Chapter 10

Stephanie's chin rested in her hand as she sat alone at the table. Her eyes struggled to focus as she stared straight ahead and her head was spinning way too fast. It was all the strawberry vodka's fault. She should have never touched the stuff or those cute apple shooters that tasted like juice but were secretly little time bombs waiting to hit. Stephanie became faintly aware the music had stopped which meant the party was probably over. She sighed heavily. She really should go home but she wasn't sure she could move. The last time she had tried she had almost toppled over. Her shin had smacked against the table leg and sent her flying backward. Fortunately it had been towards her seat and she had landed back where she had started.

Pushing herself up straight, Stephanie raked her fingers through her curls. She peered blearily at the bar and saw it was empty. There was only the bar tender clearing up the glasses. Everyone else was gone. Where the fuck did they go? And where the hell was Claire? Probably making out with the guy she had been dry humping on the dance floor somewhere. What she wanted to know was what the hell she was playing at? She was supposed to be in love with Pete. She was marrying him for Christ sakes. Was nobody faithful in this fucking world anymore? Apparently not and she should know. She'd slept with an adulterating bastard herself. Benjamin Cordell. He was total fucking scum and she hoped his dick fell off and he rotted in hell.

Deciding she had to leave before someone kicked her ass out, Stephanie reached under the table. Her hand scrambled for her bag on the floor. She hoped it was down there. Her keys and everything were in there. So was her money and she was desperate for some pizza. Pepperoni sounded good. Her fingers fumbled around the floor. God she hoped it was there. She was screwed if it wasn't. She bent even further down. Her fingers felt the leather strap and she gave an audible sigh of relief. Without thinking where she was, Stephanie lifted her head. She gave out a yelp as it smacked off the edge of the table. She heard the glasses clink together above her as the furniture rattled.

"Are you okay?"

Stephanie nodded at the kind voice. Her hand rubbed the back of her bowed head. "It hurts."

"No wonder. You gave it quite a smack."

She felt the leather bench seat shift as the person sat down next to her. As she lifted her head, she caught a whiff of his incredible cologne. "Paul." she whispered.

Her glazed eyes were wide as she stared disbelievingly at him. He was the last person she expected to be sitting there after the embarrassment he had witnessed tonight. She thought he had gone home. She hadn't even seen him the rest of the evening. But here he was now and damn he was so fucking sexy. She wondered if he knew that. Maybe she should tell him. God knows she needed to score some major points. She had totally fucked things up between them with her antics earlier on.

"I suppose you're here to tell me it's over between us." she slurred unable to help herself.

She felt herself sway slightly. Shit, she really was drunk. Stephanie licked her dry lips and blinked heavily as she tried to focus on Paul.

"It's okay, you know. I totally understand. I really do." Her hand touched his arm. It felt so firm and big. She'd never met anyone with arms as big as Paul's. They were huge.

"Understand what?" he smiled.

Stephanie looked at him confused. "That you hate me remember?" She sighed dramatically and dropped her hand to her lap. "You probably wish you'd never met me and I don't really blame you."

"Now why on earth would I wish that?"

"I don't know. Maybe because I'm a walking fucking disaster." Stephanie swallowed thickly. Her head was a little woozy. Her hand rubbed at her face before pushing her hair away.

"Well I have to admit it. You really do have shit luck." Paul chuckled. Stephanie scowled at him unimpressed. She was glad she was such a constant source of amusement to him. Shame she didn't find it funny.

"See? I'm just a joke to you." she pouted. She crossed her arms defensively across her chest. Paul had stopped laughing now. His brown eyes were gentle as he looked at her.

"Trust me, Stephanie. You're not a joke."

She sighed heavily and threw her hands dramatically in the air. "Then why do these things happen to me, Paul? Why do I get myself in such a mess? I mean look at what happened tonight."

"Time to go home people." the big voice boomed. It was the bar tender. Stephanie glared in his direction and shook her head, her curls shifting across her bare shoulders.

"Excuse me but I'm trying to have an important conversation here."

"And I'm trying to get home lady so take it somewhere else." he snapped as he began to collect the glasses at their table.

"There's no need to be so rude." The bar tender threw her a glare before carrying the glasses away. She felt Paul tug on her arm lightly as he stood up from the seat.

"Come on, Steph. Let's go."

Her eyes were wide as she turned to look up at him. "But did you hear the way he spoke to me?"

"Yes I did." said Paul.

He held out his hand towards her. Stephanie happily took hold of it. She wasn't entirely sure she could stand up on her own plus she loved the feel of his skin. It was so soft and warm.

"Want me to punch his lights out?" he joked as he pulled her to her feet.

Stephanie nodded her head and grinned. She grabbed her bag from the seat and quickly smoothed down her dress. "You could definitely take him." she said as she tottered unsteadily behind him.

"Yeah. With my eyes closed." Paul called out loudly as he glared in the bar tender's direction. Stephanie smiled as she watched the stocky man disappear behind the bar. Paul still held her hand as they walked to the door. For some reason it made her grin like an idiot. Or maybe it was the alcohol. Shit. She didn't know anymore and really she didn't care. Paul was here and that was all that mattered to her. She just prayed she hadn't ruined things completely between them. After all he was with her now and that was a good sign.

They approached the metal winding staircase. Stephanie's eyes searched around for Claire. She was definitely gone. She could only see a couple of people left. God, how long had she been sitting there like a moron all on her own?

"Now watch yourself going down here. I don't want you breaking a leg or anything." said Paul.

Stephanie shook her head and jutted her jaw out defiantly. "I'm perfectly fine, you know."

She descended a couple of steps and turned to smile at Paul smugly. He shook his head in amusement just as her heel clipped the edge of a step and she lost her footing. Her body went flying backwards. "Shit." she cursed. Fortunately Paul's tight grip on her hand somehow kept her on her feet. Her breathing was heavy as she balanced on the step precariously.

"You were saying?" he teased. Paul pulled her towards him. She felt his arm slide around her waist. She leant against him gratefully. Her heart thumped wildly in her chest as her eyes stared at the tiled floor below them.

"It's a long way down there, huh?" she said.

She felt Paul's body shake with his laughter. "It would have definitely been messy. Now hold on to me and let's try and get you down here in one piece."

Stephanie wrapped her arm around his waist. Her other hand gripped hold of her bag tightly as they slowly began to descend the steps.

"Are you okay?" asked Paul.

Stephanie nodded her head. Her blue eyes were wide. Her heels clicked loudly against the steel grating on the steps. If she wasn't haunted by the image of plunging to her death, she would be enjoying this. She could feel Paul's hand resting on her hip. It felt so nice and warm. But shit she was scared. Her hand gripped hold of Paul a little more tightly. Her whole body felt tense. "We should have taken the elevator." she said.

"There isn't one."

"Well there should be."

Paul laughed. "We're nearly there."

Stephanie let out a calming breath as she descended the bottom step. Her legs felt shaky as she walked out the front entrance.

"Now there are steps here too so keep hold of me."

Stephanie nodded her head. Like that was a hardship. Now she had survived the stairway from hell, she could fully appreciate how good it felt to have Paul's arm wrapped around her. God, he felt so firm and she could even smell his hair. Closing her eyes, she tilted her face up towards him. She breathed in deeply. Even his hair was amazing. It smelled so clean and fresh. "It's really lovely." she smiled. Her heels crunched along the gravel pathway.

"What is?"

"Your hair." she sighed. Stephanie opened her eyes. Shit. The fresh air was making her head spin again. And people said getting out in it was good for you. What a bunch of crap. As they turned into the street, she felt Paul's arm fall from her waist. She tried not to feel disappointed as she let him go and tottered towards the bright lights of the busy city.

"Can I ask where you are going?"

Stephanie flicked her curls across her shoulder. She noticed the stars were out tonight. They looked really pretty. "I'm going home." she said.

She felt Paul's hand take hold of hers. He tugged and pulled her towards him. Her blue eyes stared at him widely.

"Home is that way." he said chuckling as his big arm gestured in the opposite direction.

"I knew that." she snorted indignantly. She pushed a stray curl from her face. "I was just getting some pizza first."

"You're hungry?" asked Paul.

Stephanie nodded and pulled on his hand. "Marcello has the best pepperoni ever. Come on or he'll be closed."

She tugged on his hand. As they walked along the street, she felt his fingers slide through hers and a delighted smile crossed her face. Half an hour later she had her pizza. They were sitting on a bench in the small gardens next to the library. The cardboard box was on her lap and Paul's jacket was draped around her shoulders. Despite not feeling the cold, he'd insisted she put it on. He really was the sweetest man. In fact Paul was a perfect gentleman.

"You were my handsome stranger you know." she said before taking a bite of pizza. She chewed savouring the taste. It really was to die for.

"I was, was I?" Paul asked.

Stephanie nodded as she swallowed her food. Paul was smiling at her. She didn't know why he was being so nice to her. Not after what had happened earlier on. God, she was lucky he was even talking to her. What the hell must he be thinking? She sighed and threw her uneaten slice of pizza into the box. She had suddenly lost her appetite and she licked her greasy lips. "But then you became my boss and now look. Everything is fucked up."

She threw the box down on the bench beside her. She stretched her long legs out in front of her.

"I can't even bribe you with lingerie to get out of this one either."

"Wait a second. You would bribe me with lingerie?" chuckled Paul.

Stephanie nodded. Her head was spinning again. Her eyelids blinked heavily as she struggled to focus. "Mmhmm. I was going to when I thought you would fire me."

"Really? Shit! I wish I'd known."

Stephanie's glazed blue eyes went wide as she turned to him. "You wouldn't have fired me though, would you?"

"Well that depends on the lingerie." he teased. "What kind was it?"

"It was black lace." she rambled as she pushed her hand through her messy curls. She shifted in her seat to face Paul. He looked so breathtakingly handsome sitting there in the moonlight.

"Then I definitely wouldn't have fired you." he said softly.

"Really?"

Paul shook his head and smiled.

"Are you going to fire me on Monday though?"

"If I said yes, would you promise to wear the lingerie this time?"

Stephanie smacked his arm. "Paul, I'm being serious here."

"I'm sorry." he smirked.

"I love my job you know."

"I know you do."

"And I would really hate to lose it." She paused and swallowed thickly. Her stomach felt slightly queasy. Shit. The last thing she wanted was to puke in front of Paul.

"You're not going to lose your job, Stephanie."

She smiled at him gratefully. Her nausea was forgotten as she looked into his eyes. "Not even after what happened with Ben tonight? Because honestly, it wasn't what you think Paul. I told him I wanted nothing to do with him but he just wouldn't listen. Then his watch got caught. See, that was why you saw us that way. He tried to kiss me. He tried to tell me he would leave Elise. Of course that would never happen. He's just looking for sex. And even that's not any good. He's scum, Paul and I wouldn't go back to him if he was the last man on earth. Do you believe me? Please tell me you believe me!" she pleaded. Her blue eyes were wide as they frantically searched his face. Her shoulders rose and fell with her rapid breathing.

Paul placed his hand on her arm and smiled. "Yes I believe you now slow down and take a breath."

"You do believe me? Are you sure?"

"Yes." he chuckled.

"I just thought you thought there was something going on because you looked really pissed off. I really thought I'd blown it. And then you went and disappeared for the rest of the night. I tried to find you but then Claire got me this strawberry vodka stuff……" Her voice trailed away and she sighed heavily.

Paul's brown eyes were gentle as his fingers reached up and pushed her curled locks from her face. "I acted like a jerk. I'm sorry."

Stephanie shook her head vehemently. "You weren't a jerk, Paul. You had every right to be angry considering what you saw. But nothing happened with Ben. I swear to you."

"Yeah, well once I calmed down I realised that." He shrugged and smiled. "I guess being a typical guy, I didn't like anyone invading my turf."

She grinned drunkenly. "So I'm your turf, huh?"

Paul chuckled. "Well something like that."

"I've never been anyone's turf before. I'm not sure what it entails."

"Well, wearing that lingerie is a start." he grinned, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Stephanie's tongue poked between her teeth as she smiled and leaned towards him. Her hand rested on his thigh and she could feel her whole body tingling. "I'll wear it for you tomorrow night if you like."

She saw Paul's eyes widen with surprise. She bit down on her lip and sat back quickly. Shit. She was being way too forward now. Stephanie removed her hand from his leg and she consciously tugged down the hem of her dress. "Not that I'm easy." she added hastily. "I don't want you to get the wrong impression or anything."

Paul's body shook with his laughter. His deep chuckle echoed around the silent garden. She frowned at him confused. What the hell had he found so funny now?

"What?" she scowled. She blinked rapidly. Her stomach had thankfully stopped churning but her head still felt woozy. Great! She knew was going to feel like total shit tomorrow. Fucking apple shooters! She was never touching them again.

"You know I've never met anyone quite like you, Stephanie."

Stephanie snorted loudly as she leant back against the bench. "Thank God for small mercies, huh? I cause nothing but trouble you know. Or trouble follows me. I told you I was cursed."

"Cursed or not, I'm really glad I met you."

Stephanie's lips parted with surprise at his admission. Her heart flipped in her chest. "You are?"

Paul nodded and smiled. He took hold of her hand. Stephanie stared into his eyes and found herself getting lost in them. "Maybe it's because from the moment you opened your mouth on that tube I was gripped by you."

"Gripped by me?" she asked in disbelief.

"Gripped by you." he repeated simply.

Stephanie couldn't stop the wide grin that slowly crossed her face. She probably looked like a drunken lunatic but right now she didn't care. Paul was gripped by her. Gripped! By her! That was practically telling her he liked her. Hell, maybe he even liked her a lot. Oh my God! This was all too good to be true. Screw her parents' advice about never talking to a stranger. If she hadn't opened her mouth on that train, she knew she wouldn't be sitting here now. It was obvious she was meant to find out that Ben was a cheating bastard. She was meant to get drunk and spill her guts. She was meant to grip Paul before he became her boss which meant they were obviously destined to find one another. As that thought blissfully rolled round in her head, Stephanie felt Paul's lips brush against hers. Melting against him she returned his sweet kiss. Fate really and truly was a wonderful thing.