Free Mistaken Identity by TC Matson Page A

to.”
    “Wednesday okay with you?”
    He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear grazing his fingertips across the delicate skin. My breath catches in my throat and I force my eyes to stay forward and not roll back from the heat it just stirred in my stomach. “Yes.” I whisper.
    “I’ll pick you up at six.” He kisses my forehead and walks away, his long legs confidently striding away, his powerful arms sway with each step. I couldn’t say how long I stood there before my feet found the floor, but I eventually made my way back to my office.
    Jeff is still typing away and shuffling through papers when I return. The walk helped me calm the tightening in my core that Tanner gave me from just a kiss. Jeff glances up at me with a bleak face and dark eyes. He studies me for a minute, probably deciding whether he wants to take a bite of my neck or not, but finally he lowers his eyes back to his work. Creep.
    The rest of the day was very uneventful. Adam stopped in for a brief moment to check on the progress of psycho zombie and retreated away to his office. Even though he’s a total creep, Jeff is doing well. He’s caught on fast. He told me that he worked for corporate America before and it ended abruptly. It took everything I had not to look it up to see if the owners had been eaten alive, but I’m trying desperately to believe that he just moved.
     
    _________________________
     
    Wednesday
    Dammit! Adam has me so crazy busy today that I’m not going to make it home in time to get ready for our date. My turquoise blouse, black pencil skirt, and black pumps don’t look like dinner date material, but at this rate, he’s going to have to take it. I’ve picked my phone up twice to cancel on him, but my desire to see him pushes back harder. I’m just going to put my head down and work furiously and get through the day quickly, except I’m scared to put my head down. Jeff has been staring at me…again. He’s such a puny looking guy in tight brown slacks and a white shirt. He’s skinny, too skinny, and I know if he comes at me, I can take him down…I hope. Even if I can take him, I have to stay away from his bite or I become one right?
    When I finally finish and look up at the clock, it’s eleven after six. My heart sinks. I should have called him I know, but I was in such a frenzy to finish, I lost track of time. I guess when Jeff left that should have been my cue, but the silence of the building didn’t make it to my ears. I’ll just call him when I get out of the building and explain. He’s probably pissed and thinks I stood him up and never wants to see me again, but at least he will know the why in my actions. I close down everything, and make a mad dash to the elevator. Ever been in such a rush that you get behind that slow driver that refuses to drive the speed limit? Elevators are that slow driver. Freaking finally, the doors open but at the speed of a ninety year old. I squeeze through them before they open fully, and sprint through the lobby, past the guards, and toward the exit.
     
    My feet become glued to the sidewalk when I finally push through the doors about tumbling me over. Tanner is leaning against his truck wearing jeans and a light blue plaid shirt with his large arms crossed over his chest. He doesn’t look pissed though, he looks compassionate, understanding, and he’s smiling.
    “Tanner. I’m sorry. I was just about to call you. Adam threw everything at me today.” I say out of desperation.
    “It’s fine.” His warm voice instantly relieves my despair. “I went to your apartment and your roommate told me you were still at work.” His eyes wander to my feet then back to my eyes.
    I point to my un-dinner-date-attire. “Yeah, I’m sorry about this too.”
    He pushes off the truck stepping toward me, “You hungry?”
    “Starving.”
    “Alright, let’s go.” His dimples display relieving all fear left inside of me. If he’s mad at me, he’s doing a damn good job hiding