Suzi put away her phone after Tex, who was obviously in a bad way, had hung up on her.  She sighed as she stored it in her bag. God, she was fed up with his moodiness and inability to do even the simplest things without her input.  As for last night, he probably just opened his obnoxious mouth to the wrong person, and they clobbered him one.  It was bound to happen sooner or later.

This morning, however, she had other things on her mind. Namely, Domonic.  Turning to the window, her thoughts travelled back to the events of the day before.  Had it all been her imagination running riot?  Was it really his actions and words that had panicked her, or her own uncertainty of what she felt?  

It had been such a long, long time since anyone had flirted with her.  So long in fact, that she thought she may have forgotten what it was like or how to react.  One thing she did know, without doubt...she was attracted to him.  If she was being honest, that scared her the most.  After all, she was in a relationship, even though it was one-sided. Tex was once fun-loving, great company, passionate and very good to her, or so it seemed.  Somewhere along their journey, though, he had become all that she despised: a heavy drinker, a heavy gambler, moody, secretive, arrogant, insensitive... So many negatives and absolutely no positives.  Yet, she didn't know how to get out of it.  She had tried, once before, but he'd managed to persuade her to take him back.  He had been full of promises, and they had all turned out to be empty, yet again.  

Domonic's note was now firmly emblazoned in her memory, but she liked looking at it all the same. She carefully unfolded it and read it for about the twentieth time that morning.

    "Ooh! Who's D? And what did he do to frighten you?"

Suzi wheeled round on her seat, almost knocking her files off her desk.  "Cat!! Stop sneaking up behind me like that!"

Catherine laughed at her friend's reaction, but her curiosity was piqued.  "Tell me!!! Who is he?"

Suzi stuffed the note inside her bra, without thinking.  "What makes you think it's a he?"

    "Well, you wouldn't be keeping that bit of paper next to your heart if it was from a woman, would you?" Cat's eyes widened.  "Or, would you?  Good God, has Tex's treatment of you made you bat for the other side?"

Suzi couldn't stifle a giggle at her friend's quip.  "No, Cat. I'm strictly men only."

Cat laughed and pulled up the chair to sit practically nose to nose with Suzi.  "OK then.  Spill the beans. If you don't, you know I will only badger you every minute of every day 'til...."

    "OK! OK. But promise me you won't say anything to anyone."

   "Not even Monique?"

   "Well, only her then, but no-one else!"

  "I promise.  Now, tell me all."

Suzi found herself telling Catherine everything, from the moment she first saw Domonic, to the note being slipped under her door.  She felt a strange kind of relief in sharing her secret.  It was not something she normally found easy to do, for she was, by nature, a very introverted person, at least she was when it came to discussing her feelings.  Seldom did she ask people for help, nor share her burdens; it simply wasn't in her remit.  But, now, she was almost euphoric in spilling her thoughts and feelings about her neighbour-come-client.

Her openness also took Catherine by surprise.  Even though she had practically demanded to be told every little detail, she had not for a moment expected Suzi to do just that.  Her smile widened as Suzi spoke with such enthusiasm and passion about this mystery man.

   "So, what do I do now? Oh Cat! I feel so... underhand, naughty... guilty, not to mention foolish."

   "You're kidding, right?"

Suzi looked at her friend, confused, uncertain.

   "For God's sake, Suzi.  Lighten up!  Look at your life.  Are you happy?  Does the man... and I use that term loosely... in your life make you feel even appreciated? Does he tell you how pretty you are? Or that he's proud you're his woman? Is he even interested in anything about you except your bank balance and what you're going to make for dinner?"

Suzi shook her head.  Although she knew her friend spoke the truth, it still hurt.

   "Well, then!  What the hell are you feeling guilty about?  I'm not telling you to go shag this Domonic..." Suzi gasped at Cat's blatant term. "...but what's the harm in finding out more about him?  Let him flirt with you, don't run away.  Enjoy it.  He doesn't sound dangerous to me.  Perhaps a bit odd in his approach, but god...look at that note!  That's not from someone who wants to hurt you. You call him, say you're sorry for over-reacting and make another appointment."

Suzi smiled. Catherine always had a way of making her feel hopeful, confident.  It was as if she had finally been given permission to live. 

Cat got up and wheeled the chair back to its original position.  "I've got to go just now, Suzi. I've an appointment, but I'll catch you later. Let your heart rule for once, eh? And, erm... if you get the chance to jump his bones, who the hell am I to say don't do it!"  With a giggle, she waltzed out of the office.

The rest of Suzi's day was unusually, and blessedly, free of appointments.  She'd made sure of that as she was supposed to have been heading to London the following day and wanted a clear diary before she left. 

She thought carefully about Catherine's advice.  Dominic apologised for frightening her, even though she was now uncertain that he was entirely to blame for her irrational behaviour in the first place.  So, should she not apologise now?   Count to ten, she told herself.  He was her client after all; she couldn't just avoid him, or pawn him off to another colleague.  That would require her having a very good reason to explain not taking the assignment.  She didn't possess the imagination for that.  Neither did she want Mr Whellans to get the impression that Domonic was going to be an objectionable client. She had no grounds to even think that.

Receiver in hand, she started to dial the mobile number Domonic had supplied in his file.  Before she completed it though, she hung up.  Another count to ten.  Once more, she dialled.  Success!  Her hand was shaking as she listened to the whirr-whirr of the line connection.  Perhaps he wasn't in.  How long should she let it ring before......

   "Domonic Black," came the rather sharp reply.

Her breath caught in her throat.  Was he angry? Oh god! Now was not the time to freeze.   

   "Suzi? Is that you?" His voice had softened instantly. "Suzi?"

   "Hi."

   "Hi there."  He fell quiet for a moment.  "You OK?"

She swallowed.  "Yes, I'm fine, thanks.  Look.  I'm really sorry about..."

    "No, don't. There's no need.  It was my fault.  You've no idea how ashamed I feel.  I'm just so relieved you've called."

     "You're my client."

There was a long pause at the other end.  "Of course."  His voice was flat.  Maybe disappointed even?

Instantly, Suzi regretted having said that.  Another deep breath, and she found herself saying something she never dreamed she would utter in a million years.  "But, that's not the main reason I called.  Your note.  It was so heartfelt, Domonic, it... touched me.  I mean, it made me realise how I'd over-reacted. My behaviour was..." She couldn't think how to describe herself without sounding pathetic. "Look, I was hoping perhaps, we could start afresh?"  Her hand was oddly slick with perspiration, the receiver slipping between her fingers. She felt unbearably warm, as if her blouse was glued to her skin.

Dominic's reply was fast. Keen.  "I'm on my way. Get your things; I'm taking you to lunch." 

She stared at the phone as the loud click indicated he'd ended the call.  Butterflies were creating havoc in her stomach.  But she couldn't stop the smile that stretched her mouth. She replaced the receiver and dashed out of her office,  scuttling down towards Catherine's office.  Please still be here, she was pleading.  Her wish was granted as she bumped straight into her friend, making her way out to her appointment.

   "Whoa! What's the hurry?"  Cat had no sooner asked the question, and she knew the answer. "Oh! You meeting him?"

    "Yes! Please say you still keep a spare blouse in your cabinet?  I need to change."

    "Sure, c'mon!"   They both went inside Cat's office and closed the door. Cat had always made it a priority to stock her cabinet: the kind people used for filing, she'd turned into a wardrobe.  Cat's lunchtimes often involved something a lot more steamy than just a bowl of soup, so she always made sure she was well-groomed after.  She pulled out not one, but three blouses for Suzi to choose from. 

    "God, I hope they fit," Suzi said, peeling off her own one and casting it down on the chair.

    "Of course they will.  There's not much difference between us, except your legs, which go all the way up to your neck, you lucky bitch."

Suzi laughed.  She'd never thought positively about her legs.  She believed they made her look gangly, like a circus performer on stilts. 

    "So what did he say?" Cat asked as Suzi tried on the second blouse.

    "He said I had nothing to apologise for, and that he was glad I'd called.  Then I nearly blew it by stating he was my client.  God, you should have heard the tone in his reply; it was so... I don't know, upset maybe?"

Catherine was nodding, hanging on to every word. Suzi went on. "Then, and I do not believe I said this... I mentioned that his note had touched me and I hoped we could make a fresh start.  Then he said...."  

At that moment, Mr Whellans knocked once and walked in, just as Suzi was standing in her bra, going to try blouse number three.  She screamed, hastily covering her modesty, while her boss quickly stepped back out, firmly closing the door and apologising profusely from behind it.  Catherine struggled not to laugh out loud.  "I'll be with you in a couple of minutes, Bri."

Suzi stared at Cat.  "You call him Bri?"

   She nodded before announcing to Brian, "Just getting a phone number for one of my new clients." And just like that, Brian left.

   Still stunned at Cat's familiarity towards their boss, Suzi shook her head and uttered, "Jeez, I've been here much longer than you and I still call him 'Mr Whellans'."

   "Which irritates the hell out of him, by the way.  Never mind that though...you were saying?"

   "It does?  He's never said."

   "Well, I've said it for him. Now tell me the rest of your chat to Dominic."

Suzi quickly donned the third blouse.  "OK. Well, then he said, I'm on my way, get your things, I'm taking you to lunch."  She decided the third blouse was perfect.  It was lemon, fitted, soft and fragrant.

Catherine was jumping up and down, clapping her hands like a little schoolgirl.  "Oh, I simply cannot leave before I see this guy."

   "You're not going to embarrass me, are you?"

   "How very dare you even think such a thing!" Cat said, pretending to look offended.  "Oh, of course I won't, Suzi.  I'm absolutely thrilled for you. And crazy curious to see what he looks like."

   "Nothing's happened, you know." Suzi felt suddenly guilty.

   "Yet!"

   "Stop it!  This might be just... I don't know, just wishful thinking."

   "At least you're thinking about it! Just go with the flow. You know, a little of something is better than a lot of nothing, Suzi."

The phone rang, and Catherine picked it up.  "Yeah, she's here, June." A pause.  "Oh right, I'll tell her."  Then she hung up.  She smiled like a Cheshire cat.  "He's here!"

   "Oh, God! So soon?"

   "Don't start panicking now.  Go enjoy your lunch. And dessert!" She winked.

Suzi dashed back to her office, collected her bag and Domonic's file, ramming it into her briefcase.  She thought she better make sure she got some information on how his systems were to be set up this time.  As she left her office, Catherine came along the hall to walk beside her.

They entered the reception area.  June looked up from her desk and mouthed an 'Oh My God!' at Suzi, before letting Catherine know he was over at the side window, with a nod of her head.  Catherine followed June's directional nod and promptly nudged Suzi in the ribs.  "You were scared of him? He's fucking gorgeous!" she whispered.

Domonic turned at that moment; his eyes instantly lighting up when he saw Suzi.  

June and Catherine didn't miss a beat, and a knowing look passed between them.  

Dominic strolled over and offered to take Suzi's briefcase. "Are you ready?"

   "Yes, thank you. Oh, this is June and Catherine, by the way." She turned to her friends, both grinning knowingly.

He nodded to each in turn and said hello, then stepped back to allow Suzi passage to the front doors.  

The two work colleagues snuck up to the side windows to watch them as they left the building.  "Did you see how he looked at her?" June said.

   "Yeah!  He's smitten. He couldn't wait to get her out of here."

   "Definitely.  I hope this one works out for her."

   "So do I, June. Somehow I don't think lunch is what he's hungry for."

June playfully hit Catherine in the arm.  "Cat!"  The two of them giggled as the Audi sped away.