Rise of the Titan

by Pressley James

  Just as the apartment door opened…

  “Braden,” she murmured sleepily, dragging the blanket along with her, and sat up on the sofa. Blinking past grogginess, she eyed him across the room. “What time is it?”

  “7:30 or a little later.” His expression was cool as he stalled by the door. Even dressed in a rugged state, a form-fitting black tee, black jeans, and boots, he was a killer to her feminine senses and wiles. Finally, he ambled lazily in her direction. “Sorry if I awakened you.”

  Watching him closely, she gave a shy smile. “No big deal. I was just taking a nap.” Her eyes followed him and stayed while he plopped onto the loveseat across from her. The tired look on his face indicated nothing but stress. “You were gone a long time, well, all day really. Big business deal?”

  “Guess you could say that,” he evaded with a shrug. Then, taking care, he slipped each boot from his feet. Sighing, he eyed her at close range, and his intense look sent shivers rippling through her. Then, the usual and detached aloofness covered him. “Don’t take it personally, but I don’t feel like talking.”

  “Okay. If that’s the way you want it, so be it,” she said hurt, miffed, and angered. Then, shoving the blanket off, she bounded from the sofa. “You know what? I’ve changed my mind.” Huffing, she crossed both arms across her chest and passed him a stubborn look. “No.”

  “No?” Narrowing his eyes, he scowled. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “I’ll tell you exactly what it means.” Her lips pressed in a firm line. “It means that I’m not going to tiptoe around you anymore. I’m not going to put up with your sullen mood.” Tightening her fists, and then raising them, she assumed a fighting stance. “Put your dukes up, Sir Titan. There’s no avoiding this confrontation any longer. We’re going to settle this once and for all.”

  “So, you want to fight, huh?” A humorous light gleamed in his eyes. While so, he still tried to fight against it and forced a frown. “Doesn’t seem like a fair fight to me.”

  “Oh no?” she teased playfully, working her feet, and bounced forward a few times. Then, she executed a couple of feeble punches mid-air. “You might be a big fella, but I can still take you down.” Halting, she motioned for him with both hands. “Come on. What are you waiting for?”

  “Me thinks somebody’s had too much of a nap. It’s obvious that you’re not thinking too clearly, or else, you wouldn’t be challenging me. Since you’re basically half way close to being unstable, I’ll let you slide.” Still, he stood, though, and now an endearing lightness played on his handsome features. A smile curled his lips, one that he was no longer able to smother. “I’m not the kind of man to take advantage of that.”

  “Why don’t you just say you’re scared, you big chicken?” she teased again, grinning widely. Then, lunging forward, she playfully punched his chest. “Come on, show me what you’ve got.”

  “So, you’re playing it like that---”

  Before he could finish his sentence, she slapped a hand against his cheek playfully before laughing again. “Know what? You’re the worst kind of opponent. All talk and no action---”

  Suddenly, he lunged forward and grabbed her.

  As he scooped her up, she released a delightful squeal.

  With little ease, he slung her over his shoulder. “Still want to talk trash, damsel?” he challenged with a deep chuckle. “Considering the fact that you’re at my mercy, it might not be a good idea.”

  “Put me down,” she said breathlessly, and then fell into a fit of giggles. Laughing outright, she slapped at his back. Her action only caused him to turn in a full dizzying circle. An overwhelming joy filled her at the sound of his masculine laughter. “Damn it, Braden, you’re being a bully right now. Oh!”

  As she found herself free-falling, she gave a surprised yelp, but then resumed laughing as he dropped her onto the sofa. Following her partially down, bracing himself about her, he began tickling her.

  “Stop it!” she laughed, squirming wildly on the sofa. But, the playful niggling fingers working fast along her ribcage and abdomen were hardly merciful. “Braden---”

  For a long moment, they played.

  Wrestling and tumbling about the sofa.

  “Okay, okay, okay!” she conceded amidst more giggles. “I yield!”

  His deep laughter resonated again. “Fuck yeah!”

  Then, finally, breathless laughing, he collapsed atop of her.

  Stilling, falling silent, they watched one another.

  A profound silence came as their eyes held.

  All playfulness was gone.

  In their gazes, there was a deep mutual longing, one that was hard to hide or suppress. Gulping hard, she dropped hers to his chin. Then, as if drawn by some mysterious force, they met his again.

  A breath didn’t escape them.

  They were too caught up.

  How long had it been since they’d been this way with one another?

  Unguarded…

  Stiffening against her, he moved to rise, but surprise stole his features when she stayed him. A hard shudder racked through him as she grasped the edges of his shirt. “Bella, I think---”

  “You think what?” she asked somewhat breathlessly. “That it’s impossible for us to be friends again?” Her eyes searched his. “Why are you so against it?”

  “Please.” He released a hard sigh. “Not that again---”

  “No,” she shook her head defiantly. “I won’t accept that.” Then, to her horror, the hot scalding tears filled her eyes. Shamed, she turned her head away, only to feel the single tear slipping along her cheek. Even so, she felt his intense stare. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I can’t stand the fact that you hate me---”

  “Look at me, Bella.”

  “No,” she whispered.

  His plea was raspy. “Please.”

  Sniffling, teary-eyed, she looked at him again.

  “In a million lifetimes, I could never hate you. Yes, we’re dealing with a lot of bullshit,” he whispered quietly, and his own gaze was stormed over with emotions. “But, hating you will never happen.”

  She stared deeply into his eyes. “You promise?”

  His gaze was equally intense. “I promise.”

  “Ok,” she murmured with a wobbly smile.

  “As for your friendship request…” He paused for a long second, and then nodded. “We’ll try it, and see how things go.”

  The hope leapt in her chest. “Really?”

  Their gazes held long again.

  “Really,” he muttered thickly and eyed her close. “You hungry?”

  She nodded shyly. “A little bit.”

  “A little bit?” He gave a crooked smile. “Hell, you’re doing better than me. What’s that expression? I could eat a damned horse? Well, that’s me right now.”

  Her heart fluttered.

  Everything about this gorgeous creature disarmed her.

  “How does pizza sound?” he asked, carefully disentangling himself, and then sat straight up on the sofa. “Or do you prefer something else?”

  Still, shyness was upon her.

  Nodding, she sat up fully on the sofa. “Pizza sounds fine.”

  Their gazes held long and hard again.

  Finally, broke their visual hold. “Guess I’ll call.”

  “Alright.”

  Staying silent, she watched as he crossed the room. When he neared the kitchen, he stopped and turned to face her again. “One more thing.”

  “What?” she asked surprised.

  “Sorry for being an asshole these last weeks.”

  “Considering the circumstances---”

  “No.” He gave a firm shake of the head. A quiet shame stole his features, and it was hard to dismiss. “Don’t justify my ill-treatment of you. If anything, I never want to be like Vitali and degrade---”

  On cue, hot tears pooled in her eyes.

  Damn it, why was it such a knee-jerk reaction when it came to him!

  Always, it was water works
.

  But, didn’t the moment call for it?

  “You’re nothing like him and never will be,” she said softly, staring back at him with tear-filled eyes. “And I’ll say it a thousand times over until you finally believe it.”

  Again, an unguarded state claimed their situation.

  In their eyes again, the longing shone.

  This time, she looked away.

  But, it was too late.

  The bough between them had finally broken.

  ***

  The next day, on a cold wintry Monday morning, she’d barely entered the mailroom before she was summoned to Titan’s office. To her surprise, the friendly receptionist ushered her inside the moment she arrived.

  As the door closed behind her, Braden turned his attention straight to her. “Come in, Bella.” His handsome features were totally unreadable, and coolness radiated from him. The black business attire lent him a sexy edge, easily cementing his hot-ass-fuck status. He nudged his head towards the chair facing his desk. “Have a seat, and we’ll go ahead and get started.”

  Pausing at the door, she frowned in confusion.

  Get started with what?

  Rather than voicing that question, she murmured a quiet. “Ok.” While she advanced towards him, she fought to squelch her nervousness. No doubt, her features were flustered from that very strain.

  Too, just seeing him made her…

  Hot and bothered…

  Nervous and good jiggly in the heart at once…

  Thankfully, for once, she was dressed with the utmost appropriateness, she decided, tugging nervously at the dress’ hemline after sitting down. A black dress always adhered to the business world fashion rules.

  Simple yet stylish…

  Her face went hot.

  Too, honestly, she’d taken pain-staking care in getting ready.

  For once, her hair was perfectly gathered in a top bun while soft tendrils curled alongside her face. A light dusting of makeup colored her face, and a rich burgundy color smudged her full lips.

  Without a doubt, she’d dressed up for him!

  Not that he noticed---

  She nearly started when he spoke.

  “No doubt, you’re wondering why you’re here.” Hurling the pen down, he leaned back in the office chair. “Again, allow me to apologize for being an asshole. If anything I know your worth. Shamefully, I haven’t valued it like I should’ve.” His gray eyes bewitched hers across the space. “I’m sorry.”

  “Thank you.” From the roots of her hair to her toes, she felt a burning hotness under his close perusal. Like before, the subtle intimacy breathed between them and threatened to bloom into an outright monster. “And believe it or not, I actually enjoyed my time in the mailroom,” she said quite honestly. “Truthfully, Carlo and I ambushed you right off. We should’ve come to you and asked first rather than trying to bulldoze a way in. I’m humbled by the time that I actually spent in the mailroom. It was an experience that taught me about good and honest hard work. Not only that, but the people are great down there.”

  “You’re one helluva woman, Bella. Ambitious, intelligent, and driven. I’m going to teach you how to play it all to your advantage.” His deep stare intensified, changing his gray eyes to a darker hue. “Once before, we talked about there being a life outside of Sinful Shades. I’m going to help you find that life. If you stay here and work with me, we’ll work to find you a better future. If there’s anyone that deserves that, it’s you.”

  She returned his stare.

  Did she really?

  The guilt hit her.

  How could she keep pretending with him especially?

  Weren’t you supposed to be honest with the one you loved?

  Her lips trembled.

  How many awful days did they have to endure such treachery?

  All the while, she’d just lose him, lose him, and lose him continuously.

  “……you’ll work alongside me, attend all board meetings,” he droned on, and picked up a business ledger. “The national and international trading division is the hotspot in the company. People around here like to refer to it as the Eruption Zone, and admittedly, the title is fitting.”

  “I remember Alicia saying as much.”

  “Truth is, we deal with a lot of individuals, and some of those individuals are, uh, questionable sometimes. Fuck that, they’re shady as hell.” Then, his stare turned more pointed. “Anything and everything that happens within these walls stays here. Do you understand?”

  Now, that did get her attention.

  What was anything and everything?

  “In other words, don’t go about gossiping,” she murmured instead, arching a perfect brow. “Of course, that would be a given anyway---”

  “What I do mean is that you can’t go home blabbing about any of this to Vitali,” he muttered tersely, and tension played on his face now. “It’s bad enough that he has shares in my company and trying to throw his weight around. The bastard doesn’t need any know-how in how I’m handling some things.” He rose forward in the plush office chair. “If that’s a deal-breaker for you, you may as well leave now, and we’ll call the whole damn thing off.”

  “I get it, Braden,” she offered, trying to smooth his ruffled feathers. “You don’t want me to say anything.” Across the way, their visual connection lengthened, and again, a real and clear intimacy breathed. “And I swear to you, I’ll keep things between us and only us.”

  “Good.” His features relaxed somewhat. “Just as long as we have that clear.” He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “While Alicia has already shown you around the company, I’d like to do so again.”

  “That’d be good,” she nodded in agreement. “I’ve forgotten a lot of what she’s told me. She did mention some areas that were off limit to employees.”

  “True. But, those very areas are accessible to you. The sauna, Jacuzzi, swimming pool…they’re yours for the taking.” A humorous light played in his light. “Since we’re literally playing house, they may as well be.”

  She giggled. “True.”

  “Your lunch break will be an hour and a half, and you’re free to go wherever,” he shrugged, striving for aloofness again, yet failed. Again, the bough had been broken… “Most days, I work out and then have lunch upstairs at the apartment. The offer’s there if you’d like to join me.”

  “I probably will,” she said quietly, nearly squirming in the seat. How could she not? He was so friggin’ combustible hot! Her face warmed even more as she dropped her eyes. “While I love the eatery area here, it can be costly.” She raised her gaze to his again. “Eating lunch at the apartment sounds like the best idea around.” Her smile was shy. “I’ll even cook some days.”

  “Sure I can find some way to choke it down,” he teased, giving a devilish grin, and then turned serious. After standing, he straightened the lapels of the suit jacket. “Why don’t we go on that tour now?”

  She stood as well. “Of course.”

  Time passed quickly.

  The software division was very impressionable. All over, the savvy tech executives worked or coached programming sessions that were completely foreign to her, she realized. In that area of expertise, she was lost, though, highly impressed by it. Throughout, though, she noticed how everyone responded to him. Genuinely and truly, they both liked and respected him. Too, the employee makeup in the company was commendable to a high degree. Not only was it multi-generational, but multi-cultural both in racial and gender facets. All walks of life soared within Jameson’s Incorporations, she mulled, looking around the huge area with pride. As they moved to venture to another level, she caught his fast wink and smiled.

  Damn, it just felt good to be this way with him again.

  By 10:00, they were at a high-stakes meeting.

  Like a well-skilled and savvy businessman, he handled the sometimes rising tempers and tension with relative ease. Exactly, an hour later, all parties involved were shaking hands with the end result being
a newly signed deal.

  Now, sitting at the head of the conference table alone, she watched while he conversed with a Mr. Longley, no doubt, expertly cementing a permanent business relationship with a show of hospitality and grace.

  Dear God, I love him, she mulled, turning sideways, and blinked at the tears. But, this certainly wasn’t the time and place to succumb to her crazed emotions. By the time he reached her, she was fully composed, and they were off again.

  At exactly, 12:10, sitting right beside him at the small conference table in his office, she tried to suppress her stomach’s rumbling. When the loud growl came, she wanted to crawl under the table. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled, growing hot-faced.

  “No, let me apologize.” Sighing, he tossed the pen down. “By this point, it’s probably obvious to you that I’m a workaholic. Sometimes, I get caught up in all this shit and forget the passage of time.” He flicked his eyes over her. “What are your plans for lunch? If you don’t have any, I’d love the pleasure of your good company.”

  “I don’t have any,” she confessed. “Lunch sounds fine.”

  “How does a hand-tossed salad sound?” He shrugged nonchalantly. “Like I said, most days, I have lunch at the apartment. When I do, it’s usually a meal that’s quick and easy.”

  “That sounds fine, and I’ll even help make lunch.” She gave him a soft smile, and as she did, his eyes seemed to smolder. A sliver of pleasure skated along her spine. “With two hands, there’s no telling what we’ll accomplish.”

  “Alright. Sounds like a plan.”

  Moments later, side by side in the kitchen, they were preparing lunch. Humming softly under her breath, she finished the touches on the spaghetti pasta while he doused the salad with Italian dressing. Sliding the tongs into the hot boiling water, she clenched a huge helping of steaming pasta between the teeth and heaped them onto the platter. As soon as she did, the aroma of hot warm garlic bread permeated her senses. “Oh no, the bread,” she said quickly, turning fast, and plowed into him. Her gaze skittered around for the pan holders and found nothing. “Where are the oven mitts?”

  He grabbed the oven mitts from a counter table. “Right here.”