LOVE TO HATE YOU

Leaning may lead to horizontal activities...

I don't know what it is about me and sugar, but by the time I got to my car, I'd polished off the bag in about two large mouthfuls and was already thinking about the next one-If there was a group called Sugar Addicts Anonymous, I'd have to join it. But I was also perturbed. And confused. I just didn't know what to make of Ben and it was driving me mad. He went from outrageous flirting to seeming sincerity in a matter of minutes. I still remembered how he'd been with Ness that morning-turning on the charm with that flirty, friendly voice of his.

Perhaps other women had also received snack packs with thoughtful little notes? Maybe it was part of his game plan, his modus operandi: ply all the woman in the office with chocolates, tell them all he loved them, and then get them in the back seat of his car and onto his lap? If his playboy reputation was anything to go by, that was definitely his plan. Well, whatever he was doing, it didn't matter, since I was never going to date him...

"Hey!" I turned and saw just the person I was thinking about running towards me-Oh God, Oh God!

"I see you got through the bag without incident," he said, pointing to the finished packet in my hand. I felt a sudden stab of embarrassment at the fact he knew I'd just guzzled them down like a little hungry piggy.

"Yeah. Thanks. You didn't have to-"

"I wanted to."

I kept silent. He was leaning again, against my car-DANGER: Leaning may lead to horizontal activities.

"Do you want to go for a drink?" he asked.

"I don't drink anymore," I said, moving away from the dark mysterious man leaning against my dirty car. He was going to get one hell of a shock when he pulled away and realized one half of his suit was now tan.

"Since when?" His words were smothered in playful naughtiness.

I instantly blushed. "Since it drives me to make terrible impulsive mistakes."

"Like what?" His voice was deep and husky again-God this guy was a pro. He shot me a playful wink, which, despite all my self-control, made my knees weak. I mentally berated myself for being such a weak-willed woman and then stood up straight again, ready to battle this sexual force of nature.

He was smiling and I could tell he was trying to lure me into some kind of flirty game. Well I wasn't going to fall for those sotto tones and dreamy, chocolaty bedroom eyes. I folded my arms and shot him a pointed look. "Like ending up in the backseat of a car with a stranger."

"Really!" He feigned shock, pretending not to know what I was talking about. "And here I thought you were a good girl with those librarian glasses."

For some reason, at the mention of my glasses, I fiddled with them, which seemed to make him smile even more.

"I've got to go." I turned and slipped my keys into the car door-invented before such modern things as battery controlled locking mechanisms-probably batteries too.

"Coffee then?" he asked. His hand slid over mine and I slapped it away.

"I've already had far too many cups today." I jiggled my keys around; there was a certain trick to opening the lock - especially since my father tried to pick it one night in a rather lame attempt to steal it. I'd long since been forced to get over the embarrassment of driving the shittiest car in the office.

"Decaf?"

I sighed loudly. A long, loud exacerbated sigh. This guy was so persistent, perhaps even borderline stalker. I didn't get it.