Tempted by the CEO: An Office Romance

by Iona Rose

  I want to know everything there is to know about Brett, but at the same time, everything he tells me, every story he shares with me, only makes me like him more, and I’m in deep enough without listening to another story and falling for him a little bit more.

  “Opal?” Brett says, pulling me out of my head.

  He puts his hand over mine and the sparks fly up my arm. The room feels normal again, the moment of claustrophobia passing. No one is talking too loud, the walls aren’t moving closer to me with every breath. It had been an illusion, brought on by the fear of losing Brett, and his touch reminds me that for now at least, he’s still right here with me.

  “What’s wrong?” he asks.

  I open my mouth to tell him I’m fine. That nothing is wrong. I was just a million miles away for a moment. It’s the sensible thing to do. But I see the way he’s looking at me, with concern in his eyes. His thumb moves gently over the back of my hand. And in that moment, I feel like I owe him the truth. That maybe he’ll even understand. “I can’t get past this feeling that I’m meant to be saying goodbye to you tonight. But every cell in my body is screaming at me not to do it,” I say softly.

  His grip tightens on my hand for a moment. “I know,” he says.

  Letting out a sigh, I speak again, “I know we both came into this weekend knowing that’s all it could be. But the thing is Brett, this hasn’t gotten you out of my system. It’s made me want you more. And I just can’t imagine what it’s going to be like tomorrow and every day after that. I don’t know how I’m supposed to pretend like I’m not affected every time you say my name, or every time I look up and catch you looking in my direction. I guess I thought I was strong enough to do this, and only now, too late, am I seeing that I’m not,” the last few words come out in a rush.

  I didn’t mean to say quite so much, but once I started, I couldn’t stop.

  “I get it Opal,” Brett says. The same turmoil clouding his eyes, the same pain I feel making them shine intensely. “I really do get it. If it makes you feel any better, I feel exactly the same way.”

  Does it make me feel any better? In some ways, it’s good to know this isn’t one sided. That I’m not some dumb girl who’s fallen for a guy who only ever saw her as a bit of fun. But in another way, maybe it would be easier to let Brett go if he didn’t feel this too. I would have to learn to be without him if he didn’t want me. But he does want me and I don’t want to learn to be without him. “I can’t just pretend like this didn’t happen Brett. I’m sorry.”

  “You don’t have to be sorry,” he says quickly. “But what do you expect me to do about it? And that’s not sarcasm. I’m genuinely asking you, because if you have a solution to any of this, I’d be only too happy to give it a shot.”

  I do have a solution to this. One I never thought I would even consider. I don’t think Brett will like it one little bit, and I’m sure he won’t agree to it, but I’ve said this much, and I decide I might as well throw myself all in. Because if I don’t suggest this, then I know I will always wonder what could have happened if I did. What could have become of us if Brett had agreed to give my plan a shot? If I don’t speak up now, I know I will regret it forever. “Well, I was thinking that maybe this doesn’t have to end here.”

  Brett opens his mouth to speak, but I lean over the table and put my fingers on his lips, silencing him. “Just hear me out, okay?”

  He nods his head. He puts his fingers over mine where they still sit on his lips and he kisses my fingers softly.

  Gently, I move them away and look him in the eye. “Plenty of people date guys they work with. It’s really only a problem if we let it become a problem. I know your father wouldn’t approve, but it’s not like I tell him any details of my personal life anyway.”

  “Same.” Brett smiles. The smile fades after a moment and he turns serious again. “What exactly are you saying here, Opal?”

  “I’m saying we go to work and we remain professional. We both are professionals and we can do it. But after work, then we continue to see each other like this. Like I said, it’s only a problem if we make it a problem. So we draw some ground rules up. No special favors at work, no flirting or messing around there.”

  Brett is trying to get a word in again, but I hurry on, cutting him off, “When you really think about it, it’s not that much different to dating anyone else.” I have to make him see this could work, because it really could. “We go to work, do our jobs, be civil and no more. And then after work, we let our hair down and have fun. Only it’s with each other, instead of two different people.”

  I have played my final ace and now it’s all on Brett. It comes down to whether or not he likes me enough to want to continue this, because when it comes down to it, I’m the one taking the real risks here. I’m the one Mr. Connell would fire. Well, no that’s not strictly true. He would fire us both. But Brett doesn’t want to work for the company and he has something else to go to. I don’t.

  “Can I get a word in now?” Brett asks with a grin playing across his face.

  I nod wordlessly, feeling blood rushing to my face.

  “Ok.” He nods.

  I wait for what comes next. All of the reasons why we can’t do this, but he doesn’t say anything else. Frustrated, I sigh. Why is he dragging this out and making it harder than it has to be? I’ve just laid my heart and soul out in front of him and he’s not even making shutting me down painless. “Ok what?” I press him.

  “Ok, let’s do it.” He smiles. “I tried to tell you earlier I liked the idea, but you wouldn’t stop talking.”

  I feel like my heart is about to explode. Did he really just agree to do this? Is he as into me as I am to him? “Are you serious? I mean it’s not going to be easy, and if things don’t work out between us, then it could make things pretty awkward at the office.”

  “Opal, you’ve just spent five minutes trying to talk me into doing something I already wanted to do anyway. Don’t tell me you’re now, trying to talk me out of it.” Brett laughs.

  “No. God no,” I say quickly. “I just wanted to make sure you’ve really thought this through.”

  “I’ve thought of nothing else since the moment we got caught together in the sand bunker,” Brett explains. “And I’m aware things could become awkward if this doesn’t work out. So here’s what I think we should do.” He pauses long enough to lean over the table and run his lips softly over mine. “I think we should make damned sure it does work out,” he whispers.

  His lips are still almost touching mine and his breath tickles against them when he whispers to me. I feel the warmth of his words spreading through my whole body and I smile at him, feeling tears prickling in the corners of my eyes. “Me too,” I say.

  He beams at me and he has never been more handsome than he is in this moment, and I have never been happier than I am right now.

  It’s funny, because even knowing this isn’t the end for us, I find I am still not ready to say goodbye to Brett for the night, and it seems he feels the same way, because he flags down our waiter and orders another bottle of wine.

  I lose myself in him completely as we drink the wine and talk and talk. We talk about everything. Our hopes, our dreams, our childhoods. We go from laughter to serious and back to laughter again so many times that I lose count. We’re just swapping stories, getting to know each other, drinking each other in, and it’s so wonderful.

  While telling Brett about a time in college where I embarrassed myself in front of a full lecture hall, someone clears their throat by our table. I look up to find the waiter standing there.

  “My apologies for disturbing your evening,” he says, looking decidedly uncomfortable the way he is fidgeting. “But we closed half an hour ago and I really do need to bring you this.” He puts our bill on the table and moves away before either of us can respond.

  I look around and I realize the restaurant is empty, the lights dimmed. The chairs are all up on the other tables and everything has been cleaned down. I lo
ok at Brett and we burst into laughter.

  “Shit. Talk about losing track of the time.” Brett shakes his head and pulls the bill towards himself. He take out his wallet and puts down three one-hundred dollar bills.

  I raise my eyebrow questioningly. The bill was just short of a hundred dollars or so.

  “I eat here a lot.” He chuckles. “I’d rather be remembered as the guy who left a great tip than the guy who forced the staff to stay past closing and didn’t even have the decency to make it worth their while.”

  “Fair enough.” I smile, standing as Brett does.

  We leave the restaurant, both of us calling out apologies to the waiter as we leave.

  “Ah, who am I to stand in the way of true love.” He laughs.

  I suspect the huge tip played a big part in his nonchalance to being stuck at work longer than he had to be, but I don’t care. I feel like I’m walking on air. It looks like the night turned out pretty well for all of us.

  Brett calls his driver and our car arrives back for us in minutes. “My place?” Brett asks me.

  I shake my head reluctantly. “No. I have to go home so I can get sorted for work tomorrow.”

  “It was worth a try,” Brett says, grinning to try to hide his disappointment. He tells the driver to take me home first.

  The drive is a short one and it’s over too soon.

  Brett gets out of the car with me and takes my hand in his. He leans closer to me.

  I pull back. “What are you doing? Your driver will see,” I say.

  “My driver understands discretion,” he says.

  I know I should protest a little but more, but I don’t. I really want to kiss him and when he leans closer again, this time, I lean in to meet him. Our lips lock together.

  Dang, Brett tastes of wine and gelato… I can’t get enough of him. The kiss is tender, loving, and I don’t want it to end. It sends tingles through my body and makes me ache for him. When the kiss ends, it takes everything I have not to invite him inside, but if we’re going to make this work, I can’t turn up for work rough tomorrow morning. I have to forget that Brett is the boss who will see me rough in the morning, and know exactly why I’m like that and let it go. I have to act like my boss is an entirely different person to the man I’m with now.

  Brett watches me until I’m inside of the building.

  Turning, I give him a wave before I head up the stairs. I can’t believe how different I feel now to how I did a couple of hours ago. Instead of dreading work tomorrow, I find myself excited for it. I think it will be exhilarating being so close to Brett and not being able to touch him now that I know that once work is done, that I can. It’s like we’re sharing this intimate secret between us, like we’re partners in crime. I think work is about to get a whole lot more interesting than it ever has been before.

  20

  Five Weeks Later

  The last five weeks have been like a dream, a fairy tale come to life. Brett and I have been very good about sticking to our arrangement. At work, we’re all business. No one suspects a thing about us, not even Jessie.

  She stops by my office at least once a day to tell me how dreamy she thinks Brett is, and to question how I can work so closely with him without being in a state of constant turmoil.

  I really want to tell her about us, but of course I don’t. It would be round the office in seconds.

  I’ve told Rita of course, but it’s not like she’s going to run into the office and start spreading it around. That’s the only thing I am not totally happy about. At first, our relationship being a secret was exciting, but the novelty of that has worn off now, and I find myself wanting to talk about Brett, to tell people a funny story, or about something interesting we did together and of course, I can’t.

  It really is a small price to pay for the great time we have together though. As soon as work is done, Brett and I gravitate towards each other like we’re magnetized. I have spent a lot of time at his place. I stay there pretty much every other night. He occasionally stays over at my apartment, but his place is so much nicer than mine, and he doesn’t have a roommate, so we have much more privacy at his place.

  The last few times I’ve been home I have found notes left by Gary, my ex-boyfriend who seems to be slowly becoming my stalker. He clearly has found a way to get into my building, as the notes he leaves are not in the mailbox. They’re pushed underneath my apartment door.

  They’re not threatening notes, in fact they’re the opposite – love letters begging me to take him back – but they still make me uncomfortable. I don’t know why he won’t just leave me alone. I mean surely, it’s enough of a hint when someone changes their phone number not once but twice, just to stop you from calling them. Apparently, Gary doesn’t think so.

  Brett and I are sitting in my living room drinking a glass of wine. Rita is staying at her boyfriend’s place and when Brett dropped me off after seeing a movie, I asked him if he wanted to come in for a glass of wine. We’re sitting wrapped up in each other, talking and enjoying each other’s company. Even after five weeks, the newness hasn’t worn off and I really think I could spend every minute of the rest of my life with Brett and never grow tired of him.

  I am a little tired now though. Not of Brett, but it’s getting late and I’m getting sleepy. I yawn.

  Brett laughs. “Am I boring you?”

  “Never,” I reply.

  He chuckles as I stifle another yawn.

  I’m debating asking him to spend the night. I know I won’t get much sleep if he does, but I can live with being tired again tomorrow, and I won’t be seeing Brett tomorrow night. He has a dinner planned with a client, so I will be able to get an early night and catch up on my sleep a bit then.

  I open my mouth to ask him if he wants to stay over when a movement at the front door catches my eye. I frown and look over there. I roll my eyes when I see a sheet of paper on the ground just inside of the door.

  Brett looks to the door and gets to his feet, looking angry. “This has gone on for long enough now Opal. It’s really not normal behavior. I’m going to go and have a word with this creep.”

  Jumping up, I catch his wrist. “Please don’t do that,” I say. “It’ll only make it worse.”

  “He’s obsessed with you Opal and it has to stop,” Brett argues. “This Gary guy is mentally unbalanced or something.”

  “He’s harmless,” I reassure him. “He just doesn’t get the hint. Eventually, he’ll move on. I’ll talk to him, make him see there’s no chance for us.” I wrap my arms around Brett’s waist. “Don’t ruin tonight by going after Gary.”

  “Fine.” Brett sighs, wrapping his arms around me and kissing the top of my head. “Besides, I kind of get where the guy is coming from. If I lost you, I wouldn’t be ready to give you up without a fight either.”

  His words make me feel warm inside and the decision about whether or not to ask him to stay over tonight is an easy one now. Who needs sleep anyway? “Do you want to stay over tonight?” I ask. “Rita will be going to work straight from her boyfriend’s place and we’ll have the place to ourselves.”

  “I thought you’d never ask,” Brett gives me a wink.

  I smile up at him and disentangle myself from his arms. I take our empty glasses to the kitchen. Then I pick up Gary’s note and drop it into the waste paper basket without reading it. I go back to Brett. Smiling, I take his hand and lead him to the bedroom.

  It’s not long before all thoughts of Gary are gone from both of our minds.

  The car pulls up outside of my apartment building and I turn in my seat and kiss Brett. “Good night,” I say. “Thank you for dinner. It was lovely.”

  We have been back to the little Italian place where we went the night we decided to give our relationship a chance. I suppose that night was our first date, because we can’t really count getting caught rolling around together in the sand bunker at the golf course as a date. If the waiter at the restaurant remembered that on our last visit we had over stay
ed our welcome, he hadn’t mentioned it. And we have made sure to leave at least an hour before the place was due to close.

  “You’re welcome. How about I come up and you can thank me another way?” Brett winks. He knows I have the apartment to myself again tonight.

  Normally, I would have jumped at the chance for him to come upstairs with me, but ever since that first Sunday night when he dropped me off at home, I have stuck to Sunday night being the one night we spend apart.

  It feels like that way, it’s easier to draw a line between Opal and Brett, the loved up couple who can’t keep their hands off each other, to Opal and Brett who work together and are completely professional the whole time.

  “I’d love that, but I can’t unfortunately,” I say. “My boss is a real dick and Monday mornings are always the worst.”

  “Your boss is a dick, huh?” Brett asks, raising an eyebrow.

  “Oh, he’s the worst.” I grin. “He won’t let me make love to him on his desk or anything.” I open the door and get out of the car, grinning to myself.

  “Hey Opal,” Brett calls.

  I’m digging in my purse for my keys. I turn back.

  “He sounds like a total asshole,” Brett exclaims.

  I laugh as I find my keys and open the door. I wave to Brett and the car pulls away from the curb. I step inside of the building and head for the stairs as the door closes behind me. I stop abruptly when I see Gary sitting on the second step from the bottom.

  “What the hell are you doing here Gary?” I ask, sighing.

  Gary jumps to his feet.

  I take a step back when I see how angry he looks.

  “I’m waiting for you obviously,” he says. “I came to see you so we could talk, but you weren’t home. I did the good guy thing and waited for you, and what do I see? You coming home at this hour, smelling of wine, in a car with some guy. So? What do you have to say for yourself?”