Chapter 14: You Are Fired!

TERESA.

What would you do when reality strikes and you are in no position to strike back? When you know what would happen but you don’t have the power to stop it from happening? Well, just embrace it!

I did not know for how long I had stayed in this gorgeous man’s house, but one thing I was sure of, that I had stayed more than necessary. So, by the time I realized I was staring with no shame at his perfect chiseled muscles, panic settled in like an inevitable fire camp. Tension grew in my chest and my limbs and suddenly I felt like I was lacking air. But this time the fear differed from the other day. The other day??

“What time is it??” I asked in a too-loud voice.

Sebastian, or whatever his name was, pointed a finger at the wall where I turned my gaze like in slow motion. I was just an actor in a really awful movie. “9:30??? You mean thirty minutes past nine?” And so, my breathing became more rapid and shallower. I was facing a hurricane of emotions and I didn’t like any of them. My thoughts were speeding up inside my head and thousands of scenarios were unfolding to reconnect me with reality. My boss would toast me!

“What day?” I was already trying to restrain the little self-control I had left.

Something kept telling me I had missed the event for which he had warned me not to be late. I tried to drive away from this feeling of emptiness and unprofessionalism. In fact, it would have been the first time in my entire career when I had not fulfilled my tasks. I hope it’s not the last.

“How about Tuesday?”

His calm voice took me by surprise and made me jump. I didn’t think he realized what he had just done. I didn’t even want to linger too long in the house of this bachelor who eliminated testosterone through all his pores. And yet I missed an involuntary scream.

“Tuesday??? Oh, my God, I have to get out of here right this second!” Regardless of the torment I had gone through because I remembered him perfectly, I suddenly got out of bed and the entire room spun with me almost instantly. I lost my balance immediately and even before I touched the ground, two powerful arms caught me like between two vices. To my surprise, I didn’t even try to escape, much less. I felt safe. Where does this strong feeling of familiarity and belonging come from? I didn’t really care now because I was behind with the entire schedule.

There was energy in his embrace, one that kept me afloat, alive. All he was doing was keeping me from falling, but then again, why did I feel like there would be no other better place than in his arms? That kind of embrace softened my soul, my whole being in a way that I was feeling like it was forever bound. I would think that this was the kind of embrace that left me space to breathe, but no, it was the other kind of approach that would leave me breathless, motionless, with all my willpower shattered in a split second.

If I wanted to order my body to move, I would have done it in vain, as it will not budge. I blamed myself for feeling attracted to this man, for not being able to control myself around him. I haven’t met him so many times, but enough to set my heart on a fire I didn’t understand, and I bet this feeling was mutual.

There was something about this man that exited and eased me all at once. At this point, the attraction between us was so tangible that it took me three large breaths to reorder my guilty thoughts and to be able to come afloat again.

His grip became stronger than everything I have ever known or felt in my life, like he wanted to feel every ounce of my trembling body; like he wanted to stop the world and the time giving me space to feel back. His muscular torso pressed against mine. But then there was his voice, his magnetic voice that would ignite in me ravishing fires, like resonating with all that I was.

“Are you alright? Take it easy, you are still weak... Teresa.”

My self-control had always been a finite resource, as it was now. But I swallowed it proudly, as I realized I still had my journalist badge hanging on my neck. He had his eyes glued on it and then rose them back into mine. We were so damn close... I won’t deny he was handsome; the kind of handsome that got into my entire being, which was speaking to me even before he would actually articulate a word.

It was the first time I saw his deep ocean blue eyes so close. Like two fountains telling secrets impossible to crack. He had that manly chiseled face that would stop one in its tracks, and that was exactly what happened to me. I could not move or breathe, or talk in his arms. He was like a prison that trapped me entirely, with no intention of letting me go. And the blushing... oh my God, the blushing... I could not control it, just lived through it with my burning cheeks, and surrendered to his delicious sight.

I still don’t know how, but I took a step back, leaving some safe space between us. He insisted neither in holding me, and the feeling was a deep emptiness that wrapped my heart in cold shivers. Quickly, I gathered my clothes and retreated into the bathroom, escaping his entrancing gaze. I knew I could not stay in the bathroom forever, but I took enough time to change, hoping he would leave. I was so mistaken. He was still there, in the middle of the room, in the same position I left him, like waiting for me to say something. Well then, I will say if that was what he really wanted.

“I really have to go!”

Good one, Teresa, just great. Anyway, I didn’t think I had a job to go back to, but it was worth a try. My job was really important to me, so I had no reason to stay here doing nothing.

“I don’t think this is such a good idea. You are still weak. You should stay here for a while or if you don’t want to, at least let me take you to a hospital. "

“A hospital? Hell no! And I definitely won't be staying here,” I said firmly.

I got so confused in my words just thinking that I could stay with this man under the same roof. So, I headed for the stairs in a hurry, leaving him not far away behind me. Following me closely, he caught me before I reached for the doorknob, forcing me to turn around and look him in the eye again. Damn that electric blue hypnotic gaze of his! Why was I so helpless around him? Why did I feel like I couldn’t keep my balance and he was always there to catch me? Could this be a conspiracy of the universe?

“Ok, have it your way, but at least let me drive you! And I will not take no for an answer!”

And with that, he placed his hand on my lower back, guiding me through the door. His touch was like lightning running through my entire body, leaving me in shock without being able to hide it. Even his sports car had his dominating personality, a totally masculine touch. It was so intimidating being with him in such a tight, intimate place, but then again, there was the possibility I might have been in his car when bringing me to his house. He had taken care of me. Maybe if it wasn’t for him, I didn’t know what could happen. But I had to keep all the appearances until we reached the destination, my office.

None of us were talking. What was there to say? I hated that tension but better in quiet than listening to that low raspy voice again that was making me tremble. It didn’t take long until we got to my office giving him prior to the instructions and as soon as we arrived, I didn’t even look back, I just heard him saying whatever and then my door slammed giving him the perfect time to take off.

The first thing I heard when I wanted to go to my office was my assistant’s warning that the boss was not pleased with what I did. I just knew a storm was coming, but I did not know it was so quick. Damn you, Sebastian, or whatever your name might be!

“Don’t even bother, Miss. Bradley. You are FIRED!!!”