Craving The CEO: An Office Romance Page 13

  She is stunning, more than words can express and I can’t help but feel the warm effect of this intense attraction simmering through my veins. It especially makes what I have intended to say to her quite difficult, and makes me wonder if perhaps I am deluding myself.

  “Thank you,” she says shyly. “For helping me out today. You always somehow end up putting out the fires that I start.”

  “It’s my job to put out the fires,” I respond. “Plus, you were already doing pretty well. A little more experience and you will be perfectly fine on your own.”

  “Thank you,” she replies, and then after a second of thought, she adds a ‘sir’.

  It is unbeknown to her the perfect segue into the talk that I truly want to have with her. “Blair.”

  She lifts her gaze from her half eaten plate of Arborio rice and pomodoro sauce “Yes, sir?”

  “When it’s just us together, I don’t think it’s appropriate to call me that.”

  She stares at me as she chews slowly, and then lowers her gaze so she can swallow. Then she lifts her glass of wine to her lips.

  “Do you want to keep working at FireEye?” I ask her.

  At the question, she almost completely spits out the wine.

  There’s a slight spill down her chin so I pass a napkin over which she uses to cover her mouth in amusement.

  “What?” I ask.

  She quickly tries to compose herself. “I’m sorry,” she says. “Ignore me.”

  I think back to what I said and can’t really see why she became so amused. So I lean back and wait for her episode of amusement to pass. When it does, I make a face in demand for an explanation.

  “I’m sorry,” she repeats, finally composed once again. “It’s just the way you started that statement... it sounded as though you were about to blackmail me for something. My reaction is silly, I apologize.”

  I can’t help the curve of my lips. “Well, maybe I do want to blackmail you.”

  Her smile turns shy. “Alright,” she says. “Let’s hear the details of this blackmail. What do you have against me, and what is the ransom?”

  “Let’s make this... thing between us somewhat official,” I say. “How far do you want us to go?”

  The smile slowly seeps out of her face. “Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?”

  “I need to know what your expectations are, so that things can be managed from the start.”

  She lifts her glass and empties the wine. “I don’t have any,” she replies. “In fact, I would prefer that we just maintain a professional relationship. We have slipped up twice but I think we can both come to a consensus that it won’t happen again.”

  I’m surprised at her response, but also do not fail to notice that she doesn’t properly look me in the eyes. I realize what’s happening. “What are you defensive about?” I ask. “Did I say something offensive?”

  Her smile is tight. “Of course not, sir.”

  “Don’t call me sir,” I say. “Not while we’re here. Not while we’re like this.”

  She holds my gaze. “What should I call you then?”

  “Don’t you know my name?”

  A heavy silence floats between us.

  “Okay,” she says and adjusts her posture.

  “Relax,” I tell her. “We’re speaking plainly, like two adults who so happen to be immensely attracted to each other.”

  “Alright, Grady,” she says.

  I get straight to the point. “I don’t want a relationship, but I don’t want us to be strangers either. We work together, and will be spending a lot of time together, so let’s make this friendly and simple. How does this offer sound?”

  She cocks her head. “Wow, you really are a businessman.”

  I don’t have a response for that so I just watch her.

  “I’ll think about it,” she says. “When I make my decision then I’ll let you know what it is.”

  Heat kindles in the pit of my stomach at the defiance in her tone, whether intentional or otherwise. Truthfully, I’m beginning to suspect that beyond the physical connection between us, what I really want no matter how brief is her intimate presence in my life. Admitting this though causes alarm bells to sound through me but I don’t give them any attention. Once in a while, a change in one’s convention I believe is beneficial. “Alright,” I reply, and we continue on cordially with the rest of our dinner.

  Chapter Thirty

  Blair

  I’m not sure how I feel.

  Perhaps this is because his proposition is in an unknown territory for me so at the sudden and now very real possibility of it, I can’t help but shrink away or as he caught on, to latch onto his words in search of something to find an offense with.

  Or perhaps twice is my mental limit of having a sexual tryst without the establishment of some sort of commitment, because the notion of constantly and intentionally offering myself to him without any affectionate attachments whatsoever is too cheap a trade for me to buy into. In fact, the very thought of it renders me incapable of enjoying the rest of my meal which is a shame because the fettuccine and sauce that comes with my meal are especially exquisite.

  Instead of the usually charged thrill of being in his presence, I now feel a certain sort of dread and discomfort that I can’t explain so I’m glad when it all eventually comes to an end.

  Together, we walk to the entrance of the restaurant and by the time we arrive, I realize that it’s raining. I love the rain, so I take the time to watch its consistent stream, and welcome the coolness that its downpour brings to the night.

  And that is when I receive the call.

  It’s Layne, so I’m happy to receive it, near desperate for a quick reprieve from the internal turmoil of my current emotional state. I already have my bone of contention ready to be stated to her. I want him, but I’m completely terrified of so easily giving myself to him. We would probably both thoroughly enjoy our time together but I have the nagging feeling that at the end of it all, I’ll be the one left heartbroken.

  “Hello?” I answer but I don’t get a response. “Hello? Layne.”

  “Let’s go,” Grady says to me as he accepts the umbrella and keys that the valet has just brought over.

  “Layne!” I somewhat yell into the phone.

  And then I hear her soft groans and labored breathing.

  “Blair,” she struggles to speak. “I c-called 911. I don’t feel good and I’m scared. Please come to the hospital…” Her voice cracks. “I-I don’t want to be alone.”

  My entire body goes numb with fear. “I’ll be right there!” I swear to her, my brain muddled in panic. “Where... w-where is it? What hospital are they taking you to?”

  “I’m in the ambulance. We’re driving to the hospital. We’re going ….” She pauses.

  I hear her efforts to inhale. “Layne, what’s happening? How much pain are you in?”

  “The baby’s fine,” she answers wrongly. “They told me that he’ll be fine.”

  “Layne what hospital? Please uh... g-give the phone to the paramedic.”

  “We’re going to Saint Joseph,” I hear the paramedic say aloud and that is all the info I need to move. I turn around and only then do I realize Grady is holding onto my arm. I see the concern in his eyes at my panic, but I don’t have the time to address it.

  “I need to get a cab,” I tell him. “My sister’s in the hospital. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I start to hurry off into the rain but suddenly there’s a strong arm around my waist. It forces me to a stop and then an umbrella comes over my head.”

  “Hey!” I begin to protest as I turn around to meet his dark gaze.

  “I’ll take you there.”

  It suddenly hits me then that he has a car, but for some reason I never thought to solicit his help. Tears fill my eyes. “Okay. Thank you.” I nod in gratitude and hurry with him towards his waiting car.

  Fifteen minutes later, we arrive at the Emergency Room at Saint Joseph and are promptly directed to the multi-
patient room that she has been moved to.

  We are soon able to locate her amidst the other ER patients and find a nurse administering an IV to her.

  I immediately hurry over, trying my best to keep calm but it’s nearly impossible.

  “Is she all right?’’ I ask the moment I reach the nurse. I look down at my sister and see that she’s sleeping. “How is she doing?” I ask after introducing myself as her relative.

  “She’s doing okay,” the nurse answers. “The doctor has examined her and says that it’s uterine fibroids.”

  My heart contracts. “What about her baby?”

  “Her doctor’s ordered a couple of tests and after they come in, then the diagnosis will be made. For now though, her baby is doing okay. Fibroids are not unusual with pregnancy and can be appropriately handled if they are found to be threatening. So for now, he has told her to focus on resting. We have administered a mild pain medication to help her relax, so she will be able to calmly pass the night.”

  Suddenly, I feel a warm hand on my arm and immediately relax into the body behind it. I don’t need to turn around to meet his gaze, so I shamelessly accept the momentary consolation so that I can get myself together.

  “She’ll be fine,” he says softly to me. “Breathe.”

  Seeing my sister lying on the bed, unmoving and unconscious brings back the devastating memories of the time we had lost our mother.

  One minute I was extracting my DNA during science class in the eighth grade, then in the next, I was getting the call that I no longer had her.

  The possibility of that nightmare happening again suddenly makes it too difficult to breathe, so I turn around and slide my arms around his waist.

  His strong sturdy frame is all that I need right now, and he doesn’t stop me. His arms come around my shoulders and hold me close as tears burn my eyes. Soon, I’m able to catch my breath and rein in my emotions so I pull away from him. But I keep my puffy eyes lowered to the ground and hidden as I turn back to my sister. Leaning forward, I place a soft kiss on her cheek and my hand on her belly. I think then of her husband... and wonder if I should call him? But he is so far away and the last thing I want to do is torment him with the news when he can do so little or absolutely nothing at this moment.

  Grady’s hand interlinks with mine and it makes me turn my attention to him.

  “Let’s get you something to drink,” he says.

  I’m reluctant to leave. After reassuring me however that we will return soon, I give one last look to my resting sister and follow him out of the room.

  All I can stomach is water and by the time I’ve consumed two full bottles of it, I feel somewhat consoled.

  I don’t want to head over to the room just yet, so we find the waiting room and settle down beside each other.

  I’m exhausted from the strenuous day, and the emotional toil of the evening.

  So, I can’t help it then when I accept my body’s desperate call for a rest and proceed to place my head on his shoulder. His pats on my arm are gentle and coaxing and soon enough I drift into a restless but exhausted sleep.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Grady

  I listen to the gentle but sometimes restless rhythm of her breathing, and can’t help but feel sympathy for her. Her intention no doubt had been to briefly shut her eyes for a quick rest, but instead she had slipped right into slumber. Either way, I am relieved.

  It does worry me though that her head is on the muscled edge of my shoulder which I imagine is not very comfortable, but it has been barely half an hour since she started sleeping and the last thing I want to do is wake her up.

  As I worry about it, she begins to move uncomfortably and unconsciously, so I put my arms around her shoulders. She is now nestled in my arms and I can see that it helps her to relax a bit better. I turn my attention to my phone and with my free hand, settle into concluding my work for the rest of the day. I go through my urgent emails and manage to respond to all of them before she wakes up again.

  She’s startled as her eyes flutter open, especially at the position she now finds herself in. “I’m sorry,” she mumbles half coherently.

  I shake my head.

  She takes a moment to regain her wits and then rises to her feet.

  My attention is back on my phone but it’s quite difficult I realize to fight the impulse to watch her.

  “I’ll go check on my sister,” she says and begins to walk away.

  I also rise to my feet and head over to the main desk to sort out her sister’s private room. By the time it’s ready, my phone begins to ring, so I pick it up the moment I see it’s Blair.

  “Did you leave yet?” she asks.

  “No,” I reply. “I’m just downstairs.”

  “Alright,” she says. “I’m so sorry about taking your time tonight. I know more than anyone, just how insane your schedule is for tomorrow.

  “That’s alright,” I reply.

  Her response is a long, heavy sigh.

  “I’ll take you home,” I tell her. “Leave your sister to rest. You can be with her when she wakes up in the morning.”

  “No, I'm worried that she’ll wake up in the middle of the night and find herself alone. I’ll stay here with her and don’t worry about work. I’ll make sure to be in on time.”

  “There’s no need to come in tomorrow,” I tell her. “I’ll get a temp to handle your work for the day.”

  She takes a moment to consider this. “Just for the morning. I’ll be in by 11 AM at the latest, and right before the meeting with West Aurora. You need the report from the DDoS attack and I'm not done proofing it. I will make sure that it’s sent to you on time.”

  I pause for a second before speaking again, this time extremely calmly so that it will somewhat reassure her, “Blair, you’re currently dealing with a family emergency. Take the time you need to handle it and then return to work. This doesn’t affect your perceived performance at the office in any way, so don’t be nervous.”

  She releases a deep breath. “Okay then. I’ll be an irresponsible employee for the second time this week and take tomorrow off. I will still get the report sent to you in the morning, so please check your email for it. I’ll call you to also remind you.”

  “Alright.”

  “Also, I’ll be on standby tomorrow so don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything. I’ll be here with her but I have my laptop at home, so I’ll still be able to get anything that you need done.”

  “Sure,” I reply, and can’t help the smile that comes to my face. We both know that I won’t contact her but if accepting her diligence makes her feel better, I cooperate with it.

  The call comes to an end and I fully cover her sister’s bill. I want to stay a bit longer to ensure that they have all they need, but the special consideration feels a bit unsettling to me, so I make up my mind to head home.

  Later that night, I can’t help thinking of her. I wonder how her sister is doing and if she has settled into her private room. I also wonder about Blair and if the extra bedding and blankets I ordered so that she can pass the night there as comfortably as possible have been delivered.

  The light in my room is currently turned off, so the space is cast in a dimness that is only slightly illuminated by the moonlight through the glass doors and balcony beyond.

  My gaze hasn’t move away from my phone on the nightstand. I have expected it to light up for the last few hours, with the expectation that she would contact me to question or refuse the gesture of getting them a private room.

  However, nothing has come in which makes me worry that perhaps the service wasn’t given to them? Or maybe she outrightly rejected it?

  I turn to my side and wonder about why I feel so restless. The covers are over me, so I throw them aside and shut my eyes to catch some much needed sleep.

  However, I can’t help but think back to the different sides of her that I have seen today. From her nervousness with the new clients to her initial shyness during our dinner. Th
en her withdrawal after my proposition and her panic at her sister’s illness. She had seemed so terrified that it made me wonder if perhaps she had experienced something like this in the past.

  She’d mentioned her father’s death so maybe that’s it. But then there is also her mother whom I haven’t heard a single word about.

  Blair herself just seems to pull me in and I acknowledge now that a relationship with her no matter how brief and casual will be rewarding.

  Refusing to ponder any further, I put her out of my mind and try to get some sleep, but then the massive bed suddenly feels too empty to me. Then I can’t stop myself from imagining what it would feel like to have her in it. To have her under me and her hands gripping my sheets.

  The very vivid memories immediately return and although it was not my bedroom, we have slept together on a bed before… the first time we met.

  “Fuck!” I curse with irritation at my wandering thoughts. Getting a boner right now is the last thing I need. Lifting my pillow, I brutally bury my head underneath and this time around, I employ all my willpower into pushing her out of my mind.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Blair

  “He got us the room?”

  I nod in response as I bite into the McGriddles that Layne and I are having for breakfast.

  “I would have rejected it but he’d already left, and it was just too late to put up a fuss. So I’ll just reimburse the cost to him.”

  Leaning forward, Layne grabs my wrist so she can guide the last bite of my breakfast to her mouth.

  “Hey!” I frown at her lifelong habit of stealing my food but can’t exactly get truly mad, given her current state. With a sigh, I clean my hands and hers with some wet tissues. I take all the emptied packets and bags to the trash can in the corner.

  Then I return to sit on her bed. “How are you feeling?” I ask.

  “Great,” she answers, “but back to your boss. Why do you have to reimburse him? Did he ask you to do that?”