Trusting You (Second Chances #2)(4)
“Are you going to the top floor, too?” the lady asked, pressing the top button.
“Yes, thank you,” I replied, leaning against the handrail.
We rode in silence as the elevator took us to the top floor. I couldn’t stop the butterflies from fluttering around in my stomach, but it felt more than that … almost like a pull on my soul. Something about being in the building just felt odd. It was as if there was a magnet pulling me to the top faster than the elevator could take me.
I refused to admit out loud I was nervous, but deep down I really was.
As soon as the doors opened, I took in a calming breath and sighed. The couple strolled out and left me alone in the elevator, which was perfect; it gave me time to get the nerve to walk into the crowded room where I knew no one. Peering out over the mass of people, my stomach dropped when I couldn’t spot Korinne or her husband, Galen. Slowly I strolled out of the elevator and into the fray of people.
A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne, so I grabbed a glass and sipped it while searching the crowd. Instead of walking around like I was lost, I noticed a vacant seat overlooking downtown Charlotte and decided to take it. I sat down and finished off the rest of my champagne that went down way too easily.
“Would you care for another one?” one of the waiters offered, approaching me and taking my empty glass. He was a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair and kind eyes; he reminded me of my father with the way he smiled.
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
I accepted the glass he offered with a smile of my own. Nodding, he grinned again and made his way through the crowd. Turning my back from the people in the room, I focused on the hustle and bustle of the nightlife down below. The lights twinkled and glowed like the stars in the sky … it was peaceful, magical.
“How are you doing this evening?”
Startled, I jumped at the sound of the voice behind me. A young man—maybe a year or two younger than me—with a wide smile on his boyish-looking face stood there, his grin growing wider. He was cute with his short, sandy blond hair, blue eyes, and dimples on both cheeks. He was also dressed in an immaculate three piece suit, but I was definitely not interested.
He held up his hands and took a step back. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just saw you sitting here by yourself and thought I’d come over and say hello.” He extended his hand in greeting, so I grasped it and shook firmly. “My name’s Jason,” he added.
“Melissa,” I answered, letting go of his hand. “Yeah, you scared me there for a second. I wasn’t expecting someone to come up behind me.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, you were a little too entranced with looking out the window to notice me. It’s a nice view isn’t it?”
I glanced back out the window. “Yes it is,” I breathed. “I would love to be able to see this view every day when I went to work.”
“You don’t work for M&M, do you? Because if you do I think I’m working in the wrong department,” he teased nervously.
It was a lame pick up line, and it took all I had not to roll my eyes at him and laugh, but I smiled politely and hoped that Korinne would find me and save me. Shaking my head, I replied, “No, I don’t work for M&M. I’m one of Korinne Matthew’s friends. She’s the one who invited me. Have you by any chance seen her? I’d really like to find her.”
Narrowing his eyes, he searched around the room for a few seconds and then back to me. “I saw her earlier with Mr. Matthews. I can help you look for her if you’d like.” He held out his hand to help me up from my seat. Inside I groaned, not wanting him to help me, but he seemed sweet and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by saying I wasn’t interested. Why did I always have to be nice? I guess it’s the big heart you were born with, I said to myself.
Before I could buckle down and take his hand, a voice spoke out behind him that made my blood freeze in my veins. Inside, my heart pounded erratically and my palms began to sweat as I clenched my hands together. I’d heard that exact same voice before … three months ago.
“Actually, Jason, that won’t be necessary. The young lady is with me.”
His deep voice made me shiver, and for an instant I closed my eyes and let the sound take me back to that night at the beginning of summer. The memories made my muscles clench with need, so I shifted in my seat and sucked in a deep breath to calm my senses. What were the odds that I’d run into him here?
Jason turned on his heel quickly, and that was when I had the glorious view of the man behind him. He wasn’t boyish looking like Jason, but sophisticated and roguish, like a man with experience. He was breathtaking. Dressed in a simple white button down shirt, he also wore a pair of dark denim jeans that slightly hung off of his hips, showing off his muscular thighs; the same thighs I dug my nails into every time he pumped into me.
Dammit! Stop thinking about that!
Even though he wasn’t wearing a suit like Jason, he was classier wearing those simple clothes. His hair was tousled and wild, the same way it looked the first time I met him.
Jason cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable as he tried to grab a glass of champagne off the passing waiter’s tray. He stuttered, “Oh, Mr. Walker. I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize she was with you. Forgive me, I’ll leave you two be.” He turned to me quickly and said, “It was nice meeting you. I hope you have a wonderful night. If I see Mrs. Matthews, I’ll tell her you were looking for her.”