Chapter 7

It took me a moment to process what he had said since my ears kept insisting that they had heard wrong. My heart skipped a beat then started slamming into my breastbone so hard I thought it was going to burst through it. He wanted to take me out on a date! Yes… yes… a million times yes!

"Uh… what?" I asked trying to make sure I had heard him correctly.

"I wanted to know if I could take you to dinner to say thank you for all your help."

Disappointed my heart dropped into my stomach. To say thank you? Is that it? Well, duh, you idiot! I scolded myself. I thought we had already talked about this. I groaned inwardly at how stupid I could be thinking he would really be interested in me.

I steeled myself to do something I never thought I would do. I refused Trev's offer.

"It's all right, Trev, you don't have to. I was doing Mas… uh Reed a favor."

His eyes hardened a bit. "I know I don't have to, Vie. I'm doing it because I want to."

"Why?"

"Why?" Trev parroted in disbelief and turned away and ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

He paced back and forth for a few before finally stopping in front of me again.

"Look, you are not making this easy for me. So, here's what we are going to do." He stepped even closer to me until I was forced to look up at him.

"I'll be back here at seven to pick you up, so you'd better be ready. Do you understand me?" he demanded softly.

Who was this man? This was not the quiet, sweet man that I'd started helping. This was the dominant, masterful, controlled man that I had discovered the last time I had seen him.

I wanted more.

I craved more.

"Yes, Sir." Was all I could think to reply back at the moment.

Trev reeled back a bit before giving me a slow pleased grin. "Good."

He cupped my chin and held my head still so he could drop a gentle kiss on my lips. It had been barely a brush, but it impacted every nerve throughout my body, causing them to bristle to the surface. Stunned I knew if the world had exploded at that moment, I would not have been able to move even if I'd wanted to. He pulled back slowly, reluctantly, and just continued to stare into my eyes with a hunger that blew me away even more than his kiss had.

"I'll see you tonight, baby," Trev whispered gently against my lips.

Unable to move I continued to stare at the door he had just exited. I felt someone step up beside me breaking the spell of shock and arousal I was suddenly under. I turned my head to find Bethany standing there staring at the door as well.

"What happen?" she demanded impatiently.

"I have no idea. But I think I have a date," I replied incredulously.

I spent the rest of the day anxiously watching the clock tick away the minutes. It was really hard not to keep checking its read-out against every other clock in the building just to make sure it was still working.

Finally, when it hit five, I raced home and raided my closet. Nothing in it suited me until I came upon a tight little black number that hugged my figure in the right places. Its high waistline would emphasize what little chest I did have and take attention away from my midsection. I wasn't actually overweight but the few extra pounds I did have seemed to settle there. The greatest thing about this dress was it made me look like my small breasts were bigger but not so big that they should be spilling out of the top.

After the fastest shower that I had ever taken I shoved a brush through my hair until it seemed to bounce on my shoulders. The unmanageable dark brown seemed to of taken pity on me and was actually doing what I wanted it to do. It was never curly, but never actually straight so instead of trying to get the waves to listen to me I just put it up. But tonight, however, the hair gods were with me, and it draped my face in the perfect waves.

Applying make-up was a challenge with my hands shaking but as I stepped back and surveyed myself, I was quite pleased with the outcome.

Nervousness and excitement battled it out inside me like two rival clans. I wasn't sure what was going to happen tonight, but I hoped it would end up better than the last date I had been on. Shuddering as the memory of the events played through my head. From him meeting me at the restaurant because he did not want to drive all the way over to my house. On to him shamelessly flirting with the waitress at the dive we went to. Then him getting totally wasted and trying to kiss me goodnight. Ugh, I gagged a bit remembering how he had smelled like whiskey and body odor. It had been a blind date set up by my mother who had thought he was "good husband material."

I still seriously question her judgment to this day and have refused any more of her "help".

My nerves started acting up again and I began to try to calm my racing heart. I wasn't going to sleep with him tonight, it was just a date nothing special. He just wanted dinner that is all. Nobody said anything about sex or anything more permanent. Dinner… that is it.

A glance at my watch told me it was "do or die" time. I either stayed home and hide myself under a pillow or chance one date with an amazing man that I was dying to see anyway.

"Ooooh… make up your mind," I demanded.

As the seconds ticked by, I got angrier and angrier with myself until I slammed my hands on the counter.

"To hell with it! I'm going!" I shouted at my reflection and stormed out of the bathroom more determined than ever to go through with it.

Barely on time, I practically skid into a parking spot at the front of the gym and jumped out.

The area seemed darker than it usually would. My heart slammed against my chest, and this time it had nothing to do with the date. A crunch under my feet stopped me in my tracks and I looked down to see the shattered remains of the light that was normally above the door. Something was wrong.

I glanced around expecting to see someone jumping out from behind a car at any moment. But the only one in the parking lot beside my own was Bethany's. I hurried inside, hoping that my gut was wrong and that everything was fine.

As soon as I whipped the door open, I heard angry voices coming from the back rooms and then resounding smack of hand hitting flesh.

"Bethany!" I shouted and raced towards the sounds.

A crash answered my shout and glass shattering from one of the back rooms accompanied by a few grunts and curses. My steps hastened as fear wound its way through me. I had no idea what I would find or how I could help once I got to her. I just knew I had to do something.

I flew into the maintenance closet just in time to see Bethany hit her knees and a man raising his hand above his head, his bruised face twisted in a murderous rage.

I flew into the room. "Stop!"