Natalia walked begrudgingly behind Olivia down the corridor towards the elevator lobby. Her mind, on the other hand, had begun racing in many different directions. She was trying her best to focus only upon work. Work was safe. It was neutral. Work, though at times as chaotic as it was mundane, had not just made a proactive business move that was about to ruin her relationship with her father. Work wasn't about to email her back and turn her entire world upside down. And Work certainly wasn't a captivating woman who was relentlessly trying to find a crack by which to squeeze through into her comfort zone. The other topics warring for her attention were doing all of these things.
Work was not winning the battle.
The thought of what she had done was causing her pain. She was certain that she had acted out of conviction to do what was the very best thing for the company, but justifying her actions was not going to ease her discomfort. She put that thought out of her mind. She could only sit and wait for a response – a reply that would at the very least give her hope of staying right where she was for at least a little while longer. She wasn't good at the 'sitting' and the 'waiting'. She had to put that thought away as well. That left room in her mind for the other thought that was pulling at her brain. Her attention focused on the woman striding confidently in front of her – the one who was on the opposite side of this desperate power struggle.
The woman that I just referred to, openly, as being 'fascinating', she chastised herself. Oh, but no. Why stop there, Natalia? Why not add in an 'astonishingly beautiful' while you're at it? Add a little fuel to the fire that you're actually trying to put out!
She had meant what she said about it being a pity that they hadn't met under other circumstances. About how she actually liked talking with her. But she had also meant what she said about wanting Olivia to leave her alone.
She said she was going to leave me alone. Even the voice in her own head was starting to sound desperate. I can't be thinking about her right now. That's exactly what she wants. That's her plan. She needs me thrown off and distracted.
Her mind went back to the previous night's dinner. Images of Olivia's hand resting on her brother's arm. Olivia's artificial laughter at his inane conversation. Olivia's sultry voice asking Mateo to take her somewhere more 'relaxed'.
She is doing the same thing with me – treating me like one of her targets. She is just taking a somewhat different approach.
Olivia had stopped in front of the secured side door to the elevator, turned to face Natalia, and waited for her to slide her passkey down the lock. She then opened the door and gestured for Natalia to go first with a gallant smile.
Other images now flashed in the younger woman's mind. Olivia quickly looking away when she had made a comment on her dimples. Olivia getting embarrassed when she was caught checking out her legs. The look in Olivia's eyes when they gazed upon her lips last night at the restaurant.
Predators don't usually allow themselves to fall victim to their prey.
All of these thoughts had once again stirred up unwanted feelings within her. She quickly cast a sideways glance at the woman beside her who was staring at the numbers above their heads as they lit up one by one. Her eyes held the sideways profile of the woman who, sensing herself being watched, had turned to face her. Olivia said nothing; instead, she simply smiled and watched Natalia's eyes drop to her mouth.
The elevator doors opened and it was Olivia who walked in first, positioned herself at the back of the car, and leaned back against the wall behind her. Natalia hadn't yet moved.
"Coming, Natalia?" Olivia inquired, still smiling.
Natalia entered the elevator car and kept herself as far in front of the older woman as possible. She pressed the number to their floor and the doors proceeded to close. As they started moving upwards, Natalia could have almost sworn she could feel Olivia's eyes burning themselves into her.
She said she was going to leave me alone, her agonized mind repeated.
She closed her eyes.
For the love of God, she has to leave me alone.
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Olivia remained where she was at the back of the elevator. She stayed silent and simply watched the younger woman whose back was turned to her. She found it odd that Natalia was seemingly trying to put as much distance between them as she possibly could within the confined space.
I told her I was going to leave her alone, she reminded herself. Why do I get the feeling that I'm going to find that a lot harder to do than it was to say?
There was no way to explain the magnetic pull this woman had on her. She had no frame of reference for it, nothing with which she could juxtapose what she was currently feeling. She hadn't any female friends. She had found that not only was there not a lot of woman willing to put up with her competitive nature, but there were also none that she found particularly interesting, either. Perhaps she was experiencing a real desire to befriend this younger hotelier. They, indeed, had so much in common. Natalia was a beautiful woman who was obviously capable of holding her own in their typically male-dominant careers. She was driven and confident, intelligent and witty.
Perhaps that's the draw, she mused. She would be someone I could talk to about anything. She would understand.
Content for the moment that she had found the reason behind the unexplained attraction once and for all, her mind suddenly went back to their conversation at the restaurant. The way Natalia reacted to the sight of her with Mateo. The way Natalia had greeted her. The way Natalia moved towards her in the restroom. Coming within inches of her. Daring her to kiss her.
Is that how friends behave? She already knew the answer to her own question. And you're no better, Spencer, she lectured herself. You've been flirting with men for so long that you've gone and put it on autopilot, haven't ya?
The elevator began to slow in between floors.
Although if it were making her uncomfortable she certainly isn't showing it, she pondered. Okay, well, besides basically telling me to stay the hell away from her, that is.
The elevator had now stopped, and the doors began to open.
God I need a drink.
Natalia stopped in front of Olivia's door and turned slowly. "Thank you for yet another wonderful time, Ms. Spencer," she said with an obvious hint of sarcasm. "So sorry it has to end."
"I'm sure you are." Olivia rolled her eyes but smiled. She dug in her purse to try and find her keycard, sighing in annoyance as she rummaged through the vast amount of objects.
Natalia watched in amusement as she struggled for a few moments. She grabbed her passkey and held it out in front of her. "Would you like me to..."
Olivia waved at her in acceptance. "Hey, if it gets me to the vodka sooner, be my guest!"
Natalia smiled and slid the card down the lock. She opened the door for Olivia. Neither of them moved.
"So, I guess I won't be seeing you around?" Olivia joked lightly.
"I will be at the meeting tomorrow."
"Oh, so I'm allowed to come, too?"
"It's your turn to present."
"Just don't want to overstep the boundaries."
"Always trying to be considerate, aren't you?"
"I'm nothing if not considerate."
"I would have to agree."
Olivia laughed. "I walked right into it, didn't I?"
"Kinda."
Olivia walked into the doorway of her room and turned back around.
"Okay then, well..."
"Yeah, okay..."
Natalia turned and was about to start walking towards her room when both women heard the elevator door open at the end of the hall. They both turned to see who it was, and inwardly, they both groaned to themselves when a figure finally exited.
"Ms. Spencer! I was hoping you'd be here," Mateo came stalking toward them.
Natalia turned back to Olivia and the two women shared a look that chilled Olivia to the bone.
"Have a good evening, Ms. Spencer," Natalia's voice was frigid and she turned to walk away.
"Natalia, wait..." Olivia pleaded, suddenly wishing she could just explain what actually happened the night before. But Mateo was suddenly standing in front of her, grinning down at her charismatically, and her sentence was halted as she watched Natalia walk away.
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