Angel (NSC Industries) (6 page)

“Oh
wow, I’m so glad you invited him Olivia. I wonder what he could do with those
hands… those large calloused hands?” she sighed dreamily.

“Down
girl!” I chuckled.

Pulling
up an extra chair, Bert placed himself between me and Leah. “Ladies” he said
with a smile and a sweep of eyes, pausing ever so slightly at Leah.

 
It
looks like the feelings mutual.

“Hi
Beef,” I smiled “this is Grace and Josh” I introduced, gesturing to each of
them. “And this is Leah” I added with a grin.

Taking
Leah’s hand, he gently placed a kiss on the back of it. “Hello, Leah” he said
to her with a soft smile. “Hi” she purred, “pleasure to meet you Bert.”

Turning
Leah’s hand over, he placed a kiss into the palm “Oh, the pleasures all mine,
Sweetheart” he whispered with a wink.

I
slapped his arm and chuckled, “You smooth thing” I beamed at him.

Josh
stood from his chair next to mine and informed us he was popping to the ‘little
boy’s room’ and to my utter horror Peterson sank down in the vacated seat.

“Evening
everybody” he grinned, looking at us all in turn. Everybody seemed stunned to
silence but we all nodded a greeting to him.

Grace
gave me a questioning look, her eyes wide as she stared at Peterson then back
to me.

I
could smell him from his close proximity, and from the alcoholic stench of his
breath I wondered if he’d had a few sneaky whiskies in his office. He already
looked half pissed and he was holding what looked like another triple shot of
the strong liquor.

Nudging
his chair closer to mine, he tipped his glass to me “A toast to Olivia’s first
week!” Everybody followed suit and raised their glasses to salute me. 

Josh
returned to the table, giving Peterson a severe frown and found a spare chair,
depositing his backside in it with a forceful huff. “How nice of you to join us,
Mr Peterson” he stated sarcastically.

 Peterson,
oblivious to Josh’s sardonic statement said to us all, but staring at me
“Please call me Simon when were out of the office. We’re all friends out of
hours” he placed his hand on mine.

Gagging,
I slipped my hand away and Bert leaned in to me. “You want me to warn him off,
sugar?” he asked me, giving Peterson an angry glare.

“It’s
okay, Beef. I’m gonna nut him if he carries on.  But thanks for the offer” I
whispered back to him.

He
threw his head back and barked out a loud laugh. “Go for it Girl, that’s
something everyone at NSC would pay to see” he winked at me and then turned his
attention back to Leah, who seemed thrilled with his attentiveness.

“Seconds
anybody?” I asked the table when I’d finished my glass. Everybody slid their
glasses towards me.

“Good
job you can keep up with us all, Olivia” Grace smiled at me.

“I’m
hoping you can all keep up with me” I answered back to her with a smile of my
own as I picked up everybody’s glasses and made my way over to get the refills.

As
I leant over the bar to give the barman my order, I felt a hand rest at the low
of my back and a hot breath at my neck. “Olivia, Olivia, Olivia” Peterson
slurred, now obviously well sloshed “Let me buy you a drink.” Making me flinch,
he snorted and added “You need to loosen up, sweetheart. I bet you’re sooo much
fun when you let go and open those tight thighs of yours.”

Raising
his eyebrows at me, the barman coughed when he handed me the drinks, and gave
me a dumbfounded shake of his head as he took the twenty I offered him.

Waiting
until he returned with my change, I turned to look at Peterson. “Mr Peterson” I
started firmly “as much as I find your attention to me fascinating, I would
like to
REPEAT
that I never have and never will have
ANY
sort of relationship with a colleague. If I have to remind you of this again,
then you give me no option but to report your inappropriate behaviour towards a
work colleague, to Mr Briggs.”

Picking
up the drinks, I turned my back on him and returned back to the table. The
group gave me encouraging smiles as I gave them all their drinks and sat back
down in my chair.

Grace
mouthed “Well done sweetie.” and Bert lifted his glass, winked at me and said to
us all “To Olivia and her tight thighs” much to everyone’s amusement, including
my own.

The
next three months passed in a blur and I settled into my roll at NSC with much
enthusiasm.

I
loved my job and found that I was enjoying the challenge of its workload more
than I’d anticipated.

Peterson
had backed off but continued to call me ‘Miss Adams’ and had adopted a rather
stern, angry manner with me. Every day was often accompanied with a shout or a
disciplinary comment to me, but I preferred him this way than the leering,
creepy boss he could be. I could cope with shouting and antagonism much better
than over friendly, improper remarks.

It
was the first day of summer and I was already running late for work. My car had
started playing up for the last few weeks and sometimes took over twenty minutes
for me to get her going.

This
morning was no exception and I’d been banging my hand on the steering wheel for
the last fifteen minutes, begging her to take pity on me and start up.

When
I finally got the engine running, I noticed a ladder in my stockings. “Fuck
me!” I screeched running back in the house to change them. I was wearing my
favourite black and white checked dress, which was rather tight, so I say
running, but shuffling would have been a better description.

When
I returned to the car, the bloody thing had conked out again so it took another
ten minutes to splutter her back to life.

Making
a quick pit stop to the bakery as it was Friday, I pulled into the NSC car park
exactly thirty five minutes late.

Rapidly
climbing out of my car with the pastries, grabbing my paperwork out of the boot
and running across the tarmac, my phone started ringing.

Trying
to balance everything in one arm, I answered the phone flustered. “Hello,
Olivia darling?” my mother’s voice came through the earpiece. “Yes mum, it’s
me. What’s wrong?” I asked, sensing her flapping about on the other end.

“Just
ringing to let you know that Matt’s been sent home from school early cause he’s
been ill, so I’ve got him here with me” she told me.

Running
up the NSC steps to the front doors, Bert grabbed the pastry I held for him
under my chin and opened me the doors with a big smile as we mouthed a ‘hi’ to
each other.

“Right
okay mum, thanks for letting me know. I’ve got to go, I’m late for the second
time this week and my boss is not gonna be happy” I quickly ended the call.

With
my head down, juggling my paperwork and pastries, whilst trying to put my phone
in my bag, I bumped smack bang into a group of suited men.

“Fuck,
shit, bugger” I exclaimed on a hiss as I squatted down to pick up all my
scattered paperwork.

“Miss
Adams!” Peterson shouted “Late again? That’s twice this week!” he bellowed
angrily.

Still
crouched on the floor I groaned inwardly and spun on my heels to look at him.
“I’m so sorry, Mr Peterson. I’ve been having trouble with my car this week. I got
here as soon as could” I apologised with a grimace.

“Well
fucking hurry up woman” he snarled.

Nodding
quickly I turned back and slammed my face straight into a man’s groin. “Bollocks!”
I wheezed.

Peterson
tutted and one of the other men snickered as I quickly stood up. “Oh My God,
I’m so sorry Sir” I muttered, without removing my gaze from the floor.

Highly
embarrassed, I refused to look up and I heard the man take a sharp inhale of
breath.

“Liv?”

Oh
Jesus Fucking Christ!

 
Raising my face slowly, I also took a sharp breath. My blood pounded in my
ears, my legs vibrated and my hands started sweating as my heart stuttered
wildly in my chest.

My
eyes slowly reached his, the pure bright, blue beautiful eyes that never left
my memory.

My
lips parted and I struggled to breathe as his eyes surveyed mine. Time seemed
to stop as we stood intently looking at each other.

“Liv”
he breathed, as his hand reached towards me and then dropped back down to his
side, as though he wanted to touch me but changed his mind.

“Nate”
I croaked, my mouth suddenly seriously dry.

He
shook his head slightly as though to clear his mind. “Jesus, Liv. I… I...” he
murmured, “I… Wow, you look great” he finally said as a smile grew on his face
and his gaze roamed over me.

“You
too” I managed.

The
man stood beside Nate coughed and raised his eyebrows at him as he looked back
and forth between us.

Nate
cleared his throat and grinned mischievously at me again. “I should’ve
recognised you when your head was in my lap” he smirked mischievously.

Laughing,
I shook my head at him. “You should recognise every contour of the back of my
head, Nate” I shot back with a grin of my own.

I
heard Peterson snort and Nate’s sidekick chuckle, “but, seriously, it’s good to
see you” I continued.

He
looked really
good. He was wearing an Armani dark grey suit with
a crisp white shirt and pale blue tie. The suit fitted his frame as though it
had been specifically made for him.

He
still had the same head full of blonde curls and his chin was still square, but
was now peppered with a dusting of stubble. His beautiful eyes were now
partnered with a few laughter lines and his body still had the same hardness,
the same muscled physique I had loved all those years ago.

He
was still a very beautiful man… just Wow.

Peterson
huffed at me, reminding me I was already in trouble. “Well, work to do” I said
with a disappointing smile, “Take care, Nate” I said softly as I started
walking away.

Nate
gave me a puzzled look and grabbed my arm. “How about I buy you lunch and we
can catch up properly?” he asked, vaguely cocking his head to one side.

“I’d
love to Nate, but I’ll have to work through my lunch cos’ I’m late today” I
apologised.

Nate
turned to Peterson frowning “Oh, I’m sure Simon can manage without you for an
hour. Can’t you Simon?”

Peterson
nodded and smiled, “Of course. Olivia, you must still take your lunch break
even though you’re running late” he informed me, giving me an obnoxious glare.

“Great!”
Nate declared “I’ll meet you in the foyer about 12.30 Liv, okay?”

Flustered,
I nodded my agreement and hurried through the building, stepping into the
already waiting elevator.

Leaning
against the thankfully, empty elevator wall, I slid down to the floor, trying
to control my breathing.

“Holy
shit” I rasped.

My
heart was racing and I rushed to the bathroom as soon as the lift doors opened.

Splashing
my face with cold water, I looked at my ruffled reflection and repeated my
earlier sentiment “What the Hell, Liv?”

I
sat on the loo, locked the door and tried to fathom out what had just happened.

I
hadn’t seen Nate for twenty years, and then he just turned up at my workplace,
and was friends with my arrogant boss.

I
couldn’t picture the two of them as friends. At university, Nate had hated
people like Peterson.

 He
was always the first to stick up for the poor sap that ‘The Petersons’ of this
world were bullying. Not thinking twice about smacking the nasty sods in the
face. 

That’s
what I had fallen in love with, the sensitive, gentle side that he had. Although
at the same time he had a dangerous edge to him that told people not to mess
with him.

The
bathroom door opened and I heard someone come in. “Olivia?” Grace’s voice asked
“you okay sweetie? You looked a bit miffed when you exited the elevator.”

Straightening
myself out, I plastered a smile on my face and opened the cubicle door to greet
her. “Morning Grace” I said, “yes I’m fine thanks, just running a bit late… again.
Peterson was in reception and gave me a fucking… again!”

I
picked my things up from the vanity and waved the breakfast goods under her
nose before I walked off towards our work area.

Following
swiftly behind me she grumbled “He’s really got it in for you, hasn’t he. Mind
you, I don’t think anybody has ever turned him down before.”

Trying
to open the food containers, she added “I think you wounded his pride sweetie”
she laughed.

“Well,
it was either his pride or his dick” I laughed back.

The
morning dragged and I kept glancing at the clock. Grace caught me a couple of
times and after spotting me for the sixth time she turned to me. “You expecting
something Olivia?” she asked with a frown.

“Nope,”
I replied “just wishing for my lunch hour to hurry up. I’m famished” I added
turning away so she couldn’t see my blush.

By
12.15 I was a dithering wreck. My heart rate had sped up, my hands were shaking
and I couldn’t concentrate on my work.

Peterson
leant over my desk with a strange look on his face. “Olivia, because you
arrived late this morning and you are
still
having a lunch break, I
would be grateful if you could stay behind later and make up your hours” he
said, looking extremely irritated.

“Sure,
of course Mr Peterson” I replied warily, wondering what else he was going to
say.

He
narrowed his eyes and stared at me for a few moments but huffed and walked off,
leaving Grace giving me a quizzical look. Shrugging my shoulders at her, I went
to the bathroom to check my hair and make-up and made my way downstairs.

 As
I exited the elevator, I saw him, leaning against the main reception desk,
talking to Miss Wet Kipper. She was laughing with him and touching his arm, flinging
her hair back and giving him a dazzling smile.

As
if he sensed me approach, Nate looked over to me. His eyes skimmed over me and
came to rest on my face. A slow, sexy smile covered his face making my breath
hitch as so many memories of that smile flooded back, heating my insides.

I
returned his smile as I walked over to him. “Hi” he said gently as he bent to
kiss my cheek, inhaling my scent as he did.

“Hi”
I returned, catching the same unique smell, that was always with him; musk,
touch of spice and lots of raw male. 

He
grunted a “goodbye” to a very stunned Miss Wet Kipper as he took my hand and
hastily led me out of the building.

A
black Jag XJ was waiting at the entrance doors with a suited man stood at the
rear door.

“Have
a nice lunch, Olivia” Bert shouted to me as I drew near the car. Feeling
awkward I turned to smile at him and mouthed my thanks as Nate’s hand tightened
its grip in mine.

The
suited man opened the rear door for us and I climbed in. “Thanks Blake. Benny’s,
please” Nate said as he clambered in beside me. 

When
the door was shut, he turned to me and grabbed my hand again. His other hand
came up to caress my cheek. “God Liv, it’s been forever” he said with a sad
smile and I tilted my face into his hand.

 “Too
long” I sighed, closing my eyes and cherishing his touch.

His
thumb started stroking my cheek bone and then slowly skated down to my bottom
lip. Catching my breath, I placed my hand over his as a forbidden tear trickled
down my face.

He
caught it with his thumb and placed it on his lips. “Oh, Baby” he exhaled and
pulled me onto his lap, wrapping me in his arms and tenderly stroking my back.

It
was like the last twenty years hadn’t been, as though it was just the day after
he left and my whole body roared to life at his touch as my soul coupled with
its mate. 

“What
happened to us, Liv?” he asked, resting his chin on top of my head.

Frowning,
I pulled away and slid back over to my seat. I couldn’t believe I had melted
into him within the first ten minutes of being back with him.

Our
lives were different now and things were not the same.

“Lots
of things have happened to us, Nate” I uttered solemnly, looking away from him
and out of the window.

“Liv?”
he questioned. “Liv?” he asked again when I didn’t respond.

I
turned to look at him, my eyes full of unshed tears. “Why didn’t you answer
your phone whenever I called?” he probed as he looked into my eyes, his own
full of sadness and longing “Why didn’t you write back? I sent you letter after
letter but you never replied. I even came down from Scotland to see you but you
had moved house, just… just gone.”