TRAVIS
To say I feel like an asshole after my last interaction with Ms. DeLisle would be an understatement. We've had this back-and-forth ever since we met, but I guess I took it too far that day.
An entire week has passed since the incident and I haven't seen her. I know she's been at work, in fact, she's made a point to clock in with HR every morning and clock out when she leaves. I'm sure that's for my benefit, but I don't deserve it.
I know I could've gone to her to apologize, but every time I was in the building, she was either actively avoiding me, or in the midst of a group of people. So I never found a good time.
That changes tonight. I've invited her to check out a building I'm thinking about purchasing for our expansion in the Garment District. I don't need her opinion to be honest, but it's a plausible enough excuse for why I would want to get her alone.
It's been10 minutes since I got to this old building. I'm probably breathing more dust than I'm supposed to in a lifetime just waiting here on the main floor. I reach up to scratch an itch along my jaw and the sound the action makes on my 5 o'clock shadow fills the room, but not for long, because it is quickly replaced by footsteps approaching.
I turn just in time to see Ms. DeLisle round the corner, and she takes my breath away.
Her hair is in its usual high ponytail, but that's all about her that looks normal. She has traded in her usual pant suits for a black fitted dress that stops just above her knee. It has a plunging neck line which displays her full breasts in all their glory. She is wearing strappy stiletto heels that wind up her shapely calf and stop at her knee. Over the whole outfit is a moss-green trench coat.
I'm ashamed to admit it, but the vision of her walking toward me, her hips swing, her breasts heaving, causes me to twitch in my pants.
When she stops in front of me, I can't help but leer at her. "Ms. DeLisle, you look amazing..."
Color rises to her cheeks and she brushes hair back off her temple that isn't there. "Thank you. I am meeting a friend after this for drinks."
I try for words, but nothing coming out, so she continues, "Also, why do you call me, Ms. DeLisle? You asked me to call you Travis, so I think it's only fair you call me Paige."
I nod with a smile. "Well, Paige, let me give you the tour."
I spend the next 30 minutes walking Paige around the space, showing her everything the realtor had shown me. I was actually leaning toward not buying this place, but seeing how Paige has reacted to it has made me reconsider.Hearing her ideas for the space and what we could do with every square inch of it has actually gotten me excited. I guess I was wrong about not needing her input on this.
At the end of the tour I turn to her. "How is it thatDeLisledoesn't have a presence in the Garment District of all places?"
A corner of her lips kick up in a half smile, and she says, "When we got enough money to establish ourselves in a place like this, I figured people would expect us to run our operations out of the Garment District. I hate being predictable. So I chose to steer clear." She giggles and the melodious sound fills the space. "I know it's silly, but it made sense at the time."
"No, it's not silly. I get it. I know you probably see me as ancient, but I remember being your age, you know, just starting out and wanting to stand out and prove yourself."
She looks at me in thought for a moment before she says, "I don't think you're ancient..." she holds my gaze for a few seconds longer, then turns around and starts to walk away. "What do you say we get out of here? This place is starting to give me the creeps."
Is it me or did she say that a little too suggestively? It takes me a moment before I kick into gear and walk after her. I catch up to her just before she reaches the main exit.
"Hey, can we talk for a moment?"
She stops. "Ummm, sure..."
"I just wanted to apologize about the other day. You know, when I questioned you about your family emergency. I shouldn't have done that and I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."