Technical Stirrings

Eve left the pounding rain behind as she drove her sky blue Honda SUV into the parking garage of the Haines Building. Sliding into a vacant spot by the elevators; she quickly grabbed her portfolio and oversize purse, then dashed from the car to the elevators.

It was fortunate that she was the lone occupant, as the elevator rose to the 10th floor, it gave her a chance to smooth down her dark chestnut brown hair and run her hands down the front of her suit. Officially, she was not late for her appointment with Carter Haines, she had about fifteen minutes leeway, but it was not in her nature to cut it even that short for a business appointment. She always liked to give herself plenty of time to gather her thoughts and assess her soundings. But this morning had been an unusually hectic one at Marshall Caterers. A last minute rush order had come in from a frequent client and Eve didn’t want to turn them down. The event was requested for the next day, putting her and her staff into high-gear to get everything done. But she had confidence in her staff and knew that they would pull it all together.

The elevator doors opened onto a short corridor, at the end of which was a receptionist desk under the Haines IT Solution name. Eve stopped at the desk just as the neon-red redhead disconnected from the phone.

It was a moment before she spoke, taking the time to give Eve a quick perusal.

“May I help you?” came out in thick southern twang.

“I’m Eve Marshall, of Marshall Caterers. I have an appointment with Carter Haines.”

“Please have a seat Ms. Marshall, and I’ll let Mr. Haines assistant know you’re here”, she said with a dismissive smile.

Eve repositioned the strap of the cream leather purse on her shoulder and took a seat on one of the cushioned couches lining the walls of hall. Five minutes later a smiling 50-something, grayish-blond, women came out from a side door.

Eve stood and they shook hands as she was ushered toward the entrance to the main offices.

“Nice to meet you Ms. Marshall. I’m Carla Diggs, Mr. Haines, Administrative Assistant. He’s just finishing up a board meeting and is looking forward to meeting you. Right this way.”

They walked by a series of cubicles, with most of the people not paying too much attention as they passed, but Eve did notice that a number of the younger women gave her much the same once over as had the receptionist.

Carla ushered Eve into what was her private office, and then through another door to the domain of Carter Haines, founder & CEO of Haines IT Solutions.

Eve stepped into the office and heard the door close behind her as Carla left her alone in the office. She was standing in the streaming sunlight that was flooding into the room from the floor-to-ceiling windows which ran the length of the wall behind the huge mahogany desk. The office seemed empty, so Eve took a look around. It was definitely a man’s domain. A comfortable navy leather couch and matching chair was adjacent to the entrance, while dark wood shelves lined one side wall. The opposite side wall was adorned with a several black and white photos of various harbor shots from around the country. Eve recognized the Baltimore Harbor and San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. Unconsciously, she began to move closer to the photos.

“Beautiful”

Eve turned toward the deep voice which vibrated through her. She had first thought the office was empty but standing near a side door was what her younger sister would call a hunk. Eve recognized him from newspaper photos and local TV appearances. Carter Haines was well over six feet, with baby blond hair, penetrating gray eyes and strong Romanesque features that would turn the head of any living and breathing woman. He had his considerably wide shoulders leaning against the door frame. It was evident that he did not restrict himself just to work, (and his well-known social attachments), because even his perfectly cut Italian suit could not hide the fact that he spent time at the gym.

Carter watched as fleeting emotions passed across the beautiful face before him. Her honey-cocoa skin was smooth and made for exploring. He would bet she was just as smooth and soft under the cream business suit that hugged her perfectly proportioned curves. Petite, he was sure she would just reach the top of his shoulders, even in her three inch matching cream pumps. The only color she wore was the alluring red silk lace chemise that peaked at the top of her buttoned jacket and just promised at the generous breasts beneath it.

He had startled her, but Eve had quickly returned to her purely business mold. Although, if she was honest with herself, she had to admit that she had taken a few seconds to enjoy the purely sensual spark that flowed through her as he approached.

“I agree with you, the photos are beautiful.” She said as she met him halfway across the room and held out her hand.

Although Carter had not been expressing his ‘beautiful’ about the photos, he said “My kid brother took them. He’s only sixteen but seems to have found his life calling. I’m Carter Haines.” He had shaken her hand but held on as he waited for her response.

“Eve Marshall. Your brother is very talented even if he is young.”

Realizing Carter was still holding her hand, she reluctantly pulled back, immediately missing the warmth and security he had conveyed with just a touch.

“Nice to meet you. Please let’s have a seat.” He surprised her by not offering her the chair in the front of his desk but instead walked her over to the sofa and waited until she was seated before he took the chair across from her. He did not speak again until she had laid her portfolio on the coffee table between them.

“I understand Carla briefed you when she set up this meeting. I’ve heard good things about your company.”

“Thank you. Ms. Diggs did indicate that you will be holding a reception for your clients and visiting business associates from Mexico.” Eve said as she pulled out a yellow legal pad form her portfolio and then went on; “I sent Ms. Diggs a list of my current clients and events we have catered and I can assure you that our staff can meet your needs. Our focus is business events only. Have you attended anything we’ve catered?” This had all been said in a rapid rush and ended with giving herself a mental reprimand.

What was the matter with her; she was running on as if this was her very first meeting with a client. But being this close to him was causing her sensations that had nothing to do with business.

Carter took a moment before he answered, and if the truth be told, he had only half listened to what she had been saying anyway. He deliberately had directed her to the couch and taken the seat across from her. She had stirred him the moment he saw her admiring the photos and he had wanted to continue to enjoy the beautiful picture she made as close as possible; and from behind a desk would not do at all.

He continued to admire how her beautiful golden brown skin glowed. She wore very little make-up, as far as he could tell, with only an elegant wine-colored lipstick on lips that pouted when she was gathering her thoughts. They were primed and ready for kissing and he wanted to be the one to meet their challenge. Her heart-shaped face was framed by soft, naturally curly, dark brownish auburn hair. Her slightly almond shaped, deep hazel eyes seemed to dance when she smiled and he wanted nothing more than for them to always dance for him. Glancing down, he noticed her ankles were crossed, but as petite as she was, her legs seemed of go on forever and his imagination had him visualizing their skirt clad juncture.

Forcing himself back to the original reason for the meeting, he finally responded, “I attended the Winters & Davis event a couple of months ago. Josephine Winters could not say enough about your company. You seemed to have done an excellent job and I know Josephine is not the easiest person to work with. But I don’t remember seeing you there.”

“I usually spend my time behind the scenes when we cater an event. Ms. Winters was rather specific about what she wanted but we finally came to an understanding and a working relationship. She had wanted everything to go perfect for the announcement of her father’s new partnership with Mr. Davis.” Eve knew that Josephine Winters and Carter Haines had been an on- again off-again item for a while, and the local social columns had loved it. That thought brought a stab of what she recognized as envy (or maybe jealousy). But that was ridiculous; she had just met the man.

Getting her emotions back in check she went on, “Now I understand you will be holding the reception here and expect about 200 people. I would like to see the room you will be using and hear your ideas on menu and service.”

Normally, Carter would have left her to work out the minute details with Carla, but he was too intrigued with wanting to know Eve better than to leave it to his Admin. This definitely was going to be hands on project for him, and in more ways than one, if the vibes he was feeling was reciprocated.

“Why don’t I take you up to our roof top conservatory and we can discuss the set-up and menu. Just let me leave some instructions for Carla.” Not waiting for a response, he stood and strolled over to the desk to pick up the phone.

It was a chance for Eve to once again admire the sleek physical finest of the man. He was gorgeous and Eve was sure he knew it. His soft blond hair was a bit long and a lock fell forward as he shuffled some papers on his desk. His hands were long and tapered but with a strength that belied their appearance. How would they feel in a caress that explored her completely?

Eve came out of her reverie with a start; and began to gather her things. What was she thinking? Get a hold of yourself; you’re not a teenager, drooling over some movie star. But mental drooling was just what she had been doing and she had to put a halt to it or make a fool out herself. Besides she was sure that after today she would only be working with his assistant or some one else in the company.

She was still admonishing herself, when she felt his presence and looked up into his incredible deep gray-blue eyes and that killer smile. She had the uneasy feeling he had been standing there for a minute or so; probably thinking she was a bit slow or something.

“Let’s head up to the conservatory and I can show you around.” Carter held out his hand to help her up, an old-fashioned thing to do, but it brought a smile to Eve eyes and as she placed her hand in his, she felt like the most valued piece of china in the world.

As she rose, he stepped closer and for what seemed like an eternity they both just starred into each other eyes, breaths held and mesmerized. The jolt of electricity that pasted between them, when Eve had taken his hand, had shocked them both; but it all seemed so right. They could not deny that their attraction to each other had grown in only a matter of minutes.

Eve was the first to step back and drop his hand. They both remained silent until a knock at the door broke the spell.

Carla peaked around the opened door, “I cancelled your 1 o’clock and you have nothing until 3, also your reservations are made.”

“Thank you Carla. I’m going to show Ms. Marshall where we want to hold the reception and then we are off for lunch.”

Carla seemed surprise, (but not as surprise as Eve who really had no plans to have lunch with him.) “Alright, Mr. Haines” as she closed the door and left.

Eve turned to him, “Mr. Haines I hadn’t planned on lunch with you. Perhaps I should meet with Ms. Diggs to workout the details of the reception and you can review them later.”

“The name is Carter, and I hope I can call you Eve. Now we both have to eat and doing it together will give us a chance to get to know each other and we might even go over those plans for the reception. This way.”

Carter led her to the side door, where she first had seen him and they passed into a small vestibule with two other closed doors and a single elevator. Using a key, Carter unlocked the elevator door and gently placing his hand on her back ushered her inside. Nothing was said, but he did not remove his hand until the doors opened again and they stepped into the enclosed roof top garden.

Reluctantly removing his hand from her back, Carter said, “We’ll hold the reception here. There are stored chairs and tables and a commercial kitchen to the side of the room. But I want this to be a standing affair, which will force people to circulate. “

Needing to put some distance between them, his hand at the small of her back had sent every nerve in her body tingling, Eve left his side to meander around the circular room, mentally setting up tables and placing staff.

“This is a beautiful room and with all the lush foliage and glass roof, it will make a wonderful setting. Will you need an audio set-up?” she said as she turned back to him.

Her voice brought him back to the business at hand; he had been absorbed in watching her grace as she inspected the room and the different plants and flowers.

“No, we have that in-house, but I would like to have a table, for brief introductions and a few words from the Mexican representatives.”

“May I see the kitchen?” Eve asked.

They went toward the far side of the room and into a large kitchen. Eve noted it was fully equipped and would accommodate as many of her staff as was needed for the event.

“Since this is to be a stand-up affair, I assume a variety of hors d'oeuvre and drinks will do?”

“Yes, with circulating wait staff. Also, include a variety of wines, mostly local. No hard liquors and plenty of non-alcoholic offerings.” Carter responded.

Eve asked, “Did you have anything in mind, as far as menu?”

A grin broke across his handsome face as he answered, “Not a clue. Why don’t you draw up a menu and you and I can go over it later this week.”

She wasn’t surprised by the first part of his answer, she didn’t expect he spent too much time thinking about menus, but he wanting to review it, personally, was not expected.

“Well, I could get some plans back to Ms. Diggs by Friday and she can let me know what you think.”

Carter’s response was given with a smile but was firm, “As I said earlier, you and I can plan this together. Now how about lunch? We have reservations at Canyon’s. ”

Eve had been hoping he had been kidding about lunch but her heart leaped at the chance of spending more time with him. “Look, lunch isn’t necessary, I have all the information I need to draw up some preliminary plans and get them to you. Besides, I need to check in with my office and I’m sure you have things to get back to.”

“I was serious about lunch and besides I never pass up the chance to spend time with a beautiful woman. You can call your office on the way to the restaurant. So, shall we go?”

End of Part One.

It looks like Eve and Carter are on a new path. Life never goes smoothly, but the road to lasting love is often a rocky one. What come next will be joys and challenges; but enduring love always wins out. (Let’s Hope!)

Part Two – November 1

Copyright © 2009 J.Victoria Bullock