Chapter Three

Lifting up my coffee cup, I frowned as I realized it was empty. How was I supposed to push through the rest of the day without my favorite beverage?

The chiming of my phone had me moving away from my computer.

Marcus: Have you drank any water today?

Smiling, I read the text looking at the full water bottle that sat on my desk. My phone buzzed again and I look at the screen.

Marcus: Drink some water and then go get lunch.

Sitting the phone down, I picked up the water bottle and unscrewed the lid, taking a sip as I typed a message back to him.

Louis: What should I have?

Marcus: What would you like?

Louis: Amelia.

Marcus: I don’t think she’s ready for that, how about the deli across the street and I’ll send her to lunch and you can see if she wants to join you.

I smiled as I typed my reply, sitting down the phone as I finished my water. Tucking my phone in my pocket, I walked around my desk, heading over towards the elevator with the hope that I would catch Amelia before she went to lunch.

Employees passed by me as I made my way into the lobby, my eyes on the elevator as I waited for Amelia to come down. Moving to lean against one of the pillars as I waited for a glimpse of her.

“Hey you,” April said with a smile as she walked closer to me.

“Hey you, how goes your work?”

“It’s work,” She said, her blue eyes meeting mine as her smile widened. “Good things are coming.”

“So you keep saying.” I said, tucking my hands into my pockets. Our flock’s seer was something special, even in her cryptic ways.

“Sooner than you think, Louis.” She giggled as she looked over at the elevators. “I’ll see you tonight, James wants to fly later.”

“I’ll join you.”

“Good, it’s been too long since you’ve shifted.” She said squeezing my forearm as she walked past me. The elevator doors opened and Amelia stepped out. My breath caught in my throat again.

Would it get easier to be around her? Or would my heart always pound like this. Moving closer to her, I caught her scent. Just as mouth watering as it had been before.

“Little one,” I called out as I jogged towards her.

“Louis, right?” She asked, tucking her cellphone into her bag.

“Yeah, that’s me.” I said, feeling my cheeks heat up. Normally, I didn’t stumble over my words as much. “Would you like to grab some lunch?”

“Yeah, that would be great.” She beamed up at me and the butterflies in my stomach came to life.

“There’s a deli across the street,” I suggested, turning towards the doors.

“Sounds good to me. So what do you do here?” She asked, falling into step beside me.

“Record keeping.”

“In the basement?” She asked, I could feel her eyes on me and I didn’t know what to say to her.

That I wanted to lure her down to my basement didn’t sound like the right thing.

I nodded, “It’s quiet down there, nice.”

“So what type of things are down there?”

“Maybe you’ll have to come into my lair and see.” I said, licking my bottom lip. Watching the blush that my words caused. She was making it hard for me to restrain myself.

“Louis, if you keep flirting with me. Someone might get the wrong idea.”

“Is there a right idea for them to get?” I teased, moving closer to her as I guided her towards the small deli cafe.

“So you’re a flirt?” She asked, her eyes met mine as she pressed her lips together.

“Sometimes.” I answered with a shrug as I opened the door for her. We made our way to the counter, placing our lunch orders. “It’s a nice day, would you like to eat outside?”

“Sure, so how long have you worked for Mr. Blackwell?”

“For what seems like forever,” I said, dragging my hand through my hair as I looked down. How could I tell her that I had been there since the office opened, that I would be wherever Marcus needed me to be? Always.

“Some days must feel like that, down in your basement.” She said and I looked up, seeing the teasing glint in her eyes.

“Maybe you’ll have to come visit me.”

She leaned closer to me and I felt like my heart would stop beating as she looked up at me through lowered lashed. “Maybe you could give me a tour?”

My mouth went dry and I didn’t know what to say as a smile spread across her pale pink lips. Long lashes fluttered at me.

“Are you teasing me?”

“Yes,” she giggled. Our orders were called, keeping me from letting her know that I was serious.

I picked up the plastic bag as she carried our drinks outside to one of the umbrella shaded tables and sat down. Crossing her legs, my eyes moved over her pale toned calf.

I closed my eyes before I got lower to those heels. Vowing to myself that I’d take things slower than I longed to.

“You okay?” She asked, sitting our drinks down. Grabbing a straw to peel the wrapper off.

“Yeah,” I said. My voice was husky. There was something about Amelia that called to me, that made me want to hide her away from everyone else. That made me feel things that I thought I would never feel again for anyone but Marcus.

Shaking my head, I sat down across from her, hoping that a little distance would take away the lust I felt.