"Come in." I winced as I realized my summons came a second before the knock actually descended. Such knowledge tended to discomfort people and I was normally careful in revealing how much the stars tended to reveal to me.
The man who entered my office carried himself with the soft assured gait of training. Military training of some kind. We were both rather surprised by the other and the mirrored arching of a brow drew a measured slow lift of the corner of my lips.
"Miss Van Blaudin?" His own expression slightly bemused.
"I am." I never meant to come across as cold as I tended to. But as the words dropped with all the warmth of ice cubes between us I chastised myself for not infusing them with a hint of welcome. To make up for my reserve, I rose toward the small kitchen bar just off to the side of my desk, "Tea?"
I could feel his eyes follow me. It was as if a scale and balance had been applied. I wondered where I measured up in his system of categories even as he sought answers that would more firmly place me, "You knew I was coming then?"
"How could I know that? I don't know who you are." I meant it to be lighthearted, playfully amusing but it came across in the same measured cadence of my rhythm and I realized that yet again I was presenting an enigma. My question became a statement about my ability. How had I known and what then did I really know?
The enigmatic weight of his gaze revealed that he was even now playing with those questions even as he replied, "I am Fabian Salerno. Ms. Shantalaine recently hired me to see to the Plaza's security."
My smile was more genuine at the mention of Fiora and I moved toward the comfortable seats in my main office, tea tray in hand. "Well, then am I to understand you're a new Plaza member?"
"Yes." His answer was forthright as he followed without being bade, though now his gaze had moved from me to assess my offices. I wondered what he thought of the curtained skylight above. Did he see it as a security breach, the way his brow furrowed? The floor to ceiling windows were next to be assaulted by that assessing gaze and I remained quiet to allow him to focus on his task uninterrupted.
When his gaze resettled upon me I noted that he seemed surprised and pleased that I had not prattled on and I wondered idly if this was a reaction to having recently been with Fiora or if he was used to women who filled the warm welcoming intervals of silence with their own noise as if afraid they would disappear in the void.
The void pressed in around us and I added warmth to the words that followed: "Welcome to the Plaza," holding out the cup of tea as I did so. Only then did he move to take a seat. Perching on the edge of it and somehow managing to look relaxed even though the tension that threaded through his body never diminished. He was coiled. A spring ready to launch at the slightest provocation. Yet his hand was amazingly gentle as he took the bowl shaped cup from me.
"Thank you." The boring heat of his gaze returned fully upon me, "Now let's talk about your security."
(I hope I did it justice and thank you!)
The man who entered my office carried himself with the soft assured gait of training. Military training of some kind. We were both rather surprised by the other and the mirrored arching of a brow drew a measured slow lift of the corner of my lips.
"Miss Van Blaudin?" His own expression slightly bemused.
"I am." I never meant to come across as cold as I tended to. But as the words dropped with all the warmth of ice cubes between us I chastised myself for not infusing them with a hint of welcome. To make up for my reserve, I rose toward the small kitchen bar just off to the side of my desk, "Tea?"
I could feel his eyes follow me. It was as if a scale and balance had been applied. I wondered where I measured up in his system of categories even as he sought answers that would more firmly place me, "You knew I was coming then?"
"How could I know that? I don't know who you are." I meant it to be lighthearted, playfully amusing but it came across in the same measured cadence of my rhythm and I realized that yet again I was presenting an enigma. My question became a statement about my ability. How had I known and what then did I really know?
The enigmatic weight of his gaze revealed that he was even now playing with those questions even as he replied, "I am Fabian Salerno. Ms. Shantalaine recently hired me to see to the Plaza's security."
My smile was more genuine at the mention of Fiora and I moved toward the comfortable seats in my main office, tea tray in hand. "Well, then am I to understand you're a new Plaza member?"
"Yes." His answer was forthright as he followed without being bade, though now his gaze had moved from me to assess my offices. I wondered what he thought of the curtained skylight above. Did he see it as a security breach, the way his brow furrowed? The floor to ceiling windows were next to be assaulted by that assessing gaze and I remained quiet to allow him to focus on his task uninterrupted.
When his gaze resettled upon me I noted that he seemed surprised and pleased that I had not prattled on and I wondered idly if this was a reaction to having recently been with Fiora or if he was used to women who filled the warm welcoming intervals of silence with their own noise as if afraid they would disappear in the void.
The void pressed in around us and I added warmth to the words that followed: "Welcome to the Plaza," holding out the cup of tea as I did so. Only then did he move to take a seat. Perching on the edge of it and somehow managing to look relaxed even though the tension that threaded through his body never diminished. He was coiled. A spring ready to launch at the slightest provocation. Yet his hand was amazingly gentle as he took the bowl shaped cup from me.
"Thank you." The boring heat of his gaze returned fully upon me, "Now let's talk about your security."
(I hope I did it justice and thank you!)