10 The Conversation

That evening Gordon came to find Charlotte so they could leave together. While on the elevator Charlotte asked, "Are you certain you want to walk out with me?"

"Are you ashamed to be seen with me?" Gordon asked seriously.

"Absolutely not! I was trying to think of you." Charlotte hurriedly assured him.

As they walked out into the lobby he said, "If you want to think of me, think of what you're feeding me for dinner."

"What do you want to eat?" She asked.

"You." Gordon replied

"You're shameless!" Charlotte cried, her laughter filling the air. He joined in and laughed with her. It had been a very long time since he had laughed.

The employees still in the lobby stared at one another in shock! The President of the company was taking a woman with him! He allowed her to call him shameless, and he laughed. None of those things were possible before. What kind of woman was this Charlotte?

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No sooner than they walked through her apartment door when Gordon spun around and pressed her against the wall. Before she could vocalize her question she found her lips covered by Gordon. His hands slid up and down her body and she moaned softly.

"What spell do you have me under, hmm? Why am I suddenly addicted to your lips? Oh Charlotte, be my woman!" Gordon cried.

"If you'll be my man." Charlotte countered coquettishly.

"Oh yes!" Gordon promised. She pecked his lips and then backed out of his embrace.

"I should start making dinner." She said with a becoming blush on her face.

"Can I eat you for dessert?" He asked with a smile. Heavens, what happened to the cold and reserved man she met yesterday? She needed to clarify some things.

"There are some things I won't do before marriage. I come from a traditional family and I want to bring honor to them. I must keep my virginity for the man I marry." Charlotte spoke quietly but with firmness.

The color drained from his face. He knew he needed to respect her boundaries but he felt like he was being scolded. He'd finally for the first time in his adult life found the courage to confess to a woman. To be attracted to her. To desire her and vocalize it. To flirt with her. And now he felt embarrassed. Embarrassed that he'd made her uncomfortable and embarrassed to be rejected.

"I just remembered I have some paperwork I need to take care of before tomorrow. I'd better go back." Gordon said, back to his same cold self. He turned and went out the door.

Charlotte was stunned. She chased after him to the elevator.

"Gordon! Gordon wait! Please come back!" She cried out for him but the elevator closed before she could get to him. She ran back inside her apartment and watched him drive away as she looked down from the balcony. She sighed.

She hadn't meant to hurt him. She knew she wasn't wrong to follow her principles. She thought he would understand. He was so intelligent and she knew from others he was capable and brilliant when he sat down to do business. She hadn't counted on his EQ to be lacking. He seemed to be strong in every way that she'd forgotten that everyone has an Achilles heel.

Charlotte sighed again and changed into comfortable clothes and began to prepare dinner. After about twenty minutes she heard a knock at her door.

She looked out to see Gordon standing there. She opened the door.

"Hi." She said softly.

"Hi." Gordon said with a somewhat indifferent tone of voice.

"Would you like to come in? Dinner is almost ready." Charlotte coaxed him.

He entered without a word.

"I missed you. I'm glad you came back." She Offered gently.

"I'm sorry. I'm not used to this. I'm not used to the feeling of desire for a woman. I have no idea how to navigate a relationship because I've never been in one. That's hard for me to admit because I usually have the answers." It cost him a lot of pride to admit it to this tiny woman.

"I never meant to offend you earlier. I just felt things were moving faster than I could catch up to. It's not that I don't want to sleep with you but I want to be married first. We've only known each other for two days! I hope we have a lifetime. I just don't want us to run too far too fast. Charlotte explained.

"You're right. I need to be respectful of you. And I don't need to get ahead of myself." Gordon agreed.

"Come kiss me." Charlotte said.

"Can I kiss you passionately?" Gordon asked hopefully.

She reached out her hands wordlessly and embraced him as he drank the sweet taste of her mouth.