Cherry Girl

For custom arrangements on display in reception, the florist delivered twice a week. I kept looking over at the magnificent creation, of what looked very much like cherry blossoms in a light blue vase. The long branches of pale pink blooms distracted me terribly. Was it possible that Neil had somehow requested them? They were so specific an arrangement… My Spidey senses were picking up on something with him, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

It was pretty apparent from the last few days, that he was avoiding me. I accepted why he would want to, but it still wasn’t fun for me to sit at my desk and see him go by without saying much beyond a simple greeting. It made me very sad, but I didn’t know what to do about it. And I didn’t know how to make it any better for either of us. I was left wondering so much about what was on his mind.

I didn’t see a wedding ring on his finger but that didn’t confirm anything. Lots of men didn’t wear them. I’d yet to be invited into his office so I’d not seen any pictures he might have of his family, or…Cora and their baby—

“So, how are you settling in? It is Elaina, right?”

My sad thoughts were interrupted by the boss who was leaning on the counter above my station with a coffee cup, flashing that handsome chiseled face at me with an extra dash of charm thrown in.

“Yes, Mr. Blackstone, I’m really enjoying this job a great deal.”

“Oh, it’s Ethan. We’re very informal here in the office.” He winked at me. “In fact, I don’t mind if you call me E.”

If I didn’t know better I’d think he was flirting with me. Jesus, he was runway-model handsome. Women must fall at his feet regularly.

I laughed nervously. “My brother calls me E as well, but he’s the only one.”

“That’s right. I knew that.” He gave his head a tap with the heel of his hand. “Morrison is your brother. Good man to have a pint with, or three,” he joked.

“Yeah, that’s my brother all right, always willing to be somebody’s drinking partner.”

“It’s never a good idea to drink alone,” he said softly.

I nodded and smiled, unsure of how to respond.

“Well, I just wanted to give you a personal welcome and say that I’ve heard nothing but good things about what you’re doing here for us. Keep up the good work, Elaina, and please, if you need anything don’t hesitate to ask, okay?”

He smiled warmly but held his stare for a little too long to be just a friendly welcome. Yeah, it was an invitation all right. All I would have to do is let him know I was available and Mr. Blackstone would probably give me a time and a place.

“Okay…yes sir.”

He tsk’d and cocked a brow at me. “Ethan, remember?”

“Ethan.” I smiled, waiting for him to go.

Thankfully my switchboard lit up at precisely that moment. “Blackstone Security International, how may I direct your call?” The line was dead with dial tone only. A second call lit up the board almost immediately, and again I picked up.

Ethan lifted his coffee mug in a farewell salute, as I dealt with switching calls through, our little chat officially ended.

He punched in the key code and headed back through to the main offices. But as the door opened, I could see Neil standing just behind it, his mobile up to his ear. Ethan stepped around him, continuing in the direction down to his office, while Neil just stood there stonefaced. He stared me down from inside the doorway until it closed between us, cutting off our view of each other.

“Blackstone Security International, how may I direct your call?” I got dial tone again and frowned at my switchboard. Something weird was happening with the phone lines.

I thought about my short conversation with Ethan.

The boss was an interesting man. Besides being off-the-charts handsome, he was also very well-mannered and socially adept. But there was an edge to Ethan Blackstone that didn’t quite fit. Something that didn’t feel very mannerly, or even particularly social. I felt secure around him, yes, but this was a man who could do some serious damage to a woman if she was fool enough to let him. Make no mistake about it. I had no intentions of being that woman, so I wasn’t worried in the slightest, but some girl would…someday.

Neil

I pushed my way into his office and got right up on him.

“Don’t even think it.”

Ethan pulled back a little and cocked a brow. “Don’t think about what?”

“I’m not blind, you know,” I scoffed. “I saw you on camera, flirting, swinging your cock around up front just now.”

He narrowed his eyes at me. “What in the mother fuck are you railing on about, mate? Did you hit your head or something?” He opened his desk drawer where he kept his cigarettes.

I leaned over him, hands planted on the desk. “Not gonna happen. Not with her,” I whispered right up against his face, my neck so tight it might snap.

“The new receptionist, you mean? Elaina?” He was eyeballing me by then.

“That’s right. She’s off limits, and you can tell that to your wandering cock and balls, too.”

“Easy there, mate. I was just being polite.” He lit up one of those Djarum Blacks he liked so well, the spice of clove scenting the air between us. “Making her feel welcome as a new member of the team is all. I’d not had a proper chance to do that yet.”

He exhaled right in my face. Probably because I was still up on him, but it didn’t deter me one iota. “Forget it, E. I’m warning you.” I tilted my head and crossed arms over my chest to keep from doing something I would regret. “Leave off with Elaina. She’s not going to be another of your one-night bang buddies. If you’re in need, go find it somewhere else.”

Ethan looked me over good, his blue eyes chilly as he took another drag on his ciggie. “You know her. I suppose you must since Morrison is her brother. Am I right?”

I managed a nod.

“You want to talk about it?” he asked carefully.

“No, I don’t.” I shook my head.

“Right, well, no worries then. I was only giving a welcome and being nice. You know I don’t fraternize with employees on the job. I’d never do that to a subordinate.”

“Not during working hours at least,” I grumbled. I’d known E to tap an office girl or two, but to be fair, he’d only gone for the ones that worked away from the executive suite on one of the other floors.

Ethan snickered and leaned back in his chair, the cigarette hanging off his lip. “Are you all right, Neil?”

“No,” I said, dropping myself into a chair opposite his desk.

We sat there in silence for a bit, him smoking, me breathing it in second hand, the smell reminding me of Afghanistan, taking me back to other times and other places. Places where I’d been with Ethan, a long time ago when things were different. He was very quick, and I imagined he’d puzzle it all out in another moment or two.

“Elaina’s the girl, isn’t she? The one from years ago, that you…lost, right before that last tour.” He lit up another Djarum.

“Yeah. She was the one.”

Elaina

I put on my coat and peered out the window from the forty-fourth floor.

Well, shit.

Late leaving work, and it was already completely dark outside. The fall weather had arrived in full force, too. The temperatures were dropping and the rain was falling.

The ride home on the train didn’t worry me, but the walk to my house from the station most certainly did. Maybe I could call Mum to come pick me up in the car.

But I didn’t like to do that. It was a risk I really couldn’t take, and I knew very well why. Mum would be well into her G&T’s by now.

I was pondering calling my brother, on the small chance he wasn’t already committed to Friday night happy hour somewhere, when Neil stepped through to reception.

He wore a solemn look on his face and his coat on his back. With his briefcase in his hand, he appeared to be leaving work for the night, same as me.

“I’ll take you home,” he said, walking ahead of me toward the lifts.

I stared at him in surprise. This was the first time he’d really spoken to me since that first day, and it made me wary.

He stepped into the lift. I stayed rooted in the hall.

After a moment, he poked his head out, his hand holding the door open. “Well, are you coming?”

“What? No. I’ll take the Tube like I always do.”

He shook his head slowly at me. “You’re not walking home in this pissing rain in the dark, Elaina.”

“I’ll ring Mum from the station to come and collect me.”

“No, you won’t ring her, and we both know why. Get in.”

I paused, unsure how to respond, tempted by his direct command, but afraid to be so close to him again. The inside of a lift was very small quarters. And Neil was such a big man. And, he would be in it with me. Intimidating as hell was a good description for him at that moment.

“The lift, Elaina?” He cocked his head impatiently. The lift bell dinged and I saw the G lit up in red on the panel, indicating he was heading down to the parking garage.

“No, thank you.” I shook my head at him. “I’m taking the Tube home.” I let the doors close Neil inside the lift, where he was still frowning at me from behind those beautiful features he’d been born with.

Relief spilled through me and I closed my eyes for a moment.

With a steady hand, I calmly pressed the button to call another lift. When it arrived, I made sure to select the street level because I had a feeling Neil might insist on taking me home, despite my insistence otherwise.

He knew too much about me. He knew the station, and how far I had to walk from there in order to arrive at my home. He knew my mother’s drinking habits and that she couldn’t drive her own car to come for me. He knew Ian was busy somewhere, as it was a Friday night. Neil knew everything.

Neil

Elaina was living proof that it was very possible to want to protect someone and strangle them simultaneously. Metaphorical strangulation, of course, along with some other things I could think of doing to her.

Christ in heaven, I was going to lose my mind if I didn’t spot her in the next minute or two.

Once she ditched me at the lifts it’d been a race across town to beat her train to the station. Not easy to do in Friday evening London traffic. Throw the rain in on top of it, and it was a bloody mess. The strangling still seemed a viable option to me at that moment. That, or kiss her until she couldn’t breathe.

I had a trump card, though. I’d called her mum and tattled; right before assuring her I would find Elaina and bring her safely home. Mum Morrison still loved me even if her daughter didn’t.

Yeah, it would make Elaina spitting mad but I didn’t care. She could join my fuckin’ hell club. I’d spent the past week in a continual state of madness from this whole cocked-up situation. She’d have to just deal with it. And me.

There she was, slogging through the sideways rain with her head down. I could spot those legs of hers anywhere. A hundred years could have passed, and my brain would still have remembered exactly how she was made.

I flashed my headlamps at her and pulled up beside the pavement.

She lifted her head in surprise as her eyes went wide.

I pushed open the passenger door.

“Get in.”

She just stood there, her rain-soaked hair plastered against her face, challenging me.

“Did you call my mother, Neil?”

“I did indeed, now get in the car,” I barked, ready to jump out and drag her in if I had to.

“That was stupid of you, then,” she yelled, throwing her arm out.

“Not nearly as stupid as walking home in a torrential rainstorm, in the middle of the goddamn bloody night!”

She turned away and started walking again.

I saw red and it was all reaction after that. The Rover was up on the pavement blocking her path and she was looking at me like she wanted to slice off my balls and feed them to her pet alligator. “What is the matter with you, Neil?” she screeched.

“Right now, it’s your stubbornness,” I bit out. I pointed to the empty seat. “Now get your defiant arse into the MOTHERFUCKIN’ SEAT OF MY CAR!”

She did it.

The interior of the Rover was silent except for the pounding of the rain. The earthy smell of water filled the air and mixed with the scent of her hair and wet coat. I think we were both in shock.

I’m sure I’d never shouted so loudly before to any person. These extreme emotions were starting to get to me. I was the guy who kept his cool and a level head. I didn’t even recognize myself anymore.

I looked over at Elaina sitting beside me, her arms folded across her chest, hair dripping, eyes straight ahead, and so utterly beautiful even in this bedraggled state, that it hurt to have her so close. It hurt because she was still so far away from me and I didn’t know how to make her let me back in.

Her mobile rang from inside her coat pocket. She rolled her eyes as she pulled it out and answered the call.

“Yes, Mum. I’m with Neil right now and he’s bringing me home.” She paused listening. “I’ll tell him. Okay. Bye.”

I couldn’t imagine what she was thinking. She wasn’t talking and she wasn’t fighting me either, she just sat there in the front seat of my Rover, so very still.

I reached over her for the belt to buckle her in and could see she was shivering.

“You’re cold.” I cranked up the heat and backed off the pavement, straightening out the wheels and parking it up against the curb. The windscreen wipers methodically passed back and forth between us.

“M-mum w-wants you to s-stay for dinner,” she chattered blankly, still staring forward out into the dark rainy night.

But what about you, Elaina?

“I’m sorry for screaming at you,” I said softly.

I wished she’d look at me, but she wouldn’t…or couldn’t after our terrible shouting match.

And so, I just sat there and watched her, the heater inside the car working overtime, making the air warmer by the minute.

“It’s okay,” she said finally, wiping one side of her face with her fingers. Was she crying?

“Elaina…look at me, please.” I waited while time seemed to slow down to a crawl.

She turned her head toward me, her chin up and trembling like she was guarding herself from falling apart.

“I didn’t know you worked there. I wouldn’t have taken the job if I’d known. They tricked me into it, and I just don’t want you to think I did this on purpose—”

I cut her emotional ramble off with two fingers to her lips. “I know. I know it was them and not you. Don’t you worry about that.”

She froze when I touched her, looking fragile enough to shatter at any second.

I dropped my hand away, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to run it around the back of her neck and draw her up against me. I still wanted her. Despite everything that had happened between us, all of the betrayal and abandonment—my heart just didn’t care about any of it.

Elaina was here. My Cherry Girl was here right beside me.