too long to be considered usual for a first business meeting as if he's sizing me up for more than my design skills, we lock eyes, we could be in a bar, the body temperature of my Jack Daniels making a warm trail inside me, but it's not the Jack that’s stirring me, this is an extraordinary man, I can't take my eyes of him. But I force myself to. Mum would be proud, though she'd be staring too!
"Tharie, I’m hoping," he walks over to his desk and his fingers run through the front of his hair again. "Sorry there was no-one to let you in, I'm on my own today.” He tames his quiff once more, looking at something on his desk, “I try not letting anyone in here it's my personal workspace.” He puts his watch back on, what's behind that door? “But my team are all out this afternoon and the offices upstairs are closed and empty.” He snaps the closure shut around his wrist, “we're preparing for the launch of the new RANDom range, Milk&Honey, our new denim for women." Nice, and I don’t just mean the jeans.
If I was supposed to feel a little nervous he's just made it perfectly clear we are alone in this large building, I’m not, I can handle myself. No one is more dangerous armed with a hoof-pick than me. Did I remember to bring a hoof-pick by the way?
He looks at my 'are you kidding me' face, I remain silent, he'll work it out for himself...and adds: “of course you know all about Milk&Honey?" There you go, at least he has the decency to look a little embarrassed, I think to myself. Looking away and down, "it's of course top secret, nobody's supposed to know about the launch except those already trading and buying the RANDom menswear." He takes a seat behind his desk, I am glad for the forced space between us, this man is getting to me, I feel a little intoxicated and swoony. Swoony? Is that even a real word? Brain, be quiet, it disobeys.
CHS medium walk. Doesn't work this time. Bloody hell. Stop using dressage to concentrate your mind you berk! All it does is remind yourself how rubbish you are at it.
Note to self, bloody concentrate.
I look down at my phone just for something else to focus on, have a missed message from work. Nope, don't care about that. Gaining my resolve, I'm proud of my self-control at not jumping over the desk and kissing his incredibly beautiful face, I don't usually get feelings this strong for complete strangers, a quite unexpected feeling of gathering warmth starts to crawl its way up inside me.
S turn on the haunches 180 degrees, does that sound like yoga to anyone?
I shift in my seat as if uncomfortable, but I’m trying to halt the effect the growing attraction is having on me. Focus on something else, why am I here? It's not for the tea that's for certain.
Where is the tea?
"I am she," I try to sound calm and professional, which I don’t feel, my heart is beating, thumping in my chest and my temperature elevated, those soft full beautiful lips, slightly curved into a smile. I'm wondering what it would feel like to kiss him, stop it!
Proceed in medium walk.
I take a deep breath and I raise my hand to shake his, I notice a large silver skull ring, tattoos creeping down his hand from under the cuff of his shirt, and along the inside of his middle left finger. Nice, I’m thinking, very nice indeed, and he smells of man and exotic earthy Tom Ford cologne. His tattoos are intricate and fine, a study in themselves, I ask my mind to stop wandering and it obeys, but for how long I can't tell. He re-snaps the strap on his watch, it doesn't close true.
Proceed to medium walk. Did I do that already? Bloody hell he's gorgeous. Stop looking, stop looking, stop talking to yourself.
I of course know about RANDom Denim. A menswear label, exclusive, small runs, collectors pieces, an under-the-radar cult following. Traded by e-mail and text alerts and in members-only small trade fairs, that shift location like illegal raves in the 90's used to. A different site every time, invitation only, back-stage-passes the whole nine beautiful yards of ring spun indigo left hand twill.
CM working trot. It's not working! Trot or otherwise.
But this is a new venture, women of course had been buying RANDom jeans