"No. Don't even think about it. There's no chance I'm doing it." Nora shook her head.
"Come on Nora, the results are out, you have the email. Just check it out." Tina said putting the laptop right in front of her face.
"No!" Nora shouted.
"Fine. I'll do it then." She sat down on the bean bag, "here we go." She opened the laptop and started typing while Nora slumped into her bed. The results for the training sessions were out and she had no expectations at all. She knew it would be nearly impossible for her to make it through after the incidents in the training, she was scared that the rumours going around might effect the final decision.
Curiousity took the best of her, she went and sat down beside Tina, not looking at her, Tina smirked and shook her head and diverted her attention to the laptop screen. She opened the mail and read it line by line, a grin forming on her face and then she shouted, "You're in. Fuck Nora, you're in." She started jumping.
"What?" She took the laptop from her and read the mail–
Dear Miss Williams
Over the training period you presented your skills perfectly. You proved yourself at every step and passed every hurdle beautifully.
We are glad to inform you that you have qualified for the internship programme at Living Technologies.
The programme shall begin three months from now, the date shall be announced within the above time period.
The Human Resources Department
Living Technologies
"I actually made it." Nora looked at Tina in disbelief. She smiled and nodded, "Yes you did."
"I made it!!" She shouted and jumped on Tina, she held her laughing. "I need to tell Luke." She let her go and grabbed her phone, "No wait I'll go to his place." She grabbed her jacket and wallet, "I'll be back." And was gone.
"That was unbelievably quick." Tina said surprised.
***
Nora entered the Harbour Heaven and fished out the card key which Luke had given her and headed to the elevator. Jerry was standing near the reception desk talking to the receptionist, "Hi Jerry." She waved at him. He walked to her, "Good evening Miss Nora. You got selected for the programme?"
"Yes I did, but how do you know that?"
"Mr. Osborne was talking about it this morning. He'll be glad to hear that." He smiled.
"I'll go tell him right now. See you."
The elevator rose to the 30th floor, she got out and scanned the card on the panel next to door. Luke was nowhere to be found, she checked the study, gym, kitchen, everywhere. "Damn this house is too big." She murmured and headed to the second level to his room.
The door was ajar, she hesitated a moment, even after almost five months into the relationship this was the first time she entered his room. She opened the door and stepped in. Standing in the middle, she took in the feeling of standing in his room; feeling his presence, she smiled.
The room was huge and beautifully designed, completely the way she thought his room would be designed. A king size bed took the place in the centre, the blinds drawn on the floor-to-ceiling windows behind the bed. The walls were light grey with a few photo frames hung on them. The right side was occupied by two couches with a darker shade of grey and a mahogany coffee table between them.
She heard shower running from the bathroom and decided on waiting, she walked to the windows and opened the blinds, looking down at the city. A while later she heard the shower turn off and the door unlock "Luke," she shouted and turned around but stopped in her tracks. He stood there at the door with one towel wrapped around his waist and drying his hair with another. She felt her cheeks heat up but was unable to tear away her eyes from him. His body was lean and muscular. His left shoulder was tattooed with a patchwork of black tribal looking symbols, something she never knew existed. The water droplets on his chest seemed to glow under the lights, her eyes travelled down to his muscular body to his abs.
"Nora?" He smirked. She jerked and her eyes darted to his, she didn't realize she was staring. "Yes?" She stuttered.
He let out a small laugh at her reply, "What happened?"
"Uh...I...got selected for the programme."
"I knew you would." He smiled and moved in closer to her. "You came all the way here to tell me that?"
"Yes I did." She stepped back, her face flushed and she looked down at her feet. She had to get out immediately or she won't survive long looking at a godly man like him.
Luke looked at her standing in his room, like a small scared kitten which made him laugh. She was looking everywhere but him and now her eyes were on her feet. Something she did every time she was too flushed. This was too much for him to handle. He tipped her chin up and ran his thumb along her jawbone, bending down he planted a light kiss in her lips. He pulled her closer to him and cupped her cheek and as usual she melted at his touch. He picked her up, his lips still on hers and sat down on the bed putting her on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He let go of her lips and trailed down to her neck kissing and biting her soft skin. He could feel her breathing quicken.
Nora was taken by surprise. The way his breath trickled on her skin made her goosebumps rise, she could feel him smile against her skin, knowing he noticed that she was more embarrassed. Suddenly she felt his hands on her jacket, he pulled down the zipper, his hand travelled inside her shirt. Sensing his touch on her bare skin made her come to senses, "Luke, " she said almost in a whisper. He didn't stop, his hand travelled up her back, caressing it gently. She wasn't used to this, "Luke please," she said again, scared of what might happen if he refused to stop, she wouldn't be able to push him away, she shut her eyes tightly and gripped his shoulders.
Her eyes flung open when she felt his hand trailing up to her chest, "Luke please stop." It was a whimper this time.
Her shaky voice brought him back, he stopped and immediately let go. He saw her sitting on his lap on the brink of crying, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that Nora." He brought his hand to her cheek, she pulled back. "Please Nora don't do that. I'm sorry I lost my composure for a second, seeing you here in my room, it brought out something I was trying to suppress for so long. I...I'm sorry." He sighed.
"Can I leave?" She asked pulling her jacket close to her. He looked down at her in disbelief, he didn't mean to do it but it happened, "You can if you want to. I have no right to stop you."
Without waiting for anything she jumped off his lap and dashed out of the room. He heard the main door slam shut.
Nora needed some fresh air, she dashed out of the building without looking back. She could not make any sense out of what happened right now. He was fine one second and then something happened, he changed in a way she could comprehend. She could still feel his warmth at the places he touched her. But what was out of her knowledge was the way she was reacting to him, it took her all of she had to ask him to stop. But when she left she could feel that he was disappointed in himself. He wasn't someone who would force her to do anything but what happened today was wrong but she couldn't bring herself to blame him for anything. But she left him in an instant.
She stopped and turned around and headed back, there was no way she was going to leave him alone like that.