Oh, I am so excited!!! It is Sunday morning and I am stealing a quick few moments to tell you about my exciting last week before I go on a first date!
Yes, I know, it sounds a little weird to have a first date over brunch on Sunday morning, much more the kind of stuff you do with your friends or with married couples… this one is different though and there is a reason for the unusual timing.
It was on a yacht-show that I had been hired to cover last week, where I met one of the hottest guys I have ever laid my hands on. I practically stumbled over him when I entered the owner’s cabin of a 90 ft. dream in white; and I felt as if I had walked into a wall.
He smiled at me apologetically and introduced himself as Joe. Little did I know then that this tall, blonde Viking of a man was the owner of not only the brand new beauty we were standing on, but also the man that I had been hired to interview during the week.
I am very professional when it comes to my work; and so far, I have fared well with my no-dating policy. Too many complications arise out of all kinds of personal intercourse, may it be just that or more. However, with Joe, I do not think I had a fair chance to begin with… his half-smile stirred the butterflies in my stomach tantalisingly and the fact that the cabin was hot and relatively small did not exactly help.
My job this week was to portrait Joe and over the following days we spent a lot of time together. The yacht-show required him to liaise with a host of people during day time and entertain guests, starlets and press at night. Naturally, we didn’t spend a minute alone. The confined space of the yachts, the hot sunshine of the early Italian summer and the streams of champagne send my mind spinning – as did his occasional (unintentional?) soft touch.
Have you ever dated someone at work? If so, you might have noticed that the tense excitement of the first stolen moments in the elevator and the ever so casual touches in the lunch cue that send tingling sensations of delightful anticipation through your entire body, can turn into a rather unpleasant game of hide and seek.
If you play it well and choose wisely, the game might be restricted to your co-workers not noticing how close the two of you have become during late night shifts and work functions. If you are unlucky and select the wrong guy you might find yourself running from him as fast as you can. But either way, seduction at work, especially when it comes to your boss, is a risky albeit tempting gamble. Technically speaking, Joe was not my boss. But for all intents and purposes he was as good as – at least for this week. And I had the hots for him!
What now?
I knew, I was risking a good deal by asking him out but then nothing ventured, noting gained. It had to be done subtly though and leave me the option of feigning professional interest in case he wasn’t up for it. Under no circumstances did I want to lose face or my professional credibility.
The perfect moment never seemed to come. He was always in the centre of attention and surrounded by flocks of rather attractive girls. On Friday night, the last night of the show, we had been celebrating his success exuberantly. Champagne and desperation had made me slightly reckless and I followed him down to the owner’s cabin. He turned when he heard my steps and our eyes met… my vision blurred (with excitement rather than champagne) and I stepped closer, not breaking the eye contact.
What can I say? We kissed!!! Joe’s touch was passionate and greedy, but under his raw surface there was a surprising tenderness and I felt my insides melt. After sheer seconds we heard steps coming down and hastily broke apart. Sunday morning in London, he whispered into my ear before turning back towards his guests.
It is Sunday morning now and I have to rush off to my date with Joe. But beneath the overwhelming excitement of seeing him again, I wonder if I am doing the right thing.
xx Sophie
