Alyssa's Second Chance [Completed]

11-Our Secret

I feel like I just closed my eyes when I begin hearing the gentle whispering of my name and feel someone caressing my cheek.  I slowly open my eyes and see a pair of bright green eyes staring right back at me.   

"I'm sorry.  You seem so tired."  Amir sighs. "I know that you didn't want to oversleep, but was an hour really enough?" He sits on the edge of the bed and begins gently tracing circles on my back while I continue to lay on my tummy trying to wake up. 

For a moment, I imagine what it would be like to wake up in the morning next to Amir.  I feel butterflies in my stomach and warmth in my core.  I notice the top buttons of his dress shirt are open showing a glimpse of his muscular upper body.  It takes everything for me to avoid pulling him into bed with me. 

I feel this desire to touch him that I can't seem to control.  I don't know why these random impulses keep coming up.  I smell his cologne and feel his touch and I am completely drawn to him.  I work with a lot of attractive men and none of them have this effect on me.  I am sure these feelings are just one-sided.  I want him badly, but I know I need to set boundaries. 

I remember that I am still lying on his bed and I should move before I make a fool of myself.   I try to reply while stifling a yawn.  "I feel a little better after the nap.  Thanks for waking me up.  I only have a couple more hours before I need to get back to the airport." 

"Why don't you stay tonight?  We can change your flight."  Amir offered with a hopeful voice.  "Emily won't mind.  You can take this room and I can find another place to sleep."     

I sit up and stretch.  "I appreciate the offer, but I have to get back to my kids.  They leave on Sunday for a trip with my mom and I want to spend time with them before they leave." 

A look of disappointment flashes across his face.  Part of me expects him to argue that I should stay, but he doesn't protest.  He takes my hand and suggests that we should find something to eat. 

As Amir pulls me down the hall, I pass a mirror and notice my appearance.  My makeup looks fine, but my hair isn't pinned up.  It's just falling over my shoulders in soft waves.  I hope that no one will notice.  The last thing that I need is for someone from DNT to think that I am sleeping with the new boss.      It wasn't a smart move to leave the bedroom looking like I've been rolling around in bed.  

As we make our way downstairs, I notice that house is pretty quiet.  It seems like most of the guests have left.  We make our way into the kitchen managing to avoid everyone.  Amir grabs some plates and starts pulling leftovers from the reception out of the fridge.  After serving me a huge plate of food and a glass of wine, he leads me outside past the pool and the boundaries of the yard to a small area of wood that borders a golf course. 

We sit down on a couple of chairs that face the course but seem hidden on the border of the woods.  "This was Geoff's favorite spot to spy on other golfers that belong to his club,"  Amir says with a smile. "This is the toughest hole on the course and Geoff would use it as a way to size up the competition before tournaments.  He was very competitive."   

"Knowing Geoff, he probably bought the house for that very reason,"  I reply as I start digging into my food.   I haven't had a bite to eat since this morning and I am starving.  I am so focused on my food that I don't notice the lack of conversation.  Then, I look up to see Amir staring at me with a look of amazement. 

"Wow.  Most of the women, I know would eat the salad and then take a couple of bites of meat and avoid the carbs altogether."  Amir says with a laugh.

"Well, these women you know are probably trying to impress you with their dainty little appetites." I take a bite of mashed potatoes and continue.   "They starve themselves in your presence and then eat a gallon of ice cream when they get home.  They act like they don't get hungry in public and then binge on junk.  That's not me at all."  

"You aren't trying to impress me with your dainty appetite?" He asks.

"Nope.  I love to cook and eat good food.  I eat what I want, but I have a good metabolism.  I am really active with the kids and I work out.  I don't really care what people think about my eating habits.  My clothes all fit and I am happy with myself and that's all that matters." I eat my last bite of mashed potatoes and smile. 

Amir puts down our plates and pulls out a small container with a slice of cheesecake and a fork.  Taking a bite of cheesecake on the fork, he brings it to my mouth.  "Do you have room for dessert?"      

Open my mouth and savor the flavor of the cheesecake letting a small moan escape.   Suddenly, I feel the mood shift and see Amir staring at my lips.  He leans in caressing my cheek and places a chaste kiss lightly on my lips.  Pulling me toward him, he rests his forehead gently against mine. 

I'm stunned, but my body reacts instantly.  I feel a rush of tingles and my heart starts pounding.   I speechless and I'm never speechless.  I want to lean in and kiss him back, but I know this is a dangerous game that I can't afford to play. 

"Amir... " I whisper with a shaky voice.  Before I can continue, I'm interrupted by the ringing of a cell phone.  I watch as Amir pulls his phone from his pocket and the moment is broken.  I use the time while he is on the phone to try to figure out what I'm going to do next. 

I am still trying to figure out how to proceed when he turns to me and says, "Your ride to the airport is here."  I can't tell what he's thinking.  Is the look on his face disappointment or maybe regret? 

Yesterday, I scheduled my shuttle to the airport.   I forgot all about it until now, because I was caught up in all of the attention from Amir.  I look at my watch and am shocked at the time.  "I have to go or I'm going to miss my flight."

"Wait.  We need to talk.  Let me drive you to the airport." I can see the conflict in his eyes. 

A sudden sadness hits me.  I'm sure that he was just looking for comfort on a tough day and now he's recognized his mistake.  That realization makes it hard for me to get out a response. 

"No, it's probably best that we talk about this another time.  It was an emotional day and we got carried away.  Don't worry about it. We're colleagues and we can't be more than that."   Then, I turn and walk quickly toward the house.  In my haste, I call over my shoulder, "I'll be on vacation for the next couple of weeks.  We can talk when I get back in the office."  

I start sprinting through the woods, across the lawn, and past the pool.  Unlike Cinderella, I manage to keep both of my shoes on my feet.   I rush through the house grabbing my purse on the way and jump in the waiting shuttle van.  

As the van pulls out of the driveway, I look over my shoulder and see Amir standing on the porch watching the van drive away.   His expression is grim.  The timing of the shuttle arriving is probably for the best.  Hopefully, things will be back to normal in two weeks and we won't need to talk about what happened today.  It can be our secret.