Episode 11: Date

A/N: Just five random chapters out of nowhere. You're welcome! x Weekly updates will start once I've marked my other book, "Falling for the Chase", as completed.

Episode 11: Date

Absolutely spellbound, Leslie gazed at the young woman staring back at her through the mirror.

She had an appearance of a renowned celebrity.

The strappy, floor-length, rose colored satin dress with a split, revealing her toned leg was simply stunning. It accentuated her curves in the right places and made the image of her twice as appealing.

Her round eyes drifted to the brunette hair which fell in soft waves past her shoulders and framed her face. She consciously tucked a strand behind her ear, revealing her expensive knob earrings. She had given extra attention to her makeup today since Noah had told her this was a formal event. Her efforts were outstanding to say the least. With all these years of having little interest in the emphasis of her own beauty, you'd think moments like these would take a village's help to come by.

When she finally snapped out of it, the woman let out a curse word at the clock striking six o'clock on the wall.

After grabbing her phone, she was careful in the nude heels on her feet while running down the stairs.

Her mouth dropped open when she saw the vehicle that the poet sent to escort her to his book launching event today. It was a sleek, black car which she was sure was the latest version of an Audi A3 S Line. It was one of the regulars being promoted on TV these days.

What surprised her more was when Noah Taylor himself came out of the car, designer suit and all.

"Wow, you look absolutely stunning!" He gushed, eyes roaming Leslie in appreciation.

She blushed before approaching him.

"Didn't you say you couldn't come and personally pick me up today? What happened?"

"I delayed my speech by half an hour to make it here. I thought it would be very unflattering of me to invite you to my event and not see to it that you arrive safely."

Her hand rubbed at the nape of her neck. "You really didn't have to."

"Oh, trust me, I do."

His dark eyes shone with mischief and she couldn't hold back the next words upon noticing it.

"Noah," she started hesitantly. "I don't want you to be reading this entire occurrence of me attending your book launch in the wrong way."

His lips trembled with the temptation to burst out laughing.

"Trust me when I say you're not my type."

Ouch, she flinched at his brutal honesty.

Should she have been relieved or offended?

She didn't quite know.

Before there was time to ponder on it longer, he held out his hand towards her with a gentle smile.

"Now why don't you let me help you melt that iceberg of my best friend's heart?"

Her eyes widened.

How did he—

"I know a lot more than I let on, Leslie. You don't have to be looking at me as if you've seen a ghost because of my comment."

She tried to gather herself as quickly as possible.

"What makes you think that I'm interested in Christopher—I mean, Mr. Wells?" She eyed him with deep apprehension while swallowing harshly.

"You don't exactly do a good job at hiding it with how you look at him like he has some sort of halo effect hovering around." He snorted.

She felt a true blush creep up the side of her neck.

Did she really look at him with such appraisal and favor that even onlookers could spot the honey in her eyes?

How embarrassing.

Her whole body was flushed at the realization until her mind put two and two together.

"Wait..." Her eyebrows furrowed whilst staring him down.

"Is that why you're doing all of this? Asking for my number, inviting me to your event and even going to great lengths to escort me as if I were your date?"

Noah gave a sly grin.

"You would be amazed by the amount of power jealousy yields."

Leslie blew out a breath of disbelief.

He had done all of this in the name of getting on his best friend's nerves. No—to prick him with the thorns of jealousy, hoping that the green eyed monster (or the blue eyed one she had fondly regarded him as once) would make some kind of appearance.

The brunette didn't know if she should feel flattered that the guy thought of her as powerful enough to have that control over Christopher or angry that he had kept her in the dark for so long.

"How long have you been planning all of this?"

"Since the moment I laid eyes on you," he admitted truthfully.

"Or should I say the moment I saw the way Christopher laid his eyes on you."

She gave him an extremely confused look.

How did his friend look at her except for with contempt and exhaustion seeping from his eyes?

He sighed at her.

"You see, Christopher isn't the kind to give a woman the time of day. Well, at least it's been a while since he did so. When his eyes kept taking secret glances at you I had a suspicion of his interest but it was confirmed by his strong opposition to me getting your number."

Wow, the woman thought in awe.

He really had planned everything out from the second they met outside of the meeting room.

But that wasn't the part which sparked the most interest within the woman.

It was the fact that he was actually rooting for her and his friend.

That he thought there was some kind of longing from him towards her.

Was it true?

Did Christopher actually have interest, no matter if it's a tiny ounce, in getting romantically involved with her?

"Do you really think that he likes me?"

Noah's eyebrows tugged together at the question.

It seemed as if she had asked the most ridiculous thing he had heard in a long while.

"I'm sorry but have you seen you?" The man asked, hands gesturing to her body.

Despite how much her ego soared at the compliment, she wasn't satisfied with such an answer.

"But you just said that he hasn't paid attention to a woman in a long time. Doesn't that involve the ones who look just as pretty as I am, if not more? What makes me so different from the rest of them?"

He shook his head, a smile playing on his lips.

"You really like him, don't you?"

She let out a scoff, despite the heat in her cheeks.

"Liking him is inevitable with how much he has going for himself but that affection can easily be erased with some effort and the hands of time."

"Please don't." Noah beseeched.

Leslie's eyes found him, softening into a pool of brown.

He really cared for his friend, didn't he?

She looked ahead of her in thought and unknowingly began to share her fears with him.

"I just don't want to rush in head first not knowing my chances of success. It's quite embarrassing of me to admit this but I've been turned down by him before, and not just once. It's been a regular occurrence since I've gotten to know him. I told myself that I wouldn't put myself out there again in order for him to walk all over my feelings. It's just not fair to my mental health. Since as long as I can remember I'm always the one taking the risks of blurring that line of our professional relationship. I no longer want to feel like I'm throwing myself at someone who doesn't want me or is too scared to make sacrifices for the possibility of us."

The man sighed, digging both hands into his pants with a confrontational stance.

"Have you ever considered how difficult that must be for him? For as long as I can recall Christopher hasn't been the greatest at relaying his feelings to others."

Tell me about it, she wanted to say but instead of being sarcastic, she continued listening to him.

"In fact, he's stone cold towards even his own family so it doesn't take me by surprise when he can't reciprocate a certain emotion in a moment which requires it. Whenever he feels an overwhelming interest in something which is very rare it often comes in stages. First is that pure, unfiltered interest. Then it's that confusion towards the feeling which is followed by the need to shun it. That pushiness you're referring to is exactly what he needs in order to face his fears and come to terms with his attraction towards you." Noah's chest rose and fell rapidly at the end of his speech, eyes looking at the woman in front of him expectantly.

She had no idea the influence she had over his best friend.

It was to the point where the man had even called him this week to ask about the launch with an hidden intent of finding out if he was aware if she was still attending.

If that didn't show the level of his curiosity towards her, he didn't know what did.

Leslie felt something inside of her bloom, a ray of hope that she never expected to resurface at the name of Christopher Wells.

Maybe he truly was attracted to her in a hidden way...

That would explain why he had put up with her little jabs at him which were far from appropriate taking into consideration he was her superior when working.

She also tested his patience more than was endurable for a healthy man with her advances.

But if he liked her, why didn't he just say so?

Not everyone is as well-versed about their infatuation as you, Les, her subconscious mocked.

Rolling her eyes, the woman sighed.

It was hard to believe that a man like Christopher was the shy type.

It just didn't fit that entire mysterious yet sexy aura he emitted anytime he was around her.

The saying 'don't judge a book by its cover' was really making itself applicable in this situation.

She could almost laugh at the irony.

"Let's say he is interested in me..."

"Which he is," he interrupted quickly.

She gave him the eye. "Hypothetically, he really does like me as I do him-"

Noah's hands folded out of gratitude for her finally getting the concept of it all.

"How do I make sure that fact is as clear as day?"

His shoulders dropped.

Was she really asking him how to make the guy say "I like you"?

If that was the case, she was barking up the wrong tree.

He had a hunch Christopher's form of confession wouldn't even be one to begin with.

It would probably be in an indirect or wordless manner that was suitable to him.

She waved a dismissive hand at his disappointment before saying, "No need to look that dispirited. I just want to know how we can confirm his feelings. Yes, attending this party hand in hand will irritate him to some point but I doubt he'll act on it given his character."

Noah smirked as if he knew something she didn't.

"Oh, you'd be surprised."

Her mouth dropped open when he wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

Holy shit, Christopher really could be a blue eyed monster.

***

A/N:

I'm a little too excited about the next chapter so can y'all just appease my emotions and go join in on the fun?

*cue dramatically giddy (slightly evil) laughter*

[connect with the author:

insta: @writtenbyzan_]