Chapter 5: Waiting For You

For the next week, Florence noticed that Scott seemed to be around more than usual and necessary. She’s never seen someone so engaged in making donations like him, and even if he really was into it, it wasn’t required for him to be frequenting the campus so often.

“Why do you think he’s coming here basically every day?” she asked Emma one day, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. Emma didn’t seem too willing to accept Florence’s explanation as to why Scott gave her that smile, so Florence was being more cautious with her when it came to him.

However, Florence was being honest when she said she had no idea why he’d do such a thing. They didn’t become friends or anything like that. She just bumped into him, acted like an idiot, and apologized. It made no sense to her either.

Now, every chance Emma had, she’d bring the topic up again, until Florence gave her a death stare and made her drop the subject for the time being.

“Wouldn't I like to know?” Emma replied. “I mean, not that I’m complaining. It’s much more exciting to come to work thinking that I might bump into him at some point. Not bump as you did though,” she cleared her throat after seeing Florence’s face and continued. “I also don’t get why he’s coming so often. Donations normally don’t need a busy and important CEO to be present all the time.”

“My point exactly,” Florence concluded. She also didn’t see him again after the day he smiled at her, and if she was being honest, she was afraid to.

She didn’t know how to act in front of him, so she was avoiding going outside, making sure to pack her lunch and bring it with her every morning or asking Emma to get something for her, giving the excuse she had a lot of tasks to finish.

That Wednesday, she decided to work after hours so she could finish cataloging the last documents she needed. Surprisingly, she had met her goal before the end of the month, so she really expected that would stimulate her boss to give her a bonus.

It was almost nine o’clock when she stepped outside, being welcomed by the bright moon above and an empty campus. She almost forgot what the place looked like at night, so she took some time to appreciate it.

The night sky and the lights made the area even prettier. As she walked to the parking lot to find her car, she noticed someone leaning against another car.

She continued to walk, coming closer to the stranger, however not afraid that it could be someone wanting to do her any harm. She knew the security had been intensified, so it was almost impossible for something bad to happen to her inside the campus.

She also saw some guards walking around on her way to the parking lot. So she continued to walk, seeing the figure in front of her become clearer the closer she got. And she couldn’t believe who it was when she was finally able to see his face.

Scott Lee had his back pressed against the passenger’s door of a black BMW, his arms crossed in front of his chest, a black suit perfectly fitted against his toned body, his black hair combed to the side and his eyes narrowed as he smiled at her.

“Miss Haynes, good evening,” he said with his sexy and smooth voice.

Florence gulped.

“Good evening, Mr. Lee. Are you waiting for someone? Do you need me to call someone for you?” she asked, praying that her voice didn’t fail her. She didn’t know why he made her so nervous or even why he seemed to hold that much power over her.

She never cared about rich people before, and she was certain his money was not the issue, so why was she behaving that way every time she saw him?

He shook his head but never stopped looking into her eyes.

“No, you don’t have to do that. Thanks for offering though. I see you’re much more polite now.”

Florence could tell he was teasing her, but she chose not to let that get to her.

He was right and she couldn’t afford to be an idiot with him again, so she bit her tongue that was itching to give him a retort.

But Scott seemed to see right through her.

“You don’t need to be so restrained with me. I’ve told you that my donations have nothing to do with you, so you can simply be yourself.”

Florence felt the taste of blood in her mouth but ignored it.

“You did. And I am… Being myself, I mean.”

She was lying, of course. She wanted nothing more than to be able to simply give him an acid answer, but she didn’t know his limits and it was better not to test him. That and the fact that she couldn’t think clearly with him scanning her with his dazzling eyes.

Scott tilted his head to the side with furrowed brows as if he was examining her.

“What?” she asked in annoyance after a few seconds.

“That's more like it,” he smiled again, and Florence’s heart skipped a beat. She was starting to get really mad at his cocky behavior as if he thought he knew her.

“I have to go, so excuse me.”

She turned to leave and finally got to her car, but his voice stopped her once more.

“Wait,” he said, and this time his voice sounded more contained and less playful.

She turned to look at him again and saw that he had moved away from his car and walked a bit closer to her.

With both hands in his pockets, now Scott looked a bit less confident about himself and more uneasy. It almost made Florence want to hug him.

“What do you want?” she asked, trying to sound annoyed but cursed herself for falling for his pitiful act.

It took him only a second though to regain his confidence. He lifted his gaze and she felt trapped, as if her feet couldn’t obey her orders anymore and if her brain had frozen completely.

Scott took a few more steps toward her, walking in slow motion, and Florence only realized how close he was when she felt his scent inebriate her senses.

He smelled so good. She probably would have noticed that the first time they met if she hadn’t freaked out.

Scott smiled graciously, making Florence’s legs tremble.

“Actually, I was waiting for someone, yes. You. I wanted to ask if you’d have dinner with me,” he said seriously.

Florence felt like he was making fun of her, but she couldn’t react.

“You’re joking, right?” she asked after a few seconds, feeling her blood boil inside of her.

“I have never been more serious in my life,” he answered with a determined face. “I want you to go on a date with me.”