Office Politics

Jess was trying to sidle in without anyone noticing -- the ginger line had engineering works. She really must try out her bike one of these days.

"Jess!"

She froze in her tracks, and winced. She didn't know why she was so worried, she wasn't actually late, she just wasn't her normal bright and early, ready to go self.

"Morning Lou."

"Did you get a chance to finish the data entry for the second quarter last week?"

"No, sorry I..."

"Don't worry." Lou's smile was warm. "I wasn't really expecting you to have finished, Friday's event kind of eclipsed everything. Would you make that your priority today?"

"I can, but the shoot starts for the autumn collection tomorrow. Should I run through the itinerary and check all the bookings first?"

"Of course it does, damn it, yes that should totally take priority, thank you Jess. I already don't know what I would do without you!"

"I'll get on top of the data as soon as I've finished..." And then as an afterthought Jess added, "Lou, I was wondering?"

"Yes?"

"Now that Ella has moved up to PR..."

"You want to grab her old desk?"

Jess nodded. "If that's okay?"

"Of course it is. Shall we do it now? I can help you carry."

It didn't take long for the two of them to move all her stuff, it really wasn't that far from her original desk but she no longer felt like she was right under Mr Hunter's nose.

"He can be a bit intense can't he?" Lou whispered, as Jess emerged from plugging in her laptop cord.

As she nodded, Gabriel appeared, and stalked across the floor towards his own desk with a scowl like a thundercloud. He appeared not to notice either of them watching him, or that Jess had switched desks.

Later she was in the kitchenette, heating up leek and potato soup in the microwave when he joined her. She knew it was him immediately because the hairs on the back of her neck prickled and her heartbeat accelerated, and besides, no one closed the door to the kitchen. Why would anyone ever close the door to the kitchen?

"You left."

She started. His voice was right behind her, much closer than she'd anticipated. She didn't look up, she didn't turn around, despite every cell screaming for her to do so, but she stopped doing what she was doing, took a deep breath and tried to ignore her heart hammering in her chest as she waited.

"Jess?" He was closer still, she could feel the whisper of his breath on the back of her neck. She clenched her fists.

"I was tired."

"Is that so?" His voice curled itself around her like smoke.

She gave up trying to act like he wasn't affecting her and spun around to face him. She immediately regretted it.

He was taller than her, but then most people were. He was still wearing the same brooding expression that he was earlier, and sullen suited him. The now familiar smell of his cologne surrounded her, rendering her critical faculties useless. He took another step forward.

Somehow the fact that he had her trapped in a corner had a strong and unexpected impact. Her stomach clenched. She wouldn't have imagined it possible, but her heart began beating even more frantically. Her mouth was suddenly as dry as the Kalahari desert, but her hands were clammy. Her feelings must have shown in her face, because his eyes flared hot, with some indefinable emotion. He placed his hands on either side of the counter, leaned forward and inhaled, his eyes falling closed as he did. He made her think of wild things, of birds of prey, of fast and dangerously large cats, of concealed snakes poised to attack, because when his eyes lazily drifted open again, there was something impossibly predatory in his gaze. It made that place between her legs throb as though his hand was already there, cupping her sex.

"But I hadn't finished with you." He said, when he finally got around to speaking again, and he was so close that his lips tickled the skin on her neck.

He ran a single finger, tantalisingly slowly, along her sternum.

She squeezed her eyes closed. "What are you doing?" She whispered, as heat pooled in her loins.

"Do you want me to stop?" His voice was rough and scratchy, the very embodiment of sex.

The door behind them opened, and quick as a flash, he stepped back and turned towards the sink. Spinning around again, to hide the blush of mortification that was already creeping up her face, Jess busied herself with opening the microwave, and retrieving her soup. She didn't look up until she was certain he'd left. Maddie was rifling through the cabinet in the corner, seemingly oblivious to what she had just interrupted.

"Someone's finished off my almond milk again," she grumbled.

"You can use some of my oat milk."

"Thanks Jess."

Later, she was back at her work station, when he joined her. He perched on the edge of the desk, with his arms folded and his long legs crossed at the ankles, far back enough this time that she could admire yet another perfectly tailored suit. He watched her silently through hooded almost black eyes. She sighed pointedly and carried on working. Or rather tried to carry on working. She was far too aware of him and far too aware of the spectacle they must be creating for everyone else in the office.

"Let me take you out tonight." His voice was low and quiet.

She was wound so tight, she jumped at the words, even though she was perfectly aware he was right there.

His answering laugh was a low rumble in his chest that seemed to vibrate through her.

"We can't," she hissed, when she could finally find words again.

"Why not?"

"You're my..."

"I'm talking about dinner Jess," he said with laboured patience. "Not locking you away in my subterranean sex dungeon for three days."

Before she could stop herself, she gasped. At the mere mention of sex, arousal bloomed hot and pulsing in her pants. At the sound of her sharp intake of breath, his eyebrows rose, and as he watched her face she was certain he knew exactly the effect he was having. She pressed her thighs together under the table, in a bid to curb the riotous sensations he was provoking in her.

"There is a nice little Italian place on Goldhawk Road." he continued, enunciating his words, slowly and carefully, his gaze never leaving her face.

"I have plans." Her voice sounded strangled.

In fact, she had exactly the opposite of plans. Gran was staying with her sister in Guilford, giving her a few days of welcome reprieve to settle into the new job.

"Cancel them."

She inhaled. A move she instantly regretted. When finally she found the strength to speak again she whispered. "I can't."

He got to his feet, heaved out a sigh and stormed away without another word. When she was sure he was out of ear shot, she released a breath, and for a while, she could only sit gazing into the space ahead of her. Finally she turned around, back to her laptop and tried to carry on with her work, but she couldn't concentrate.

She squeezed her eyes closed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She wasn't sure how much longer she could do this.

*

Gabriel stalked back to his office, sat down at his desk and breathed. She was right there, always right there. He couldn't actually see her anymore, she was no longer sitting directly in the line of his vision, but it didn't matter. He knew she was there and that's what mattered.

He'd used his authority to get her hired. HR had baulked, but they had agreed, they had to, they had no choice, he'd pulled rank. Now he was regretting his impulsive decision. Being around her was a special kind of torture.

The phone rang, jolting back to the moment. Reminding him that he had a job to do.

He picked it up. "Hunter."

"Gabriel!" It was George. He wanted to talk about the launch of the summer season. Gabriel only half listened. He watched as Jess walked across the office, pausing to talk to Maddie and then heading into the boardroom. She was probably going to the printer. She would be there alone. He fought with the urge to end the conversation with George and go after her again. It would be the third time that day he would be accosting her. Unacceptable. She would have good grounds for a sexual harassment case at this rate. He needed to back off. He needed to come up with another way to convince her to give in to her attraction to him. He was absolutely certain there was attraction, he just needed to come up with a way of persuading her to act on it. Before he exploded with the frustration of being around her.

*

Somehow, Jess had made it through the day.

She was standing in the ready meal section of the supermarket, holding a thai green chicken curry in one hand and a veggie lasagne in the other. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep. Constantly being in such close proximity to Gabriel was exhausting.

Suddenly she was sure she could feel him. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, her stomach clenched. His body was close enough that she could feel the heat of him. She tried to turn but he stopped her, his hands gripping her waist. Fear coursed through her, she was almost certain it was him, but what if it wasn't?

Her name on his lips was like a caress and before she could stop herself, she'd let out a whimper, and although she wasn't sure if it was arousal or relief that produced the sound, she was immediately furious with herself for her lack of control.

And there it was. That laugh again. Dark, rough, sexy. It licked through her like smoke. It hit her right in the groin. She tried to pull away but he wouldn't let her, instead he bit her shoulder.

The woman standing in the dairy spreads section looked up at them and quickly away again.

"Stop it," she hissed. "People are looking."

"Make me."

"Gabriel!"

"I like the sound of my name on your lips."

He finally released her and she turned and backed away

"You said you were busy." He growled, and his eyes burned into her.

She tried to come up with some excuse about a last minute cancellation but she couldn't think straight. The fog of arousal was clouding her mind.

"I lied."

"I can see that."

He released her hip, cupping her breast, nibbling her ear between words.

Belatedly realising she was no longer trapped, she shoved both meals in her trolly and started moving. He grabbed the trolly so she was caged again.

"And where do you think you're going?" His voice wrapped around her like a warm blanket, she wanted to lean back and lose herself in it.

"Home."

Too late, she tried to push him away but he grabbed her wrists, pinned them above her head and pressed her against the aisle. A tin of something fell to the floor with a thump, rolling a few inches before it came to a stop.

She was speechless, unbelieving that this could actually be happening, in a supermarket, after work.

"Jess," he said, with infuriating calm. "Your pupils are dilated. You're biting your bottom lip."

She released it and pulled her mouth into a flat line.

He chuckled as he leaned in, "I can see your pulse racing in your throat." He removed one hand from pinning her wrists, and rested a hot palm against her sternum.

She sucked in a breath.

"Your heart is beating so fast, it might explode any second." For a moment he just watched her, waiting, letting the silence stretch between them, letting his words sink in. Then he continued. "I've seen the way you look at me Jess, when you think no one else is watching. You're as attracted to me as I am to you."

"I am not," she ground out, but her words were the very pinnacle of futility.

He leaned forward, releasing her wrists and cupping her face in both his hands and their lips fused, and Gabriel tasted exactly as she had remembered. Before she knew it, she had stopped resisting her hunger for him, her hands were curling around his lapels, she was standing on her toes, so she could better reach him, she was kissing him back. He grabbed her waist again, and yanked her against him. As her chest slammed against his, she threaded her fingers through his hair, using it to pull him closer. He was like an earthquake, sweeping through her defences. Leaving her resistance a crumbling heap of rubble on the floor.

He pulled away, and took her hand. "Come."

They abandoned the trolley and the slowly defrosting ready meals. Butterflies ran amuck in her stomach, she couldn't believe she was letting herself do this. She struggled to keep up with his long determined strides, her hand felt tiny in his much bigger one. She glanced up at him nervously; he looked devastatingly handsome with his determined scowl.

They emerged from the supermarket to find that yet again, it was pouring. They were soaked by the time they reached the car park. When he pulled his keys from his pocket and hit the button, a black sports car beeped and clicked to life. It looked exactly as she imagined it would: sleek, low, fast. Jess stopped walking and raised an eyebrow at Gabriel.

"What?" He growled.

"You're such a cliché."

That might have been amusement in his eyes, but she couldn't be sure; his only response was to open the passenger door and usher her inside.

She was worried about wetting the upholstery as she climbed into the seat; he didn't seem to notice.

"I hope the restaurant isn't too formal, I'm soaked."

His only reply was a brisk nod.

He drove quickly, but well. She wanted to ask where they were going but they were moving so fast she didn't want to distract him. He'd said the restaurant was nearby, but they've been in his car for long enough that she no longer recognised her surroundings, but she knew they were driving away from the centre of town. She was half expecting him to run the red light, he had twice already. Instead he hissed an angry curse at having to stop.

"Where are we going?" She finally asked.

"I'm taking you back to mine."

"You said dinner. In a restaurant."

"I changed my mind."

He didn't even have the decency to look at her, as he spoke. She waited but he kept looking at the road, hands on the steering wheel. The conversation was over as far as he was concerned.

A few minutes later, when the car stopped again at the lights, Jess unclipped her seatbelt, opened the door and vaulted over the barrier. She could see a tube station; Park Royal. Where even was that? She could hear him calling her name but she didn't look back. She pulled her jacket tighter around her shoulders, and holding her bag against her chest, she started walking.

If she could just make it to the station.

She was nowhere near when she felt his grip on her arm. He spun her around and pulled open her coat so he could press the length of his torso up against hers. He was taking no prisoners. The heat of him bled into her, engulfing her. He was all fire and hard muscle, a harsh contrast to the downpour that soaked them. He walked them both forward until she was backed up against a wall, and captured her lips with his own.

At first she tried to push him away, but before she knew it again, she was kissing him back as he ground his hips against hers. He was like a drug she couldn't resist. The moment he touched her something ignited and all her will power to resist flew away. He stopped and studied her face. His eyes narrowed. His eyebrows pinched into a scowl. She opened her mouth to speak, not sure what she was going to say. She only knew that she had to get away from there, from him. She couldn't think when he was nearby. He seemed to be good at reading her expression, because that seemed to spur him into action. Before she could form the words, he grabbed her hand and was marching them back to the car as she stumbled along behind him. They reached the junction where his car was waiting, before she had even caught her breath. He lowered her back into the passenger seat and strapped her in. The moment he had left her side, she tried to prise the door open again but it didn't budge.

"I've activated the child locks," he told her, as he slid back in behind the steering wheel.

"You don't play fair."

"Why would I play fair?" He leaned across the seat and cupping her face in his hand, he gave her another searing kiss.

"Come home with me." He mumbled against her lips.

"Do I have a choice?"

"We're virtually there."

Without waiting for a reply, he put the car into gear and pulled forward. In no time at all, they were pulling into another underground car park.

In the lift the physical assault continued. Again he pinned her wrists above her head and kissed her. He kissed her until she was dizzy. He kissed her until her head spun, and her knees trembled. He kissed her until she could barely even think.

When suddenly, the lift stopped, He released her. The doors opened. Not willing to take any more chances. He stepped in between her and the door. Two people boarded. The silence roared as the lift climbed. They watched each other, without speaking, hardly noticing when their company left and the lift was empty again. Her heart was going crazy in her chest. Finally the doors opened again, on his floor. He took her hand in his and gently tugged her into his apartment. She followed in a mindless sort of daze.

The moment they stepped through the door, he had her up against the wall, another wall, pushing her dress up so he could pull her tights and pants down. his growl vibrated through her, as his fingers found her core.

"I knew you'd be wet for me," he said, his lips tickling her throat, he licked her, gently nipping along her neck. She cried out as he slid two of his fingers into her. Burying them deep enough that he could press the heel of his hand against her pubic bone. She bucked against the sudden intrusion, involuntarily throwing her head back as he nudged her knees apart with his own. By this time she was wound so tight she was trembling, she was so close to tumbling over the edge, to falling to pieces.

When he suddenly stopped, she only just managed to clamp her mouth shut before she swore at him. He dropped to his knees before her, so he could better remove her tights and pants. When he'd finished he got up so they were face to face again and kissed her gently, tenderly and taking her hand, led her through the vast, dark building into his room and deposited her gently onto the centre of his bed. He threw a switch, and subtle warm lighting filled the room, bathing all of the surfaces in gentle light.

He towered over her, as he shrugged off his jacket, removing his cufflinks, and undoing the buttons of his shirt. He pulled it over his head as soon as the opening was big enough, revealing his gloriously chiselled torso.

If clothed Gabriel was a work of art, then naked Gabriel was godlike perfection, all lean hard lines and perfect angles; he exuded sex and power from every pore.

As she gazed up at him, all the air seemed to leave the room. Her mouth fell open, and she was suddenly conscious that her clothes and hair must be in utter disarray. She sat upright and pulled her knees against chest, and gazed at him. She couldn't read his expression and everything felt too raw, too intimate.

Until suddenly none of that mattered, because he was naked and moving towards her again.

He mounted the bed, arms wide, and crawled up the length of her body, forcing her down onto her back, so she had to unfold herself and stretch out, supplicate beneath him. A wolfish grin filled his face. He batted her hands away from her dress, and unzipped it himself with far more efficiency and accuracy than she was capable of in that moment.

And suddenly they were both naked, and she wanted him inside her so badly, that her earlier reservations seemed like some bizarre moment of temporary insanity, which made no sense to her now that she was there, with him, his hot hard body pressed up against hers. His smell surrounding her, his arms caging her. As he leaned across her, to reach for his bedside table, tiny droplets of rain water fell from his hair, and landed like tiny icicles on her skin. She whimpered, and grinning at her, he licked them away with his sharp tantalising tongue, leaving trails of fire wherever he touched.