"The blasted man is good looking, but he seemed rather angry," she said as she glared at Martin.
Martin stepped forward, "Ms Lawrence it seems you are blocking Mr. Chin and he needs to leave. I told him that I saw a vagrant man walking around his vehicle earlier and I chased the man away just before you arrived."
Martin winked at her as he spoke.
"Thank you, Martin," Jenny replied, trying to subdue the grin that was peeking from the corner of her mouth.
"What is so good about the morning, that you want to laugh about it?" Creston snarled.
"Nothing, I just thought about a joke I was reading online on my phone about a Chinese man and then you popped up in front of me. Call it luck or karma you have been parking in my space for weeks and it's the first time I have been able to set my eyes on you."
"Hi I'm Creston Chin, I am the attorney from shop # 7, I must apologise for my remark, I am having an awful morning and now the security is telling me that a vagrant might have scratched the paint on my brand new car. You're talking about luck, it seems like bad luck to me Miss," he cut in smoothly as he held out his hand towards Jenny.
"Oh sorry, I'm Jenny Lawrence it's a pleasure to meet you."
"No," he replied, "the pleasure is all mine, despite the circumstances. I am late for court, and I am in a rush. Can you please let me out? I apologise profusely for parking in your space, Jenny."
As Creston followed Jenny back to her Office, she could feel his eyes surveying her form and figure as she searched for the keys in her suitcase sized handbag.
"I know they are here somewhere," she muttered. "Just my luck they seemed to have disappeared."
"Please don't, tell me you are just as hot and flustered as I am, and don't know where your head or foot is right now?" "Creston asked.
"Very funny Creston, I am normally very organised, but I guess it's your eyes that have me discombobulated," she whispered.
"Oh, you are sharp," Creston replied, "I like that."
"What? The fact that I whispered a compliment that your eyes have me weak in the knees, or that the keys for the car are right in my hand, and I'm here digging down my hand bag!"
"Both. Hey, I'm late for court but you seem to be quite easy to talk to."
His eyes surveyed her from her feet to her eyes. She squirmed under his gaze. She was used to men ogling her so why did she feel so strange? The pulse in her neck beat wildly, she could feel her inner muscles unconsciously tighten as if she was in tune with this strange man. She rolled back her shoulders and met him head on, as her brown eyes flashed in defiance she subtly cocked one hip forward.
He raised one eyebrow imperceptibly and nodded then a flash of recognition brightened his eyes, "I have heard about you. I was told that you are a fire brand with a low cut hairstyle, probably a girl from the ghetto with acid in her bag to throw on the man who kept parking in her spot."
"Lord have mercy," Jenny replied, "Look at me Mr Chin, do I look like the type of girl who would be a virago or from the ghetto and throw acid on you over a simple parking spot? Where do these people come from with those ridiculous ideas?"
"No you certainly don't look the type or the sort, quite sophisticated and right packaging for success," Creston
replied.
"Anyway, Mr. Chin it was a pleasure meeting you. You have a date with a judge and I would not want you to be late
at all."
"That word sounds like a plan."
"What word was that might I ask?" Jenny replied. She paused and turned her head as she begun to walk away.
"Date! I'd like that very much Ms Lawrence."
"Counsellor, you are aware that I am a girl who works for her living and a date will cost you a life time of expenses."
Creston laughed, "That means you will try to sell me an insurance policy that matches your attire."
"What is that supposed to mean Mr Chin?" She resumed walking away, and moved her hips more sinuously before she retorted, "By no means , I am not expensive at all."
Her smile broadened as she felt his eyes right where she wanted them as she continued towards her car.
Men are all the same she thought. After all, she had proved it with her life, it was either take or be taken. She gripped the steering wheel tightly as she drove away. She would never be anyone's fool again. No one else would ever be given the power to hurt her. That frightened little girl, who cowered and whose innocence was taken, didn't live anymore. The last foster home had not only given her a life lesson, but it had completed her training. Since then, men were her playthings and not the other way around. A throbbing pain entered her forehead as the past pushed its fingers inside turning the pages to force her to relive her worst memories.
She still remembered the feeling of helplessness that had overtaken her when her uncle visited the foster home. He had looked at her blossoming curves with a
disturbing glint in his eye. It was the end of her innocence. She had ceased being a child after he left her on the floor cowering in fear and pain. He had looked at her as if she was beneath him. All because of her need for love. The pain in her head slowly receded as she recalled Creston's hungry gaze as she walked away, she was no longer the victim. Now she was the hunter. This time she would take what she wanted, and right now she wanted Creston.
Creston smiled all the way home after work remembering what Jenny told him about the time her skintight jeans tore in the seam after stuffing herself full with fish from Gloria's in Port Royal. She had bent over to pick up her fallen earring on the way to her date's car when all she heard was "rip". It had gotten worse because she was only wearing a thong and her date at the time was walking behind her.
The thought of being mooned on a first date would have been embarrassing. However, it was funny listening to her tell her stories as her facial expressions matched the descriptions so well. In fact, everything about her fascinated him. He loved talking to her, and it made him look forward to going to work they would drink coffee and chat together during the breaks. Her life was filled with dramatic stories that made Creston's life seem boring. He knew he should not compare his wife to his young firecracker friend, but the two women were like night and day with him being the moon.
Black coffee with one spoon of sugar was his main stay at this time of the day, but through Jenny's insistence, he tried and liked French coffee. She had promised him a surprise tomorrow if he was willing to try another blend. He could not wait until tomorrow and she was in his thoughts even after he drove in through his gate and opened his front door. His wife met him at the door and began a long tale of what had happened to her that day. However, there was very little of what Gloria said that he heard, his mind and heart were with Jenny. Creston Chin found himself thinking on her surprise and how she had gotten him to explore for the first time explore something different. Since he was a man who believed in seeing things firsthand, he wondered what her cheeks looked like beneath the ripped jeans. Gloria's monotonous drone brought him back to reality with a thud.
"Creston since you got home you haven't heard a word I have said. That stupid smile has been etched on your face since I opened the door. What's on your mind?" Gloria asked with a stern look on her face as if she was scolding a child.
"Ah, nothing dear," Creston replied.
"So what stained your shirt like that Creston? Do you know how much I paid for that shirt last month?"
"It was my credit card you used Gloria. I spilled French coffee on it this morning at Starsway."
He watched as her painted eyebrows arched and her eyes went from side to side.
"Since when did you start drinking anything but black coffee? And you never told me when I spoke to you earlier that you went out for coffee!"
"Would you believe the barrister made a mistake and gave me somebody else's order ! I was late for court and needed something to open my thoughts. Sorry Gloria I had a crazy day from the moment I parked. Plus you remembered I stayed up most of last night preparing my appeal?"
"Oh yes you are right Creston, but don't you think it is time that you start sending one of the younger attorneys to court? Also what case is it? Have you been paid a retainer by the client?"
"Gloria, Gloria please take it easy, I just got in and already the bright light is in my eyes and questions are coming thick and fast. What happened to 'Hi Honey, here is a glass of juice'. . . sheesh."