The conference was crowded with people and a variety of foods. Dianne looked at her welcome banner on the wall. While she was glazing around, Elena came in and led her to the stage.
"I don't see Mr. Therma" Dianne asked Elena while looking around. Elena exhaled.
"He will come soon in three minutes."
Dianne looked at her watch and it was the starting time but his presence. Then the door slid open, Pierre came inside, blended into the crowd, headed to the straight.
"You are late" Elena strengthened her voice to Pierre.
"Three minutes, not quite," Pierre came with a smile.
"Are you ready, Dianne?" he asked Dianne, turning to her. Elena went and quickly came back with two glasses of beverage in her hands.
"Apple juice for you" Elena handed a glass filled with juice to her. A traditional choice for someone who didn't want to drink alcoholic drinks. She wondered how Elena knew or simply her gut.
"Elena presumed you were not a drinker," Pierre said. "So we prepare a variety of food that you might be comfortable with", he added. Elena was now blushing in red. "Thank you Elena" she told her. Elena nodded with a smile. Pierre went up on the stage, he gave a short speech. With the goal of FRI, and then introduce her.
"Alright everyone, I would like you to meet our Miss Dianne Scholz, who will lead us, transform us on our cybernetic research. Her expertise in AI modeling, will certainly improve and drive this institute to a new horizon, cheers Miss. Scholz" after the introduction, everyone took a first sip, Pierre and she came back from the stage. Elena waited for the two.
"Good work, you two," Elena praised.
"Thank you for the script" Pierre lifted his glass of champagne up.
Dianne does not want to break the moment between the two. She executed herself to venture around the food zone. There were so many kinds. More than enough for people in this hall. She estimated around 50 lives. She met her team members, had a few conversations, then came back to where Elena and Pierre were. Her hand was holding a shrimp tempura. On Elena's hand, a plate of kibbling, while Pierre was holding a plate of Calamari. Calamari again, she recalled Pierre was also eating calamari yesterday. He must love it so much. While watching these two conversations, she felt her blood flowing through her body, heartbeat increased.
"You got your sauce around, Elena," Pierre said. He quickly takes a paper and wiped Elena lip gently. Her heartbeat faster. Staring the way he spoke and his gentle treat on Elena. Elena cheeks turn red. "Thanks" a dimmed voice came from Elena.
"How do you define your first day, Dianne?" Pierre turned to her. She shook herself out of blacked out. Pierre eyebrowed lifted up a little. "Brilliant, it was brilliant, sir" she still unable to focus. "Sir?, just Pierre, Dianne" Pierre laughed a little and Elena too.
"She was afraid of you, boss," Elena teased him. Pierre did not want to be called boss. "That's because of you calling me "boss"!" He replied to her quickly, and nodded her head gently. Again, his gentle treat and humor toward Elena made her body heated up. Dianne laughed while seeing the two. She looked at her left hand, wearing her married ring. Her husband was very nice, kind, and always supported her. But this gentle treat, it was something else.
"I am glad you enjoyed your fresh start" Pierre smiled at her. Elena was now blacked out, her cheeks were red, as if she was very satisfied.
"Uh.. yeah.. thank you to Elena" she said.
"If she was not there, I might have messed things up," she added.
"Thank your kindness as well, to send Elena to assist me on my first day" she was now struggling, unable to face Pierre directly.
"No need to be formal, Dianne, be casual." He said calmly.
"This place is built for research, not for the military nor hierarchy" he added. "We have a military visit once in a while but that is my duty to handle it" he continued.
Dianne was blushing, listening to Pierre's view. He was younger than her, but his maturity was beyond. Her heartbeat went faster again, cannot take her eyes off his figure.
"Don't fall for him, Dianne" Elena strengthened her voice. "When on military visit, I and Freja were the only two present there, while he took his day off" Elena stared at him.
"I felt sick" Pierre struggled for the first time.
"Ugh.." Dianne lost her control.
Someone hit her from behind. Pierre reached out and held her from falling. He gripped her arms tightly but not hurt. His warmth, his smell, not a perfume, from his shower gel, "are you okay?" He asked. But her face and also body were now heated up, blood flowing, heart beat fast, his touches were melting her.
"Dianne!" Elena and Pierre brought her mind back.
"Let me walk you back, you must be very tired" Elena was full of worries. "I will call a driver," Pierre added, he took out his watch, blinking green frequently, touching its screen.
"Thank you for today Dianne, you are doing well today, for now take a rest"
Pierre spoke to her while she was in Elena's arms. His words, and his smiles, she cannot leave her five senses out of him. They were so attractive.