"C ome on in," Pea said in response to the quick knock on her office door. She glanced at the clock. Her next interview was five minutes early. Well, she thought as she shuffled the papers on her desk and put Robertson Brown's file at the top of the heap, at least that means Mr. Brown is eager. Let's hope he's also more interesting than that last -
When he stepped into her office all of the air left her body. Literally. Just like the one time she'd made the mistake of riding a horse. She'd fallen off and had not been able to breathe for several very uncomfortable seconds. This was the same sensation. All she could do was sit and stare and struggle for air.
"Hello," he said, with a warm smile that seemed to reach inside her body and turn her to liquid. She sucked in a breath and said in a rush, "You're Robertson Brown? My next interview?"
"No. Yes." He stopped and drew a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Seems I'm more nervous than I thought I would be. I am not Robertson Brown, but I would like to be your next interview."
"I thought you were a fireman."
He nodded as if he expected her to say that. "Yes, fire has been my job for a long time. But recently I've decided I want to make a change."
"To teaching history in our Continuing Education Department?" She felt flushed and out of sorts and had to fold her hands together to keep them from fidgeting.
"Yes. Yes, I would like that."
Pea just stared at him. She couldn't believe he was standing there in front of her in a suit that was a little outdated, but fit well and was neatly pressed. He seemed to fill her office. She hadn't remembered him being so tall and muscular and imposing. But his mouth...his mouth she did remember...
"Do you mind my intrusion?"
She jumped a little. "No, no. Not at all. But if Mr. Brown shows up I'll have to interrupt our interview. He did have an appointment."
"Agreed." Vulcan nodded.
"Okay, so, well, have a seat."
But instead of sitting in the leather chair in front of her desk he walked directly up to her, his distinctive limp in no way overshadowing the sense of strength and power he carried with him. He reached down and coaxed one of her hands away from clutching the other, then he lifted it to that incredible mouth of his and pressed his lips against her skin. The heat of his touch thrummed through her body. Their eyes met and Pea felt the jolt of his gaze as if it, too, were a physical thing.
She hadn't imagined their connection. It was here in the room with them, alive and pulsing and real.
"Forgive me for having to leave you that night."
"I didn't think I'd see you again," she said.
Still holding her hand he shook his head. "I could not stay away from you, little one."
"Who are you?"
"I am the man you have bewitched."
She smiled and pulled her hand reluctantly from his. "I don't think I can put that on your paperwork." Trying to regain some semblance of professionalism, she continued. "I meant what is your name?"
Pea's simple question had him looking totally out of sorts, which actually made her feel better. He wasn't exaggerating about her making him nervous if he had forgotten his name.
"V," he finally blurted. "Can."
"V. Cannes? Like C-a-n-n-e-s?"
Looking shell-shocked, he nodded.
"What does the V stand for, Victor, or something awful like Vlad?"
"Victor," he said quickly, and seeming to recollect himself, he sat down.
"Well, Victor, you're not my next interview, so how did you find out about this job opening?"
And how the hell did you find me? Or was this just a weird coincidence?
He sat very still for a moment, frowning, and then his face cleared and he pointed at her computer. "I found out about the job through the computer, but that's not the only reason I'm here. The truth is I had to see you again."
"You're not really interviewing for a job?" Pea tried to sound severe, but she couldn't keep the smile from tilting her lips. It hadn't been a coincidence!
"I'll admit that my first thought had been to simply see you. The job was a far secondary consideration."
"So you're not here because you want to teach history?"
"I'm here because of you, but I believe I would enjoy teaching history. Ancient history."
"Really? What kind of ancient history?" She should stop. It wasn't like this was a real interview, but he was interesting and sexy and...
His smile was slow, and more than a little mischievous. "I'm well acquainted with the ancient myths."
Pea grinned back at him. "Lately I've become pretty well acquainted with mythology myself."
He leaned forward, his expression going suddenly from playful to serious. "And what do you think of the ancient myths - the stories of a time when gods and goddesses walked the earth?"
Thinking of Venus, she smiled warmly. "I like what I've found out so far."
"Do you?" He covered her hand with his.
And it happened again. She wanted to drown in him. Just like that magical night his eyes had captured her. But no - it was more than that, more than just his eyes. It seemed she knew his soul. How could that be? It felt real, but surely she had to be making all this up in her overly romantic imagination.
"You're not imagining things," he said, speaking quietly and earnestly.
"How do you know what I'm thinking?"
"I know you. We're connected. I don't know how, but I do think I know why. I think we're the same, you and I. Until I met you I only knew how to be an outlander. I had resigned myself to being alone. Then I saw you and I felt that I had finally come home." He gave a little laugh and rubbed a hand down his face as if he thought he might be dreaming and needed to wake himself up. "It does sound unbelievable, though, doesn't it?"
"Yes. It sounds unbelievable." Then when disappointment started to fill his expressive eyes, she continued. "It sounds unbelievable, but that's not how it feels."
"So it's not just me? I'm not in this alone?"
Pea knew she should make a joke or laugh or say something to water down what Victor was saying and to lighten up what was happening between the two of them. She should remind him that they weren't in a romantic movie with a guaranteed happily ever after. Love at first sight was only possible in movies and books - total fiction. In the real world it fell apart, leaving behind the flotsam of divorce and broken hearts.
And then there was Griffin. But was there really Griffin? Or was her infatuation with him more like the impossibility of the movies, and was what was happening with this man more like the real thing?
Then she met his eyes again and she couldn't say any of those things because what she saw there was too raw, too possible, and she suddenly wanted him with a ferocity that surprised her. She wanted them and this sparkling new possibility of a future that wasn't a life crammed full of pets and work so that the lonely nights and the solitary meals and the dreaming about a man she couldn't ever have while she watched everyone else couple off was bearable.
"You're not in this alone," she said, even though it made her stomach clench and her breath catch. "But I'm afraid. This is all - "
"Don't say it's all happening too fast," he interrupted. "After eons of not believing it could ever happen, how can we not want to embrace this magic between us, no matter how quickly it seems to be happening? Can we not just give it a chance and see where this new path leads us?"
Pea's brows drew together as she considered what he was saying. His seemed to take her feelings and refract them back to her.
"Please don't say no."
Pea continued to study him silently, and all of a sudden it felt like a key turned within her, unlocking a secret room in her soul where all the love she'd been keeping to give to a man, her man, had been stored. Instead of feeling unsure and afraid and hesitant, Pea was filled with an incredible sense of rightness.
"Victor, I'm going to take a chance on you - on us actually. But you have to promise me something."
"Anything within my power."
"No more disappearing."
"You have my oath." His smile was wide with relief. He kissed her hand again and caught her gaze with his own hope-filled one. "You won't be sorry for this. If it is within my power, you won't ever be sorry."
"I believe you." Pea felt like giggling.
He stood abruptly. "Come! Let's leave this place. I'll take you anywhere you wish - just make the request and I will make your desire come true."
Pea did giggle then. "I have to admit that's the best date offer I've ever had, but I'm not off work for" - she glanced at the clock - "about six hours."
"Six hours?"
She nodded. "Yes, but I don't have any plans this evening."
He smiled. "Then may I see you this evening?"
"Yes, you may." They grinned foolishly at each other until the time really registered in Pea's mind. "Oh, jeesh! What am I thinking? My friend should be done teaching her class in just a few minutes. I have to meet her and..." Pea scrambled around, discarding comments like See if she somehow fixed me up with Griffin or Make sure she didn't zap stuff from nowhere and freak out her class. Instead she settled for, "...and make sure her class went okay. It's her first day of teaching."
"Then I will leave you to your work and see you again in six hours."
"Could you make it more like seven hours? I want to have time to get home and, you know..."
She gestured down at her clothes.
"Ah, of course. In seven hours then." He turned to leave.
"Uh, Victor? Would you like my phone number and address so you know where to pick me up tonight?"
Looking chagrined, he returned to her desk and took the paper she'd scribbled her information on.
"I'm not very good at this," he said. "I'm sorry. You deserve someone who is more..." He moved his broad shoulders restlessly. "More practiced in the ways of love."
Her teasing smile faded. She knew too well what it was to feel awkward and not good enough.
"Don't say that. I like how you are. I don't want a suave playboy. I want someone I connect with - someone who understands me and someone I can count on."
"I give you my word that you may trust me. Always," he said.
"I'll hold you to that, Victor."
He took her hand, and when he bent, she thought he was going to kiss it again. But this time he surprised her by leaning forward farther and kissing her on her lips. It was a kiss filled more with promise than passion, but his scent enfolded her along with the heat of his body. He reminded her of a warm fire on a cold night, and she felt an answering heat within her. When his lips left hers, she wanted to pull him down to her and sink into his mouth. Instead she found her voice and said, "I'll see you in seven hours."
"Until tonight, little one."
Before he returned to Olympus, Vulcan followed the signs to the college's research center. It took a little magical nudging sprinkled judiciously on a few mortals here and there, but soon he was seated in front of a computer with a rudimentary knowledge of search engines. It wouldn't do for him to be blundering about the modern world without at least a basic understanding of the times and people. He cracked his knuckles and began pointing and clicking the intriguing little device they called a mouse....