Lift Me Higher Read Online Free PDF Page A

knew that he’d made the right decisionand dedicated himself even more to taking care of his family. Those hours spent with Torie in that elevator had stirred up long-buried feelings and, since then, Monte had managed to push them back down where they belonged. Yet, even as he’d done that, he knew that he was telling himself a lie and had been all along.
    Monte was startled from his deep thoughts by a quick rap on the open door to his office. In walked Brent Stolzberg, a colleague, as well as his racquetball partner and friend.
    “Monte, my man, what’s cooking?” Brent asked as he walked in.
    Brent took at seat in front of Monte’s desk. Motioning to the flowers, he said, “Whoa, what’s this?”
    “Man, you wouldn’t believe it if I told you,” Monte replied.
    He spent the next few minutes explaining to Brent how he’d been trapped in the elevator with one of the firm’s newest clients last Friday night and how afraid she’d been. He left out the part about the passionate kiss they’d shared and also didn’t mention how she’d been plaguing his thoughts ever since.
    “And she sent you flowers to thank you for holding her hand through the ordeal? Wow, classy lady. What’s her name?”
    “Torie Turner.”
    “Oh, this just gets better and better. The infamous Torie Turner? I’ve heard that she’s a ten on the knockout scale,” Brent said. “All the single guys around here are practically drooling over her…and some of the married ones, for that matter, too.”
    “Okay, so we’re rating our clients now? Boy, if that’s not a clear indication that we definitely don’t have enough to do around here, I don’t know what is,” Monte replied.
    “Come on, Monte. Don’t tell me you’ve never checked out a client before. Even a monk like you can acknowledge a good-looking woman when you see one,” Brent retorted.
    “Whatever. Look, Torie Turner is, indeed, a beautiful woman. Happy?”
    “Not yet. Not until you tell me what went on while you two were trapped in that elevator all of that time?”
    “Nothing. We talked. I kept reassuring her that everything would be okay. Eventually, we got out, I hailed a taxi for her and that’s it.”
    “Yeah, right. And that’s why she sent you this hundred-dollar bouquet of roses? Get real, Monte.”
    “I’m serious, that’s it. I don’t know what you want me to say, Brent.”
    “I want you to say that you’re going to call Ms. Turner, thank her for the flowers and then ask her out to dinner or a show.”
    “Why on earth would I do that?”
    “Are you serious? Monte, there are about a million reasons why you should do that, starting with the fact that you haven’t been out on what qualifies as a date in years and ending with the fact that Torie Turner is a beautiful woman who appears to be interested in you.”
    “Interested in me? What? No, you’re reading this all wrong,” Monte said nervously. He paused for a minute, glancing at the flowers. “What makes you think she’s interested in me?”
    “Duh! Jeez, Monte, has it been that long? Let me school you, my naive friend. Women don’t send flowers to men just because,” Brent answered.
    “The flowers are a thank-you for keeping her calm in the elevator. That’s all.”
    “I’m sure she said thank-you when you got out of the elevator. Those flowers are about ten percent thank-you and ninety percent I want to get to know you better, ” Brent said.
    Monte thought about Brent’s words, considering their undeniable merit. She had said thank-you, repeatedly. There was no real need for her to send the flowers, unless she wasinterested. But, on the other hand, maybe that was just the type of person she was—gracious and overly demonstrative. Either way, Monte reasoned, he had already made up his mind.
    “You know what, Brent? It really doesn’t matter why she sent the flowers. I’m not interested in dating Torie Turner,” Monte said definitively.
    “Why not?”
    “Why not?”
    “Is