I jiggled my knee as I counted the floors ticking up excruciatingly slow. I clutched the binder closer to my chest, irritation bubbling from the elevator's snail pace. Today was not the day to be late to the department's monthly meeting but unfortunately the elevator had other plans.
Finally, the elevator thunked to a stop and the doors begrudgingly opened just as I checked my watch. I had only a couple of minutes to make my way to the other side of the expansive floor to the meeting rooms. As soon as the doors fully opened, the lights were blocked off by a massive figure standing in front of me. My mouth gaped as I stared at the hard, built chest of a man. Slowly, my eyes explored up to find a pale, smooth neck with the perfect Adam's apple bumping out. Unable to stop, I traveled up and became mesmerized by his sharp jawline, flawless skin, high cheekbones, and two piercing, glimmering grey eyes staring right back at me.
I let out a breath I wasn't aware I was holding, a sharp pang running through my body. I couldn't stop staring. Everything around us stilled and the noises of the office muted. My eyes flicked away from his as his sandy pink lips lazily curled into a smile.
"Hello, miss," his deep, growl of a voice pierced my ears and dug deep. That pang shivered through my body again and my core tightened with excitement. He raised his hand and ran it through his perfectly manicured hazel hair.
I'd heard of the man before. He was the company's biggest client, Kingston Whittake. I'd heard rumors that he was the most handsome man that some had seen, that he was a womanizer that tossed women to the side after one night. My core squeezed despite the negative rumours. Kingston was handsome... More than handsome. He was beautiful. But he was in the way of my meeting.
"Sorry, I gotta get through!" I shouted, snapping out of my trance. I stepped forward and tried to brush past him in a graceful move but his massive body in my way and the gap between the elevator and floor sent me flopping on the ground, the binder slipping from my fingers and splaying out in front of me. I glanced up and Kingston stared down with his mouth twisted to hide a smile.
"Oh my! Here let me help you up," he gasped, reaching down and holding out his hand, his long thin fingers extended. I gritted my teeth and a deep blush of embarrassment spread across my face. I felt the tip of my nose turning red. I wanted to grab his hand and let him pick me up like a princess but I couldn't.
"What? You think I need your help. No thanks." I pushed his fingers aside, the coldness from the fingers searing into my palm. Another tingle of desire surged through my body as I scooped the binder up and stood, brushing my pencil skirt clean. I glanced at the man. He blinked, stunned... that I rejected him? His lips spread apart and his eyes were blank, his hand still out from when he tried to reach for me. I smirked. I guess he never had a woman say no to him before.
"Uh, I think the elevator's about to go down," I pointed out smugly. He snapped out of his trance and gave me another sweet smile, slipping into the elevator. "What's your name?" he asked as the doors began to slowly close.
I began to turn around to get to the meeting but before I could, a deep strike of steel in his eyes trapped me, my body unable to move other than my mouth. "Delilah," I heard my voice whisper. Kingston smiled again, the deep colour returning to its regular glint of grey just as the doors closed and his control disappeared.
—
"See, I told you it's okay to be late once in a while, let loose, grab that extra donut from the cafeteria! That meeting was a bust anyway," my friend, Jess, laughed as we plopped into our chairs after the meeting finally ended. I slid her daggers with my eyes before I swiveled my chair to face my desk.
I sighed as I closed my eyes. I couldn't stop thinking about Kingston. His grey eyes stared at me from the inside of my brain. I replayed his hand reaching down for me, the way his tough, built body twisted in the tightness of his suit... I bit my lip, the squeeze in my core from earlier returning. I blinked, trying to erase him from my mind. I heard the rumours about him. I shouldn't get involved with him, not that I would ever see him again anyway.
"Anyway, my friend Jack is having a great Halloween bash tonight! I know I know that parties aren't your thing but please come with me! It'll be fun and I think you and Jack would be a great couple!" I tuned out as she talked.
Jess was my very first, and honestly, only friend, at the company and she definitely was the complete opposite of me. Jess was bubbly, carefree, lightweight — an extraordinary person who just loved, and lived life fully.
She was also a beauty that nobody could keep their eyes off of with a fierce lob of deep raven black hair that always smelled like peaches, two glittery chocolate colored eyes, deep tan skin and lean muscle from hours of being on the lake and exercising. Jess was definitely a knockout and when we stood next to each other, it was hard to feel like I was blending into the background.
While she stood tall physically and personality wise, I was on the shorter and quieter side with an untameable mop of wavy black hair that tickled the middle of my back, big deep brown innocent eyes, and a slightly lean body from playing sports from when I was younger. However, I definitely needed to start working out again.
Jess was known for being carefree while I was known as being the anti-social cat lady who had no life other than work. Although I didn't own any cats, I rarely interacted with people from my department other than Jess. When I started at the company five years ago, I was upbeat and driven but my attitude attracted the previous department head in more than just a mentor way. When I reported him to HR, the rumours spread that I was a succubus, seducing my boss so I could get ahead and other men corroborating that I had come onto them didn't help. I learned to stop trying to impress others and I shut myself away from everybody else and put my head down to get my work done. Honestly, I was hoping to quit and find another job soon.
"Woah, wait, what is that?!" Jess gasped, yanking me out of my thoughts. Quickly, she reached over my shoulder and plucked a velvety deep red envelope from my keyboard. "Delilah! What the hell! What the hell!" she squealed.
"What? What is it?!" I asked. She handed me the envelope with my name written in decorative golden calligraphy. I turned it over and drew out a black paper. I unfolded it and couldn't believe my eyes.
"'Dear Miss Delilah, Mr. Kingston Whittake would like to invite you to his residence tonight to celebrate Hallows Eve. Please dress in masquerade attire. A mask is not required but encouraged. You may bring one extra guest. His address is...'" I trailed off.
"Oh my god!" Jess screamed. She grabbed my shoulders and shook me, excitement radiating off of her. "Kingston Whittake?! The biggest client of the company invited YOU to a party? How do you even know him?!"
"I- I just met him on the elevator today," I replied, dumbfounded. I rubbed the thick letter between my fingers, my brows knitted in confusion. "He was kinda rude honestly. He didn't even step aside when I was trying to get off," I huffed, flipping my hair over my shoulder. And he was as beautiful as others described, I thought.
