Chosen Heart (2 page)

Reaching into my purse, I search
for the change from my earlier purchase.  Handing over a five dollar bill,
I wish the gentleman a good day before I turn and head back towards my car, but
not before noticing Mr. BMW shaking his head in disagreement before placing his
hands back into his pockets, relaxing against his car once again.

With a deep breath I shake my
head and try to calm myself.  Before getting back into the car, I can’t
help but steal another glance.  Looking over my shoulder at the
mind-blowing man standing less than twenty feet away, he places the hose back
in its harness.  I can’t help but notice the view from behind is
remarkable, with his broad shoulders and firm behind hiding under his tailored
jacket.  I hoped to have one more look into those beautiful blue eyes of
his, but he never looks back as I watch him slink into his car.  He knows
he’s attractive and it shows in every movement of his body.  I sigh as I
retreat to the confines of my car.

If only I was more forward and
more confident with men, then maybe I would’ve had the courage to talk to
him.  Then again, I was raised that men should do the approaching and make
their intentions known.  But I can’t help but wonder, could he have been
something fun or even something amazing?  My inability to approach him
will possibly forever haunt me and I will never know the sound of his voice or
the feel of his touch. 
What are you talking about?
  I
haven’t been interested in a man in so long, these thoughts were starting to
become foreign.  Quickly, I swallow my regret and brush off the feeling as
I start my engine.

Focus Ely, you don’t need any
distractions, and a man that looks like that would definitely be a series of
delicious distractions.

~~~~~

The expansive lobby at SHI is
quite impressive, definitely larger than my last job at Banks &
Stone.  The pale blue walls are completely bare, except for the Salerno
Health logo behind the security desk.  In a muted yellow, the logo is
bigger than the wall of my apartment and pops against the chocolate brown
terrazzo flooring.

My vanity shows slightly as I
stare at my reflection in a nearby mirror.  Even after an eventful
morning, my appearance is still intact.  My shiny auburn hair is pinned to
one side, leaving curls to fall around my face as they touch the top of my
breasts. 
No wonder why they were whistling!
  My bosom is
accentuated by the fitted top of my dress; professional, with a dash of
enticement.  I’m thankful I chose to dress with a hint of sexiness. 
Mr. Tall Dark and Sexy seemed to appreciate my outfit.  Not that it did me
any good.

I can’t believe my mind is still
focused on a man that I only laid eyes on for a few moments.  I feel like
a boy-crazed school girl.  Except in high school, I never thought twice
about any of the boys.  This feeling is so completely alien to me, but I
can imagine this is how it would have felt: the need to see that person, if
only to pass them in the hallway to give a coy smile and a sideways
glance.  My heart is aflutter just thinking about him.
 
I
don’t know his name, I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again, but his face will
forever be engrained in my memory.

Thankfully, my internal obsession
is broken by the security guard sitting behind a brushed-metallic desk as he
greets me.  Unable to hide my surprise, my brows raise.  The guard is
older than I would have imagined, possibly old enough to be my
grandfather.  A smirk spreads across my lips as I imagine him chasing an
assailant throughout the halls, tackling him to the ground, breaking a hip in
the process.  I definitely don’t feel a sense of security knowing that he
would be rushing to my aid.

“Can I help you, Miss?” the guard
inquires.

With the smirk fleeing my face I
explain, “I believe Margaret Sanders is expecting me.  My name is Elyssa
Hart.”

Asking for my driver’s license,
he turns to his computer.  His one finger typing is causing the task to
take a little longer than I would like.  But instead of getting
frustrated, I take a moment to observe the ambiance.  The revolving door
is literally spinning out of control as crowds of employees move into the
lobby; echoes of footsteps reverberate against the walls.  Of course, with
it being so close to 8:00 a.m., the traffic is expected to pick up.

Handing back my license, along
with a temporary badge, my only instructions are to take the elevator up to the
eighteenth floor.  “Good luck on your first day, Ms. Hart.  Please
let me know if you need
anything
.”  What a sweet old man, and I
can’t help but wonder why he needs to work instead of staying at home, growing
old with someone.  Hopefully, I get to know him and answer my unspoken
questions.

Thanking him, I attach my
temporary badge to the collar of my dress and walk towards the elevators. 
Entering the large metal casing, I turn around to press the button for the
eighteenth floor, but am startled when I come face to face with my image of
male perfection standing less than a foot away from me. 
What the…?!
 
Wide-eyed I stand, shocked and confused.

Gliding to the middle of the
elevator, he examines my demeanor before pushing the button for the eighteenth
floor.  Cautiously, I stare at him, startled at his intended
destination.  With a smug smile, his pouty lips part as he addresses
me.  “You’re going to the eighteenth floor right, Ms. Hart?”  His
voice is silky, deep, and masculine. 
How did he know my name?

I’m stunned in silence.  He
suppresses a smile, “Don’t worry, I’m not a stalker.  I just overheard Mr.
Hodges say your name in the lobby.”  I can’t imagine him stalking anyone,
not that he would need to.  I’m sure women throw themselves at his
feet.  The image of kneeling before him causes me to flush with
warmth. 
Good God, control yourself.

“Mr. Hodges?” I question, trying
to engage him in conversation.

“The security guard you were just
speaking with,” he answers, poignantly. 
Oh!  Who else could it
have been?

Staring at the numbers above the
elevator door, he’s calm, cool and collected, while I stand shaking with
excitement.  He makes me nervous and my pulse quickens at his
closeness.  For the first time in who knows how long, I’m
speechless.  He’s unnerved me in a way that I never thought imaginable;
but then again, I’ve never felt such an attraction to anyone else before. 
As I glance around the elevator with a large, awkward smile, my fingers fidget
with the strap of my purse.  It doesn’t last long as I feel my eyes wander
in his general direction.

I hadn’t noticed his dimples
earlier.  They are quite prominent, but even more so when he smirks the
way he is right now.  I’m sure he knows the affect he has on me, probably
the same effect he has on most women.  Of course he’s confident; he’s
young and absurdly beautiful.  The alluring energy radiating off him is
palpable as he leans against the wall running his hand through his thick
golden-brown locks.  I fight the urge to stand in awe, but my eyes are
addicted to him.

Stealing another look, I’m
entranced by his exquisite crystal blue eyes.  Hints of citrus and spice
fill the closed confined space.  I take a step closer; my eyes fall as I
take in his masculine scent.  Entering into a lusty haze, I imagine the
taste of his tongue and the feel of his skin.  The sound of him clearing
his throat causes my eyes to shoot open and take the needed step
backward. 
There’s that damn smirk again
.  Through narrowed
eyes of embarrassment, I shake my head, bringing myself back down to
reality. 
I can’t believe he just caught me sniffing him.

When the ascent to the eighteenth
floor comes to a halt, we both exit and head in the same direction. 
Walking next to my Adonis, I’m consciously aware of the way he moves. 
Gracefully navigating the hallway, he shows arrogance in the way he owns the
space around him.  Thankfully he knows where I’m supposed to go, letting
me know someone named Autumn will be showing me around. 
Nice.  My
own personal tour guide.  The longer with him the better.

Shortly, we reach a simple black
desk, belonging to a mousey-looking female.  I can’t help but notice the
absence of personal affects or decorations.  Only a lonely fern sits atop
the desk, possibly a glimpse into her personality or maybe the temperament of
her boss.  She stands as we approach and although plain, she’s pretty in
her own way, wearing a firmly pressed pink blouse with ruffles going down the
front and a dark brown pencil skirt.

Looking up through her tightly
curled, dirty blonde hair, she nods and greets us, “Mr. James, Mrs. Salerno is
expecting you.  She wants you to go to her office when you get
here.” 
Finally, a name to the face…Mr. James. 
My sister
always warned me about men who have two first names.  If I recall, she
said something about them being womanizers.  Hopefully, there’s no merit
to her statement.

In comparison to the tall slab of
muscle standing next to me, she’s small and fragile, and is completely
unaffected by the beautiful specimen standing in front of her as she talks
confidently at him, firing off instructions from Mrs. Salerno.  At the
same time, Mr. James appears to appreciate how meticulous she is with simple
tasks, like taking a message.  Looking away, she smiles in my direction,
“May I help you?”

Extending my hand to her, she
grips it tightly as we shake.  Her hold is strong, considering her small
build.  “My name’s Elyssa Hart; I’m the new Sales Executive.”

“Oh yes, Autumn’s expecting you,”
she explains.  Walking past me, she waves me over and I follow her to
another plain black desk, not too far from hers.  “This is your new
home.  All of your supplies are stocked in your desk.  If you need
anything, just let me know.  My name’s Janice, by the way.  I’m Mr.
James’ assistant.”  Beaming up at him, she seems content in her
position. 
Lucky girl!
  “Please let me know if there’s
anything else you need.”

“Great, thank you, Janice.”

My whole body trembles as Mr.
James rests his hand on the small of my back.  “Janice, I’ll take Ms. Hart
to see Autumn since I’m going that way.”  Puzzled, Janice smiles, shrugs
and retreats back to her desk.  She seemed nice enough, hopefully someone
I can become friends with.

We walk in silence; once again I
feel the visceral awareness being next to him.  It’s hard to concentrate
on the rows of cubicles full of employees.  Their quiet banter can be
heard and I notice prying eyes over the walls, following us as we progress down
the walkway.  I’m not sure if they’re measuring up the new girl or the
fine man walking next to me.  Considering that most of the heads that are
turning are women, I’m assuming it’s him.  Either way, he seems to pay no
attention to their inquisitive eyes.

Passing another set of double
doors, I realize my mind has been entirely attuned to the smoldering man next
to me.  I barely recall some simple pieces of black and white art; mainly
still photographs of inanimate objects as we made our way down the
hall.   Approaching the conference room, he knocks on the closed door
and places his hands behind his back as we wait for a response.  Instead
of the expected formal greeting, I hear a strong feminine voice yell, “It’s
open.”

After opening the door, my eyes
are immediately drawn to the stacks upon stacks of paper scattered along the
conference table.  Snapping her head up, a stunning red head sits at the
far end.  Her soft features are angelic, but the moment her eyes lay upon
Mr. James, something changes.  Carnal lust for him is burning inside of
her and a devious smile trickles across her lips.  Looking from her to
him, I can see her lust filled gaze as her eyes travel across his finely
tailored body.  Mr. James, on the other hand, appears to remain
indifferent.

Standing, she quickly walks
towards us adjusting her skirt as she approaches.  I can understand
feeling self-conscious in front him.  Heck, a super model would feel
insecure.  Keeping eye contact with him, she ignores me completely.

“Hello, Mr. James.  I’m
sorry for the abrupt greeting.  I didn’t know it was you.”  Her red
tendrils fall against her cheeks, framing her porcelain face.

“I would hope you take your
greetings into consideration, regardless of who comes knocking on the
door.  I wouldn’t expect you to treat me any differently than you would
any of your other colleagues.”  Cringing, I glance away as he verbally
berates Autumn for her rude first impression.

Slinking back, she appears
wounded, her smile vanishing from her lips.  “Of course Mr. James, I
apologize.  I’ve been so involved in this project and have simply
forgotten my manners,” she explains, pointing towards the mound of work.

He ignores her apology and
motions for me to come closer as he makes introductions.  “Autumn, this is
Elyssa Hart.  She’s the new Sales Exec starting today.”

Shocked, Autumn’s attention turns
to me.  Her eyes glance over my appearance, searching for a reason Mr.
James would feel I deserve an ounce of his time.  But, Autumn appears to
know how to play the game and she does it well.  Dredging up the best fake
smile, she extends her hand to greet me.  I know my manners, and although
she’s not the warmest of creatures, I refuse to allow her to get to me.  I
shake her hand and smile politely, counting the seconds before I can remove
myself from her clammy grip.