The Lost One (Lost Series Book 1) (6 page)

I feel so happy, as if the sun is shining brighter than usual. When we lost Abby, I shut down and went into robot mode, doing the same thing daily: school, work, home, and look after Mum while Dad was away for work in the Army. She needed me to stay at home, pick her up, and be there for her, especially when D
ad wasn’t.

When Mum came and told me it was time to pursue my dream of living in NYC, and practically kicked me out the door, I cried. I was scared of leaving them and being out on my own, but the following week, with the help of Mum and Dad, we began looking for apartments and I started applying for jobs. Before I knew it, I was here and I have the most amazing home with the help from my parents. I was so lucky to have found Flick or I would have been totally lost. My phone starts ringing.
Crap! I’m late for lunch.
Rushing into my bag, digging around to find my phone, I quickly answer.

“Flick, I’m so sorry. I’m on my way right now.” I’m met with silence on the other end. “H
ello?” I ask.

“Hello… Yes, this is Helen from Case Constructions.”
Crap!
My stomach drops. I should have checked the caller ID.

“Oh, hi,
sorry about that.”

“That’s okay, dear; I was calling to let you know we would like to offer you the job as personal assistant to our CEO Mr
Andrews.”

Stopping in the street, my not-so-free hand is clenched tight in excitement.
“Oh, my goodness! Really? Thank you so much for this opportunity!” My heart feels like a huge weight has lifted.
A job, finally!

“We were very impressed with your resume and your presentation. Will you be all right to start tomorrow morning at eight thirty?” she queries.

“Yeah, sure, not a problem at all.” She proceeds to tell me where to go when I arrive, as I have to get an ID for the building. She will show me where I will be working and will introduce me to my new boss since he wasn’t at the interview. I’m excited and anxious all rolled into one.

After I finish with Helen, I quickly ring Flick and tell her I’m on my way and to order for me. I can’t
wait to tell her my news.

Arriving at Jerry’s, I see her starting to eat. I race over, literally running to her like a school kid eager to share special news. I slide into the seat in front of her with a large goofy grin on my face
.

“Guess what?” I squeal, maybe a little too loud as people turn to see what is going on.
Meh, who cares? Take a photo, people!

“What?” she says, halfway through a mouthful.
Coz she is so lady like.
She sounds as excited as me, but I’m sure it is just sarcasm.

“Helen from Case Constructions rang me. They have offered me the job! I know you already knew that, and told me it was going to happen, but now it’s official. I’m so
freakin’ excited!”

“I bet you are,” she says with another mouthful. She is so not a lady if you really know her. She seems prim and proper to those who don’t really know her, but to me,
she can totally be unladylike.

“I totally thought one of those skinny model bitches would get it.
”

“Nah, I knew you had it in the bag. You and your bloody Aussie accent, people love you. Now eat your lunch, woman, before the bun gets soggy,” she mocks in her attempt to copy my accent. I burst out laughing.

“Nice try.” I grin as she scrunches her face up at me and takes another mouthful.

I begin to think about what I will wear. I don’t even know this Mr Andrews. He is probably some fella who likes to look at the ladies instead of work. Flick did tell me he’s a bit of a ladies’ man.

We finish our meal and Flick goes back to work. She’s coming over later to tell me all about her date with Liam. I stay a little longer, trying to decide if I should buy a new outfit for tomorrow. Excitement is vibrating through me as I get up and go shopping again.

****

An hour later, I have another four bags in hand and plenty of new clothes to choose from for tomorrow. I’ve had enough of the shops, so I walk toward my car while digging in my bag looking for my keys. I’m not paying attention as I slam face-first into a hard chest. I stumble backwards on to the pavement. My body reacts to the touch and instantly I know who is in front of me. I can’t bring myself to look at him. I inspect my hands for grazes instead. My chest is pounding like my heart is trying to hammer its way out of my body.

“
Ow! I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” I mumble, feeling rather embarrassed, especially now I have a throbbing butt to match my heart rate. My cheeks begin to warm up, and it spreads down my neck.
Great! I look like a beetroot. Damn you, cursed pale skin!

I glace up through my eyelashes. I see a hand,
his hand,
extended toward me. My eyes move from hand to face and straight into those unforgettable eyes, Corban’s striking blue eyes. My heart rate hasn’t slowed, but instead goes up tenfold. My hands begin to shake as I reach out, taking his warm, gentle hand.

I can’t believe my Friday night ‘kiss and run’ is right here in front of me. His gaze penetrates into me, looking deeply into my soul. I’m standing so close to him; I want to bury myself and hide right now, perhaps burying myself in his arms instead.
What am I thinking?

I can hear the slight rumble of a chuckle in his chest. “That’s okay; you can run into me anytime,
Melodi. Just try not falling for me.” My eyes shoot up to meet that smile. O
h, that cheeky smile.
It touches his eyes, brightening them, making them crystal clear and magical.

Remembering our kiss from the other night and me running away straight afterwards, I’m embarrassed.
His tongue, his lips covering mine, and his mouth placing warm kisses along my neck
…
Oh…
My body fills with new found pleasure, a need for him. I will myself to stop thinking these thoughts right now. They make me wanna grab his suit jacket by the collar and place his lips upon my own and feverishly kiss him once more.

I decide to go for casual.
“Oh, hey, Corban. Sorry, just me being a klutz again, nothing new. At least this time there is no alcohol involvement.” We are still holding hands and my stomach twists with the connection. As small as it is, he has an effect on me and my senses suddenly become heightened within his proximity. I  release his hand, taking a small step back, and drink all of him in. His hair is tied back like it was on Friday night. His nice black, pinstriped suit jacket is unbuttoned, revealing a white fitted button up shirt. His super toned, masculine body is clearly outlined, causing heat to slowly begin to rise within.
How I want to run my hands through his hair and over his chest. Oh, to see his bare chiselled chest…
Corban clears his throat, pulling me back from my daydream, or wish really.
Totally busted
.

“It’s okay. Are you all right?” He watches me closely, slightly amused
.

“Yeah, just a bruised ego,” I reply with a small laugh rubbing my hands over my body nervously
.

“What brings you to this neck of the woods?” Looking back up at him, I catch him watching my hands graze over my body.
What can he be thinking?

He seems a little lost with my question. “Oh, umm… I’m looking for a gift for my little sister. It’s her birthday tomorrow. I’m not really sure what to get her. She’s a difficult one to buy for, any ideas?” He rubs his neck nervously, looking down, breaking eye contact with me.

“Cool! How old will she be?”
“Eighteen. Athena is the baby and is very spoilt,” he says, rolling his eyes, but still smiling.

Great, one of those rich families.
“
Ahh…okay, what about a nice ID bracelet or just a bracelet? I got that for my eighteenth, and I still wear it to this day,” I say, showing him my bracelet sitting as a reminder on my wrist, little does he know the meaning behind it.

I received it from Abby, and I gave her a locket with her name engraved on it for our eighteenth birthday. I will never remove this bracelet, not for anything. It’s a part of her that is always with me and will forever
remain that way.

When they had searched Jacob’s place after Abby went missing, they found her locket there lying in a pool of blood. It was given back to me after the trial. It lives in my jewellery box. Thinking about it, my heart becomes heavy, like there is a ton of bricks weighing it down, making it hard to take my next breath. Tears prick my eyes, threatening to spill. I quickly close them, looking away from
Corban, trying my hardest not to cry in front of him.

“
Melodi?” Corban closes the small space between us in an instant. His soft voice is so close; I feel his breath on my skin. I can smell his cologne, which heightens my senses. Before I know what’s happening, he pulls me into a warming embrace, his strong arms holding me tightly against his warm chest. My arms reach under his jacket, wrapping around his firm waist.

I hear his rapid heartbeat matching my own. We stand for a little while. The tears never spill, but the lump is still sitting firmly in my throat, feeling as though I have swallowed a golf ball and it got stuck. I keep trying to swallow it away, but it just won’
t go.

Corban
pulls back, holding me out at arm’s length. His grip on my arms scorches my pale skin with his ever present touch. “Do you want to talk about it?” he queries, worry filling his beautiful features.

Clearing my throat and stepping back, I answer, “No thanks, it’s nothing. Sorry. Yes, umm…” My words are lost. “Yes, get the bracelet. I’m sure she will love it.” I clear my throat again, wishing this silly lump would go away. I’m not about to break down in front of someone who I hardly know. He will think I’m crazy, and I’m not about to open up to just anybody. They have to earn trust; I don’t give it freely
.

A little taken back,
Corban stands up right again. “Okay. The bracelet sounds like an excellent idea. I will go get that now; thanks for your help.” He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his features like usual. With my moment of sadness slowly disappearing, my thoughts return to the handsome man standing in front of me. I have a sudden desire to kiss him, but that’s not going to happen again.

“No worries. I’m happy to help.” I begin gathering up my bags at my feet when he speaks again.

“So what brings you here?”

“Just getting a few new outfits for a new job I’m starting tomorrow,” I say, sounding maybe a little too excited, especially to be starting a job of all things
.

“That’s cool. Where is your new job at?” he enquires. He has this look on his face, like he knows something I don’t, but that’s impossible. He can’t
know anything about me.

“I’m going to be Personal Assistant to the head honcho at a place called Case Constructions. I’m pretty keen to get back into work since I haven’t been in a job for like a month, and I’m really cutting into my savings, plus Mum and Dad’s,” I say with a laugh. “I’m not sure what my boss will be like, but we will see how that goes. He wasn’t at the interview, so yeah.
”

A huge playful smile swipes across his face, which sets my chest racing. “I’m sure you will be fine. Anyway,
Melodi, I would love to stay and get to know you a little better, but unfortunately, I have a meeting in about twenty minutes, which I probably shouldn’t be late for.” He reaches his hand out like he is about to shake my hand. Y
ou’re seriously not just going to shake my hand!

Surprising me for the second time, he takes my hand, placing a gentle kiss across my knuckles, and then pulls me close, pressing his lips to mine. I taste him; boy, he tastes good. It’s nothing like our kiss the other night. This is more…more sensual.

Savouring the moment, until his cologne drifting around me drives me crazy, igniting a raging fire within me. My arms wrap around his neck, pulling him closer to me. Our kiss becomes more heated.

I remember we are standing in the middle of the footpath when a car goes past blasting its horn. I’m not sure if it’s at us or something else. I slowly pull away, placing one
more gentle kiss to his warm lips. Mine already ache from the loss. We stay where we are, holding each other, neither of us wanting to move.

His eyes blaze brighter; I can even see a sparkle. Leaning into me, he whispers, “Until next time, my sweet
Melodi.” Feeling his breath on my cheek sends goose bumps over my entire body.

He releases me, turning away. I stand here watching utter perfection walk away until he is out of sight. I sigh and turn to head to my car. I reach in my bag, pulling out a random piece of paper. Opening it up, I see unrecognised handwriting. My heart lights up; it’s from
Corban. He must have slipped it in while we hugged or kissed.
Who cares!

My sweet
Melodi,
I am sorry I did not give this to you the other night. I have not stopped thinking about you and your perfect lips. I would love to take you out. Here is something I wanted to give you the other night, but you ran off too quickly.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Corban