AVA
Ava had taken it all in good faith when Simone had sent her on her way. She was sad but wasn't angry or upset.
Simone, was obviously marking her territory. Ava was just the hired help. That, was clear enough.
Maybe, it was her accepting of the backlash in good faith was the problem. It didn't prepare her for the shock when she returned to work in the morning and found Simone still there.
It confused Ava. The last time they talked, he went home with the woman. He said they would talk last night, though she had left, he did it again.
It was very confusing for Ava at that moment. Simone was at the counter again, sipping from a cup and Ava guessed it was coffee.
"You're here." Simone acknowledged with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
Ava knew there was never going to be a mutual accommodation between both of them, but she smiled back at her.
"Good morning. I'm sorry I didn't get here on time to make you coffee." Ava amended.
"It's okay. I can make myself a cup."
Standing awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen, she nodded and thought of what to say.
"Should... Do you want anything in particular for breakfast?"
"No. Don't bother. I'm leaving already." Simone told her and ran a palm over hair and took another sip of coffee.
Ava stood there and stared long and hard at the older woman. She could see all the reasons why Richard would still keep her around.
Without any makeup or designer wears, she still looked gorgeous. Something Ava never was. No man in his right mind would think twice about having a woman like Simone around.
Ava swallowed and nodded slowly at her.
It seemed like she had downed the last because she dropped the cup on the surface and straightened herself to leave.
Being in this woman's presence scared Ava. She'd never felt so intimidated and scrutinized. She always felt like running and hiding, away from her piercing eyes.
She never felt that way with Richard, but after last night she was sure she didn't want things to keep being put off.
She needed to know if Richard really want things to work between them. Otherwise, she wasn't going to last long at her job with Simone always at the corner.
She stayed put in the kitchen until Simone left, thirty three minutes later. Yes, she had counted.
She needed to see Richard, so she waited for him for an hour and he didn't come out of his Study.
She could guess that he wouldn't be going to work, so he should probably be in his Study. Struggling between marching in there, telling him what she had in mind, and staying put, acting like nothing had an effect on her.
The latter was a blatant lie, but she didn't have the bravado to do the former.
Drawing large breaths into her lungs, she took her time, subconsciously waiting for a sign to tell her what to do. What her best shot was.
But, she couldn't ignore it.
He couldn't tell her he loved her and leave her hanging like that. It was even stupid on her side, believing that there could be something.
Nicole would say that girls like them, didn't have to dream. It was useless.
That was all Ava needed to lose all the courage she'd gathered. Giving herself a mental shake, she stormed out of the kitchen, with a purpose, trying not to think too much about it.
She didn't stop for a minute until she was standing at the door of his Study. She'd never entered the room. It was always under lock and key. There were evidently confidential stuff he had in there that he wouldn't want just anyone messing with.
Biting down hard on her lower lip, she took a deep breath before bringing her arm up to pound her fist on the door. The shiny, dark and wooden door to be more exact.
She didn't get a response or hear a movement and was about knocking again, when the door was pulled opened.
With her fist in the air, she fixed her eyes on the man who had been giving her belly butterflies from the first day. Richard held the door open and stood in the way, peering down at her.
She ran her eyes over his face, taking note of the lines around his eyes and his rough hair. He must have run his fingers through his hair, because she could see the trails in it.
He also needed a shave and it shocked her how she preferred him looking so at home and warm. Richard obviously loved his whites, because right now, he wore a plain white t-shirt, over a grey sweatpant.
God!
Ava absolutely forgot why she was there in the first place.
"You should bring your fist down now." He told her. His voice smooth and calm.
Ava blushed brightly as she let her hand fall limblessly.
He wasn't inviting her in. He was also waiting it out. He was reading her face too and waiting to know why she was there.
Richard even squinted at her.
"I... I... Wasn't sure you were home."
There! She'd said something totally stupid.
Richard just gave her a warm smile. "Ava?" He called.
Her eyes held his and the warmth didn't leave his eyes. He finally moved aside, making way.
"You should come in. I don't intend to stand all day looking at you stutter." He said drily. But Ava caught the joke.
He was just teasing her. Ava spared him a glance as she wasn't sure if she could really go in. Richard tipped his head and she let herself in.
The Study wasn't like the other rooms. It was even more sophisticated. On a side of the room, there were cabinets that held awards and trophies he'd received. On the other wall, it held a mini library and other locked drawers.
Looking around, she noticed that it was painted in white and black. His desk was black and the chair was white. It was warm in there but it sent chills down her body that she couldn't stop wrapping her arms around herself.
Richard shut the door and came to stand beside her.
"You didn't wait last night." He asked shortly.
The question got Ava turning around to look at him squarely. She was surprised how much of herself she'd lost. She could hold his gaze and look at him without blinking.
Wow!
"She told me to leave." She replied. Shortly.
Richard sighed. "You work for me, not her. You don't get to follow someone else's orders." He told her stiffly. He wasn't annoyed. It was just plain.
"I didn't realize that I have to disobey her. I'll ask your secretary the rules the next time."
She didn't mean to say that. She just found herself getting angry. She couldn't control how she was feeling at that moment. There was a lot that she couldn't hold back and that was pressing her down.
"Why are you here?"
"I needed to know..."
"Know what?"
"What this means or_ doesn't mean. I needed to know if you were just toying with me_ I_" her voice shook. Tears threatened to fall as her eyes blurred.
He closed the distance between them and took her right hand in his. His eyes were dark and hard. They held emotions that she didn't want to read. It was too much for her.
"I didn't sleep with her. I know you're not asking and wouldn't ask but I need you to know that. And no, I'm not toying with you. It just..." He paused and sighed deeply. "It just seems like a whole lot to take in and yet, I don't want to hold back from this thing between us."
Letting go of her hand, as if it burned him, he stepped away and buried his hands in his pockets.
"I wanted to talk with you because I needed us to understand what this means. To decide if we should jump straight into it or take things slowly. But apparently..."
"Apparently, we're not sure about anything." She finished for him.
Richard nodded and ran a tongue over his lips. Ava watched the innocent act and felt the urge to press her lips to his.
She might do after all. Maybe later.
"What do you want? This thing can't happen without your consent. I don't want to hurt you too."
Ava was sure she fell in love with him all over again when those words left his mouth.
"What about her?"
It really bothered her. She needed to know tok if she was really free to be with Richard.
Richard groaned and she knew things wouldn't be that simple. "Simone is having a hard time taking things in, but I can promise you that she won't be a problem."
She chuckled. "Really?"
Richard held her gaze and nodded. "I promise." He mouthed to her.
Looking away from him, she looked at the only painting in the room. It was a painting of him and his two daughters. It was probably q painting from years ago, because he looked so much younger and his daughters looked like they were in high school.
They all wore the same happy smile. Dragging her eyes from them, the tears stinging, she forced her eyes back to his.
"Your daughters? Would they ever approve of me?" She bit out, her voice so unsteady but she knew he heard her.
His eyes dimmed and her fears rose. He took few steps back to her, his eyes still dark. "They will love you. Trust me."
Nodding frantically, a tear slipped out but he caught it. She couldn't tell when he'd got his hands out of his pockets. She obviously missed it.
Her eyes were fixated on his lips as he smiled reassuringly at her. The urge to kiss him growing by the second.
His thumb caressed his cheek, while the other fingers cupped her face. His eyes flickered to hers and she smiled at him.
"Do you have something else to get out of the way?"
She started to shake her head, but stopped.
"Actually, yes, there is something."
Without giving him a heads up, she rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his.
It surprised Richard, because he pulled back from her and squinted at her, then leaned in to get a better taste.
This time, he groaned in satisfaction.
Pulling her up to him, she wrapped her legs around his waist and let herself go as she felt him steer them backwards, till she was settled on a surface.
She didn't need to break free from the kiss to know that he had settled her on his desk.
What a way to start your day!
The kiss lasted for the whole of three minutes as their tongues danced and twirled and glided in unfamiliar places. Taking them to heaven and bringing them to pure bliss.
Needing to catch her breath, she broke the mutual contact and watched as his eyes opened to gaze into the darkest part of her.
"I have a request." She let out. Her heart beating so fast.
"What request?" He asked. His breath coming out in gasps.
"I need you to promise to never break my heart_" the tears rushed down her cheeks without a warning. "I need you to handle my heart with care. I_"
"Shhhh!" He hushed her, his fingers smoothing away her tears.
Smiling at her, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, her neck, then to her cheeks. "I will. I promise."
Pressing a lingering kiss to her lips, he pulled Ava into a tight hug, her arms wounding round his neck as though her life depended on it.
With his promise, maybe it does.