| Isabella |

Nathan intrigued me to say the least. Seeing him today was completely shocking, but luckily I had enough composure to brush it off, and seem un-alarmed by his sudden presence.

He didn't have much to say, and he didn't smile at all, but in some way I was drawn to him. I was probably experiencing what every woman experienced around him. I wasn't able to pin point what it was; his money, his power, his looks. But I knew there had to be something that made me want to get to know him.

I ordered a latte, and then waited for him to order something but he simply got out his wallet.

"Aren't you getting anything?" I ask him.

"No I don't ever drink more than a cup of coffee a day. I had one this morning." He explains.

"You aren't hungry either?" I ask, knowing it was nearly lunch time and he shakes his head.

"Well let me get it." I say reaching in my purse. Again he shakes his head wordlessly and hands his card to the kid behind the register. I frown.

"You didn't-" but he stops me before I can get the words out of my mouth.

"Don't worry about it." he says simply, shrugging it off. I guess that was a side effect of being rich, spending money became a part of your everyday routine. So much so he didn't even check the amount.

I supposed it was only coffee, and something about his personality suggested that he would be more careful with something more meaningful.

"Well, thank you." I say, smiling softly at him and he nods. Still not smiling himself, which made my smile fade.

How could someone be so cold and calculated?

But that only made me want to know how he got that way.

It was entirely possibly I supposed, that he was raised in that type of environment, and so knew nothing else than the attitudes of rich, snobby parents.

"Should we sit?" he asks and I nod, following him to a small booth towards the far end of the café. We sat down and soon after a waiter brought me my latte.

I sipped it gratefully, it was very good.

"So, what do you do outside of school and work?" he asks.

"Well, I play on the Women's soccer team for my school." I say, I think of my love for reading but don't mention it. "I also love photography. It's something I've always done on the side, but it's so important to me."

"Maybe you could show me some of your work sometime." He says and I nod, surprised he was interested.

"How is getting that job you mentioned going?" he asks and I am once again shocked about how much he remembers about me.

"Good, actually, I think it might turn out." I say. "I just have to talk to Rachael about moving to Manhattan."

"Manhattan?" he asks, eyebrows raised.

"Yes, that's where the job is. It was kind-of an after thought applying for it, but I saw the listing and I'm glad I did because I think it's going to be a really great fit. I'd just need to move and tell Rachael, so I don't know how that's going to work." I say and he nods.

"Which company is the job for?"

"The American Press." I say. "It's a bit smaller, but they have started moving more online so they're getting more attention."

"Hmm." He says, studying me. That was the one thing that made me most uncomfortable around him, he had this intense gaze that could melt anyone without a spine in seconds.

How I was managing to maintain my composure was some kind-of miracle.

I also couldn't deny the pull he had surrounding him. It drew any female around directly to him, each willing to do exactly as he demanded, and I had to admit I was one of those women. That's why I was sitting here right now with him, that's why I had even invited him to get coffee with me.

But I sure as hell wasn't letting him know that. I would never want to seem desperate, like so many of the girls I knew at school, who would do absolutely anything for a man's attention or aprroval.

"So, what do you do outside of your work?" I asked him. He shrugs.

"Charities, flying, a good deal of activities but I mainly focus on my work." He tells me firmly, his expression unchanged since the moment I saw him this morning. The same stone cold look of indifference.

"You don't smile much do you?" I ask softly and I immediately notice how taken aback he looks for a moment before he seems to regain control.

"I do when I want to." He says sternly.

"Well if you keep that frown on your face all the time it's going to get stuck that way." I say honestly, humor in my voice, hoping to get some kind-of reaction from him. His eye widen and he furrows his brow.

"That was a joke. It's okay to laugh." I say giggling.

"I didn't think it was funny. My face will not get stuck a certain way." He says, looking stonier than ever. To which I respond with a soft laugh, I wondered if he ever loosened up a bit.

I couldn't say I minded his 'look' it only made him ten times hotter. Ten times more...mysterious.

But I knew with a genuine smile, he would seem real and not like the perfect man, which many woman no doubt lusted after.

We continued talking for a few more minutes before I had finished my coffee and he said he had to get back to work. I offered to show him around and he agreed. But insisted that it had to be quick, apparently he always had something to work on.

| Nathan |

We walked back through the small town, she showed me some small shops. Pointing out little things, or obvious things, it was clear to me she knew this town like the back of her hand. She must have lived here most of her life.

Soon we started heading back because I had lots to do still with my day.

"Thanks for coming with me." she says lightly, nudging me. I flinched at the movement, looking down at and studying her.

"Of course, I- " I was lost for words for a moment. "I haven't done that before."

"Really?" she asks.

"Yes." I say glancing at her, she sounded surprised.

"Well I just assumed you would be the type to constantly be taking women out." she says.

"Maybe you should stop assuming then." I tell her

"But it's fun."

"It's fun to be wrong?"

"No its fun to be surprised, if you assume then there is still a bit of mystery, unless you shouldn't be making assumptions then, it doesn't apply." she says.

I nod and take in what she said. It seemed so carefree, so easy, but yet dis-organized. It wasn't controlled and it was far from any level of perfection. Assumptions didn't suit me, I'd rather know a straight-forward answer.

We walked into the parking lot, heading towards my car. We stopped by it and she turned to face me, having to tilt her head to make eye contact.

"So, this is you I'd assume." she says smiling, giggling at the irony of what she had just said. I nod. "Go on, say something." she says bumping me with her tiny fist on my shoulder.

"Thanks for showing me around." I blurt. What the hell? I control what I say, I don't just speak at random for someone.

"Well you're welcome." she says stepping closer and my breath hitched a bit, she was quiet close now. She smelled like roses, I noticed it immediately, but it wasn't over powering. I also felt an odd pull, it made me want to lean down and kiss her, something I knew I would regret and didn't actually want to do. I could tell she was feeling the same thing, she was very close, it came out of nowhere but it took everything in me to take a step back.

"Have a nice day Isabella." I say, speaking the softest I had to her since we met. I suddenly felt bad for being so cold before, it took a lot for me to open up, and I never really had to anyone.

"You too Mr. Price." she says playfully, she cocked her head at me. "You entertain me."

"I do?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." she seemed to think before sliding a pen out of her purse, and a note pad. She wrote something on it and then tore it off. She handed it to me and I looked at it, it was her number, written in cute little, squat numbers.

Damn, she was bold.

"Um... I- thanks..." I stumbled over my words, feeling completely out of place. I needed to get a grip.

"Call me." she says stepping forward. "Don't be so slow Pinocchio." she brushed the bridge of my nose with her tiny finger, giggling and then she walked away, towards the school, waving as I got in my car.

I didn't wave back, it wasn't in my nature, I simple nodded. I sat in my car for a moment, still in shock.

I felt my jaw slightly agape. I never let anyone touch me without permission, and she just did. I closed my mouth, folded the paper up neatly and placed it in my pocket, determined to forget it. If I lost control of myself when I was around her, then she wasn't good for me, like I said, I tolerate nothing less than complete control in all aspects of my life.

_