Gabriel and Sara chapter 2

Gabriel Lawson opened the door to his office at Lawson Enterprises and set his briefcase on his desk, turning on the computer at the same time. A slight smile played at his firm mouth. It was such a simple thing but a classic part of his morning routine. He headed to the kitchen to get his first cup of coffee
When he returned, his basic black coffee cup in hand, Larissa Rubin, his secretary, was already at her desk. She had been with the company 5 years and he considered her a valuable asset. The fact that she was never late helped. She was an older woman, her brown hair graying slightly. Her brown eyes saw everything that happened at his company.
Looking up as he approached she smiled, “Good morning, Gabe. Your meeting with the new web designer is at 12.”
Looking down at his slim gold watch he noticed it was only 9. He grumbled at Larissa “I don’t know why we need a website. We have enough business now.” And he did. He made a very nice salary as did all his employees.
“It’s 2015 boss. Everything is internet based. We need to at least be out there for people to find us.”
It had taken six months of convincing before he had agreed to a website. He used computers but hated them. He was rarely ever on the internet, preferring to have Larissa find him whatever he needed. His phone was archaic, and he had never sent a text in his life. And yet he was one of the biggest creators of sim games. His newest one “Tales of Kings” was due out after the first of the year.
“I suppose your right. But this company? Purple, LTD? What kind of name is that?” frowning he shook his head, “I don’t know what he was thinking.” Hunter Darcy was his best friend so he should’ve known better, Gabe thought.
Larissa hid a smile, knowing exactly what Hunter was up to, since they had talked about it before. “They come highly recommended”
“I suppose” Frowning he went to his office and got lost writing code for the next three hours.
He lifted his head and realized the time. His stomach reminding him it was time to eat and he headed out his office to the kitchen.
The collision was classic. Neither was watching where they were going, and collided. Gabe staggering very little and Sara falling to the ground. She lay on the floor stunned. That was some wall she just ran into, she thought. A handsome one to, she noticed, glancing up. He looked more stunned than she was. This sort of thing was not uncommon for Sara. People over six feet just didn’t see her 5’3” height when they were in a hurry. Finally he looked down. Mahogany eyes locked with cerulean ones and an instant of awareness passed between them.
Quickly he looked away and held out his hand to help her up. “I sorry, ma’am. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
She smiled and it lit up her face “That’s ok. I wasn’t paying much attention either.” She let him help her up then gathered her fallen items.
Gabe was enchanted. She was beautiful with her caramel colored hair streaming down her back, her blue eyes that reminded him of deep oceans, and cute little button nose. “Can I help you find where you were going?”
Glancing down at the paper on top of her hastily picked up files she told him “I’m supposed to meet with Gabriel Lawson”
He smiled then and she was taken in by how handsome he was. Sandy colored hair and deep brown eyes, strong jawline and perfect lips. Her mind wanted to wander away from work and she quickly gathered it back in. “I’m Gabe Lawson. You must be Purple, LTD.”
She laughed, a sweet sound to Gabe. “I am the owner of Purple, LTD.” She held out her hand “Sara Armstrong” He shook he hand.
It was then he glanced down, something he hadn’t done yet. Shocked didn’t describe how he felt at her attire. Ripped jeans wasn’t exactly what he would have chosen for a visit to a corporate office. And that purple frilly blouse thing, while very sexy, wasn’t what he wanted to see while he was working.
“This way to the conference room.” He led the way down the hall to an empty room. He felt this vwas the best place to work. Better than his small office.
“Great.” Placing her things on the table opened her laptop, “let’s get started.”
“What do you need from me?” Surprise filled his voice from where he was standing at the door, poised to make his escape.
“Well,” She started listing things, “choosing the designs we go with, basic statistics about your company, information about each game. And that is without looking at my list.” She was looking at him with those blue eyes and he felt a helpless pull of attraction to her. And a slight feeling of recognition. As if they had met before. But he knew if he had met Sara Armstrong before he would never have forgotten her.
She was rummaging thru the files on the table and making a complete mess. “I know I have a notebook here somewhere.”
He noticed a corner of it. Purple, of course. Like her frilly shirt that he was trying not to notice how well fit her. He walked over and handed it to her.
“You know, if you were more organized it would save time.”
She gave him a cheeky grin “Sully tells me that all the time.”
“Sully?” he questioned.
“My sister and partner. She is super organized. Never loses anything. I’m lucky if I can find my car keys when I’m ready to leave.”
Well, so much for asking her out, Gabe thought. Wait, he had been thinking about it? Ok, sure, she was a knock out. And an advantage of the way she was dressed showed what a terrific figure she had. But his life was orderly, routine, and everything had a place. He couldn’t date someone like her.
“Listen,” he started, “I haven’t had lunch yet. Would you like to grab bite to eat with me?” Where had that question come from? What if she said yes?
She looked at her chunky purple watch that had butterflies emblazoned across it. “I guess it is lunch time. Sure, I could eat something. Thanks.”
Gabe shook his head as he wandered back to his office to get his car keys. What had he done? She was so flighty that she didn’t notice time or when to eat. She was definitely not his type and after lunch he was going to turn her over to Larissa and spend no more time with her.
He thought about putting his suit jacket on but realized it would probably make Sara uncomfortable. If she noticed. He didn’t think she had even noticed he was wearing a suit. That everyone at his company was dressed in business attire.
Walking back to her he wondered if he should point out her attire so she could dress more appropriately tomorrow. No, that would only make her uncomfortable, if she wasn’t already.
In fact, Sara had noticed how everyone was dressed and was extremely embarrassed. She had read gaming company and incorrectly assumed it would have a college atmosphere and dress code. Next time, she told herself, she was calling ahead to see how people dressed. Normally she would never wear ripped jeans and a peasant blouse to a first meeting.
“How about Rose’s Café for lunch?” Gabe asked her as he came back in, car jhg keys in hand.
“That’s casual enough” she replied, a little sarcasm in her tone.
“I beg your pardon?”
“You say it like that’s the only place in town I can go, the way I’m dressed.” She burst out.
She was uncomfortable, he realized and that made him relax. “Well, we can go to the Pearl Mirror if you want to”
She glared at him. The Pearl Mirror was the fanciest restaurant in town. He had said it so strait forward that it took her time before she realized he was teasing, she laughed. “I was being a jerk, I’m sorry.”
“Accepted. Let’s eat, I’m hungry.”

Together they walked out of the building into the waiting sun to where his black Porsche waited.