The hint of a smile spreads across his face. I don’t know why the thought of losing him or him losing me strikes me at this moment.
Exiting the haunted house is something I never thought I would be thankful for. I thought in the corner of my eye I saw him, but maybe it's just my imagination. The night roaming over with the darkness of the sky, the moon beaming down, shadowing the atmosphere. A bit of relief washes over me. Finn tugs on my hand to lead me back into the festival.
The end of the night rolls around and I had Brayden take Finn back home for me so I could oversee the clean up and the closing up of the education wing. Everyone has come and gone, the parking lot and field have emptied out. I ease back into my chair, shuffling through reports and plans for the winter break season. Last bit of work before the rest of my weekend. I hear the closing of a metal door echo through the empty hallways, my heart skips a beat, knowing that most people have already left for the day. The hard slamming of the door spreads goosebumps across my arms. Heavy boots strike against the hard floors. A shadow pours into the hallway, inching closer and closer to me. I glance up to meet the shadow, and this is no lost shadow.
“Normally people go home after a long day of work.” He leans up against the doorframe.
“Yes. But fortunately for me I am not like most people,” glancing back at the files in front of me. I could simply go home, but there is something alluring and utterly uninviting between us. The air around us feels like it’s closing in. He doesn’t move from the door. “You know, some people would call this stalking behavior.”
He shrugs, “Some would say old habits die hard.”
I pouted my lower lip, “Look at the big hawking man, saving the damsel in distress.” I didn’t have someone save me back then, I didn't need someone exerting themselves as a savior in my “honor”.
I stand up gathering my keys and items, closing my computers. His stature taking up most of the frame, pushing past him.
Tapping his chest, something sturdy and solid. “I don’t need protection. I’m a big girl.” A hint of blush flushes over my cheeks. I don’t know who this woman is that is being snarky and sassy, but I like her. Maybe my mind is not attributing to his attractiveness.
“Big girl is not what I would describe you.”Now there goes a full blush now.
He inches closer to me, our faces close to each other. “Describe me then.” I say.
“Temptress. Strong-willed.”
“Go on.”Temptress I am not, has he not seen me flustered tonight? Avoiding eye contact.
“Beautiful isn’t the right word.”
Oh, that will get you going. “Perhaps you’re right, handsome. But I still don’t need your help.”
“And what if I said your boss told me to make sure everyone leaves the building and I was doing a favor.” He calls from behind me as I leave my office. I stop in my tracks. Slightly turn back to him, debating on whether that was true or not.
“But you didn’t have to come in and speak with me.”
“And what if I wanted to?”
Wanted? He wanted to see me? Wanted to talk with me? Someone he barely knows, or had a full on conversation with. I am also a mess, I am not the woman a man just casually has a conversation with in any place.
“Not interested?”
“That sounds like a question.”
“Question implies that there’s interest. Which I have none,” I say.
I walk away from him. Leaving him standing in the hallway, pushing out to the parking lot. I don’t look back. But maybe there is interest.
Chapter 3
Lottie
Theweekendstillmademy skin crawl, between a flirtatious distraction, and an eerie feeling in the haunted house, Monday turns more into a blessing than anything. It's been a long while since I’ve let a man get under my skin. But then again, it was a moment of weakness and possibly sexual desire creeping in.
Between the supervisor meetings with my senior leads and Monday meeting agendas, today is a different kind of Monday. Today is a day where we get new volunteers entering various departments to volunteer their time to help things around here run smoothly. Thankfully the education program thrives on volunteers, whether it’s community partners or tutors or even mentors who are interested in mentoring our teen students. I have one volunteer that has been paying it forward.
Cedric, a young man who went through the shelter program and graduated from high school, beams in the early morning glow. This man has made me proud. The first man and student to graduate high school within his family and attend college. He thrived in the after school programs and continues to do well in school, even after a couple spats in the classroom. Now he volunteers like it’s his job helping around the classrooms and tutoring the younger students. He does what he can with his night job, but I see the spark in his eyes when he is around our students. He is one of my first success stories when I started working at the foundation. I see him out of the corner of my eye.
“Teach,” He knocks at my door, reviving the nickname he called me when I worked with him. I used to tell him I was not a teacher and in response “I’d hear ya, but you are a teacher in spirit.”
“Cedric, are you heading to go show the new volunteers the ropes today?” Typically he does that when we get the new batch of volunteers.
