CHAPTER 33

**CHLOE DUARTE**

I am amused every time they tell me this, it is obvious that this woman has a face filled with surgery including the abnormally large breasts that she loves to show off through her social shirts with the first buttons open.

I would much rather have a normal body than be filled with artificial products just to attract the attention of men who are not worth it.

She is lucky to have Adam around, he is one of the department managers of Colucci Companies, this ensures that her status goes up and she remains respected by most of the employees in this place.

But I know that deep down, everyone feels the urge to tell her to go fuck herself someday, I have dreamed of doing this since the first time we met, and I have to endure and repress this urge because I need this job more than anything in this world.

I left my country to try my life here, I have to make this huge sacrifice worth it somehow, even if I lost control of Camily, I am sure she would turn everyone against me, including James.

“Have a great day, Chloe!", my thoughts are interrupted when I hear Adam's voice saying goodbye to me.

I look away nodding my head as the elevator doors open on my old floor and the couple exit together, I allow myself to let a sigh of relief leave my lungs.

Second, later I am the next to leave the elevator that carries so many unusual stories, I try not to occupy my mind with memories as I cross the floor hall watching the annoying receptionist look me up and down with a displeased expression.

This time I do the same, I am a yellow, debauched smile to her who seems to get the message as she goes back to work.

I hope that I end up running into or bumping into James as I cross the hallway with our rooms, but that doesn't happen when I open the door and walk in.

Without any sign of him, I could have asked the sour receptionist, but she would surely answer me with arrogance and this would worsen the irritation I am feeling today.

I remember the pictures and sigh again feeling my head start to hurt, I leave my bag on the small table and sit down in my chair in front of the desk starting to turn on the computer.

There is no email from James and this causes me strangeness, I grab my cell phone from inside my purse wondering if this is a good idea.

I open Google and type James Colucci's name into the search bar, in seconds a plethora of news and stories about the charity ball done by one of the youngest promising CEOs fills the screen of the device.

My finger slides down seeing that there are various types of headlines citing James' name and the ball, but I stop scrolling down the screen when I see the title "mystery girl”appear on the other part of the most famous news sites in town.

These are the same pictures on all the sites and I try not to waste my time reading each one, but it is inevitable because curiosity and irritation speak louder here inside me.

There are several speculations about the mysterious girl who appears next to James in public for the first time, and I feel a mixture of different sensations with each different article that I read about the same subject.

The sound of a new notification on the computer scares me making me drop the cell phone on the table, I look at the computer screen seeing that it is a new e”mail from none other than James.

Good morning Miss Duarte.

I am going to be late for work today, but I need you to advance all my appointments from tomorrow to this afternoon, and I need you to accompany me on most of these appointments.

James Colucci.

I re”read James' short and to”the”point e”mail without any of the jokes that he loves to play on me, but I try to answer him quickly before looking at his calendar and rescheduling everything for today that should be done the next day.

I remember that he said that he will be late this morning, I really thought that he would not show up for work today to take care of his health, but apparently, I am wrong about that. Maybe he is fine and it was just a bad feeling that bothered me a lot, or maybe he doesn't want to let it get in the way of his professional life and routine.

I receive another e”mail from him telling me that I could have the morning off, but I denied it and said that I wanted to continue working, I don't know if he is acting naturally or if he hasn't seen that the internet has several pictures of us all over the city at this moment.

And leaving here right now is not an option for me at this moment, so I occupy my morning taking care of some issues in James' professional agenda even though he didn't ask me to do it today.

Unfortunately for me, the damn phone keeps ringing, and all the ten calls I answered within five minutes were from reporters or journalists wanting an interview with James about the night before the dance.

I denied them all saying that my boss was not available and that he would think about it at another time, I got some of them right, but others were so insistent that I had to hold on not to hang up on them...

At noon I hear a knock on my office door, I sigh longingly preparing myself to see the face of the watery receptionist who also hates me for no reason.

“You may come in!", I say with dismay in my voice but am surprised when I see the tall body walk through the door and into my office.

I quickly get up from my chair to find none other than James standing in front of me with an expression of irritability and dissatisfaction on his handsome face.

“Mr. Colucci, I didn't expect to see you now, you said you would be late today...", he shakes his head with a frown.

“But I said I would be back by lunchtime to take care of some appointments I asked you to reschedule, did you forget that too, Miss Duarte?"

I arch an eyebrow, missing the way he treated me before this, he is grumpy and seems out of patience, but part of the blame is all mine since I completely forgot that I needed to accompany him to lunch today.

“I'm sorry, now we can go!", I hurry to grab my purse and cell phone before walking to the door, feeling him behind me.

I am taken aback when one of his large hands grasps my hand before I have a chance to leave my room, I turn around feeling my back slam against the door as his body comes closer still holding me.

“Thank you Chloe...", he says in a whisper with a nod of his head.

“For what?", I ask knowing what his thanks are for, but I want to hear him tell me that.

“For the night before, thank you for staying with me, that was not your obligation...", I nod, lifting my head so that I can look him in the eye.

“It wasn't my obligation, but you weren't feeling well and I wanted to help, so no need to thank you, Mr. Colucci. You don't need to worry about my welfare, Chloe. I'm your grumpy boss, you should hate me like everyone else..."

“But I'm not like the others...", I whisper, licking my lips and trying to control the overwhelming desire I have to kiss him right now.

I may be imagining things, but I see that James's blue eyes don't leave my mouth, he doesn't blink when he does this, he just keeps staring at me without turning away.

His hand still holds my wrist and I shiver slightly when I feel his fingers circling my skin. My back is still pressed against the door of my living room as he moves closer and closer to me.

My heart races and my breathing becomes shorter and shorter, feeling his skin touching mine makes me want to throw everything away and let desire speak louder than reason.

I cannot deny that James is a very beautiful man, one of the most beautiful men I have ever seen and had the pleasure to meet, but I know that this is not only about beauty and looks.

I still can't understand the specific reason, but this man can drive me crazy, and at the same time to want to jump on his lap and kill all this pent”up desire inside me.

But I can't just listen to my body's desires, I have to stay reasonable at this moment and think about every consequence that this episode would bring to us.

It is so intense that I don't know how much longer I can take it, I need this man and I feel that we have some kind of connection despite the strong sensual attraction between us.

“What is it that is between us?", I ask, watching him frown as he lifts his hand to touch my face.

“I mean, I know there's something between us that I can't quite pinpoint, but I know it's too strong to bear."

“You're right, Chloe. There is something strong that attracts us, but we can't let ourselves be controlled by this insane desire, and it drives me crazy."

For a second I close my eyes feeling his soft touch, I lose a little bit of reason and dare as I run my tongue over his finger.

I hear a long sigh coming from him, bringing my head up to see the excited expression on James' face that doesn't hide it.

The hand that was holding my wrist circles my waist, I shiver more sighing as I feel the firm touch on my body, he is all manly and knows well how to use his skills to bring any woman to her feet.