The snowstorm began early in the morning. A light dusting at first, before the wind and intensity of the snow increased to what the weather reports called a "Northeaster". All that meant to Rachel who was looking out the sliding glass door of her high rise apartment was that she was trapped inside for the weekend. Working in New York City was tough enough. The long hours and the grueling deadlines of an editor for a prominent newspaper, Rachel Winthrop looked forward to the weekends where she would visit friends, and at the very least, take a walk in the park which was within her view from her apartment. Now she stood by the window and watched as the snow covered the streets and cars creating a winter wonderland where a bustle of traffic and noise had dulled her senses.
She sighed, left her post at the window and made herself a cup of tea, cream with no sugar, and settled in on the sofa with a book she had been meaning to read, but her mind wandered. She was thirty-two, in her prime and a stunner in the looks department. With her wavy chestnut colored hair and soft brown eyes, her body was what the world would call curvy which meant she would never be mistaken for anything else, but a woman. In her figure hugging jeans and soft pink sweater covering her form round breasts, she looked more like a pinup girl than an editor who hunkered in a small dimly lit office buried deep in articles and stories that needed to be edited for the next edition.
She both hated and loved her job. When Bob had left her, the newspaper was a great distraction to heal a broken heart and threw herself into it. It worked for a time, maybe a couple of years, but now she wanted more. She wanted a life again. With Bob in the distance and his memory quietly resting in the back of her mind, she focused on the future and what life could bring. She sipped the hot tea allowing the warmth to slide down her throat. How long had it been since she had sex? She shook head. There was no sense going there. It was too far back to remember and chuckled to herself thinking she might be considered a virgin again.
With the night settling in, the snow had accumulated several inches and the streets were empty to where only the soft warm buttery glow of the streetlights gave any definition to what was outside. Rachel prepared dinner, but instead of turning on the television, she played the radio listening to her favorite music and the occasional update on the storm. It was a slow Saturday night as she sat on the sofa and read settling into a warm drowsiness until a knock on the door woke her. At first, she thought she hadn't heard anything, but when there was another knock, a stronger more definitive knock, she rose from the sofa to look through the peep hole.
"Who is it?" she asked leaning against the door.
"It's Brad," came a voice that was low and soft.
Rachel didn't answer at first instead licked her full lips as to whether she heard right or not. Brad Huebring was an executive at the newspaper. A handsome refined man who, by all appearances, had kept the demeanor of a focused professional who had no other interest than the newspaper. At thirty-five he had risen through the ranks as reporter, to editor, to junior editor and now senior editor. His future was bright and he was the most handsome of men on staff. He stood six foot tall, with sandy blond hair and blue eyes that seemed like liquid pools when he looked at anyone. He wore tailored suits that framed his well-toned and muscular body and smelled of expensive cologne. He was every woman's dream at the newspaper, but as far as anyone could tell, he dated no one and kept his life extremely private.
Rachel shook her head from her wandering mind, "Brad Huebring?"
"Yea, Rachel. I'd like to talk to you," he said a little louder, but still quiet and reserved.
"Just a minute," she said smoothing her hair back before unlocking the door.
When she did open the door, a man dressed in a hooded blue parka, jeans and heavy boots entered without saying a word.
"What are you doing out on a night like this?" Rachel asked as she helped him out of his parka which was wet from snow and hung it on the back of a dining room chair to dry.
"I've come to see you," he smiled as he sat on another dining room chair removing his snow boots and placing them next to where Rachel hung his coat.
"Me?" she exclaimed. "I don't deem myself that important for someone to come out in a horrific storm like this just to see me."
"I think you're worth it," Brad said flashing a smile that caught her breath.
"Let me make you some coffee," she rushed towards the kitchen.
"I'd rather have a drink," he called.
"Ok," Rachel turned and headed towards the liquor cabinet at the end of the living room.
"I have bourbon, brandy, and wine," she began leaning over and sticking her head in the open door.
"I'll have a brandy," Brad said eying Rachel's delicious form from across the room.
Rachel could feel his eyes on her as she found two brandy snifters from the kitchen cupboard and poured brandy into each and handed one of them to him.
"Let's go sit in the living room," Brad said and Rachel nodded leading the way to the sofa that was greyish tan and had seen better days having a definite imprint of her bottom on one side where she sat the most.
"I'll sit here," she said sitting in her usual spot sinking into the comfort of the indented cushion.
Brad nodded and sat next to her, but not too close allowing perhaps a foot or more of space between them. It was meant to give some personal space, but Rachel could still feel her heart beat wildly in her chest because of his nearness.
"So why did you want to see me?" she asked sipping her brandy.
"It's really quite simple," he began. "I want you."
Rachel almost choked on her brandy. "Me? Why?"
Brad took his brandy snifter and swirled the contents in a circle, "Because I do."
"You could have anybody Brad. Half the women swoon when you walk by or haven't you noticed?" she said.
"I've noticed and I don't care about them," he answered not looking at her.
"I don't get it," she said taking another sip.
"You didn't flirt or try to impress me. It was if I didn't exist," Brad explained almost surprised by the fact.
