Bee to my Barnes

part 3

Stepping out onto the fire escape the morning sun streaming between the buildings, the air now a slight breeze tickling your neck making you tug at the edges of the blanket, you clasp the fresh coffee closer to your chin. With a gentle blow the steam rises, swirling curiously into the light blue sky to greet the singing birds, looks like it will be another warm day.

Closing your eyes, rough after being bled dry for yet another evening, you try to soak up any peace the morning will offer in hopes to get through just one more day.

Placing the now empty mug into the sink you wander over to the wardrobe. Having spent most of the evening unpacking you could scoop out your humbug blouse and slide on your jeans, simple yet smart.

Slipping into some plain white trainers you grab your handbag, checking once more your portfolio and binders you plucked out and selected are all inside before slipping through the door heading for the tube.

Clutching the cold handrails as you descended down the steps into the dimly lit subway, the odour of warm urine washed over you only accompanied by the stale cigarette smoke in the canned air. The plastic doors shuddered open revealing the only occupant in the carriage - undisturbed and unaware, who ever said New York never sleeps had obviously never been on the underground. Below a worn cap, the grey rugged beard complementing the grime smearing his vest, clutching an almost empty bottle of Jack in his grimy fist, he spread across the bench.

Praying for your stop to come you wait, anxiety building about the design proposal. You know Jade so well, your confident she would love anything you delivered but this was the annual gala for the Romanoff Plaza Hotel, not a light hearted affair.

Skirting across Times Square, arriving to at the foot of the Hotel. The towering glass structure providing the sleek, modern class with an edgy vibe. With a warm greeting by the doorman you slide through the doorway twirling to take in the surrounding that have caught your breath. As you cross the marble flooring, twisting to admire the contrasting artwork your feet buckle flinging you to the ground. Raising your hand to your temple your greeted with the sharp sting as the warm blood transfers to your fingertips. Looking around to gather yourself, noticing the paperwork now decorating the foyer you scramble to your knees just a large hand grips your elbow to assist.

'Well, we are the clumsy one aren't we doll?'  a deep velvety grumble shimmered ever so lightly tickling goose bumps to life across your skin as you turn to look upon the man dominating above you.

His broad shoulders intimidatingly hunched over your body, lifting you to your feet, his grand size overwhelmingly encased perfectly in a smooth black suit drawing the attention to the dark tattoos spilling over from the edges of the fabric. Upon his face lay an expression dark, stern and shadowed by his lengthy dark hair grazing his stubble jawline so clean cut Michael Angelo could have crafted it himself with our admiration and lust.

Almost unreadable, had it not been for his steel blue eyes glistening with concern below a tortured brow as his skin caressed yours ever so slightly as he parted your dark curls from your eyes as his in return narrowed. His gaze looking now at the deep cut seeping across your face, 'Your hurt' sounding more like a bold statement than a question.

'oh..erm...yea...it's fine honestly. Thank you' stumbling over your words, struggling to think coherently in his presence. Looking down at his hand still placed reassuringly on your arm, you could feel the cool touch radiating through your skin sending waves of butterflies flustering into your stomach.

'Oh my goodness are you ok' bellowed Jade running down the staircase, a podium for all to witness if they hadn't seen already. Your cheeks burning with the embarrassment stepping back breaking the bond to your arm 'I am fine, it was just an accident, I shouldn't have been so ...clumsy, I'm sorry.' You reply, shooting a sheepish glace towards those ocean eyes still fixated on you.

'Your bleeding, let's pick this paperwork up and we can head to my office and get you all cleaned up.' Jade muttered while examining you acting more like a mother who's child had been hurt on a swing than a grown adult. Ushering you down the hallway you glance back searching through the steady flowing crowd before you find those sweet delicate eyes.

Giving a firm nod satisfied your being cared for before turning to leave, you watch as he strides through the door exiting your life as fast as he came, unaware of the impact he had.

Truth be told that was the first moment where Paul was not your every thought, every breath and all you wanted to see. It was the first feeling in a long time that had been anything but pain, giving you hope that one day you really may be as ok as you pretend to be.