44 - DEFINE AWKWARD?

I froze instantly, pulling my hands away from Kyle’s cheek, and finding a way to step away from him even in that tightness. Janine had shock registered across her face as she threw her eyes between the both of us

“I’m sorry – I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just wanted to check if you were okay” Janine said with a pensive look and I wasn’t sure if it was from seeing the boss and I in a weird position or if she was just still nursing a pout from Kyle’s earlier reprimand.

“You’re not interrupting anything Janine, same thing Mr. Hart was doing – checking if I was okay” I said back to her and then looking at Kyle who seemed rather unphased and in fact had a smug look on his face.

I rolled my eyes at his cockiness and then looked at Janine “Well since you’re here do you mind reprinting the documents, I have some emails to respond to” I said and I walked past out of the room and to my desk without much as a glance in Kyle’s direction.

*So you’re completely over me Aria?

God, he was so cocky and he infuriated me. I was so over him and I was going to prove that to him.

I was still seated at my desk looking through applications of clients that needed consulting services when Janine slid to my desk with her chair.

“Hey Janine” I greeted her absentmindedly, my eyes fixed on my laptop while subconsciously waited for her to say what she wanted but when she wasn’t saying anything, I looked at her to find her giving me a cunny smile.

I raised a brow at her “What is it Janine?”

“So and you boss huh?” her eyes were flinty and and I knew she was just seeking gossip, or maybe it was something, you could really never know with Janine.

I didn’t want to start getting all defensive so I just gave her a brief glance and kept eyes fixated on my computer still even though my hands had begun to sweat.

“There’s nothing going on between me and Kyle”

“See, you just called him by his first name” she pointed an accusing finger in my direction and I fought for ways to pull myself out of that.

“That’s – that’s because we went to NYU together and we were a bit tight”

Janine’s eyes went up and down suspiciously “Tight you say? How tight?”

Now I was getting exasperated at her prying “There’s nothing going on, he had a bruise on his jaw and I was just checking it out”

“Oh you saw that too?” she exclaimed “Gave him edge, like he got into a street fight or something. I wish I went to college with him too – ” Janine went on dreamily and that was when it occurred to me.

“Wait Janine - Do you like Kyle?” I looked at her and her eyes widen in shock for some seconds until her shoulders sagged in acceptance – like an admission of guilt.

“Was I that obvious?” she asked, her curly hair had some lose tendrils framing her face.

“Your eyes are sparkling”

“Oh no” she covered her face “I mean it’s just a simple crush and look at the man who owns all this – he’s hot. It should be like a crime to be that hot. He looks maybe like a paler version of Jude Bellingham”

I scrunched face but not in a hateful way, but it just felt weird hearing another woman talk about Kyle in that kind of way. I knew he was hot and it was mostly his looks that brought my knees to a jelly – I didn’t want another woman looking at him in the same way. But I was engaged now which was why I am going to introduce Kyle and Janine together, in that way I could kill two birds with one stone. The first bird was to use this as an avenue to completely get over Kyle, maybe if I saw him with another woman I wouldn’t want him so much – hopefully. The second was to prove to Kyle that I was completely over him, if he saw that I was actively setting him up with other women, he would get the hint.

“You know I could link you guys but you know, there’s like a code of ethics. Dating someone in your workplace is greatly frowned upon” I said coyly like a soft launch to my plan.

“Pfft” she rolled her eyes “I don’t think anyone cares about, Monica and Steven have been going out for over a year”

“That’s different – he’s your boss” exactly the same words that kept ringing in my head but I had conveniently ignored, the same way Janine was ignoring hers.

“Then I won’t just get caught” exactly that same response I said to myself.

Janine and I held each other’s stare before I said “Fine, I’ll set it up”

***
I left work not long after the deal I set up with Janine, and by the time I got home I was exhausted. From the door, I could hear the faint strains of soft music drifting through the air equally mixing with the tantalizing aroma of what smelled like home-cooked meal. Curiosity piqued as I made my way into the house, I made my way into the dining room, my footsteps echoing in the quiet of the evening. There, before me, was a sight that stole my breath from my lungs – Shawn, amidst a sea of flickering candles and delicate flowers spread out before us.
Our table was adorned with china crystal glasses that I had no idea we had. There was the soft glow of candlelight – warm and inviting. The flickering flames danced his features. The tint in his eyes as he looked at me, a smile playing at the curve of his lips.

“What is going on?” i dropped my bag on the floor and going into his waiting arms. He held me close and sniffed my hair while I basked in the frangrance of spices that seemed to emanate from his body.

“I wanted to surprise you” he beamed like a golden retriever.

“Oh you didn’t have – that’s awesome Shawn” I said back but he wasn’t ready to let me out of his arms even though all I wanted to do that moment was to devour every edible thing in sight.

“You must be tired” he said, then his hands began to work my shoulders as he turned me around. My shoulders slumped in relaxation as he carefully massaged the knots on my shouldes equally placing soft kisses on the back of my neck. I closed my eyes allowing myself to enjoy it and sink deeper into those firm hands. I could his eyes behind my close eyelids – striking and blue, holding a force that was commanding it was sensual.

“Oh Kyle – ” I moaned out loud.

“What?”

My eyes shot open immediately – oh shit!