way. With a sigh I left it and grabbed my jacket and purse. I locked the door carefully behind me. The last thing I wanted was a repeat of the night before. Although if Richard hadn’t returned my key then locking the door wasn’t going to stop him from getting in. Mentally I planned and decided that calling a locksmith was probably the safer idea. I hurried down the stairs and paused on the final step. Just a few hours ago I was leaving my apartment with David. It was strange how in such a short space of time things could change. I shook myself mentally. If I had made up my mind that he was bad for me then why was I still thinking of him. Why were all of my thoughts consumed by him? I could make out what I presumed was Robert’s silhouette outside the doors. He was tall and broad shouldered. If I remembered correctly then he was everything that a woman could possibly want in a man. I pushed open the door and stepped out into the sunshine. The look he gave me would have made another woman weak at the knees but not me. He was far too happy and had a shiny new feel to him. He reminded me of what I had always thought a playboy might be like. Handsome, far too much money and very sleek. I couldn’t imagine Robert having any trouble charming a woman into his bed. “Carrie?” He asked, his boyish grin lighting up his face. It was then I noticed it. Although his smile was disarming and no doubt used to put people at ease. The smile didn’t reach his eyes. Oh they sparkled and lit up in the same way that his smile lit up his face but there was no happiness in his eyes. They were cold and for the first time since I had met him I was intrigued about this man. If he was so carefree and had time to chase down women he had met for just a few moments, why were his eyes so cold? “That’s me. As you can see I’m fine after last night.” “David, went after you. He seemed very concerned about you. Are you two an item?” The bluntness of his question took me by surprise. For a moment I wasn’t sure how I should answer. We weren’t really an item but I knew a large part of me wanted to change that. “It’s complicated.” I answered with a sigh and Robert gave me a very knowing smile. Although I wasn’t in the least bit sexually attracted to this man. At least not in the way I was attracted to David. There was something about him that made me want to get to know him. “How do you and David know each other?” Robert smiled. “We don’t know each other that well. I’d consider us to be more acquaintances that anything else. Ships passing in the night, if you will.” “Oh.” I chewed my lip thoughtfully before continuing. “Well as you can see I’m perfectly fine. Nothing to worry about. It was lovely of you to be so concerned.” I moved away and headed down the street. “Fancy a coffee? I know a lovely little place not far from here. Perhaps there we can get to know each other a little better?” He gave me his best boyish smile again. It didn’t touch his eyes and I could feel some sort of tension radiating from him. There was something very odd about this man. And I was determined to get to the bottom of it. I smiled back at him in an attempt to make him think I was succumbing to his charms. I wasn’t very good at it. I never had been very good at concealing my real thoughts and feelings. “Alright. I guess I could do with it. I missed my usual morning coffee.” Robert raised an eyebrow at my statement and smiled. “Ah, too busy were you?” Colour pooled in my cheeks and I turned away from him. How could he possibly think this was endearing? “So I recognise your name from somewhere. Hatcher? It rings a bell but I’m not sure how I know it...” I once again started to walk down the street and he matched my pace easily. “Hatcher Industries. It’s a company my father owns. One day I’ll take it over from him. That is if he ever decides to retire.” Hatcher Industries was one of the