The next day at work was busy, she was tired and wished she hadn't agreed to go to Mr. Milton's with Richard Hart. She would much rather have stayed home curled up on the couch reading a good book with a glass of wine.
After picking up some takeout she heads home, eats her pita's and takes a long hot shower. She picked out a white dress, it was sexy and elegant, fitting for one of her boss's party. A knock at her door she sighed and rolled her eyes before opening the door to Richard. She gave him a fake smile. He had been pestering her for weeks to go out with him and so she finally agreed to go to the party with him.
"Ria, wow you sure do look beautiful. I got these for you, I hope you like carnations?"
"They're lovely," she said, taking them from him. "Come in and I'll put them in water before we head out." She cringed when he came up behind her as she was filling the vase with water and his hand moved her hair over to the side. Knowing what he had in mind she quickly moved away and set the vase of flowers on the table.
Picking up her purse she moved towards the door. She wanted to get out of the cramped quarters so that she wouldn't have to be close to him. Richard was good looking enough but she wasn't attracted to him and didn't like his advances towards her. "We better get going, don't want to be late for our boss's party."
The party was in full swing when they arrived and Richard went and got them both a drink from the bar. People from her work were there among some of Milton's clients. Her friend Nelly came rushing over to her side.
"I can't believe you came with Richard, why didn't you bring your new lover?"
"Nelly, keep your voice down."
"Well, why didn't you and who is he?"
"First of all, I am not telling you who he is and second it was just s€x between us. No dating, no friendship, nothing. Shh…, here comes Richard."
He hands her a drink and taking her arm they walked around and mingled. It didn't take her long to get free of his grip.
She saw Mathew following their boss around and was sure he was kissing @ss like he had been since the promotion came up for grabs.
She was standing with Richard and Nelly when her boss came up behind her, tapping her on the shoulder.
"Ria, you remember Mr. Carter don't you?"
She turned around, her eyes widened. "I, I, she stammered. "Yes of course I do. Nice to see you again."
"Please, call me Ryan," he said, taking her hand he kissed the back of it. He looked at the man next to her. "Are you going to introduce me to your friends?"
"This is Nelly Walker and my date Richard Hart."
Richard was thrilled to meet the famous Ryan Carter, shaking his hand and gushing over him like a silly school girl.
She looked at Ryan and couldn't believe he was here and wondered if he was stalking her. "Excuse me, I need some fresh air," she said, walking towards the patio, leaving the others behind. Only five minutes had passed when she heard footsteps approaching and sure enough, it was him, Ryan.
"Are you running away from me?" he asked, walking slowly towards her.
"What are you doing here?"
"Mr. Milton invited me. So Richard is your date, don't seem like your type. You're angry, don't be. I thought when you said you had a date he would have taken you on a real one, not to a party at the boss's place."
Whatever," she said and went to walk past him but he grabbed her arm.
"I want to apologize for last night, the things I said. It was wrong of me to suggest that you should let me support you. It was not my intention to make you feel like a prostitute or a kept woman. Can you forgive me?"
She found herself backed up against the railing. He had moved so close she could feel his breath blowing on her face, his scent was intoxicating. "I guess so."
"Good," he says, touching her arm. "So this Richard, surely you aren't interested in him. I mean he is such a wussy. Why I bet anything that if he bothered to bring you flowers they were cheap ones he picked up at a gas station.