"Come back tomorrow," he beamed.

Blushing, Christina said, "I think you'd work faster without any distractions."

Richard answered seriously, "I need you around to answer any questions that may arise." In a much more playful tone, he added, "Besides, you are far and away my favorite distraction."

Being Christina Chase
Chapter 28 - Close Quarters
by Admiral Krunch
 

        Christina stood in the driveway in front of Richard's office. Spending not an instant second guessing whether or not she should be there, she hurried up the walk as fast as her high heeled boots would permit, and climbed the slippery stairs to the front door. Pressing the doorbell, she waited. Standing there, she pulled her hood down tightly in a vain attempt to block out the wind that was blasting her face.

        Seeing Richard's Lexus parked in the driveway, she rang the doorbell again, only to receive no response. Unwilling to give up, Christina opened the screen door and swung the tarnished brass knocker three times.

        Eventually she tried the doorknob, and to her luck, it was open. Wiping her boots on the doormat, she stepped silently into the house. Closing the door tightly behind her, she pulled back her hood. From the outside, the building looked small and ordinary, but the inside was very impressive. The main entry gave way to a reading room that sported an expensive looking Persian rug covering a polished hardwood floor. The wall was covered with bookshelves containing several old and imposing volumes. Several leather upholstered chars were in the corners facing out a large, windowed alcove. Beside one chair was a large antique globe that sat suspended in a wooden ring supported by three columns.

        On the other side of the entryway was an enormous, unmanned wooden desk, covered with disheveled papers and an old rotary telephone. The mess on the desk was very out of place with the sitting room. The sitting room was very organized, though it looked as though it rarely saw use.

        Christina continued deeper into the small house. She went through a narrow corridor and past an unoccupied bathroom. The walls were covered with black and white photographs of what she assumed was Oak Grove. One picture in particular appeared to be a snapshot of the center of town from perhaps fifty years ago. At the end of the corridor was a half open door. Christina heard the sound of Richard speaking on the phone. Not wanting to disturb him, Christina stood quietly in the hallway and waited for Richard to finish.

        "I'm telling you not to worry Jerry- we've been down this road before," he said. "I know what they're telling you, but they don't have a leg to stand on ... Of course they say they're not going to pay- insurance companies don't make money by paying people ... I know ... I know ... Look, we got them last time right? Don't worry. I'll be there soon ... Look- I've got to let you go. If you want this all filed by next week I've got to get back to work ... Right ... Friday ... Ok Jerr. Say hi to Cynthia for me."

        Hearing Richard hang up the phone, Christina took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway. She knocked twice on the door frame, causing Richard to look up from his files. Richard's office, much like the sitting room, was covered from floor to ceiling with impressive bookshelves. His desk was absolutely massive; it looked to be at least seven feet across to Christina. It, like the desk up front, was littered with papers and open books. The room was illuminated only by the large windows behind Richard and a small green shaded lamp on his desk.

        "Christina?" Richard asked in surprise.

        "Hi," Christina responded softly. Pointing down the hallway, she said, "I rang the bell like three times ..."

        "No, it's fine," Richard said as he stood up and motioned with his arm for her to enter. "I must not have been paying attention. Please, come in. Have a seat."

        Christina took off her coat and hung it on a tall, cherrywood coat stand.

        Richard held his breath as Christina removed her coat, revealing the dress underneath. The seductive frock gave him a generous view of her impossibly long legs, and he appreciated the way the tops of the girl's breasts peeked over the low neckline. As Christina walked across the office and took a seat in the large leather chair across from his desk, Richard's eyes never left her. "Wow," he said appreciatively.

        "Excuse me?"

        "Sorry," Richard said as he returned to his seat, "It's just ... Seeing you is a very nice surprise."

        "Thanks," Christina said quickly and insincerely. Christina didn't appreciate the man's innuendo, but he was on the hook, just as she'd intended.

        Richard grinned at her for longer than might have been appropriate, and finally asked, "What made you decide to stop by today?"

        Christina swallowed and looked directly into Richard's eyes. "I need a favor," she said decisively.

        "Well, if you're looking for another fake date," he joked, "I'm afraid that I'm all tied up until next week."

        This was precisely the sort of overconfident nonsense that would normally have set off a violent reaction in Christina, but she was too worried about her family to let it affect her. Looking at the pile of documents in her lap, she frowned.

        All traces of smugness faded from Richard's face and, in a tender and concerned voice, he asked, "What's wrong, Princess?" He looked at the stack of paperwork in Christina's lap and held out his hand.

        Handing Richard the files, Christina said, "My family is in trouble. The I.R.S. says my uncle owes them a lot of money. I think they want to take the store away. Maybe more than that."

        Richard opened the folder and skimmed the documents. She met his eyes when he looked up from the pages and said, "I didn't know what any of that really means, and I couldn't think of anyone to turn to."

        "This is very serious," Richard said gravely. "You need to tell your uncle to come in and see me."

        "He won't do that. I was hoping you could tell me what to do."

        "Christina," Richard said in an official voice, "You have to understand that I shouldn't even be looking at these documents without your uncle's permission. I really can't take any action until you have your uncle come in himself and-"

        He won't do that," Christina repeated. She shook her head and continued, "He won't ask anyone for help. He's so stubborn. If you even bring it up, he ... he ..." Christina's eyes began to tear. She'd considered crying as part of her scheme to manipulate Richard into helping, but she found that when she thought about the situation, and how her uncle had treated her, she couldn't help but cry. Suddenly, she felt very foolish, and ashamed of breaking down in front of Richard. Standing to leave, Christina sniffed, "I don't want to get you in any trouble."

        Richard quickly got up and maneuvered around his massive desk. "Hey, don't go," he said.

        "I'm sorry," she cried. "I just don't know what to do. My aunt and uncle are fighting ... and Andrei and Nina ... I can't let them lose their home." Christina was at the end of her rope. Tears bean to glide down her alabaster cheeks and she hid her face with her hands.

        Richard took Christina into his arms and held her tightly against his chest.

        Christina did not move her hands at first, but she eventually draped them around Richard's broad shoulders. Her head came to rest beside his, and she cried. "Nina and Andrei," Christina said, "They think that I know what I'm doing, but I'm just making it up as I go along."

        Rocking her gently, Richard said, "It's okay."

        For the first time since she'd found out about her uncle's problems, Christina didn't feel the weight of that knowledge crushing her. For that moment, in Richard's arms, she felt as though she didn't have to always be the strong one. When Christina had finished crying, she again felt very foolish. Pushing herself away from Richard, she said, "I'm sorry. I should just go."

        "No," Richard said firmly. "You have nothing to be sorry for, and you're not going anywhere. Sit down, and we'll work something out." Helping Christina back to her seat, he said, "Just stay right there." Richard sprinted out of the office and down the hallway.

        Wiping her eyes, Christina contemplated her shameful behavior. She couldn't believe she'd fallen to pieces like that. It was true that she'd felt as though she were on a sort of emotional roller coaster ever since she'd returned to town, but there was no need for hysterics. What shamed her even more was that she apparently needed someone to comfort her.

        Richard returned and handed Christina a hot mug of cocoa. Two tiny marshmallows danced on the surface and melted.

        "How did you know I like marshmallows?" Christina asked, her voice spent from crying.

        Richard sat on the edge of the desk and grinned. "Because everyone likes marshmallows."

        Christina took a long sip of the hot cocoa, then held the cup in her lap with both of her hands.

        "I'm going to help you," Richard said in a tone that made Christina believe him. "I don't know how this will work out, but I am going to do everything in my power to save your family's store." Returning to his giant desk, Richard opened Christina's file, and arranged the papers all over his workspace.

        Still ashamed of her behavior, Christina took another sip of cocoa and whispered, "Thank you."

        "You have to realize that I can't take any actions. I'm just going to give you some advice. Also, taxation is not my specialty, but I'll do the best I can."

        "I'm sure that will be more than enough," Christina said sheepishly. She added, "I'm going to pay you for your time, of course."

        Richard waved his hand nonchalantly and said, "I won't hear of it."

        "No," Christina insisted, "I have to pay you. How much do you usually charge?"

        Richard looked up from the papers in front of him and casually quoted, "I usually charge my regular clients around two hundred dollars per hour."

        Christina's face went blank, and she sank into the chair. "Oh," she whispered. She glanced over at the arc shaped mantle clock on the bookshelf and said, "I think I might need some sort of payment plan ..."

        Smiling at the girl, Richard assured, "You are not going to pay me a thing."

        "Richard," she began, "I don't want you to do that because you think ... that you ... and I ..."

        "I like most any sentence that ends in you and I," he said confidently. Christina frowned, and a semblance of seriousness returned to Richard's voice. "Do you see those diplomas on the wall?"

        Christina turned her head and saw an impressive collection of framed parchments.

        "Do you know how a poor country boy like me got to go to all those expensive schools?"

        "No?"

        "Because the church, and the fine people of this town saw something in me. They paid my way. Sure, it wasn't a full scholarship, but it was enough to get me started." Looking Christina directly in the eyes, he said, "I won't ever forget that. It's my responsibility to look out for Oak Grove, just like it's Doc Stone's job to keep everyone healthy. These people were there for me when I needed them, and I promised myself that I would never let them down."

        Richard opened the desk drawer and pulled out a small photo album. Placing it face down on an exposed portion of his desk, he slid it to Christina.

        Leaning forward, Christina looked through the pages. She saw a picture of a young girl and said, "This is a picture of Steph! And her parents, I guess? This was the old hardware store, wasn't it?"

        "When they put everything in Stephanie's name, I handled paperwork," Richard explained.

        Flipping though the pages, Christina saw familiar faces, though she didn't know all their names. Stopping on a familiar face, she said, "And there's one of Abby ..."

        "Her mother needed a living will."

        "And Mr. Conrad?" Christina asked with a hint of disgust.

        "Yes, him too. Some company tried to sue him for the mineral rights to his farm."

        "You helped Mr. Conrad?" Christina asked incredulously.

        Richard grinned charmingly and asked, "Would Oak Grove still be Oak Grove without that lovable old crank?"

        "I dunno about lovable," Christina responded, "But I guess you're right."

        Christina continued looking through the book and asked, "And you didn't charge anyone?"

        "Some of them insisted on paying what they could, but I never turned anyone away. Most of my work in town is pro bono," Richard said as he focused on a particularly long letter from the government. "I make more than enough working with my clients in Dover."

        "Are you sure?" Christina asked one more time.

        Richard flashed her his trademark smile and said, "If your uncle loses his store, I'll have nowhere to buy my Cap'n Crunch. I'm just acting in my own self-interest."

        "Okay," Christina said, satisfied that his intentions were as close to pure as she could reasonably expect. "Just as long as you're not just doing this for me."

        "Someone certainly has a high opinion of herself," he joked.

        "I-"

        "It's quite alright," he interrupted. "I have a high opinion of you too."

        Christina's face involuntarily flushed. She hid behind her mug until she'd consumed every last drop of hot cocoa. She watched Richard as he studied the documents for almost an hour. He made dozens of notes on a yellow legal pad and frequently typed numbers into a small calculator. Realizing that it was getting late, she asked, "So ... what's the verdict?"

        Richard rolled backward in his chair and stretched his arms. "The verdict," he yawned, "Is not yet in. I'm going to need a lot more time to look this over. On one hand, the government's figures look accurate." He held up a stack of papers and offered, "But I can see that your uncle made several errors in past filings- and I'm no accountant. I just don't know yet."

        "Oh," Christina said in disappointment.

        "It's not a problem; I just don't think I'll be finished in one night."

        "I can't ask you to spend all your time on-"

        Richard raised his hand and said, "I knew what I was getting into when I offered. It's fine, really. It'll just take a little longer than one night."

        "Okay," Christina responded. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. I have to be back for dinner ..."

        "Of course," Richard said as he raised out of his chair. "Do you need a ride home?"

        "No ... I'm going to meet Andrei at the grocery store. It's bad enough you're ... I mean ... you've done more than enough as it is."

        Richard smiled and said, "For the last time, it's no bother. Though you can help me out."

        "How?"

        "Come back tomorrow," he beamed.

        Blushing, Christina said, "I think you'd work faster without any distractions."

        Richard answered seriously, "I need you around to answer any questions that may arise." In a much more playful tone, he added, "Besides, you are far and away my favorite distraction."

        Christina's flattered expression gave way to one of extreme discomfort. She had to play this very carefully; she needed Richard's help, but she didn't want to lead him on. In a strange way, Richard was sort of growing on her and she didn't want to hurt him, almost as much as she didn't want to be discovered. Retaining her serious tone, Christina agreed, "I will be back first thing in the morning- but for questions."

        "Of course," Richard smiled. He retrieved Christina's long coat from the coat stand and held it out for the girl.

        Christina rose and allowed Richard to help her with her coat. Turning around, she paused for a moment, her face mere inches away from the older man's. "I can't tell you what this means to me," she said. Before Richard had a chance to respond, Christina rushed past him, and went down the hallway to the front room. Pulling her fur-lined hood over her head, she burst through the front door and into the swirling waves of snow that cluttered the air. The wind stung her cheeks, but she hardly took notice. The plan was in action. It was her best hope to save her family, though she reserved no hope for herself.

        Christina was so engrossed in her thoughts that she almost walked past the door of her family's grocery store. She stepped into the warmth of the store and pulled back her hood.

        Andrei looked out from back room when he heard the bell. Christina had run late indeed; the store was already clean and Andrei was waiting impatiently for her to arrive. Giving his cousin a silent nod, he told her all she needed to know. The papers were back in the closet, and no one suspected where she'd been all day.

        A hint of a smile crept across Christina's mouth, but it dissipated as her uncle entered the front of the store. She immediately averted her eyes as Alek switched off the lights. Under the cover of the darkness, cut only by snow filtered moonlight, Christina's sad face was hidden.

 

        The next morning, Christina was already sitting on the front stairs of Richard's office as his silver Lexus pulled into the driveway. Though she was buried in the thick fur of her hood, she saw the overly pleased expression on Richard's face. She smiled back at Richard as she stood to greet him. It wasn't intentional; Christina found it hard to sneer at a man who was constantly thrilled to see her. It was even more difficult in light of everything he was doing for her.

        Richard stepped gingerly on the ice-covered brick steps and thrust his keys into the lock. He smiled back at Christina as he held the door open for her. The winter morning air had already stung his earlobes and the tip of his nose, though his face bore no sign of discomfort. Christina could tell Richard was thrilled just to be in her presence. Though he'd made it clear that he intended to win Christina's heart, gone was the slick image he had presented almost a year ago in Arnold's Electronics store.

        "You didn't have to come so early," he beamed, wallowing in his infatuation.

        Christina pulled back her hood exposing her pale face. "I figured if I got here early, I wouldn't waste so much of your time," she shivered.

        "What if I don't mind you wasting my time?" he asked playfully, closing the door behind them.

        Christina tensed up as she thought of the ways in which she suspected Richard would like her to waste his time, but she managed to preserve her friendly smile. "Why don't we get right to it?" she asked.

        "Of course," he responded. He watched Christina remove her coat and drape it on a hook by the front door. His eyes drifted down her back over her tight fitting turtleneck, then resting on her jeans which were tightly compressing her firm, rounded bottom. He fought the pressing urge to reach his hand out and caress her inviting butt. As much as he was attracted to the younger girl, he forced himself to walk down the hallway into the back office.

        "Make yourself at home," he called from the other side of the tiny house. Rushing down the hallway, he cursed his obvious erection. How was it that after all the women that had passed through his life, not to mention his bedroom, that a skinny blonde girl who didn't even like him, caused him to respond as though he was still in junior high school?

        Taking his seat behind his absurdly large desk, Richard opened the Levchenko file. He poured over another year's tax returns for several minutes. It was no use; he spent each moment waiting to hear Christina walk through the door. Ten minutes later, Christina stepped quietly into the dimly lit room holding a cup of coffee. Richard watched her as she placed the steaming mug onto a coaster next to him. He grinned appreciatively and took a long drink. "You put milk in my coffee; just the way I like it," he commented.

        "Well, the two empty milk cartons by the machine were kind of a hint," Christina joked.

        "I suppose so. Why don't you have a seat?"

        Christina pulled a kerchief out of her pocket and tied her long blonde hair back. "Actually," she objected, "I thought I'd clean up your office today."

        "I wouldn't hear of it," Richard complained, "I need you to answer questions about your Uncle's tax returns. Besides, you don't have to do anything. This is one hundred percent, no strings attached legal help."

        "Yeah, I know," Christina sighed, "But let's face it- I know about as much about taxes as you know about rocket science."

        Putting down his pen, Richard said, "Actually I know quite a bit about rocket science. I was a member of the Oak Grove model rocketry society all through grade school. I also took two years of physics in my undergrad before law school."

        Christina rolled her eyes playfully at Richard's Cheshire Cat grin. "Fine," she laughed. "Well I know as much about taxes as I know about model rocketry."

        "When we're done with this, maybe we can launch a rocket together," Richard offered, with almost a straight face.

        Christina laughed aloud in spite of herself. "Yeah ... I don't think so," she sparred. "But I won't feel like I'm taking complete advantage of you if I do a little work around here."

        She walked to the door but stopped when Richard called out, "Would taking advantage of me be such a bad thing?"

        Christina turned on her heels, still unable to remove the amused grin from her face. She said, "Well, you had a real shot before I found out you were one of the model rocket kids." She titled her head and shook it dismissively from side to side before leaving the room.

        She laughed again when she heard Richard shout, "Did I mention I drive a really cool car now?"

        Feeling oddly at ease, Christina returned to the front room and appraised the house. She couldn't fathom how anyone could get any work done, much less think, in such a dusty and cluttered space. Of course, she'd spent most of her life in a similar condition before Misha reformed her into a housewife-in-training.

 

        Having spent the majority of the morning cleaning the front office and the kitchen, Christina started on the reading room. She struggled as she carried a stack of books from one of the bookshelves to the far corner by the window.

        "Let me help you!" Richard said with urgency as he came down the hallway. He scooped the books effortlessly from Christina's hands and placed them next to a stack of books that she'd removed from the top shelf.

        "Thanks," Christina blushed.

        Returning to Christina's side, Richard asked, "Why, exactly, are you dismantling my library?"

        "I'm just moving the books so I can clean the shelves," she explained. Christina ran her finger across the length of a shelf and kicked up a miniature tempest of dust. She held up the incriminating finger for Richard to inspect and placed her alternate hand against her hip.

        "You're dusting the shelves."

        Christina nodded seriously.

        "The dust on the shelves, which no one can see, because they're always covered by the books," he joked, motioning to the pile in the corner.

        Christina sternly replied, "Yes. Maybe no one can see the dust, but I know it's there."

        The girl's seriousness only caused Richard further amusement. "Do you do windows too?" he asked.

        Christina shot a glance over at the large windows in the reading room and bit her lower lip. "I was thinking about doing those tomorrow. I haven't even worked my way to the bathroom yet."

        Placing both his hands on the girl's slender shoulders, Richard said, "You don't have to do all this. And I was kidding about the windows."

        Christina exhaled, letting the tension leave her body.

        Richard devilishly added, "I do expect you to wear a French maid's outfit though. I haven't decided the exact style yet, but I think any of them will work."

        Christina wriggled out from under his hands and balked, "Richard! Enough already! I'm serious, okay?"

        Richard stepped in closer to Christina and gazed powerfully into her eyes. "I can be serious too," he said in a direct tone. "I liked the way it felt when I saw you waiting for me this morning. And I like seeing this place clean, because it reminds me that you were here."

        "Richard ..."

        "And," Richard continued undaunted, "I like the way your perfume lingers in the doorway long after you've left the room."

        "Okay, I kinda prefer the snide comments to the seriousness," Christina maneuvered.

        Richard reached out his right hand and traced Christina's cheek from her earlobe to her chin. "Is it wrong that you're on my mind every day?"

        "Kinda," Christina intoned softly as she backed up towards the wall.

        "And when you go," he continued, "That I'm just counting the minutes until I see you again?"

        "I don't think-" Christina started, but was cut off when her back landed flatly against the wall behind her.

        Richard continued to move in closer. "Is it wrong that I'm attracted to you? And I want to get to know you better?" Christina opened her mouth to speak, but Richard wasn't finished. "And you're attracted to me too. Why fight that?"

        Christina was breathing quickly; her breasts rose and fell with the pounding of her heart. "I'm not interested in you that way," she said in an unconvincing tone.

        Richard closed the remaining gap between them and placed on hand on Christina's hip. The other found its way to her shoulder. "Don't you remember the test? The kiss?"

        "Yeah," Christina defended, unable to tear her eyes away from the man towering over her, "The kiss that never happened."

        "Right," Richard said, picking up the thread. "You didn't want to kiss me because then you'd have to admit to yourself that maybe there's something between us. Something worth exploring."

        "That's crazy," Christina said in a breathless haze.

        Richard pulled Christina against him and tilted her face up to his by her chin. "Let's find out," he sighed, his mouth slowly closing in on the younger girl's lips.

        Falling into a strange trance, Christina felt the same tingle in her stomach she'd felt the first time Richard had kissed her on her front porch. She felt as if her thoughts were trapped under water, and her body was responding to Richard's lead instead of her own. Her eyes closed. As Richard inched ever closer, she could feel his breath on her face. Christina's lips began to part, and she felt almost as if she were falling upward into him.

        BZZZZZZZT!

        The sound of the front doorbell shot through their bodies like electricity. Richard turned his head to look at the door and Christina's brain kicked back into gear. She deftly pushed Richard's large hand off her waist and slid sideways out from under him. "I'd better get that," she said, her face flush from the near-kiss. Rushing to the door, she flung it wide open.

        A young boy, about Nina's age, stood in the doorway, carrying a large white bag. Pulling back his hood, he revealed a tangled mop of red hair.

        "Can I help you?" Christina asked.

        "Yeah, I'm from Mandarin Delight?" the boy stated, his breath hanging in the sharp winter air.

        Richard appeared in the doorway and let the boy in. "I ordered lunch," he grinned to Christina. He paid the delivery boy and gave him what Christina thought was an excessively generous tip. It was, she assumed, just another show for her benefit.

        After the delivery boy was gone, Christina addressed the situation. Her first impulse was to reach out and hold Richard's hand, but she decided that would be more than enough encouragement for him to make another attempt to pin her down. "Richard," she said with a forcefulness she wished she had when her back was literally against the wall, "You can't just buy me lunch."

        "Sure I can," he joked, "it's my office. I get to make the rules."

        "No, I mean, you're already doing so much, I can't have you spending money on me too."

        "Princess," he chuckled, "It's just Chinese food ..."

        "I know," Christina frowned, "But I already feel bad."

        "You really don't have to feel that way ..."

        "But I do." She took a deep breath and offered, "Let me take care of lunch tomorrow, and we'll call it even."

        "That's just fine." Richard smiled, realizing he had just been promised another lunch date by the object of his affection.

        Christina, perhaps due to her aunt's constant training, reflexively cleaned off the desk in the front room and started unpacking the food. She set two places for them, and after Richard was seated, she went into the kitchen to get two glasses of water. She was so engrossed in her routine that it never occurred to her that she was serving Richard, nor did she notice how much he enjoyed it.

        As the two of them chatted during lunch, Richard wanted to know more about Christina, but she steered the conversation away from her past. Richard already knew too much about her, she thought. She wasn't sure how she would keep the older man occupied, but to her astonishment, he was more than eager to talk about himself.

        It was amazing, she thought. Feign a little interest, and a man was more than willing to talk endlessly about what he did for a living. Between stories about law school and growing up in Oak Grove, Christina was able to keep Richard busy with a few nods and grins.

        After lunch, Richard returned to his office while Christina resumed cleaning the sitting room. Though she was engrossed in her work, Christina kept a watchful eye, fully expecting Richard to make another pass at her. It didn't happen that day. She spent the rest of the time cleaning, and Richard, true to his word, tirelessly worked to find a solution to Christina's problem.

---

Edited into coherence by Holly H. Hart.
Thanks to Sephrena Miller for taking an early read.
Hope you enjoyed it. If you liked it or hated it, please leave a tasty comment.
Krunch Away!