Skin of the Night: Book One of The Night series

by Claire D. Bennett

  Some minutes later, William rang. My heart bolted to my throat. After a moment’s hesitation, I accepted the call. “Yes?”

  “You can come back now.” He sounded a bit strange, but I wasn’t sure why I thought that. He didn’t seem stressed, but he didn’t seem calm either.

  I swallowed. “Alright.”

  He hung up.

  At that moment in time, I couldn’t think of anything less tempting than returning to his office. I was certain I’d imagine the two of them naked, the scene awakening in my mind as though it were my present circumstance. Had he fucked her on his desk, for instance? Where I was supposed to work? Despite how nauseous I suddenly felt, I closed my laptop to heed his command.

  Since he was expecting me, I didn’t bother to knock. Opening the door, I found him in front of one of the windows. It was open, probably to ventilate the room so that I wouldn’t smell the sex that had been in the air.

  Immediately, he turned towards me, eyes darting. His lips were slightly swollen and redder than usual, no doubt due to the things he’d been using them for. The more I investigated, the surer I was that Elisabeth had been right. They must have had sex.

  Unsure of what to make of the situation, I shut the door and approached his desk without a word. I was appalled he would fuck someone while at work, essentially right in front of me, and then order me to work in here straight afterwards. It was incredibly inconsiderate of him, not to forget insensitive. To have to work here now was wildly uncomfortable.

  First and foremost, I was upset at his lack of work ethics, but I felt too intimidated to speak up since it was only my third day here. I also didn’t want him to think that I was only complaining because I was jealous. While it was true that part of me was hurt that he had moved on, I wasn’t jealous. I was upset only because it had been that easy for him to move on. By contrast, I wasn’t over him at all. When he focused on me, I heard only him. When he walked into the room, I saw only him. And yet, despite that, I thought to myself that if he were actually happy with Francesca, he deserved to be. Indeed, he deserved to be happy, and he deserved to have his feelings returned by someone worthy of him – someone who wasn’t me – because he was a wonderful man.

  “Sorry about that,” he murmured.

  Lifting my gaze, I stared blankly out of the windows. For the first time since I’d started here, a moment of sadness gripped me. The traffic of London hummed in the background, reminding me of why I had never really fancied cities. Above the pulsating metropolis, I saw the clear blue sky on this serene summer day. The breeze flirted with the white curtains, and I closed my eyes to savour its dance across my cheeks. On the face of it, losing William seemed trivial, and yet I couldn’t ignore the way my heart ached.

  “No worries,” I eventually murmured and, somewhat reluctantly, planted my computer back on his desk. “Do I need to clean this surface?”

  He blinked at my bold question. “No, that’s not necessary.”

  At least they hadn’t fucked on his desk.

  Giving him a vague nod, I found my seat again, and I sensed him watching me the entire while it took for him to return to his own and focus on work.

  One question kept bothering me while I tried to concentrate on my screen, and after a while, I realised that I might as well ask to get rid of it. Besides, it wasn’t unusual for colleagues to discuss this sort of thing, was it? In the end, it was rather obvious what he had done. Even Elisabeth suspected, so would I be speaking out of turn if I asked?

  Since I considered it my best option to end my urgent and gross level of curiosity, I decided to bite the bullet and asked, “So, are you two seeing each other now, or…?”

  When I glanced up, I caught him regarding me with an arched brow that revealed his scepticism. “With all due respect, Cara, I’m not inclined to discuss my romantic affairs with you.” Since he immediately focused on his computer again, it was apparent that trying to dig further would get me nowhere.

  “I’m sorry I asked,” I mumbled, embarrassed. While I felt robbed of the satisfaction of knowing the answer, I returned my attention to my computer screen to respect his boundaries, so I was surprised when he suddenly asked, “Why do you care?”

  It was an excellent question. Why did I care? I had no right to. However, the fact remained, which was that I did care. Was it because of my supermassive ego? Was I so narcissistic that I couldn’t accept his moving on? Did I want him to yearn for me eternally, despite my continuous rejections?

  No, it was really quite simple. I cared because he remained the only man who had ever captured my interest this severely. He was the only man I had ever experienced butterflies in the presence of, the only man I’d ever lusted after without end, the only man I had ever felt so connected with, and he was the only man it had ever felt right to kiss. So, it hurt me to know that it wasn’t mutual.

  While I had myself to thank for his moving on, it wounded me to know that it had been that easy for him, as I was nowhere near the same point. I still fancied him.

  But that didn’t change anything. I was adamant about remaining strictly professional, so I had no claim. My feelings were simply not justified.

  “I was just curious,” I murmured.

  He scoffed. “Haven’t you heard? Curiosity killed the cat.”

  I looked away from him. “No, I’ve heard. It’s just…”

  “Just what?” he prompted, and I sensed him study me.

  I sighed. “It’s not my place, but I think she might be in love with you.” I had said it because I wanted him to refute it. Nothing would have satisfied me more than to hear him ridicule me for even thinking such a thing. But instead, he replied, “You’re right. It’s not your place,” and he didn’t look remotely impressed with me.

  Since I had no right to be doing it, I felt ashamed of myself for prying into his romantic life, so I got back to work and counted the minutes till the clock would strike half eleven. As soon as it did, I stood. “Lunch?”

  “In a minute. I’ve got a few more things to look over before my meeting with Violet.”

  “I’ll join Elisabeth, then.”

  He merely waved his hand in the air to indicate I was free to go.

  § § §

  Over lunch, Elisabeth and I had exchanged some small talk, and I was grateful for the distraction. We had spoken about where we lived, what sort of party-scenes we were into, what interests we had in common – we were both avid readers – as well as romantic statuses. Elisabeth was engaged to a man named Brian, whom she had met four years ago. He was an economist, and their encounter hadn’t been particularly unique, according to her. They’d both been drunk at the same pub, when Brian had decided to chat her up.

  She had been sharing stories about their relationship when I’d noticed William’s arrival, but instead of joining us, he’d taken a seat at Andy and Violet’s table. While I’d been disappointed, I had also been thankful for his avoidance. My mood was still unstable after Francesca’s visit today, so I appreciated some mental room to sort out my thoughts – especially my feelings.

  “But you’re determined to remain single?” Elisabeth asked, with a tone of surprise, as we waited for the lift after lunch. The doors opened, and I was just about to elaborate when a large hand landed on my back to usher me in gently. As I tilted my head back, a spellbinding pair of eyes instantly hypnotised me.

  “Please, don’t let me interrupt,” said William and continued to hold my gaze. Speechless, I stared back.

  Elisabeth demanded his attention when she teased him with, “Mind your own business, Will. Nosy.” She wasn’t one to talk, but I refrained from commenting on that.

  Instead, I said, “No, it’s okay. I was only going to say that I’m committed to my career. That’s the only thing I’ve got the capacity to maintain at the moment.” To emphasise my point, I stepped away from William’s touch and propped my back against t
he wall.

  “She sounds like you,” Elisabeth remarked and peered up at William. His lips twisted as he tried to restrain a smile.

  “She does, actually.”

  Mystified, I frowned. What was that supposed to mean? Wasn’t he seeing Francesca now?

  Hearing my thoughts, I nearly groaned. I couldn’t continue doing this. It would do me no good to keep wondering.

  To distract myself, I changed the subject by saying to William, “I’ll be leaving to collect the files from Clifford Paints.”

  “Good. You might get back while I’m meeting with Violet. If you do, just continue your work on the NDA.”

  I nodded.

  § § §

  It was nearing three o’clock when I returned to the office, and it took me another hour to make copies of all the files, seeing as there was a horrendous amount. Scurrying back to William’s office with the stack of paper in my arms, I opened the door with my elbow, but he was nowhere in sight. Glancing at his desk, I was inevitably reminded of Francesca’s visit. With a sigh, I walked in to drop the documents on the black surface of it.

  Standing there, I wondered what to do if William was currently seeing her with the aim of building something lasting. I would need to move on as well, that was for sure, but I was already trying and had been ever since our conversation at Farm Girl, and it hadn’t brought me far. However, given enough time, perhaps I would consider this a blessing in disguise. If he and Francesca were getting serious, perhaps I would come to realise that it was the best thing that could have happened. Nothing would get in my way then. Perhaps I would finally be able to view him solely in a professional light.

  As for his male beauty? Well, I would admire that in silence until it became like furniture – familiar and something I didn’t give a thought.

  Sinking into my chair, I decided to get back to work. I’d been sitting there for a few minutes when my phone received a message, and it was from the single person I appreciated hearing from most right now.

  Aaron.

  ‘You available tonight? I’m curious to hear how your vacation scheme is going. Mine’s chaotic, but amazing x’

  ‘Yes! Mine? I finish at five x’

  Just after I’d pressed Send, William stepped in, and his arrival jolted me. For some reason, the fact that I’d just texted Aaron made me feel like I’d been caught committing a crime. With haste, I placed my phone next to my computer and focused on the NDA again.

  “You’re allowed to look at your phone,” he said with a tone of amusement.

  “Sorry. First time I’ve looked at it today. How was the meeting?”

  “Efficient. Violet’s not one to waste anyone’s time.” He reclined into his seat.

  I was just about to respond when the screen of my phone lit up to notify me that Aaron had replied. The instant after I’d read his name, I saw that William had stolen a glance as well, and what happened next was extremely awkward. It was obvious that we’d both seen it, but we refused to look at each other. It felt like an elephant had jumped into the room, but neither of us was willing to acknowledge it.

  “I’ll need you to stay for a while longer today,” he suddenly said. When I looked over, he seemed completely unfazed. Deciphering his thoughts was impossible, and I hated it. “Would that be alright, or have you got plans?”

  A vague frown crossed my face. While we certainly had plenty of work to finish, I considered the timing of his question somewhat conspicuous. “No, I can stay, but for how long?”

  He shrugged. “I’m not sure. We’ve got a lot to do.”

  “Okay.” Suspicious, I wondered whether he had asked me to stay solely to impede my plans with Aaron. Then again, it seemed unlikely when taking his affair with Francesca into account.

  A few more minutes elapsed before he said, “By the way, on Fridays, the office tends to grab a few drinks at Disrepute – the cocktail bar where we first met. You should come. We’ll celebrate your first week with us.”

  Elisabeth had already mentioned it during lunch, but after today’s events, alcohol and William didn’t strike me as company worth seeking out. It seemed like the recipe for a devastating night out. Under the influence, I didn’t trust myself not to do something stupid, like act on my lust for him. Alcohol severely reduced my inhibitions, and I was struggling enough already. If I made a pass at him, I’d never be able to live it down. He was my boss, and I had just been preaching to Elisabeth about maintaining professionalism. It would make me a hypocrite, to say the least.

  To make it worse, William was likely to reject my advances now, due to Francesca. Acting on my lust for him would also mean contradicting myself, and I wasn’t about to allow that. I had chosen my career, and I intended to stand by my decision. In fact, I owed it to William to stand by it. I respected him too much to do anything else. Regardless of how much I liked him, I simply refused to get in the way of him and Francesca.

  “I can’t. I’ve got plans,” I lied. “Maybe next week.”

  “Next week it is, then.”

  § § §

  William had made me stay till eight. Since I was exhausted after having spent more than twelve hours at work, Aaron and I had agreed to postpone meeting till tomorrow. After a shower, I’d settled on the sofa to watch TV with Jason where he had taken it upon himself to massage my feet.

  “I’m knackered,” I declared with a groan. “Your brother is a force to be reckoned with. Fucking hell. I can’t believe he works such long hours every single day. How does he stay so fit?”

  “He trains before work.”

  “Christ.”

  Jason nodded. “He’s a machine. Always has been.”

  During a momentary lapse of judgment, I muttered, “Well, that machine also has a sex drive.”

  He stiffened. “Pardon?”

  I blinked when I realised how that must have sounded. “No, no, I didn’t mean it like that. Sorry. This woman stopped by today – Francesca. I think he fucked her in his office, but I’m not sure.”

  Mouth agape, he stared disbelievingly at me. “What?”

  “Yeah, and he made me work there afterwards. It was all quite uncomfortable.” I wrinkled my nose.

  “I can’t believe he did that. Are you sure?”

  I shook my head. “No, but Ellie – another paralegal – told me Francesca tends to stop by on Wednesdays, and she’s under the impression it’s to have sex. Still, I didn’t hear nor see them, so I’m not sure it’s what happened, but the evidence is certainly compelling.”

  He leaned back. “What sort of evidence? Other than Ellie’s impression?”

  I regretted that I had said anything at all then, but at the same time, perhaps Jason sat on the answer that William refused to provide: was he serious about Francesca?

  “Well, when Francesca walked out afterwards, her hair was down, and it had been in a ponytail when she walked in. Then, when I entered his office, his lips were slightly red and somewhat swollen, probably from kissing, and the window was open as well, to ventilate the room. She was there for at least half an hour, too. Plus, he told me to bring my computer out with me, and there was something about the way he said it that I found conspicuous.”

  Jason continued to blink, visibly appalled. “Bloody hell, that’s bang out of order. What’s he thinking?”

  I shrugged. “Probably wasn’t thinking – or at least not with the right head.” My joke earned a chuckle from him before I continued, “Are they seeing each other? Like dating?”

  He frowned. “I’m not sure. He’s been seeing her a lot lately, though.”

  The information made me swallow. If William had been seeing her a lot, perhaps things really were moving in the direction of a relationship. As I considered it, I was tempted to ask something else, but did I have the nerve? It seemed fake of me. Alas, my curiosity drove me to do it. “I thought he was interested in tha
t girl named Sandra or something?”

  Eyes set on the TV, Jason shrugged. “Yeah, he’s not mentioned her lately.”

  “Hm.”

  I steered my gaze to the screen, but I paid no attention to what was happening on it. My thoughts entertained me instead. Jason had confirmed my suspicions, and while this was what I’d wanted from the start, I experienced no relief. William was finally leaving me alone and, now that he had Francesca, he would continue to do that for the remainder of my work experience placement. I should have been overjoyed about this, but I wasn’t. Part of me – the rational part – certainly was, but my heart felt terribly heavy – dense with an emotion entirely foreign to me and which I had no experience dealing with.

  Heartache?

  “Has he said anything at all? About Sandra?” I probed carefully. “I remember you were quite worried about him when it came to her.”

  “Only that it’s a shame she never realised their potential. I think he’s accepted it now, though.” Suddenly, he shuddered. “Honestly, good riddance. I don’t think I would have liked her much.”

  I pressed my lips together and stole a glance at him. What he had said made me wonder if he would change his opinion of me if he ever learnt the truth. I feared he would, and because of that, I became all the more determined to keep him in the dark.

  “Thanks for the massage, Jason, but I think I’ll go to bed,” I said.

  “Anytime. Though, before you do, did you talk to Will about it? Did you tell him it made you uncomfortable?”

  “Well, I’m not even sure they had sex, and it didn’t strike me as appropriate to ask.”

  He frowned. “Yeah, I get that. I’ll have a word with him, then. If he actually did that, he needs to be reminded it’s unacceptable.”

  I froze. “What will you say?”

  “I’ll ask him whether he did it.”

  I grimaced. “But then he’s going to realise I told you.”

  “Well, would you rather ask him yourself?”

  “I’d rather not ask at all.”

  He frowned. “But then he might repeat it. Would you prefer that?”