This guy at work had been flirting with me for some time. Every time he could find a reason to come into my area, he would. He wasn't pushy, just real nice. He would stop by in the morning to see how I was doing and if I needed anything. Then about 11, he would stop by or call. He would do this several times in the afternoon too. After a short time, he asked me to lunch.
After the first week we were together most every day for lunch. Sometimes we'd eat in the building and sometime outside if it was pleasant weather. We talked about a lot of different things during those lunches getting to know each other. The air always seemed to be electrified when he was near.
One morning, after about a month of lunches, he stopped by to chat and just as he was leaving, he said, "If you're free for lunch at 12:30, there's something I'd like to show you." I thought about it for about a second and replied, "Sound great. Will we leave the mall?" He told me that we wouldn’t. We agreed to meet in the atrium at 12:30. I was on pins and needles from that moment on. I couldn't help thinking that something was very different in the look on his face.
Finally 12:30 came and I bolted out of the department. As I rounded the corner that opened into the atrium I slowed down to a casual stroll. Partly to appear less nervous and partly so that I could look for him. I saw him sitting at a table with his back to me so I walked quietly up to him. "Hi there," I said. He turned and looked into my eyes for a long moment before he said hello. As he looked at me he stood up and then didn't move. My stomach did a little flip-flop.
I wondered to myself what could be going on. "Let's walk a little", he said. We walked down the mall admiring the newly hung spring decorations and new plants that had been brought in. We passed through the atrium a couple of times and each time he would look up at the trees near the elevator. I finally asked him what he wanted to show me. "You’ll see, come on," he said as he walked toward the elevator. We got on the glassed elevator and took it to the third floor--to the top of the atrium. I looked around as we were going up. It was beautiful with all the lights and flowers and trees...almost like a park. As the elevator stopped, he put his hand on the small of my back and said, "come on, this way" and guided me out of the elevator. "What's up here," I wondered. Nothing but a bank and an exit to the parking deck.
He guided me towards the exit and I stopped, looked at the exit and said, "I thought you said that we wouldn’t be leaving the mall." I was getting a little nervous. "We aren't, come on" and he guided me on toward the exit but stopped at a hallway and turned left. I saw more elevators. He pushed the "up" button and the doors slid silently open. I was puzzled when he guided me inside--still with his hand at the small of my back. This felt good though, I felt safe and protected with his hand at my back.
On the panel inside he pushed the top floor and the doors slid shut. We rose about two floors when suddenly three sides became glass. We could see the city! Up, up, we rose until we reached the top floor. Before the doors could open he reached out and pressed the stop button, then did something else that I later learned prevented the elevator from being called into use. He stood next to me, our arms barely touching as we looked out upon the city. Neither spoke, but he put his hand to the small of my back again. This time, I leaned toward him. As I rested my cheek against his chest, he spoke. "You know, this is really nice," and he turned toward me, "but this, is nicer" and he leaned down and kissed me on the lips. I leaned into the kiss as he deepened it.
