"Come on." He said and took her overnight bag gently but firmly from her. "Let me carry that. I'm going that way too."
"Okay." She said, resigning herself. It was a short walk; what could happen? It was kind of a crazy day already so why fight it, just go with the flow.
"About the other day on the flight to Columbus--"
"Don't." She cut him off. "Really, I would prefer if we just forgot about it entirely. Please."
"Okay. You're the boss."
When they reached the executive lounge, he made a point of holding the door for her.
"Still playing the last of the perfect gentleman." She said.
"I'm sorry. I can't help myself. Just the way I was raised."
She remembered the monographed handkerchief he had given her on the plane.
Why did I ever take it from him? Never again.
The stupid thing was probably still in her bag.
"I guess this is where we say goodbye then." She said.
"Where are you headed to now?" He asked, as if it were any of his business.
"I'm going through to the office in back. I have to see my boss, so I guess this is adios. Thanks for hauling my bag for me." She reached out her hand to take her things but he pulled the bag just beyond her reach as though he were playing with a child.
"You have beautiful hands." He said, with the same supremely confident smile. Melanie would even have said smug, if her heart hadn't been beating so fast. Who did this guy think he was? First insulting her, then bossing her around and now throwing compliments at her.
"Can I have my bag please?" She said.
"Are you always this friendly?" He said playfully.
Something about him was throwing her off balance. She felt like she was in high school again being noticed by the team quarterback for the first time.
Come on Melanie, get a hold of yourself. You're a grown woman for God's sake.
"Look," he said, "I'm going that way myself, so why don't I hold onto this until we get there?"
"You're going that way, too? To Mitch's office?"
"Is Mitch your boss?"
"He is, if that's any concern of yours."
"Well I don't know if that's anything I should be concerned about. Come on, let's go." He offered her his arm.
"I guess you wouldn't take no for answer." She said.
"You make that sound like a bad thing." He joked as he gently took her arm and directed her towards her boss's office.
"You seem to know exactly where you're going." She said. "Do you work for Drummond Airlines? Am I in some kind of trouble about our conversation the other day?"