Page 22 of The Perfect Blend
Zoe counted through her points on her fingers.
"One. You knew him for several years as teenagers, and you fancied him then,” she said, raising her eyebrows and inviting me to elaborate.
"He was interesting, and he sounded exotic because he was from down south, and was fun to be around. And he had great hair."
"Still does," she said, and held up another finger. "Two, he broke your heart after stealing your first kiss when he disappeared for many years. I wanted to hunt him down and break his face. I went up to the farm one day and demanded his grandparents tell me where he was so that I could go tell him what's what, you know."
"You didn't," I gasped. Zoe had actually been quite shy when we were younger. It was hard to imagine her being so bold back then.
"I certainly did. You were moping around like a piece of wet lettuce. I didn't know what else to do. Bloody hike it was from the bus stop too. They didn't tell me anything though, just that he wouldn't be coming back."
"Still, you're the best. Thanks for looking out for me,” I said with a smile.
"Anytime, you know that. Anyway, three, you don't hear from him at all until wham, bam!" she thumped the table with her fist. "He's back in the village and handsome as hell. He seems emotionally available and self aware, capable of apologies and acts of service. Absolute dreamboat." She looked at me for confirmation.
"Correct."
"Four, you work with him intensely for a week, and you get more and more attracted to him, and you're scared by this.” Zoe said, before leaning back to deliver her final point which this whole countdown had been working up to. “But, girl, try this. I want you todescribethat attraction to me, andlistento yourself speak. From what you’ve told me, there's no red flags to worry about, he's into you and you are insanely into him. You just don’t seem to be comfortable with that yet."
"Sorry? What do you want me to do?"
"Tell me why you're attracted to him. For romantic therapy purposes! So that you realise what a red hot opportunity this is and you throw yourself into it. With!" she added, noticing my reticent expression, "a smattering of suitable caution that isn't fear based."
She looked at me and sat patiently waiting. I knew she wouldn't let it drop, and what could it hurt? I rolled my eyes.
"Okay, so. He's my tweenhood crush, come back with a heart melting apology. He's smart, capable and empathetic,” I said, with a slight pause as I started thinking about him properly. “He just seems to get me in ways it's taken others years to. Zach does things that make me realise anything can be attractive if you do it right. And to top it it off, he's smoking hot - truly tall, dark, and handsome"
"How handsome?" Zoe interrupted, eyes ablaze. I knew she was digging for gold so I gave in and delivered it to her on a platter.
"Sohandsome," I paused for effect, "that I've gone to bedevery nightof the past week dreaming of steamier and steamier things to do with him. And I can't wait to see how my dreams match reality."
"Sounds like quite a match, dear," a creaky old voice spoke from behind me.
I whirled round on my stool and nearly fell off, but for a firm hand that caught and steadied me. Mortification rushed through me as I realised who I was looking at.
It was Sheila Jones, who had overheard Zoe before, with her hand holding onto the arm of none other than Zach. His other hand was still lingering on my shoulder. My whole body was gripped in the throes of such acute embarrassment from revealing my sex dreams to both an eighty seven year old professional gossip and to the object of said dreams. I couldn't even look him in the face. I could feel an awful blush creeping up my neck to my hairline and I just didn't know what to do with myself, let alone how to speak.
"Zach here was kindly escorting me through the pub, but I'll be alright from here, dear." Sheila said, patting Zach’s arm with another infuriating wink at me, before walking away, abandoning me to this colossal mess. That interfering hag. She'd done this on purpose somehow, I was sure of it.
"Can I speak with you privately, perhaps outside?" Zach asked, his voice perfectly level and normal, like this situation did not affect him at all. My mortification mounted as I looked anywhere but at him.
"Of course," I said, sounding only slightly strangled.
I stood up on weak knees and followed him out of the pub, deliberately not glancing back at Zoe as I did. I didn’t even want to know what she was making of this. I was freaking out, this was so unprofessional, such a potentially awful thing for him to overhear. I didn't know what he was thinking about me. It was all so completely messed up.
The back door creaked open, and we stepped outside, the cold air stinging my burning cheeks. As it shut behind us, cutting off the lively babble of noise from the pub, leaving Zach and me alone in the dark, my voice found itself again in the quiet.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," I blathered, not knowing what I was going to say till it spilled out of me in a rush. "I know we've been flirting a little, maybe, I don't know, I mean you did ask me on a date, a little bit, but-"
He grabbed my hand and started pulling me round the side of the pub, but I was too frazzled to make anything of it, continuing to babble as I tried to fix what he had overheard whilst simultaneously managing to make it worse.
"I get that it's embarrassing, and totally inappropriate for our business relationship-"
He stopped, turned, and pulled me against him, effectively cutting off my rambling words. I blinked as my chest pressed against his and the sensation of his arms sliding around my waist finally registered in my brain. His hand reached for my chin and gently tilted my head up so I had to meet his gaze.
He didn’t look embarrassed or uncomfortable. No, the look in his eye made my heart stutter as my brain slowly realised his intention. We were close, so close, as he slowly lent down, eyes gazing intently into mine. He paused for a second of electric silence, giving me just enough time to speak up if this wasn’t what I wanted. I knew if I said ‘no’, Zach would back off immediately. But I didn’t want to say no, instead I took a shallow breath and lightly ran my fingers over his arm. That was answer enough for Zach as his lips locked with mine in a bruising kiss. The effect on my body was instantaneous. I flung my arms around him and threw my whole self into that kiss. His lips were soft, yet firm, and the small nips he gave my bottom lip set me right on edge. I couldn't think of anything else, couldn't exist outside of this kiss.
When he gently pulled away, we stood there, panting in the frigid air.
