinity put her hands on her hips. “I’m sorry, but friends do not look at each other the way Daniel was looking at you. There was definitely some eye fucking going on there.”
I tri
ed to stifle a gasp. I was definitely in trouble.
Trinity placed a hand on my shoulder. “Just be careful, okay?”
I nodded.
“Yeah,” Serenity added. “You’re the first counselor they’ve ever hired who we’ve actually liked. If you leave, it will just be the two of us with Brad again. Please don’t go.”
I sighed. “I’m not planning on going anywhere and I definitely don’t want to jeopardize my career for a guy.”
That seemed to appease the twins but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to convince myself.
Is it bad that as I stared at a stack of cases I was assigned to review, the only thing I could think about was going to lunch with Daniel?
I had gotten about half way through the stack when my cell phone beeped. It was a text from Daniel: Something came up. Won’t be able to meet for lunch today. Sorry. How about tomorrow?
I texted back: Tomorrow’s okay.
Why did I feel like crying? Lunch was an insignificant thing in the grand scheme of all things, but at that moment, it felt like everything.
I went back to my stack of case files and dug in.
At noon, I went down to the cafeteria and grabbed one of the box lunches. It was another beautiful day in South Florida, so I decided to sit outside by the pond. I closed my eyes for a moment and listened to the sound of the small waterfall. It was peaceful. A moment of serenity until I heard a deep voice say my name.
I opened my eyes and the intake counselor from the staff meeting, whose name I didn’t know yet, was standing above me.
“I haven’t had a chance to introduce myself,” he said. “I’m Ricky Calvo.”
He put a hand out and I shook it. I noticed he had the same rough and callused hands as Daniel and Eddie. Weird. I wondered if it was some kind of Florida thing I wasn’t aware of.
“Do you mind if I join you?” he asked.
I noticed he had a sack lunch he must have brought with him.
“Sure,” I responded.
He sat on the other side of the bench. “I’m glad you joined the team,” he said. “I have a growing stack of clients, who need to be seen. Brad is—well—particular about the clients he’ll see and the twins are—well—the twins.”
Slow No Wake Page 4
