He studied me for a second and raised his eyebrow and question. "So … " He took a cautionary step that had me backing up to the steel wall.
The situation felt so familiar. "Well, if you really want to know so badly."
"Yes, I do."
"Fine," I sighed in defeat and continued on. "I quit because I didn't want to see you, hear you, or even smell you at all. I had it. I truly just had it with all of you damn Maxwells."
"Smell?" he interrupted with a snicker.
"I'm not finished, yet," I warned and glowered at him. "I don't want to continue whatever it is that I have going on with you. The truth is I'm not even sure myself what I feel about you."
"Are you done?" he silently asked after I briefly paused.
"No. I think I still have more to say … " I answered pointedly. "Well, I also don't want to see you anymore. Wait, I already said that … And, oh! I almost forgot! I don't want to be associated with you anymore in my life, professional or otherwise."
"Now, are you done?"
"Yes, I think that it all." I nodded curtly.
"Well, everything you have said isn't what I wanted to say. Actually, opposite of everything you just said is what I wanted to say," he countered in the same tone as he took another step closer to me. "Why do you think so negatively of me?"
"Are you really asking me an obvious question?" I snorted and eyed him in disbelief.
"True, I can't lie to you about that fact, but what about after? You can't lie and tell me your feelings haven't changed," he probed in interest.
"Okay, I'll give you that … but, so what? That's the only defense you have? If you bottled up every bad moment we had from the good, I'd have an atomic bomb in my hands."
He chortled at my words and shook his head in disbelief. "Why do I hear a sense of wavering resolve on your tone?" he asked smugly.
"Oh, Please! You're reading it too much. You think you have a chance after the stunt you pulled?" I challenged and stood straight to make my point clear.
"Yes, I do believe I have one. If I didn't, we won't be having this conversation," he replied, the end of his lips twitched into a grin.
I felt indifferent on where our conversation was heading. But before I could contradict, he took another step closer to me. In reaction, I slowly took a step back on the cold, steel wall behind me. As it started to get uncomfortable, the elevator door suddenly opened to our floor. I let out a huge sigh of relief that it was over. I thought that I could get away from him but I was at a disadvantage. He grabbed both sides of my shoulder, making me look up at him in surprise.
The next thing I knew his lips were on mine. It's been awhile since he kissed me. It felt like I had been holding my breath. I couldn't help the reaction his touch had on my body when my lips responded to his. I let out a soft moan as he pinned me to the cool wall, giving me a slight feverish feel as my skin started to heat up. Like the feeling of our lips weren't enough, William deepened the kiss as he roughly bit my lips, asking for entrance. In automatic response, I allowed him.
In that moment, I didn't know where everything started and ended. All I could feel and think of was him. His soft yet rough hands pulled me to his toned chest. His primal kiss and tongue swirling around on my mouth commandingly. His intoxicating scent clouded my mind. He was everywhere.
And then, he was gone. When he took a small step back from me, but remained both hands around my waist. I didn't know I had closed my eyes the whole time until I opened them to see his liquid, blue eyes. I could hear my ragged breath as I tried to stable my heartbeat.
"Did you think I wouldn't do this in front of them?" he whispered breathlessly, his voice was raspy from our urgent, feverish kiss.
I stiffened from his words and slowly turned towards the opened elevator door, where Maggie and Alexandra stood with their eyes wide open in surprise. And to add my back luck, a few of the board and chair members of the company are with them, too. I mentally cursed at his great timing. Mr. Mogul made another point with an audience.
Forty
I roughly pushed him back as I felt my face flushed. I couldn't believe that someone witnessed such an intimate moment. But I couldn't believe that William would do that when he knew a lot of people where present.
"You're cleaning this mess up," I grumbled while glancing outside the elevator.
Beside me, I heard his soft snicker. This made me scrunch my eyebrow in annoyance since I couldn't really yell in front of board members of the company, who looked dumb-founded. I shyly made a quick exit on the lift, ignoring William trailing behind me.
"Andy, I'm glad you are here. Can you take a few more appointments in Maggie's stead for this Saturday?" Alexandra asked, breaking the thick tension in the room.
"Ah, yes, sure," I replied shyly as I made my way towards my desk and grabbed the envelope with the list she needed to oversee.
"Thank you," she said before turning her attention to the group of man in suits, who stood a good distance from my desk. "Well, gentlemen, since my brother is here. Can we start this meeting already?" she asked with fake enthusiasm as she gestured towards William's office.
I slid down on my chair as I let them walk past me, waiting for the moment that I can be free from all the tension. When I felt rather than noticed William walked past me, I mentally cringed that he might do something unexpected again. I had to double my guard around him.
"You don't have to be so stiff. We've already established what you really feel about me." William smugly expressed as he stopped on my desk before entering his office.
I was about to glare at him, but he had already continued walking towards his office. On the desk across, I left Maggie's eyes on me. I glanced at her direction in instinct.
"On his behalf, I apologize for his behavior," she said shyly. "But don't be so put out with him. I'll let you in on a secret. You're the first girl William kissed with that many people around," she added in a whisper, but loud enough for me to hear.
I couldn't help but blush from her words. I gave her a stiff smile in reply. How was I supposed to respond to that? After that awkward conversation, I turned back to the list of appointments I had to attend. I felt relieved that I wouldn't be stuck in the office for the rest of the day. I felt paranoid every time William and I are in the same room.
On my ride back down to the lobby, my thoughts couldn't help but be reminded on what had happened inside this four, steel wall a few minutes ago. I felt another wave of cold and warmth rose throughout my body. I shivered slightly at the memory and shoved it at the back of my head. He couldn't distract me today.
I felt relieved that the rest of the meetings went smoothly without interruptions. I wanted to treat myself out for dinner after a tiresome day work. I didn't plan on going back to the office at all, knowing who would be waiting for me. As I got out on my last meeting for today, which is the catering service, I couldn't hold in my surprise at the person standing outside the main entrance.
"For the love of God! Would you please stop following me?" I yelled in frustration after recovering from my initial shock.
He gave me a coy smile. "Are you done? I've been waiting here for like ten to fifteen minutes already."
I scowled at him and kept a good distance. "What are you doing here? I won't ask how you found me since I can see Mark in the driver's seat."
"I know you are done with your work, and you're free tonight," he started shyly. His voice somehow lost its confidence.
"How can you be sure I'm free?"
"I've already asked everyone, just to make sure."
"You asked … Wait, who did you asked about my availability?" I asked, dumb-founded by his preparedness.
"Your father, your friend, Maggie … I think that's about the amount of people in your life that you can have plans for tonight." He replied confidently.
"You make me sound so … anti-social … " I grumbled softly to myself.
"Since you don't have any plans, you can't really refuse to have dinner with me tonight," he pointed out. "Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"
I looked him in confusion. He couldn't be asking me out nicely this time. Though the first part had a little controlling issue; but still, he took my advice about asking nicely.
"How long are you going to stand there like a statue? You know I don't have that much temperament with waiting … " he grumbled in annoyance after a brief silence.
My thought about him turning a new leaf was gone. "And, you just have to break the mood like that … "
"Can you just get in the car? This talking and waiting is making me hungry," he gestured towards the already opened door.