Out of Time

Chapter 4

Liam

Fire pit area is situated at the point where ground slightly slopes down. One part is partially cut into the incline, with a L shaped seating area placed against the low wall, opening up to the landscape looking toward Madison's house which nested against the opposite hillside.

"So, you are the owner of the "Fort Knox" over there?" I ask although I already know the answer to that question.

She smirks, "I see that Piper already filled you in".

It is incredible how this woman commands my attention. She is shy and I want her to open up.

"I didn't know it was you," I lie.

Well kind of lie. When accepting Drake's initial offer to use their cottage two weeks ago, I was blissfully unaware of this fact. But a small house surrounded by big walls in the middle of nowhere, draws attention.

One night, as I was enjoying my bear, sitting right here where we are sitting now, the driveway and half of the hill light up. Except for the lightshow in the middle of the night, nothing special. But then a car came, and well I was bored, so I picked up the binoculars to take a look at my neighbor.

At first, I didn't recognize her, but when the realization dawned on me, I was shocked.

Can it be?

The universe brought her back to me.

Following two days I managed to get zero work done.

Which was the very reason why I even secluded myself from the world. I'm a tech guy and I'm not big on log cabins, no matter how beautiful they are.

I was there to ideate on my next big project.

What did I do instead; watched her.

I'm obsessed, I know, I can't help it.

In my defense, this was the only opportunity I got to be free to do that.

Free to concentrate on her.

Free to wonder who she is thinking about, when she spends her evening sitting on the terrace railing nursing her drink and listening to music.

Free to hate that guy, because something possessive comes over me each time I think about her being with a man.

Looking at her from afar was easy. Figuring how to approach her out of the blue was not.

At least not until Piper chimed in with her match making.

I know I'm no good for her, but at least we can talk.

I see her eyebrows shoot up and I realize that I'm looking at her for a while without saying anything.

"Piper mentioned that the neighbor was coming late, and you were the last one arriving..." I finish the thought.

"Well, that explains me," she continues, "how are you here?"

"I work with Drake's company," I own that company to be exact, "and we have been friends for years." That last statement is completely true. Although Drake technically works for me, I consider him to be a partner and a friend.

"Will your significant other join us?" I ask and inwardly cringe in spite of the fact I'm pretty sure she is single.

"Just me "she answers, breaking eye contact "and you, is your girlfriend here?"

"I'm also alone."

I wait for the moment that she connects the dots.

I'm counting on the fact that Piper filled her in about the dating possibility.

I get her reaction a moment later.

She is still looking away when her breath hitches and she gasps almost inaudibly.

"Can I guess than that you are the neighbor Piper mentioned I have to meet because we would be great for each other?" I test the water.

The atmosphere between us crackles, charged with the insinuation in my statement.

She looks at me and her expression changes.

There it is, her attraction for me.

She hides well behind her mask, but on occasions it falls down and I see glimpse of what's beneath.

I savored those moments when she worked for me.

Usually it was the first look she directed to me when we ran into each other. Just for a moment there it was, the desire in her eyes before she controlled herself and it was all gone.

Now she is making no effort to hide it and the desire slams into my gut with a vengeance.

The attraction I felt a moment ago is nothing towards what I'm feeling now.

"This is awkward" she taunts me.

"Awkward how?" I smirk.

Two can play this game.

She shifts her body towards me so she is on her side rather than sitting next to me and crosses her legs while getting nestled seductively against the sofa.

"You were my boss, how..." she answers, still keeping eye contact.

"I'm not anymore," I answer "I'm just a guy now".

She smirks back at me and her eyes fall on my lips.

I can almost feel hers on mine.

How I want to reach down and kiss her, how I want to devour her mouth.

"So how does this work?" she asks and catches me off guard with the direct question.

I mirror her posture as I turn towards her and rest my head on my hand.

"I would guess we would go on a date?" I observe innocently.

She is still looking intensively at my lips, or is it my beard?

"Is my beard really so bad?!" I continue.

Madison snickers as she inhales.

With a small wave of her head she tells me, "No, I'm just thinking how different you look."

But I know from the expression on her face and the posture of her body that she is thinking about kissing me as much as I am wanting to taste her lips.

"A date you say. Will you invite me or do I invite myself? she muses.

Challenge accepted!

"I'm all for it," I reply "why don't we start immediately?" I challenge back and instantly regret it because I don't want to lead her on.

Fuck, fuck, fuck I want to spend more time with her but I can't let things go too far.

I know that will happen I allow this to develop further.

"Oh, no, no. You can't declare this a date" Madison replies playfully.

My mouth gets really dry.

"I was thinking more in the line of you giving me a tour of your house." I state.

What the fuck am I doing, my mouth has a will of its own.

"Now that can be arranged," she responds as she stands up and holds out her hand.

"Let's go! We'll take mycar."