Eye Contact
By Laura Schiller
Based on: The Nanny
Copyright: Fran Drescher
"You know, Maxwell," said CC, standing by the glass doors of her partner's office, "It's so nice here with just the two of us … watching the sunset … no squawking nanny on the desk, no nosy butler interrupting us … just peace and quiet. It's a lovely change, don't you agree?"
"It would be even lovelier if you left."
CC whirled around. Somehow, carried away by the rosy-golden sky outside and by her little dreams, she hadn't even noticed Maxwell slipping out of the room. In his place stood another Englishman: short, blond, carrying a tea tray, and smiling in a most obnoxious manner.
"Damn it, Niles!" she yelped, one hand flying to her heart. "Stop sneaking up on me, you know I hate it when you do that!"
At least he didn't imitate Maxwell this time and pretend to seduce me. Thank God for small mercies. One more kiss like that and I'd lose my head completely …
Niles set down the tray (set for two, she noticed) with perfect calm. "Which is exactly why I do it. You know, Miss Babcock," handing her a black coffee and a shortbread biscuit with a mock-respectful bow, "For all your so-called class, you can be quite abominably rude."
… and there he goes again. CC's heart stung, but she would have eaten rusty nails in her shortbread rather than let him know.
"Me? Rude? Well, I like that – coming from the man who butts into his employer's conversation on the intercom every chance he gets."
"Hmph. You've squeezed into that pantry with me more than once, and that's not even my point. My point is, at least I look people in the eye when I speak to them."
"What does that have to do with anything?" CC frowned at the biscuit in her hand, which was distractingly delicious. Mm, it's not easy to argue with a man who bakes like this – wait, what am I thinking?
"First of all, you make it too bloody easy to sneak up on you," said Niles. "I'm surprised you don't fall prey to pickpockets every time you leave your flat. Secondly, in case you haven't noticed, it's offensive. Carrying on with your back turned, as if the people around you were pieces of furniture … was it your Babcock snobbery or were you just born this way?"
That made CC look at him with a vengeance. His face startled her even through the heat haze of her anger – since when were his plain, familiar features so alive?
"How dare you speak to me like this?" she snarled. "I could have you fired – "
"Dream on, Miss Babcock. We all know Mr. Sheffield would rather lose a limb than me. And there, you just proved my point – I offered you some perfectly sensible advice, and what did you do? Scream at me."
He finished his speech with a demonstrative spread of his hands.
CC's furious reply stuck in her mouth as she registered the meaning of what he'd just said. He reminded her of Dr. Bort, her therapist, who had politely hinted something along the same lines during their last session. Of course, since CC spent most of those curled up on a couch facing the skyline (whatever you're comfortable with, Miss Babcock), it hadn't really been an issue.
"I – I don't like it, that's all," she said brusquely, crunching her cookie in an end-this-conversation sort of way. "Staring at people … being stared at … it makes me uncomfortable. Don't ask me why."
"All right, Miss Babcock," said the butler, in rather a softer voice than she'd expected. God, how much can he guess just from looking at me?
"I challenge you," he continued, leaning into her space with a playful smile. "To a blinking contest."
"A blinking contest? Hah – what are you, twelve?"
"Winner gets the last biscuit," he purred, waving the shortbread enticingly in her face.
"Okay, on three. One – two – three … "
He'd gone and stolen Maxwell's cologne again, she noticed. Oddly enough, on him it somehow smelled better … warm and spicy. She felt light-headed and her cheeks were heating up in a most unsettling way; why did these things always happen with a butler who hated her, rather than Maxwell Sheffield, the man of her dreams?
They were still eye to eye. Funny, she had never noticed how perfect their relative heights were for a contest like this, with neither one having to look up. Niles' eyes were blue, with little flecks of green and gray in them, like a cloudy sky reflected in a lake. She was so caught up in those colors, and so far from uncomfortable looking at them, that she actually gasped when Niles was the first to break contact.
"Hello, sir," he said, still without blinking, to someone over her shoulder.
"Oh come on, Butler Boy. That old trick won't work on me – oops." The blink happened before she could stop it. Niles waved his prize like a victory flag, smiling once again like a naughty little boy.
"You blinked first!" he crowed.
"Hey, that's cheating - " She lunged for the shortbread he was holding out of reach, and if an imperious British voice hadn't interrupted them, who knows what might have happened?
"Niles? CC? What on Earth are you two doing?"
They jumped apart like Maggie and one of her boyfriends.
"Nothing, Maxwell. Just overseeing the help."
"Nothing, sir. Just feeding the local wildlife."
Maxwell Sheffield stood in the doorway with his arms folded and his best glare showing. Handsome as always, CC noted absently, but looking into his eyes left her feeling strangely flat. Like champagne with the bubbles gone out. Maxwell's eyes were a plain brown, no sparks, no surprises. How very strange.
"Why, CC," he said. "You seem – different today." He paced around her a little, looking her up and down. "New haircut? New outfit? No? Whatever it is, it rather suits you."
A few years, months or even days ago, a compliment from him would have thrilled her from top to toe. Today, it did nothing. She could still see those rainclouds dancing in front of her eyes.
"Oh, Maxwell, you're so sweet," she cooed, just to provoke Niles. "My Chanel blouse? That's just something I threw on."
That butler needn't think his silly contest had any effect on her, none whatsoever.
"Rematch," Niles whispered down the back of her blouse as he left the room. She shivered, turning around for one last look at his incredible eyes.
"Tomorrow," she whispered back..