C1 Adrian Sterling and Sharon Waters

It's been a while.

She sat there, slowly chewing her food. She let out a sigh as she studied the ambience. The restaurant was pretty much the same.

The restaurant was behind the lobby of a spectacular hotel well situated in the centre of the busy city.

The Urban Bistro was a stylish haven in the midst of the built surroundings. Tall, modern buildings surround it and the floor to ceiling windows offer an unhindered view of the streets.

It was their venue for date nights and special occasions, in the early days of their marriage.

She had not been there since he abandoned her and her pregnancy. She summoned a lot of courage to return there.

She was there for the amazing array of food. There was a buffet every Sunday.

She smiled softly as the thought of her young son came to her mind. He was the only joy in her life. She delighted in his naughtiness and playful ways.

She had made up her mind to remain single...for sanity and peace. Her ex-husband hurt her too much and she had lost faith in all men or hope for love.

She felt spent and emotionally exhausted. Indeed, she had nothing else to offer anyone. She could never be enough for anyone else.

All the love, emotions and feelings she could ever have had been squeezed out of her by the ungrateful moron she chose for a husband.

She owed her son an apology for choosing a loser as his father.

***

Adrian Sterling chose to be alone that cool Sunday evening. He needed a break from his incredibly busy life.

Some peace and quiet will do him a lot of good at this time.

He had not taken a break in forever. He was there to test out the food of the new chef.

He was seated at a table adjacent to an incredibly looking woman. Apart from her beauty, the countenance on her face drew him to her. He studied her carefully with a corner of his eyes but was careful not to be caught glaring at her.

She had a rare subtle beauty. He has been with too many women to know that. She had little or no makeup on which meant she had nothing to hide.

He had had his fair share of women. They presented themselves to him as beautifully as they could be but looked completely different when their makeup was washed off.

She had a timeless beauty that could compete with the greatest works of art. Her perfect skin and delicate, high cheekbones framed her face, and her long, luscious hair cascaded down like liquid gold. Her eyes were wide, expressive, and as deep and alluring as the ocean.

She had soft, inviting lips that were well sculpted. Her lips frequently curved into a faint smile. Her presence had an enticing attraction due to the trace of mystery in her gaze, which made him wonder about the depth of her thoughts.

She seemed sad, pent up and eluded of confidence. Tried as she could, pain could not be hidden in her eyes. But he must commend her for being strong enough to eat alone. Everyone present there was with a partner, family or friends. But she sat alone, quietly eating her food.

Was she stood up?

Nah.

She would have left instead of staying.

She looked so lonely and he felt oddly attracted to her. He had an urge to care for her and deal with her pain. He felt a tingle every time his eyes rested on her face.

He had the penthouse in the hotel of the restaurant to himself. He could have ordered room service but he loved the variety of the buffet.

He was so glad he came for the buffet.

What bliss would it be for him to have her in that room...alone...even for a moment. The things he would do to her...

She disrupted his thoughts when she walked past him to get more food. He took the opportunity to go with her.

He had to get close to her.

He walked behind her and fed his eyes with her delicate stature.

She was so feminine. She moved with grace and poise, like an old movie star. She took easy calculated steps like she was being watched.

And the smell that lingered after her was driving him crazy!

Why was he feeling this way?

She got to the spread of food and picked up a new plate, totally oblivious of the man behind her.

It was time for dessert.

Decisions, decisions.

Cake, pie or Ice cream.

Perhaps a little bit of everything.

She gave a small chuckle as she reached for a serving spoon. Her hands jammed the man standing beside her who reached for the spoon at the same time. Their eyes met and he held her gaze for a couple of seconds.

The plate she was holding fell down and broke making a loud noise.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she exclaimed.

"It's fine," he drawled with a smile at the corner of his mouth.

Finally, the barrier was broken.