IN BED WITH THE BOSS

“Mmm.” Scott replied, then his eyes narrowed. It was, he realized, one of those rare moments when she really smiled at him. She should do it more often.

Definitely. But there again, maybe she shouldn’t. Not if he wanted to stay sane.

“It’s not an order, Miss Sanchez, but if you want it to be, that’s okay too.”

Vivian chuckled. “Come on.”

The elevator ride was quiet, which Vivian was completely okay with. She feared that if they spoke, they’d end up talking about that kiss, and she knew how that conversation would go. He’d say it was a mistake… That he wasn’t really thinking straight that evening. Then he’d probably apologize for doing it, but that would only sound like rejection to her, and she preferred it if they both kept quiet about it.

They both stepped out of the elevator and walked out of the administrative building. A man walked over to talk to Scott and Vivian moved away a bit to give them some privacy. When the man left, Scott waved for her to join him again.

He watched as Vivian walked over to join him. The sun was behind her, shining through her, so that she looked like someone caught in a spotlight. The brightness haloed her hair with a silver like shimmer and outlined the lush, young body beneath the shirt and skirt she wore. She looked exquisite-like a goddess, with the world at her feet.

Scott took her around the company site, and for the first time since she started working there, she got to see the parts of the company that did most of the construction work and even most of the equipment.

“It’s all beautiful,” she said slowly at one point.

Scott turned to look at her. “Thanks. I’m a bit surprised that you haven’t looked around since you started.”

She shrugged. “I guess I just haven’t had the time. I usually just get to work, finish up and then move straight to the cheesecake shop when I’m done.”

He nodded. “I still find it weird that you didn’t quit your job there. Isn’t it too stressful… working two jobs?”

“It is… sometimes… but I guess I’m kinda used to it. My dad used to say life isn’t a bed of roses…he had lots of sayings like that. I miss him badly.”

“Where is he now?”

“Late. He died some years ago. I still think about him a lot.”

“I’m sorry about that” Scott replied, “Your mom?”

She turned away, hugging her arms to her chest as if she were standing there in the dead of winter instead of on a bright, summer’s day. “I come from a single-parent family,” Vivian said, “I never met my mom.”

He nodded and looked away. “Well, so, as a matter of fact, do I!” He said, “My father left my mother before my sister and I were born.”

“You have a twin sister? That’s nice. I wish I had siblings… I’m an only child”

“Yeah. It’s nice to have siblings, but it’s tough sometimes, you know.” Scott replied, “I guess, no matter what life brings our way, we all gotta push through somehow.”

She still didn’t look at him. “Yeah I guess so” she replied.

He heard in her voice the hopelessness he had once felt himself, and a feeling like that was never forgotten, so that empathy reared an unexpected head.

“Vivian-”

It was the first time he had called her by her name. She turned back, and all she could see were the hard planes of his face, the sunlight casting shadows over his features, his eyes glitteringly bright as he stared down at her.

“Yes, Mr McCall?”Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

“Are you alright?”

She nodded, biting on her lip and hoping he didn’t notice the hint of tears which threatened to spring up at the back of her eyes. For a moment, neither of them moved and Vivian felt the slow burn of unwanted desire.

Because the frustration at the situation she found herself in was bubbling up into another kind of frustration. She had never felt this way about a man and never before had she wanted so much for someone to take her in his arms and blot it all out.

He gazed down at her, the message in her eyes unmistakable, and Scott was too experienced in the ways of women not to have read it correctly.

She wanted him.

Her softening lips told him, as did the darkening of her eyes. He didn’t need to glance down towards her breasts to know that their buds would be exquisitely tight, longing for the teasing caress of his fingers or his lips. And they were alone… not a soul would know…

She wanted him, and for a moment he was more than tempted. To take her somewhere, to tangle his fingers in the silk of her hair and kiss her deeply. The way he really wanted to.

But he moved away from her.

“Come on. We’d better go and eat lunch,” he said abruptly, and willed the dark hunger of longing to leave him in peace.

Vivian nodded and they went back to his office to continue their work after eating. It was five thirty when he finally switched the computer off and looked at her, and Vivian had been wondering whether he intended working right through the night.

“Had enough?” he asked.

More than enough-but she gave him what she hoped was a coping smile. “Sure.” Vivian replied.

He rose to his feet, towering over her like some dark, avenging angel. “Then I guess you better get going. I’ll rest here if I get tired, but I know you still need to get to the cheesecake shop for your shift.”

She nodded and closed her laptop before she stood up. It seemed stupid not to say it- and if it had been anyone else she would have said it without worrying about anything. “What about you?” she asked. “It’s been a long day. Don’t you-don’t you need to go home so you can rest in bed instead. It’d be more comfortable…”

Scott’s senses sprang into life and just for a moment he allowed himself the fantasy. He knew that she wasn’t offering her bed, but that didn’t stop him imagining it. In his mind, he laid her down on a big bed, then slowly took off her clothes, picturing the lush perfection of her body clothed in nothing but silk and lace. The secret curves and shadows hidden by outrageous items of underwear. He would not remove them, not at first. He would allow his eyes to feast before his lips and his fingers and…

He shook his head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, do you?” he questioned softly.

“I guess not,” she agreed, but she didn’t ask him why, and the air was tight with a tension so tight that she felt she could snap it.

“Good night, Mr McCall” she said as she walked towards the door.

“Good night, Miss Sanchez,” he replied.

____________

“You’re attending Linda’s birthday party tomorrow night, right?” Betty asked Vivian the next day as they gathered in the cafeteria for lunch.

Vivian stared wide eyes at Linda, then Betty and then Linda again. “Tomorrow is your birthday?” she asked. “Tomorrow is your birthday. You are throwing a party and you’re just telling me about it now?”

Linda rolled her eyes. “I’m not the one throwing the party. I didn’t even find out about it until this morning. That’s Betty and George’s handwork.”

“Yeah Michael ruined the surprise with his big mouth.” said Betty.

Michael grinned and shrugged. “I have said that I’m sorry a million times, Betty. What do you want me to do? Besides, Linda isn’t pissed about it and the party is for her.”

“Well, you could try going back in time” Betty retorted, “And maybe you’ll be able to keep your mouth shut this time.”

“Unfortunately I can’t,” said Michael.

“Can you guys please stop arguing about the party?” Linda said. “I like it this way, you know. I hate surprises, besides what’s the point. It’s just another day to remind me that I’m growing older…I’m one year closer to my grave and yet I haven’t done anything worth doing or even… met the love of my life… So yes, it’s just another day.”

“Wow, you sure know how to suck the life out of a party and it hasn’t even started yet,” Michael said playfully.

“Shut up, Michael,” Betty snapped.

“Sorry… Just tryna lighten the mood with some humor”

Vivian nudged Micheal with her elbow, “I don’t think this is the right time for humor, Mike” she said. She had developed the habit of calling him ‘Mike’ for short and according to him, he liked it, so the name had stuck.

“Fine. I won’t laugh anymore.” he said.

“Are you alright, Linda?” Vivian asked. “You know you don’t have to party if you don’t want to.”

Linda took a sip of her juice. “Are you kidding me?” She said, “Of course I want the party. Just because my life isn’t going the way I want doesn’t mean that I don’t want to get wasted… I definitely want to get drunk… next tomorrow is Saturday so I don’t even have to worry about work…. Bring it on!”

Vivian smiled. “Got ya.” she said.