Yes, Sir

5.3

•- Laine Bennett -•

The sound of falling water striking the top of the pool fills the silent air as Austin and I situate ourself on the lounge chairs overlooking the large pool of salt water.

As I tuck my legs underneath me for comfortability, I attempt to quickly formulate any decent questions for this conversation.

Austin and I could communicate openly, and with ease. Maybe I wanted validation of my feelings, or maybe I just wanted to know what made him tick. I'd had a refined base as to what lead him to most of his decisions and his upbringing as given to me my first introduction to Eric and Chris, but the media had conveyed a flat man with no desire for fulfillment in any other part of his life that did not pertain to his career choice.

Out of sheer curiosity, and desire to let him know how deep I was going to take my interrogation, I open with, "What's your biggest regret?"

His cheeks puff briefly before he reases an immense amount of air from his body. He leans back into the lounge chair with ease and the way his eyes lift to the left, I can tell that he was searching through his memories.

"Probably my lack of self control when it comes to my assistants. I built my business on respect for myself as well as others and in the past few years of success, I've failed to maintain that state of mind."

I knew not to take offense to his words. His track record was less than ideal, but I had an appreciation for his honestly that overthrew any sort of unsettled feeling I could house.

He turns his head to mine quickly, and it momentarily amazed me that he hadn't injured himself in the process. "Now I'm curious," he begins, a smile on his lips that could light up all of New York, "What is Lainey Bennett's greatest regret?"

I bite my lower lip at the realization that of course, my probing questions would come with the cost of my own response. Had I been aware that this would be the outcome, I would have settled for steamy sex on his desk table. But I was here instead, and dreading my decision.

Part of me knew I'd be playing a risky game with my answer. His response, could potentially be the downfall of both our professional, and personal relationship.

"Back in college, I'd been out at a bar with Dane when a man came up to me. He was a little older, not by much, had a nice posture, a business card even, and Dane had shooed me from the bar and I found myself in the only one night stand I'd ever come to encounter."

"Just one?" He replies, curiosity oozing from his words.

I shrug my shoulders and look past his eyes to avoid any contact necessary. "To me, sex was a level of intimacy shared between two people. I've always harbored insecurities and I'd rather have that emotional connection before I can commit fully to a night with someone."

He hums in response and I immediately take this with a grain of salt. I did not intend to look deeper into the relationship of a free man and woman. Despite the hungry desire of love for him, I could never verbally say my daunting emotions. To myself, and to Thea, I could express with ease. Austin Wood, however, was a man of his word. When he says that he does not do relationships, or falling in love, you expect him to see to it that he doesn't do so little as glance to a woman twice. Friendship was the core of our existing relationship, and tainting the single chance of happiness I could possibly have with a man high in honor, would be a deed done by no one of human decent.

As a new question comes to my mind, I can't help but smile more to myself.

"What was your first impression of me?"

A loud and humorous snort emits from his nose and I can't help but let out a joyous laugh. Austin never hid the truth when asked as far as I was concerned. There was pure truth to his words, and it was a quality I prioritized without knowing I did so.