The Hamilton Charm

Chapter 8

The sound of Gregor barking woke me from my peaceful sleep. I recoiled in disgust when I felt a wet and slimy tongue on my face. I opened my eyes and my beautiful fluffy black and white husky was licking me. I shoved him away gently and then pulled back the covers. I stretched and yawned. I was going back to work today. I trudged into the kitchen and made myself some coffee. I sipped it quietly while Gregor ran about the apartment, dragging his blanket behind him. I smiled, he was so cute. I placed my cup in the dishwasher and got ready for work. I decided to wear one of the skirts that I bought with Ethan.

The cat was in the hall when I left, watching me. But one look from Gregor and it skittered back into the hellhole where it came from. I quickly glanced inside my apartment to make sure everything was set up for my new puppy. Reassured I locked the door behind me. I travelled down the lift and stepped outside.

It was surprisingly a nice day in Paris, lots of sunshine and hardly any clouds. I strode down the familiar cobbled street towards my favourite cafe ‘La Petite Tasse de Ciel’. The smell wafted down the street and I breathed a sigh of relief when I pushed open the doors. The relief was soon gone when I saw who was sitting in my regular booth. Iver Hamilton was sprawled out in my booth, his laptop to his left and his briefcase to his right. He really was a work-a-holic.

 I rolled my eyes and strutted past him, I was not going to acknowledge his presence. With my head held high I approached the cashier. I ordered and paid for my coffee, I was fully prepared to stride confidently out of the cafe and then to the Metro, but me being me, I stumbled and spilt my coffee all over me and...Hamilton. I went bright red with embarrassment and grabbed the nearest tissue to wipe some of it away. But I just made it worse.

Hamilton swatted my hand away and grabbed the tissue from me. He sighed loudly and proceeded to wipe his shirt. “You’re paying for a new shirt” he growled and waved me away with his hand. I showed him more courtesy than he did when he spilt coffee on me that first day we met. I could feel steam coming out of my ears. “Well I still have that shirt you destroyed, so you can pay for a new one too” I said and marched out of there, the door swinging behind me.

I arrived at work after what felt like a short ride on the Metro. I entered the building and decided to climb the stairs to blow off steam. I soon reached our floor albeit breathless. I walked through the door and slammed straight into something tall and as hard as a rock. My hand rested against his chest and I could feel his pecs. I swooned a little. I quickly snapped out of it when I looked up and there stood Hamilton who had just exited the lift. I pulled my hand away as if I had been burned and turned on my heel and down the hallway.

I walked into the break room and Isabelle was making coffee and chomping on a biscuit. She looked like she popped straight out of a magazine. A super-model is what she should have...what she should be. I was a little bit jealous of how she could make a simple shirt and slacks look like haut-couture. Her eyes widened and the biscuit stuffed in her mouth made her look like a chipmunk. I quickly swallowed. “I saw your encounter with Hamilton” she said winking. “What encounter?” I said walking past her and grabbing a biscuit for myself. “Just five seconds ago when you gave into your urges which you have been denying for so long and pounced on him” she exclaimed. “Urges? I don’t have urges for him, it was an accident. Are you taking drugs or something? I did not pounce on him. I happened to just walk into him. Nothing else.” I emphasised the nothing for Isabelle. “Sure, Sure” she said grinning at me like a Cheshire cat and elbowing me in the side. I grimaced and moved away. “Anyway did you get that report for me? We have to talk about work now considering you’re too proud to admit your attraction for him or to even elaborate on what his body felt like” she had this far away look about her and then she sighed wistfully. “Oh sorry no, I couldn’t get the report for you because I was too busy having mad sex with Hamilton in the stairwell” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. She rolled her eyes at me. “It's on my desk” I said pointing towards my office. “Thanks” she grinned and gave me a hug and left the break room.