Chapter 27: Patrick
The day had started on a horrible note. Natalie had completely ignored me when I greeted her. When I said hello, she looked away with a venomous look on her face. It wasn’t her usual Ice Queen glare, either. The look was absolutely malicious.
I wanted to apologize immediately after what happened. But I didn’t have her phone number, and Scotty wouldn’t give it to me after I told him what I did. He said I “better fucking do it in person, and don’t screw it up.”
Work wouldn’t be the best place to apologize. I couldn’t say, “Sorry I let you sleep on my hard on and then made a joke about having sex with you” where another coworker may hear. It would start rumors that we didn’t need. It wasn’t like I had another option, though.
I’d just write Natalie an apology note because I couldn’t talk to her in person. It was after writing it I realized I couldn’t give it to her. I’d left her notes in her lunchbox, and she’d know my handwriting. Fuck, I guess I’d just have to type it.
Each time I hit a key a loud clack echoed through my office. All my pent-up frustration was being taken out on my keyboard. Natalie is mad at me. Clack. I can’t tell her I’m Major because she’ll be disappointed. Clack. The marketing campaign is launching in less than a month and all I can think about is her. Clack.
I managed to write my feelings in a professional yet sincere way and walked to her office. It was good her blinds were drawn, so she wouldn’t know it was me outside. She probably wouldn’t have let me in if she knew it was me at the door. I took a deep breath and knocked. Hopefully she didn’t rip my head off when I walked in.
“Come in,” she called.
“Hey.” I opened the door and gave her a cautious smile.
“Patrick. I hope this is something regarding work.”
“Not really, but I can add something about it if that’s the only way you’ll talk to me.” I slipped the note across her desk. “I just wanted to give you this.”
“Fine.” She didn’t reach for the letter. Most people would at least read it in front of the person, but not Natalie. That note would be opened on her time.
“Okay.” I headed back towards the door. “I really am sorry, Natalie.” I quietly shut it behind me and exhaled.
Giving her that note was supposed to make me feel better, but somehow, I only felt worse. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting. The optimist in me wanted her to say, “It’s fine” and continue as normal. I should have prepared myself for the Ice Queen.
I should have pushed her off of me, but I was being selfish. It was so nice being able to hold her in my arms without having to worry about the club. So, I just left her there, wanting to extend the moment as long as possible.
It was stupid of me to think she’d react differently when she woke up. Along with what I did, she was also mad because she felt like she’d cheated on Major. I didn’t blame her. If a girl did that to me I’d feel like I cheated on her. God, I’m such an asshole.
Dave waved me down as I walked back into marketing.
“What’s up?” I leaned against his cubicle.
“Well, the project’s in less than a month, right? Look at everything that needs to be done.” He pulled up a very detailed diagram. I often hated the guy because of his personality, but he was a good worker. “What I’m saying is, this is going to take a lot of overtime.”
“Tell me the best way it can be allocated.”
He froze, as if it was a trick question. “You…want to know how I would do it?”
“Yes.”
He opened a second spreadsheet with everything mapped out. I was a creative genius when it came to running ad campaigns. But organization and extra work overwhelmed me.
“That looks great, Dave. Email it to me so I can approve it. Fantastic job.”
“Thanks, Patrick.”
He should be thanking himself. Employee reviews were coming and I saw a raise in his future. Doing his work along with monitoring a project was future management.
I was about to walk into my office when I saw Natalie walk into the stairwell. I knew where she was going, of course.
IY Games had an after-hours crew that replenished our desk supplies. Little things, like highlighters, paperclips and staples. She often got frustrated at the lack of supplies they left—she really just went through too many—and runs to the storage room to get more.
I stuck my hand in my pocket and fingered the silk sleeping mask I kept there. Before I could overthink it, I followed Natalie into the stairwell.
The supply room door closed right as I entered the stairwell. I’d just have to play it cool. If she was facing me when I entered, I’d pretend I was there for paperclips. My heart felt like it would explode as I quietly opened the door.
Natalie’s forearms were shoved in a box, searching for some office supply. Each beat of my heart increased as I moved closer to her. Taking a deep breath in, I covered her eyes with one hand and mouth with another. She began to thrash her body and let out muffled screams.
“It’s me, it’s me.” I whispered in her ear.
Her body relaxed, and she nodded in understanding. I took my hand off of her mouth and gave her a kiss behind the ear. “Hey, Nat.”
“You scared me,” she whispered.
“I know. I’m sorry. But it’s not like I could let you see my face. Keep your eyes shut for a minute, okay?” I grabbed the mask out of my pocket and slid it over her eyes.
“You keep that with you?”
“Yeah. I figured I’d never be able to use it, but I still held on to it.”
She laughed. “I’m not sure if that’s perverted or romantic.”
“A bit of both, probably.” Her back was still facing me, and I pulled her into me. “I am having such a shit day. Can I just get paid to stay here with you?”
I buried my face into her neck and inhaled her sweet scent. At least Natalie wasn’t mad at Major. I could still have her close to me this way.
“Unfortunately, no. Why is your day bad?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I planted gentle kisses on her neck, and she let out a sigh. She was so fucking perfect, and I couldn’t stop myself. I grabbed her hips and ground my hard on into her backside. “Do you see what you do to me?”
“We shouldn’t do this here.” She said, but she was subliminally meeting my thrusts.
“Maybe not.”
I spun her and brought my lips to hers. Our kiss was gentle yet passionate and conveyed an unspoken desire for each other. I licked her lower lip, a silent request for entry. She parted her lips and I devoured her, trying to claim each inch of her as my own.
“Mmm.” She let out a gentle sigh through our kisses.
I groaned in response. My dick was still straining against my dress pants, reminding me of my need for her. There was no way I was leaving this room without taking her.
My left hand trailed down her body until it found the zipper to her skirt. With a gentle tug, it fell to her ankles.
“What are you doing?” A combination of panic and desire filled her voice. She was torn between satisfying her need and terror of having sex on company time.
I nipped at her earlobe. “Giving you what you need.” My hands found their way into her panties, and she let out a small gasp.
“But, what if someone-- oh!” My thumb circled around her clit, and she wasn’t able to finish her sentence.
“No one comes in here during the day.”
Natalie whined in pleasure as I slowly circled around her bud. All inhibitions had left her—she was bucking against my hand, begging me for more. I happily obliged, gliding a finger into her core causing her to let out a moan.
“More.”
“Mmm, what was that?” I was torn between teasing her and ripping my pants off to fuck her.
“You know what I mean.”
“I need you to be a bit more specific.”
“I want your cock.”
I wasn’t going to make her beg more. My hands found the back of her thighs and I pressed her against the wall. “Since you asked so nicely.”
My belt was a puzzle to get off with the amount of lust clouding my brain. I tugged at the restraint, fumbling a few times before I was successful. My need for her was so urgent that I didn’t bother taking off my pants, only unzipping them and ripping my cock out. We both let out a hiss as I thrust into her.
“So good.” Natalie attempted to intertwine her hands in my hair but couldn’t see with the blindfold. Her fingers poked at my neck, desperate for their target. I couldn’t help but laugh at the inaccuracy—it was adorable—and placed them where she was searching. She grabbed fistfuls of my hair, pulling me in so she could crush her lips against mine.
“Fuck, Nat.” I slammed into her and ground myself against her clit.
Shockwaves pulsed through every inch of my body. Her core was dripping and setting off every nerve ending I had. Each time I slid into her, it only got better.
Natalie’s legs were wrapped around me, and I gripped her ass cheeks to hold her in place. She was leaving passionate kisses along the side of my neck—I occasionally felt a nibble, but I didn’t care if she left a mark. I was too far gone at this point. The only thing that existed in the world was Natalie.
I swore as I felt the beginning of my climax. Coming before her was not an option. With a frenzied kiss, I spoke against her mouth. “I need you to come for me.”
And she did. I silenced her screams with a kiss. With the first flutter of her walls, I was coming with her, thrusting myself all the way in in an attempt to merge our pleasure.
My hands massaged her thighs as we enjoyed the afterglow. I didn’t want to pull out—when I did, I would have to go back to being Patrick. I wanted to stay as Major, whom Natalie adored.
“I really do wish we could stay like this.” I peppered kisses on the parts of her face that weren’t hidden by the mask.
“Me too. We…” She stopped.
“We what?”
“Just forget about it.”
She had gone from being buried in my chest to completely rigid. Her lips were in a tight line, which was normal for when she was working, but not for when she was around Major. Whatever was going through her mind wasn’t good.
“Tell me.”
“No.”
“Nat, I want to know.”
She shifted uncomfortably, as if she was having an internal debate whether or not to release the information. “Fine. We wouldn’t have to if you told me who you were. But that’s not an option for you, so I suppose it doesn’t matter.”
My heart ached at the realization it was me who hurt her. If she only knew I wanted nothing more than to hold her in my arms outside of Vertigo’s walls. But the moment she found out I was Major, she wouldn’t want me. “It’s just… complicated.”
“You know what’s complicated? I’m turning thirty in two weeks, and instead of looking for a husband, I’m sleeping with a stranger. What the fuck am I doing?”
No. No, that wasn’t what this was. “I’m not a stranger, Nat. You know me—my hobbies, favorite food, hell, even what type of mattress I like to sleep on. Nothing I have ever told you has been a lie.”
“I have no idea who you are.” She let out a choked sob and covered her mouth. “What the?”
The last time Natalie had cried was thirteen years ago, when she was rejected from Harvard. She didn’t even cry when her aunt died. Thirteen years without crying. I felt like throwing up knowing I was responsible for her tears.
“You should go.” She was talking to me in her stone-cold voice, trying to stifle the sobs.
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Leave, or I’ll rip off this mask right now.”
I knew she would follow through on that statement. My lungs and throat were sore, and I could barely form a sentence. “I’m sorry.”
“Go.”
My limbs were heavy as I made my way to the door. Natalie tried to turn the sound of her sobs into coughs, unable to accept the fact she broke down. I tried to find words that would make her feel better, but nothing came. Instead, I opened the door and left.