"I tried so much but I think the zipper is stuck." Alice had never faced second-hand embarrassment like this. It was going to be her first-ever business dinner with her boss and there she was making blunders effortlessly.
"I can try." Junho blurted out. It was just a kind gesture but as soon as the seconds passed, the words sank in deep, their meaning altering to something wild and dark.
"I mean if you want to you can also change into another dress." He added further that left Alice wishing to disappear. Another dress? She was more than just grateful for finding that dress in the suitcase.
"No! Please try zipping it up for me. I mean...I don't want us to get more late than we already are because of me." Any option was better than telling the CEO that she only had one dress of that type and that was also her friend packing it. No to another earful.
"O-kay. Let's get inside." Junho held the door open for his assistant to step in.
"Like, get ourselves a room?" Her hands slammed shut over her lips, eyes widening at the words that rolled off her tongue so smoothly like butter melting on the stove. To say that the CEO was shocked would be a blunt lie. More or less, the same words were itching the tip of his tongue. Nonetheless, he played it cool and walked into the bedroom.
"Ugh!!! He must be thinking of me as a whore! What are you waiting for? Open this damn ground and make it swallow me already! I can't face him!" The stomping of feet on the marble floor could easily be heard by the CEO who was stifling his laugh when his assistant entered the room. However, she stood by the door, playing with her fingers, gaze fixated down.
"Come here, Alice." The eyes shot up to meet the owner of that authoritative voice. There, Geon Junho was leaning against the dressing table with arms crossed over his chest. That was when Alice noticed his appearance; the raven parted hair leaving the forehead bare, satin suit hugging his body as if it was his second skin, the veins of hands popping out. Did she mention she had never found a man this attractive? All aside, why her knees were wobbling?
Gulping the huge lump in her throat, she made small steps towards the CEO. But it was not her mind who ordered her to move forward but the command that came from the man.
"Turn around." She should not have but she did. It had not been that long for the girl to be an assistant of Junho but the way she was carrying out his orders said otherwise. At the moment, her mind had stopped functioning. As is something mystical from another world had taken over her, or perhaps from another life?
Soon her hair was tossed to the right side, giving the CEO a full sight of her back. When his cold fingers brushed against the warm skin, a phenomenal feeling rose in her body. Why did not his touch feel foreign? Why was not his fingers burning her skin? Why those uncanny feelings were not devouring her soul? Why her demons did not resurface? It was the touch of another man most of all.
"It's done." Said the CEO in a low tone. The girl did not know for how long she was in a daze. The flight must have gotten the worst out of her.
"Leave the documents here. We won't be needing them tonight." Junho strode out of the room, Alice on his toe.
Both kept their distance in the elevator. When they reached the reserved table, a man who looked around the same age as Junho stood up.
"That isn't lost that comes at last, Mr Geon." The man smiled reaching his hand out to be shaken by Junho.
"Mr Lucas, I apolo--", the CEO was cut short by his assistant who was standing behind him.
"I'm sorry. We are late because of me. Mr Geon has nothing to do with this." Alice had already caused The Geon Corporations to lose million dollars deal as per Junho. She might jump off a bridge if this project also slipped from their hands.
"Ahh, she's Miss Alice, my assistant." Junho stepped in when Lucas was waiting for the girl to introduce herself.
"Oh, I see. I can't do anything about it then I guess. Beautiful women must always be given all the time they need." Alice sighed in relief.
"I'm Lucas, CEO of The Green Bay." The man offered his hand which Alice took excitedly. If Lucas was in good mood, they would get the deal done.
'What's she getting all giddy-up for?' Junho's head titled as he stared at the duo's interlinked hands with a poker face.
"Let's have seats." Lucas pulled out a seat for Alice and was about to sit on the one next to hers but Junho beat him to it as he hastily settled on it.
After the waiter had their order and the food was served, both CEOs were engaged in a business talk when a boy who appeared to be in his teens approached their table, well, more exactly, approached Alice.
"Are you related to Jean-Claude Van Damme? Because Jean-Claude Van Damme you're sexy!" Junho choked on the bite at the cheesy pickup line of the boy, Alice, however, not understanding just blinked at the stranger.
'Is everyone in America extroverted?' She thought putting her spoon down.
"You look quite young. What grade are you in?" Wiping her mouth with the napkin, Alice asked the boy. She felt a nudge from under the table but snapping her head at the two CEOs, she did not find anything fishy on their faces. Thus brushing it off, she turned back to the boy.
"Don't worry, beautiful. I'm legal." The boy smirked at the gullible assistant who looked pondering over the meaning of what he said. Junho beside her was resisting the urge to knock the kid down. Why was he getting restless? Okay, the boy was flirting with her but that should not be any of his concerns.
'Of course, it is! She is my assistant!' His inner voices were already set in a battle against each other.
"What do you study?" It was obvious that the girl was bored over the business talk. So it was a golden opportunity for her to strike up a conversation. Perhaps, the boy would show her around.
"I'm studying History. I want to become a historian. I'm especially interested in finding a date." Junho's hands fisted tight. The last strand of patience he was holding slipped when Alice asked the boy, "Oh, what date?"
"Yo---"
"Enough. You may leave now, Miss Alice." The CEO stood up from his chair, Lucas following him. He was also very interested in the deal with The Geon Corporations as they were expanding their business overseas and The Geon Corporations was exactly what he was looking for in the Asian sector, rich in quality.
"The meeting is over? I can go? Anywhere?" She thought if Junho dismissed her, it would be the best time to leave with the boy to wander around in the lively streets of California. She might not find another chance tomorrow considering their schedule.
"Wait in my room, Alice." Said the CEO in a clipped tone.