50 - MISS ARIA THORNE

ARIA’S POV

“Guess what!!” I heard Janine’s shrill voice as she raced down to my cubicle, her eyes wide with excitement and nearly losing the decorum she usually fought so hard to maintain. I looked up from my work computer with my eyebrows pinched in confusion as I stared at her.

“There’s a party!” she announced my ears loud enough that I flinched and sent her an odd that bordered on the line of annoyance and innate curiosity - but more of curiosity because in a way I yearned for the distraction that a party would offer.

“So K&H is hosting the next banquet dinner for corporate institutions in LA and you know what that means, don’t you?” she went on and the pinched look on my face was still a constant, I had no idea what she was talking about.

“Oh come on Aria” she added in an exasperated manner “It’s like the biggest event of the century, you know what I’m talking about, dinner dresses, lots and lots of wine and finger food, tons of LA’s most eligible finance bachelors, it’s going to be raining hot men sweating in Tom Ford that night”

“Oh –” I had no words, because I had no idea what she was on about.

“You’re killing the vibe here babe, how are you not excited?”

“Maybe because I have no idea what you’re on about you know” and also maybe because my mind had been filled with guilt of lying to Shawn the previous night, then tainted with the little moment I shared with Kyle fueling the attraction that I was trying to kill – both feelings swirling around in my brain fighting to be the most felt.

“Oh I forgot you’re a newbie in the corporate world but this is literally the event of the century and you know the best part – this is the perfect opportunity to hook me up with the boss if you know what I’m talking about”

*Oh right!

My heart thumped at the mention of him and I fought to keep my expression neutral, it was hard especially with the familiar ache in my chest. Janine’s eyes were hopeful, filled with both admiration and lust.

“Right” I said when Monica walked into room

“There’s a meeting right now” she announced to the both of us and Janine squealed first.

“It’s about the banquet dinner and figuring out the planning committee and whoeve it is gets to work closely with the boss and – ”

“and you hope it’s you” I completed for her as I stood up, adjusting my skirt and smoothing my hair down – there was a small smile playing on my lips but only because I was trying to hide the fact talking about Kyle made immensely nervous.

Immediately Janine latched unto my hand pulling me out with her to the conference room for the meeting

“Help me please”

I said nothing just as we walked into the conference with the rest of the employess trooping in alongside with us. We were seated for merely five minutes when Kyle walked in briskly and the moment my eyes met his, I went instantly cold with my fingers freezing in time and unable to pull my eyes away but then he did the most unthinkable thing – he winked at me.

It was so quick that I barely registered it but it happened and for what felt like the millionth time since Kyle walked back into my life – my heart stopped and instantly followed by rapid beating of my heart.

“Oh just look at him” Janine cooed beside me.

He looked nearly decent this time, even with the very visible bursted lip and the little cut on his eyebrows, at least his face was no longer bloodied and somehow the bruises seemed to give him some sort of dangerous edge. Kyle walked up to the head of the table where I was sat a few seats away, but close enough that he could drill his eyes into me while my face heated up and reddened whilst being unable to hold his stare.

“Good morning people” his voice sounded in the room, booming in my ears. His eyes drifting around the room and then soft landing on me for the briefest second – it was painful to sit through this torture he was either consciously or unconsciously dishing out to me because he knew what his eyes did to me, he knew the kind of desires they emanated from within, dark desires that were impossible to curb.

“I’m sure most of you have heard already but this company is going to be the host of this year’s corporate banquet dinner” a round of applause erupted in the room as Kyle wore a proud smile on his face.

“This is our first time hosting especially as a new company and I want it to be the best LA has ever seen so all hands have to be on deck” more cheers erupted in the room and Kyle’s eyes drifted to me again but only for the briefest second before he pulled his eyes away and went on

“That’s why I’m going to pick somebody that will work hand in hand with me in preparation for this event” my heart thumped again. Kyle don’t fucking do this.

“Pick me, pick me” I heard Janine whisper beside me. But he was staring at me, why was he staring at me with that professional smile on his face. Please don’t stare at me, look at Janine or anyone else in this goddamn room but don’t bloody look at me Kyle.

“Miss Aria Thorne” he announced and the room fell into hushed whispers mostly from the women who as much as Janine wanted him to pick them. I could smell the sneers and dirty stares that shot across the room in my direction.

*Miss Aria Thorne