I lost all the formatting when I pasted this chapter in. I've tried to put most of it back, but apologies if I missed any of it. Also, last time, I forgot to say thanks to Panaflora for help editing. So Thank you to Panaflora, check out his writing.
K
~
Friday 6:15
It had been three days, seven hours and sixteen minutes since Gabriel had laid a finger on her, or spoken a word to her, or even looked at her for that matter.
It
had
felt like they were forever running into each other; in the lift, on the stairs, in the kitchenette, by the printer, in the boardroom. Everywhere. But since Tuesday morning she'd hardly seen him.
Still, she was on edge all the time. Especially when he was in his glass office in the corner of their open plan workspace. She was sure she could feel him watching her, when he clearly wasn't. And more than once, she found herself gazing off into space, while memories of
that night
crept, uninvited into her mind.
She grabbed her jacket, threw her bag over her shoulder, switched off her laptop and headed out. Everyone else had already gone to the bar. Lou and Maddie had begged her to go with them, but she told them she couldn't, she needed to be home for Gran. Which was sort of true, but she was also exhausted and most of all she needed to be alone.
She'd been finding it hard to sleep. And when she did sleep, she dreamed of Him. She woke up feeling hot and flustered and guilty, and when the guilt receded the anger arrived. She was angry at herself for letting him get so thoroughly under her skin that he was coming home with her, living rent free in her head. She couldn't even leave him at the office at the end of the day.
And she felt shame. Shame that she'd given in so easily, shame that she had enjoyed it so much, shame that she had been so disappointed when he had ignored her the following day. She'd felt like some kind of needy, love sick teenager. And she was quite certain that, as hard as she'd tried to hide it, he could read her disappointment on her face, on the rare occasions he deigned to look at her.
Arsehole.
She wondered how many others this has happened with, how often did he seduce his workmates? How often were young women offered jobs in this company only to become fodder for Gabriel's sex life? But she didn't feel she knew anyone well enough to ask.
She told herself it was a good thing, as she reformatted the spring quarter spreadsheet. She was better off focusing on her job, and doing it well. Until Gran was well enough, that she could hot foot it out of this stinking, rainy city and back to her life of freedom and bliss in Thailand, away from arrogant, selfish men.
Almost the moment she reached the lift, Gabriel appeared, as if summoned by the magic of her obsessive thoughts.
She hadn't realised he was still in the building. Surreptitiously she took in the sight of him in the reflective glass. He didn't look at her, or speak. Instead he stood with his hands joined behind him, shoulders back, knees apart, staring straight ahead. Wearing another perfectly tailored suit, in a pinstripe charcoal this time. There was an edgy sort of heat emanating from him.
Her heart was hammering in her chest, her knees were jelly, her fists were clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms. She was quite certain a band of cold sweat was forming on her brow; it took everything she had not to reach up and wipe it but she resisted. There was no point in pretending his close proximity wasn't affecting her profoundly, because it was. But she didn't want to let him know and yet, she couldn't countenance entering an enclosed space with him. It occurred to her that if she returned to her desk and grabbed the autumn file she hadn't finished preparing, then she could go over it over the weekend.
And more importantly, by the time she got back, the lift and Gabriel would be gone.
*
He thought he'd worked her out of his system, but he hadn't. If anything it was worse now than it was before he'd got a taste of her.
His coat had been on, his bag packed, he hadn't moved until she was out of the door, then he shot up and rushed to the lobby to join her at the lift. He'd wanted to give her no time to come up with an alternative plan, he'd wanted to arrive just as the lift did, but it hadn't and now he was standing alone in the lobby and she had gone back to her desk. He stepped out into the stairwell, pulled the door closed behind him and waited, watching the lift the whole time.
When she returned, moments later, the lobby was deserted, she hit the button again and sagged with relief. When the lift arrived, the doors glided silently open. She stepped in and hit the button for the ground floor. The doors were already closing when Gabriel slipped in behind her.
And for the first time since Tuesday morning, the atmosphere was weighty with sexual tension.
Her face had turned the most brilliant shade of red, but she was trying her best to ignore him. He was trying not to give into the smile that was fighting its way onto his face. He needn't have bothered. She looked everywhere but him, finally settling on staring at her feet.
The very moment the doors had completely closed he moved. He pushed her against the mirrored surface, pinned both her wrists above her head and pressed himself against her, capturing her lips with his own, in a scorchingly possessive kiss.
He pulled back and regarded her through narrowed eyes. He could see her inner conflict playing out clear as day. She hated him in that moment. She hated him with every fibre of her being, but her cheeks were flushed, her eyes were glassy, her breathing was shallow and fast. She might hate him, but she wanted him too, and he just needed to make sure that side was the winning side, for long enough to get her back to his.
*
The lift hit the ground floor with a small bump and Gabriel released his grip on her wrists and stepped back.
While Jess buffeted between relief and loss, Gabriel pushed his hands into his pockets and stood up straight, transforming himself into the absolute picture of civilised professionalism. When the doors slid open, he was still standing far too close, not entirely blocking her exit but definitely in her way. Her heart slammed into her ribs, as she struggled to breathe. Beyond him she could see the lobby and Iris the receptionist, intensely focused on whoever she was speaking to on the phone, Abdullah the security guard, sitting on his usual perch by the door. She should leave the lift, walk through the front of the building and to the station, like she'd done every other day that week, but today Gabriel was standing in front of her.
There was a challenge in his eyes. They were daring her to pass him. Just try it they said, but still he didn't speak a word. Finally, after what felt like a small age, the doors closed again, and Jess was somehow still alone with Gabriel in the lift as it began its descent once more.
It wasn't until they arrived at his car that Jess' critical faculties decided to make an appearance. The beep of the central locking system seemed to shake her out of her daze. His hand was on the door handle of the passenger seat of his car when she finally found words.
"Gabriel. We can't do this again."
He released the handle, took her face in both his hands, and pressed himself against her. "Yes we can." He said against her lips and she was engulfed once again in all that heat and desire.
Somehow, through the assault on her senses she heard the click of his car door open again.
"Come with me."
"Gabriel, I..."
But he was ushering her into the passenger seat of his car, and she wasn't resisting.
As they drove through the dark night, they exchanged no more words. Instead she fiddled with the hem of her top and watched out of the window as the lights of London flew past. In the continuing silence she felt him take her hand in his, and when she looked at him he didn't return her gaze, but instead stayed focused on the road ahead of him.
The silence continued as he parked in his building, and as they travelled up in the lift they saw no one.
