Friends For A While...

"Did you get that one sold?"

"Yeah I did. I actually made some money for a change"

Tom had finished putting together a deal on a brand new SUV for a family of five who was ready to get out of their old, busted minivan, with one of their wheels riding on a donut.

"Good job," Leah smiled,"Thank goodness you got it done before closing, I don't think I would have made it thorough another late night again."

"I had it in the bag all along" Tom smiled back, throwing his sunglasses on, only to emulate that he was 'cool', and then taking them off.

"Yeah, ok, " Leah said, " You almost lost it when the youngest started having a tantrum. His parents were so embarassed. They kept looking at their van like it was an escape route."

"Yeah, well... that's when I pull out the secret weapons." Tom opened his drawer with a snarky smirk and pulled out a lollypop, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth.

Leah laughed.

"Let's go. We're all headed down to the Jade Dragon, and I am starving! I missed lunch today it's been so busy,"

"I just gotta mark this one in the book and then I'm off," Tom replied, "Meet you there?"

"Of course," Leah answered heading for the door.

Tom logged his last deal of the day into the log book, he gave his desk a once over, and took all the stray, straggling keys, and returned them to the lock box. He grabbed his coat and made his way for the Dragon.

Upon arriving he noticed his coworkers were celebrating and sharing tales of the credit criminals, the laydowns, and the deals made in agony of the day. After receiving a quick couple of pats on the back in commemoration of this once a week ritual, Tom found Leah sitting alone in a booth with a single glass of what appeared to be wine. She was detached from the group, but was not removed from her thoughts.

"You look so much different outside of work. It's like your smile has more... significance," Tom said, sliding into the roomy compartment.

"Thanks, you look like you just got out of a car dealership," Leah said, tugging on Tom's tie unintentionally pulling him just at fragment closer.

"Merlot?", Tom asked motioning towards the lonely glass.

"You know me so well. I didn't know how long you would take, otherwise I would of had one ready for you too."

"We have the weekend off, I'll buy a bottle. Care to commemorate the occasion with me?"

"I'd love to."

Leah was radiating warmth, and Tom was only drawn in closer by this, leaning in more than his fair share. They ordered a bottle of Merlot and seldom began meeting Leah's eyes with his own.

"How long have we been working together?", Tom asked.

"Too long," Leah answered.

"I guess i was just wondering why we don't do this more often."

"You do like to keep us late at the store," Leah couldn't help herself from poking at Tom.

Tom laughed.

"Yeah, I tend to catch those late-night loiterers on the way out. But I guess I mean... you and me."

"I knew what you meant."

It was silent for a moment behind the ocean of jubilant crowd noises. Toms eyes scanned the rest of the room, nervously, unsure of what he would was going to say next. They wandered in random sight lines, not focusing on anything in particular, until his head wound back to a comfortable position, again meeting eyes with Leah, this time locking not only with hers, but also with her inspired expression.

"Leah--"

He didn't realize how close he was and instinctively leaned in for a kiss. She reciprocated. It was moment that made all the turbulence surrounding them stand still.

"Wow," Tom couldn't help himself.

"That was... nice" Leah said, pulling back and opening her eyes slowly.

"You think that was nice?", Tom reverted to his playfulness, "Wait until we get farther into this bottle."

THE END