Fallen (Chronicles Of The Fallen) (7 page)

"I think taking the train would be fun. Then we can take our time walking around the city without worrying about parking fees." He looks down at Lisa and smiles. "Plus, you’ll be forced to hang with me all day."

Lisa looks up and laughs. "I don't think that’ll be so hard. I like your company…so far." He grins and they make their way towards the train station.

She looks away as she feels her cheeks warm. Thankful for the warm sun, she knows the rays might mask her blush. She steals a glance at him again. He has to be one of the most beautiful creatures she's ever seen. His skin shines with a faint sheen of perspiration. She imagines what he would look like without his shirt…the sweat beading on his chest, or water running down his naked body in the shower. She smiles to herself as she looks away from him, trying to keep herself out of trouble.

Hailing down a cab, they climb inside and begin their trip towards Ground Zero. The walk to the train station is about eight blocks away from their condo complex, and the heat from the direct sun is brutal without shade from trees or at least the buildings in Manhattan. Seeing the station a distance away, the buildings windows shine as the sun reflects off the glass. Alex turns to Lisa. "So when's the last time you did this? You know, take a trip down to the city with a stranger you just met?"

Lisa looks at him, hearing the teasing in his voice. She finds herself struggling a little with his voice, the familiarity of it, but she can't put her finger on why. "Umm, not with random guys, no." She laughs softly. "I try not to make it a habit to pick up strangers in the mail room."

Alex chuckles. "What was different with me?" He looks at her, appreciating her sense of humor.

"You didn't laugh at me when I tripped and you gave me a ten on my performance." She shrugs. "It was cute." She grins at him.

"If you had fallen on your face, though, I would have rushed to make sure you were okay. Once I knew you were, I’d have had no qualms about pointing at you and laughing
,
then
giving you a ten for the performance."

Lisa gasps and her head snaps to Alex. "You wouldn't!" She laughs and the tension of almost falling on her face, then her obviously checking him out fades. He gives her a comfortable feeling, almost like she’s known him all her life.

"Oh, I so would!" He chuckles as they reach the train station.

Opening the door, Alex steps out, then leans in and pays the driver. Taking Lisa’s hand, he helps her out, closing the door behind her. The train station is surrounded by many different makes and models of cars, trucks, and SUV's. People are coming and going…Wall Street traders, street vendors, families with children, and the occasional tourist.

"Well, at least I know where I stand with you then." Shaking her head, she reaches into her purse and pulls out her wallet.

"Put it away. It's my treat today. You're showing
me around town. At least allow me to cover the expenses."

Lisa looks up to Alex, smiling. "Okay.” Placing her wallet back into her purse, they approach the automatic ticket dispenser. Alex pulls out his wallet and fishes out a twenty dollar bill. Feeding the money into the dispenser, he purchases two tickets. Turning to face Lisa, he hands her a ticket and their fingers brush against one another. "Thank-you Alex. How many rides do we plan on taking today?"

Smiling down at her, he says, "Who knows? We can play it by ear and see where we end up…and you're welcome, Lisa."

He looks around. The station walls are a golden brick with hanging banners from the Museum of Natural History; the ceiling is painted a mossy green with windows letting in the natural sunlight; an American flag hangs in the center of the ceiling, a matching one hanging on the wall; screens displaying
the train arrivals/departures line the walls, and the information contained within those screens updating every few seconds; escalators carry passengers to and from their stops; ticket booths are set up for a more personal experience, as well as automated booths for the more experienced traveler. Alex watches a few servicemen walking with their luggage, and children stop and wave; a few others stop them to thank them for their service. Alex nods to one of them and the Marine nods back. Nearby, a hopeful musician plays his drums.

Alex shrugs. “I figured I'd get us enough, you know, just in case."

"Just in case of what?" Lisa asks him, smiling shyly.

"Just in case we end up having so much fun together that neither of us wants to return home."

Lisa blinks at him, eyebrows raising. She laughs, not able to hold it in. "Well, okay then."

Alex chuckles and they stand there for a moment
longer. Hearing the sound of the oncoming train, Lisa looks towards the platform. "That's us." She looks back at him.

Placing a hand on the small of her back, he leads her forward to wait behind the yellow line. The train's horn blows as it speeds past, the wind whipping at their hair and clothes. Reaching up, she pushes a few strands behind her ear as the train begins to slow to a stop. Some people are getting off the train, some are getting on. Alex slips his hand into Lisa’s and pulls her on board. His hand tightens as they find two empty seats, Lisa taking the seat next to the window. The inside of the train is lined with pictures of the city; advertisements of restaurants, museums, attractions; and maps of each train line. Lisa watches Alex as he looks around the train, taking in all the people.

As the train takes off again, he crosses his right ankle over his left knee. Lisa glances at him, catching him looking across the aisle at the people around them. A child smiles and he winks at her. She giggles and turns to her mother. Curious, Lisa smiles and speaks softly, “That was sweet.” He turns and smiles at Lisa.

After a few stops, it’s their turn. Lisa nudges Alex. “This is us."

Alex stands up and offers his hand to her. Glancing at his hand, she smiles to herself and reaches up and takes it. Standing, she holds onto him. As they step off onto the platform of Grand Central Station, the sounds of the area fill their ears. A local band is set up, accepting tips as they play. Men and women walk through the station with their Smartphones and briefcases. Alex pulls Lisa a little closer to him, enjoying the closeness.

"Okay, so where to first?" he asks her.

"Have you ever seen the Statue of Liberty?"

~~~~~~~~~~~

Finishing up their tour of the city, they end up close to Coney Island. The sounds of laughter, screams from the coaster rides, and the smell of pizza and popcorn fills their noses. Walking towards the entrance, Lisa looks up at Alex, noticing his nose looking slightly pink. “Alex, I think you may have gotten a little sunburned today." She lightly touches her nose and he touches his own, feeling the heat on his skin.

"Oh, well, it'll heal in time." He grins, then turns back towards the entrance and pulls out his wallet, paying for admission. They look around, considering where to start. Alex turns to Lisa and raises his brows. “So, anywhere you’d like to start?”

She laughs and shakes her head. “I doubt we could make it through here in one day. Would you like to start with one of the coasters, or maybe take in the aquarium?”

“Hmm, I think the aquarium would be a good place to start.” He grins and takes her hand.

“Okay, then.” Holding onto his hand, she smiles to herself. “Who knows, maybe you’ll get to high five one of the seals.”

“They let you do that?” he asks with a smile.

Lisa looks at Alex and holds in a giggle. His excitement reminds her of a child coming to the park for the first time. “I’m sure they’ll take volunteers.”

Alex chuckles. "Alright, I’m down but, if I volunteer, you must go with me."

Laughing, Lisa squeezes his hand. "You bet! Come on, silly." They begin walking down the sidewalk towards the New York Aquarium.

~~~~~~~~~~~

After spending the afternoon roaming around Manhattan, enjoying the food and aquarium, Alex takes Lisa on a boat tour of the Statue of Liberty. The wind blows gently, the boat bobbing on the waves of the Upper New York Bay. Taking Lisa’s hand, Alex pulls her to the upper deck. Leaning against the railing, she looks out over the water as the waves hit against the boat. Looking towards the Statue of Liberty, she tries to recall the last time she was out here.

Alex leans on the railing next to her, resting on his forearms. He closes his eyes as the wind blows gently against his face, his hair blowing loosely. She finds herself smiling, watching him. Turning to rest her back against the railing, she nudges him gently. “Is this your first tour of the island?”

Nodding, he opens his eyes and looks at her. “Yes, my very first time.” She becomes almost lost as his eyes look into hers. She feels her knees weaken. Clearing her throat, she turns back towards the railing and looks the other direction. As the heat rises in her cheeks, she tries to catch her breath.

Alex gently brushes her hair back. “Lisa, is everything alright?”

She nods and turns back to face him. She pulls her hair behind her ears, but a few strands remain over her face. Alex reaches up and brushes the hair away, smiling gently at her. Her breath catches for a moment, their eyes remaining locked on one another. Alex’s fingers trail down Lisa’s cheek, then move underneath her chin. Leaning in, he presses a kiss on the outer part of her lips. Her heart skips a beat. Alex pulls back, then looks down at her. “I hope that was alright.”

She finds herself speechless, nodding again. She wants him to kiss her again, but a full kiss this time. She wants to feel his arms around her, wants to feel his hands on her body. Alex grins, cupping her face. Tilting her head up, he kisses her fully. She gasps at the jolt of electricity as their lips touch. It’s the most remarkable feeling she’s ever experienced. Her hands move up and rest against Alex’s chest, the muscles underneath his shirt moving against her palms.

Alex inhales sharply. With a groan, he pulls away. “Are you okay?” Lisa asks, alarmed. She looks at his face, and her hands grip his biceps.

Alex grips the railing as he nods, panting slightly. “I’ll be okay. Just…a sudden chest pain, but I’ll be fine. I promise.” He looks at her and offers her a soft smile. Her hands move away from his arms as he rights himself again. “That was remarkable, by the way.” He grins at her, the pain in his chest receding.

“What was remarkable? The Statue of Liberty? Yeah, she’s amazing. She’s more beautiful every time...”

Alex cuts her off. “No, you. The kiss was remarkable.”

Lisa blushes and her brows raise. She smiles, lowering her gaze. “Thank-you.” She wants to kiss him again. She wants to close the distance, but doesn’t want to be the reason for another chest pain, if she caused it. She smiles and turns towards the railing to look out over the water. “Anytime you want to do that again,” she looks up to him with a shy smile, “I’ll be happy to oblige.” He chuckles, leaning against the railing.

Stepping off the ferry and back onto Manhattan Island, Lisa hails down a cab to take them back to Grand Central Station. Holding onto each other’s hand, she can’t help but smile at having met Alex. He’s nice, affectionate, patient, kind, and seems to enjoy spending time with her, even if they’re doing nothing. Laid back is what Lisa enjoys, and laid back is exactly what Alex is…all wrapped up in a bow of sexy.

Occasionally, she looks over at him and smiles. He looks down at her and winks. They continue this teasing of cat and mouse. “Have you been down to Times Square yet?”

“No, not yet.” The sun begins to descend as the cab pulls up to the train station. “Are you offering another tour?” He glances at her, smiling.

“Maybe.” She smiles back. “Would you like to visit Times Square?” She hopes he’ll say yes.

“Hmm, you’ll need to let me think it over and get
back to you. I don’t know if I have free time in my super busy life yet.” Lisa gasps playfully, and Alex chuckles. She enjoys his sense of humor and the playfulness about him. “I would absolutely love to go. Name the day and time, and I promise I’ll be there.”

Fighting the urge to clap while jumping up and down in excitement, Lisa smiles wide. “Are you busy tomorrow, say, around lunch?”

The next morning, Lisa went into the office to find a basket on her desk. Its light tan wicker texture was decorated with a red-and-white checkered pattern, similar to a picnic blanket. Wrapped in cellophane, the basket is topped with a light blue bow. Inside are oranges and grapefruits. A note, causally placed next to the bow, is addressed to “Ms. Lisa Adams”. She pulls it off, opens the note, and smiles:

Thank-you for the adventure to Ms. Liberty. With your permission, I would like to escort you on an adventure this afternoon.
Lisa grins, recalling the date and kiss with Alex.
I’ve already spoken with your secretary. You’re free. See you around 1 today. Yours, Alex.

Slowly, she sits down, looking at the note. She
turns it over and back a few times as Mariah walks in. Looking up, Mariah smiles and lets out a sigh. “Isn’t he so romantic?” Mariah’s hands move to the basket and she lifts it up, examining the goods inside. “Hmm…oranges and grapefruits?”

Lisa looks at the basket. “I love oranges and grapefruit, but I don’t recall ever telling him that.”

“Maybe he’s just that observant,” Maria suggests.

“Maybe.”

Standing, Lisa takes the basket from Mariah and sets it down. Opening her drawer, she pulls out her scissors and cuts the top open. The fragrance of the fruit fills her office and Lisa inhales deeply, closing her eyes. “I love the smell of oranges.” Reaching in, she pulls one out and squeezes it. Looking at Mariah, she nods to the basket. “Help yourself.”

“Thank-you!” Mariah reaches in for a grapefruit. Palming it, she looks up at Lisa with a grin. “So this guy must be serious to send you some fruit.”

“What?” Lisa looks up at her as she sits back down. Her thumbs press into the flesh of the orange and she begins to peel it. “You think? I figured guys would send chocolate or something.” She looks up at Mariah and shrugs. “Then again, my track record for relationships speaks for itself. I suck at being a girlfriend.”

“You’ll figure it out. You’ll know when he’s Mr. Right, rather than Mr. Right Now. Is he coming inside to pick you up?”

Lisa looks up with a skeptical look. “How’d you know he was coming here? Oh, right, you rearranged my schedule. Sneaky, sneaky Mariah.” She smiles at her assistant.

“I want to see what this guy looks like! He sounded sexy on the phone. I just want to put a face to the voice is all.” She presses on her grapefruit as she shifts in her step.

Lisa looks up at Mariah and raises her brows. “You’re like a kid waiting for Mom and Dad to leave so you can take the last damn cookie!” Lisa laughs and shakes her head. “Sure, I’ll ask him if he’ll come up…you know, to see you.”

Mariah grins. “Yay! I can’t wait to see who’s made your heart go crazy!”

“What makes you think my heart is ‘going crazy’?” Lisa asks.

“The look on your face while you were reading the note. It’s obvious you really like him.”

“Well, maybe I do. Now go on before I write you up for insubordination!” Lisa winks at Mariah who turns on her heel, heading back to her desk.

Setting her peeled orange down, she pulls her phone out of her purse and swipes her finger over her screen. Pulling up the message screen, she keys in Alex’s name.
I do love oranges, thank-you.
She pauses for a moment.
The gesture was very sweet. I think you made a few people jealous. Keep it up and you’ll have a few stalkers here.

Pressing send, Lisa grins down at her phone. Setting it on her desk, she peels off an orange slice and places it in her mouth. The juice explodes on her taste buds as she peels another slice. Her phone buzzes and she looks down to see a reply from Alex.
You’re welcome. As for stalkers, having you on my tail is more than enough. See you soon.

Lisa laughs, shaking her head. Putting her phone in her purse, she finishes off the delicious orange. Throwing the peel away, she stands and makes her way past Mariah’s desk. She’s tucking the last slice of grapefruit into her mouth. She mumbles a “So good” and Lisa grins.

Making her way towards the bathroom, she hears Samuel’s voice as he talks with someone in his office. The other voice sounds like Steven. “Then make it happen. I don’t care how you make it happen, just do it!”

“Yes, of course. Consider it done.” Some papers are shuffled around and Steven walks out of Samuel’s office. “Lisa,” he nods, looking quite off. His face is slightly red as he stomps down the hall. Raising her brows, she looks back to see Samuel standing there, watching her. His slate-colored suit with white shirt and blue tie makes him appear cold and harsh. His dark brown eyes look her over as he grins. She returns a small smile and nods to him.

“Enjoy your fruit basket?” He makes his way towards her, hands in his pants pockets.

Lisa starts pushing the bathroom door open. “I did, thank-you.”

She turns and walks inside. Looking back, she sees Samuel watching her. A flash of red touches his eyes as the door closes behind her. It happened so quickly that she wonders if she imagined it. She shakes her head and walks further into the bathroom. Sometimes Samuel’s too much for her to take in. Other times, he’s harmless. Today is
not
one of those harmless days.

Sighing, she looks in the mirror and approaches one of the sinks. Turning on the water, she pumps soap into her hands. Lathering up, she wonders where Alex will take her in Greek Town, then smiles at the thought of the oranges he sent her. Looking down to rinse her hands, she sees blood coming out of the faucet. Fear rising inside of her, she jerks her hands away and the blood drips down her arms. Lisa screams and she jumps back, hitting one of the bathroom stalls. It slams against the wall and she panics. A hand reaches out and grabs her shoulder. She screams again.

Turning quickly, she sees Jan from the accounting department. Her gray hair is pulled in a bun and her makeup is settled in the wrinkles on her skin. She quickly apologizes. “Lisa, sorry! I heard you scream and thought you fell or something. You okay?” Jan’s brown eyes are wide with concern. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

She looks back at the sink. The faucet still running, the water runs clear. Swallowing hard, she looks down at her hands and finds them wet from the water. She shakes her head and takes a deep breath. “It’s…it’s okay, Jan. I thought I saw something, that’s all.” Slowly approaching the sink, she rinses her hands off, then quickly grabs a paper towel. Patting her hands dry, she heads towards the door. “I’m not sleeping well these days.” She looks back to Jan. “I didn’t mean to scream when you touched me.”

“Think nothing of it. I didn’t mean to startle you. I find Benadryl sometimes helps me sleep.” Jan offers her a supportive smile.

“Thank-you. I’ll try that tonight.” Lisa leaves the bathroom and walks back towards her office. Wadding up the used towel, she tosses it into her trashcan and Samuel looks up from Mariah’s desk, watching Lisa. She glances up at him once, then back down.

Closing her office door, she takes a seat behind her desk, looking through the glass wall towards Mariah and Samuel. Turning to her computer, she pulls up her instant messenger. She glances once more at Samuel and a smirk plays on his lips. He says something to Mariah, then turns and walks down to the hall to his own office.

Looking back at her instant messenger, she drafts a note to Mariah.
What’s Samuel’s schedule the rest of today?
She presses send and waits.

She sees
Mariah is typing
on the screen, then her reply comes through.
His plate is full the rest of the afternoon. Do you need me to schedule something with him for you?

Lisa replies with a simple
No, thank-you.

~~~~~~~~~~~

At one o’clock, Lisa walks outside. Alex is sitting in his SUV, a black Lexus LS 570. Tinted windows reflect the sun's image, as the passenger window rolls down. Alex lowers his head and his blue eyes look at Lisa over the rim of his sunglasses. “Well, good afternoon, beautiful.” He grins, then steps out in his light blue polo shirt and khaki shorts. He walks over to the passenger door, opening it for her.

“Nice ride.” She smiles. Stepping up next to her, Alex leans in and kisses her cheek. Breathing in his cologne, her eyes close and her arms wrap around his waist. “And it’s nice to see you.” Pulling back to look up at him, she tilts her head slightly. “Thank-you for the fruit basket.”

He grins down at her. “You’re welcome.” Helping her step into the SUV, he shuts the door, then walks back to his side. “You ready for some amazing Greek food?”

“As long as I can have a gyro filled with tzatziki sauce, I’m game!”

He chuckles, putting the SUV in gear. “I’ll ask them for extra, just in case.”

Looking over at him, she lays her hand on top of his. “Alex?”

“Hmm?” He looks over at her. His blue eyes sparkle, making her melt inside.

“How did you know I love oranges?”

He grins and looks back at the road. “A magician never tells his tricks, m’lady.”

“Well, I did save something for you.” Turning away from him, she leans down into her purse and grabs a napkin. Opening it, she pulls out an orange peel and places it into her mouth, then turns to him with a serious look. Clearing her throat, he turns to look at her and she smiles. Having nothing but orange peel for teeth, Lisa crosses her eyes playfully. Alex bursts out laughing.

Grabbing the napkin, Lisa pulls the peel out of her mouth and laughs. “Again, thank-you.”

“Oh no, thank-you for that!” Alex laughs again, reaching over and taking her hand. “Anytime you want to play orange teeth with me, be my guest.” They both laugh.

“Life’s too short to take yourself too seriously.” Lisa tucks the napkin away and Alex nods in agreement.

The buildings in Greek Town are in close proximity to each other, and above them are streamers of Greek and American flags as far as the eye can see, flapping in the breeze. The brown-and-red brick buildings lining the streets are all covered with different colored awnings…some bright red, others the blue of their country’s flag.

Taking her hand, Alex leads Lisa into a restaurant called Uncle Nick’s. Pulling the door open, the cool air blows gently across her face and the smells of the restaurant fill her nose, making her mouth water. Inhaling deeply, she smiles, looking up at Alex. “It smells amazing in here!”

“Yes, it does. The hummus is outstanding, as is the tzatziki sauce.” Alex places his hand on Lisa’s lower back as they step inside, the door closing behind them. The quaint restaurant is painted in a light tan color, decorated with a blue border, and accented with Greek trinkets on shelving units and a few pictures on the walls.

The hostess approaches them with a friendly smile. Her dark hair is pulled into a messy bun with tendrils poking out. Her eyes are a dark chocolate brown and her skin is a rich olive tone. She’s fairly tall and slender. Lisa smiles at her, thinking that this Greek woman is stunning. “Table for two?”

“Yes, please,” Alex replies. Leading them through the restaurant, the hostess seats them at a table near the back.

Looking around, Lisa notices that the middle of the floor is empty. “May I ask why the center of the room has no tables or chairs?”

The hostess smiles down at her. “Is this your first time dining with us?”

Lisa smiles and nods. “Yes, it is.”

“Then you’re in for a treat! In about twenty minutes, Greek dancers, including yours truly, will dance the
Kalamatiano.
” The hostess gives them a partial bow.

Lisa smiles. “Oh, well, I can’t wait to see it, then.” She looks at Alex. “Did you know?”

He shakes his head. “No, but I had my suspicions.” He grins, then looks back up at the hostess.

She sets down the menus. “I suggest the moussaka, the gyros, and the hummus. Enjoy your meal and the show.” She smiles, then leaves the table.

Looking through her menu, Lisa occasionally glances up and watches Alex study his menu. Sometimes, the corner of his lips lift, and his brows occasionally arch and then relax. He looks up and their eyes meet. She grins and looks back down at her menu. When she looks up again, his eyes are still on her. Her cheeks pink slightly and she lowers her menu. “What is it?” she asks, smiling.

“Nothing. Only wondering the same thing.” He grins at her, setting down his menu.

She shakes her head and her grin spreads to her eyes. “Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

“I’m glad I met you, that’s all.” He winks at her across the table. Shyly looking at him, her smile softens. Alex swallows and clears his throat.

Their waitress, wearing a dark blue t-shirt, white pants and a black apron, approaches. Her hair is black as night and her skin is so tan it’s like she lives in the sun. Her eyes, a light green, give the woman a beautiful appearance. “Welcome to Uncle Nick’s. My name’s Myrina. What can I start you two with?”

Lisa looks at her menu again, then back to
Myrina. “Ice water, and I’ll try your gyro, please.” Myrina notes it down, then looks over at Alex. As if seeing him for the first time, Myrina’s eyes widen and she smiles at Alex, making Lisa shake her head in amusement.