I realized that a workday without proper sleep is worse than a hangover on a workday while sitting in my office with the anthology I was working on since yesterday, trying to keep my yawns in and keep my eyes open.
I took a sip from my Starbucks cup that had my daily dose of caffeine,I need more than this.
I turned around to rest my eyes looking out at the streets and towers around the area. His words kept lingering in my mind making me think if he was being truthful, or just sweet-talking me. I had to think this through and not to fall for a playboy as always.
I turned around as I heard a knock on my door.
"Hey, you have a minute?" Jeffrey pops his head in through the half-open door. "Hey! Of course, please come in." I said with a huge smile, for a boss, he is way too cool.
"Are you settling well? Everything good?" He enquired, walking to my side around the table with some papers in his hand. I sat up straight, pulling my shirt down to look neat.
"I'm loving it here. Such a beautiful cabin, nice coworkers, and wonderful authors to work with!" I said radiantly. He smiled and leaned over to the table, putting down two sheets of paper.
"So this is the cover design we received today. Choose one that suits the writing and send it to me. Okay?" he said with a smile.
I just sat there noticing his brown bushy hair move when he talked and his hazel eyes scanning the papers and then me, and I wondered, I am pretty sure he wouldn't have an offer like Dylan, why choose the complicated if I have got better options.
"Hey! All good?" My trance broke as Jeffrey's voice echoed in my brain for two seconds. "Oh! yes, of course." I smiled; he pats my back in return.
I watch him as he walks out of my office, making me go back to weighing my options in my head, a pretty Caucasian male, around 28-30 years old, maybe 6 feet, editor-in-chief, and probably single.
And on the other hand, Dr. Dylan Hill! My brown-skinned, tall, accomplished, sexy man who has the most complicated relationship status ever.
But then I noticed, the way I think about Dylan was way different than how I think of any other man. It was pretty clear to me. I take another sip of my coffee as I conclude in my head.
I pick up the cover designs and get to work, trying to keep his thoughts at bay while I finish up the anthology work, deciding the cover and sending everything to Jeffrey on time.
I check the time as I straighten my back after some good work is done and notice, it was already 4 PM. Woah! I missed my lunch. I know I love books, I lose myself when I start working on them.
I get up hoping to catch some light lunch before I check out my next project.
I walk down the street, hoping to find a café; I pick up my phone to check my notifications and see Dylan's message in my inbox. As I look upon the street, I find a small café with an outdoor patio across the street, near a park, which I thought was the best on an autumn evening like this. And definitely, a good spot to message a man you like.
I stop and wait for crossing to the other side; as soon as I walk halfway across, a black Audi stops on the other lane before me.
I feel my heart stop for a minute as I turn to look at the car and to the driving seat. My eyes widen in surprise to see Dylan in the driver seat, oh boy! I ran to the other side of the road. He pulls the car over immediately and lowers his window with his usual big smile.
"You were planning to die?" he asks as I lean over into the car, trying to act normal. I chuckled at his remark, but he was right; I was not paying attention to the other lane, but I wondered what he was doing here, and I was about to die right in front of his car.
"How are you here?" I ask. "Hop in! I will tell you on the way," he says.
He doesn't want to know where I am going, what I am doing but just wants to take me and go; he is not a very thoughtful person.
"I am just out for a quick lunch from work; my office is in that building over there. Gotta get back in there soon." I said pointing in the direction of my office, holding the door which he already opened for me.
"I see!" he says, looking in the direction where I was pointing and turns to me as if he was still expecting me to get in.
"What? I am going to eat in that café; you should get back to wherever you were going." I said, closing the door. "Okay, let me park! I will join you," he said. I shrug in response. He proceeds to take the car to a spot reserved for roadside parking.
I slowly walked to the café hoping he would catch up as I did have some things to think through, and spending time with him before a decision is made didn't look very ideal.
He joins me just before I was reaching the café and holds out the chair for me on the same patio, which I was hoping to sit on and text him. He sat across me looking deeply into my eyes. Don't! Don't! My brain started chanting like a fire alarm; his eyes are magnetic, and knowing those eyes are just soulless, was making it very difficult.
A waiter approaches and hands us the menu. "What are you gonna have?" he asks, leaning over to the table. I notice his toned arms and his chest through his white Nike tees he was wearing.
I see a golden chain hanging just around his neck through the collars of the tee, which I knew was a turn on in itself; I didn't realize I was lowkey drooling instead of answering his question.
"Umm... I will have a bagel and coke." I said, peeling my eyes off him, to look at the waiter. The waiter turns to him; he mouths to him, "same."
The waiter smiles and walks back inside, leaving us in our awkward silence. Why is it so difficult to talk when we are face to face? I looked up at him and noticed him staring at me eagerly.
"So?" I said to break the silence. "So..? Have you thought about it?" he asks, losing his patience. "I am still thinking. It's not that little of a decision, you know?" I said.
"Fair enough!" he says and looks towards the park, and starts smiling. I look in the direction to see what he is smiling at and see a kid playing with his dog. I turned to him and saw his innocent smile; my heart was about to explode.
"You like kids?" he asks, still his eyes on the kid and the dog. "I don't know, to watch sure, but to have kids, I have no idea." He leans in with a smile.
"And you end up meeting monsters like me who don't have a heart; I understand if you don't see yourself having kids!" Ouch! That hurt! He notices my eyebrows curl in confusion.
"You call yourself heartless, but you seem to be so considerate and caring. Is that a face you put on to get into someone's pants?" I knew it was a bit harsh, but I do have a sharp tongue when poked.
He smiles without looking up at me, and I knew he was offended. Our bagels arrived at the exact moment, saving us from any further awkward talk.
He silently takes a bite and gulps down his coke, looking into the park. I had to say something as I knew he was hurt.
"I am sorry for that, I didn't mean it," I said; he looked up at me, and I saw his eyes were hiding too much in them. I didn't quite understand what they were trying to tell me.
"I am not offended, in fact, in your place I would've thought the same. Listen! I meant every word I said to you last night. And I won't ask you to do anything that you don't want."
I smiled in response, something in me was asking me to touch his face, but that would be so inappropriate.
"So.. what is it in there for me, if.. only if I do this with you?" I asked as I sipped on my coke, almost halfway through my bagel. He looked up in shock as if he heard me wrong. "What?" he asked.
"You heard me!" I snapped with a smile. I bet he wasn't expecting that at all but couldn't say if he was happy or just purely shocked.
"You okay there.. bud?" I asked, shaking his hand, which was on the table. "Umm... I wasn't expecting that. So.. what you get is what you ask! Anything! I want you to be comfortable through the whole thing." he says, grabbing my hand reciprocating my touch.
"Okay, first of all, I need to know everything, whatever that I am getting myself into. And... considering we had quite a chemistry between us, I can't afford to get emotionally attached to you, we can't sleep together at any cost."
His brown skin was turning pale as if he saw a ghost. I could see small sweat beads forming on his forehead. "Umm.. sure! You will get to know everything before we agree on anything, and yes! I want to make sure you don't feel used at any cost. So, no sex." He says and extends his hand for a handshake.
"We can't officially shake on it, but a handshake for no sex pact is needed," I say and shake his hand firmly. I was sad, but I felt a bit happy as well, this would keep me close to him, and I will get to know him better.
But I still didn't know what was the point, I wanted him and my heart wanted me to try to change this heartless beast to a charming prince. I sighed looking at his happy face, not knowing whether to smile or scream!