"Please have a seat." Alexander said as he gestured to a chair in front of his desk.
It was hard for me not to watch him as he went to sit back down. My gaze tracked his every movement. 'What on Earth is with me? I don't usually react like this to men or anyone for that matter. I'd better get it together.' He pulled out a copy of my portfolio which I had not expected him to have on hand and I pushed my internal monologue out of my head to focus.
"So, Penelope, tell me about your inspiration for these pieces. They are quite unique, and I'd love to know why you chose to paint these if you don't mind sharing. As I mentioned, I have a special project that I think you will be the perfect artist to handle but knowing more about how you work and what you enjoy working on will help me assign future projects as well."
'That's smart and makes perfect sense' I thought. I just hadn't expected him to ask that, and I wasn't sure how much was appropriate to say because my best works were deeply personal.
"Well for me my art has always been a way to express myself and my emotions, an outlet so to speak. If I am not designing for a client and their needs, then what you see are bits of my raw emotion in art form. This one for example," I pointed to a deep red, black and purple abstract of a cemetery with an angel of death, "is from my parent's funeral. I felt angry, sad and alone so the color scheme and subject were influenced by that."
CW
I looked up to see concerned look on Alexander's face, I'd seen it many times by now when this subject came up. Before he could say anything, I smiled and put my hand up to stop him. "Do not worry, I am not sad or upset about sharing this. My parents loved me, and it was a tragic accident but they would have wanted me to live on and chase my dreams so I choose to follow the path of happiness they would have wanted for me. I wouldn't have put this in my portfolio had I not been willing to answer that question."
He looked very intensely at me like there was something more he wanted to say but he was silent for a moment. I worry I've said too much because he took so long to respond.
After what felt like ages but was probably only a matter of seconds he said, "Well I seem to be at a loss for words which doesn't happen often. You continue to surprise me, Penelope. I lost my father at a very young age and then my mother passed just this year suddenly. I understand how hard that loss can be, and I still struggle on occasion with the recent loss of my mother. Please forgive me if I have crossed too personal a line in asking that question."
I looked up at him sympathetically with a small smile, "I do not mind talking about it. Art is personal but I've chosen to share mine, so it is to be expected. I extend my deepest sympathies to you for you have lost your parents as well. If you ever want to talk about it don't hesitate to call me. I know how it can be, and I know it comes in waves."
I wished I could face palm myself after that left my mouth. Why did I just offer to talk about that so nonchalantly with my boss? He makes it far too easy to be myself around him. My mouth had a mind of its own and I was sure this was going to bite me in the ass one day. Better yet, maybe he would bite me one day. That thought excited me and was definitely "not safe for work."
He smiled genuinely, "Thank you, I appreciate that. Although, I will need your number if I am ever to utilize that offer." He said passing his phone over to me open to a new contact he had filled my name in on already. My hands tremored slighly as I entered my number and pressed save. There was no going back now. Our fingers grazed each other as I handed his phone back to him. I reddened again for the millionth time this morning and I swear I felt sparks where we touched. I pulled my hand away quickly and locked eyes with him.
He cleared his throat, "Well now that we have that settled, I should probably tell you about the project. I have been working to establish a charity benefit where proceeds will go to helping the homeless and struggling to have access to shelter, food, water, clothing and education opportunities as well as medical care. Most people hoard their wealth, but I want to use mine to help people instead. I will be showing a slideshow of the current conditions of this population of people, and I want you to design it. I want you to capture the emotions and life of these people to show that they are human just like us and deserve to have basic amenities to survive without having to worry. Tell their story through art. Society needs to have a bare minimum to care for its people. After what you have told me about what inspires you, I'm even more confident in my choice of you for this. We will be auctioning off art that was donated to collect the monetary funds to sustain this project."
I look at him stunned. First, he talks openly in a healthy way with me about his parent's deaths and then he has to turn around and be a decent human being too!?! 'Alright Penelope, pull it together and calm down! He's your boss!' I say to myself managing to respond with something like, "Wow, that is a really wonderful cause and I'd love to be a part of making it a reality."
I think I've said the right thing because Alexander just smiles at me. He needs to stop that before my heart starts doing double time. It's not healthy or normal for me to be this interested in him having only met him for the first time today.
"I'm so happy you feel that way." He said, "Please allow me show you to your office."
With that we rise, and he guides me toward a door. The tension in the air is palpable and I find myself wishing he would reach out to touch me again. 'Uhg! Stop it brain! A man like that would probably not be interested in me plus it's inappropriate!' I'd only met the man an hour ago and how many times have I had to tell myself this already? I was so much in my own head that I failed to notice the door he walked me toward wasn't the same one I entered his office from. I bumped into him when he stopped and started to fall backward. He reached out catching me by the waist to steady me. I felt butterflies in my stomach and heat began to travel to my core.
"Sorry sir, I didn't realize you stopped. Thank you for catching me before I fell. That would have been even more embarrassing than running into you." I said looking up at him my face flushing. I tried to wriggle out of his embrace as fast as I could. Fuck! Why was I so clumsy?
To my surprise he held on to me for a few seconds longer before finally letting me go and meeting my gaze with a brief look of longing in his eyes. The passionate fire within his stare died down so quickly I figured I had probably imagined it.
He abruptly straightened up realizing he was still leaning toward me, "Any time, I wouldn't want you to end up hurting yourself on my watch." He moved forward opening the door that we were stopped at.