by Dawn Doyle
Really? He likes me?
Emily still couldn’t accept it. She thought he was just still trying to get a reaction by taking her out of her comfort zone, staring at her to see when she was going to blow up.
*****
Nick watched as Holly and Alex returned, noticing Emily hadn’t come back with them.
He thought he’d gone too far. Dragging her to the party was one thing, but putting on a song that would remind her of the car journey, the day he kissed her hand, had pushed her over the edge.
She didn’t feel the same way he did. And why would she? He’d done things to piss her off and even did something that upset her so much, he made her cry. He was an ass.
“Em’s sorry she took off so suddenly but she said congratulations again on your engagement.”
“Is she ok?” Riss asked.
“Yeah. She’s really tired and she just wants to relax. She’s had a lot to deal with.” Holly added.
Yep. A royal ass!
It didn’t help that as soon as he came out of the bathroom, and saw Emily had gone, that the eyes in the room turned to him questioningly.
“I haven’t done anything before anyone starts.” He said. “We work together and I was trying to make her feel comfortable with me outside of work. It obviously failed so…”
Nobody had said anything after that, just exchanging strange looks between each other.
Nick didn’t want to wait until Monday to get answers. He wasn’t going to knock on her door again. He’d just about stopped himself from pushing her inside, closing the door and kissing her senseless.
He got out his phone, not caring that eyes were still judging him.
N: Why did you leave… again?
E: I need to be alone. See you on Monday.
That was it. Conversation over.
“Is she ok?” Ryan whispered as the others were talking about weddings.
“What makes you think I was texting Emmy?”
“Because I didn’t even have to mention her name.” He winked.
Nick blew out a breath.
“She won’t talk to me. She just said she wants to be alone and she’ll see me on Monday.”
“Don’t give up bro. She likes you too.”
“How’d you figure that one out?” He said with a snort, still keeping his voice low.
“Like the lyrics in that song man, Open your eyes, open your eyes.” He said with a grin as he sat back, pulling his new fiancée to his side.
After hiding out for the weekend, Emily still wasn’t ready to face Nick at work. Admitting her feelings to Holly and Alex had only made it worse because now other people knew why she was behaving that way.
Picking up her phone, she called Diane to let her know.
“Good Morning! Lake Industries, Mr. Lake’s office. This is Diane speaking, how may I help you?”
Diane was incredibly happy for eight in the morning.
“Hi Di. It’s Emily.”
“Emily! Is everything ok? You’re usually here by now.” She sounded concerned.
“Yes, everything’s fine. Diane, I won’t be coming in today. I’m not feeling too good. I can use my virtual log in and work from home, so I don’t miss anything.”
“You should be resting if you’re unwell, honey.”
“It’s Ok, Di. I’m able to work from home. I’ll call or text if I’m going to be away tomorrow too.”
“Ok, Honey. Make sure you don’t work too hard.”
Ending the call, Emily thought about calling Nick too but hesitated. Just the anticipation of hearing his voice had her nerves on edge.
No. A text would have to do.
E: I won’t be in today. Already called Diane to let her know.
N: She just came into my office to tell me. Are you ok?
Wow, he’s there early!
E: Yes. I’m fine. I can still work from home so no need to worry about that.
N: I wasn’t.
Nick wasn’t worried about her not doing any work. Of course… there was no reason to because she’d done more than she needed the last week and most of the tasks she had to do were to schedule his meetings. Emily didn’t want to get into a conversation about it so she didn’t reply.
Sitting on her sofa, her macbook on her lap and her stuffed cat next to her, Emily got to work.
It was just past lunchtime when she got a call from Holly.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?” she accused as soon as soon as Emily answered.
“Hello to you too Hol.”
“Whatever, you could have told me you were sick. We could’ve come over to help you.”
“I’m fine Hol.” Emily assured her. “I’m not sick.”
“What? Then why did Diane tell me you called in sick this morning? We showed up, hoping to surprise you for lunch.”
“Sorry babes. I’m not sick but don’t tell anyone. I just needed a day to sort my head out.”
Just one day may not be enough to sort out the jumbled mess in Emily’s head. Burying herself in work, without Nick being there wasn’t helping all that much either.
“You had the weekend, Em. You can’t avoid Nick, you know. You have to go back to work and he’s going to see you.”
“I know that! I’m working from home today so it’s not like I’m missing anything.”
Just Nick’s smile, his eyes, his hair, his smell…
“I remember you telling me, not so long ago ‘not to let my nerves drown my feelings’. You might want to take your own advice, Em. Just go in and face him. Everything will work out.”
Emily wasn’t so sure. The last thing she wanted to do was have Nick find out how she felt. He’d latched on to the fact that she hated him joking that she had a kinky fetish and he even got her the T-shirt! This would be so much worse.
“I’ll probably be back in tomorrow, so don’t worry.”
“Ok but I can’t meet you tomorrow. Alex and I are going shopping. We’re visiting Nan in a week, and I’m showing Alex where we lived.”
“I forgot about that. How long are you going for?”
“Two weeks. Once we go to college, we won’t get the chance for a while.”
Emily chuckled to herself, thinking about them being on a plane for that length of time.
“What’s funny?” asked Holly.
“I was thinking about the flight. Are you planning on keeping your hands to yourselves or joining the mile high club?”
“Oh my God! Not at all!” Holly squeaked. “I am definitely worried about it though because um… in twelve hours, we would have um… at least twice.”
Emily threw her head back and laughed.
“I know.” she said, catching her breath “I lived in that house too remember? Well, you’ll have to get used to keeping it in your pants. You think Nan will be happy with that going on?”
There was no way her little Nan was going to be happy if she could hear them going at it like rabbits all day long.
“We’re going to stay in a hotel.” Holly said sheepishly.
“So you’re going to be visiting Nan but spending most of the time rocking the hotel walls? Wow, that’s so kind of you!” Emily said sarcastically, but with humour.
Emily was envious that Holly was having amazing sex and she wasn’t getting any. Not that she’d had a lot of sex before… it was just that she wanted to know what great sex felt like.
She hadn’t slept with Jeff for the six months before they’d broken up. He was always tired, which wasn’t a shocker, and she was always busy with work and her studies. She just about had time to sleep and even they weren’t always full nights either.
Getting home at eight at night, four hours of studying followed by five hours of sleep. Up at five and in work by six. Emily was exhausted the whole time she was with him and, after they broke up, she knew why. He’d kept her busy on purpose so he could screw around whilst she was making him rich.
Sex wasn’t great with Jeff anyway, she wouldn’t even say it was good, s
o she wasn’t missing anything. Emily hadn’t actually had a single orgasm in her life.
There was never any build up with romance or foreplay. It was almost mechanical, in that because they were in a relationship it felt more like a requirement that was being fulfilled and that was it.
He would only think of himself and would always finish before she did. Which wasn’t difficult because she never finished.
When he was done, he would roll over, lie there for a few seconds and then get up and get dressed, never once asking if she’d had a good time herself.
No, she was better off without the disappointment.
But then again… Nick had made her feel things that she’d never felt…down south.
I bet he’d make sure I ‘finished’ too.
Emily’s mind turned back to the thoughts she’d had of Nick stripping out of his jacket, then his tie and then his shirt.
Pulling her to him, he would hold her tight and whisper things that he was going to do to her before making good on his promises.
“Helloooo!” Holly said down the line. “Are you still there?”
“Yes, sorry.” She said as she heard Holly’s own chuckles on the other end.
“What’s funny?”
“It’s just that that was my thing before Alex and I got together. I still do it too.”
“What makes you think I was thinking about Nick?”
Holly took a deep breath and sighed down the phone.
“What does that mean?” Emily asked, confused.
“That’s the sound you made, Em. I’m guessing in your head he was getting up to no good?”
“Piss off Holly!”
Holly screamed laughing down the phone.
“I have work to do, so I’ll try to talk to you before you go.” Emily said, getting out of the conversation.
Ending the call Emily tried to get back to work, but visions of Nick and the way his eyes would fix on her took over her thoughts.
“Coffee. I need coffee…”
One day off turned into two.
Which then turned into three.
Diane had grown worried that something was wrong and suggested that she go to see a doctor.
There was no need.
Emily was absolutely fine. She was only avoiding Nick, so going to a doctor would’ve been a waste of time.
Emily had had a missed call and a voicemail from Nick.
Pressing ‘play’ she listened to his smooth, but worried, voice coming from her phone.
“Emmy. Are you ok? I know you’ve been working from home but you should be resting if you’re ill. Somehow I get the feeling that it’s something else. I’ll call you again soon.”
Shit.
Nick knew she wasn’t ill but he hadn’t said anything. It was nice of him to do that, knowing she needed time away, but to call her out on it on day three turned Emily’s stomach.
He had to know why she was avoiding him.
Taking a few deep, calming breaths, Emily put it to the back of her mind so she could focus on her tasks.
It was just after dinner time when Emily had just finished her tasks of accounts and marketing campaign checks for the new investments.
Nick had had a lot of input into the marketing strategies and his clients trusted him as they’d heard great things from his other ventures who had become very successful because of him.
All Emily had to do was double check that the campaigns were completed and just needed to be given the go-ahead to air or print.
Checking through her calendar, Emily had spent some time organising hers and Nick’s schedules so that they didn’t cross paths, which was difficult since she’s his assistant. However, she managed to arrange his meetings; conveniently scheduling herself out of them. Submitting them, she sat back on the sofa and closed her eyes.
Twenty minutes later, there was a knock at the door.
Wondering who it would be, Emily looked through the viewer.
Nick!!!
Emily’s heart pounded and her palms grew clammy. Her breaths came faster as she panicked.
“Emmy, I know you’re there. Open the door.” He said before knocking again.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” She whisper shouted.
“Emmy, I can hear you, now open the Goddamn door!”
Emily opened the door and her breath caught in her throat as Nick’s fresh scent wafted in with the door.
He was standing there in a crisp white shirt, Navy pants and a Navy tie to match. He looked so perfect she wanted to take everything off him with her teeth.
He pushed it open further and Emily stepped back as he walked in.
“Why are you saying you’re sick when you’re not?” He accused.
“Isn’t that against employee law? Harassing them when they’re off?” She retorted.
“Not when that employee is you, Emmy. I don’t know why you’re doing this but working at home isn’t going to solve the reason why you’re avoiding me.”
Nick got right to the point, showing that he knew Emily’s plan.
“I’m not avoiding you.” She said, crossing her arms so he wouldn’t notice her hard nipples practically waving at him.
Hi Nick! Come and play with us! Oh dear God!
“Yes you are, and I want to know why.” His eyes looked over her shoulder and the corners of his mouth turned up.
The cat.
He saw that the cat was on the sofa where her Macbook was.
Emily wanted to hide in embarrassment.
“I see your kitty is out of the box.” He smiled, turning his eyes back on her.
‘See how he looks at you’. Holly’s words echoed in Emily’s head and she paid attention to his eyes.
He did look at her differently.
Looking at Diane, Julie or any of the other people in the building, his eyes didn’t show anything. Now… he was looking… no, gazing at her. Like she was…
Emily felt the heat rise into her cheeks. Her face flaming hot whilst the rest of the heat travelled south.
She swallowed hard as her eyes dropped to his mouth. He was saying something but she couldn’t hear it. She licked her lips and raised her eyes back to his.
“Emmy, are you listening? I said what’s wrong?”
“Hmm? Oh, nothing’s wrong. I’ll be back in tomorrow. Ok?” she said gesturing to the door.
Nick narrowed his eyes before turning to leave.
As he turned, Emily saw the outline of his tattoo underneath the sleeve of his shirt. It looked like a woman. When his back was to her she watched his rear as he walked out.
“If you don’t come in tomorrow, I’m coming here, putting you over my shoulder and carrying you out.” He said with a threat to his tone.
Only Emily didn’t feel like it was a threat. She felt like it was something she would gladly accept.
Promises, promises.
“Whatever you say, sir.” She said with a salute before he turned to walk away.
Closing the door before he could turn and come back, Emily blew out a breath.
“I am so fucked up!”
*****
“She thinks I won’t keep my word.” Nick chuckled to himself as he was walking back to the elevator.
If she keeps wearing those cute slouch outfits I’ll add a slap on her ass for good measure.
Nick hadn’t prepared himself for seeing Emily when she opened the door.
He loved the pencil skirt/blouse outfits she wore for work but seeing her in her PJ’s the other night had turned him on, thinking about her in bed. Now she’d opened the door in a red sleeveless tank and gym shorts, he’d almost bust a nut right then.
Rubbing his hand over his face and through his hair, he took a sharp breath to cool himself down.
Calm down Nick. She doesn’t like you that way.
There was, however, something in the way she looked at him that was really different. Sure, he’d thought he’d caught a ‘look’ from her every now and again but she’d just… stared.
/> He’d noticed the cat he’d bought for her, on the couch, and he’d thought that pointing that out had gotten her mad at him. She never said anything though. Maybe she was just trying to control her temper incase the neighbours heard her.
Yeah, that was probably it.
She couldn’t have wanted him. Other women had given him similar looks and had acted on it. Not that he wanted it, but now with Emily, he wanted it more than ever. He wanted her to look at him that way. He wanted her to tell him she did. He wanted her to say his name as he kissed her neck, her chest, her stomach…
She won’t want me after I tell her, will she? But I need to tell her the truth. I need her to trust me.
Arriving at his apartment, Nick’s phone alerted him to a text message
E: Seriously?! You said that in the middle of Build-a-bear?!
Nick grinned. Emily had found the hidden message inside the cat.
N: Yes I did. XD
E: Did anybody hear you?
N: No. I moved away from everybody else first. Too many kids in the store.
E: You’re not funny.
N: I am. But what’s funnier is that you must have given the kitty a tight squeeze to hear it. I put it deep inside there.
He laughed when he re-read his own message, noticing how it could read as a double entendre. Emily could make of it what she will.
E: Shut up.
N: Make me.
Nick didn’t get another reply but he went to bed happy that night, knowing Emily had squeezed her cat. It meant it hadn’t just been thrown on the sofa like a cushion.