The words seemed to bring his attention to her. He focused his eyes on her face as he leaned back in his chair, and crossed his legs at his ankles before propping them up on his desk. He smiled with half of his mouth before his eyes widened just slightly.
Lily didn't say a word and took in the sexy demeanor. She felt his steel stare on her, and she reveled in it. She had his attention, and she was aware it was special. A sense of lust came to her, taking her prisoner under his gaze. She would give anything to know what was on his mind.
She thought back to a time between classed where the two of them had made eye contact in the hall. The gaze was intense, and meaningful without a word. A teacher had broken it up, telling them to ‘cool it', even though neither of them were doing or saying a thing.
After a few too many moments had past, she broke the silence this time.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" She asked, as she interlocked her fingers.
"No, that'll be all." Alec said as he gazed at her out of the corner of his focused eye.
Lily buzzed as she left Alec's office. She had felt the undeniable tension that had been pulsing between them. She replayed the instance over and over again as she thought about what it had been that had engrossed him in her. She came up fruitless, but desperate for more.
She wished for that moment of connection to have lasted forever, and it left her tender for more.
The rest of the day, Lily spent it trying to draw Alec's attention like she had in his office. She did what she could to get that buzz, if only for a moment.
Each and every time that she looked at him, she wondered what the hell that girl was thinking so many years ago. She had lost a man that was handsome as well as driven.
"Lily, come here will you." Alec called from his office.
As quickly as she could, Lily was going into his office, she had wondered how much work she had ignored. A knot formed in her stomach and she clenched her hand, willing the nervous energy to be relieved.
"Yes?"
"I have some questions for you."
Lily sat down across from Alec. He was a difficult man to read. His face gave way to a mysterious essence, one that was not there when he was young.
"What are your questions?"
"Well, I was wondering if you could ask around. Work effectiveness has gone down greatly, and they aren't going to talk to me about it, so … "
"You want to use me as a spy?"
Alec let out a laugh as he shrugged his hands.
"I wanted to avoid using that word, but yes."
"Okay?" Lily said as she stood and left the office.
She checked the watch that sat on her right wrist for the time before heading to the lunchroom. Inside, people sat around large, round glass tables as they gossiped. Lily felt like her face was giving her away as she made her way to sit among them, something that until this point, she had avoided.
After a few moments of awkward silence, a woman that Lily recognized as Sadie Gilstrap smiled to her.
She was young, younger than her at least, and had short black hair that had streaks of red in it
"Lilith right?" She asked, offering the first olive branch to the new girl.
Lily was thankful for the gesture.
"Oh, just Lily is fine."
"Great! It's nice to meet you." Sadie had a cheery disposition that Lily was thankful for.
The rest of the table introduced themselves, and within a few moments the awkwardness had dissipated and all that was left was friendly chatter among coworkers.
"So, do you all like working here?" Lily asked, cutting to the meat of what she wanted.
"Well, we did." Mike, and older man whom worked in accounting said as he took a large fry and put it into his mouth.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked.
"Mr. Cross has made a few budget cuts, and even though they were minor, it kind of made it suck around here," added a young teen named Daron whom was working in the mailroom.
"What kind of cuts?" Lily continued.
"Well, our lunch breaks are shorter" mumbled April.
The staff continued to add cuts that had been made, and Lily found each one to be an annoyance. She could understand why all these people had been upset by the cuts. They were the little things that made work enjoyable.
"Well, that doesn't seem quite right of him." Lily noted.
"That's what we thought," Sadie said as everyone stood and made their way back to their areas. Lily however, disappeared into Alec's office.
"How did lunch go?"
Lily sat down and looked at Alec. She had known what happened to most people when they got a heavy dose of money, and more respect than what one could do with.
"It was informative."
"Yes?"
"Alec, why did you make so many budget cuts?"
Alec leaned back in his seat and a look of almost embarrassment crossed his face.
"Well, I thought we could be more productive."
Lily let out a laugh that was more mocking than she had intended it to be.
"Alec, when you want your staff to be more productive, you focus on raising staff morale, not lowering it."
"Lily, you don't understand. Every morning they would bring in donuts and coffee and talk for an entire hour before beginning work." Alec said, trying to defend himself.
"Alec, its work. They don't enjoy it like you do. They need that extra hour in the morning. Trust me, bring those things back, and more, and you'll get the productivity you want."
It seemed obvious to her, but Alec had obviously not considered it before now.
"Okay, thank you Lily." He said before focusing his attention back on the computer that sat before him.
After the day ended, Lily headed to the bookstore
"How are things going at the office?" Holly asked as the two of them enjoyed a dinner of pizza in the store.
"Okay, I guess." Lily shrugged.
"At least you're making enough to support the store and yourself."
It was true. Lily was making enough to do that. She was grateful for that, and also for Holly whom had made it all possible.
A knock came at the door, and Lily stood up quickly to answer it. It was past normal store hours, but if someone wanted in, she wasn't about to stand in the way of a perspective patron.
As she reached for the door, she caught a handsome and familiar face outside of the window. She smiled as she recognized Alec and then opened the door.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
"I wanted to come see your store." She said, looking around.
Holly came from the back and met eyes with Alec before shifting them to her sister. She looked as though she had seen a ghost.
"Hey Holly." Alec greeted her.
"Alec. How long has it been? WOW?" She said before leaving the store.
"She was in a rush." Alec noted.
"She's a mom now, she's always in a rush.
Alec smiled the continued to take in the bookstore.
"It's just like what you imagined." He remarked, mostly under his breath.
"Thank you."
"I'm so proud of you"
"You are?"
" Yes, and I have also missed you badly". Their eyes met, as he said this. Lily did not say anything but she looked right into his eyes. There was love in the air and both could feel it.
Alec came towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders. He leaned down and placed his hand on her soft face before lending his lips to hers.
All at once, she was overcome. Her nerve endings stood on end, her heart thrashed and her stomach became a knot. It had been so many years since she had felt his lips against hers. Those memories, those days spent together, all came rushing back to her, almost like she had never left him. She reached to him, holding him near her as she kissed him passionately.
He pulled her in close to him, his scent radiating the room and her. She was immediately overcome and intoxicated by him, every part of him. He stepped forward, pressing her body against the counter as he then lifted her up, and then gently placed her back down with grace.
They took a moment between kisses to gaze at one another. Alec gulped her down with his eyes before he pulled her close once more.
Lily wanted to stop him. He was her boss now and she could not jeopardize this job for anything. But she was so overwhelmed with feelings that she could not say anything. She knew Alec loved her; he had always loved her even when she broke up with him.
He focused kisses on her neck and down her chest before finishing on her chest as he removed her shirt. As he took it from her, she worked the buttons of his dress pants, and then allowed them to fall to the floor. She felt his throbbing member between her legs as she also felt her pulsating sex become wet with excitement and anticipation. He pulled her skirt from her toned legs as he ravished her with more kisses all over her awaiting body.
He ventured towards her sweet spot with his fingers and enjoyed her wetness. Impressed, with her, he plundered deeper, drawing moans and squeals from her. She moved her hips, drawing him in then out again as she moved.