Worlds Apart (Open)

[BlueEyedLady]

OOC: Wanting to start an open thread on kind of a Cindrella theme but without the evil step sisters per se unless someone wants to come in and play some snobby wealthy ladies who don't like the fact that 'Prince Charming' is interested in 'Cinderella' lol

Okay, I would like this thread to be based on two people who travel in social circles that are very different from each other but they keep seeming to 'bump into' each other. The young woman (played by myself) will be a servant in a wealthy family and the man (role open) will be an equally wealthy friend of her employeer. I know it's probably been done before but this story has been floating around in my head and I would really like to try it as I can't seem to get it out of my head any other way.

Any roles that you can think of are open. Use your imagination and please join. I think it will be fun. I hope it will at least.


IC:

Ophelia sighed and adjusted the tight uniform she had been given for the umpteenth time. It was her second day working as a servant in the Worthington house and she was not used to the highly startched uniform or the pinching shoes she had been issued. Her skin itched and her feet throbbed and tonight she was working late because there was a big party planned for several of Mr Worthington's friends and collegues. She groaned inwardly as she, along with several other household staff members, set about making sure that everything was in place before the guests arrived. All under the watchful eye of the Matron, Miss Cullings of course.

Ophelia, or Lea as she was called by her friends, was in the middle of setting out some expensive candleabra when Miss Cullings spoke sharply from in back of her amost making Lea drop the heavy candlestick. She had not heard the matron come up behind her and had been startled, catching the expensive piece just before it hit the floor. Miss Cullings cleared her throat and said,"I hope you do not intend to be so clumsy for the rest of the evening, Ophelia."

Lea bit back a quick resort about not being clumsy until someone decided to sneak around and scare her half to death. She didn't need to lose this job. The pay was good if nothing else and it would help her save up to go to finally go to college and get a job that...well...wasn't this one.

"No, Miss Cullings," She said instead as she placed the piece in it's proper place,"I will be more careful in the future."

"Good," The matron said,"Because I have been instructed to have you stand at the door taking the guest's coats as they enter. You will stand off to the side of Lennings, the butler, and recieve them, taking them to the coat room and hanging them properly so that the guests can find them when they leave."

Swallowing hard, she nodded but inside she felt panicked. She didn't know who all of the high society types were by name. How was she going to know who to give back what coat when they left? Groaning inside, she went off to do as she was told hoping that she still had a job by the end of the night.

As she got to her position, Lennings was standing there in a uniform that was even more startched than her own. In fact, his whole body seemed to have been doused in the stiffening agent. He must have seen her look of dismay and guessed the cause though because he actually smiled at her and whispered,"Don't worry, just listen as I greet them and don't say a word as they hand you their belongings. After the party I will help you to return them to the proper owner."

Flashing him a grateful smile, Lea stood beside him, reaching up to pat her long copper locks into place and attempting to look as formal and proper as the butler did, this being very diffcult owing to the fact that she had an overwhelming desire to kick off her shoes and gain even a moments relief for her poor aching feet.

It wasn't long before the guests arrived and Ophelia began a long process of taking coats, umbrellas (it was beginning to rain that night) and other belongings that they did not wish to carry into the dinner party with them. She didn't know how many trips she had made back and forth with armfuls of assorted items, hanging them up as quick as she could and then returning to take whatever items Lennings had gathered and begin all over again.

It wasnt long before her legs and feet were absolutly killing her and the night was just beginning. She was definatly soaking in a tub after this! Then, after the most recent return from the closet, she turned to take the coats of the next guests to come through the door. Reaching out to take what was handed to her she froze in her place almost dropping the two raincoats she had been given.

Standing before her was a man who could have easily posed for a greek statue or some famous painting. Tall, chisled features, obviously in good shape, the word handsome didn't seem to do him justice. She didn't think that anyone like that existed apart from the movies. She had missed the greeting the butler had given the man, almost missed the fact that on his arm hung a woman almost as georgeous as he was, she didn't miss the sharp hiss from Lennings though as she came back to earth in time to keep the expensive coats from falling to the floor, barely.

"Ophelia!" Lennings had said sharply and the man must have heard it too for he turned his head to look at her with his sharp, piercing gaze. It was almost a look of amusement and Ophelia felt her cheeks flame as she clutched the coats to her, excused herself and hurried off to hang them up.

Idiot! She said to herself as she fumbled with the wooden hangers, What in the hell do you think you are doing? Besides trying to lose your job!

Trudging back to her position she found Lennings with the last of the guests personal items which he handed her with a sharp look and the comment that she was to go and help pass the drinks around when she had finished up before leaving her to do just that.

Miserably she finished up her job and then went to the kitchen to recieve her tray, making her way around the room offering drinks to the guests in a voice that soon became monotonous even to her own ears. She was just thinking on how hard it would be to sneak off to sit down for at least two minutes when she heard a deep male voice behind her.

"I'll have two of those," It said and she turned around to offer the tray almost dropping it when she found herself looking up into those same piercing eyes. Fumbling to keep from spilling everything down the front of both of them, she held it still enough for him to take the drinks and hand one to the woman still clinging to his arm, hoping he wasn't seeing the deep blush that was creeping up her neck and covering her face as she looked away from those disturbing eyes.

The moment the drinks left the tray, she mumbled something incoherant and headed off for the kitchen again, shutting the door and leaning against the wall breathing hard. Dear God! She was determined to lose this job with the way she was acting. How was she supposed to get through this night if she constantly kept bumping into him? She would have to find a way to avoid him. It was a large crowd, she could do it. She didn't know why the mere sight of him made her feel clumsy and awkward, she didn't care. All she had to do was get through this night without causing a major distaster and she would be fine. Just get through the night. Yeah.

Taking a deep breath, she filled her tray again, squared her shoulders and headed back out to make her rounds again, keeping a look out for Mr Greek Statue so she could make sure to steer clear of him and a certain major upset to the dinner party.

 

[shereads]

I'll be reading

This is so romantic. I hope you find Bogart.

Good luck!

 

[BlueEyedLady]

*smiles*

Thank you for that compliment. It is much appreciated. I hope that I find a co writer as well. I am anxious to see how the story turns out.

 

[Lordmikel]

~Jonathan Kensington the Third~

He had arrived at the party, with his girl for the evening. Stacy, Tracy, Macy, no it was very much Tracy. It always looked good to come with a woman on his arm. There were always at least one attractice woman who would want to be seen on his arm.

It wasn't that he thought himself better then others. But he tended to find women who ran in the same circles as him rather boorish. They were constantly talking of their hair or make-up. They quite simply did not even bother making for stimulating conversation.

So here he was at the Cullings party. "Oh my God, look at how great this place is. They have it decorated so nicely. Don't they Johnny?"

He had to fight every impluse to not roll his eyes. Why did they always want to call him Johnny. "It looks quite nice. They went all out."

He gives his coat to the butler, not bothering with an umbrella. He never minded a bit of rain.

"Did you see that little maid? She was just drooling over you." Comments Tracy with a hiss. "But you're mine, and she can't have you."

Such comments did not even need to be responded to. As they encounter two of his friends. "Thomas, how are you?" The conversation goes for a while before Tracy wants a drink.

So off he goes to find some drinks. There's a serving girl. He flashes her a smile. This was the same one that Tracy had admonished. Cute thing. "Thank you." He replies, as he takes two from her. He watches her scurry away, admiring the view before heading back to Tracy.

"Here you are." He says.

"They have the pool all lit up with candles. We should go outside and see."

So out they go into the back to see how everything is decorated, especially before it starts to rain and ruin everything.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

OOC: Thanks so much for joining.

IC:

He wasn't here. Thank God, he wasn't here. Maybe he had gotten bored and gone home. Maybe she wouldn't have to run into him again. Maybe....

"Ophelia!" The head of staff, Miss Cullings voice behind her once again made her almost drop her tray of drinks.

Balancing them quickly, Lea turned around and said,"Yes?...Miss Cullings?" Trying not to lose her temper and tell the woman to, for the love God! stop sneaking up behind her and scaring her like that!

Handing Lea a candle snuffer, she says,"It is going to rain and the candles around the pool need to be put out in case of wind. We would not want a fire to ruin any of Mr Worthington's possesions or endanger his guests."

"No, Miss Cullings, we wouldn't want that," Lea said putting her tray down and taking the candle snuffer from her. The matron gave her a dark look that said she was sizing up her comment for any sarcasm as Ophelia strode off to do as instructed.

Moving outside, Lea could feel the wind beginning to pick up a little and she hurried to start putting out the candles. So intent was she on her task at putting out the candles that she did not realize that others were out here. Putting out one row of candles, she suddenly heard voices and looked around where two people were standing close together by the edge of the pool. She could hear both a male and female voice and she almost went back inside and left them alone but she had been given orders to extinguish the candles and she had to do it.

Maybe, just maybe, she could do this without disturbing the couple which she couldn't really make out because thier backs were to her. Walking softly towards a small table decorated with candles in a variety of candlesticks and that was mere feet from the couple, she begin to quietly extinguish them, trying not to overhear the private conversation as she worked. It was as she was putting out the last candle on the table that the man turned his face to answer a question posed by his female companion and Lea's eyes flew open as she realized that it was him.

With a start, Lea knocked the last candle from the table to the ground and, with a cry of despair tried to reach it to keep it from going anywhere and touching something flamable. In doing so, she knocked the table over causing all the ones that had been put out to fall, candles separating from holders and both rolling all over and the woman who had turned to see what all the ruckus was about, managed to step on one of the candlesticks, lose her balance and fall with a resounding splash into the pool.

Snatching up the lit candle from the ground, Lea managed to put it out just as the sound of the woman falling into the pool came to her ears.

Closing her eyes, she tried not to look at what had happened as angry screetching came from the pool area.

"Oh God!" She moaned to herself,"Tell me that didn't just happen. Please, tell me that didn't just happen!"

Opening her eyes and seeing a very wet, very mad and very bedraggled woman pulling herself out of the pool she came to realize...that did just happen.

Tearing her gaze away from the sputtering female, she looked up at that man and tried to say something but nothing would come out. Her lips moved with no sound at all as she vainly tried to explain the accident to him.

Hearing the words 'Someone's going to pay for this!' come from the vicinity of the pool area, Lea gave up and did the only thing she could think of doing. She dropped the candle that was in her hand and ran for the house, through the gawking guests and up the stairs to the servants quarters and her small room.

Closing the door behind her and leaning back on it, she groaned out loud. She had done it now! Unless there was an act of God she was sure to be sent packing the moment Mr Worthington and Miss Cullings got the whole story from their two guests. Moving over to and sinking down on her bed, she dropped her head into her hands and begin to rock back and forth. This had to be the worst day of her life!

 

[Lordmikel]

~Jonathan

He had to not laugh. It was difficult, but he had to not laugh. This would be quite the remorable evening, and to think he had only been here for ten minutes so far.

"That...that...that girl!!" Tracy was quite upset. Understandably, she was soaking wet.

"Why not go and get yourself dried off," replies Jonathan. "I'm sure within minutes you will look radiant again."

He motions for the Hostess to come over. "Take her somewhere where she can dry off, and if you could find her a new dress."

The Hostess was slowly fuming. Richard hers her mumble something about firing the girl. "You will not fire her." The words were quite forceful. "Accidents happen and no harm done."

"No harm!!" Shouts Tracy. "Look at me."

Richard walks up and takes his hand, putting it on her chin. "You still look quite lovely. And within moments, I'm sure you will outshine everyone else here."

This seeemd to calm Tracy down as she and the Hostess both wandered to find a room.

Richard looks around and realizes that the maid has gone missing as well. He had hoped she might find her way back, no matter, he supposed he should go and find her.

He walks by the butler and asks where she might be. He shrugs, but mentions she might be hiding in her room.

He hads there after being given the directions and knocks on the door.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Ophelia raised her head as she heard the knock on her door. Oh well, it was better to get it over with sooner than later, she supposed.

Rising slowly from the bed, she went to the door to open it...and almost slammed it back shut, diving for the covers on her bed. Standing in the doorway was not Mrs or Mr Worthington but Mr Greek Statue instead. Blinking in confusion, Lea wondered when it became protocol to send the guests to fire the help. Or maybe they were just giving him the pleasure of chewing her out before they told her to get packing.

Swallowing hard, she leaned out as far as she could without bumping into him to look around for someone from the household who was there to so just that after he got done. Not seeing anyone, she straightened up and looked at him in puzzlement.

"Y...yes?" She said half expecting to start in on her the moment she said anything,"Can I help you or are you just here to tell me I have to pay for your girlfriend's dress when I get another job?"

 

[Lordmikel]

"That was just wonderful. The most enjoyable event I've ever seen at a party." He gives her a warm smile to show that he isn't joking. He makes no motion to enter, although he is interested in the room.

"I already explained that you are not to be fired. It would just be the antithesis to an enjoyable evening. So you will of course let me know if they do not keep their word."

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Ophelia's jaw hit the floor. If she was expecting him to say anything than what he just said was about as far from what she expected as possible.

Giving the man a strange look, she stands there for a long moment not knowing exactly what to say. Seeing him look behind her into her small room but not attempting to enter, she stands aside and invites him in with a wave of her hand. She at least owed him that for saving her job.

In the room there was only enough room for her small bed, a dresser and a chair and end table. Places to put her belongings but nothing fancy. Many of the servants lived in apartments or houses away from the mansion but Lea was trying to save up money so she chose this rent-free option instead. It was cramped but it would do.

"Thank you," She said as she sat down on the bed letting him have the chair. She was still not comprehending what she had just been told. It just didn't compute.

"I don't mean to be rude but...are you alright?" She asked in a worried voice,"I mean you didn't slip too and hit your head and miss the part where I caused your girlfriend to fall into a pool of cholorinated water and probably ruin a very expensive dress not to mention make up and hair do. Because, if you did...I can recap it for you so you know why you should be furious with me."

"Besides," She said keeping an eye on him to see if he was going to suddenly go into convusion from a head injury,"I don't even know your name. I mean I missed it when Lennings announced you at the door. I was...um...kind of busy."

 

[Lordmikel]

He takes the offered seat and seems quite comfortable in his surroundings. Almost as if he is comfortable anywhere he is.

"First, not my girlfriend. Only a date. Second, yes I saw all of that. The dress will dry, besides, she would never wear it again anyway. So now she has an excuse to have someone else pay for it. But I might take you up on your offer of repeating the story, it was most entertaining. I only saw the end results, everything leading up to it might be entertaining as well." Replies Jonathan.

"But my name is Jonathan Kensington the Third."

He extends his hand offering to shake hers. "And you would be?"

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Ophelia couldnt get over this man. He was nothing like what someone in his position of wealth should be. Or at least not what she thought they should be.

Reaching out to take the offered hand she managed a smile,"I would be the maid that almost singlehandly brought an expensive dinner party to a crashing close. My name is Ophelia Landers but most call me Lea. My father was an english teacher and, when his kids were born, he would take all the names from some famous writer'w work and throw them in a hat and pick one out. I got Shakespear."

"And tell your date that I will pay for the dress. She is going to have to take it in installments though. I don't usually have that kind of money lying around. Actually, I don't usually have that kind of money in the bank either." Lea groaned inwardly as she thought of how much of a chunk paying the dress back was going to take out of her planned college fund. She was already 21 and her friends were in their second or third years of college. This was going to delay it even more. But her father had always taught her to make good her debts and there was no way she was going to go back on this one.

"Well, to recap how it happened," She said with a sigh pointing to herself,"Second day on the job." Reaching down to take of her shoes with a sigh, she tossed them under the bed,"Not enough experience on the job or in those cursed spikes. Add a bit of nervousness to that, some lit candles that are ment to be put out by said employee with tired feet, not enough experience and stilts for shoes and you have a recipe for disaster." She grimaced. "Trust me, what you didn't see was not a pretty sight at all...unless you are fond of women who can't keep their balance and need disaster insurance just to cover their daily lives."

 

[Lordmikel]

"Second day on the job?" He thought about it and was going to offer to pay for the dress himself, but he recalled that the poor always felt like they needed to pay for things. Some sort of honor thing. "So what else do you do? Unless of course you want to do this for the rest of your life?" He had another idea for her, but her answer would be important.

He leans back in his chair, listening to everything that she was saying. She was cute in her own special way.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Ophelia had to a laugh at the question and hoped he didn't think her rude for doing it.

"What else do I do?" She said running a hand through her coppery hair and shaking her head,"Like I have any time to do anything else. They keep you running here. But you're right, I don't plan on being a maid for the rest of my life. If I keep up the klutziness I won't be a maid for the rest of the week." She smiled trying to lighten the truth of the statement.

"I am trying to save for college," She shrugged wondering why on earth he would even want to know what a lowly maid's plans for the future is,"My dad spent his life working as a low paying teacher and my mom was a devoted housewife. Not much money to go around when you consider they had three children to raise. My dad died a few years ago and the money for college just isn't there. Thats why I'm 21 and don't even have my undergraduate classes done. It will take me a bit and be a late start but I am going to work, save money and get something that has a future."

 

[Lordmikel]

Richard smiled, "You misunderstood my question. I meant what job do you hope to learn about in college. What does the future hold for Ophelia?" There was a reason behind his question, if only this girl would be trusting enough to answer his question.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Realizing that she had goofed in her answer, Ophelia blushed, her face turning almost the color of her hair.

"Oh!" She said with a small nervous laugh,"I have many areas that interest me really. Writing, psychology, business. So I decided to put them all together and try for a law degree. That way I can be all of them at once."

Smiling at him, she added,"It was very nice of you to come up here and let me know that things were alright. I don't know of many in your position who would have been so kind. But hearing about my life story and plans for the future must be boring. And your date must be very upset to be left alone for so long. I promise I will be fine if you wish to go back to the dinner."

 

[Lordmikel]

Richard nodded. "You're right, I should be going soon. But I will see you tomorrow at 8 o'clock then. Actually let's make that 9." He takes out a piece of paper and a pen and writes out an address. "This is the address, dress casual. I will see you then."

He hands her the paper, puts away his pen, and then exits her room.

He decides to find his date, which he does.

"See, did I not tell you that you would be looking lovely with ten minutes easy." He comments to his date.

Indeed, she was looking quite fine, simply scruptuos. "Did you give her a piece of my mind."

Richard has to bite his tongue, for if he had given Ophelia a piece of Tracy's mind, she'd have nothing left. "yes I did, she knows what is coming for her." Actually she doesn't now that Richard thinks about it, he forgot to tell her why she was going where she was going. Well no matter, she'll find out soon enough.

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Ophelia sat there holding the piece of paper long after he had left, staring at it flabbergasted. What had just happened here? First he comes in telling her that he had saved her job, sat in her room quizzing her about what her plans for the future were and then handed her an address written on a piece of paper and asked her...no told her to come to the address at 9 in the morning.

The more she thought about it the more irritated she became. Just who did he think he was? She was employeed by Mr Worthington, not him. In fact, the only thing she knew about him was that he was a guest here for the evening. In fact, come to think about it, the only thing he had told her about himself was his name. He had practically gotten her life story but said nothing about himself. And she had only realized it when he had left.

She had half a mind to go downstairs and demand to know just why she should show up at this address sometime in the next millinium much less tomorrow at 9 am. But she had already come close to losing her job tonight and she figured that confronting one of her employer's guests in such a manner would be the death blow for any chance of staying. She doubted even he could patch up that mess. Which brought to mind how influential he really must be to demand that she be kept on in spite of everything and have someone like the Worthingtons listen to him.

Standing, she placed the piece of paper on the dresser and began to get ready for bed. She doubted they would want her anywhere near their dinner party now. Best that she just put the night behind her and get on with her work in the morning. He definatly wouldnt be seeing her at 9 am becase she happened to work that day. In fact, she was probably going to have to work some days off to pay back the ruined dress of his date.

Gathering up her things, she went to the servant's showers which were at the end of the hall. As she bathed, she tried to put the night behind her but, no matter what she tried, she couldn't get Mr Johnathan Kensington the Third out of her mind. She didn't know if it was because she was upset that he would think he could boss her around like that or for another reason but, by the time she had slipped under the bed covers, she found that sleep did not come easy. Every time she closed her eyes his face would appear. It was well after the party had broken up and the guest gone hom that she fell into a light sleep.



Eight thirty-nine the next morning found her in her small car, on the road and looking for the address on the paper that was written in his flowing hand writing. She grumbled about how she didn't see how he pulled this one off either as she tried to find the place he had told her to be.

Six oclock in the morning had found her up and getting ready for her shift that morning. After a restless night of sleep, she had awoken with the alarm and began to prepare for the day, occasionally glancing at the piece of paper on her dresser. She had to work. There was no way she could make the impromtu appointment. It was his own fault for telling her to be there instead of asking if she could possibly make it. Besides, he probably had forgotten all about the klutzy little maid except for an amusing story to tell his friends who hadn't been there.

Going to the closet after tending to her toiletries, she was just about to pick out a clean uniform when she heard a knock at her bedroom door. Padding softly over to it, one hand holding the front of her robe tightly in case the visitor was male, she opened the door to see Miss Cullings standing there as straight as Lennings was last night.

Without preamble, the Matron said,"I have been instructed to remind you that you have an appointment with Mr Kensington this morning at 9 am. I advise you to be prompt." With that she turned and went off down the stairs leaving Lea to look after her in bewilderment and confusion.

Shutting the door, she had simply shook her head and took out a pair of jeans and a sleevless shirt. He had said to dress casually after all. Pining her copper hair losely on top of her head, she shrugged and went to put on her tennis shoes. At least her feet would be comfortable today.

All the way down to her car, she had repeated the same phrase. "How the hell did he pull this one off?" The same phrase she was mumbling now as she attempted to find the right address to make her meeting with Mr Kensington on time.

OOC: Don't know what kind of address I am looking for here. Business or personal so I will leave it up to your next post. Go ahead and have my character arriving there in your post if you wish.

 

[Lordmikel]

The address was of a business downtown. With it being Saturday, traffic was quite light. It was the fouth floor and as she got to the door, she saw that it was quite the prestigious law firm.

Before she had tiem to knock, Richard had opened the door for her.

"Good, I'm quite glad you came. I figured that the easiest way for you to pay back the dress is if you had a better and higher paying job, at least temporary." He motions for her to enter. "That is why I was wondering what you were hoping to study, to see if I had anything available."

He walks down the hallway, continuing to talk. "Now the first assignment isn't very glamourous, mainly I need some depositions founds." He turns to look at her, a smile upon his face. "But it pays quite well, and I beleive after working today and helping me, you should have more then enough to pay for the dress."

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Ophelia was beginning to think she needed a chin strap to be around his man. She couldn't believe her ears. She had been drafted!

Following him down the hallway, she opened her mouth several times to speak only to have to close it again as he went on about his plans for her. If nothing else he was definatly a 'take charge' kind of guy.

Finally her led her into a room which housed nothing but file cabinets and long tables and chairs, supposidly for the comfort of whomever was looking up things in the file cabinets. Handing her a sheaf of papers with names and dates on them he stood there expectantly waiting for her to get started.

At that point, she wanted to ask him a million questions about why he was doing this for her, what was in it for him, how dare he order her life around...but most of all, how the hell had he managed to get her off of work at the Worthingtons to come down here and work for him for a day in order to pay back a dress.

At a loss to phrase any of the questions intellegently, she simply sighed, took the papers and went to set her purse on one of the tables. Shaking her head as she scanned the list trying to figure out the filing system she said instead,"I assume the job comes with a lunch break?"

 

[Lordmikel]

Richard smiled. "Of course. We can go wherever you want, my treat." He studied her or a second, "Now do you have any questions and can I trust you to work unsupervised?"

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Ophelia gave mhim a sharp look at the comment and placed her hand on her heart and held the other one up in the air. "I promise that this room wil not be destoyed, set on fire or otherwise hit by disaster while you are gone," She said halfway sarcastically.

And so began her morning of searching, verifying and stacking on one of the tables all the paperwork on the list. After awhile she even forgot to be irritated at the man for dragging her off in whirlwind style without even asking her. In fact, after a very short while it became apparent that the air conditioner in this room did not work. Going to the lone window there she also found, to her very real diappointment, that it was jammed shut.

Muttering about the rich being rich because they skimped on the wrong things, she went back to work. Better to just get it over with and get out of here than to go on about her own discomfort.

And discomfort it was. The stuffy room soon became almost unbearable. Seeking to relieve some of the heat, she unbuttoned the top three buttons of her sleevless shirt and opened it up to fan the hot skin there as well as her, now flushed, face. She was glad she had swept her hair from the back of her neck as she could feel the persperation beading up back there.

Soon that small measure of relief was not enough and she paused to tie her shirt tight up under her breasts to expose as much skin as she could. She was now thirsty and hot and wanting more than anything to just get out of there. But once out, she was not coming back in again and so she continued on with the work assignment.

As she finally found the last deposition and placed it on the growing pile of foulders, she looked up at at the clock on the wall. Her stomach growled as she did so, a quick look confirmed what her stomach had been telling her. It was offical, she was hot, sweaty, thirsty and hungry. And longing to be back in the high heels and working in an air conditioned mansion with aching feet.

Brushing herself off and reaching in her purse to grab a handkerchief to run over her soaked skin, the thought occured to her that she had never actually asked what time lunch was. "Well, I say now is as good a moment as any," She said picking up her purse and making a beeline for the door and cool relief. Opening the door, she almost ran into him, literally.

"I found your files," She said after reocvering from the shock of him appearing like that. "Anything else to do before lunch like take a trip down into the bowels of hell for some ice cubes?" She couldn't help it. Her shirt was now clinging to her skin, molded over every curve she had, her exposed arms, neck, stomach and cleavage shimmered in persperation, tendrils of copper tresses that had come loose from atop her head clinging to her neck. She was, to put it frankly, irritable as hell.

 

[Lordmikel]

For once she had Richard at a loss for words. As Richard surveyed the beautiful vision before him. Sweat was trickling down her body, and she had tied her clothes to make them tighter on her. The heat simply made the clothes become literally plastered to her.

"Um," he barely mutters, as he tries to get words to come to his mouth. It wasn't his mouth that was working at the moment, and for a second he actually considered kissing her fully on the lips, and taking her in the storage area.

"No, lunch is fine first. I would never force anyone to work on an empty stomach. Have you decided on where you wanted to go?" He asks, as he looks at her body once again.

"And um, did you want to clean yourself beforehand?"

 

[BlueEyedLady]

Ophelia crossed her arms on her bare middle and watched him watching her. She honestly didn't know what to make of this man. One time so cool and collected and now, at the question of luch, speechless. At least he had said yes to the idea and her stomach was grateful.

She had to laugh though at his question about where she wanted to go. He probably regularly ate at places that she couldn't afford to breath in. She doubted he would consider a burger and malt a worthy meal.

"You're asking me?" She chuckled, her bad mood gone and a grin breaking over her face,"When was the last time you had the two for one special at Mike's Burger Palace? On my best days thats all I can afford to go to."

Looking down at herself, she sighed,"I guess going to the restroom and cleaning up a bit would be a good idea but I have no change of clothes. I don't even think I would go into Mike's looking like this."

 

[Lordmikel]

Richard seemed to start regaining a bit of composure. It was quite simply just a half naked woman with nice breasts, a sweaty body, and who just crossed her arms showing off her cleavage even more standing in front of him. It should not be enough to unnerve him as it as.

"Well, why don't we order in then?" He suggests. "We can eat in my office, where the air conditioner is working. I have a few to go menus from places that deliver."

"But to answer your question, I've never had the two for one special. " He gives her a bit of a smile as he leans in to whisper her answer. "I usually just get the bacon, mushroom cheeseburger."

 

[BlueEyedLady]

His breath tickled her ear making her shiver but she couldnt help laughing at his comment. This time Ophelia's laughter is genuine and deep. Would this man ever stop amazing her? Shaking her head and making more of the hair pinned on top fall to cling to her neck she said,"Score one for the rich guy." And moved to the doorway, having to wait for him to step back so she could enter the hallway. Even then she brushed against him as she exited the room and she felt a kind of tingle as their bodies briefly met.

Only then did she realize that she was here in an empty office building alone with a complete, if handsome, stranger. For a second the thought unnerved her and she thought about excusing herself and leaving, returning to work as a maid and just paying out the dress a little at a time out of her meager paycheck.

Then she dismissed the thought. She hadn't exactly committed to this idea, he had kind of done it for her, but she was here, had worked for several hours in the heat of an unairconditioned room and lunch should be no big deal. Just order something and eat and then get back to work, earn the money to pay back his date and go on with her life. After today there wouldn't be any reason why they should ever see each other again. They certaintly didn't run in the same circles that was for sure. She wondered why the thought brought her no comfort at all.

"Sure, take in sounds fine," She said with a nod of her head,"Got anything from a Chinese Resturant? Kind of an addiction of mine. And...um...can you order for me while I clean up? That way the lunch hour isn't spent waiting on the delivery boy. Anything will be fine. I like it all."

Hurrying down the hallway, she fussed at herself for being so flustered from one innocent contact with him. Still, she reasoned, he was very imposing and not just because of his position. His whole attitude and body spoke of a very assured man who was used to getting what he wanted in life.

Staring at herself in the bathroom mirror, she said,"Get ahold of yourself, Girl! He is totally out of your league. A hunk, yes, but not for you."

With a sigh, she began to splash water over her hot exposed skin causing the water to add to the clinginess of her shirt but it felt too good for her to even care about it. Taking paper towels and drying off, she then unpinned her hair, brushed it out and pinned it again in case he wanted her to go back into the room from hell. She hoped not though. Once was enough.

Leaving the restroom, she walked down the hallway looking at the door. "Kensington, Kensington," She muttered to herself as she read each one. Finally she found it. A huge office at the end of the hallway announcing for all who passed by or went in that this man was the owner of the firm. As if she wasn't nervous enough.

Walking into the office, the cool air hit her in a wave of relief and then she shivered as it went through her wet blouse to chill her to the bone. Looking around the office she noticed all the expensive furniture, carpet and trappings that filled it and she groaned with dismay. Two minutes in here and she might just have to work for him for the rest of her life to pay for anything she broke. Not that she was clumsy, only around him it seemed. And now there was no one but him. If that wasn't a recipe for a disaster she didn't know what was.

"Lea," She said to herself,"What have you gotten yourself into now?"