The next morning, as her shift ended, I was already waiting at the ground floor of her office. I couldn’t help it; the pull to see her was becoming a daily necessity.
“Hi, Lani!”
She looked surprised as she stepped away from her group of coworkers. “Hi! You’re here again?”
“I’m here. Let’s grab breakfast,” I suggested.
“I can’t today, Mike. We have a team breakfast planned.”
“Oh? Is your boyfriend picking you up later, then?”
“He’s still asleep,” she said with a sigh. “He can be quite lazy.”
Before we could continue, a loud voice with a heavy accent cut through the air. “Lani, let’s go! You’re the only one we’re waiting for!”
I looked over at the man. He was trying hard to sound authoritative. “Who’s that?” I asked, my voice tightening.
Lani laughed. “That’s our trainer. He’s always like that.”
“Is he… making a move on you?” I asked, unable to hide the edge in my voice.
“Maybe,” she teased. “Does that make you upset, Mike?”
“Do I look upset?”
“It’s all over your face! You’re definitely jealous,” she giggled.
The trainer walked over, and as he reached out to grasp her shoulder to lead her away, something in me snapped. “Hey, man,” I said, my tone cold. “Can’t you see we’re still talking?”
The trainer stared at me, his eyes filled with arrogance. “And who are you?”
Sensing the conflict rising, Lani stepped between us. “Sir, this is Mike, a friend. I’ll catch up with you guys in a minute.”
As he walked away with a conceited look, I felt my blood pressure spiking. I rubbed my temples, trying to stay calm. Lani gently touched my arm, her warm palm pressing against my skin. That simple touch was like a wave of cool water; my anger vanished instantly. I couldn’t explain the connection, but in that moment, it felt like we were much more than just friends.
I looked around, suddenly conscious of the crowds. In our city, gossip spreads like wildfire, and the last thing I wanted was for word of me being seen with a beautiful young woman to reach my wife.
“Why so quiet, Mike?” she asked playfully. “Nervous someone is going to catch you?”
I smiled, reaching out to slide my hand through her long hair, ignoring the world for a second. We stood close—so close I could almost feel her breath. The air between us was electric.
“Will you give me a massage so this headache goes away?” I joked, trying to break the tension.
“Don’t be crazy!” she laughed, playfully slapping my shoulder. We laughed together like high schoolers, the weight of our complicated lives momentarily lifted.
After she left to join her team, I watched her go. I felt a strange protectiveness over her, wondering why I was acting this way. Was I really falling in love?
My head was still throbbing, so I decided to find a place to rest. I found a nearby spa with a clean, artistic ambiance and soft piano music. It was exactly the relaxation I needed.
I quickly fell into a deep sleep on the massage table. In my dreams, Lani was there. We were back in that quiet, private space, and the connection we felt at the office building was amplified. It was a vivid, beautiful dream where she was caring for me, her presence filling the room with a warmth I hadn’t felt in years. Just as the dream reached its peak, I felt a hand on my shoulder.
“Sir, we’re done. What would you like? Water or tea?” the therapist asked.
I woke up disoriented, the memory of the dream still clinging to me like a fog. I took a long, deep breath, trying to shake the feeling of her being right there.
“Water, please,” I muttered, realizing that Lani wasn’t just a passing interest anymore—she had officially taken over my heart and my dreams.
Mike m. luster 