Chapter 18 Office romance
>>Clio
The director seems a bit weird.
I got a strange feeling from him, it felt like he was trapping me into something but I don’t know what but then there’s this thing about overburdening the interns for no reason too.
So, what can I say…?
I got back to my seat and I could feel the gazes of other people on me but I refused to speak up. I was told to keep it a secret so what am I supposed to say to them? But I also knew the question was coming so I started bracing myself.
“So,” I heard a voice, “What did the director want?” And here it was.
I had only settled in my seat and I had to look at them to give them an answer, “I’ve been asked to stay behind and organize stuff.” I looked at all of them, “Would any of you like to help me?”
They all averted their gazes, “Man I’m so buddy today.” And started giving me excuses.
“I have so much to do at home today.”
“Man my kids are waiting for me today, I have to pick them up from school.” They all talked as if they were talking to a third party but I knew it was meant for me to hear. I let out a deep exhale and turned to my screen.
Bizy was called to the director's office after a while and when he came back he told me to go to the storage room and get some documents organized. I had a hunch that it was for me to pass the time, it was almost time for everyone else to leave anyway, so, I got up and went to the room and did what Bizy told me to do.
But when I stepped into the dimly lit storage room, a weird feeling washed over me, catching me off guard. The silence enveloped me like a heavy blanket, the storage room was eerily quiet, devoid of any sound and it made me feel odd. But of course, I still had to work, so I went ahead and started doing it.
It took me a few hours but I got a lot done, but along with that, sitting alone on the floor made me a little depressed. Time seemed to stretch, and the place felt like a space where my thoughts echoed back at me.
Why do I feel so weird today? I looked around the gray room. I feel so anxious and nervous, maybe a little lost too. I let out a soft sigh, I should finish this up. I looked back at the box I had in front of me but as I continued to work, the loneliness settled in even more, a quiet ache that seemed to permeate every corner of the room.
“Ah man,” I stood up, “I feel so bad.” Is it because I keep remembering the past? Or because somewhere inside of me I feel like Nolan seems distant…
Is that where the loneliness is coming from?
I walked out of the room and realized the office was empty.
Good. I won’t need to go back in.
I was the only one left in the place and noticed the lights in Matthew’s office were on. I took a deep breath and then wondered if I should just go in or not. He hadn’t called me or anything.
“Hey,” Azef’s voice startled me and I turned around to look at him. I thought he had left as well so I wasn’t expecting someone to call out to me out of nowhere, “Why don’t you make some coffee and take it to Matthew?” Although, it did look like he was ready to leave now.
“Okay,” I nodded and he passed me a smile before leaving the building.
Coffee…
I went to the kitchen and used the coffee machine. The office lights were dim and the place made me feel isolated as well. Without people, the place looks so desolate…
I don’t like feeling this way. I was feeling lonely again so I chose to focus on the task at hand.
I picked up the cup of coffee once it was done and took it to the CEO’s office. Then I knocked at the door but didn’t get a reply. So I knocked again and waited but there was no answer.
Hmm?
I opened the door and peeked inside. The lights in the office were dim too but what bothered me was how Matthew was sitting. He had his head on his lap and his hands were grabbing his head, he looked as if he was distressed.
“Sir?” I was concerned, “Are you alright?” I took a few steps ahead and he recognized my voice. I saw his ears twitch and he shot his head up to look at me with wide eyes.
I froze when he looked at me and I felt my heart skip a beat.
“Why?” Matthew looked at me in horror, “Why are you here?” He asked me the question as if me being here was the most impossible thing that should be.
“Um,” I was confused, “I was asked to stay behind to help you with something.” I walked further towards his desk but as he saw me approach him with the hot coffee in my hands he seemed to panic. Out of the blue, he stood up and slammed his hands on the desk, “Stop!”
His voice was loud and so was his action. It frightened me, scared me to the point I ended up tripping on my own foot and fell forward. The coffee in my hands flew along with me and as I crashed onto the desk, the hot beverage made its way to Matthew and got spilled on his stomach.
A hiss escaped his lips and I found myself fretting.
Oh no! I immediately processed my blunder and began to panic.
I had managed to avoid any damage since I fell on the desk and caught myself after letting go of the coffee but I didn’t waste any time standing up and running around the desk to reach the boss.
“Oh, shit!!” I grabbed the tissues from the desk and started dabbing them on his stomach, “Oh! I’m so sorry!!” I apologize even though this only happened because he yelled at me out of nowhere.
I tried grabbing the hot shirt with my left hand as I kept dabbing the tissue with my right but he caught my hand that was reaching for his shirt and he took it away from his body.
“Stop,” He said again but this time his voice was huskier and lower, “Please,” I realized at that moment that he was breathing pretty heavily.
I looked up at him, “Sir?” I noticed that streak of sweat on the side of his forehead. My eyes traveled down and I saw how his chest was rising and depressing with more power. That was the moment I felt the heat from his hand that was holding my wrist.
He’s hot??!
I looked back at his face, letting go of the tissue in my right hand. I placed my hand on his forehead, startling him, even though it was a simple act.
“Sir!” I looked at him in horror, “You’re burning!!”
“Clio,” A shaky breath left his mouth as his eyes got softer, but before he could say anything else he had to gulp to lubricate his dry throat, “Leave,” He said softly.
“What?”
“I’m losing my mind here,” He stumbled a little and I moved to catch him and managed to help him stand straight again, “I won’t be able to control myself with you here,” He grabbed my shoulder with his other hand, “Please,” He looked into my eyes, “Leave,”
“I can’t just leave you while you're burning!” I looked back into his eyes. Those same black eyes that seem to scare me every time looked quite odd today.
“No,” He shook his head as his breathing got heavier, “Leave,” He pushed me back a little letting both sides of me go, “This is driving me crazy…” He looked away, “I’m at my limit!” Behind him was the wall-sized window and I could see the full moon in the cloudless sky.
The tension in the air seemed to thicken, and I noticed a subtle shift in his demeanor. His normally composed façade wavered, and a restlessness seemed to take hold of him. It was as if an invisible force was tugging at him, pulling him towards a different state of being.
I saw his eyes flash, “Leave,” He looked like he was getting angry, “Please,” Yet he begged.
!?!?!?
This time I was sure I saw his eyes change color.
His gaze, once focused and steady, became more intense as if he was struggling to contain something powerful within him. There was a rawness in his eyes, a hunger that I couldn't quite comprehend but the more I stared at him the more my heart captured speed but I couldn’t bring myself to walk away while he seemed to be losing his mind.
“Sir,” I moved towards him, wanting to support him and help him out but as I did, he sniffed the air around my body and something seemed to snap in him. He grabbed my waist with both hands and picked me up in the air, making my mind go blank, “Sir!?” He then slammed my body on his desk and hovered over me before I could make sense of what was happening.
“I told you to leave,” He growled.
He drew his face closer to mine, I felt my heart pound, my senses tingling with confusion. Just a few minutes ago, I was feeling depressed because I felt so alone but at the moment, I was so confused I felt myself forget about everything else.
His presence seemed to envelop me, and I could feel the charged energy emanating from him. It was both exhilarating and unnerving, a magnetic pull that was impossible to ignore.
What was this!?!?
His hand brushed against mine, and a shiver ran down my spine, sending a rush of warmth through me. His touch was electric, igniting a spark that set my senses ablaze but it also made me panic and I yanked my hands away while I kept looking at his face. The intensity in his eyes deepened, and I could see the struggle he was facing, torn between desire and control.
Wait… Desire?!?! As I stared into his eyes, I realized he had profanity in them.
A rush of emotions flooded over me, a whirlwind of conflicting feelings that left me breathless. I could sense a confusing pull between us, but in that moment, I realized that he was losing control, giving in to the primal instincts that were driving him.
But what happened out of the blue?!?! Did someone drug him!??!
His lips brushed against mine, a gentle touch it was but that ignited a fire within me. My heart drummed inside of me and then I felt him lick my lips.
!!!??
It was an electrifying moment which made me breathe heavier too. Weirdly enough, I found myself embracing the unexpected intimacy that had unfolded.
My body began to tremble and so were my eyes but Matthew was looking at me as if he wanted nothing more than to have me. There was this look in his eyes, a look I couldn’t define.
And just like that, I felt his hands reach for mine again, the fierce warmth seeping into my skin again as his lips came closer and joined mine.