" I am happy to hear you achieved your dream, Lily. Good job!"
" Thanks" Lily was happy to connect with Alec
" You know, in business things are never stable. So don't worry about it. I am sure you will figure this out with time". The chips were down and Lily welcomed the encouragement.
"And, if that's the motive, then I'm sure you will work hard" He smiled at her, a smile that sent chills down her spine.
"Yes, I will."
"Also, I know you can write, and I need a ton of proposals written, so we could use your skills. Remember that English paper?" He smiled and winked at her.
A wave of accomplishment washed over her. She had in fact remembered that paper. It was their freshmen year in school and Alec had come to her with a very large English paper on a book that he had failed to read. It was always like Alec to put away the important things until they came back to bite him. They had spent the entire night going over the book, one of Lily's favorites, and writing the paper. He had gotten an A on it, and neither of them could have been happier.
Lily stared at the man across from her. She wished that she knew what was going through his mind, but she could only guess. Alec had a few more questions that he needed to ask to officially complete the interview.
Between interview questions, Lily would catch Alec's strong gaze. She would meet his stare back, but it would be broken soon enough as the tension set in. Both tried to remain professional and cool, but each had their own failing moments as they took in each other's view.
Lily had to fight the desire to ask him all of the questions that came to her mind, none of them involving any work as a secretary. Suddenly, she had craved to know the man that she had left so long ago. She wanted to learn about the person that he had become after she said her goodbyes.
"Do you think our past will affect your job performance?" Alec asked, the question stunning her. She had to stagger her answer as she spoke.
"Of course not." She said, not willing to flutter around the question.
She focused her eyes onto his lapel, and the way that it kissed his muscular neck. She wished that she could be the one stealing kisses, and coaxing goose bumps from him. She found little encouragement to subdue her desires, yet she still managed to as she brushed her hand against her milky thigh.
"I would be happy to give you the job." He said, forcing her to crash from her mental caress into reality.
"Excuse me?" Lily asked, feeling her own eyes sweep his face for a hint of humor, but found none.
"I know how you work Lilly. As far as I'm concerned, I think that you'd be a great asset for team. What do you say?" Alec asked.
"Of course!" Lilly said as she stood.
Now, the only thing that she could possibly give way to was the fact that her bookshop would be saved. Sure, she and Holly would have to make it work, but they would. She knew her sister would do whatever it took, and so would Lily.
As she pulled away from Alec, she looked deep into the eyes of a man that had both enchanted and fascinated her. She felt the sly smile that crossed her lips, but bit it back and she thanked him.
Lilly bit her lip as she sunk down into the office chair. Working for Alec had not been what she had anticipated. In fact, she had never worked so hard, or so desperately, in all of her life.
After she would get finished working about nine hours at the office, she would make her way to her book shop where Holly would begin to explain to her all that happened, and it would inevitably give her a long list of things that needed to be done that were out of her hands. Lily would then deal with the issues that the bookshop posed.
Lily had yet to even stimulate her senses with Alec since being hired. He kept her busy, which had made her wither in exhaustion. Every moment of her day was taken up with work; and she had yet to reap the benefits. The debtors would bother her everyday but there was no sign of customers. She could see her dream slowly getting away from her.
She couldn't remember ever feeling as though she had needed to please Alec, but as she began working for him, it was practically the only thing that thrashed in her mind. She had managed to convince herself that it was little more than a way to secure her place at the company; that she was simply trying her hardest to save the book store, but she knew deep down that it was more than that.
She made sure to make his coffee the way that he pleased, to schedule his phone calls the way he asked, and to do each and every thing that she could just to see him smile at her. Other women in office made fun her when they saw her counting sugars for his coffee, or waiting by the fax machine for far too long.
Lily could hardly recognize herself. She was never the type of woman to do such a thing. She had somehow lost herself in the struggle of reality. Alec had become a bit of a distraction for her, and she appreciated it, she was even thankful for it. When she looked at him, she didn't have to think about her rent or her shop potentially failing, it was just Alec.
"Lily?" Alec called from his office for the third time.
She had heard him the first two, but had yet to prepare the planner that she knew he was going to ask of her. She squiggled in two more appointments before she stood, straightened her skirt, and walked into his office with as much pretend competence as she could muster.
"Is that next month's schedule?" He asked, not even breaking eye contact with the monitor that set before him.
"Yes, sir." Lilly said, glancing at him.
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.