Cold Feet

RICK

I can’t stop thinking about her. Seeing her this morning as I was leaving George’s house was the last thing I expected. She is beautiful. More than beautiful. She has a certain something about her that attracts me. I don’t know what it is but I’ve never felt it before.

I remember the time we spent together the night before. I would give anything to have another opportunity to spend time alone with her like that. If only we had more time before we were interrupted. Things might have been different. We could still have spoken more civilly if only the groom hadn’t been caught with his… well, if he hadn’t been so stupid.

Talking about offering legal services was the wrong thing to do, and giving Trish’s parents my business card was just plain foolish. I now realize that it made me look exactly like the person she thought I am. And as far as meeting her this morning went?

I am sure she thinks I was there to talk about Trish divorcing Eric. Well, I was, but they also want me to sue Viola.

I’m not happy about it at all and now I regret giving my card to the Bentons.

I mean I do want to see her again but not to subpoena her. Besides, if I am the attorney of the client that’s suing her, I’m not allowed anywhere near her and once it’s over, she’ll never let me near her anyway. She probably doesn’t want me near her now anyway but a man can try. I have no-one to blame except myself. In my mind, I hear the nails being knocked into the coffin of what I hoped would be an amazing relationship as I ring the bell on the door of her house and wait for an answer.

She opens the door. She opens her mouth and then closes it. I think she must have a million thoughts running through her mind just then and none of them are saying, “Hello”.

I make the first comment.

“Twice in one day. That’s a record, even for me.”

“What do you want?” she asks coldly.

“To come in if I may?”

She looks at me a few moments longer and bites her lower lip. She’s weighing up a snarky response against simply letting me in. She can’t resist the comeback.

“You came close last night but it’s never going to happen now. You’re also not getting any more of my underwear.”

I can’t fight the hint of the smile that pulls at the corner of my mouth before I manage to force it away.

“Please?” I ask not rising to the bait.

“Please what? Can you come in or have some more of my underwear?”

I know she’s not teasing me. She’s turning our moment of intimacy the night before into a blade and trying to cut me with it.

I don’t answer but wait for her to calm down and decide to let me in or send me away.

Decency wins at last, and she steps back opening the door wider. “I’m sorry. Please come in.”

“Thank you.” I look around as she closes the door and leads the way to her living room. My eyes follow her hips as she moves. Her ass is perfect in the white shorts she is wearing and those legs… Her golden, brown legs are perfectly contrasted against her white shorts. It’s more than the contrast though. They are perfect in every way, not to mention her firm ass too.

I should be embarrassed, ashamed even but I can’t help the thoughts running through my mind. I remember how great her ass felt in my hands the night before. I am intoxicated further as I catch her soft, feminine scent as I follow in her wake.

She finally stops and turns in the living room. “Please have a seat,” she says coldly. “I was just making coffee. Would you like some?”

“That would be great, thanks,” I say trying to smile but feeling like it’s the most nervous and awkward thing I have ever done in my life. What the hell is wrong with you? No woman has ever done this to me.

“I’ll be back in a moment,” she says and turns heading for the kitchen which is visible from the living room. I watch her as she goes. She is wearing the same cotton top she wore when I saw her this morning, but she has removed the vest she wore underneath so her white lace bra is visible through it. I feel my desire hardening rapidly and I sit down quickly.

I listen to Viola making coffee in the kitchen. I believe there is a lot that watching people and listening to them can tell you. The sounds she makes are soft, calm. She is a gentle person, at peace with herself and her life. I think so anyway. There’s no frustration or rush in the sounds they make. They are simply normal, gentle, slow, and soft sounds of a beautifully calm person.

I look around the room and spot the shelves behind me. They are filled with books. From where I sit, I can see that many of the books are romance books. Figures. She’s a wedding planner. I wonder how many ideas she’s extracted from those books and turned into part of someone’s wedding experience. She really is a professional. It’s a shame that I’m going to have to be the one to tear her world apart.

She returns from the kitchen carrying a tray with two cups and a plate of biscuits. I have to hand it to her, even in the face of adversity she stays calm and treats the enemy decently. Perhaps it’s because she doesn’t know how much of an enemy I am right now.

She sets the tray down and her blouse falls forward giving me a good view of her lace bra inside it. I feel like a pervert but I can’t help myself. I wonder if I should turn this case down and pursue her instead. I’m guessing she’ll never talk to me again after what I’m going to do and that’s not what I want. But then nothing is ever long-term with me. I don’t do commitment. It’s why I’m so good at divorce. I don’t get emotionally involved. Well, perhaps I do, but not for the sake of seeing marriages saved. I’m more emotional about seeing them dissolved.

Viola finishes setting the tray down and looks up at me. My gaze is fixed on the opening of her blouse and her bra revealed inside it as my train of thought has drifted far away.

Viola realizes where my gaze is and her hand quickly flies to her blouse pressing it against her chest as she blushes. She must be really embarrassed for me to see the red glow in her golden brown cheeks. I realize that I have been caught and my face reddens in embarrassment.

She hesitates briefly before sitting down opposite me and crossing her fine, perfect legs. I try to keep my gaze off them as she crosses them. I fail dismally and she rubs her legs as women sometimes do absentmindedly. I wonder if she is doing it absentmindedly or on purpose. Either way, it drives me wild.

suggests some answers before I can reply, “Come to

never at a loss for words. “I saw our mutual client George

am aware of that,” she replies with the slightest hint of a smile at the corners of her beautiful mouth.

want to come here today to bring you this news but I

that you’re handling the divorce for Trish? I

“No. George feels betrayed, his daughter’s been hurt and

understand. I don’t blame him. What I don’t understand is what it has to

uncomfortably. “Well, the thing is that he doesn’t just

I realize then that she knows. Of course. She

world. Her eyes narrow briefly and she casts a glance out the window to the garden. Her

I nod.

“And?”

wants the maximum

what are you waiting for? What better way to make an example of the joke his daughter’s marriage is by tearing a wedding planner’s business down along with the wedding that blew up in her

there because I thought they only

it would be someone else anyway. This will give you the vindication you need for your

do this at your

places her

any bright side to this at all. Not for her

to fuck me after all.

in disappointment. “You should do something about

I’m having sex,” she replies calmly, her gaze ice-cold wanting me to know I’ll never get the chance to

“I’m sorry,” I say.

my expense. Let me fill you in on what’s happened since that reporter aired the news about

nothing but hold her gaze thinking how beautiful her eyes are and watching her soft lips moving as she talks. I’m losing concentration again and force myself to

you know that I operate on the basis of no refund once the deposit has been paid? Do you know what I’ve been

don’t answer but shake

refunding deposits. Every. Single. One. My calendar is open from today to two months from now and it’s opening up more and more as every minute passes. You have never seen a wedding planner

I swallow guiltily.

your fault. Do you know

I guess you’re about to

it. Every dime. I’ve

“Did he take it?”

you think he took it?” she asks her tone making it clear she

picks it up and removes an envelope from it. She returns and sits down again. She sets the envelope on the table and pushes it towards

“What’s that?” I ask.

you

smile. She seems so

think it’s funny?”

shake my head. “No. It’s just that

but here’s the truth. I may be offering to refund his money but there were still costs that had to be paid. I paid for them so I’m already running at a loss from Trish’s wedding. I can’t do more than that. I have very little funds left after seeing my entire pipeline of business wiped out for the next two months. The cancellations are still coming and there really aren’t that many clients left. I’m facing bankruptcy so I suggest that you take this check back to your client and ask him to accept it as settlement of the pain Trish has suffered because of

I am shocked to see the amount

“What?” she asks.

money. How much is your

“Half,” Viola replies.

ask in disbelief and then repeat it. “Half?”

seem to have a problem with that,” Viola says matter

lot for your share,”

and she moves to the edge of her seat. “And who are you to judge what’s

mean that you

How much?” she interrupts

“Half,” I say sheepishly.

“Oh wait. Of course it’s too much. Because I deal in making people happy. I work on making the happiest day of a couple’s life, their happiest day ever while you

to belittle you or

to university for how many years but there’s no degree for wedding planners. Why should I make good money when I never slaved away at a degree as you have? In case you haven’t heard, the service industry commonly generates margins of fifty percent. You provide a service and I provide a service. Besides, I am

and take it back as an offer. I can sue you for more which is exactly what George

suing me, your client is. Maybe you can get your client to sue me for my underwear anyway and