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dilated from
our sex so he was a little wide eyed, but his expression was real.
I really didn’t think he wanted me to leave. He’d slid on a pair of
jeans but no shirt. Watching the muscles in his chest ripple I so
wanted to believe him. His hand reached across the table and
covered mine, “I’m sorry, Liz. I’m not very good at personal
relationships. I’ve spent most of my life trying to avoid them.
But, I can’t avoid this,” his fingers tapped against mine on the
table.
    I tilted my head to look up at him, “I think
you may have touched one too many nerves inside me. I feel like a
silly girl, Carlton, crying like this! I just can’t imagine why a
man like you wants anything to do with me?”
    He pulled out the chair next to me and sat
down. Leaning forward he brushed loose strands of hair from my
face, “Because Liz Martin, you are lovely. You are the most
beautiful woman I’ve ever met,and since the moment you stepped onto
my elevator I’ve done nothing but fantasize about you.” He kissed
my lips tenderly, “You. Are. Incredible.”
    My tears now dried I gazed deep into his
eyes for a signal that he meant what he’d said. I’ve been so wrong
about men before. I’d trusted Benton with everything and look how
he’d treated me! All along he was sleeping with any first year law
student who’d unzip her pants. I’d been burned one too many times.
I so wanted to trust Carlton; I wanted more than anything to
believe that he wanted me like I want him. With a long breath I
sucked in his smell. It was heaven. There was no going back, no
second guessing. This was all or nothing. I either give myself to
him with no regrets, or act like a spoiled little brat and run back
to my apartment. The answer was clear.
    I fished a shrimp from my salad. It was
seasoned perfectly, and I popped it into my mouth and leaned back
against my chair in an act of pretend confidence. “Every woman in
our office must try to get into your pants on a daily basis. After
all, you’re the plaintiff killer. Everyone in the tri-state area
knows you’re the lawyer they want. I bet a lot of them make up
legal problems just to meet you. Are all your clients
women?”
    He chuckled, “ No , they aren’t all
women. I do enjoy my job, and I’m good at it. Mike, Benning and I
started this firm right out of law school. We all pull our weight.
It doesn’t leave me much time for social interaction. That’s why I
went to a therapist; I didn’t believe myself when I started
thinking I might want to find the right woman. But after only three
visits you showed up in my elevator. I give therapy a huge thumbs
up. Shit works.” He picked at his salad and nibbled as he
talked.
    I burst out laughing. Slowly but surely I
was getting to know him.

Chapter 5
    The
rest of the week flew by. The lead attorney in my division seemed
pleased with my work, and Carlton filled my evenings. I was
relieved to discover that being in my presence was out of his
comfort zone. That was a good thing in my mind because he sure put
me out of mine! I was about to pack up my belongings for the day
when the inter-office phone on my desk rang. I looked at my bag and
then again at the phone. After the fourth ring I lifted the
handset. “Liz Martin,” I said with boldness.
    “Liz, can you come up to my office? I um…
want to ask you something?” Carlton had never called my phone. As a
matter of fact, once we crossed into the Michaud Building in the
mornings it was as though he became the man of steel. He was never
rude to me, but in the office he never gave the tiniest indication
that we were sleeping together. No one at the office knew, and
that’s the way I assumed he preferred it. He spoke to me in the
same distant, friendly way he did everyone else in the
building.
    “Sure. Where are you?” I was far too low on
the totem pole to have visited the Senior Partner’s offices.
    “Eightieth floor. I’ll be at the
elevator.”
    “I’ll be up in a few minutes, sir,”