Chapter 5

However, a few hours after the event had started… 

" Oh my God! I can't believe it! He's come! " one of the girls exclaims. 

" Who? " another asks.

" Mr. Reeves! 

As curious heads turn and the buzz grows, the plate almost falls out of my hands. I trusted him not to come! I was sure I'd have a quiet few hours!

Swallowing dryly and moistening my lips with my tongue, I turn my head in the same direction as everyone else, to watch him approach. The air stops in my lungs. The man manages to look even more handsome dressed informally, but still elegant. I've never seen him in jeans before and… hell, he looks great in them. His black shirt is loose, his hair is now blowing in the wind, unlike the flawless hair he wears every day, and his aviator glasses are over his eyes. I have to stop myself from cursing out loud. This image of him is everything I don't need to keep in my head. I know it will be one more way of being tormented. 

As everyone jostles to welcome him, I try to keep as far away as possible so as not to attract attention. Not that it will make any difference, since I'm invisible to him now. I feel so frustrated! When I was with him in that room, I thought I was pleasing him. Today, I'm no longer so sure…  

" Reeves has brought Miss Lee " someone pokes me in the ribs. I look at my colleague, trying to understand what that means. " Oh, you're new here, you mustn't know about the rumors.

" Rumors?

" Yes. They say you're having sex. That it won't be long before they come out. 

My attention then turned to the girl. She's Jessica Lee, a lawyer. She has Korean parents, but is a naturalized American citizen and has just returned from Seoul to work for the company. I know little about her, and I've already noticed that she's a regular presence in Brandon's office. My impression of her is not the best. I think the woman is a bit arrogant, lives with her head held high and doesn't greet anyone below her rank.  However, I have to admit that she is beautiful and dresses very well. I lower my eyes to the cheap floral dress I'm wearing. My lips twitch. I haven't bought a new outfit in a long time. Not lacking desire. It's just that shopping of any kind doesn't fit into my tight budget. 

If there really is something between the two of us, it's understandable that you now act as if I don't exist. What's a Sofia Shaffer compared to a Jessica Lee? I snort my displeasure and roll my eyes. It's not very nice to get a reality check. But this way, I'll never forget where I belong. Except that truth hurts a lot. 

That's it! My afternoon of fun is over. 

He's greeting the staff, which he does very nicely, he seems light, smiling, a side of him I didn't know… Well, the great truth is that I only know his body. I don't know anything about the man's personality. After this moment with the employees, Brandon leaves and walks around the place. He is closely followed by the secretary and Jessica, who occasionally wraps her arm around his, with the excuse of the uneven ground. For God's sake, we're in a park, with grass! Who wears heels in a place like this?

I breathe a sigh of relief when my boss walks away. But I'm still frustrated. Maybe I'll never get used to being ignored by him…

Brandon 

I shove one hand into the front pocket of my jeans, while the other slides through my beard. I try to concentrate on the words spoken by one of my employees. But it's almost impossible when Sofia Shaffer is just a few meters away from me, wearing a flowing dress that shows off her curves. Good God, does she have any idea how sensually daring that garment is? The wind makes the fabric stick to her body, threatening to show off her shapely legs. The neckline isn't daring, but it shapes breasts that I know are beautiful. Delicious in my mouth… 

I hold back a sigh as I notice that some boys, some distance away, are also enjoying the show. I clench my jaw. Why don't I like that at all? 

Jessica hooks an arm in mine, and I'm forced to smile at her. Then my eyes discreetly search for the girl again. Luckily, the sunglasses make my action safer. 

She is now surrounded by the same guys who were watching her… I can't help but frown. The guys make a few jokes, drawing smiles from her. Beautiful smiles! Bloody hell! This all bothers me so much.

I didn't even intend to go to the get-together. I don't like crowds. That's the truth. I had lunch with associates and partners, which is almost an obligation. I intended to go straight home. Likewise, I have a lot of work to do. I've ordered my employees to have a pleasant afternoon. However, the possibility of seeing you outside the office environment took me surprised… I commented to Jessica about the possibility of stopping by, and she was surprised. I explained that I just wanted to socialize a bit. Then the lawyer insisted on accompanying me, as did Shane.  

I was mistaken when I thought that just one night with sweet Sofia would be enough to ease my worries about her… I was surprised at how intense everything was. She's shy, somewhat inexperienced, almost bordering on innocence, and perhaps that made things even better than I expected. 

I've been making a superhuman effort not to get close to her again. And repeat everything we'd done. However, I don't want any complications. Apart from her being my employee, which makes everything even more difficult, I would rather not get involved with anyone. I'm a busy man, I don't have time and I don't need a relationship in my life at the moment. My business overwhelms me and I require focus… But focus is the last thing I'm getting these days, after fucking Sofia Shaffer. Seeing her in the office every day only adds to the torture. 

Now, looking at her in that sexy little dress is killing me. I run a hand over the back of my neck, trying to keep my self-control, or I'll get a grotesque erection in front of my employees. And that will be very embarrassing.

I know I can have any woman I want. I'm not ignorant of this fact. My position and appearance help a lot with that. Even Jessica isn't very subtle about showing her interest. And what am I becoming? A man who wants a woman he shouldn't have and who isn't even my type.

Sofia 

There are plenty of attractions to entertain the small crowd. Magic, sports competitions, traditional dances, raffles, music, and plenty of food. 

I'm a bit part of it all, chatting to some of my colleagues, even managing to laugh at some of their jokes. The truth is that now I'm shy and uncomfortable. Everywhere I look, there's the couple at the center of the afternoon's attention. Jessica's smile… Oh, it's starting to annoy me. The woman doesn't leave his side for a second. The other men are like a flock of vultures above her, trying to get her attention. I snort again. Such a situation never happens to me. Yes, I'm in the middle of a crisis of spite. I roll my eyes. 

At a certain point, the employees start asking for a speech from their boss, in unison. A little annoyed, laughing awkwardly, Brandon accepts, climbing onto the small stage. I can only think how beautiful he looks, embarrassed. He rubs a hand over the back of his neck, smiles sideways, his eyes narrow. 

But once he's center stage, the seriousness returns:

" I can only thank everyone here. The vast majority of you have been with me since the beginning. Without you, none of this would be possible… 

The speech continues, but my mind is taken elsewhere. I find myself admiring the man's entire body. I remember my mouth running the length of that broad chest… I can't stop my eyes from going down further… I bite my lips hard. The memory of the sensation of sucking him fills my mouth with water. Hell, I want to do it again. My breathing quickens, my skin burns. Holy shit. Why is it still so clear in my mind? 

I notice a colleague's curious gaze on me. I know I'm blushing.

" It's hot, isn't it? " I try to disguise it by shaking myself and walking away with the excuse of getting some water. 

The speech ends and the way they're going, they're probably leaving. The party is over for me too. I go to the food court, pick up a few things that will be my dinner, and head for the parking lot that leads out of the place.