Pam flushed as she saw Jim take in her appearance. She had spent several hours taming her frizzy hair into loose ringlets, which she let fall down past her shoulders. Her red dress lifted her cleavage, clinched her at the waist, and then spread out into a 50’s prom style. Her lipstick had been carefully chosen to match her dress. She told herself it was for Roy. She told herself it was because this was the first formal Office party she had been to, even if it was in the warehouse.
She knew she was lying.
Seeing him, here, smartly dress in a black tux, one arm casually resting on the black jack table, the carefully constructed speech in her head began to fall apart.
Despite the time she had spent putting herself together tonight, she felt like she was falling apart. Seeing him like this had changed everything.
He was still staring as she made her way over. She was very thankful that Roy had opted to start tonight off at Poor Richards and was not heading over for another hour or so.
“Hey” he whispered into her ear as he hugged her. “You look...you look beautiful.” His boldness surprised her.
She went to whisper into his ear but somehow reached out and boldly kissed the very tip of it. He just held her closer.
It was an accidental kiss, she tried to explain it away in her head but she knew immediately this was getting out of control. She glanced around the room as she pulled away. No one seemed to have noticed yet. Karen had waved to Pam when she had entered the room but she now seemed to be engrossed in conversation with the new temp.
She whispered into his ear, ‘meet me in the office, 5 minutes.’
As Pam walked towards the stairs of the warehouse a few minutes later, it suddenly struck her that the husky sound of her voice and the tingles of excitement had made it seem far more like a come on than arranging a place to bring your best friend down gently.
****************
Karen took another sip as she desperately attempted to keep track of the conversation she was having with the temp. He was new this week and had most of the ladies in the office in a flutter. He was tall, good looking and seemed to have a decent sense of humour. He had spent the last thirty minutes by her side, so she sensed he was keen and she wanted to like him, she really did.
He just wasn’t Jim.
She had noticed, of course she had. She was almost an expert at seeing things out of the corner of her eye. She had seen his face light up when she walked into the room. She had seen the embrace go on for a second too long. They looked like a couple.
But then they had parted, eventually. Pam had rushed over to to talk excitedly about Karen's new dress, before heading of to find Roy. Jim had gone to grab another drink from the bar.
Except now, as she quickly scanned the room again, she realised neither of them were anywhere to be seen.
She told herself she was overreacting. She told herself that that nothing was going on between them and that she could still get everything she wanted if she just told him.
She knew she was lying.
**********
Jim felt as if didn’t matter now. The fact that he had told her she was beautiful without thinking. The fact that he had grabbed and kissed her without an explanation as soon as he had walked into the office. The fact that ten minutes later, he was still here, still kissing her.
He felt as if his carefully constructed ‘Best Friend Jim’ charade had fallen apart as soon as she walked in the door. That dress. Those lips. He could go on.
He was trying. He was trying to stop the kiss and tell her properly how he felt. But he didn’t know when or if he would kiss her again. So he kept taking chances. With his lips. With his hands. Almost daring her to stop him.
She hadn’t yet.
Author's Chapter Notes:
So I'm carrying on with the story! yay! The fab review comments spurred me on and I did love this as a one-shot, but the ideas in my head wouldn't stop!
I guess I'm trying to slightly to change all 3 characters here. The idea being to me that Karen being there from the beginning as a friend would have changed things, e.g. the Jim/Pam desperation to be together may have been slightly diluted if they had another friend to get them through the workday etc. Plus I think Pam is a little more confident, with having a girlfriend to confide in.
Hope that make senses!
This chapter title is from The Saturday's song, Issues. Obviously the events of this is different to Casino Night, but location is the same.
I guess I'm trying to slightly to change all 3 characters here. The idea being to me that Karen being there from the beginning as a friend would have changed things, e.g. the Jim/Pam desperation to be together may have been slightly diluted if they had another friend to get them through the workday etc. Plus I think Pam is a little more confident, with having a girlfriend to confide in.
Hope that make senses!
This chapter title is from The Saturday's song, Issues. Obviously the events of this is different to Casino Night, but location is the same.
Chapter End Notes:
So, chapter 2 is up! Now come the reviews telling me I should left it well alone, lol!! Hope you liked it!
