Chapter 9
OoO Debating With Her Feelings OoO
Ok, something was defiantly up with her, Leo thought while peaking at Piper through the crack of his office door.
It was almost five, and she hasn't switched one word with him except work related stuff, and even that she kept to the minimum.
What was up with her? Just this morning she was so warm and open, and it seemed like she changed herself with the blink of an eye.
The only thing he could think about as a reason to her sudden change of heart was that maybe the sex was crappy, but it couldn't be it.
He could tell she enjoyed it almost as much as he did.
Maybe it wasn't her thing? Rushing into bed like that... Not that it was his thing, defiantly not.
She was just so irresistible, and something made him go for it.
So that might have been it, she probably thought things were moving too fast (and they were), so what she needs is to see that he has no intention of pressing on her, he will give her time, let her take it as slow as she needs.
A romantic dinner, that's what she needs.
He picked up the phone and dialed his favorite restaurant, ordering a table there.
There weren't any, but since Leo was the owner's close friend back from their college years, he got the best table in the place.
Ok, the next step was getting Piper to agree.
He made a few last calls to cancel a meeting with a new client he had for the night, and walked out of his office to find Piper by her desk, typing something but seeming completely out of it.
"How's that report coming?" He asked.
She jumped a bit, startled.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He apologized.
"It's ok, you didn't." She said casually. "The report is done, this is Rally's case; James asked me to look for something."
"Great. But it's not what I wanted to talk to you about." He said.
She sighed, to his great terror, and looked back up at him.
"What is it then?"
"Well, I have a table at this nice restaurant down town... It's missing a woman." He said, leaning closer to the table.
Piper looked to her right, where Ms. Dobbs was looking at them suspiciously.
"You really shouldn't be doing that you know. I told you she will kill me." Piper said coolly.
He straitened up taken aback, feeling a bit hurt.
"Oh. I see. It's a no then?" He asked.
She stayed silent for a few moments, her forehead wrinkling with deep thoughts. She was hesitating. Good.
"Look, Leo, last night..."
"Last night was magical. I haven't had such a good time with a woman in a long time." He said.
"Says a lot about you." She said, staring to smile.
"I don't mean the sex, you know it. Of course that was one hell of love making, but it's not what I was talking about."
She looked down, saying;
"I know. It's just that..." She started.
"Just what? Look, Piper, I don't want to sound rude, but you need to decide if you are interested. I mean, I like you. I liked you the minute I laid my eyes on you. But I'm not going to keep asking you to go out with me if you don't want to. Especially not for one night stand. Believe me, I am not that kind of a guy." He said.
Leo could tell his little 'speech' was affecting her.
"I believe you." She said, her voice small, her eyes avoiding him.
She was pulling back, and he had no idea why. Maybe it was time to let her go, she wasn't interested.
"Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow." He said, putting his jacket on.
Waiting for her to say something, he went down the hall slowly, and walked into the elevator.
Just before the doors closed, he got a glimpse of Piper, who never moved from her seat by the desk, staring right at him.
---OoO---
Piper felt like crying.
Which was ridiculous, she hardly knew him, and she was the one who said no.
But still, she felt like she was loosing something, missing out on a good opportunity.
She shook her head, reminding herself that she does NOT want to go out with him. He was just too... good. She didn't date guys like that anymore.
She only dated guys she didn't like, those she knew she won't hurt if they leave her.
Sure, it is always sad, but she knew how it felt to loose someone you loved, and she never wanted to go through that hell again.
But Leo... It was so damn hard to say no to him. He was so nice, so good to her. He was the very kind of a guy she has been avoiding for three years now, and suddenly he came into her life, a silver lining around him.
Without thinking twice, she picked up the phone, and dialed his cell.
"Hello?" His voice came after a few seconds.
What should she say? Why was she even calling?
"Hello?" He repeated.
"Hi." She almost whispered.
"Piper?" He asked, surprised.
"Yes." She squeaked.
"Something wrong? You sound weird."
"Nothing's wrong." She hurried to say, still breathless. What the hell is she doing?
"Look, Piper, if this is about what just happened, I am really sorry. You have every right to reject me, I am sorry I ever started this; I've been very rude and vulgar and..." He was babbling.
"Yes." Piper suddenly said, surprising even herself.
"What?"
"Yes." Piper repeated, unable to say anything else.
"Yes? You want to come to dinner?" He asked, his voice full of hope, which was quite unlikely for him.
She released a breath she was holding.
"Yes. But you better hurry, I might change my mind." She said, and hung up.
What the hell was she doing? She wasn't supposed to see him again, Leo was OFF LIMITS!
She screamed in her head, telling herself NOT to do it, she will regret it... but she couldn't stop herself, she WANTED to go with him.
Before she knew it, the elevator door opened, and out of it came Leo.
As he walked to her desk, she stared at him, and got a flashback from almost four years ago, when Luke came towards her, a smile on his face.
The flashback disappeared as she heard his voice.
"I'm glad you changed your mind."
She nodded.
"Whenever you are ready." He said, smiling.
She turned the computer off, and grabbed her things.
When they got downstairs, Piper stopped to say;.
"Listen, how about you give me about an hour to get ready, and I'll meet you at the restaurant." She suggested.
"Sure." He gave her the address, and she escaped to her car.
On the way to her apartment, she called Phoebe.
"You SLEPT with him??"
"Yes. Don't yell." Piper said.
"Sorry. I'm just surprised. You are not like that. I thought you two weren't dating?"
"We're not." She said, then realized that they were.
"I don't know what to do Pheebs." Piper finally said with desperation.
"Why all the drama? It's not the first boss you are dating; this shouldn't be new to you." Phoebe said. "Unless... you actually like this one."
Piper stayed quiet.
"Oh my god! This is it, isn't it? You like him!" Phoebe exclaimed.
Piper sighed, for the thousandth time that day.
"I don't know what to do. Should I cancel with him?"
"What? No! What are you talking about? This is good; it's good that you like him for a change. Look, I know it's been hard ever since Luke, and I'm not saying you should rush into this new relationship, but give the guy a chance, he is cute."
"How would you know? You never saw him." Piper claimed.
"But he is cute, Right?"
"Right." Piper admitted.
"See? Your little sister knows everything. You go on that date and have fun, and tomorrow Prue and I are coming by and we'll go for lunch together." Phoebe said.
"Liar. It's not the lunch you want, you want to meet Leo." Piper said, knowing her sisters.
"So what? I want to meet the guy my sister is falling for."
"I am not falling for him!" Piper exclaimed, and her car almost got off the road.
"Whatever... I'll see you tomorrow, bye." Phoebe said, and the line was dead.
Piper put the cell away, and thoughts started screaming in her head, again.
Leo was just another boss, that's all. It will all be over in a month, everything will be back to normal. She is just going to go to his date, and maybe she'll even stop liking him.
Maybe.
At her apartment, she opened her wardrobe, and pulled out a black dress with huge pale white polka dots. It set on her beautifully, with the low cut neck and the cut along her leg.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
Her hair was down; Leo liked it when her hair was down.
Quickly, she pulled it up, and looked at herself again.
She put on a black high heal sandals, grabbed her black purse, and headed for her car.
Whatever was awaiting for her in this date, she was going to get through it, and she will not, repeat NOT, invite Leo back to her place, nor will she go back to his.
AN: Still suppressing our feelings, are we? I hope I am not annoying anyone, and also hope you understand why is she feeling what she is... avoiding him and her feelings for him that are starting to take over... why she is running away from yet another relationship... why he reminds her so much of Luke... (Because she starts feeling things for Leo she has only felt for Luke). Anyway, I'm not gonna give too much away... lol
Thank you all sooo much for reviewing, there seem to be more and more every chapter, and this is getting more and more interesting to write as I go. Next chapter will be their date, and what happens after wards........