by Jordan Bates
I had gone through my last story for the day when Chase came in to see me. He let himself in after a quick knock.
“Hey.” He seemed more cheerful than he had been this morning. I was putting my phone and charger into my bag, preparing to leave.
“Hey, what’s up? I was just about to head out.” I finished getting my things together, and that’s when I saw him holding a large manuscript.
“We have another high-profile author on our hands. Max wants you to personally work on this since you did so well on the last.” I stood there, staring at the pages he was holding. If I were to take this opportunity, then I would probably have to see Max, but if I didn’t, then it would say that my personal life was affecting my work life.
“When would I start?”
Chase made his way over and sat the papers down on my desk. “Immediately.” His words went in one ear and out the other as I flipped through the 1,000-page manuscript. A young adult novel. Chase then put on my desk the full outline and the royalty values for consideration. I was going to take this regardless, but if I put up a little defense, maybe I could call some of the shots on this one.
“Max would like you to work on this on your own. He wants you to be the only one who reads it, so that with the royalties you can give your honest opinion without feeling overwhelmed or undermined.” I nodded as Chase kept talking about time frames and extra hours I would have to work. I wanted one thing And I knew it would get me to exactly where I wanted to be.
“I have one condition.”
“Shoot.” The look on Chase’s face wasn’t his usual bubbly self, he seemed stoic, and it wasn’t like him. I knew he was probably trying to hide how he felt about everything between me and Max and that he was struggling to keep to himself the words he truly wanted to say.
“I want to have a private conference room to myself while I work on this. I need the space and don’t want to be interrupted.” His face relaxed, but I didn’t think he understood what it meant to me. The only conference rooms we had were on the fifth floor, where Max’s office was. I could do this, I could extend this hand. He had done it so many times for me already. There was no more avoiding him.
“I’ll see what I can do. You’ll start on it tomorrow morning.” With that, he left the room. I locked the papers in the first drawer of my desk. I didn’t want to risk losing them on the way to and from work, and this way no one would accidentally mess them up.
When I came in the next day, all anyone could talk about was how Max hadn’t come to the office in a week but he was here today. My heart skipped a beat as I made my way into the conference room. I hadn’t known he wasn’t coming to work, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like my fault. That I was the reason his work was being affected. That didn’t sit well with me.
I shut myself into the conference room and from having worked in here before, I knew this one was soundproof. I took out my iPod and turned on Taylor Swift. When in doubt, listen to love songs or breakup songs, both worked in the situation.
The days passed slowly over the work week, and it was Thursday by the time I reread the manuscript I had been working on. I was moving slower than I normally did, but every time I found myself getting into the book, Max came creeping back into my mind. There weren’t many mistakes, thankfully, just a few sequencing errors. When I had first finished the book yesterday, I set up a graph for the royalties and the author’s wanted price; there was a list of pros and cons for each amount. I had no idea who the author was, but the writing was beautiful. The story could capture the reader and took them out of the present, which was exactly what I was looking for.
I was in the middle of the sixth chapter when the door to the conference room opened. I thought I had locked it when I came in today. When I turned around, it was Max who stood in the doorway with food in his hands. I hadn’t heard anything about him coming back to the office.
“When I gave you this assignment, I didn’t expect for you to go all leper on us and lock yourself in here.” Max closed the door with his foot and moved towards me, setting the food down on the table. I didn’t make any indication to move from where I was.
“I thought you were avoiding me.” He put a hand onto the back of my chair, but I refused to look up at him.
“I wanted to let you work in peace.”
“And now?” I was trying to make short conversation as I continued to flip through the manuscript. I didn’t want him to know I had been thinking about him. That this was what I had been wanting, what I had been waiting for while I was working in this office, but now that it was happening, I was chickening out.
“Are you doing okay?” Max evaded my question.
“Yeah, I just have a lot of work to do. Since someone wanted me to work on this by myself with no help at all.” I tried to sound angry, but I was actually happy that this assignment was all my own. I also tried to make him feel a little bit guilty.
“Eat.” Max tore the papers from my hand and motioned to the food in front of me. “Now.”
“Demanding ass,” I whispered under my breath. I picked up the food container, and when I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t Chinese or Japanese food for once. Max had gotten me chicken parmesan. There were also peperoncinis in the container. My stomach growled instinctively. How did he know another one of my favorite dishes?
He didn’t wait for me to start eating before he left. I heard the lock click just right after the door shut. Of course he had a key to get into the room. I didn’t see Max the rest of that day or the next, even though he was back in the office. When Friday came around, I was almost done with the book a second time and had already made adjustments to the royalties. I started prepping for the presentation that Chase said was going to happen on Monday.
I walked into the office on that morning with Lilly and Erica, us all taking the stairs for once. It was my way of getting something of a workout since I had cooped myself up this week and ended up going straight to bed as soon as I got home.
When I walked into the stairwell, I stopped immediately. Max and Chase were standing there talking in hushed tones. They both looked up at us at the same time.
“Sorry. We’ll just take the elevator.” I moved back towards the door, trying to push the girls out of the cramped stairwell, but a hand grabbed mine to stop me. I turned around and was too close to Max.
“I’ll talk to you later, Chase.” Chase escorted the girls out, leaving me alone with Max. Max didn’t say a word as he led me up the stairs, but he didn’t let go of my hand, either. When we reached his floor, Max directed us to the conference room that I had locked myself into the last few days. This time when we entered, the air felt different. I turned around when I heard the latch click. Max was scrolling through the touchscreen to the left of the door that housed the control panel for the room. He turned on the privacy setting for the windows.
I didn’t get a word out before his lips were on mine. I didn’t push him away. My body was responding to his as if it had missed him. My arms went around his neck and pulled him closer to me. He moved us to the table and perched me on top of it. He tried to move his lips to my neck, but I kept them glued to mine. I could feel his smile against mine. He pulled himself slowly from me.
“I see you’ve missed me.” The words were whispered, but the second I heard them, I knew he was right. I had missed him, even more than I knew. It wasn’t an unconscious wanting anymore. My body knew exactly what it wanted, and right now it wanted Max. But I knew deep down we shouldn’t, at least not right now. Not in the office.
“We can’t do this, Max.” Even though I should have pushed him away, I pulled him closer to me.
“I know we can’t, but I couldn’t resist any longer. I’ve waited so long for you that I just couldn’t wait anymore. It took all of my strength not to do anything the other day.” I touched his face and rubbed my thumbs against the stubble there. “Please tell me you’ve thought about what I said last time we talked.”
&n
bsp; Of course he wanted to know about that. After him giving me space this week to think, I knew I couldn’t lie about my feelings any longer, but that didn’t mean that I was ready to jump back onto the relationship bandwagon.
“I may have.” He waited for me to say more. “I realized these last few weeks that I don’t need you to make me happy, but you do make me happy.”
I took a deep breath and looked away from him. I didn’t want to see the hunger in his eyes, the want, the need, because I knew mine would match. If he saw just how much more I cared for him than I let on, he would try for more.
“I guess what I’m trying to say is that I want you to make me happy, but I’m not ready for a commitment, Max. I don’t know if I can trust anyone with my heart again just yet.”
He didn’t say anything at first. He kissed his way down my jaw to my neck. I let out a low moan, which caused him to shiver against me. I could feel myself getting to him, and I knew his self-restraint was waning as much as mine was.
“Thank you for giving me a chance.” Max said the words against my neck as he attacked it with his lips. I would probably have marks there later. I pulled Max closer to me so that our bodies were flush. He slid his hands up my shirt and I stilled. His hands froze against my ribs. “I guess I should go before someone realizes we’re both in here.”
I faltered at his words. I forgot we were in the conference room. Anyone could come up here and find us, even if the door was locked. There was only one way in and one way out.
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.” Max pulled away from me, kissing the palm of my hand before walking towards the door. He put the windows back to frost and the room filled with light. I jumped off the table immediately. Before leaving, he stopped at the door and turned around.
“Would you like to come over for dinner tonight? You eat too much takeout and deserve a home-cooked meal.” All I could do was nod. Max wanted to cook me dinner. Adam never cooked me dinner, and never offered to. I really needed to stop comparing them. They were nothing alike, and that was for the better. Max had been so forthcoming with his feelings, and I didn’t have a reason not to trust him yet. Once Max was gone, I texted Lilly to see if she and Erica wanted to do lunch today. I needed to talk this out.
We walked into Baker’s at half past noon. Most of the people there were from our offices; we were taking our order to go so that prying ears wouldn’t hear.
“Hey, why don’t you guys wait outside and I’ll get the food?” Erica was pushing me towards the door, away from the smell of the food. My stomach grumbled in objection.
“Yeah, why don’t we go back outside?” Lilly grabbed my hand and was trying to lead me out the door. I was at the threshold before I was able to get a word out.
“We can all wait together, and plus, it’s hot outside and I want to make sure they got my order right.” I turned back around to get in line and that’s when I saw it. Erica must have seen it first and made it known to Lilly, which was why they wanted me out.
Max was sitting at a corner table in the back. A black-haired woman sat next to him. His arm was around her shoulders and their heads were close together. The blood drained from my face as I stared at them. Max picked that moment to look up in my direction. I could see it in his eyes. He was confused, but the smile that spread across his face was one I couldn’t read. He leaned back down to say something to the woman, and I decided then I didn’t want to wait and watch this.
Clearly, he didn’t think I would find out, which was why he came somewhere so close to work. I turned quickly on my heel and ran back towards The Ink Well building. I heard someone yelling my name as I dodged traffic and quickly made my way to the elevator in the lobby. If I could get back to the conference room, I could lock myself in there, but my heart broke a little. Max still had a key. He could still get to me.
A hand stopped the elevator right before it closed, and Max entered the car. I tried to exit, but he caught me by the waist and pulled me back in. My back was pressed to his front. He leaned around me to press the emergency button as the elevator ascended to the second floor. We were stuck there in limbo and I just wanted to break down and cry. To think that I was about to give him a chance. This was why I didn’t want to get my heart involved with anything so soon after Adam.
“Why did you run away?” Max whispered against my ear as he pulled me closer against him. I tried to push away, but he held on tighter.
“I knew I shouldn’t have said yes to you. All of this was a mistake.” This time, he let me pull away. The farther away from him that I was, the more I could think.
“Why was this a mistake exactly?”
“Oh, don’t act like I didn’t see you with that girl. Of course you couldn’t stay away from someone who would throw themselves at you. I should have known better.”
He raked his fingers through his hair and punched the closest wall to him. He had been caught. “Why didn’t you let me explain instead of running away? What exactly ran through your mind?”
I knew what was running through my mind when I saw him. Adam was the only word popping into my head. When I saw him lean back down next to that woman, all I could see were Natalie and Adam in front of their house, rubbing it in my face. Max continued his rant, but I remained with my back turned towards him. “That I would betray you? That I would be just like your ex-husband? I’m not that man, Alexa!” The words got louder as more came out of his mouth. I flinched farther away from him. Without even having to say it, he knew what I was thinking, but he didn’t know how I was feeling.
“What else am I supposed to think when you are all cuddled up in secret with a woman who looks ten times better than I do? Was I just some pity party for you?” I turned towards him with my hands in the air, tears streaming down my face. Max’s face twisted into concern as he stepped closer to me.
“Don’t ever think so low of yourself.” Max growled the words at me, then grabbed me and pinned me in the corner of the elevator. His body was so close to me now; I could feel the heat radiating off of him. “That was not the way I wanted you to meet my sister, but I guess now is better than later.”
“Your sister?” I looked to Max and my breath caught. His sister.
“My half-sister, to be more accurate. She’s about to leave town for good. Clearly I’m not doing so good with it.” His eyes showed sincerity and concern. “You should have let me explain before running away.”
“Max…” I didn’t know what to say. If I believed him, then I wouldn’t have a reason to not go to his place tonight, and if I chose not to, then I could just push him away and not look back. I knew which one my heart wanted.
“Can we just forget that ever happened?”
“Please.” That was my answer to myself. I wanted to forget that this little mishap had ever happened. I wanted to give Max a chance, I wanted him to prove me wrong and sweep me off my feet. I knew that I was asking for my heart to be broken, but for some reason, I trusted Max with it more than I had Adam. “Kiss me.”
He didn’t answer as his lips descended to mine. The heat that radiated off his body entered mine, and I found myself grasping at Max’s clothes. I pushed off his jacket and he pushed up my skirt. His hands skimmed along my thighs. They massaged my skin, making my need grow as they moved closer to my center. He lifted and perched me on the railings, which allowed for him to stop and press his growing bulge against me. My breath caught and his lips captured mine again.
“Are you okay in there?” A voice filled the car, causing us to separate immediately. I straightened myself, adjusting my skirt and tucking in my shirt as Max answered the phone on the wall. He was straightening his shirt and he held the phone between his ear and his shoulder.
“We’re fine. We’ll be moving the elevator now. Thank you.” He slammed the phone against its cradle and rested his head against the wall.
“If you still want me to come to dinner tonight, I will.” I tried to get his attention before the door to the elevator opened. He straighten
ed himself up and turned around with a wide grin on his face.
“Nothing would make me happier, Alexa.” He moved closer to me and leaned down, kissing me quickly before the doors opened to the fifth floor. I stepped out as he called to me. “I’ll meet you out front at eight.”
I walked backwards as I watched him stare at me until the doors closed, and he rode the elevator back down. I practically ran back to my conference room, where luckily Lilly and Erica were already waiting for me.
“What the hell, woman?!” Lilly pulled me in and put the privacy blinders on. “Spill. Now.”
I tried to gain my bearings at the table. I grabbed for my sub, but Erica practically smacked it out of my hands.
“Fine. Here’s the short version. It was his sister, and I’m meeting him for dinner tonight.” Both women looked shocked at my answer, with their mouths hanging out, not believing the words that had just come out of my mouth. Erica spoke up next but let me get in a bite first.
“What’s the long version?” Erica sat down in the chair next to me, and Lilly jumped onto the table. Both women were not going to leave until they got the answers they wanted.
“We yelled at each other in the elevator, and he basically accused me of comparing him to Adam, which I have been. He then confessed that it was his half-sister in the diner, and we had a steamy kiss and I told him I would still come over for dinner.” I spewed the words out without stopping, because I knew each girl would have questions of their own. I started in on another bite before either one of them could stop me.
“Finally!” Lilly grabbed me in a side hug. I moved the sandwich away so that the mustard dripping out of it wouldn’t get everywhere. “Do you know how hard it has been keeping this from you?” I looked at her like she was crazy. Erica had a huge grin on her face, too. What the hell were these two getting at? Erica fessed up first.
