by Mel Ryle
“For goodness’ sake! It’s not that hard to ask! I would have gone with you if you asked nicely!” I shouted in frustrated, not really anymore embarrassed about filtering my emotions.
He gaped in shock before he straightened his stance and let out a heavy breath. “I’m sorry for being too forceful,” he trailed off softly as he took another steady breath.
“You think?” I interrupted.
“Please let me finish,” he said in a domineering tone. “Can I talk to you? I would love to do it over dinner if you are willing.”
“Are you kidding me? I already told you how to say it, and you’re being like this?” I asked in disbelief and gestured at him in disgust. “I’m out. I’m going home. I don’t want to talk to you right now.”
“Wait! Damn it,” he called out when I was a few paces way from him.
“Still not close enough!” I shouted back and continued walking.
“Okay! You win! Go ahead and go home! I’ll see you tomorrow!” he shouted in defeat and stopped following me.
I brushed him off with a wave with my back towards him as I continued walking. When I reached a pavement and turned right, my mind was cleared out on everything that was associated to William. It dawned on me that I didn’t know how to get home from here. I had never felt so stupid, not even after the stunts I pulled recently. I finally lost it. It was ironic since I’m really lost.
When I saw a nearby coffee shop, I got inside and order myself a drink before calling my most trusted person to pick me up. Terry was helpful as he picked me up from where I was. When he arrived, I explained to him why I was here. He burst in laughter at my situation.
“I can’t believe you did that! It was a nice exit, but the aftermath was just…” he stated and laughed some more.
“Please don’t remind me. Can we go now? Please? I’m really tired,” I pleaded before I put on my helmet.
He nodded in reply but kept on chuckling as he put on his helmet. The ride back to his apartment was short. I felt relieved to know that I wasn’t entirely lost. If I’ve continued walking a few more miles, I would have recognized a few stores near Terry’s place. After he dropped me off, Terry gave me a quick farewell before he drove off to work. I was left alone for the rest of the night, which was both a positive and negative thing.
The next morning, I left like I got ran over by a train as I rolled out of the couch. I couldn’t help but be attuned to Terry’s comfy couched. I quickly got myself ready for work when I saw that I had half an hour to go. Terry offered to give me a ride again, which was sweet of him. He reminded me about the switch thing with our apartment as we hopped on his bike. It might be his plan to tell me then I couldn’t rant on about it with the helmet already on.
When we reached my workplace, I hurriedly took off my helmet to give him a proper reply about our apartment plans.
“If you help me bring some of my things back to your place tonight, you can start staying there for the rest of the week until Ms. Maxwell takes it back when I quit.”
“You got yourself a deal!” he replied enthusiastically, his voice muffled by the helmet he was wearing as he gives me a thumb up in approval.
I chuckled at his reply and gave him a short wave of goodbye as I make my way inside the building. When I entered the lobby, I turned towards the reception desk and saw Danny gawking at me. I gave her a brief wave as greeting in which she replied with a smile and wink. I made my way towards the elevator after our short greeting.
I was in luck when the elevator door opened without me clicking on the call button. I stepped aside as a few people piled out. I lowered my head when I noticed a few board members getting out. When the last man got out, I stepped inside and pressed on the closed button.
“There you are. Why are you late?”
I turned to my left and glanced up in surprise. “What…? When did you…?” I whispered in shock as the elevator closed. I was trapped in the elevator with William. It was not a good sign to start my day.
“Now, tell me. Why are you really quitting?” he asked and got straight to the point.
“I think… I need to… I need to get out. I think I forgot to get something at home…” I stuttered as my nerves crawled up to my vocal cord.
He studied me for a second and raised his eyebrow and question. “So…” He took a cautionary step that had me backing up to the steel wall.
The situation felt so familiar. “Well, if you really want to know so badly.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Fine,” I sighed in defeat and continued on. “I quit because I didn’t want to see you, hear you, or even smell you at all. I had it. I truly just had it with all of you damn Maxwells.”
“Smell?” he interrupted with a snicker.
“I’m not finished, yet,” I warned and glowered at him. “I don’t want to continue whatever it is that I have going on with you. The truth is I’m not even sure myself what I feel about you.”
“Are you done?” he silently asked after I briefly paused.
“No. I think I still have more to say…” I answered pointedly. “Well, I also don’t want to see you anymore. Wait, I already said that… And, oh! I almost forgot! I don’t want to be associated with you anymore in my life, professional or otherwise.”
“Now, are you done?”
“Yes, I think that it all.” I nodded curtly.
“Well, everything you have said isn’t what I wanted to say. Actually, opposite of everything you just said is what I wanted to say,” he countered in the same tone as he took another step closer to me. “Why do you think so negatively of me?”
“Are you really asking me an obvious question?” I snorted and eyed him in disbelief.
“True, I can’t lie to you about that fact, but what about after? You can’t lie and tell me your feelings haven’t changed,” he probed in interest.
“Okay, I’ll give you that… but, so what? That’s the only defense you have? If you bottled up every bad moment we had from the good, I’d have an atomic bomb in my hands.”
He chortled at my words and shook his head in disbelief. “Why do I hear a sense of wavering resolve on your tone?” he asked smugly.
“Oh, Please! You’re reading it too much. You think you have a chance after the stunt you pulled?” I challenged and stood straight to make my point clear.
“Yes, I do believe I have one. If I didn’t, we won’t be having this conversation,” he replied, the end of his lips twitched into a grin.
I felt indifferent on where our conversation was heading. But before I could contradict, he took another step closer to me. In reaction, I slowly took a step back on the cold, steel wall behind me. As it started to get uncomfortable, the elevator door suddenly opened to our floor. I let out a huge sigh of relief that it was over. I thought that I could get away from him but I was at a disadvantage. He grabbed both sides of my shoulder, making me look up at him in surprise.
The next thing I knew his lips were on mine. It’s been awhile since he kissed me. It felt like I had been holding my breath. I couldn’t help the reaction his touch had on my body when my lips responded to his. I let out a soft moan as he pinned me to the cool wall, giving me a slight feverish feel as my skin started to heat up. Like the feeling of our lips weren’t enough, William deepened the kiss as he roughly bit my lips, asking for entrance. In automatic response, I allowed him.
In that moment, I didn’t know where everything started and ended. All I could feel and think of was him. His soft yet rough hands pulled me to his toned chest. His primal kiss and tongue swirling around on my mouth commandingly. His intoxicating scent clouded my mind. He was everywhere.
And then, he was gone. When he took a small step back from me, but remained both hands around my waist. I didn’t know I had closed my eyes the whole time until I opened them to see his liquid, blue eyes. I could hear my ragged breath as I tried to stable my heartbeat.
“Did you think I wouldn’t do this in front of them?” he whispered breathle
ssly, his voice was raspy from our urgent, feverish kiss.
I stiffened from his words and slowly turned towards the opened elevator door, where Maggie and Alexandra stood with their eyes wide open in surprise. And to add my back luck, a few of the board and chair members of the company are with them, too. I mentally cursed at his great timing. Mr. Mogul made another point with an audience.
Forty
I roughly pushed him back as I felt my face flushed. I couldn’t believe that someone witnessed such an intimate moment. But I couldn’t believe that William would do that when he knew a lot of people where present.
“You’re cleaning this mess up,” I grumbled while glancing outside the elevator.
Beside me, I heard his soft snicker. This made me scrunch my eyebrow in annoyance since I couldn’t really yell in front of board members of the company, who looked dumb-founded. I shyly made a quick exit on the lift, ignoring William trailing behind me.
“Andy, I’m glad you are here. Can you take a few more appointments in Maggie’s stead for this Saturday?” Alexandra asked, breaking the thick tension in the room.
“Ah, yes, sure,” I replied shyly as I made my way towards my desk and grabbed the envelope with the list she needed to oversee.
“Thank you,” she said before turning her attention to the group of man in suits, who stood a good distance from my desk. “Well, gentlemen, since my brother is here. Can we start this meeting already?” she asked with fake enthusiasm as she gestured towards William’s office.
I slid down on my chair as I let them walk past me, waiting for the moment that I can be free from all the tension. When I felt rather than noticed William walked past me, I mentally cringed that he might do something unexpected again. I had to double my guard around him.
“You don’t have to be so stiff. We’ve already established what you really feel about me.” William smugly expressed as he stopped on my desk before entering his office.
I was about to glare at him, but he had already continued walking towards his office. On the desk across, I left Maggie’s eyes on me. I glanced at her direction in instinct.
“On his behalf, I apologize for his behavior,” she said shyly. “But don’t be so put out with him. I’ll let you in on a secret. You’re the first girl William kissed with that many people around,” she added in a whisper, but loud enough for me to hear.
I couldn’t help but blush from her words. I gave her a stiff smile in reply. How was I supposed to respond to that? After that awkward conversation, I turned back to the list of appointments I had to attend. I felt relieved that I wouldn’t be stuck in the office for the rest of the day. I felt paranoid every time William and I are in the same room.
On my ride back down to the lobby, my thoughts couldn’t help but be reminded on what had happened inside this four, steel wall a few minutes ago. I felt another wave of cold and warmth rose throughout my body. I shivered slightly at the memory and shoved it at the back of my head. He couldn’t distract me today.
I felt relieved that the rest of the meetings went smoothly without interruptions. I wanted to treat myself out for dinner after a tiresome day work. I didn’t plan on going back to the office at all, knowing who would be waiting for me. As I got out on my last meeting for today, which is the catering service, I couldn’t hold in my surprise at the person standing outside the main entrance.
“For the love of God! Would you please stop following me?” I yelled in frustration after recovering from my initial shock.
He gave me a coy smile. “Are you done? I’ve been waiting here for like ten to fifteen minutes already.”
I scowled at him and kept a good distance. “What are you doing here? I won’t ask how you found me since I can see Mark in the driver’s seat.”
“I know you are done with your work, and you’re free tonight,” he started shyly. His voice somehow lost its confidence.
“How can you be sure I’m free?”
“I’ve already asked everyone, just to make sure.”
“You asked… Wait, who did you asked about my availability?” I asked, dumb-founded by his preparedness.
“Your father, your friend, Maggie… I think that’s about the amount of people in your life that you can have plans for tonight.” He replied confidently.
“You make me sound so… anti-social…” I grumbled softly to myself.
“Since you don’t have any plans, you can’t really refuse to have dinner with me tonight,” he pointed out. “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”
I looked him in confusion. He couldn’t be asking me out nicely this time. Though the first part had a little controlling issue; but still, he took my advice about asking nicely.
“How long are you going to stand there like a statue? You know I don’t have that much temperament with waiting…” he grumbled in annoyance after a brief silence.
My thought about him turning a new leaf was gone. “And, you just have to break the mood like that…”
“Can you just get in the car? This talking and waiting is making me hungry,” he gestured towards the already opened door.
“And, why would I do that? I didn’t even say yes.” I stubbornly stomped my feet on the ground to prove my point.
With a defeated sigh, he finally closed the distance between us and grabbed my arm. I staggered a little as he tugged me towards the car. My body froze in shock at his impatient action.
“Wait! Wait!” I finally snapped out of it and pulled my arm away from his hold. “Could you wait for a second? You don’t have to be so pushy.”
“Are you seriously trying to test me right now?”
“No, not really. I’m only reacting instinctively from your freaking arrogant attitude,” I replied in a dead tone as I glared at him in challenge.
For a second, we stood chest to chest, a centimeter apart with our eyes lock on each other. The tension had become palpable by the minute. Finally, I had to break the chain or we’ll be standing there for hours and I don’t want that to happen. My stomach had already growled from hunger.
“You’re buying me two burgers and fries. I don’t want to eat anything classy tonight,” I almost growled the words out from the still lingering anger that bubbled inside of me.
He raised his eyebrow but otherwise didn’t say anything to my suggestion. He nodded and took a small step back to give me space to enter the car. I couldn’t believe I’m letting him take me to dinner tonight. After all the things we been through, I should be slapping and kicking the man into a pulp. But no, I was stupid.
I was glad that the drive was short even though it’s rush hour. When we reached the fast food chain, Mark parked the car near the entrance. I didn’t wait for anyone to open my door. As Mark turned off the ignition, I opened the door and jumped down. I caught a glimpse of William’s startled face before I closed the door.
“If you’re going to sit there all night, I’m just going to go in and eat by myself,” I called as I eyed the dark tinted window, only seeing William’s silhouette.
I didn’t wait for his reply and quickly made my way inside. The fast food chain wasn’t as packed as I expected it to be, which was a good thing. The last time I brought William with me, he was having a hard time blending in.
I studied the short line in front of the counter and stood towards the queue that only had one person. While I waited for the person in front to finish ordering, I studied to overhead menu.
“You could have waited a few seconds…” William suddenly murmured behind me, making me turn around at the sound of his voice.
I didn’t give him the pleasure of arguing and turned around to study the overhead menu board.
“What’s good to eat here?” he softly asked beside me after a short pause.
“The menu is right there. You can pick anything you like,” I replied sarcastically.
“I can see that… But I haven’t really eaten something like this before…” he admitted shyly.
I looked at him with wide
eyes. It wasn’t a surprise to know that this might be his first time here but hearing him say it is another thing.
“You can have the salad and the chicken burger… if you like. They’re good,” I suggested as the man in front of me finished ordering and paid to the cashier.
“Okay, I’ll have those then…” He nodded.
I gave the cashier our order when it was our turn. It took her a moment to register what I said after her eyes landed on William. When I got back her attention, her stare towards me became less welcoming when I approached her.
“How much would that be?” William asked after I finished telling her our order.
The girl cashier turned towards William with a beaming smile and willingly gave him a reply. I watched them interact for a second until she gave us a number to wait on. I got it and walked away from the counter, not waiting for William to get the receipt and his change.
I found a good place to seat, which was by a window. William followed a few second later. I didn’t glance up when he sat down across from me.
“So, you’re just going to start ignoring me?” he asked in a conversational manner.
I looked at him from the tone of voice, shocked to hear that he didn’t sound pissed at all. But before I could give him a reply, a waiter approached us and placed our order in the table. From then on, it was hard to start a conversation with him as the place slowly started to pack with people. I was glad that no one seemed to notice us.
“I think we should get going…” I stated and scanned the busy room.
William nodded in agreement and slid out of the booth awkwardly. I watched with amusement but didn’t comment. As we got out, I remembered the two other men with us. I froze for a second as I watched the driver’s door open.
“Have you guys eaten?” I asked worriedly and looked back at the interior of the fast food chain, the line in the register wasn’t that long.
“We are good, Ms. Peterson.” Mark replied with a small smile.
“Shall we go now?” William interjected and opened the door for me.