To say that James is attentive is an understatement. We keep the door to between our offices open and talk constantly, I never feel at a loss for words, and I never feel uncomfortable, despite our endless flirting. In fact, the attention is so welcome that it's a challenge not to cave. My heart flutters each time I hear his voice, each time he smiles at me. Everything that he says is so suggestive, I feel as though I can hardly hold myself together. When I get home from work at night, I start fantasising about James. I fantasise about him at work, hoping that one day he will come into my office and lock the door behind him. I'm starting to feel a little creepy to be honest.
To celebrate the end of my first month, James and a few people from the office take me out to lunch at the pub on a Friday afternoon. Apparently there is no expectation that we need to go back to the office afterwards, but I still feel the need to make a good impression so the plan for me is one drink before I head back to the office at 4pm to put in an hour. Not only do I feel uncomfortable drinking at work functions, but I also fear my behaviour around James once I have a drink in me. So I sit with Brenda from Accounts and Sophie, nursing one beer for as long as possible, but Sophie notices the dreg contents of my first bottle and takes the liberty of buying me a second. I had thought that my plan of not sitting near James was a brilliant one, but even though I can't see him, I can feel his eyes on me, the hairs on my neck standing at his attention. At about 4pm, people start heading home and I pick up my handbag and say my goodbyes. Sophie urges me to go straight home, but I make excuses about having work to do and as I stand to leave, James follows close behind.
"James, are you off too? That's not like you." She asks. I hear a slight begging in her tone, and it sends a surge of jealousy through me.
"You're right, it's not but I want to make sure Bianca has everything wrapped up for the weekend." James clips.
We walk back to the office in relative silence and when I sit down on my couch, James follows me in and sits beside me.
"So what are you working on?"
"Oh, nothing. I just don't feel comfortable being the new kid and skiving off work. I know everyone says it's fine but I want people to know that I'm serious, give a good impression." I say. "What do you need to help me with?"
"Nothing work related." James places his hand on my knee and gently slides one finger under the hem of my skirt. "But maybe you could help by joining me for dinner tonight?"
"Um, I don't think that's a good idea." I stumble with laboured breath.
"I'm going to disagree and say it's one of my better ideas. Why not?"
"Look, maybe next week. Let me just think things through, ok?"
"I can handle that. How about I make us some coffee and then I can give you a ride home?" James is almost pleading. I am arguing with myself inside. I turned down dinner; I could at least give myself, and James, this one thing.
"Ok, fine. I mean yes, a lift would be great. Thank you."
James smiles at me and I instantly miss the feeling of his hand once it's gone. I slump back into the chair when he leaves the office, heart racing at million miles and hour. I'm angry for not allowing myself something that would probably make me very happy, even for just the night. I've made my decision now and I have too much pride to go back on that.
By the time we finish our coffees and head out of the office, the traffic is absolutely shocking. As we inch forward on the Harbour Bridge, James turns to me.
"If you'd just said yes to dinner, we would have missed all of this. Tomorrow morning's traffic would be a lot easier to deal with." James takes my hand and places under his on the gear stick.
It takes everything I have not to sigh with delight.
"Well," I start breathily, "you wanted to spend time alone with me, so here you go. This is as good as you're going to get for now, I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, there's plenty of room in the car to make this better." James offers me a small wink. A nervous giggle falls out of me. I glance around the Range Rover and a heat rises inside me. It's a large car, and the darkness in James' eyes is telling me that he wouldn't think twice to take us to a shadowed car park if I agreed to it. I turn away and stare out the window.
As we come off the bridge, the traffic starts to move and I direct James to my house. He pulls up out the front and I can see the lights are on. Lily must be home.
I turn to him in my seat. "Thank you so much for the lift. You're welcome to come inside, I can make us some dinner."
"Are you asking because you feel obliged, or are you asking because you like me?"
"A little of column A, quite a lot of column B."
"I don't want you to feel obliged, I don't want you to have to worry about anything. I won't come inside tonight, but next time I will." The compromise was gentlemanly, but the look in his eyes was anything but.
"You're doing this on purpose to make yourself irresistible to me, aren't you?"
"No. I'm doing this to make myself irresistible to you." James unbuckles his seatbelt and leans towards me and I don't back away until it's too late. James has his hand at the nape of my neck, his palm warm and comforting. He dips his head and inhales, running his nose up the length of my neck and across my jaw. I moan as he kisses me tentatively.
I lean against the car door, my head spinning, and I stare at James as he smiles at me, my breath coming in short, shallow spurts.
"You need to know that if you don't get out now, I am going to turn this car around and take you home with me."
I just about orgasm in my seat, I hardly think I could handle a night with him. I grab my bag and step out of the car.
"Thank you again, James. Have a great weekend."
