In this story, the participants are very good at reading each other. In real life, if someone wants to use a condom, use a condom, and don't sexually proposition your work subordinates.
With that unsexy disclaimer out of the way, I hope you have as much fun reading this as I had writing it.
***
Anne hesitated with her hand about to knock on Mr. Schreiber's office door. It was nearing 9 p.m, and the man showed no signs of intending to quit for the day and head home. As his personal assistant, she felt obligated to stay as long as he did. But she wished she could at least take a break to get some toiletries, in case they would be there all night. Having worked for the nonprofit--
his
nonprofit--
him
--for less than a year, she was not sure as to whether it was more proper to interrupt him to ask permission or to just leave and hopefully get back before he noticed her absence.
The decision was all the more stressful because she knew Mr. Schreiber was having a terrible day.
The native German in his late forties did not smile much to begin with. He didn't smile to put people at ease, as Anne, coming from the United States, was used to. She wasn't sure she ever saw him smile from being happy either, despite his organization accomplishing so much undeniably positive philanthropic work. He certainly never laughed at one of her casual attempts at a joke, only stared at her stony-faced until she blushed.
She would blush because despite their age difference--her being in her mid twenties, he was old enough to be her father--she had a bit of a crush on him. And she couldn't tell if he could tell.
His face was not particularly handsome, lined with age as it was and marred by some imbalance in the features, but it was distinctly masculine. Long, with a strong nose and jaw. And he kept himself well. His light brown hair was always neatly coiffed, and his well proportioned frame filled out his suits in a way that made him look very tall.
Anne, when she moved to Berlin and joined the organization, quickly picked up on the unspoken dress code and culture of the place. After her first week, she only ever wore her straight, auburn hair in a tight, high ponytail, and she cycled through neatly pressed business outfits religiously. Today, she was wearing a grey sheath dress and modest black pumps. Her frame filled her outfits out well too, she was pretty sure. She was all legs and athletic trimness from years of sport. But she kept her makeup minimal, to match her austere work environment.
Once, when she was bustling about setting up the materials for a presentation Mr. Schreiber was about to make, she thought she might have caught Mr. Schreiber staring at her ass, transfixed, but when they made eye contact, he didn't look away or smile sheepishly with embarrassment. He only looked back at her calmly, mouth set in its firm frown, like she had seen him staring at one of the charts being prepared, so maybe she was mistaken.
Another time, at the staff Christmas party, he had put his hand on the small of her back to direct her into the room, and it felt so large, commanding, and warm, burning through her sweater dress, making her flush. But that was just the gentlemanly thing to do.
She felt his eyes on her more than she noticed him looking at anyone else, but maybe she only noticed him looking at her more because she was biased and eager to find proof of his preference for her. Or worse, maybe because he didn't trust the young American to perform all her duties correctly.
It wasn't as if she thought anything could actually happen between them. Though the Johanna of the Elias and Johanna Schreiber Foundation had passed long ago, Anne was not there to seduce philanthropists, but to work, to establish a career in the nonprofit sector. But sometimes she couldn't help fantasizing a little.
That whole ambiguous history was running through her mind as she stood frozen outside Mr. Schreiber's office, when a low, distinctly accented voice came from inside. "Frau Campbell?"
She started, surprised that he could tell she was there. No use hiding now. She turned the door handle and entered.
Mr. Schreiber was certainly in a state. The organization had just found out that almost all of their aid shipments for a particular impoverished city had not reached their intended recipients for months, and he was going mad trying to trace the thefts. His hair was sticking up in tufts where he had run his hand through it, stubble dotted his chin, and a dark blue tie was loose at his neck. Papers were strewn all about his desk, covering his keyboard.
Those tiny bits of imperfection emanated endearing vulnerability from a powerful man. Yet Anne couldn't forget her place, because he still had on his full charcoal suit, buttery smooth white dress shirt, expensive watch, and polished black oxfords.
"Yes, Herr Schreiber." She stood at attention with stick straight posture. Clutching a folder in front of her chest and stomach made her feel safer somehow.
"How long have you been lurking out there?" His signature lack of expression made it impossible to tell if he was annoyed or amused.
"Not long, sir. I only wanted to ask if it would be all right if I took a short break to fetch some things."
He turned away, rubbing his temple with one hand while waving her off with the other. "I didn't know you were still here. You're dismissed for the night."
She reflexively stepped backward to leave, but compassion made her linger. "Can I help get you something first, sir?"
He covered his eyes to rest them. "No, thank you, Frau Campbell."
Was he going to stay up working on this all night? Anne could tell he was no longer making progress. After too much mental work, anyone would start going in circles. But it wasn't her place to say. Was it?
He stretched his neck and moved it gingerly like it had a painful crick in it, wincing slightly as he did so.
Anne just wanted to help somehow. "I'm pretty good at massages."
Mr. Schreiber looked back at her, as if a little startled she was still there. He didn't say anything for a while, leaving her to stand there turning beet red while he seemed to look straight through her with those piercing hazel eyes.
"All right, come on then. We can add it to your official responsibilities if you turn out to be as skilled as you say."
That was definitely a joke, even though he hadn't cracked a smile. He took transparency at the organization entirely seriously, so he would never use nonprofit resources, like Anne's employment, for his personal benefit.
Relieved, Anne grinned at the dry banter as she click-clacked over in her heels. She set the folder on top of some other papers on his desk and went to stand behind him. As she reached out to grip the muscles connecting his neck to his shoulders, she hesitated again, like before knocking on the door.
"I'm waiting, Miss Master Masseuse."