Chapter 36. A thin line between two
Jackson Johnson
"What was that impulse, Jackson?" I scolded myself. I didn't know what came over me, I just wanted to kiss her...like I had never wanted to kiss anyone before.
"I'm sorry, I won't cross that line again," I insisted. Her cheeks were flushed, and she briefly touched her lips with her fingers. Did she like it? I shook my head. She's your employee. Do you know the rules, Jackson? Didn't you fire Miss Taylor last week for her obsession with you? I cleared my throat. "I'm sorry, Miss Bradley," her brown eyes looked at me intently.
"It's okay, there's no problem." I felt relieved for a moment. "But this has happened several times before, Mr. Johnson." I tensed up as she reminded me that I had kissed her before, and now it was my turn to have flushed cheeks.
"I know," I cleared my throat again, avoiding her brown eyes and feeling a bit of heat in the room. "I know, I don't know what's been happening to me lately." I looked at her. "I don't want you to think I'm like this, I'm a serious man, I'm not the kind who goes around kissing the first person in front of him..."
"Well, then, I hope this is the last time it happens," my heart started beating faster at her warning. "...I don't go around kissing the first person I meet either, nor do I pretend to have emergency meetings to ruin employees' lunches."
"Hey, there was an emergency meeting!" I complained, and she smiled. "It was you..."
"Well," she cleared her throat. "If being friends is affecting something between us, we can stop it here. We'll just be Miss Bradley and you, Mr. Johnson." I shook my head quickly.
"Of course we can be friends, I don't know what's gotten into me, I promise to behave like a gentleman." I raised my hand. "I promise." I felt like a teenager in front of her.
"Good," she repeated. "So, do you really need what you came for? Or was it just...?" I rolled my eyes, and she laughed. "I'm joking, Mr. Johnson. First and last joke, I promise." She raised her hand like I did, and it made me smile briefly.
"Yes, I need it. Can you get it?" She nodded with a beautiful smile. I stepped aside as I saw her intention to leave the office. I discreetly inhaled her scent as she walked to another office. I looked inside and saw her phone vibrating. I glanced in her direction, but she wasn't coming back yet. "Your phone is ringing," I said loudly, and she replied.
"I'm coming," but she didn't come. The screen turned off and then back on. I crossed the doorway where I was standing, approached the desk, and the screen announced: "Oliver EX." I tensed up, not realizing I was frowning until I saw my reflection in the glass. A message bubble appeared, and I looked to see if Lilly was coming, but she wasn't. I leaned in and tilted my head to see better: "I was waiting for your call at lunchtime, I hope you call me when you get home, no matter the time, I look forward to hearing your voice." I heard the sound of heels and straightened up immediately, stepping back just as she arrived.
"Here it is, Mr. Johnson," she said in a formal and serious tone, but I could see amusement in her brown eyes.
"Thank you," I couldn't help but glance at her desk. She followed my gaze and remembered.
"You're welcome. Anything else?" she asked, walking over to her desk and picking up her cell phone. Before reading, she looked up at me.
"No, that's all." Irritation grew within me. She must have gotten back with her ex-fiancé, and that's why she gave me the warning. "Calm down, Jackson," she looked at me for a moment, and I reacted. "Good night..." I turned towards the exit and walked down the hallway until I reached the elevator. I pressed the button with annoyance. "How can you be threatened and go back to him?" The doors opened, and I entered, then I saw her rushing over.
"Wait!" I held the door and waited for her.
"Thanks," she said as she stepped in beside me. "Will it be hard to find a taxi around here? There's no service available in this area," she asked as the doors closed in front of us. She reached out to press the lobby button, then realized I wasn't heading there. "Sorry, sorry."
"Don't worry," I cleared my throat a bit. "I couldn't tell you," then I thought of something. "Do you want me to give you a ride?" She looked at me in surprise. "Why are you surprised? I've done it before, remember?" She thought for a moment.
"But don't you have work?" she referred to the papers I held in my hand.
"Oh, I can finish the rest from my apartment. This was what I needed." I stopped the elevator to cancel the trip to the lobby.
"I would really appreciate it. Honestly, I trust car services more, but they're not available..." We went back up to the office. She stayed by the stainless steel doors while I went in and gathered all my things. I put the documents in my briefcase, grabbed my jacket and cell phone, turned everything off, and set the office alarm. When I heard the sound, the doors locked with a special bolt.
"Looks like a safe," Lilly said behind me. I smiled as I walked towards her.
"I protect my workplace a lot. You wouldn't believe how many spies have tried to get in looking for information."
"Really? I had no idea..." We got into the elevator and went down in total silence. When we reached the lobby, I said goodbye to the night staff and then took her to my car.
"I'm still impressed you have this car..." she murmured, not taking her eyes off my Bentley. I just smiled, opened the door for her, and she got in. I closed the door, walked around the car, put everything in the back, and then got in.
"Here's the GPS, just put in the address to guide me." She nodded, leaned over to type it in, and the scent she released filled the space.
"Done..." She turned her gaze and caught me looking at her, but I pretended I hadn't been.
"Alright," I started the car and drove into the night traffic. I swallowed hard as her mere presence stirred something inside me. How could that be possible? There was definitely a fine line between us, and I didn't know how long I could endure it.