Copyright 2012

The high point of my work days lately was when I saw the gorgeous stranger every morning.

I hurried through the lobby toward the elevators as fast as my heels and decorum would allow, passing ladders and service crews working on the old building’s antiquated electrical systems. The dark haired stranger was like clockwork, arriving at the elevator at 8:20am every day, and this morning proved no exception. I jockeyed my way through the crowd until I stood close, but not conspicuously so, to the stranger and stared at the elevator doors while pretending to ignore him. It wasn’t a game, although sometimes it felt that way. Men that handsome always stayed several steps outside my sphere of influence and even now as an adult that hadn't changed.

Didn't mean a girl couldn’t dream.

The doors opened and I moved with the small crowd onto the elevator, making sure my floor was pressed. The old building – or “historic” as some liked to say instead – was in the midst of a full renovation. Everything was being upgraded to new, more modern settings but for now they still had the older style elevators. Smaller and slower than current styles, the metal box nevertheless did its job as it chugged up to the floors above.

I rearranged the large satchel in my arm, sliding a glance sideways and catching his eye. Does he know I watch him? Flushing, I turned back to face forward as the elevator opened to let another string of people off to their floors. My stop was still eleven floors away where I did data entry as temp work for Hamilton Industries. The company spanned most of the upper levels but my small office and cubicle was tucked away in a forgotten corner near the middle.

I loved the clean cut, suited look and the dark man was always impeccably dressed in suits and ties that probably cost more than I made a month.