Chapter 19 18. Obsession

Chapter 19 18. Obsession
Chapter 18

Obsession

Beck quietly observed Charlotte placing the coffee cup on his desk. It's been a week since the woman became his secretary and Beck admits that Charlotte is dexterous, smart, and all the work she does is practically perfect.
Broadly speaking, he was amazed at all of Charlotte's abilities. Not just at the desk, but also when it came to dealing with clients, her calm and classy demeanor made her stand out more than the boss of the office.
It was distracting enough, but there was something even more distracting. The faint chamomile scent of her body, the beautiful curves clad in expensive clothes, the beautiful face, and the movements of her body. It's all imprinted on Beck's brain and he begins to crave making love at his desk with his secretary. Like with Sophie.
Damn it!
He has to quickly dismiss all the nonsense that is running through his brain or he will be trapped and betray Sophie, the love of his life whom he has been dating for years. And speaking of Sophie, he remembered something.
Beck cleared his throat. "Set up a fancy birthday party at a cafe."
"Which cafe do you want, Sir?"
Beck looked at Charlotte. "Anywhere," she replied reluctantly.
Charlotte smiled sweetly though inwardly she winced. "Well, how much have you budgeted for the event?"
"Any amount, no problem."
"What concept do you want?"
Beck narrowed one eye. "You ask too many questions, I thought you were a smart woman," he said exasperatedly.
Charlotte still kept the smile on her lips. "I'm quite intelligent, but unfortunately I can't read wishes that other people don't tell me," she said logically.
No one could know the unspoken wishes of others unless they were psychic. And it seemed that psychics did not only exist in fantasy stories, children's fairy tales, and for those who believed in shamanism.
"You can ask my girlfriend, she's the one with the birthday," Beck said. "I'll send you Sophie's cell phone number."
Beck intended to surprise Sophie on her birthday, perhaps by proposing to her since her parents had given their blessing, and he definitely needed a successor.
"Okay," Charlotte said. "The paperwork for the three o'clock meeting, I sent it to your email this morning, did you read it, sir?"
"Yes, I have."
"Good, then I'll go for lunch, would you like to order something?"
Charlotte had studied Beck, the man was more interested in eating in his study than eating out at lunchtime.
"Yes, anything."
A short, concise, but vague answer as Charlotte still didn't know what her boss's favorite food was. However, all the food Charlotte ordered, no matter what it was, Beck never commented. He devoured everything as if he had no problem with any food.

"Good afternoon, my dear...."
Nick, the man appeared in Vanilla's kitchen. Just like before, at the beginning of their relationship, Nick always came to Vanilla's restaurant after work. They chitchat while preparing dinner and then Vanilla would return before eight in the evening, Nick of course dropping her back home. And somehow, that routine had become a regular part of their lives.
Vanilla rolled her eyes, reluctantly. Even though in the back of her mind her heart was jumping up and down with excitement to see the love of her life coming.
"What's with the pout?" Nick asked and planted his lips on Vanilla's cheek.
Vanilla widened her eyes at Nick's peck on her cheek. "You're rude," she sighed hesitantly.
She felt the skin on her cheeks warm up, she was sure that she was blushing because the warmth ran through her blood and began to spread throughout her body.
"What's rude?"
"No best friend kisses their best friend," Vanilla protested.
"I just did," Nick said without guilt. He placed his briefcase on a chair. "You're the only one who considers me a best friend anyway, I don't."
Vanilla shook her head. "You're stubborn," she said.
Nick chuckled. "I want to be your lover." The man grabbed Vanilla's waist.
"Not unless you pass the test," Vanilla said firmly.
"I know. I'll pass." Nick was confident. "After all.... Being with you like this, it feels so good, it doesn't make any difference whether you refuse or not."
It was true what Nick said, it made no difference. They met every day, they also went out together on weekends like a couple on a date, and sometimes they kissed until their lips were almost swollen.
"You..." Vanilla moaned, Nick's lips were brazenly tracing her neck while his palm caressed her cloth-covered stomach. But, by God it felt so good.
Vanilla couldn't resist, she did have the same passion. As much as Nick wanted her.
"You should keep your distance," Vanilla moaned.
"Okay."
Nick moved his arm away from Vanilla's waist because if he kept her in his arms for another half a minute, he wasn't sure. He'd kiss her senseless and he'd have to pay the price for it.
Resisting sexual arousal is not easy for a man who is used to getting a release whenever he wants.
Damn it!
"So, what did you prepare for our dinner?"
Vanilla inched away, her lips twisting into a happy smile. Nick's question was like a husband waiting for his wife to prepare dinner.
"What do you want?"
"Anything as long as you prepare it."
"You'll have to pay the bill for that," Vanilla teased.
"I know, starting next Sunday I'll be paying for it."
"Good, you should know better." Vanilla grinned until her nose wrinkled.
The restaurant opening next week, Vanilla can't wait to see her new venture in action. She's been working day and night to prepare the best she can to compete with the many contemporary restaurants that have sprung up in Barcelona. What's more, she remembers how sweet it was for Nick to help her set up the place. She couldn't wait to see the restaurant open like a mother waiting for her child to grow up.
"You can write down my bill later," Nick said earnestly.
Vanilla chuckled. "It's double for you." She grabbed a small pot, approached the sink and opened the faucet to fill the pot in her hand.
"How cruel." Nick followed Vanilla's movements like a child following his mother.
"I have to count how many times you've had dinner here," Vanilla said.
"Then, this time let me prepare our dinner so that the bill won't go up." Nick reached for Vanilla's small crock pot.
"That doesn't help much, the service charge isn't much." Vanilla chuckled.
"At least it cuts down on the bill." Nick raised one eyebrow.
Vanilla blinked her eyes. "I'm not sure you can do it."
Nicholas Knight, how could he? The man lived like a king who had everything. Of course it would be strange if Nick touched the pot stem.
Nick raised both eyebrows. "You want to see what I'm capable of?"
"I think so." This time it was Vanilla who followed Nick's movements, she followed Nick's steps.
"I'll show you what I can do and I hope you appreciate it."
"Well, let's see." Vanilla picked up a packet of pasta. "Boil this, make sure the water is boiling."
Nick grabbed the packet of pasta from Vanilla's hand. "You'd better sit and wait for me, my love."
My love. How sweet that call sounded.
Vanilla's heart felt like it was about to burst with happiness. "I'll be your foreman, it's not right to let amateur workers work unsupervised."
Nick growled. "Don't argue. I'm being generous, sit down, my love."
Vanilla looked into the pot. "The water is boiling, you'd better put in the pasta and...."
"I know."
Nick dragged Vanilla to a chair, handed her the iPad like a father coaxing his toddler son and then used his phone to watch a tutorial on boiling pasta and then making Mac and Cheese.
Vanilla chuckled, she complied with Nick's wishes. Sitting sweetly watching some ballet dances on her iPad while occasionally laughing amusedly because the kitchen seems to be destroyed soon. The smell of burning, spilled milk... but, fun.
In the end nothing was right, they drove to a restaurant for dinner out because it was impossible to eat dinner with a menu that failed to the 90% failure rate.
"I don't seem to have any talent in the kitchen," Nick grumbled.
"You have your own talents."
"For example?"
"Seducing women, perhaps," Vanilla said and chuckled.
Nick slammed on the brakes of the car he was driving. "I don't," he protested.
Vanilla chuckled again. "Oh, I forgot," Vanilla said mockingly.
"Except for you."
Nick growled in his heart, the only girl he wooed was Vanilla, he wooed with all his might but the girl sitting next to him was nowhere to be found. In fact, in Spain he only had to wink at the girls and they would throw themselves into his arms. But Vanilla didn't.
Damn you, Beck!
The game Beck had designed was now completely ensnaring him, Nick felt he was standing on the edge of a cliff called obsession. The obsession of getting the girl that Beck desperately rejected.