hung up and expelled the breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. Uncertain as to if she’d call or how that would make him feel, Monte allowed the alluring scent of Torie’s roses to soothe him temporarily. He couldn’t deny that she’d touched him in a place that he’d thought no one would ever be able to reach again. He certainly hadn’t been looking for it, but it was precisely because he wasn’t looking that she’d appeared. While he was a man who’d long ago stopped believing in destiny and fate, he could not help but wonder if Torie Turner had come into his life and his elevator at precisely the moment when he needed her to.
Chapter 5
Cards on the Table
“So, Ms. Turner, have you hung out in any nice elevators lately?” Monte asked.
They were seated at an intimate table for two at an obscure Italian restaurant in walking distance of the Time Warner building.
“Ha-ha. Very funny, Mr. Lewis,” Torie replied.
Monte beamed beneath the warmth of her sunny smile.
“I’m just teasing you. How’ve you been?”
“I’ve been well, thank you. And for the record, I’ve been avoiding elevators ever since,” Torie answered.
Monte ordered a cabernet sauvignon by the bottle when the waiter approached. When Torie had returned his call, he was crushed to know that she was actually in California on business. She returned his hopes when she informed that she’d be back in town in a couple of days and would love to have lunch with him. They made plans to meet on Friday, two weeks after their fateful night together. For the days leading up to their date, Monte found himself wafting between moments of elation and others of despair. He didn’t want to make too much of her acceptance of his invitation, yet he couldn’t help but think that it meant, as Brent stated, that she was interested in him. Seated across the table from her now, he felt like a goofy teenager, unsure of himself.
Torie gratefully accepted the glass of wine poured by the waiter. She took a protracted sip, quenching her dry throat. She chided herself silently, annoyed at how nervous she was, seated across from Monte. That morning, with their date looming before her, she’d changed her outfit three times before finally deciding on a long-sleeved animal-print blouse and white slacks. She wore minimal makeup as usual, opting for a subtle shimmer on her eyes and a tinted lip gloss. She wore her shoulder-length bronze-copper hair pulled back from her face and held in place by a silver comb. Confident in her appearance, Torie wished that some of that confidence would calm the butterflies that were flitting around in her belly.
“I’ve got to tell you, those flowers you sent me caused quite a stir around the office,” Monte said.
“Really? Why is that?” Torie asked.
“Well, it’s not every day that I get elaborate floral arrangements from a female.”
“Oh? So do you usually get them from a male?”
“That’s cute. Okay, I guess I set myself up for that one. What I meant to say was that it was an unusual sight and people were curious,” Monte said.
“Were they interested in who they were from or what you did to deserve them?” Torie asked.
“Both.”
“What’d you tell them?”
“Absolutely nothing. I figured I’d keep them guessing.”
“I see. Well, next time, maybe I’ll send you some balloons, instead. All right?” Torie laughed.
“Definitely all right…especially that part about next time,” Monte said.
His meaning was not lost on Torie. She took another sip of wine and smiled at him. It was so difficult not to be captivated by everything about Monte—his eyes and his smile drew her in like a spider’s web. She’d wanted to resist him and the feelings he had ignited in her, but denying herself the pleasure of the company of a man like Monte proved more difficult than she had imagined it would be. When she’d set her mind to avoiding romantic entanglements for the foreseeable future, she had not encountered the likes of Monte Lewis. There was a calm that surrounded the man like a cloak, traveled with him and pervaded the mood of anyone who came into contact with him. She liked the way she felt around him, and going against her previous stance did not seem like such a high price to pay to enjoy that feeling.
“Can I ask you a question?” Monte asked.
“You just did.”
“Wow, are you sure you’re an actress and not a comedienne?” Monte retorted.
“I’m sorry.” Torie laughed. “I have this bad habit of cracking jokes when I’m nervous.”
“What do you have to be nervous about?” Monte asked.
His surprise was evident on his face as he regarded her. The notion that the beautiful, poised woman seated across the table from him would be nervous in his presence or that of any man, for that matter, was absurd.
“You, Mr. Lewis. For some reason, you make me nervous,” Torie admitted shyly.
“I assure you, Torie, you have nothing to be nervous about. I’m harmless.”
“Somehow I doubt that, but we digress. You wanted to ask me a question. Shoot.”
“Well, it’s actually twofold…my question. And excuse me in advance if this is out of line or inappropriate, but I’m a little out of practice at this. I was just wondering if you’re seeing anyone and, if not, if, uh, if you’d like to see me. I mean, you know, maybe go out from time to time—schedules permitting—to dinner, a movie, or whatever you’re into.”
There, he’d said it. Monte could almost feel his throat closing up as he waited for her response. He hadn’t meant to be so blunt, especially not before they’d even ordered their meals. However, he could not continue to deny how alluring he found her and he needed to know early on if there was even a chance that they could see each other again. He told himself that knowing up-front would set the tone for the remainder of their lunch date, and he could avoid getting his hopes up if this was a one-shot deal.
“I like you, too, Monte,” was Torie’s simple reply.
Monte held his breath, unsure if a but was about to come. When she said nothing further, he surged ahead for her.
“But?”
“But nothing. You like me and I like you, too. It’s out there now. So, why don’t we just sit back, enjoy our lunch and see what happens.”
Damn, he thought, what style. No one could deny that this woman had panache. He took her advice and enjoyed every minute with her that afternoon. They chatted more about her upbringing in her hometown—North Atlanta, Georgia—in comparison to his as a native New Yorker. They discovered a few things they had in common, such as both being raised in single-parent homes and neither of them having a relationship with their fathers. Monte was an only child; Torie’s younger brother, Darius, was a deputy sheriff back in Atlanta. They laughed when they discovered that they’d both served as senior class presidents in their respective high schools, and while Monte had played the tuba in
