From That Moment

Chapter 1

"Lia, this is Colin Segal. You'll be training under his guidance." Dr. Peterson stepped aside to reveal a tall man in a long white lab coat, studying a film with dark bands. Muscular shoulders filled his lab coat, and his wavy dark brown hair smelled recently shampooed. He turned to face Lia and Dr. Peterson, his eyes still on the film.

"Oh, hi Prof...Sorry. I got a really interesting result. Look..." As he pointed out a band on the film, Lia got a better glimpse at his face. Dark brown eyes, a strong masculine jaw...I know him from somewhere? She puzzled for a minute, and it hit her.  The graduation party. He was the guy. Her heart sank and she debated running out of the lab. Did he remember her? Maybe he won't recognize me now. That was before my diet. She felt somewhat relieved.

"Lia." Dr. Segal turned to face her. "Call me Colin." His eyes narrowed, and he paused. "I know you." 

"Great, you guys will work well together then," Dr. Peterson rushed off to his office. Lia slumped her shoulders and shoved her hands in her pockets.

"So I guess you just graduated, huh?" His brown eyes twinkled. His lips turned up slightly at the edges.

"Um, yes."

"Sit down." He pushed a chair on wheels towards her. She sat tensely, her legs together. Colin gave her a searing look. Those eyes. Her downfall. The reason she had let herself get so out of control at that party. He took the seat next to hers. The tiny chair struggled to support his tall, muscular frame. Colin shifted his weight in what looked like a futile attempt to get comfortable. He parted his legs slightly.

"You look different." 

"Um...ok." She didn't want to tell him what she was thinking. You look just as ridiculously hot as ever, and I just want to die of embarrassment right now.

"So you're going to be helping me with the maltose project?"

"That's what...yes." Lia was tongue-tied and struggled to talk to him. She looked down at her hands, and noticed that she was picking at her nails. She took a deep breath to quiet her heart palpitations.

"I prepared a bunch of papers you should read, it will take you a couple days." He handed her a manila folder, filled with a stack of scientific papers. As she reached for it, his hand touched her hand. A jolt of electricity passed from him to her, and she felt her cheeks turn warm. 

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Colin's skin tingled after the brief touch with Lia. He watched her as she flipped through the papers. She had changed a lot, but she still had that same cute and innocent deer-in-headlights look. The form-fitting lab coat revealed her curvy hips and a round behind. She had lost some weight, but still had the curves that he remembered.

"You want me to show you the library? It's a great place to read," he offered. Lia looked up from the paper she was scanning. She avoided his eyes, looking timid. Not at all how he remembered her. He smiled at his memory of her dancing in a short white dress. She had been so free-spirited that time. "Dance with me, Colin," she had said, pulling him towards the dance floor. She had tried to teach him how to salsa, but his two left feet had made it comedic. She had spun him around so many times that he almost fell down. What had happened to her since?

"Okay." Her eyes evaded his.

"Follow me," he said. Lia walked slightly behind him, and he wondered what she was thinking. His hands felt sweaty, and he wiped them on his jeans. He thought about the way she had put her hands on his jeans while they had been dancing. "Put yours here," she had said, placing his hands on her waist. He felt warm inside. Cold water, cold water.