Mikołaj hurt almost everything - from the body battered by sex with the Szwedas, to his offended pride.
Why did he give in to him?
No, more importantly, what happens when people find out?
He'll be damn done.
A Szwedas could confess that he was gay and nobody would even bother him because this guy has an established position not only in Poland. If someone starts to make him difficult, he just need whisper a word here and there and asses will fly from the stools. Mikołaj did not have such facilities, so he can't feel safe. Not only that, the Szwedas was high enough in the company that someone could accuse Skrzynecki that he slept with him for some benefits.
But maybe the matter will not leak? From the beginning Stefan knew who Mikołaj was and did not say a word. He also assured him now that he will not be talking about anything. Maybe Skrzynecki did not know him well, but he knew that Szwedas was a man of a given word. You just have to treat the dinner and sex after it as a minor, one-off incident and everything will be ok.
Only can he be sure?
The Swedes did not say anything last time because the meeting in Tenerife was a one-time adventure for both, but now, when the replay of entertainment took place, and Stefan himself admitted that he is interested in continuation, it can get embarrassing. An office affair with a guy! Gossipers will have fun.
Mikołaj arrived at his apartment without even knowing when. He took off his shoes and shuffled to his bedroom. He collapsed heavily on the bed and, lying on his back with his arms crossed, stared at the ceiling.
Why did this happen?
He closed his eyes.
Why did I succumb to him?
Why does his touch make Mikołaj want more?
Why at the mere mention of his gray, overwhelmingly beautiful eyes his heart beats faster?
Why?
***
On Friday, he failed to close the complaint to which he found a contract. Szwedas presence in his office and the prospect of dinner with him distracted Mikołaj too much for him to think logically. That was why it was the first thing he wanted to do as soon as he got to work.
"Wow, Mikołaj! Are you okay?" Ewka exclaimed.
"Yes, what?"
"Well, you don't look so good. Don't you have a fever?"
"No, probably not."
The truth was that he had a high temperature inside him since he woke up from Saturday to Sunday. He fell asleep in his clothes, not even knowing when. When he opened his eyes it was dark and he felt it was both cold and hot at the same time. He took the aspirin and went to sleep without appetite.
He couldn't sleep. There were too many thoughts in his head devoted to the previous night and what he was doing with the Szwedas. The longer he thought about it, the more he felt ashamed that he went to bed with him so easily. It was no longer even about the fact that people at work would find out, but about the fact that he himself so willingly, without a shadow of opposition and completely obscenely had sex with another man and asked for such things. And not with a random bar guy - a work colleague!
Mortification brought only that he could not sleep and had no appetite. He knew it was stupid, but he couldn't help it. On Monday, he would have to look into the eyes of the man he was letting him do such things with. No, he didn't 'let him'. Say that is not enough. He asked for it!
He was so sleepy, probably had a feverish condition and still had so much work ahead of him that he would again be overtime.
"You know, flu has started to spread recently ..."
"Don't worry," he smiled, "I won't leave you alone."
"Eh ... thanks."
"And by the way, on Friday I found a lost contract for Mr. Wyrębiak. We have only the incompatibility left in Zawada's papers. Can you still deal with it?"
"Sure, but when did you finish work on Friday?"
"Actually ... I don't remember."
Skrzynecki always liked his job, but never to the point of sitting there until a beaten night. Fortunately, he was slowly starting to go straight ahead when it came to backlogs. However, it may turn out that the Szwedas was right and they will need an extra pair of hands.
Mikołaj immediately got to work and with great satisfaction rejected the claims of the second, troublesome complaint.
He finished just before the weekly meeting of department managers. As before, his department had nothing special to convey, so he was surprised when Szwedas spoke at the end of the meeting.
"As you asked," he said to the president, "we are preparing a new offer with the sales department. Thanks to the hard work of Mikołaj, it is almost ready."
"Already?" the president was surprised and looked at both curiously.
"I have to admit that I was honestly surprised how devoted people work here. I mean all departments. Although the topic of the new offer did not want to be addressed until its complete formation, but I think that at this rate we will be able to give it to lawyers before end of the week. What do you think, Mikołaj?"
"I agree. I have no comments for your last amendment."
Szwedas eyes lit up even more. It was as if the answer was perfect for him.
"Well, please," the president smiled. "You've only been here for two weeks and things are starting to get going well. A new head, a new look at the situation."
"But it was your people who showed me that Poland is not America. I am already learning a lot from them."
What is this strange comment? Skrzynecki wondered. To say a rainbow fart just like that! He looked at his colleagues and was surprised to find that Stefan's words made a really positive impression on them. They looked at him almost as in a picture, as in a deity that descended from Olympus and announced that the tiny folk were not as blunt as Zeus had thought of them.
Mikołaj had to admit that the Szwedas really could win over people. No, that's not enough. He just seduced them.
So why doesn't his rainbow fart impress me? Is it because we have a slightly different kind of relationship?
It did not occur to him that he was already completely seduced by Stefan and heard from him sweeter words than these.
After the meeting everyone looked really pleased. It is as if the whole group was inspired by the spirit of optimism. Szwedas was simply a master of positive motivation.
In the middle of the day, Mikołaj received a business e-mail from him.
"You looked tired. I didn't set the pace too fast? "
The Szwedas asks for a job, right? For some reason, however, Skrzynecki's heart beat faster.
Or maybe he asks about that night together and how they parted?
"I have great subordinates who help me a lot," he wrote back. "I am starting today to prepare in detail the new offer and the contract associated with it."
The agreement was that work was work, he stated and sent a message.
"Let me know when you're ready," he received after literally a minute.
For some reason, it sounded ambiguous again for Mikołaj. Is Stefan waiting for the draft contract or the agreed password?
'Tenerife'.
"... Tenerife" he heard in real life and jumped up. He looked puzzled.
It was only Ewka who was throwing something to Łukasz.
"Expensive," he said regretfully.
"But apparently beautiful. No, Mikołaj?"
"What are you talking about?"
"About vacation," she explained. "You've been there lately, haven't you? It was fun? Lots of attractions?"
"Depends on what you are looking for?"
"Łukasz, what are you looking for?"
"Something romantic. For two."
Mikołaj remembered the rooms at the back of the bar. Nothing fancy, but the white of the decor and the smell of exotic flowers really were sexy. And romantic.
"Romance can be anywhere," he said. "You don't have to take the most expensive hotel. I saw a few by the really nice beach. You won't find them in the folders of travel agencies."
Although you don't necessarily want to go there with your girlfriend.
"Seriously? And affordable?"
"Honestly, I do not know."
It's a fact. Although he spent the night in one of them, the room was paid for by Szwedas. He looked like a regular customer. I wonder how many guys he fucked up there? Mikołaj felt irritated that such thoughts bother him. What's a difference, how many guys Stefan had before or after? It's not like they were or are a couple. Or they will ever be. Mikołaj did not regret it either. They were both free adult men and could do whatever they liked.
"The island is beautiful," he said, getting to work. "Maybe there are not many discos in it compared to other tourist places, but those that are, are enough for a good month."
"So you remember this vacation well?" Ewka asked.
Mikołaj thought for a moment. In Tenerife, his colleague Mirek was with a man for the first time and now he could not see the world except his newest boyfriend. He also let himself be fucked by a guy, and now he saw this casual lover virtually every day at work, which put him in a strange position. Things got complicated by Tenerife and maybe it would have been completely different if they had chosen a different direction of trip then. Maybe it would be easier.
Mirek, however, was happy with Sylwek. The Szwedas was such a decent guy that he didn't mind working with his ex-lover (if you can call them that). And the time spent in Tenerife ...
"Yes, I remember it very well," he said with a smile. There must have been something in his expression because his subordinates looked at each other significantly. It didn't bother him. On the contrary. Their looks and smiles had nothing wrong with them.
And Tenerife, well, holidays spent on this island after all gave him a lot of unforgettable memories.