Passing Through

Part Three

Chapter Three

Friday morning and the sun was shining, that made Bo wake up with a smile. For that little moment before reality sunk in, he was happy. Then the surroundings infiltrated him. The alarm on his phone suddenly blasted again, and the word Pilates popped up on the screen. That brought him back to earth with a bang, he remembered Coop's words, and he tried to see the bright side, but there didn't seem to be one.

Until he got to another breakfast meeting afterwards. The little blonde thing who'd flirted outrageously when they'd been at the cafe two days earlier, was there smiling as he walked in with Blake, ahead of the others this time.

"Hi guys, I'm Lara. If you need anything, just shout." With that she directed them to some long tables set up to one side.

"So blonde is your thing, hey?" Blake elbowed him, "that's the liveliest you've looked in weeks."

Bo rolled his eyes, but there was no denying he had perked up a little, it had been a long time since he'd been interested in anything.

By the time the other guys arrived, he was tucking into the best poached eggs and avocado that he'd ever tasted, a hint of chilli, lots of pepper, delicious.

He reached for the OJ and saw the jug was empty.

"Ask for another one, will you please?" Coop asked.

Bo nodded, pushing his chair back, he made for the counter. The blonde waitress was serving another customer, so he waited.

Natasha came out of the office to see a tall, handsome man stood at the counter, with his huge presence, stubbled jaw, full lips, even in side profile Natasha could tell he was an attractive man....with his eyes trained on delicate, slim and blonde Lara. She wasn't jealous of her, there was a lot to be said for curves and hair her grandmother called russet, but the handsome athlete just loved the alternative, that was no surprise. She took a deep breath, that animosity came from a place a long time ago, taking a sigh, she approached him.

"Can I help? Or would you rather wait for Lara?" He jumped at the voice, turning to face her with an awkward smile.

"Er. No. Thanks. We just need some more orange juice, of possible." He added a quick please as she nodded and made her way to the fridge.

"I don't suppose you have any pomegranate juice?" He asked when she came back with the jug, his warm eyes staring at her.

Her eyes lit up, "I do! Pomegranate Martini's are my fave. Have them most nights when the door shuts!"

He was amused at her reaction, smirking while she gushed like a giggly girl, and it was a long moment before he replied, "You've got good taste."

Blushing furiously, she scurried back to the fridge then gave him the dark glass of juice along with the jug.

Natasha burst into her office, then slammed the door closed, collapsing against it. She felt such a fool, but the man who had asked for juice had the greatest eyes, when he finally took his eyes off Lara, she reminded herself. It was a long time since she'd had a reaction like that to anyone, her confidence with men was poor, she had safe encounters on her terms, but it was a long time since someone as mesmerising as him had infiltrated her brain. For what good it did. Because then said brain went to sleep, and she made a ridiculous attempt at flirting...that went down like a lead balloon. Tumbleweeds should have blown through the restaurant, and she felt like an idiot. She'd got it all so wrong, she was so poor at judging men.