Leaning may lead to horizontal activities...

I don't know what it is about me and sugar, but by the time I got to my car, I'd polished off the bag in about two large mouthfuls and was already thinking about the next one-If there was a group called Sugar Addicts Anonymous, I'd have to join it. But I was also perturbed. And confused. I just didn't know what to make of Ben and it was driving me mad. He went from outrageous flirting to seeming sincerity in a matter of minutes. I still remembered how he'd been with Ness that morning-turning on the charm with that flirty, friendly voice of his.

Perhaps other women had also received snack packs with thoughtful little notes? Maybe it was part of his game plan, his modus operandi: ply all the woman in the office with chocolates, tell them all he loved them, and then get them in the back seat of his car and onto his lap? If his playboy reputation was anything to go by, that was definitely his plan. Well, whatever he was doing, it didn't matter, since I was never going to date him...

"Hey!" I turned and saw just the person I was thinking about running towards me-Oh God, Oh God!

"I see you got through the bag without incident," he said, pointing to the finished packet in my hand. I felt a sudden stab of embarrassment at the fact he knew I'd just guzzled them down like a little hungry piggy.

"Yeah. Thanks. You didn't have to-"

"I wanted to."

I kept silent. He was leaning again, against my car-DANGER: Leaning may lead to horizontal activities.

"Do you want to go for a drink?" he asked.

"I don't drink anymore," I said, moving away from the dark mysterious man leaning against my dirty car. He was going to get one hell of a shock when he pulled away and realized one half of his suit was now tan.

"Since when?" His words were smothered in playful naughtiness.

I instantly blushed. "Since it drives me to make terrible impulsive mistakes."

"Like what?" His voice was deep and husky again-God this guy was a pro. He shot me a playful wink, which, despite all my self-control, made my knees weak. I mentally berated myself for being such a weak-willed woman and then stood up straight again, ready to battle this sexual force of nature.

He was smiling and I could tell he was trying to lure me into some kind of flirty game. Well I wasn't going to fall for those sotto tones and dreamy, chocolaty bedroom eyes. I folded my arms and shot him a pointed look. "Like ending up in the backseat of a car with a stranger."

"Really!" He feigned shock, pretending not to know what I was talking about. "And here I thought you were a good girl with those librarian glasses."

For some reason, at the mention of my glasses, I fiddled with them, which seemed to make him smile even more.

"I've got to go." I turned and slipped my keys into the car door-invented before such modern things as battery controlled locking mechanisms-probably batteries too.

"Coffee then?" he asked. His hand slid over mine and I slapped it away.

"I've already had far too many cups today." I jiggled my keys around; there was a certain trick to opening the lock - especially since my father tried to pick it one night in a rather lame attempt to steal it. I'd long since been forced to get over the embarrassment of driving the shittiest car in the office.

"Decaf?"

I sighed loudly. A long, loud exacerbated sigh. This guy was so persistent, perhaps even borderline stalker. I didn't get it.

"Why? Why do you keep asking me out?"

He slid his shoulder closer to me, "I told you-"

"Yeah yeah, you're in love." I said it sarcastically and mockingly.

He opened his mouth and was just about to say something when Samantha walked past.

Perhaps it's important to pause here and take this opportunity to talk about Samantha. Before Ben, she was the one everyone drooled over. The one that everyone whispered about. Her creative genius was legendary. Her amazing fashion sense was envied by all. The uber-cool fact that she was also a deejay and played in trendy exclusive clubs at night made her just that much more desirable. In short, she was the kind of girl I imagined Ben with.

"Bye Ben, see you tomorrow. Can't wait to start work on that new account," she said as she ran her hand through her ridiculously cool and trendy pixie cut and pranced across the car park like a ballerina.

Ben held up his hand and flashed her one of those killer smiles. "Not as much as I'm looking forward to it."

I scoffed so loudly that I actually think she heard. I went back to jiggling the key.

"What?" he asked innocently, as if he didn't know what he was doing-Please!

"In love with her too?" I asked as I finally managed to get the door open.

"No. Just you."

I climbed into my car feeling a whole array of emotions I wasn't sure I understood or liked and was just about to close the door when Ben stuck his leg out and stopped it with his foot.

"Okay, we don't have to drink any liquids if you would prefer?"

He was still going on about it, after blatantly flirting with blondie across the parking lot. After looking at the steering wheel for a moment, I finally looked up at him.

"You really confuse me. I don't think I get you-at all."

"Well, why don't you go out with me and I'll try to explain myself?" He flashed me another secondhand million-dollar smile. There had to be an antidote to counteract the effects of it, if not, I sincerely hoped that scientists somewhere were working on one.

"I have to work tonight."

"Work?"

"Yes, I work at JJ and Ben's restaurant. I'm going to be late for my shift if I don't go now."

Ben's demeanor changed somewhat as he looked at me like he was trying to figure something out. "You have two jobs?"

I hated this part.

This, right here, was why I didn't want to get involved with people, because I would soon have to be explaining my sad, poor, pathetic life to them-Yes, I was also embarrassed. Of course I was, we went from living in a modest house in the middle class suburbs, to a rusty, sticky-walled trailer.

"Yes, I have two jobs, Ben."

"You must be exhausted."

"Don't worry. It doesn't affect my work during the day if that's what you're concerned about."

"That's not why I mentioned it."

He put his hand on my door and held it open, looking like he had all the time in the world to have a full-blown conversation with me.

"I really have to go. My shift starts in half an hour."

"Okay," he said, finally letting go of the car door and closing it. "Some other time then," I heard him say as he started walking away.

I wanted to gather my whirling thoughts, but I didn't have time to sit and obsess about it, so I quickly turned the key in my ignition and thankfully my car started.

I reversed out of the parking place and, as I drove off, I looked in the rear view mirror-God this was bringing back memories of our first night. He waved a tiny wave as he disappeared from sight, and I was struck by a feeling-no, not a feeling, a knowing-this wasn't going to be the last of him, I wasn't going to get rid of him that easily.