Chapter 75 - Emily

**EMILY**

“An elderly gentleman with a dizzy spell outside our office?” Emily raised an eyebrow skeptically and looked at Nicole in disbelief. “We don’t usually get elderly gentlemen in the accounting department. The next auditor is not due for another year.”
“But it’s true, Ms. Saron. Please come and see for yourself, or he’ll think I made it up,” Nicole pleaded, sounding almost a little desperate.
Sighing, Emily got up from her desk. “All right, but you know I don’t tolerate jokes like that during work hours. If it’s really a joke...” She paused and looked at Nicole again. But the young apprentice seemed anything but mischievous. Her serious expression did not suggest that she was about to burst out laughing because she had managed to fool the otherwise cool and sensible Emily Saron.
She opened the office door and looked down the hall. Sure enough, there was an older gentleman standing there, looking slightly stooped. But when she recognized him, she couldn’t stop herself. A chuckle escaped her throat, and the next moment she burst out laughing.
“Elderly gentleman!” she called happily, her gray-blue eyes flashing. She walked over to Alexander, who looked at her with raised eyebrows, and finally leaned against the wall next to him. His fingers found their way to hers as if by magic, caressing her gently. A tender tingling sensation flowed through her hand, crept up her arm and took possession of her heart. The moment was almost magical, as if the whole world stood still for a moment.
“Hm, did the cute little one say that?” Alexander asked with an amused undertone while half closing his eyes.
“The cute little one is called Nicole Faber and is an apprentice in your company, Mr. Fitzpatrick,” Emily replied with a still wide smile. She closed her eyes for a moment, absorbing the warmth of his body. It felt so good to be close to him, to inhale the familiar scent of his expensive aftershave, which always made her a little dizzy. “Yes, she told me that an elderly gentleman with a dizzy spell urgently needs my help.”
When she opened her eyes again and saw his face, her reason returned. After all, she was at work and not on a romantic outing with her boss! The magical moment vanished like a burst soap bubble. “So, Mr. Fitzpatrick, how can I help you?”
“I think,” he whispered, leaning closer to her and inhaling the fresh cherry scent of her hair, “...my dizzy spell is forcing me to call it an early night.” His lips brushed over her tightly combed hair before planting a small kiss on it. “And I definitely need a sane woman to walk me home.”
Emily froze, surprised at his words. What did he mean? What did he mean by ‘home’? And... now? It wasn’t even noon!
“You’re kidding, right?” she asked, abruptly breaking away from the wall. Her eyes widened as she stared at him in disbelief.
“No, I’m deadly serious, I can’t stand it another second.”
They looked at each other, their feelings overwhelming them, their hearts pounding harder and harder, the realization taking her breath away. “You mean... you want...” She swallowed hard before she managed to get the words out. “You finally want to fuck me?”
Again there was a moment of silence between them. His fingers caressed the sensitive spot on the inside of her hand, and longing shivers ran through her body. Emily felt her nipples harden and press against her blouse with desire.
“I can’t just fuck you like that,” he confessed hesitantly. “You know I’m sadistic.” He said nothing more, but she understood anyway. He was finally going to introduce her to his world of pain. Once again they looked deeply into each other’s eyes. Then he abruptly let go of her hand and hurried into the accounting office. He approached the chief accountant’s desk with long strides.
Ms. Harper looked at him in confusion. “Mr. Fitzpatrick? What are you doing here?”
“Ms. Harper, please give Ms. Saron the rest of the day off so that she can accompany the chief designer, who is suffering from a dizzy spell, to lunch and then take care of him privately.”
All the women in the accounting department reacted very differently.
Ms. Harper looked surprised that the CEO would ask her if Emily could take the day off.
Vivien opened her mouth in disbelief when she recognized Alexander Fitzpatrick. Although it was now common knowledge that he met with Emily on a regular basis, he had never personally appeared in the accounting department.
Nicole looked startled as she realized whom she had referred to as an older gentleman. She was incredibly embarrassed that she hadn’t recognized the CEO of Fitzpatrick Designs.
Emily, on the other hand, slumped in her swivel chair, buried her face in her hands, and groaned. She was mortified. How could Alexander embarrass her like this?
“Well,” she heard the older woman’s voice, “you don’t look sick at all, Mr. Fitzpatrick. But that can be deceiving. Nicole came in earlier, looking distressed, and said something about an older gentleman who must have had a dizzy spell.”
“Yes,” Alexander replied, trying to sound pathetic, “that’s me. Absolutely exhausted.”
“Well, well.” Emily wanted to scream! How could Ms. Harper go along with this stupid game? Emily as a lunch companion? “I think we can manage that once. Ms. Saron, have you heard? You will accompany Mr. Fitzpatrick to lunch and make sure he recovers well from this nasty dizzy spell.”
Nicole giggled and then looked down intently when she noticed the CEO giving her a sympathetic look.
Emily straightened her back and put on her trademark distant, friendly smile. “Whatever you say, Ms. Harper. And, of course, whatever you say, Mr. Fitzpatrick. I can’t possibly leave an elderly gentleman alone.”
“I could come with you,” Vivien offered quickly. “Mr. Fitzpatrick is a big man, after all, and Emily is a small woman.”
She received a stern look from Ms. Harper for her suggestion, and Alexander looked so astonished that Emily could barely contain her laughter. Vivien’s idea was fantastic!
“Vivien, this is an excellent idea. The two of us can take much better care of Mr. Fitzpatrick. That’s what we’ll do.” She shook her head thoughtfully. “Now that I think about it, a dizzy spell could strike again, very sneakily, while Vivien and I don’t even notice. Ms. Harper or Ms. Faber, could one of you sacrifice your lunch hour to assist Mr. Fitzpatrick so that another dizzy spell doesn’t strike him?”
Ms. Harper raised her eyebrows in amusement. “I’m sorry, but I’m an old woman and I don’t have the strength for that. But I’m sure Ms. Faber will sacrifice her lunch break, am I right?”
Now Nicole opened her mouth wide. She was going to have lunch with the CEO? No trainee had ever had that honor. And all because of some incomprehensible whim of Mr. Fitzpatrick? Her voice cracking, she stuttered, “Uh... uh... yes, of course... uh, I can.”
“Wonderful!” Ms. Harper beamed. “That’s settled, then. I think, Mr. Fitzpatrick, the ladies will be ready in an hour to escort you to an early lunch. Is that convenient?”
Alexander nodded. “Of course, Ms. Harper. I’ll be waiting for the ladies in reception in an hour.”
The three women watched him leave. Only Emily sighed and picked up the phone. She had to tell Alexander’s assistant that they needed a table for four at the Greek restaurant. She was in the mood for Greek food today. And if Alexander was going to give her an early night off, at least she wanted to be able to decide what she ate.