Chapter 5 (Elaine)
I went to work the following Monday, wondering what the week would bring. I walked up to the screens at the back of the lobby and pressed my hand against the palm reader, getting used to the sign-in process.
Welcome!
Warren, Elaine.
Have a fantastic Monday!
I barely noticed the generated log-in messages because I was already on my way to the elevator, joined by a few other people.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Leonel in his dark-colored suit and I was instantly reminded that his jacket was still in my car. On the ride up, I replayed the events of that evening in my head.
It had been surprising to see the CEO doing his best to help me out. I didn’t expect such a man to want to get his hands dirty, but he did fix my car with relative ease, almost as if he had done such a thing thousands of times before. Maybe he had. Maybe there was more to Leonel than met the eye. Maybe I had been too quick to judge.
As I kept thinking about it, the moment he had pushed me against the side of my car flashed before my eyes. I was so surprised in that moment that I had no idea what to do. It was like I was frozen in place, my heart beating so fast I thought it would explode.
I was sure he was going to kiss me, but he never did. The way his body pressed against mine, his fingers digging into my hips, and his face leaning closer, all seemed like signs he was into me. But, then again, it was foolish of me to believe that a successful CEO would ever go for his summer intern. It just didn’t make sense. And yet, I couldn’t get rid of the tiny spark of hope that flared inside of me.
For the rest of the day, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Right before lunch, Freddie appeared in my cubicle, a slight grin on his face that I had never seen before. “Hey, Elaine.” He said in his usual manner, but there was definitely something odd about him today.
“Hey,” I said, glancing at the time, but it was still too early to grab lunch. “What’s up?”
“Mr. Jacobsen wants to see you.” He paused. “In his office.”
I tilted my head in confusion. Usually, when Leonel needed me, he would just come down and talk to me himself. Aside from that first day he called me into his office, I haven’t even set foot on his floor. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I just got back from there myself and he told me to give you the message. He seemed pretty pissed about something.” He frowned. “I hope everything is okay.” Even though he sounded sincere, there was a part of me that thought he was acting strangely.
“Okay.” I finally said, trying to keep my thoughts calm. Already, I was conjuring up the worst possible scenarios. I had probably screwed up one of my assignments in my rush to finish them. Or maybe he was going to frame me for stealing his jacket and make me pay for it. Or, worst case, he was going to fire me.
The last one made me cringe. I needed this job. It was the only way I was paying my bills. Besides, with the money I was making, I even had enough to put some in the bank. Maybe, I’d be able to buy my own place soon. I was sick and tired of living in an apartment building, especially with noisy neighbors such as mine.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on his door.
I heard footsteps and a second later, he was standing in front of me, a stern expression on his face. “Elaine.” His voice was ice-cold, making me shiver.
I gulped. This was it. He was about to fire me. I could almost feel it.
“Please, take a seat.” He said, pushing me toward the leather chair. His hand was on the small of my back. Most of the time, his hand was much lower. Had I just imagined him flirting with me?
I sat down, fidgeting slightly under the heat of his gaze.
“Someone has just told me that you’re not happy with me.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“I… I don’t know what you mean…?”
“Fredrick White was up here and he told me that you had a conversation in the breakroom. Apparently, you think I’m an egomaniac that only uses women for his own gains.” He leaned in, getting closer to me. His nostrils flared slightly, almost as if he was a charging bull. “Now, is that true?”
I didn’t know how to respond. It was like my tongue had swollen in my mouth, making it impossible for me to utter a word.
“Answer me!” He bellowed in a harsh and dominating tone.
My eyes widened and I jumped out of my seat. “I…I…”
He grabbed me by the chin, his fingers pressing a little harder than they needed to until I turned and faced him. His hot breath escaped his lips and onto my own. I was terrified, but at the same time, this rougher side of him… excited me.
“If you don’t answer me this instant, I’ll make sure that you never get a job in the software industry ever again.” He snarled. “I do not tolerate slander, so I suggest you tell me the truth or you will regret it.”
I could already feel the droplets of sweat running down my neck. My fingers twitched, toying with the hem of my skirt in nervousness. “I…” Again, I stammered, silently cursing myself for my inability to speak. Taking a deep breath, I counted to ten in my head, trying to calm down. “Y-yes…” I finally admitted.
His eyes narrowed.
There goes my job…
Nothing happened for a minute. It was like the whole world had come to a screeching halt. Even my heart had stopped its wild hammering. I held my breath, just waiting for him to dismiss me.
Finally, he straightened his posture, fixing his cufflinks. “Usually, your contract would be terminated immediately. However, I’m willing to give you a second chance, as long as you do something for me.”
There was something in his voice that made me weary. What would he make me do?
He finished adjusting his cuffs and it was only then that I noticed his tuxedo. He even wore a black bowtie. I was so worried that I hadn’t realized.
“W-What do you want me to do?” I asked, trying to keep a level head. “I-I can’t lose this job.” I blurted out before I could stop myself.
Great, now I sounded desperate.
A grin flashed across his face. “Oh, if you’re a good girl for me, I’ll make sure you don’t.” His grin deepened.
“Good girl?” I repeated, getting the impression that he didn’t mean that in the professional sense.
“Oh, yes.” He stepped forward, his hand on the top of my head, gently petting my hair in a soothing manner. “You’ll do that for me, won’t you?” He asked in a coaxing voice.
I found myself saying yes even before I could think it over. It was as if his voice had the ability to wrap around me and pull me into a spell. I leaned in closer to him as if my body needed his.
“Good.” He praised, his bright blue eyes shining with mischief. “Because I need a date.”
“Huh?” I blurted in utter disbelief. Why would a man like Leonel be asking me on a date? He could probably get any girl in the world, why me of all people?
“I have a military ball to go to and I need someone to accompany me.” He said, his tone stoic as if everything he was saying was completely obvious.
“B-But… why me?”
“Because you’re no longer in a position where you can refuse.” He chuckled. “Oh, and one more thing…” He trailed off as he walked behind his desk, bending over to pick something up. “You’ll be wearing this.”
He stood up, holding a box in his hands.
When he placed it on my lap, it felt heavy. “Wait… how did you know to get this? Better yet, how did you know my size?” I started to rant, hoping for answers, but he just looked at me with this mysterious smile on his face. “Um… do you want me to get dressed now?”
“Yes. The ball starts at four and it’s quite a drive away.”
I nodded. “O-Okay… I’ll be right back.”
“Where do you think you’re going?” He asked in a curt tone.
“To get changed in the bathroom?” I tilted my head, wondering what he meant.
“There’s no need for that. Do it here.”
I froze, my cheeks turning red. “H-Here?” I stuttered, my heart kick-starting in my chest.
“Is that a problem or should I find someone else?” He pulled out a stack of papers from his desk drawer and plopped them down. “That’s all the people who want your position. I’m sure I could find someone to take your place.”
My eyes widened. “No! No… I’ll do it.” I said quickly.
“Good. Get on with it then. We don’t have all day.” He leaned against his desk, his arms folded over his chest as his piercing gaze fell upon me like a hawk stalking a mouse.
With my heart working overtime and my fingers shaking, I started to undo the buttons on my blouse. I felt so naughty doing this in front of my boss. What if someone walked in on us? What if someone in the building across the street saw us? All these questions flooded my mind, making the process of undressing excruciatingly slow.
“If you keep up that pace, I might need to take matters into my own hands.” He said, his voice a husky whisper. “Or, maybe that’s exactly what you want. You’re teasing your boss on purpose, aren’t you?” He closed the distance between us.
I stepped back until I was pressed against the wall, his body dominating my own. Even though the rational part of my brain was telling me this was wrong – so very wrong – the kinkier side was loving every second of it. In fact, I was already picturing him ravishing me, his hands all over my body, making me scream for more.
“You’ve been teasing me since the first day I saw you. Skimpy little outfits. The way you bat your eyelashes. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. You want me.” His lips were so close to my neck that I could feel his hot breath caress my skin. I shivered in pleasure as his hand ran down the side of my body, from my chest to my hips. His hands rested on my ass, squeezing it so hard that I was forced onto my tippy toes.
A small moan escaped my lips as my body took control. I was done trying to suppress my instincts. If this man wanted me, then he could have me. Every inch of me.
Slowly, he unzipped the side of my skirt, pulling it over my wide hips. He then ripped open my blouse, exposing my large chest. “Mmm, even better than I could’ve imagined.” He leaned down, kissing my cleavage before he reached back, unclipping my bra with a skilled hand.
Before I knew it, I was completely naked in front of this man, my milky flesh covered in goosebumps. He stepped back and looked me over, licking his lips. It almost looked like he wanted to take a bite out of me. My heart thumped in anticipation, waiting for him to make a move, but all he did was pull a dress out of the box and toss it in my direction, letting me put it on myself.
As always, he left me wanting more.