-A fragment of a story, from The Client.
And she's standing there, one earbud in, and they're listening to a song that makes him think of her, and she's so so pretty that he can't stand it. And he knows that he's a hypocrite. He told her that she had to take a chance on something, sometime, but he can't. He's standing so close to her that he can smell her lavender shampoo, but he can't. He wants to kiss her so badly it hurts a little.
But then the song ends, and it's over. She says, "Well, I need to be getting home."
And he walks her to the car, with a "Goodnight." and a "See you in the morning."
And it's not enough. He wants to end this night the way he would end their first real date, with a chaste kiss to her perfect lips. Maybe in a moment of quiet seriousness, maybe mid laugh. He had an infinite number of ways he wanted to kiss her, and he couldn't decide what he wanted to do first.
Of course, they had kissed before. But Jim didn't know if he could count that one. It was at Chili's, during the yearly Dundie awards. She was drunk off her ass and after winning "Whitest Sneakers" she had been so overcome with emotion that she pressed a quick kiss to his lips. He could smell the alcohol on her breath, but still. He had wanted to kiss her back, but he was so surprised he couldn't. She was also drunk. And the whole office was there. So there were many reasons that he didn't count that as their first kiss.
How long could he wait until he got to kiss her for real? To feel her warm mouth on his, pull her body to his in a moment of recognition, of realization. He had waited for her for years, and he would keep waiting. Jim didn't expect anything from Pam. She didn't owe him anything, but he was sure she felt something between them, just like she did. She was partial to him, he knew. She had to feel the electricity that buzzed between them whenever they were close. She flirted with him, she had even kissed him. But, the ring stayed on her finger. A sign that said "I'm not ready", or maybe "I'm too scared". Jim wants Pam to take a chance on something, sometime and he hopes the something will be him.
