Authors: CJ Laurence
Monday morning, I sat at my desk, watching time tick by as Paul still hadn’t arrived. Just after ten, he marched through the door, barely muttering a greeting before shutting himself in his office.
I began to panic, wondering if it was something I’d done because we’d not spoken over the weekend. I wanted to text him but knowing his usual weekend activities had refrained me from wanting to crowd him too much.
He opened his door several tension filled minutes later. “Have you got a minute?”
I nodded, my heart pounding against my ribs. He shut the door behind me, the definitive click cutting through our silence.
He turned to me, his features blank. “Why didn’t you call me over the weekend?”
My mouth dropped open. “I didn’t want to demand your time when I know you’re…otherwise engaged.”
He let out a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry. I’m a bit stressed. It’s been a long weekend.”
“Oh. Okay.”
An uncomfortable feeling began to flourish inside me before he strode towards me, cupping my face and planting his lips on mine. Such passion flowed from him it took my breath away. I couldn’t help but succumb to his need of me. My hands found their home on his chest, clutching at him for support as he swept me off my feet and onto cloud nine.
He broke our embrace after a minute or so and rested his forehead against mine. “That was all I needed all weekend.”
His words surged hot tingling hope through me. Once again, I became lost in the complications of us. Not even thinking of Scott, optimism started rising in me that maybe we could go somewhere.
“Why didn’t you call me, then?” I asked.
“I wanted to, I really did.”
“But you still didn’t.”
He closed his eyes. “It’s complicated, Ky…”
I sighed, stepping back from him. “Isn’t it always with you?”
We stared at each other for a few seconds before he reached for me. His fingers grappled with the buttons on my shirt, and I dug my hands into his trousers. Our lips met in a clash of desire as we gave in to our frantic need of each other. He gasped, moaning against my lips when I took hold of him. He pushed my bra out of the way and caressed my chest, potent throbs tingling all over me. I groaned as his touch reconnected with me. I had missed this more than I realised.
“Is Paul in?”
I froze at the sound of Mr. Collins’s voice coming from outside. Fear coursed through me at the realisation of being caught.
Paul’s lips brushed against my ear, whispering, “We’ll be fine. Trust me.”
Just as I debated my options, the door burst open. Mr. Collins took one look at us before closing the door and announcing Paul wasn’t in his office.
I shot Paul a confused look. “What the…?”
“He has an announcement to make.”
Adrenaline surged through me, wonderment grasping me. “What?”
“I’m no longer a director.”
I gasped, horror and panic filling me at the thought of not seeing him every day. “What? Why?”
He chuckled. “I’m now co-owner. Majority shareholder to be exact. My parents and I bought out seventy per cent of his business and I’m now at the helm.”
***
After the official announcement had been made to the other directors, Mr. Collins and Paul made their way downstairs to tell the rest of the staff. It was another agonising hour before he came back upstairs so I could interrogate him. Unfortunately, as I dashed through his door, Mr. Collins followed.
He shot me a distasteful glare before settling a hardened stare on Paul. “May I suggest you refrain from fraternising with the staff, Paul.”
Paul cleared his throat. “Mick, I suggest you be very careful before treading along this road.”
“Considering I’m still an owner of this company, I suggest you listen to me. I built this company up with my bare hands. Getting involved with staff is not a clever idea. Especially staff like her.”
Paul glared at Mr. Collins, his jaw clenching and a muscle twitching in his cheek. Anger oozed from every pore. Several seconds ticked by. I wanted to cringe with the growing tension between them both.
“May I point out,” Paul said, “you entered my office without consent or even knocking first? May I also remind you I now own the majority of this company and I have the final say? As for the staff, Kyra is technically now my employee and will be cared for as such. With regards to your comment regarding ‘staff like her,’ it is wholly unappreciated, and it will serve you well to remember in the future to address her with respect.”
Mr. Collins fell silent for a moment whilst I stared at the floor, not daring to look at either of them. I couldn’t help but feel a burst of pride and happiness at Paul’s words. Comfort and warmth flooded me as I wrapped myself in the protective essence he’d shown towards me.
“Don’t expect me to pick up the pieces when it blows up in your face,” Mr. Collins said.
“It won’t, but thank you for your concern.”
“How long has this been going on?”
Paul narrowed his eyes at him. “I don’t see how that is relevant.”
“I think I deserve to know considering we’re co-owners.”
“I think you deserve to remember you are privy to some of my extra-curricular activities. Whilst I cannot help the information you know about that, I can help the information you know about Kyra. As such, Kyra is strictly off limits to anyone except myself. Do I make myself clear?”
Struggling to contain my growing smile at Mr. Collins being put in his place, a creeping smugness climbed over me. A few seconds passed before I realised Paul had intimated Mr. Collins knew about the swingers’ club. I hadn’t expected that.
“Yes, perfectly,” Mr. Collins said.
Paul nodded. “Good. One more word about Kyra and you’re out of the club, understood?”
Mr. Collins nodded, giving me one final glare before storming out.
I met Paul’s handsome face with a big grin. “Quite the speech, Mr. Connors. Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. I won’t tolerate disrespect from anyone towards you.”
I smiled as he inched his way towards my mouth, his promises of heaven on earth all too real. I revelled in the owner of the company assaulting my senses with his sweet lips, and not for the first time, lost myself in the ideals that perhaps, somewhere deep down, he did actually have feelings for me.
“Look, Kyra, I really don’t want to keep going over this point but why would I tell you? It’s not like we’re together.”
Later that afternoon, I questioned him on why he hadn’t mentioned anything sooner. His cutting words were yet another reminder as to where we stood. My rising hopes were dowsed in bitter disappointment.
“Okay. I’m sorry I might have misconstrued our arrangement as you actually caring for me in some way.”
My emotional high from only a couple of hours ago came crashing down, breaking into a million pieces around me. How was it possible for one guy to give me such a rollercoaster ride from day to day? Or even hour to hour?
I trundled out of his office, returning to my work. I made a point of being civil but nothing more for the rest of the day.
Arriving home, I received a lovely message from Scott asking how my day was. We chatted all night over text, which cheered me up to no end. It only served to remind me that I never had this from Paul. Why couldn’t he just engage me in some flirty text conversation?
Tuesday and Wednesday, Paul never showed in the office. I had no idea why, and I hadn’t been asked to alter his movements diary. The last I’d seen of him was when he walked out of the office on Monday night with a pale face and his mobile glued to his ear.
In all honesty, I was still stinging from his most recent clarification of our “beneficial relationship” and was quite grateful for his absence. It also allowed me time to chat with Scott without any distractions. We had now texted every day since Saturday evening. Every time his name appeared in my message inbox, my heart fluttered. I now looked forward to his sweet messages and the wonder of when I would see him again was becoming all too consuming.
Thursday midday, Paul reappeared in the office. He said nothing as he sauntered past my desk and into his office. Gobsmacked by his audacity and rudeness, I debated marching in to give him a piece of my mind when he called me into his office. I bit my lip, my heart pounding in expectation of our heated embraces once again.
He sat behind his desk, motioning for me to take a seat in front of him. Dread began to replace my hopes of his sweet kisses. His blissful blue eyes were nothing but flat, emotionless windows. Everything about him today screamed alpha male.
“Kyra, I think we need to call it a day with our little…arrangement.” He waved his hand in the air as if swatting at a fly.
I was stunned into silence, struggling to ignore the instant stabbing pain of someone twisting a knife in my heart. Blinded by my own stupidity and romantic fantasies, I was now sat here, a deep ache resounding through me as his words hit home.
I looked at the floor, my heart hammering against my ribs. “What? Why?”
He drummed his fingers on his desk. “I can’t explain my reasons. Well, I can, I just don’t want to. I think it’s for the best.”
Tears pricked at my eyes. I couldn’t comprehend this complete turnaround of events. What the hell was going on? I dared to look at his gorgeous face to see he was looking past me, staring at the wall behind me as if I bored him. That stung like a thousand bees.
I stood up, speechless, and shuffled to the door.
“Do you not want to say anything?” he asked.
I shook my head, still facing the door so he couldn’t see the tears brimming in my eyes. I shot out, heading straight to the loo, and locked myself in. I attempted to compose myself, taking deep breaths and mouthfuls of cold water. Sending a quick text to Ash, I soon had a comforting phone call, reassuring me I would be okay.
“Just concentrate on the one guy who can give you what you want and need, Ky. As much as I hate to say it, it’s not him.”
I nodded, numb.
“No guy is worth crying over, Kyra, but when you find one who is, he won’t make you cry.”
“That doesn’t make sense. It’s a total contradiction of itself.”
He chuckled. “So is life.”
***
Friday morning was awkward to say the least. We both ignored each other all morning. When I went out for lunch as normal, he headed out at the same time. When I noticed him heading for the stairwell, I made a point of taking the lift. He knew I never took the lift so I felt my point was well made.
I’d been back at work barely twenty minutes before I had a phone call from the receptionist downstairs telling me I had a package delivered.
“What is it, Kelly? I’m a bit busy.”
“No worries. I’ll bring it up to you.”
A couple of minutes later, Kelly walked through the door with a massive bouquet of roses and lilies covering her petite face.
She settled them on the edge of my desk. “Secret admirer?”
I blushed and pulled the card from the side of the wrapper.
Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady. Scott XXX
My cheeks exploded in embarrassment, and I thanked her for bringing them up. I had arranged another date with him tonight and I couldn’t wait to see him—especially now.
Kelly disappeared back downstairs, and Paul emerged from his office. He raised his eyebrows when he noticed the flowers.
“This is not a florist shop.”
His sharp tone left me wanting to curl up into a ball and squeak apologies. “I didn’t know I was getting them.”
“I don’t care. Make sure it doesn’t happen again. Understood?”
I nodded as, again, I struggled with his sudden one eighty degree turn in behaviour towards me.
He stalked out of the office and returned a few minutes later, bursting through the door like a tornado. “Alter my movements diary, please.” He tapped his foot as I scrambled around my desk for his diary. “I’m out in Germany for the next three weeks. I will be back in the office on the tenth of August.”
My automatic reaction had been to want to ask questions but I made a point of saying nothing.
“It is work related, not personal, so I will be reachable on email and my phone.”
I nodded, still saying nothing.
He paused for a second before marching into his office. Shortly after, he left the office, muttering a pathetic goodbye. He didn’t even bother to look at me as he left for the next three weeks.