Chapter 6

Enora:

The meeting with Mr. Gonman was finally over. Mr. Wright went to attend to more urgent business and left me alone in the meeting room with the new dates for the rescheduled meetings he was to have with his other clients.

I was grateful to be away from his pressing gaze. I could actually think a little better for once since I got this job.

As I filled in his calendar, my mind traveled to his kiss. I shuddered as I remembered the way his tongue made love to mine. He tasted musky and refreshing, like crisp Italian wine. I closed my eyes and could hear his deep groans against my lips.

“I don’t know if you want more, but I do and I will only touch you with permission.”

His words made me shiver. He would touch me only if I permitted him to.

I sighed. Why did this feel wrong? What was I even saying? This was wrong! This was Mr. Wright! The father to my best friend, Bridget! She got me this job, cut corners for me to be the personal assistant to her fucking, handsome, stinking-rich dad and this was how I was going to repay her kindness? By kissing him and permitting him to touch me even though I knew I wanted it.

“Arrrghhh!”

I lowered my head on the table and wished I could vanish. I was a terrible friend and to think that the entire time I was looking at him with hungry puppy eyes, none of this ever occurred to me. Yep, it was official. I was a terrible person.

“I don’t permit my assistants to take a nap on the job.”

I was so startled that I fell off my chair, and the papers and laptop that I was typing on came crashing down with me. It hit the floor and the screen immediately went blank. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. This was terrible!

I scrambled to my knees and found Mr. Wright looking down at me. His eyes were devoid of any expression, and his demeanor was cold and almost distant.

“I am so sorry, Mr. Wright-”

I hurriedly gathered the papers off the floor. I intentionally avoided the laptop, hoping that if I gave it more time, everything about it would be fine.

“-I wasn’t sleeping. I had already finished your work and was thinking about something before you came in-”

I placed the papers on the table and sighed. The only thing left was the laptop. This was my moment of truth. Please let it still be working fine.

“-I didn’t even know when you came in.”

We both bent together to pick up the laptop and his hand brushed against mine. Our eyes locked and I felt my face burst into flames as I met his intense gaze.

He let go of me and I picked the laptop up. I looked at the screen. It wasn’t cracked or damaged, but powering it would be the deciding factor.

I placed it on the table and looked at it, my hands scared to turn it on. I didn’t know much about electronics, but I could tell that it was an expensive company laptop. The price alone was enough to pay off my student loans.

“Well? -”

I looked at Mr. Wright and his eyes were gesturing at me to turn the laptop on. Shit!

“-What are you waiting for?”

I gulped. There was no going back now. Please let this work.

I pressed the power button, and my soul almost left my body. I pressed it again and again but it was still the same thing. The screen remained blank. I wanted to burst into tears. I was going to get fired for sure.

Mr. Wright was silent for a while and soon he fished out his phone and called a number. I stood there in fear, waiting for his judgment, and I didn’t have to wait long.

“Adam, please get the car ready and take Miss Lopez back to the penthouse. You can pick me up later. I still have some more business to attend to.”

I felt my heart shatter into tiny pieces. I knew it. I was getting laid off and I had barely been here for two days. I wanted to burst into tears but I couldn’t. Somehow, deep down, I felt I deserved it. I had been a total clutz and lusted after my best friend's father. Maybe the universe didn’t want me to be here.

Mr. Wright ended the call and turned his attention back to me. I was fighting to keep the tears at bay. I didn’t want to embarrass myself any further.

“I…I am so sorry, Mr. Wright. It was an accident.”

“I know. Get the papers organized, give them to my secretary, and prepare for Adam to pick you up.”

And with that, he walked away and left me all alone in the meeting room. A silent tear slid down my face. I screwed this all up. My chance of paying off my student loan had just been flushed down the toilet.

~~~

I cried silent tears on my way back to the penthouse and tried my best to avoid Adam’s eyes as he stole glances at me from the driving mirror. As soon as we got to the hotel, I got out of the car as fast as I could and hurried to the front door. I ignored the receptionist and dashed into the elevator, closing the door as fast as I could so that I could be alone for a few minutes and cry my heart out.

As soon as the door shut, I burst into tears. I had ruined everything and all because I couldn’t act properly in front of my boss. What was I going to tell Bridget? What was Mr. Wright going to tell her?

The tears slowed down and I rested my head on the elevator wall. So much for touching you with your permission. I should have seen through the facade. Why would a rich hot businessman want with someone who couldn’t keep their act together around them?

I got to the penthouse and walked sluggishly to the door. I took out my key card and swiped it. The door unlocked and I let myself in. The air-conditioned room dried my wet face instantly and I took a deep breath.

There was no use crying over spilled milk. I had better go pack my stuff and wait for my order to go home.