BATTLE OF DESIRE

It was a cold Saturday morning – well, cold for Miami – and Marcia was at a business breakfast meeting with new clients. Sipping her coffee, she mused, it's been a while...

It had been a long while since she'd been in town, and she especially loved this area, with the cars going by and people walking along the sidewalk. As she sipped her coffee and listened to her clients chat, a message popped up on her phone.

It was from the office – the package had been delivered and was waiting for her inspection.

She put down her coffee cup and excused herself from her clients.

"Well, gentlemen, thank you very much for your time. As agreed, all the documents will be sent to you before the end of the week."

Everyone smiled, shook hands, and Marcia headed quickly to her office.

"There! Follow her. Don't get too close," said the man with sandy brown hair and light blue eyes, seated in the back of a black Lexus. His eyes were intently focused on Marcia as she crossed the street, headed to the parking lot, and got into her red Mercedes.

Fifteen minutes later, Marcia parked her car and walked into her office, a two-story building with a full glass front on the ground floor, topped by a stylish wood exterior on the upper floor. Written on the entrance was the name of the company: Oltre Bacchus, a mix of Italian and French. It was one of the newest wine stores to hit the Miami Strip.

As Marcia walked in, the black Lexus parked opposite the building. The man in the passenger seat reached over, placed a hand on the driver, and said in a deep voice, "Wait here. I'll be right back."

He stepped out of the car, checked for oncoming vehicles, and crossed the road swiftly to the door. He stood outside for a moment, hand poised over the door handle, before taking a deep breath and walking in.

Marcia was opening a recently delivered crate of wine from Europe, her back to the door, shoulders hunched over, head down. She turned around and looked up when she heard someone enter. "Oh, I'm so sorry, we're not open yet. If you could come back –"

She stopped mid-sentence, her mouth still open, as if all the air had left her lungs, because of the man – no, the ghost – that she saw in front of her.

Marcia stared at the visitor, her eyes widening, and she dropped the lid of the crate she had just opened.

Crash!

The secretary let out a yell, "Ma'am, are you okay?! Is everything all right?" he exclaimed as he hurried toward Marcia.

Seeing the gentleman at the door, he turned to him apologetically, "Oh, I'm sorry, we're not open yet. Perhaps you could come back in an hour, maybe two?" He said nervously, gesturing with an outstretched hand for the visitor to leave, while still moving towards his boss; concern on his face for the sudden noise but wearing a professional smile for the potential customer.

The man didn't look at him, not even for a moment. His mind was preoccupied with the image he had seen as he walked through the doors; Marcia's slender back and shoulders moving gracefully as she worked the crate lid free, head down, with concentration etched on her profile. Her slim nose, full lips, and slender chin... it was all too familiar.

He looked back at Marcia and saw that the two were staring at each other without speaking. Finally, Marcia breathed in, stuttering, "You... Jullian... How...? Why...?"

Jullian stepped forward, approaching Marcia. She took a step back, raised her hand, and said, "Stop!" Jullian stopped instantly as if hit by an invisible wall.

The air grew thick with tension as the secretary glanced back and forth between the two, confused and unsure whether to say something or retreat to the storeroom he had just come out from. Luckily, Marcia saved him, "Kyle, please leave us. It's okay; I dropped the lid by mistake."

Kyle nodded and murmured his agreement to Marcia's request, leaving the room.

Jullian, the man who had entered the store, gazed intently at Marcia and started to speak. "Marcia..., I..."

"Stop," Marcia said, cutting him off, her usually soft voice trembling and barely above a whisper. "I don't..., you shouldn't..., why...? Leave, Jullian!" Her voice rose at the last two words.

"If you just give me –"

"I said leave!" Marcia cut in again, this time, without whisper or hesitation. Jullian's shoulders slumped slightly, almost imperceptibly, and for the first time since he entered the room, his eyes moved away from Marcia for a brief second before returning to her increasingly reddening face.

"Marcia, we need to talk." That voice, that same deep, sonorous, authoritative voice, made Marcia subconsciously look away, dipping her head to the side toward her right shoulder, which moved upward in a half-shrug. She stopped mid-motion, turning back to Jullian, her brown eyes blazing.

Marcia pursed her lips and stared defiantly at Jullian.

"I know the way we left things is wrong and hurtful, but if you give me –"

"Leave!" Marcia yelled, clenching her fists at her side.

"If you'd give me one minute, I can explain," Jullian continued in a steady voice, his beautiful light blue eyes locked with Marcia's deep brown ones.

"One minute to explain what you did five years ago?" Marcia responded incredulously. She turned away from Jullian, facing the wall, and took a few deep breaths. Turning her face to the side, her back still toward Jullian, hands on her slim waist, she continued, "I don't want to hear anything from you. You can leave, and you can leave right now."

Jullian sighed, showing exasperation for the first time, well, Jullian's version of exasperation. He closed his eyes for three seconds and then took a step forward. "I know you don't want to hear what I have to say, but you have to hear it. I have to tell you what happened back then. I need to explain it."

"I don't need your explanation!" Marcia retorted, still with her back to Jullian, only the side of her slender face visible. "This is my space, and I want you out. You are not invited, and you are not welcome."

Jullian gave an aspirated sigh. "Okay, fine, I'll leave, but I'll be back later."

Marcia spun around at this and pointed aggressively at Jullian. "Don't you dare come back here! You have no business with me, and I have none with you!"

Jullian stepped forward, right up to Marcia's face, and grabbed her arm. "You have everything to do with me, and I have everything to do with you. I will leave now, as you requested, but I will be back. I will see you again." He strongly emphasized the last two 'will's.

They stared into each other's eyes, frozen in the moment, closer in their anger than they were with their faces almost touching, their breaths intermingling. Marcia sharply held her breath and deliberately leaned back, away from Jullian's intense demeanor, saying nothing, her brown eyes dark with anger.

Jullian released Marcia's arm, stepped back, and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for doing that. I'll see you again." With that, Jullian gazed intently at Marcia one last time, turned around, and walked out.