65- The truth will free yourself

“If I tell you to be somewhere at 8 AM and you arrive by then, you’re late. If you arrive earlier, you’re on time and if you arrive later than that, then don’t even bother showing up. Keep that in mind for next time.”
Next time? My heart skips several beats. “Yes, sir.”



know that she feels incredibly remorseful.
But she seems so damn shaken and afraid that I’m the one who is becoming even more
contrite. There is no doubt that this is the effect of my one week of ignoring her in the office and it makes me feel like a monster. And that rant about her being late. Otherwise, a small incidental coffee spill shouldn’t seem like a death sentence to her. I want to speak to her, to calm her down especially at the hands that she can’t stop wringing on her lap.
Her gaze is outside the window and she’s as still and pale as a corpse.
I take a deep breath and part my lips to speak, “Which demonstration are you recommending that we perform today?” I ask.
She looks away from the window but still can’t fully meet my gaze. “Um,” she clears her throat. “I suggest the Remcos backdoor. We can get some of them to install that by downloading the deceptive email attachment and through that extract their data. I think that it’ll leave the biggest impression.”
“Alright,” I agree, my gaze on her. I know it is somewhat uncomfortable but I’m hoping I can cajole her to look at me, so she can see in my eyes that everything is okay.
It doesn’t.
“Do you know how to infiltrate with spyware?” “I do,” she replies with a brief nod.
“Which?”
“I’m familiar with Bsymem Trojan.”
“Then would you like to headline the demonstration event today?”

Her head snaps towards mine, and in this moment she looks so much like the doe eyed girl I had suspected her to be in that hotel room. Her face loses even more color.
But I can’t tell if it is out of excitement or dread at my request.
She then looks away, her gaze returning to the window but not before she briefly assesses her attire.
I figure then that she might be a bit self-conscious about the change with her appearance. “This looks fine on you,” I say quickly, not wanting to reveal how I currently feel about seeing her in one of my shirts. When she still doesn’t say a word, I add. “If you don’t feel comfortable we could stop quickly to get you something to change into?”
“No need, sir,” she says. “The shirt is okay and… regarding the event, I think that it will definitely have more of an impact if you lead it yourself. If you still think otherwise, then I’ll certainly handle the demonstration as per your request.”
“Alright,” is my response as I unlock my tablet and return to work.



he way the day is unfolding is so outstanding that I don’t know how to feel.
One moment, it seems as though his gaze is shooting nails into me, and in the next, it is as
though all is well.
Can’t help but sneak a look at him once again and my eyes automatically go to his chest where the coffee had spilled. I came away with a very small burn as the Americano was not scalding hot, but I don’t know if it is the case for him.
I do not want to bring it up so this very light camaraderie between us isn’t shattered but the journey is just over three hours long and we are barely forty five minutes into it. I didn’t expect to be in such close proximity and in such a confined space with him for so long, so I decide to just say what I want so that my heart can lighten.
It’s a while longer before I finally get my mouth to work. “I apologize for spilling coffee on you,” I say and quickly divert my gaze when he turns to me. “I got the two cups for the both of us and it’s why I didn’t arrive much earlier. I’m sorry and please allow me to launder the shirt you changed out of. Also thank you for lending this one to me. I’ll have them both cleaned and returned as soon as possible.”
“No need,” he replies. “I have a lady that comes in weekly to handle all things domestic. So just return the shirts and she’ll see what can be done to them,”
“Oh,” is all I can say. I then follow the response with a nod but I’m not at all satisfied by it. I want to do something to at least lessen the weight of my mistake pressing down on my heart. I battle with myself to let it go since it seems that he has but there is just one more question I want to ask, “Did you...” My voice is too low so I clear it and try again. “Did you get a burn from the coffee?”
He turns to me so quickly that I cannot look away, and as a result, I’m forced to hold his gaze so that I don’t appear timid.

“No,” he replies. “Did you?” I shake my head.
His eyes rove all over my face and then slowly down my upper body. It is no doubt a somewhat innocent inspection but there is nothing innocent about how that perusal makes me feel. It doesn’t help that he is completely aware of exactly what I look like beneath my clothes. I look away before my breath chokes me and try my best to calm the pace of my heart.
The night at the hotel comes back to mind again, and I try my possible best not to entertain it but at his proximity to me, it’s nearly impossible. He’s too close and his scent of tobacco and lavender is much too familiar.
His phone begins to ring and he takes the call.
I can’t help but sneak glimpses at the hand tapping away on his thigh. The fabric of his pants is taut around the muscled flesh and it really doesn’t take much to be reminded that they had once caged me to receive his thrusts.
Restless, I run my hand through my hair and almost wish that I could ask the driver to roll the window down. It doesn’t help either that the shirt I have on smells completely of him and the heat from his very presence by my side is scorching my skin.
Absolutely nothing is helping, even breathing. “Let’s stop for a rest.”
My eyes shoot open to see that he is addressing his driver.
Soon, we pull into a gas station and he turns to me. “Take a little break. We’ll leave in about ten minutes.”
He doesn’t have to ask me twice. I nearly fly out of the car and head straight to the restroom. There I just stop and stare at the tiles. I don’t have the actual desire to relieve myself here but I do have the desire to text Jodie.
I’m never having a one-night stand in my life again. It’s haunting me... every second and every minute.
Her reply comes almost immediately.
Isn’t it a good thing if it haunts you? Most people want to forget their one-night stands.

I reply, Well, I’m one of those now because he is my boss and it seems neither of us can get past the fact that we fucked each other.
Well, it’s better that neither of you can get past it because it was good. Imagine how much more awkward things would have been between you both if it had been bad.
She has a point and it brings a smile to my face despite my troubled mood. I put the phone down, wash my hands, and adjust my outfit. His shirt on me is not half bad but the scent is a very vivid reminder that I’m almost wearing him is driving my libido wild with lust. This is the last thing that I need today.
I text Jodie back. We’re going out today. I need to get drunk and also remind me to buy a dildo.
I walk out of the bathroom and head back into the store. I want to pick something up but then I realize I would have to chew it a few feet away from his ears, so I decide against it and pick up a small bottle of juice instead. Then I realize it would probably make me want to pee so in the end, I just settle for gummy bears.
I groan inwardly, as I head off to the counter at how truly exhausting it is being around him. Or perhaps, it’s just exhausting to be me.
I stop however when I meet him there. He’s on the phone but his eyes are locked on me as I approach. I place the pack of gummy bears on the counter and reach for my card to pay for it but he signals to the cashier to add it to his.”
“No, don't worry about it,” I mouth my refusal but he ignores me and continues with his call. So as not to make a scene, I accept the purchase and we return to his waiting Mercedes-Maybach GLS.
We both get in, and the journey continues.