I Desire You

Celine checked the time on her watch. It's ten minutes before seven. She told Michael to meet her at the mall at seven. She doesn't want him to think that she's excited about their date so she won't go just yet.

"Working late again?" Celine looked up from her laptop to her friend, Lou, who was just in the other cubicle. Lou never failed to ask the same question although she knew quite well the answer.

Celine smiled to Lou who smiled back. "Well, you know me."

"Yes, I do but the last time I checked you can always do whatever it is that you're doing tomorrow. It is Friday you know."

"I know it is Friday that is why I could work on the papers that needed to be checked." Celine changed her mind in telling Lou about her date later.

Lou rolled her eyes and raised both hands in surrender. "Okay... don't say I didn't remind you. You aren't getting any younger. Why don't you go out like you used to?"

"I will okay? Don't worry. Go home, will you? Leave me in peace." Lou laughed.

"Yeah, yeah... going home now." Lou shook her head, took her things and waved goodbye to Celine.

It was already thirty minutes after Lou had gone home. Celine was still checking and recording some activities of her classes when her phone rang. She answered the phone half-consciously.

"You're not planning on standing me up, are you?" A man's voice asked. She stopped midway from checking a paper. Moved the phone away from her ear and frowned; quite amused than annoyed by the question. She pressed the loudspeaker button so she could talk and fix her things at the same time. Anyway, she's the only one left at the office.

"Of course not. I just want to make sure you're there when I arrive." She shut down her computer and set aside the other unchecked papers.

"I am here. I'm not one to miss our first date." Celine took out her makeup kit and retouched her lipstick and powder. She chose a deep red color for her lips. She felt like playing flirtatious tonight and see how the man responds. You're playing with fire, Celine. She told herself.

"Of course you won't. " It was almost a whisper.

"I will be waiting even if it means waiting the whole night." Without waiting for her to say anything, he ended the call. She laughed silently. She cannot decide whether he sounded hopeful, or annoyed or just matter-of-factly.

She got up, took her shoulder bag and did her evening ritual of checking the plugs, turning off the lights, and closing the doors before living the office.

Michael was on the phone with a client when he saw her getting off the escalator. Her pictures didn't do justice to her beauty. He is not sure if she knew how men of all ages looked at her as she walked past them. Almost all of them had a certain desire in their eyes. He smiled. He cannot blame them. But unlucky for them, she will be his and nobody elses. He promised that to himself the very moment he had a glimpse of her on the computer.

Celine was looking inside the restaurant so she didn't notice the man in royal blue shirt intently looking at her; taking in every detail about her. She frowned and looked at her watch. She was about to go in when her phone beeped. She opened the message: "Hi, gorgeous." She looked up and saw him standing in front of her; towering above her. She held her breath. Never was she attracted to a younger man before. Maybe now she'll make an exception.

"H-hi." Did she falter just now? He was looking straight through her eyes which made her nervous. She also felt like her face is on fire. She is used to men looking at her with admiration but why does she feel differently with him. It's like he is arousing something dangerous inside her. She can't find the right word to describe it but all of a sudden she feels... lustful.

"I believe you already know who I am," he said taking a step closer. Celine took a sharp deep breath but didn't move an inch. His manly scent is intoxicating. It makes her want to throw herself at him and let him ravish her. The feeling was so strong that Celine felt like she'd faint. She wanted to hit herself for having such preposterous thoughts for a man she hardly knew.

Celine nodded and swallowed as if to moisten her throat but her voice seems to have left her for the first time.