Enchanted
Author's Note: To be read best accompanied by Taylor Swift's 'Enchanted' as the background song.
She walked into the room, her long raven hair trailing behind her back. An automatic smile was plastered on her face as the first of the partygoers approached her with enthusiastic greetings. These corporate parties were always the same, and if it weren't for the good of the company, she wouldn't have bothered. All this 'networking' and sucking up to investors wasn't something she particularly enjoyed. Given the choice, she would have rather stayed home, played some comforting rom-com movie and a tub of ice cream to spend her Saturday night.
She was tuning out the conversations around her, nodding and making sounds of approval to make it seem like she was paying attention, but the topics of the stock market and someone's recent trip to the Bahamas were only passing by her ears. She looked up from her companions, and her gaze fell on a handsome man across the room. He was standing alone, leaning against the wall casually, his tie already loosened as if he'd mentally checked out of the party. His blonde hair was tousled in the most delicious way and he was holding a glass of champagne on one hand, staring disinterestedly at the people around him.
Something inside her stirred.
His eyes locked on hers. Tingles flew up her arms and she rubbed them absent-mindedly, wondering if it was the chill in the winter air. There was something familiar about him, about those mesmerizing blue eyes. He seemed to question the déjà vu feeling with his gaze as well, cocking his head as if he'd finally found the one interesting thing in the room. He pushed himself off the wall and started ambling toward her, dodging guests and people who tried to say hello, never letting his gaze leave hers. All conversations around her seemed to have ceased to exist.
She extricated herself politely from the others and met him halfway. He smiled, offering her a second glass of champagne she hadn't even seen him swipe from a passing tray.
"Buy you a drink?" His voice was deep and seemed to reverberate in her mind.
"They're free," she pointed out.
"Maybe later, then. Get the really good stuff."
"Is that an invitation?"
"No, it's a statement. I already know your answer."
She raised her eyebrows. "Is that so? Are you psychic?"
"No. Just really good at reading women."
"And how many women have fallen for your charm?"
"You were staring at me quite intently from across the room and haven't looked at anybody else since. Are you really going to play coy?"
She laughed. "You're very forward."
"I find that it saves a lot of precious time."
He asked her if she wanted to dance, and her hand fell into his as if it had always belonged there. As they swayed slowly around the dance floor, she barely even noticed the eyes on them. Her entire world had shrunk into him and him alone. The slow melody surrounding them felt haunting, like a guide trying to lead them down memory lane. She'd been here before—in his arms. In another time. In another life…?
She wanted to leave with him. She really did. She'd never wanted anything else as much. But there was a flight to catch early in the morning; a business trip that she couldn't miss. She had to get home.
Parting with him was almost painful. His eyes seemed like they didn't want to let her go, and the whole way home his last longing, regretful expression haunted her. City lights passed by her car window and she leaned her warm cheek against the cold glass. She had not remembered feeling this way before.
Coming home had been a mistake. She couldn't sleep; all hopes of having enough rest before the flight went out the window. She eventually gave up and left her bed, knowing that there was no way she could drift off. Not with his face filling every corner of her memories.
She'd given him her number, but stupidly forgot to ask for his. All she could do now was hope he would reach out to her. All that was left was the wait. But after the way she declined his offer last night, would he even try?
The possibility that he might not agonized her.
Somehow, two hours before she was meant to leave, she dozed off. Her dreams were full of him, yet they were strangely not of this time. There were castles and knights and dragons, and maybe she was a princess, but she wasn't sure. Was he her prince charming? She had never believed in fairy tales, and yet…
She woke up with his name on her lips, feeling like she'd woken up from a dream this way before. Did he already have a woman in his life? Suddenly the question threatened to drive her crazy. The topic of significant others had not come up last night, and now to think she could be obsessing over someone whom not only she'd just met, but might also not be available…
She arrived at the airport just in time, but she never boarded the plane. Because right when she was about to enter the gate, there he was, like a picture from all of those romantic movies that were her guilty pleasure. Hair still tousled and messy, but with a bright mischievous grin, and a bouquet of flowers in his hand.
"I couldn't let you go," he said.
"I'll be back in a few days."
"But it feels like I've already been waiting to find you for a thousand years."
She blushed and laughed, but she found she could not say no to him a second time.
Her first class ticket flew in the wind as she pulled him close to a kiss.
He whispered quietly in her ear, "Enchanté..."
