My eyes widened and I would have gasped in surprise if my mouth wasn't clamped to his. A warm tingling sensation flowed through me. It started between my legs and radiated outward until every inch of me was on fire. Carter's hands slid down my back. Without breaking the kiss, he took a step forward, causing my butt to press against his desk. Carter parted his lips slightly and I followed suit. Soon, our tongues were darting in and out of each others mouths. It was a delicate dance led by him. I could taste champagne and smell his cologne. I breathed it in through my nose, savoring the moment. Part of me thought I had to be dreaming. If so, I didn't want to wake up. Not ever. Carter broke the kiss. When I opened my eyes, I saw him staring back at me. The look of lust on his face was intense. It made my heart skip a beat. He was breathing harder now and his chest was rising and falling like he'd run a mile and was out of breath. “Carter,” I said, so quietly tha

It was almost half past noon. My lunch time was already halfway over, but it didn't really matter. My appetite was nowhere to be found. The way that Carter had shrugged me off made me sick to my stomach. His reaction to me wasn't at all what I had expected it would be. I had imagined him giving me a deep and passionate kiss, telling me how much he'd missed me during the weekend. Instead, I got the complete opposite. I drew in a deep breath and sunk back into my chair. The papers that Carter had handed me a few minutes before were spread all over the floor in front of my door. At least I had work to do. I figured that might help me take my mind off of things for a while. I sat forward to check over the stocks but was immediately interrupted by someone knocking on my office door. My eyes widened and I glanced up, hoping to see Carter. My expression fell slightly when I saw a stout and curly-haired silhouette behind the glass. But, then I smiled for my friend. “

The unopened bottle of red wine on my kitchen counter looked more tempting than ever. It had been a long day, despite the fact that I'd hardly gotten any actual work completed. All I wanted to do was to sit back, watch some television and drink some wine. I left it on the counter. “No wine today, friend. I'm saving you for something special,” I said to the empty room. I wondered if talking to a bottle of wine meant I was crazy. “I suppose it's not any crazier than trying to talk to a man who doesn't seem to want anything to do with you,” I whispered, stepping over to the freezer. My choices for dinner were frozen macaroni and cheese, pizza, or burritos. That was, unless, I actually wanted to cook something. However, that would have required motivation and a little hard work, neither of which I was willing to try to muster up in that moment. So I grabbed a frozen pizza and started up the oven so that it could preheat. I was s

Maddy and I rode the elevator up. It stopped at the third floor and when the doors opened, we exchanged a hug. “Have a good day,” I said. “You too.” Maddy walked out of the doors and turned around. “I hope you don't pass out from lack of oxygen all the way up there on the very top floor.” I laughed and shook my head. “I'll try not to. Talk to you soon.” The elevator doors closed and I leaned against the wall as it rode upward. The talk with Maddy that morning had been motivating and inspiring. Enough bullshit, I thought. I'm done dancing around the issue with Carter. I'm going to tell him how I feel and demand that he do the same. Once at the top floor, I stepped out and made my way toward the offices. Cindy was already there at the front desk. She looked up when she saw me and gave me a half-assed nod and a mumbled “good morning”. “Morning,” I said confidently. That was the extent of our con

In my new dress, I felt like a different woman. When I got parked my car and saw myself in the reflection of the restaurant's window, I didn't see the Plain Jane that I'd seen my entire life. What I saw, was a reflection of someone with confidence. Maybe it was the dress, or maybe it was the fact that I was about to walk into the most expensive and fancy restaurant in the entire city. A place where a meal cost a minimum of five hundred bucks. Regardless, it was clear that I'd come a long way from the girl I used to be. When I stepped inside, I was immediately greeted by the host. “Good evening, ma'am,” he said. “What name are your reservations under?” “Carter,” I said. “Carter Winthrow.” He nodded. “Ah, yes, Mr. Winthrow. Please, come this way.” I followed him and it felt like I was walking into a movie. The restaurant was filled with elegant-looking people. The women were dressed to perfection and the men were adorned in expensive suits. Clas