Page 8 of Completely Captivated
“Thanks for the reminder, Barbara.On my way now.”Aaron stood from behind his desk and grabbed his jacket from the back of his leather chair.
He arrived in Lance’s office at 11:01 and was considered late by his brother.He could see the disdain on Lance’s face the second he stepped into the room.
“I apologize for my tardiness.I had an urgent matter that couldn’t wait, but I am all yours now.”Aaron smoothly eased any tension in the room.The ad executives around the table nodded in understanding, and Aaron started his sales pitch.
After three hours of giving the same spiel he’d given countless times, and the same sleazy smiles to entice and cajole, the client was clearly impressed and wanted to sign Rivers Forte to handle their talent acquisition needs.Lance was ecstatic because it obviously meant a lot more money to line their pockets.Aaron kept his business face in place, but he felt himself die a little more inside with every deal.He also knew as soon as that meeting was over, he’d be locked in another fight with his damn overbearing brother over something asinine and unimportant.
Taking the only chance he could hope to have, he offered to escort their clients out of the building, and they graciously accepted.Aaron’s actions were transparent, and he knew Lance saw right through him, but he didn’t give a shit what Lance thought.After he parted with their new client, Aaron made his quick exit to his car and didn’t even pretend not to know exactly where he was going.
To The Sweet Spot.
To Christa.
Changed into his well-worn jeans and a formfitting Polo shirt, Aaron parked outside Christa’s café and watched her through the large picture window for several minutes.The café was unusually busy for this time of the late afternoon, but she moved with ease from table to table, checking on her patrons with her easygoing smile and mannerisms.Aaron realized a permanent smile had been plastered on his face the entire time he’d been watching her.
He grabbed the bundle on the seat next to him and slid out of his sleek, dark silver Jaguar F-Type R coupe with his natural ease and prowess.He was a confident man, and his gait demonstrated his self-confidence as he swaggered toward the door.The same self-confidence had bled over into his business life and helped make him and his brother übersuccessful in their endeavors.
But right then, at that very moment, he wasn’t as cocky as he normally portrayed.Inside, if he admitted it, he was afraid the petite, beautiful woman who’d invaded his mind would reject him for no other reason than he wasn’t good enough for her.He knew he wasn’t.He knew so much of his past was not one to be proud of by any means—the models, the rumors, that one incident that forever changed him.None of that stopped his fascination with her, though.
Aaron froze midstep when Christa glanced up and saw him through the front window of her café.Shock and surprise registered on her face first, then her cheeks rose, and Aaron was rewarded with her gorgeous smile.It was warm, inviting, and showed she was genuinely glad to see him.For just a second, she stood still, watching him as his smile matched hers.
He regained his stride and moved to open the door as Christa met him there.“Hi, Aaron.You must’ve played hooky, after all.I’ve never seen you in casual clothes on a workday before.”
He produced the bundle from behind his back and was instantly thankful for the hours of chick-flick torture he’d endured at the hands of his dates.Her eyes held a look of pure adoration at first then a quick flash of insecurity.
“Are these…forme?”she asked tentatively, and she reached to take the huge bouquet of beautiful flowers from him.
Accustomed to reading people from his numerous interactions as an agent and, ultimately, a salesman dealing in the commodity of people, faces, and beauty, he surmised attention wasn’t something she was comfortable with.From her unsure tone, he didn’t need a degree in psychology to deduce she lacked confidence in herself, in her overall worth, and in her striking beauty.The very fact that she questioned the gift, when the flowers were presented directly to her by his own hand, told him others had often taken her for granted or taken advantage of her good nature.
He stared at her, in awe of the natural radiant beauty that rivaled the sun’s brilliance.A thousand different emotions flooded him, and without warning, he became the unsure one.If she doubted herself, what right did he have to be confident at all?
When he looked at the petite, beautiful young woman before him, he saw an innate genuineness in her that others in his life lacked.He saw someone who was truly happy with the person she was.She wasn’t focused on what she wanted the world to think she was.If she agreed to go out with him, it would be because she wanted to be withhim, not his persona or what she could gain from him.
The most prevalent emotion he locked on to during his unexpected inner montage was the dire, carnal need to shelter and protect her.Aaron, immediately intrigued, vowed to be the one to remove that uncertainty from her.In their few encounters, she’d taken root in his mind, and he was surprised to find he liked having her there.
He consciously avoided using his “close-the-deal smile,” while lowering his voice.He stepped in closer to deliver his personal message with all the sincerity he could muster.
“Yes, these are foryou, Christa.I thought they were beautiful when I first saw them, and they reminded me of you.But I was so wrong.Compared to you, they’re just…plain.”
The pink tinge started at her neckline and worked its way up to color her cheeks.She looked down sheepishly, burying her nose in the flowers and inhaling deeply.
“You shouldn’t tease like that, Aaron,” she replied softly.She lifted her gaze to meet his and pulled the flowers into her chest.“They’regorgeous.I don’t know what to say.Thank youso much.How did you know Stargazer lilies are my favorite flower?”
Aaron casually chuckled.“I didn’t, but thanks for the tip.I just thought that roses were…too common…to fit you.”
The heat in her cheeks escalated to scorching, and she fidgeted nervously.She inwardly cursed her lack of experience with men.She wasn’t sure how to accept a compliment gracefully.She gave her standard, go-to response, which was a simple, “Thank you,” but she wanted to say so much more.
His small gestures had made her feel better about herself than anyone in her life had before, and the desire to tell him burned in her chest.She wanted to share how their limited encounters had been the social highlights of her year.But, of course, she’d never say those things.First, it sounded pathetic even in her own mind.And secondly, she pictured him running from the building at the first sign of some desperate woman who was obviously needy and clingy.
“I’ll go put these in a vase of water.Have a seat.I’ll be right back.”She gestured to an open table.
Aaron took the seat that gave him the best view of her and watched her walk toward the kitchen.He was instantly rewarded when he saw her hug the flowers close to her chest and bury her face in them again.
After arranging the vase on top of the display case, she made her way back toward him with two plates in her hands.He stood and took them from her, placed them on the table, and pulled her chair out for her.Clearly inexperienced with that kind of attention, she hesitated a second before she realized he was being thoughtful and polite.She quickly took her seat, and he moved back to his.
“What have we here?”His voice had an air of excitement and fascination over the scrumptious goody in front of him.
“I remember you mentioned you needed to work out more.So, I brought you some bread pudding with white chocolate sauce to give you a little extra incentive.”Christa flirted, much to her surprise, purposely misconstruing his previous words to her.
