Liz put her glass on the table and turned to look out the window of the restaurant. It was a beautiful fall day, the sun was shining and the wind was lightly blowing. The breeze stirred the brightly colored foliage of the trees, breaking off leaves and sending them swirling down the street. Probably one of the last nice days of the year, she thought.
It was too bad Kyle wasn't there to enjoy all of the beauty with her. She looked down at her watch with a sigh. Kyle was late again, probably held up in another meeting.
A sad smile twisted her delicate features as the thought came unbidden to her mind; she was not first on the list of his priorities, his work always would be. Shaking her head to clear the rebellious thought, she absentmindedly pushed a wayward strand of dark hair behind her ear.
It was silly to get upset. She wasn't a romantic person and she knew Kyle couldn't just drop everything when they had a date. He was a responsible person and his work was important. Practicality was what she wanted, she reminded herself, someone who was responsible and practical.
Romance, flowers and all that went with it was for teenagers and fairytales. She didn't believe in love anymore. There was a time . . .
A stab of pain assailed her and she pushed the thoughts away, bringing herself back into the present. It was useless to dredge up the past. It brought nothing but pain and humiliation.
Glancing out the window again, Liz was just in time to see Kyle hurrying toward the restaurant.
She smiled as she took in his dark sandy hair and boyish good looks. He was wearing his typical office attire, a conservative dark suit, but it didn’t conceal his wide shoulders and muscular arms that spoke of many hours in the gym.
Liz knew she was lucky to have met him. Kyle was kind, undemanding and fun to be with, and even though they had never spoken of love there were much more important things to consider in a relationship.
Kyle smiled as he approached the table, an apology already on his lips. "Liz, I'm sorry but I had a meeting that ran over," he explained, sliding into the seat next to her and placing a quick kiss on her cheek.
"It's okay Kyle,” she said with a smile. “I understand your work is important.”
"Did you order yet?" he asked glancing at the glass before her on the table. "You didn't have to wait for me."
Liz shook her head, "No, I just got a drink while I was waiting."
Kyle signaled to the waiter, who immediately came over to take their order.
While they were waiting for dinner, Kyle took the opportunity to fill Liz in on the latest sales meeting. "Management feels the numbers are down this quarter because..."
As he spoke, Liz's attention started to wander, and she looked around the restaurant. The lighting was low, there were candles on the tables and soft music played in the background. It could be considered a romantic place.
It was Friday night and there were couples scattered around the restaurant. Many were talking softly, their heads close together, and Liz wondered a little jealously what they were speaking of. Were they whispering endearments, planning futures together, declaring their love?
Love, she thought wistfully. Well, she mused, the other couples were probably not discussing the strategies of the latest sales meetings.
She smiled as her eyes continued to wander. Most of the women around her wore beautiful clothes, had carefully applied makeup and expertly styled hair.
Liz looked down at her own conservative business suit, thought of the minimal amount of make-up she wore, and the twist that usually confined her dark shoulder-length hair; mentally comparing herself to the other women. She was of average height, a little on the thin side perhaps but she knew she had slender curves many women would kill for. In the past she had dressed much differently, more like the women in the restaurant, following the trends of the seasons, looking forward to the new colors and styles, but after…
It just didn't seem to matter to her as much anymore. But as she looked at the women around her she felt a tinge of regret.
She could have gone home after work and changed before she met Kyle, but she'd stayed late as usual. Not that she really had much to change into, she admitted to herself, and certainly nothing like the outfits the women around her were wearing. But Kyle never really seemed to notice what she was wearing anyway.
Not for the first time she wondered if she spent too much time working. She had no friends, and if she wasn’t out with Kyle or spending time with her sister, she simply went home to her empty house.
Suddenly Liz realized she’d missed most of Kyle's conversation and struggled to return her attention to what he was saying.
"...so it was agreed,” he continued, oblivious to Liz’s lagging attention, “each team would try implementing one of the new strategies until the end of the next quarter."
Liz picked up on his last statement. "Oh, well that sounds like a great idea," she murmured, not really knowing what he was talking about, but guessing her agreement was what he wanted.
Quickly chastising herself for the impolite behavior, Liz vowed to try harder to get interested in what Kyle was saying. Even if it wasn't the most intriguing topic, she did owe him her attention.
The waiter brought their meals and the conversation fell to a minimum as they ate. Liz let her gaze travel over Kyle's face, and she thought of their time together. They worked for the same company, Design Concepts, he in sales and she in the art department. They had met when she had taken over as art director a few months ago but they had only been seeing each other for about a month.
She had noticed him before that, of course. Kyle was very successful in his business, handsome, confident, the kind of man that drew the attention of others. But she hadn't really thought about him in a romantic way even when he had first asked her to dinner. He wasn't really the kind of man she thought of as her type, but she did enjoy his company.
Their relationship, if it could be called that, was more of a friendship. Liz knew Kyle would like it to develop into something more but she was used to keeping men at arms length, and Kyle, for the most part, accepted it.
And everyone liked Kyle, including her sister. After Maria had met him she’d spent what seemed like hours touting his virtues. Liz knew her sister was simply hoping to convince her that Kyle was the man for her.
She could hear Maria’s voice in her head even now. "Kyle is handsome, successful, he has a good sense of humor and a body to die for. Liz, what more could you want?"
Liz smiled when she thought of her sister. Maria was in a loving relationship and was eager for the whole world, especially Liz, to find the same kind of happiness. Maria was of the opinion that Liz had been alone long enough and she played matchmaker every chance she got, often with disastrous results.
Liz's musings were interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Liz?"
She turned toward the man standing next to her and jumped to her feet with a huge smile on her face. "Alex!"
Liz embraced her cousin tightly as he wrapped his arms around her and practically lifted her off her feet.
"I can't believe I just happened to run into you!" Alex exclaimed, releasing her. "I was going to surprise you and Maria tomorrow. I've moved back into town."
He smiled at the incredulous look on her face.
"Alex", she laughed. "I can't believe you didn't tell us. I knew you were looking for a new job but I didn't know you were looking here. This is so great. We'll be able to spend time together again."
Liz turned to Kyle, and noticed the frown marring his features. She introduced the two men with a laugh. "Alex, this is my friend and co-worker, Kyle Valenti. Kyle this is my cousin, Alex Whitman."
A smile slowly curved Kyle's mouth as he stood, holding out a hand to Alex. "Nice to meet you, Alex. I didn't know Liz had any family besides her sister."
"Well, there aren’t that many of us," said Alex with a smile as he took Kyle's hand, "and I'm Liz’s only cousin."
"I can’t believe you've moved back into town," Liz said incredulously, shaking her head. "So tell us where you got a job?"
Alex grinned, obviously amused by her reaction. "With a friend of mine from college. We've stayed in touch over the years and he offered me a job. He's been running his own company for about five years and needs someone with my expertise in networking."
He winked at Liz. "You know I haven't been happy at my old job since the company was bought out."
"Well congratulations Alex," Kyle enthused. "Why don't you join us? We'll get some champagne to celebrate and you and Liz can catch-up on old times."
Alex shook his head, "Thanks, I'd like to but I'm meeting my friend, or should I say my boss." He looked at his watch. "Well, I'm a few minutes early, I could join you until he arrives."
"Great, have a seat," Kyle said, pulling another chair to the table. "I'll get the waiter to bring you a drink."
The conversation was lively and Liz realized she felt more relaxed than she had in a long time. Alex always had that affect on people. He knew how to keep the conversation fun and light for everyone. Liz hadn't even had to direct Alex away from the embarrassing personal stories he knew from their childhood together.
Laughing at a story Alex had just finished, Liz became aware of a man standing behind him. Glancing up she expected to see the waiter, but instead her gaze collided with a pair of hypnotizing brown eyes.
No, she corrected herself almost immediately, the color was nothing as pedantic as brown, they were luminescent, glowing. She would call them amber, or perhaps gold. Yes gold.
Liz had never seen eyes quite that color, and as she studied them they held her own eyes with a burning intensity which took her breath.
Slowly the smile disappeared from her face and all the noise around her seemed to fade into the background as she was drawn into the golden depths. She felt as if she was moving in slow motion through warm honey that surrounded and enveloped her, sending shivers of pure feminine awareness along her spine.
Alex turned to her, noticed the strange enraptured expression and followed her glance. He jumped to his feet with his hand outstretched. "Hey Max, how are you doing?" he greeted the newcomer warmly.
Liz was aware Alex had risen from the table and she heard him speak the name Max. Somewhere in the back of her mind the word tumbled around; Max, his name was Max. She tried to break his spell that still held her by looking toward Alex, but the smoldering gaze pulled her back.
Never had Liz experienced anything even close to the draw of Max’s eyes. He wouldn’t let her look away, his sheer force of will holding her in place.
Her lips parted as her breath came more rapidly, her heart pounding in her chest. Easily he overwhelmed her defenses, but for some reason she wasn’t frightened. His gaze was intense and sent jolts of electricity through her, but at the same time it soothed and calmed. Coaxed. Seduced.
After what seemed like an eternity, the amber eyes reluctantly released her and turned to Alex.
Liz let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, and for the first time was able to study the man who'd had such a strong and immediate effect on her.
Max was strikingly handsome with a rigid jaw line, straight nose, and dark, thick hair. But it wasn't simply the fact he was handsome that caught her attention. He held himself with an inner confidence and ease she suspected drew many people to him. Liz sensed instinctively Max was someone people would listen to, respect, a natural leader.
Letting her gaze roam over him, Liz noted he was not quite as tall as Alex. But while Alex's clothes hung on his wiry frame, the planes and curves of Max's sculpted body were clearly discernable through his well-made suit. The jacket he wore stretched across wide shoulders, and the muscles in his arms strained against the material as he shook hands with Alex.
Liz glanced at Kyle and noticed he was staring at her. Blushing, she wondered if he had witnessed what had just transpired. She couldn't remember the last time she had literally sized-up a man and was embarrassed to have been caught. Quickly looking down at the table and then back to Alex, she waited for him to make the introductions.
Alex turned toward her and she didn't need to look at Max to know his gaze was directed toward her. She could feel his eyes skimming over her like a soft caress, and knew he was subjecting her to the same scrutiny in which she had just indulged.
"Max Evans," Alex started, "this is my cousin, Liz Parker."
Liz slowly turned to face him and felt her heart jump as a smile curved Max’s lips. He extended his hand and she hesitated for a moment before reluctantly taking it, somehow anticipating the reaction his touch would cause.
And she was right. As their hands met, a jolt of energy shot up her arm. Her eyes automatically lifted to his, and once again she was captured in his warm gaze.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Liz," Max rumbled.
Liz felt a shiver go through her body as his voice washed through her, deep and sensual almost like the purr of a cat.
Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized she was expected to reply and struggled to keep her voice even. "It's nice to meet you," she managed softly.
With extreme force of will she was able to break his gaze and would have pulled her hand back but he held it gently, silently demanding she look at him. Liz reluctantly returned her eyes to his and felt another shiver of awareness cut through her. She could see his frank admiration directed at her and felt a rush of excitement.
Max released her hand with a smile as he turned toward Kyle, and Alex continued the introductions. "Max, this is Liz's friend, Kyle Valenti."
As Kyle rose and shook the proffered hand, Liz wondered if she had imagined the extra stress she thought she heard Alex place on the word friend.
She felt a stir of unease start in her stomach and her eyes flicked around as she tried to focus on anything but Max. It certainly wasn’t the first time she had seen a handsome man but for some reason she’d had a strong, immediate reaction to Max which threatened her carefully ordered world.
Kyle regained his seat, resting a proprietary arm across the back of Liz's chair and downed his drink while studying the new arrival. "Max Evans, I've heard about your company Datatronics," Kyle remarked. "From all reports you're doing well with the new software you've just released. Some are even saying it will revolutionize the field of data processing."
"That's certainly the idea," Max drawled with a wry smile, looking back at Liz.
She didn’t want to look at him, didn’t want to even acknowledge him, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. Again and again her eyes returned to his handsome face, his eyes. She glanced at him and then quickly down focusing on his hands, trying to avoid looking at his face as he and Kyle continued to speak.
But looking at his hands wasn’t helping either. He had strong hands, muscular but also soft, sensitive, like his lips. She released a shaky breath. She wasn’t going to look.
Against her will, her eyes slowly traveled up his arm, returning to his face, and Max’s mouth curved knowingly.
His smile was making her stomach do flip-flops and Liz quickly looked away toward the only safe haven available, Alex. He had a strange expression on his face that she couldn’t quite interpret but when he caught her gaze he gave her a reassuring smile.
Kyle motioned toward their table. "Would you like to join us Evans? We were just catching up on old times."
"Another time,” Max said smoothly. “Alex and I really do have a lot to do tonight."
Liz kept her eyes on the table in front of her to stop herself from looking at Max again, but she could feel his eyes on her, feel him demanding that she look at him. Her eyes were drawn back to Max and he held her gaze as he spoke softly. "I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of each other in the future."
Liz felt the heat of a blush creeping up her face and quickly dropped her eyes again.
"Yeah right," Kyle replied dryly.
Alex leaned down to give Liz a quick hug. "I'll call you tomorrow and we can get together with Maria."
Liz returned his embrace. "We'd love to see your new place."
"Nice to meet you Kyle," Alex said offering his hand.
Kyle shook his hand. "I’ll probably see you around with Liz," he said. He turned to Max and nodded across the table, his voice growing cooler, "Good to meet you Evans."
Max’s head dipped in acknowledgement before he turned to look at Liz again. "The pleasure was all mine," he drawled.
Liz swallowed hard to dislodge the lump in her throat and allowed herself a brief smile and one quick look at Max as he turned to leave.
"Your cousin is quite a guy," Kyle said, pulling her into his side, attempting to recapture her attention. "Very entertaining."
Another shiver racked Liz’s body, but this time of revulsion. Usually she didn’t mind Kyle’s casual touch but it was all she could do not to push him away. She’d never felt so uncomfortable around him.
"Yeah," Liz croaked, her throat suddenly dry. She used the excuse of reaching for her drink to put some distance between them while she took a quick sip. "Alex has always been the life of the party,” she continued lightly, trying to act normal. “The family told him he should go into show business but he was always more interested in computers."
"Well he's obviously done very well for himself, being involved with Evans and his company,” Kyle continued, oblivious of her discomfort. “He must be very good at what he does."
Liz nodded, feeling a bit of relief that Kyle didn’t try to touch her again. "Alex tells people he's nothing special but I believe he's considered one of the best."
"And making contact with Evans directly could be a big break for me," Kyle said refocusing on work, and making Liz wonder if he had even heard what she’d said. "I'll have to contact him next week and pitch our services,” he said mostly to himself. “If he's interested it could mean a huge commission."
Liz smiled. Kyle never lost sight of the bottom line. That's probably why he was so successful at what he did. He made the most of every opportunity.
As they finished their drinks, Liz was careful not to look toward the table where Alex and Max were sitting, but every so often she imagined she could feel Max's eyes on her.
Maybe it was completely in her imagination, she told herself, but somehow she knew it wasn’t. She had never been affected by a man so suddenly and so completely before, and her mind kept wandering back to him.
Max was handsome, that was for sure, and charming and obviously interested. Somehow she just knew he would be a good kisser too. Deep, long kisses that would take your breath away, coaxing, seducing, promising even better things to come.
A shiver of pure desire ripped through her for the first time in two years.
In seconds Max had somehow gotten through all of the defenses she had carefully erected around herself. Without a word, even before she had really seen him, he had not only made her feel again but had captured her completely.
Liz’s stomach clenched with fear. She was entering dangerous territory and suddenly she had to get out, away from Max, away from the unwanted feelings he was causing.
"Kyle, I'm a little tired, would you mind if we left?" she asked, careful to keep the shakiness out of her voice.
Immediately Kyle agreed and they rose and walked to the exit. Against her will, Liz felt compelled to take just one more look at the man who had affected her so deeply. His gaze was directed toward her just as she knew it would be and her stride slowed as she was once again captured by his eyes.
It seemed as if he sucked all of the air out of the room and Liz gasped for breath. She had to get away from him.
Kyle fell into step right behind her. He followed her glance toward the other table and slipped a possessive arm around her waist, gently pushing her forward. Somehow she broke the connection with Max and quickly looked toward Alex, waving as they left the restaurant.
Liz released a sigh of relief as they made it out the door.
