An Unexpected Meeting Ch. 01

The first time he saw her, he wasn't that impressed.

Her breasts barely made a dent in her slightly oversized T-shirt. Kinky-curly red hair was pulled haphazardly into a bun at the nape of her neck. She was shapely in an athletic way and looked like she knew her way around a basketball court, but she wasn't toned by any means. Her shy smile made her eyes crinkle in the corners, so she knew how to laugh. That, at least, was a plus.

But even then, there were plenty of other girls to look at and appreciate. Being part of the minority gender at this weekend leadership retreat definitely had its perks.

Focus, Milo. You're here to work, not to troll for women.

But, as he watched woman after woman lean over and pick up her information packet at the welcome table, he wasn't left wanting for cleavage. Modest necklines turned into windows as gravity tugged at buttons. He felt the zipper of his jeans pulse.

Not NOW. Seriously?

He pulled a Nikon DSLR out of his camera bag and fiddled with the flash settings, trying to refocus his attention on the job at hand. He'd been hired by the social media manager of the company to document the weekend. Something about "making the company look more relatable to prospective clients and employees." Even though he was able to make a decent living as a photographer, he wanted to gain more notoriety. Which is why he had accepted this gig. The pay was excellent, and the exposure he would get from the finished product would definitely boost his business.

And the view isn't bad, either.

He shook his head to clear his mind one more time and settled on the appropriate camera settings. Raising the lens, he focused on a group of men and women by the elaborate fountain in the lobby.

Click click. That's the sound of payday, baby.

He turned and snapped a few more photos of employees mingling here, brown-nosing the boss over there. The social media manager -- Cliff, was it? -- was in the middle of the fray, iPhone 6 Plus cradled in his palm. Milo noted the Apple device and nodded his approval. He and Cliff had something in common. Good man.

Milo pushed his black bangs out of his eyes. He'd meant to trim his hair before he came, but that hadn't panned out. What was the point? He wasn't here to impress anyone, and the shaggy photographer look was in vogue, anyway. Win-win.

Capping his lens, he placed the camera back in the bag. That was enough bullshit pictures for now.The people look relatable enough to me, anyway.

Not that he was a people person. He just knew how to read them. That skill was good for business.

He sauntered back to his room, grabbing a root beer from the vending machine on the way. The company had been kind enough to pay for his housing at the Aurora Pines Retreat & Resort, and he was going to take advantage of every amenity he could when he wasn't on photog duty. Hot tub on the private balcony? Check. Bidet? Wouldn't use it, still had it. Room service included? Yup.

This place is fucking incredible.

As he slid his keycard into the slot of his door, a flash of red caught his eye. At the end of the hall, sitting on the floor and reading a novel, was the red-haired woman he'd seen -- well, panned -- earlier.

She must hate crowds, too.

Seeing no harm in saying hello, he walked over and sat down across the hallway from her. She looked up in surprise.

"Oh. Hi."

"Hey. Not feeling the corporate bullshit vibe?" he grinned.

She smiled sheepishly. "Not really. I don't really fit in with that crowd." Dog-earing her book to save her place, she set it on the floor and lifted green eyes to meet his gaze. "I just joined the company a couple weeks ago. IT department. Hence my lack of business attire."

Milo laughed and gestured at the logo on her shirt. "I don't know, 'Keep Portland Weird' feels pretty formal to me."

Her smile widened and she held out her hand. "Elisha."

"Milo."

A red curl fell across her forehead, and she broke the handshake to push it back into her bun.

"Leave it," Milo said, before he could stop himself. "It's pretty, all loose like that."What the hell?

Elisha affected a fake Southern drawl. "Well gosh, mister. Aren't you the sweetest thing."

Milo caught on to her teasing tone, but he was still embarrassed. He wasn't even attracted to her. That much. OK, she seemed nice and her smile lit up her eyes. But that was it. And even if she had been his type, he was never that forward with his compliments. If he bothered to even give a compliment, which was rare.

Disoriented, he tossed her a smile and stood up. "Well, the free wifi awaits," he quipped.

Elisha nodded goodbye and found her place inFahrenheit 451again. She didn't notice the curious glance Milo snuck over his shoulder before entering his room.

--

The first event of the retreat was a black tie affair -- dinner, dancing, open bar, a magic act for entertainment. Low-cut gowns and fitted tuxedos for all. Except Milo. The last time he'd worn a tux had been at his high school prom, and the event had not gone particularly well. His date decided to get hammered before the event and threw up in the limo on the way to prom ... all over him. He had immediately canceled the hotel reservations he was planning to surprise her with after the event.

So Milo had opted for the scruffy photographer look yet again. Jeans, button-down shirt, camera bag, Heely shoes. He mostly wore them for the irony -- who would wear Heelys to a formal corporate event?The photographer who's making bank, that's who.

Click click.

The festivities became a blur. Milo went into stock photo mode, bored by the lack of interesting photo content. Shrimp ice sculpture.Click.Man being an idiot to impress hot woman.Click.Magician playing with scarves.Click.

Swinging his lens around, Milo felt his camera bag hit someone.

"Oh, I'm so sor --"

Holy hell.

He barely recognized her. But it was definitely her. Red curls fell gently around a round face inset with striking green eyes. Her dark blue evening dress hugged the small curve of her breasts -- which were much more prominent than before, framed in the cowl neckline -- and the larger curve of her ass before the hem just kissed back of her heels.

"Hey, stranger," she said, removing two champagne glasses from a passing tray and handing him one. "Enjoying the corporate bullshit?"

Too stunned to respond, Milo took the glass and looked into the liquid, trying to formulate a response. He shook his head and remembered why he was there.

"Sorry, can't drink. I'm on duty."

"Ah," Elisha said, gesturing to the camera. "Gonna go see if you can catch Spider-Man in the act?"

She's a nerd, too? Hot fucking damn.

Regaining some of his composure, he found the air necessary to laugh. "I was hired to document the retreat. But if Spider-Man shows up it would make my photos a hell of a lot more interesting."

"It's literally sugar water. Drink up, lightweight," Elisha teased. Milo gave in and tossed the drink back. One wouldn't hurt.

"So where are your friends?" Milo asked, scanning the room for other fellow nerd types.

"Probably hanging out with their other friends," Elisha said wryly. "I'm the only woman in IT. Not a lot of camaraderie in the ranks for the noob."

Milo held out the crook of his arm. "Well, lucky for you, I don't have friends here, either."

Elisha smiled gratefully and accepted the gesture, sliding her hand over his bicep. "Let's be friendless together, then."

--

The newly formed pair stepped out onto the veranda, taking in the fresh air as dusk began to give way to true evening. Stars glittered above the nearby lake, which was so still that it gave an almost perfect reflection of the mountains around it. The resort had found the perfect balance, nestling man-made luxury amidst the beauty of nature.

"Perfect," Elisha murmured, walking toward the balcony. A light breeze rustled her hair and her dress, accentuating the left side of her body.

It's like a goddamned romance novel,Milo thought, then rolled his eyes at how cheesy that sounded.Please.

Elisha was a silhouette now -- a dark, shapely form, framed perfectly in the starlight. She spread her hands out on the balcony and turned her head, unknowingly creating a perfectly composed profile. Trying not to disturb the moment, Milo silently raised his camera and set up the shot.

Click click.

The noise was lost in the rustle of the trees around the veranda. Elisha didn't move, and Milo couldn't have moved even if he had wanted to. For the first time, in a long time, he was appreciating a woman for her beauty without automatically trying to get her into bed. He could just ... be.

This really is like a stupid romance novel. Fuck.

--

The party ended promptly at midnight, but most of the employees were too drunk to notice. As the magician packed up and the band disassembled, people were still lounging in chairs, laughing and yawning in a very Gatsby-esque fashion. No one wanted to admit the end, except for Milo and Elisha. It was past time to ditch the crowd.

Milo popped out his Heelys and rolled up to the elevator doors. Elisha did a double-take and laughed in surprise. "Are those Heelys? I haven't seen those in forever!"

Milo's brain caught up with his body and he realized what he had done, mostly out of habit. He got lazy about walking at the weirdest times, usually when things were 10 feet away or less.

"Don't tell, but I had these surgically implanted in my feet. It's my superpower. Kind of like Wolverine but WAY nerdier."

Elisha laughed again, the corners of her green eyes crinkling. Milo looked away to avoid staring, which he desperately wanted to do.

"Do you want to watch a movie or something? The pay-per-view goes on the company tab," Elisha offered.

"So long as I don't have to pay for it, I'm down for whatever," Milo replied, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into the elevator, as if they were old friends who had known each other for years. He couldn't believe he'd only known her for a day. It felt way longer than that.

--

Milo heard Elisha knock at the door and quickly pulled on flannel pajama pants and a white T-shirt. They'd agreed to a screening of500 Days of Summer,courtesy of the company tab. Milo loved Zooey Deschanel, and Elisha loved Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It was a win-win.

He opened the door to a pajama-clad Elisha holding a bowl of popcorn and a blanket. She was wearing a grey camisole tank top and blue pajama pants with a Mario pattern. He wasn't sure what he had expected (OK, he'd been crossing his fingers for lingerie), but the nerd factor was still pretty hot.

They settled into the living room's plush couch with the bowl of popcorn between them. Milo hit play while Elisha curled up in her blanket, red curls tucked behind her ear. He could see the spot where her shoulder met her neck -- the soft slope of skin that was a great place for kissing and nibbling.

Even with the growing attraction Milo was experiencing, he didn't feel the need to perform like he normally did when he was trying to impress a woman he wanted to be intimate with. For the first time, he felt like he could be himself, with someone that he considered to be a friend. A woman, yes. A beautiful, intelligent woman, absolutely. But not a conquest. Just ... a friend with potential benefits?

I'd be more than OK with that.

Halfway through the movie, Elisha fell asleep, her body propped up against the arm of the couch. The strap of her camisole fell halfway down her arm, exposing the tiniest bit of the top of her right breast. Her sleepy breathing made her chest rise and fall steadily, creating an almost hypnotizing effect on Milo. He reached over and brushed his fingers from her cheekbone to her shoulder, sliding over her collarbone and stopping just above her breast. He pulled away before he went any farther.

Don't ruin the moment.

Milo stood up, moved the popcorn bowl aside, and slid his arms underneath Elisha's sleeping form. She murmured in her sleep and nuzzled into his chest as he carried her up the stairs to the king bed in the open-air loft, which overlooked the suite. He tucked the sheets and down comforter around her, turned off the light, and went back downstairs to sleep on the couch.