"Wow, thanks!" she said, grabbing her bag and logging off her computer. "I'll be here at nine tomorrow."
"Sounds good."
"Great! Have a good day, Mr. Tanchen. I'll see you tomorrow," she said cheerily as she waved and left through my front door.
As she walked away, I couldn't help staring at her again, wishing she was walking up the stairs to my bedroom instead. When the door closed behind her, I let out a long sigh.
"That girl is going to get me in trouble."
Something about her was just so enticing. I was drawn to her in a way I had never found myself attracted to a woman before. Sure, I'd dated and had my fun, but no one had left me with the feeling I had at that moment because of her.
Palming my hard cock, I mumbled to myself, "You better think with your head instead of your dick, Mark, or you're going to find yourself in a world of trouble."
And still I couldn't stop thinking about her and what I wished I could do with Emma.
Chapter Three
Emma
By the endof the first week, I had established a routine at my new job. I would get to work about ten minutes early so I could set myself up with a drink and get settled at my desk. Every day Mr. Tanchen would hear me unlock the front door and poke his head out to greet me with a smile.
That is, at least for the first week.
By the second week, he was meeting me just inside the door or in the kitchen where I always went first. We talked about the morning commute and how his was far preferable to mine. He told me about important things going on at work that day, but he also peppered in stories about other things, like his friends or family. I learned he had a crazy uncle who was in town and who he was trying to avoid due to his fondness for long rambling stories all related to drinking. His smile got bigger every time I walked in, and I couldn’t help but think that my boss was flirting with me some of the time.
One day I walked in and skipped the kitchen stop, having too much on my mind to think of my daily routine and wanting just to sit down and busy myself with something that wasn't my personal life. I figured I was keeping it all together, so I was startled when I saw Mr. Tanchen walk around the corner with a concerned look on his face.
"Emma, are you okay?" he asked before taking a sip of his morning coffee.
I shook my head and said, "Yes, I'm fine. Is anything wrong?" looking around at my computer that hadn't even been turned on yet.
"No, I just…your face," he said, awkwardly.
I couldn’t help it but something about how he said that made me laugh a little. Covering my mouth, I said, "Sorry, Mr. Tanchen. It's just that this is the first time I've laughed since Friday."
"Not a good weekend?"
"No, not really. Just a bunch of dumb drama that I won't get into since this is work and it doesn't belong here."
He nodded and smiled. "I understand. I’m glad that I could make you laugh then."
Then he set his hand down on top of mine for the briefest moment, and our eyes locked and something about the tingling sensation that ran through my entire body told me at least one of us didn't find the gesture to be wholly innocent. As if he realized it too, he quickly moved his hand back and he grunted to himself, moving to leave.
Despite my body still reeling from his touch, I quickly said, "Wait, I have your appointments for next week made up and the notes printed out for this week’s appointments. I just forgot to give them to you before I left for the weekend. I’m sorry."
Smiling, he shook his head. "No apologies necessary."
He took a seat on the small, black couch near my desk, a remnant of what had once belonged there when it was a living room. His lean but muscular build was distracting, so I had to focus on the paper as I held it out to him, embarrassed that I'd let myself fantasize about my boss again for even a moment.
The truth was I'd been thinking about him all weekend when I wasn't dealing with my stupid ex-boyfriend and couldn’t seem to get the thought of him off my mind, no matter how hard I tried. I went out with friends, and while I attempted to have a good time despite my ex showing up, I found myself retreating from the situation by fantasizing about what I wished we were doing in the kitchen or on my desk, and it certainly wasn’t work. I got so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t even hear the first half of Mr. Tanchen’s sentence.
"Anyway, you've been doing great work for me, Emma. Why don't I buy us lunch again this afternoon?"
I nodded, thinking about the last and only lunch we'd shared together. "That sounds great, Mr. Tanchen. I'll call and make an order, so just let me know what you want me to get. What are you in the mood for?" I asked, trying to drag myself back towards acting professionally.
He thought for a moment before answering, "Pizza."
"Great idea. Just tell me where you want me to call, and I'll be happy to order it.”