She nods. “Don’t worry. You’ll find someone when you least expect it.” She lifts her cup at me and walks over to the kitchen area. I watch her to make sure that she doesn't look back at me before looking around the office again.
That's when I see Mr. Tate. He's come out of the shadows. He's standing on the second floor, his arms flexed as he holds on to the banister in front of him. He's leaning over, staring at me, and he doesn't seem to be worried at all about being caught watching me. I stare up at him, and his look intensifies. Even from here, I can see the desire in his eyes.
I want to harness the anger I felt for him last night, but seeing him watching me hungrily, the anger fades away. I can’t stay mad at him, not when he looks at me as if I hung the moon and the stars.
I cross my ankles and tighten my thighs together. I ignore the pull in my lower belly and stare back at him. The look he’s giving me says it as plain as day. If I doubted his attraction to me before, there’s no mistaking it now. He wants me, and I don't think he's going to stop until he has me. My only question is for how long and will I be able to survive it when it’s over?
Chapter4
Daniel
Imade sure there would be distance between us when she spotted me. If I was on the first floor, close to her, there would be nothing stopping me. The need to have her is intense. Even more so now. After the little stunt she pulled last night, I know it’s almost time. She's all I think about. She consumes every thought I have, and this obsession is getting out of hand. She’s nothing like any woman I’ve met before.
What started off as something simple turned into this complex, fierce desire that I can no longer tamp down. Even from here, I can see how her breathing changes as she stares back at me. I know I need to walk away, break the gaze that we have on each other so that no one sees, but I can't. I watch as her breath hitches and her shirt seems to tighten across her breasts as she arches her back a little. And the way her eyes seem to go to a dark green instead of her normal, bright green. All of it is a dead giveaway that she wants me just as badly. She thinks she’s kept herself guarded, but I see every thought she has. Her eyes give it all away.
She juts her chin at me as if she's daring me to come down there to where she is. My girl is getting impatient, and I can't say that I blame her. I clench the banister in front of me, shake my head and force myself to move back to where our gaze is no longer connected. I walk off without another backwards glance and slam the door to my office as I walk through it. I'm rock hard, but that's nothing new. I've been like this since the first day, when she came in her little black skirt to interview for the position.
She knows I like that skirt, and that's why she wore it today. I didn’t have to ask her; I already knew. But I wanted her to know that I know.
I move and sit behind my desk. I try to focus on the projects at hand, but like always, my thoughts go back to Sara. I open my side desk drawer and turn on the listening device that I have. When I first installed it, I felt a little shame, but not anymore. It's not like I'm trying to catch her in anything. All I want to do is hear her sweet voice.
I've learned a lot about the people that work for me from listening, but it's nothing I would use against anyone. But most importantly, I've learned about Sara. She's a hard worker that chips in on any project. She's calm, has to think things through, and is very dedicated to what she is doing. She never participates in office gossip. And when her coworkers complain about the hours I demand of them, she doesn't join in. Her work ethic makes her even more desirable, if possible.
It’s noon when I hear them talking about going out to eat. I listen as they discuss where they’re going, standing over my desk staring at the speaker. My heart starts to race in my chest, preparing for the chase. The thought of her being out in the world, away from me, is too much for me to bear.
I'm never invited for these lunches; none of the higher-ups are. Funnily enough, though, I go to every one of them now. But I'm never seen. I always sit far enough away to keep an eye on Sara. And today is not going to be any different.
As soon as I hear the group leave, I’m on the move. I’m well known in this city and am a patron at all the restaurants downtown. I’ve learned how to discreetly enter and exit a restaurant, using back doors most the time.
I settle myself in the back corner and listen.
I know the instant she senses me here. She seems to always know when I’m around. She always rubs her hand up and down her arms and then looks around as if she’s looking for me. A tiny frown forms on her face when she doesn’t find me, and that makes me smile.
Sara orders a salad. I want to order her a real meal. Just from listening in at work, I've heard her talk about needing to lose weight, which is not true. Her body is perfect just the way she is. I don’t want her to change a thing.
She sips on her water as her coworkers all talk around her. I notice Thomas making eyes at her, and it's obvious that he's interested. It makes me want to fire him to get him as far away from her as possible. Obviously, all the extra work yesterday didn’t get my point across. I’ll have to fix that.
I haven't staked my claim yet, but as soon as I do, he'll know then that she's off limits. As I sit here and listen to Thomas flirt with her, I'm thinking of all the crap jobs I'm going to give him when he gets back to the office. He's going to be too busy to worry about flirting after today.
I've built this company from the ground up. I've always been completely focused on my business and making it what it is today. And I've never let anything get me sidetracked, except now. Sara has me turned upside down, and it seems like everything is off kilter. But as soon as I make her mine, that's going to fix it all. Nothing else matters. Nothing at all.
Chapter5
Sara
"What do you say, Sara? You want to go out for dinner one night?" I stare back at Thomas, knowing he expects an answer. The truth is I'm not even the least bit interested in him. Maybe before I met Mr. Tate, Thomas would've been the kind of guy I would want to go out with, but not now.
I look around at the faces of my coworkers. I can see the surprised look on Christy’s face like she can't believe he just asked me out in front of everyone. Truth is I can't believe it either. It's not like I've ever encouraged him or led him to believe I'm interested, but I know I need to let him down easy.
I give him an apologetic look. "I'm pretty sure that there are rules against dating coworkers." Thomas shrugs his shoulders like it's not a big deal. As if Mr. Tate would just overlook it. But he doesn’t know Mr. Tate like I do. I know Mr. Tate is not going to go for it.
Luckily, I'm saved from any further explanation when Christy says, "I'd quit my job if Mr. Tate wanted to date me." Christy, it seems, has always had a crush on Mr. Tate. From what I hear in the office gossip, he's never dated anyone that has worked here, so this jealousy that I feel is unfounded. I can't really blame Christy for being attracted to him.
The conversation continues, but luckily it moves on to other things, and Thomas drops the subject of us going out with each other. Everyone eats, and before it's time to be back, I hear a ding from my phone in my purse. I don't even have to look at it to know it's him. I haven't seen him, but I know he's here. I can feel his gaze on me even right now. As everyone is turning their credit cards in to pay for their meals, I pull my phone out and nonchalantly look at the text. "Tell them to go on without you. You'll be along in a minute."
My heart starts to race in my chest. Is this it? Is this the moment that I've been waiting for? Is he finally going to touch me? I clench my thighs together in anticipation, and when the server brings back our check cards and we all sign our bills, we get up, knowing that we have to get back to work soon. We're on our way toward the door, with me lagging behind, when I tell them, "Hey, I see someone over there I know. I'll be along in a minute."
Thomas stops while the rest of them go ahead. "I can wait for you."