Chapter One-
The rhythm caught his attention ; the steady tapping of the high heels clicking againt the hard wood flooring. No one would have noticed it--There was so many other sound in the mall-- But William Editson did notice it. He could make out the tune those taps were making. He wished he had his saxophone. It might be fun to try to accompany the heels-to-wood-horn sound.
As it was, He sat cramped behind a table filled with books. He couldn't wait when his shift was over. He wasn't used to being stationary, or having a crowd around him. He like to be able to move, walk, stand. He didn't fancy book signings either. Maybe that was the reason why his mind had wandered, and he heard the tapping noise.
If this hadn't been his home town he would of declined the offer to sign. He peered down the long line in fronto of him. 'Well, there goes my bleedin' chances of gettin' away early ' He thought, signing the book handed to him. William smiled up at the woman and handed it to her. " Happy reading , luv," He said with a perfunctory smile. She blushed at the and smiled back shyly.
He heard the sound again, the heels connecting the flooring. His concentration heightened. The steps were unhurried, relaxed but determined , as it the wearer knew exactly were she was headed. He glanced up, and the first thing he saw were her feet. She wore red, shiny shoes with heels like stilts. The supported shapeley legs clad in black stockings with seams rising up the back. All he had seen were running shoes in the past two hours. This woman, though, knew how to complete an ensemble--and what an ensemble it was.
His eyes traced the seams of her sexy stockings from ankle to theigh, noticing they disappeared like rose stems under a straight black dress. He was beginning to forget why he was here.
A voice called him back to the desk in front of him , and he signed the book almost automatically while his mind remained on the woman in the black dress. He hadn't seen her face yet, but the rest of her was package to his specifications. He'd say she was average height, by no means short, but neither would she stand eye-to-eye level with him. From the back her dress angled in at the waist and rounded out over her luscious hips.
She stood straight, unlike many woman whose posture gave away many of there personality traits. This woman was sure of herself, confident in her ability to handle things, probably good at sizing up situations. William would bet she'd be asked directions by tourist , even in a foreign country. She had an I-know-what-I'm doing kind of aura.
He cocked his head and signed another book. " Enjoy it," he said, and winked at a giggly college student who explained she was a business management major. His book was required reading, but she'd had bought it even if it weren't.
William wondered what attracted him to the woman. The personality assessment he'd just made wouldn't fit his usual type, but there was something about this one that got his juices flowing before he'd even seen her.
She browsed through the non- fiction section. She didn't look as if she'd just come from an office. Neither did she look as if she were on her way to the nearest trendy party. She wasnt wearing nor carrying a coat. It was around thirty degrees outside so he figured she worked in the mall.
The line for William's autographed book momentarily thinned, giving him time to watch her more thoroughly. She lifted a book from the shelf. It was his. He could see his face on the jacket cover as she opened it. He wondered where she worked, and why she was intrested on a book on stress. ' Or, she could just think you're a good looking bloke' He thought. Though she looked relaxed, more controlled then other woman he'd come across. Most of them were rushing back to work or something. But she looked as if she never rushed anywhere.
She was beautiful. Her blonde hair was up, some strands of hair framing her face. He lip stick was a shade of red, maybe ruby. She had clear and tanned skin. Her profile was tall and straight-almost like a goddess--and the way thedrees fit was downright sinful.
William shook his head. He hadn't assessed with a woman this closely since...he couldn't remember when--it must had been long ago as his college days--yet there was a magnetism that drew him toward this one. She closed the book and he mentally telegraphed her a message: Buy it, goldilocks. So he could atleast find out her name and autograph. She turned it over, looking at the photograph, ' Yup, good looking bloke' He stated. His line was growing again. He stole glance at her between snatches of conversatin as one person replaced another, each wanting a book.
Everyone in line, it seemed, wanted a moment of his time.' Well, I bloody well don't' He thought, wanting to see her face, but her back was toward him. His eyes involuntarily dropped to her seamed hose. Finally she moved towards the cashier. He followed her progress until a heavy set woman of about fifty blocked his view. ' Bloody Hell!'
She handed him hid book and he warmly smiled returned her smile, trying to keep his eye on Ms.-Goldilocks. Lucky for him, there were three people in front of her at the checkout line.
" For my husband," the fifty year-old said. " His name is George." William wrote the standard inscription on the title page and signed it with his flowing yet unreadable signature. " Thank you, pet, I hope he enjoys it."
" Oh, he will," she replied. William smiled and she left. Another woman came to the table, which displayed several copies of his book, Managing business related stress: A users guide. She took the book she offered and asked for her name.
At the counter the woman was still there. His customer left and another appeared. This time it was a man. Even though his book was non-fiction and more men read non-fiction more than woman, mostly woman purchased more.
He glanced at the counter. The cashier was waiting on the woman now. William's mouth went dry. He had to force himself to remain seated. He wanted to go to her and introduce himself. He was intrested in her- a stanger.
He didn't know her name, but he wanted to. He was intrested, and he hadn't been intrested seriouslyin a woman in years. He knew why. It wasn't the women. He pushed them back. Women he dated knew he wasn't the marrying type.
Whenever someone got serious he immediately broke things off. He'd been serious once; even married once, But it didn't work out and he no longer wanted to be married or seriously involved. It led to complications he couldn't explain.
*** A/N- Chapter two will be Buffy's point of view. R/R puh-leaz* bats eyelashes*
The rhythm caught his attention ; the steady tapping of the high heels clicking againt the hard wood flooring. No one would have noticed it--There was so many other sound in the mall-- But William Editson did notice it. He could make out the tune those taps were making. He wished he had his saxophone. It might be fun to try to accompany the heels-to-wood-horn sound.
As it was, He sat cramped behind a table filled with books. He couldn't wait when his shift was over. He wasn't used to being stationary, or having a crowd around him. He like to be able to move, walk, stand. He didn't fancy book signings either. Maybe that was the reason why his mind had wandered, and he heard the tapping noise.
If this hadn't been his home town he would of declined the offer to sign. He peered down the long line in fronto of him. 'Well, there goes my bleedin' chances of gettin' away early ' He thought, signing the book handed to him. William smiled up at the woman and handed it to her. " Happy reading , luv," He said with a perfunctory smile. She blushed at the and smiled back shyly.
He heard the sound again, the heels connecting the flooring. His concentration heightened. The steps were unhurried, relaxed but determined , as it the wearer knew exactly were she was headed. He glanced up, and the first thing he saw were her feet. She wore red, shiny shoes with heels like stilts. The supported shapeley legs clad in black stockings with seams rising up the back. All he had seen were running shoes in the past two hours. This woman, though, knew how to complete an ensemble--and what an ensemble it was.
His eyes traced the seams of her sexy stockings from ankle to theigh, noticing they disappeared like rose stems under a straight black dress. He was beginning to forget why he was here.
A voice called him back to the desk in front of him , and he signed the book almost automatically while his mind remained on the woman in the black dress. He hadn't seen her face yet, but the rest of her was package to his specifications. He'd say she was average height, by no means short, but neither would she stand eye-to-eye level with him. From the back her dress angled in at the waist and rounded out over her luscious hips.
She stood straight, unlike many woman whose posture gave away many of there personality traits. This woman was sure of herself, confident in her ability to handle things, probably good at sizing up situations. William would bet she'd be asked directions by tourist , even in a foreign country. She had an I-know-what-I'm doing kind of aura.
He cocked his head and signed another book. " Enjoy it," he said, and winked at a giggly college student who explained she was a business management major. His book was required reading, but she'd had bought it even if it weren't.
William wondered what attracted him to the woman. The personality assessment he'd just made wouldn't fit his usual type, but there was something about this one that got his juices flowing before he'd even seen her.
She browsed through the non- fiction section. She didn't look as if she'd just come from an office. Neither did she look as if she were on her way to the nearest trendy party. She wasnt wearing nor carrying a coat. It was around thirty degrees outside so he figured she worked in the mall.
The line for William's autographed book momentarily thinned, giving him time to watch her more thoroughly. She lifted a book from the shelf. It was his. He could see his face on the jacket cover as she opened it. He wondered where she worked, and why she was intrested on a book on stress. ' Or, she could just think you're a good looking bloke' He thought. Though she looked relaxed, more controlled then other woman he'd come across. Most of them were rushing back to work or something. But she looked as if she never rushed anywhere.
She was beautiful. Her blonde hair was up, some strands of hair framing her face. He lip stick was a shade of red, maybe ruby. She had clear and tanned skin. Her profile was tall and straight-almost like a goddess--and the way thedrees fit was downright sinful.
William shook his head. He hadn't assessed with a woman this closely since...he couldn't remember when--it must had been long ago as his college days--yet there was a magnetism that drew him toward this one. She closed the book and he mentally telegraphed her a message: Buy it, goldilocks. So he could atleast find out her name and autograph. She turned it over, looking at the photograph, ' Yup, good looking bloke' He stated. His line was growing again. He stole glance at her between snatches of conversatin as one person replaced another, each wanting a book.
Everyone in line, it seemed, wanted a moment of his time.' Well, I bloody well don't' He thought, wanting to see her face, but her back was toward him. His eyes involuntarily dropped to her seamed hose. Finally she moved towards the cashier. He followed her progress until a heavy set woman of about fifty blocked his view. ' Bloody Hell!'
She handed him hid book and he warmly smiled returned her smile, trying to keep his eye on Ms.-Goldilocks. Lucky for him, there were three people in front of her at the checkout line.
" For my husband," the fifty year-old said. " His name is George." William wrote the standard inscription on the title page and signed it with his flowing yet unreadable signature. " Thank you, pet, I hope he enjoys it."
" Oh, he will," she replied. William smiled and she left. Another woman came to the table, which displayed several copies of his book, Managing business related stress: A users guide. She took the book she offered and asked for her name.
At the counter the woman was still there. His customer left and another appeared. This time it was a man. Even though his book was non-fiction and more men read non-fiction more than woman, mostly woman purchased more.
He glanced at the counter. The cashier was waiting on the woman now. William's mouth went dry. He had to force himself to remain seated. He wanted to go to her and introduce himself. He was intrested in her- a stanger.
He didn't know her name, but he wanted to. He was intrested, and he hadn't been intrested seriouslyin a woman in years. He knew why. It wasn't the women. He pushed them back. Women he dated knew he wasn't the marrying type.
Whenever someone got serious he immediately broke things off. He'd been serious once; even married once, But it didn't work out and he no longer wanted to be married or seriously involved. It led to complications he couldn't explain.
*** A/N- Chapter two will be Buffy's point of view. R/R puh-leaz* bats eyelashes*