The cupboard happened. It did! Connie won't admit it – won't – or can't, but I know she can't resist me. We're perfect together. We could be. We will be. We are!
I go to her office to discuss Gracie's physio appointment, and I watch her from the door. It sounds really cheesy – but I can totally see us together at home...
Taking turns to cook the dinner. Getting married. Bringing up Grace together – maybe with another baby...or two. Gracie's dog, Simba. We could all go back to America together – to live...
I'm getting carried away.
I go to her office to discuss Gracie's physio and I can't help gazing at her dreamily, from the doorway.
"Hi" I greet her softly, going in.
She glances around the open door of her filing cabinet and greets me back in an unusually fond tone that matches mine. "Hi".
I close the door behind me and walk towards her. I lightly rest my hands on her desk as she comes over – her head buried in a thick file. It certain isn't going to be light reading. "Grace's physio appointment this afternoon..."
She doesn't look up from her reading, but it's clear from her expression and her posture that she's irritated. She knows what she's doing – and she didn't take kindly to the reminder.
"Yep, I'll be taking her there myself once I've done this presentation to the board meeting." She tells me sharply – and it occurs to me that her irritation isn't solely directed at me. She tires of all the meetings and the paperwork. The democracy – and the hypocrisy of it all. No one ever gives her a break when something goes wrong. She loves being in charge. She loves being 'Queen Bee' and being able to boss everyone about, but she hates the politics – so did I. That wasn't me either and I have every sympathy.
It can't be easy being Connie Beauchamp.
I make my suggestion as gentle as possible – but even so, I already know what her answer will be. "I thought...we could go together."
She scoffs – as I knew she would. "What – and play happy families?"
She likes to play 'hard-to-get' – especially with me. It's the ultimate pantomime – with her as the star. It can be frustrating at times.
I perch on the edge of her desk. I can almost feel the warmth radiating off her body as she tries to fight what she feels with sarcasm - and I can still taste her on my lips from our recent intimacy. "We did a pretty good job of that last week."
"Last week was a mistake." She explains confidently – but I can't help noticing how she's trying not to edge towards me. "It was a...temporary lapse in judgement." She claims – but falters slightly under my intense gaze.
I'm not doing it on purpose – I just can't help it. - and I can't help thinking how alike her and Grace are either . Grace is more like her mother than Connie realises. It makes me so proud to have them both in my life – and my stomach drops when I realise that I could have lost them both in the accident. I nearly did.
I'm leaning towards Connie now and I can see her visibly stiffen up with the effort of trying keep me emotionally at arm's length as I get closer. "Oh" I say, making my voice as soft as and seductive as I can. "What, so we just pretend it never happened, right?" I suggest – momentarily playing along.
A slight smirk begins to cross her face and I decide that now is a good time to pounce. I reach out and grab her waist – pulling her against me as our lips are reunited. She tenses up at first, but almost immediately relaxes in my embrace. Her hands – now free of any file, run up my chest and wrap around my neck, and she moans softly as I deepen the kiss and tangle my hands in her hair.
"Don't stop." She murmurs as I try to catch my breath. I don't want to stop kissing her either – but my lungs have all but run out of air.
We're interrupted by a knock at the door. Connie sighs and leans her forehead against mine for a second to regain her composure, before side-stepping to what she deems to be an acceptable distance.
"Come in." She announces, placing her hands on the desk – the right one inches away from mine. All I have to do is stretch out my fingers and I'd touch hers.
Charlie opens the door and pokes his head around it. "Sorry to interrupt. RTC on the way in. Serious head injury – now arrested. ETA about 4 minutes."
"Ok. I'll be right out." She answers, picking up her stethoscope as he makes his exit, leaving the door open for her.
"So...we're going to pretend that never happened as well, aren't we?" I remark quietly.
Connie smiles her confirmation and leaves – glancing back at me on her way out the door. Any time this happens – and it will happen again, 'it' will stay in this office – or the store room – or whatever room we find ourselves in. But I don't mind, because I've found the key to her heart. All I have to do is close the door and kiss her – then that gateway will open – the gateway to her soul.
The key to Connie Beauchamp's heart has been – and always will be mine. I don't even have to knock.