I was on the floor when I first saw him. Not literally mind you, I was making a presentation on management skills and fun in the workplace to a state-networking group. He walked in a bit late, after I had already begun the presentation. As he sat down in the back of the room... I paused for a moment in my speech. Getting distracted was something I had never done before.
Come on... I was a professional; I should not be losing any thought to a late arrival. He was not even good looking, not in any conventional sense. He was balding, with short black hair trimmed in a manner that neither detracted attention from his baldness, nor emphasized it. His nose had been broken at least once, and he had deep set eyes, in a tanned, weathered face. I did not even try to guess his age. He was tall, 6'4" at least. Yet even that did not make him stand out that much. It was his presence. He walked in a room and you noticed. It's that simple. I chalked it up to a good entrance, and continued my presentation.
It was about 10 minutes later that I felt his eyes. Now, I have felt men's eyes on me before. I am a trainer, and have made presentations and conducted sessions in front of a number of groups over the 2 years I had been working in the field. I am not an unattractive woman, and I know this. My looks are not something to put me into a Victoria's Secret catalogue, but I was no Plain Jane either. At 5'11", I stood out enough. I have shoulder length auburn hair, hazel eyes, and a luscious mouth. I am a size 10, mostly because of my curves. I have a tough time finding clothes that will fit someone 38-25-37. As it is a 36D bra is tough enough to find. Hence the other part of my attraction. It seems to be more subtle on a person my height though. Anyway... I was used to men's eyes, but for some reason I could not get used to his.
I was co-presenting with a coworker, and it was time for his part of the presentation. I stood back and let him take the floor. As I stood on the sidelines, it was easier to scan the audience without the lights in my eyes. As I looked about, my eyes locked onto his. Damn, he was brazen to completely ignore the presenter and look straight at me. He was not even pretending an interest in the words of my associate. He had this sexy grin on his face, something that announced to me what his thoughts were as he looked so intensely at me. I saw his eyes move in a slow downward motion, taking in every detail of my appearance. From my black linen jacket, to the red lace v-neck top underneath; from my slim black linen skirt, to the hose on my legs. His grin got wider and I almost thought he could tell they were thigh-highs, and not pantyhose. His gaze traveled all the way down to my 3 inch heels with their flirty straps. My skin tingled the entire time, always intensely in the area his eyes lingered.
Why was I reacting this way? I had been married, divorced, and dated a lot of different men. I had made love, had sex and even fucked a few of them. None of them... not even my ex-husband, had ever made me tingle with just a look. The part of the meeting we were presenting was winding to a close. Our host thanked us and we moved to a table in the back. My co-worker, George, said he had some stuff to do at the office, then he was calling it quits to go home to his very pregnant wife. I let him know that anything I planned to do was at home anyway... so I was not even coming in after the meeting. He gathered his things and left.
I was doing my utmost to ignore HIM, and turned to focus in on the remainder of the meeting. I don't know how, considering he never made a sound, but I knew when he moved next to me. Yet I still jumped when his breath hissed in my ear.
"Are you afraid of me?" He whispered.
"No, I am not afraid of you. Just attempting to ignore you." I was hoping my sarcasm would scare him off. His deep soft chuckle told me otherwise.
"Sexy and mouthy. Good. I hate simpering females." His smile was audible in his voice. I still would not look. "Obviously your attempting to ignore me is not working though. Otherwise you would look at me to show your disdain." A challenge had been issued. Did I dare? He was devastating at a distance, what would he be like up close? I screwed my face into my favorite disdainful, bored look and began to turn my head. As I did I felt his leg brush mine under the table. Heat arced like summer lighting to my leg and traveled strait to my crotch. Oh shit.
I closed my eyes and breathed deep in order to calm myself. I could hear his breathing change minutely as well. It came slower, raspy, as if he were attempting control. My arm rested on the table next to him, palm down. He moved his arm closer. The heat from his body wafted off of him. I felt as if I was standing next to the fire, and I wanted to jump in. He moved his hand to mine. They were now next to each other. As close as they could get without actually touching. He spread his fingers and arced his pinky finger to touch mine. The light touch was barely noticeable... yet I felt the imprint he left. A red-hot iron on my skin could not have been felt with any more emphasis than this slight caress. My breath caught in my throat.
"Look at me." He did not ask, he commanded. I had thought it was his presence that was commanding of attention, it truth, it was everything about him. All the cells in my body rebelled at turning my head, knowing somehow the affect it would have on me. I knew somewhere deep inside myself that if I looked at him, I would never be the same again. My life would be forever altered; changed by a man I did not yet know.
My eyes closed, my chin lifted a little; as if I was looking at the ceiling. I began to turn my head in a downward arc, without the will to stop. I could feel his hot breath on my face like an encompassing steam. It smelled of mint and coffee and man. I could not open my eyes.