Brian
I was enjoying listening to the banter between father and daughter that I was grinning so wide, having a good time. Their relationship is so admirable and inspiring that I wished I also had that kind of relationship with my own dad, instead of not having any relationship with him at all.
But there's no hope for that ever happening hence no point in wishing for it, is there? At least this one I get to enjoy experiencing even as a mere spectator.
When the short introduction of our new associate lawyer ended and we dispersed to go back to work, I instinctively searched for Dayne in the room but couldn't find her.
"Where did she go?" I muttered under my breath.
When I did not find her in her desk, I decided to shoot her a text.
Me: Hey, baby, where are u? I'm in front of ur desk right now, missing u already. Pls come and put me out of my misery. Just wanted to see u before I get back to my office.
I can see the dots dancing in the message box, then stop... then dance again.... only to stop....then the dots left the screen altogether and never came back.
My grin which lit up when I saw the dots moving at first started to fade as realization dawned on me that she wasn't answering my text. Well, at least she typed a reply initially but eventually changed her mind.
What the hell?
Me: Dayne, baby, is everything alright? Where are u?
I waited for about 5 minutes but still no reply. Shit. Something's definitely up.
Me: Please, baby, talk to me. Where are u?
My eyes were fixed on the screen of my phone waiting for her reply and did not notice that Dayne was already standing in the doorway watching me.
"I'm here," she spoke in a somewhat distant tone that made me quite uncomfortable.
I raised my head, and slowly but decisively walked to where she stood. I wanted to lock her in my embrace and be assured that everything is fine with us but I can't because we're in the office.
"Let's go," I took her hand and slightly dragged her with me intending to go outside so we could talk, away from prying eyes and ears.
"What do you think you're doing?" She hissed and pulled her hand away, but I am not letting another minute pass without me knowing what the problem is.
"Talking to you, in private. Something's wrong and I want you to tell me exactly what it is."
I would have added, "I'm your boyfriend, damn it!," but I couldn't risk somebody hearing it so I bit my tongue not to blurt it out.
"There's nothing to talk about. I need to get back to work. And so do you," she said flatly without even looking at me.
I took a deep frustrated breath. And was just about to argue with her into submitting that we talk, when her boss came into view.
"Oh, good morning Brian," she nodded my way and I greeted back. Then she turned her attention to Dayne and said, "Dayne, I need you in my office. Now please."
"Y-yes Ma'am Shelly. Be right there after I give Sir Brian the file he's borrowing," she said looking quite nervous at fibbing to her boss.
"Okay, see you around Brian," Double S said before heading back to her office.
"Sure thing, Ma'am Shelly. Thanks for letting me borrow Dayne for a bit." She just waived her hand without looking back.
"I'm sorry you had to lie to your boss," I told Dayne as her boss' door shut close.
"You should go, Brian. Please," she said still not looking my way. She looked almost defeated.
"I will. But we are having that talk later, Dayne. I don't know what caused you to have a change of mood but I deserve to know and we'll work this out. Okay, baby?," I pleaded with her and saw her nod her head in resignation.
"Please look at me, baby. Please." And she slowly raised her head to meet my eyes.
"I really really want this thing between us to work, Dayne. Are you with me on this, baby? Hmm?," my eyes begged her and she seemed to struggle with herself for a few as she searched my face for what, I don't know, but then her eyes started to light up and water as she appeared satisfied with what she maybe saw in there, and then she noďded and smiled that genuine sweet smile of hers.
And I can breathe again.
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The day turned out well despite that almost lover's spat with Dayne earlier but it still bothered me to no end because I can't think of anything I did that could have triggered her to have such mood. But something did and I must get down to the bottom of things if I want it to not happen again.
The way she acted distant and cold to me this morning was like a movie scene on rewind that haunted me throughout the day, and made my heart shiver and quiver in fear. The fear of losing a loved one is deeply rooted in me given my life experiences that just thinking about losing Dayne scares the shit out of me, and that's one thing I cannot allow to happen to me again. Ever.
My thoughts were interrupted when the door to the passenger side opened and in came the only girl that owns my mind and my heart.
"Hi. I'm sorry you had to wait long. Ma'am Shelly's on her slave-driving mood again," she blabbered as she settled herself in the car.
"I'm just happy you're here now, that I could just kiss you till you couldn't think of anything else but me and my mouth on you, but can't as anybody could see us and I don't want you to lose your job because of my lack of self control. So, I'm going to get us out of here pronto so I can already get my hands and my lips all over you," I ranted non-stop while I maneuvered the car and Dayne laughed delightedly that the wonderful sound relieved me so much.
"Ooooh, I can't wait," she replied amidst her giggles and my chuckles.
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Dinner was chinese take out since Deena was having a sleep over at Chris' - to my great satisfaction - and so we decided to just grab dinner on the go and eat it at Dayne's place.
As Dayne brought me my cup of coffee in the living room after we finished cleaning up after dinner, I felt it was time we had that talk.
She may have felt it, too for she was uncomfortably silent as she sat across from me.
"Hey, come sit by me. I missed you so much today, you know." I patted the space beside me and pouted my lips as if I were sulking.
She smiled and walked reluctantly to me but when she was about to sit on the space I indicated seconds ago, I pulled her onto my lap which earned a yelp of surprise from her.
She giggled then as I took her hands and wrapped them around my neck, then I placed my left hand to clip her under her right knee with my other arm placed on her waist, holding her in place.
"Now, that's more like it," I said contentedly as I nuzzled my nose in the crook of her neck. "Hmmm, you smell so good baby. I could just stay here forever and die a deliriously happy man." She moaned and leaned her neck closer, telling me without a word that she likes what I am doing to her.
"But first we need to talk about what happened this morning," I said without beating about the bush, and I felt her body stiffen. "We were doing so fine when we got to the office. But between that time and the time I went to your desk something happened. What was it, Dayne?"
She snuggled closer to my neck but she did not speak at first. I let her gather her thoughts and some courage to tell me the truth.
"Come on, you can tell me anything, baby," I egged her on.
"I... I felt insecure earlier," she began to say, and although I had questions, I held my tongue and allowed her to explain without interruptions.
"Well, you know how we started out as practice date buddies, right? How you were just going out with me to prepare for this girl you really liked?"
Holy shit! I totally forgot to tell her about her. I mean, that she was actually the girl I wanted to date and the only girl I wanted to like me back.
Precious. The name rang a bell now. How could I be so damn stupid not to have thought about this? My heart squeezed as I thought how Dayne must have felt this morning.
I held her so tightly now as I muttered, "I'm so sorry, baby. I totally forgot to tell you about the truth behind our dating ruse."
"What are you talking about, Brian? Is it true then that she is the Precious you were pining for and practice dated with me for?" She said this looking hurt and wide-eyed and on the verge of tears now.
"No," was my quick and certain reply. "I was about to say that you were actually that girl, Dayne. There was no other. Precious was a nickname I gave you. You were and still are my precious Dayne."
She straightened on my lap now and was looking bemused.
"What do you mean, Brian? We never even talked before that time in the pantry. How could I be that girl?" She asked suspiciously.
"You really have no idea how beautiful you are, do you?" I shook my head smiling then I held her face, looked into her confused and questioning eyes and told her, "When I saw you smiling at Dennis on my first day, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I wished it were me you were giving that beautiful and sweet smile to, Dayne. I woke up every morning feeling excited to go to work at the prospect of seeing you and at the hope of being able to talk to you."
She gasped and held a hand to her mouth, appearing surprised and touched by what she heard me confess.
"So, you see I had to grab that golden opportunity when it appeared in the form of an "offer" to ask you for help on anything if I ever needed it. It was so selfish of me really but there was no other way at the time. You were always tied up at your desk or out on an errand somewhere that I couldn't get a hold of you."
She was giggling but her eyes were gleaming with tears. The look in her eyes was one of happiness and relief. And my heart squeezed again.
"Why didn't you just tell me then? Why go to all the trouble of making up this story to get me to spend time with you?" She asked as she threw her hands in the air and snorted.
"Well, if I did tell you on that first pizza date without you really knowing me yet, would you have believed me and not think me crazy?" I raised an eyebrow while looking at her sideways.
"Hmm," she thought about it then said, "Ugh, alright, I would have thought you were a creep. A handsome creep, maybe. But still a creep." She chuckled at that but then she stood slightly and straddled me. My hands instinctively held her hips in place.
She held my head in her hands and said in a breathy and seductive voice, "How did I get so lucky?" She was smiling now.
"I ask the same question each time, baby. Every freaking time."
Then Dayne lowered her head and kissed me like it was our first time. Maybe because she knows now that there was really no other girl for me, and that it has always been her.
Then she said, "I want you to show me how much you want me, Brian. Please?," with such raw passion in her eyes that I could almost feel myself combust.
Damn, this girl is going to be the death of me.