Part 12
I got off the train and rode up the escalator with gargantuan butterflies in my stomach. When I made it to the main concourse, I saw Grant through the crowd of Saturday evening socialites. He looked polished in his single-breasted charcoal suit and cornflower blue tie. He didn't pick me out of the crowd right away, which gave me a few moments to check him out. His hands were clasped underneath his belly, framing his breadth while his legs shifted with what looked like nervous anticipation.
I was just a few steps away from him when he noticed me, "Hi Grant," I smiled.
"Wow, um hi," he stammered, "You changed your hair, I almost didn't recognize you."
"Yep," I stroked my grown up new hairstyle. I decided to leave my bleach blonde look behind and adopt a more sophisticated style in golden blonde with woven lowlights. I felt less like a college girl and more like a glamorous vamp. I styled it into a soft wave that tumbled onto my shoulders.
"You look stunning," he gushed, allowing himself to be a bit more human with me, perhaps now because I didn't work for him anymore. I wore a violet wrap dress that clung around my waist and flared out in a feminine swingy style. The hemline was just above my knees, showing off my legs.
"You look pretty handsome yourself," I returned the compliment.
He seemed to blush and ran his plump fingers through his hair, "I got my hair done too." It looked a little spikier on top and was adorably trendy, offsetting his strong, masculine facial features and soft jowls so nicely.
"I have to stop by the campaign office to sign off on a couple of budget requests. Do you mind?" He asked thoughtfully.
"Not at all," I smiled. My first instinct was to welcome the opportunity to snoop, but I quickly remembered that I was out of that game if I wanted to build something real with Grant.
He unlocked his office door but I lingered out in the main office to respect his privacy. He called out to me anyway, "You can come in here, Nora."
I walked in and he was already sitting at his desk. "I'm going to be a few minutes... there are a couple of more things I have to deal with. It shouldn't take too long." He was writing a note with a very perturbed look on his face.
"Some things never change," I taunted him.
"What do you mean," he looked up at me confused.
I turned and strolled along the wall in his office studying the impressive contents of his bookshelf. "You're not happy with somebody's work, I know that frustrated boss-man when I see him." I looked back at him and caught his eyes on my body.
"Was I terrible to you?" he asked.
"No, I liked your challenges," I walked toward him and stood behind his desk once again admiring his print of Liberty Leading the People, hung now in his new office. He turned around in his chair and watched me as I continued, "And I liked your style," I set my eyes down on him and his broad body. "Tough guys can be terribly sexy."
And there was that uncomfortable and dumbfounded look on his face again. But he was so enticing, sitting there with his buttoned down belly hanging out of his open suit coat, inching down between his legs. I decided to give him another try at a kiss. I leaned down, put one of my hands on his big thigh, the other hand on his soft cheek and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.
He kissed back, and thankfully he didn't pull away. He let go of whatever was holding him back and let me kiss him. I didn't have the courage yet to let my hands freely roam his body, but I enjoyed feeling his heat anyway.
After a few moments of nearly losing my consciousness in kissing bliss, he stopped, "Nora, I really should be at the fundraiser by now."
I brushed down my dress with my hands and got my composure, "You're right," I smiled coyly at him.
He stood up, buttoned his coat around his big body and walked me out. "The hotel is a mile away on the other side of the viaduct," he explained, "So we need to grab a cab."
He hailed a taxi, helped me inside, and then got himself in. I loved watching him work his weight into the cab. His effort and movement exhibited his weight so beautifully. I managed to keep my eyes up on his face though so he wouldn't feel self-conscious. I still didn't know how he felt about his bulk. He had made a few self-deprecating jokes, like it was no big deal, but also had seemed apprehensive when I touched him.
He pointed out some buildings and sites as we made our way to the fundraiser. He was sitting so close to me with his leg against mine. I was getting even more turned on by watching his body bounce in time with the bumps on the road so I leaned into him and gave him another soft kiss.
Once again, an uncomfortable look came over his face, "Nora," he stopped.
"Gra-ant," I pouted, teasing him for being so serious. "Fine, I'll lay off and pretend like its all business between us," reassuring his private nature.
Before he could respond, we were at the hotel. Grant paid the driver and walked me into the ballroom where the fundraiser was already underway. There were hundreds of people there, far more than I expected. It was huge for an Independent and I was amazed.
He leaned in to my ear, "I can see you're surprised."
"Yeah, all of this with no party backing? I'm impressed," I admitted.
"We've got a shot," he seemed pretty happy with himself.
"They brought in the right guy to do it," I praised him.
He looked at me with beaming pride in his eyes. I noticed that he was really starting to enjoy my professional admiration, but still had no idea how to manage my physical attraction to him. I wasn't going to give up either. But in the meantime I kept my hands off of him while he introduced me around the room.
It was a genuinely enjoyable event, because I didn't have to pretend to be anyone or fake positions on issues I didn't agree with. I didn't say much and enjoyed everyone's conversation... totally surreal and refreshing.
After a couple of hours, he pulled me aside, "Are you hungry?"
"Yes, I'm famished," I was fairly hungry, but more than that, I wanted some time alone with him.
"I've made my appearance, so let's get out of here and grab something," he offered, touching my arm and leading me out.
Grant walked me down a few blocks to a small, dimly lit Italian restaurant. "Winters for two," he told the hostess. That he made a reservation at a romantic place made my heart pound. Grant had never shown any softness of emotion, so even his smallest overtures were a very big deal to me.
He ordered a bottle of Sangiovese and the waitress brought out bread. I immediately went for a piece, which allowed Grant to partake and devour the rest. I never saw him eat at the office, but the couple of times we'd shared a meal since, he was showing himself to be a good eater; something I obviously appreciated in a man.
We talked about the Davis campaign, and shared some laughs over the more strange personalities there. After dinner we ordered coffee, when he surprised me with a question, "Did you have an affair with him?"
"Who?" I was not expecting that question.
"Davis," he spoke softly.
"What? No!" I reacted. I wasn't sure how to play this. I didn't have an all out affair with Dan, but something did happen between us.
"He was obviously after you," Grant was blunt, "But I thought it was just wishful thinking on his part until I heard some staffers making cracks about it in a meeting."
"Really?" my face was hot.
"It seemed to be common knowledge," he offered matter-of-factly.
"It's a lie," I was angry, "I never had an affair with him. Yes, he flirted, and there was... mutual attraction, but we did not..." I didn't know what more to say. How could I sit there and tell Grant that I purposefully led Dan on or that Dan had gotten as far as getting his fingers in my panties.
"Mutual attraction?" He asked.
"Dan is attractive, and I probably let our flirtation go too far, but..." I choked up, not knowing what more to say about it. I felt tears starting to form in my eyes.
"This is making you upset, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ambush you," Grant apologized, "I just don't know how to read your intentions."
"No, I get it," I resolved to keep my eyes dry. "You think I used Dan and now I'm using you," I brushed my fingers through my hair in frustration. "And all I can say is that I had a lapse in judgment when I let things get personal with Dan but we never... You are... this is different..."
"What do you mean?" he pushed me, with apprehension in his eyes.
"I've told you and shown you several times how I feel," I was flustered, "I just don't really know what words to say anymore. I don't know what more you need to hear to understand how attracted I am to you."
He shook his head, "You're just interested in the game, Nora, don't you see? I'm just trying to figure out whether you even realize it."
"You couldn't be more wrong, Grant. From the beginning, you've been mistaken about me in every way. And I've tried so hard to prove to you that I'm not a bimbo, I'm not a user, I'm not looking to get ahead, and I don't need a job from you..." I choked up again.
He sat there silently not knowing what to say. And then after a minute he spoke, "Nora, I'm not a nice person. I went out of my way to be tough on you. I'm not powerful. And I'm not a good-looking guy... I've gotten far too fat, so what could you possibly be attracted to?"
"Yeah, you were tough on me, but I just considered it to be part of the job. And despite what you think, I really don't care about power." Then I softened my tone, "And, you are very good looking... and you're definitely not too fat," I let months of unrequited desire pour out of me, "You are amazing and I'm in love with you." There, I said it, feeling a vast weight lifted from my shoulders.
Yet all I got was another blank look from Grant, and I couldn't take any more of those from him. I got up and ran toward the door. His outward indifference was just too much to take anymore.
With tears streaming down my face, I made it out to the curb to hail a cab when I felt my arm pulled and Grant was in my face. He brushed a tear from my cheek with his thumb, grabbed me by the waist, and pulled me around the corner. Hidden from the world, he gave me the biggest, most passionate, body enveloping kiss; the kind I had only dreamed about with him until that moment. I looked at him, stunned by his commanding takeover.
He smiled and looked down and back up at me, "Sorry," he whispered.
"Don't be sorry, that was amazing," I rubbed my hands along his thick sides and finally got a good feel for his amazing, buttery soft body.
"It's getting late, I should get you home," he offered, taking my hand and walking back to the corner to hail a cab. Grant rode the train with me back to Newport and walked me to my apartment building.
"Do you still live in Newport?" I asked him as we walked into the lobby.
"I never did. I've got a place in Fairview," he pointed back in the direction we came from. Fairview was a stop on the way back to Brighton.
"It was nice of you to go out of your way to take me home then," I smiled. "Coffee?" I pointed toward the elevator.
He looked surprised, and then told me, "I'd better get back tonight, I have some meetings early tomorrow."
"Okay," I tried not to push him. "Can I ask you something though?"
"Sure," He said cautiously.
"Why is it that every time I say or do something to show you how interested I am in you, you get cold or turn me down?" I put it too him bluntly.
"I'm trying, here, Nora," he shook his head, looked away and then back at me, "just be patient with me."
"I'll be nice," I played with his coat lapel and sulked playfully. I wasn't quite sure why he needed so much patience, but I didn't want to ruin the end of the evening with another war of words. "So when can I see you again?"
"What are you doing Monday night?" he asked smiling.
"Nothing," I beamed.
"There are no campaign events that night. Do you want to have dinner again?"
"Yes, Id love that." I was thrilled. "Although let me cook for you. Do you mind the ride back here?" I asked
"I'd like that," he smiled, kissing me lightly on the lips, "Thank you for a nice evening." And with that he turned around and walked out.
That night I couldn't sleep, planning Monday night's menu and thinking about how sexy Grant looked, riding next to me on the train with his legs spread wide on his seat, brushing against mine while his belly jiggled in time with the motion of the train. I hadn't felt this excited since Brian and I were in the early madness of our affair. Except this time it felt like something real and meaningful, not just some doomed college romance.