A/N: We've finally reached the end of our little challenge and I hope that you've enjoyed the reading as much as I enjoyed the writing. Thanks to Onesimus for engaging in this challenge with me and if you haven't yet, go over and read 'Irresistible Force Meets Immovable Object'. (Hint: contains tartan foundation garments and I won't tell you whose!) ;-)

Ringtones? What's a Ringtone?

Chapter 3 - Unforgettable by Nat King Cole

Charles awoke the next morning to sunshine pouring in through the bay window. He sat up and looked around but couldn't see Elsie anywhere. He pulled on his trousers and padded out to the kitchen. He found the leftovers boxed up and sitting in the fridge, the wine bottle had been rinsed out and placed in the recycle bin and the wineglasses had been rinsed and polished and were sparkling on the counter where he found her note.

C

Received text from Isobel Crawley. Requested power- lunch today regarding new contract. See you at the board meeting Monday.

E

That was Elsie, straight to the point. He knew she'd been working this contract for months and had spent many a late night and weekend trying to gain concurrence from Isobel and the old dragon, Lady Violet, on the contract language so they could move to negotiating the price. He hoped things would go well for her today as he headed up the stairs to shower.

-o O o-

They hadn't had an opportunity to see each other all morning as they were both tied up with clients right up until the start of the board meeting. Lost in their own thoughts, they almost ran into one another as they entered the hallway.

"Thank you for returning my sweater," she said quietly as they walked side by side towards the board room.

"Not a problem," he replied, "I hope I remembered to get all three items into the bag?"

He had found her bikinis when he shook out the blankets and had washed them along with her bra and sweater that she'd forgotten in the sink. He was amused when he discovered that the bra and bikinis were a matched set. He felt his trousers twitch a bit as he wondered whether she was wearing a matched set under the navy blue power suit she had on this morning.

"Yes," she said quickly, "all three items were in the bag."

A very becoming blush drew across her cheeks as she remembered the events leading up to the 'loss' of her bikinis. She felt the sudden warmth between her legs as she wondered whether she might lose another pair in the not too distant future.

They walked into the board room and he held her chair for her as was his custom. They often sat side by side at these meetings but for some reason today, Charles decided to sit across the table from her.

Robert Crawley was CEO of the company and tended to like hearing the sound of his own voice. He called the meeting to order and began to drone on about how the company could not afford to rest on the laurels of their recent successes.

Charles stole a look at Elsie. She was looking at Robert Crawley but Charles knew by the way she was twisting the pinkie ring on her right hand that she wasn't paying attention to what he was saying . She was likely envisioning her next counter strike to the negotiations with Mr. Crawley's cousin Isobel. He heaved a bit of a sigh, wishing to himself that she was thinking about him.

Elsie heard the sigh from across the table and stole a glance in his direction. No one else seemed to notice but she knew from the wrinkle of his brow and the set of his jaw that his mind was anywhere else but here in this boardroom. In all likelihood he was contemplating the next acquisition for his long time clients Patmore and Company. She sat silently wishing that he was thinking of her.

He stole another glance at her and saw that she was busy typing out a text on her cell phone to someone. He thought about what she'd said about ringtones and how she set them individually so she would know who was calling. He wondered what ringtone she had set for him. He looked down at his own cell phone when it suddenly hit him. He could just ring her and find out...not in the middle of a board meeting surely…she probably had her phone set to vibrate anyway. Hmmm…nothing ventured, nothing gained, old man. He argued back and forth with himself for several minutes and then decided to throw caution to the wind. He surreptitiously lowered his cell phone into his lap and flipped it open. He scrolled through his contacts until he saw her name. He paused for just a moment longer then pressed the call button.

Wild Thang, I think I love you, but I wanna' know for sure…

The song rang out through the boardroom sending everyone scrambling for their cell phones. Elsie was mortified when she realized it was her phone that was ringing. She didn't have to look down to know that it was Charles Carson's phone placing the call. She quickly sent the call to voicemail and looked up at Mr. Crawley.

"I'm sorry Mr. Crawley," she said looking slightly sheepish, "I must have forgotten to set my phone to stun after the weekend. Won't happen again, sir."

"Yes," said Robert Crawley looking around the room at the others as they checked their cell phones. "Let's get back to business."

Charles wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting but 'Wild Thing' wasn't it. He wondered if that's what she really thought of him. Then he contemplated the words to the song…'I think I love you'…that sent his heart to racing a bit. Could it be possible that she harbored feelings for him? He looked across the table to find her glaring at him but he could tell by the small twitch at the corners of her mouth and the light in her eyes that she was not really mad at him. He then lost himself in thoughts of her lying on the floor beneath him wearing only his dress shirt.

Elsie glared at him across the table but found that she wasn't really mad at him. Especially when he had that little smirk on his face which usually meant that he was feeling proud of himself for something he'd accomplished. It was really a rather ingenious way to get her attention she supposed. A text would have been better so that she could have replied to him. She wondered what he thought about having 'Wild Thing' as his personal ringtone. Would he figure out that she'd only given it to him after their wild night of lovemaking? Her mind wandered to what ringtone he would assign to her, provided he ever learned how to work his cell phone.

Suddenly she remembered walking by his office this morning and seeing William Mason showing him which buttons to push on the phone. Could he possibly have asked William to help him set a ringtone? Could it have been for her? Elsie decided what was good for the goose was be good for the gander. She dropped her phone into her lap and looked over at Charles. He was lost in thought as he doodled on his notepad. She hit the speed dial buttons and waited to see what would happen.

Unforgettable, in every way, and forever more that's how you'll stay…

The song was coming from Charles Carson's lap. He scrambled to scoop up his phone and ended up launching it across the tabletop where it skittered to a stop in front of Elsie Hughes.

That's why, darling, it's incredible that someone so unforgettable, thinks that I am unforgettable, too

She reached over and hit the end call button as she picked up the phone.

"Sorry, Mr. Crawley," she said flipping open Charles' phone. "We all know that Mr. Carson is a bit challenged when it comes to electronics. One of the crew must have reset his phone when he wasn't looking. I'll set it stun for him. There you go," she said as she slid the phone back over to him.

"Thank you, Ms. Hughes," he replied looking into her eyes which were filled with amusement and a hint of desire.

"I think that's enough for today," said Mr. Crawley rolling his eyes in exasperation, "meeting adjourned."

As they walked side by side down the hallway, Charles leaned over to whisper in Elsie's ear, "The bed gets delivered tomorrow."

"I'll bring the Chinese, shall I?" she asked coyly as they walked into their individual offices.

The End