Penny For An Italian Thought

Part 8: For His Sanity And Mine

After that long kiss, he walked me to my cubicle and left. I didn't regret the feeling of kissing him. It was perfectly worth it, but an enormous risk, too. I remembered what task Burke wanted me to do. I was leading Alex on unknowingly by responding to him that way. I didn't want to start something that I wouldn't be able to finish. I liked him a lot and would love the second date that he had offered so romantically, but I was a bad liar. So I decided that it would be better if I avoided him, for his sanity and mine.

Just to the right of my cubicle was Zach's. He was on leave for a week and he was joining back that day. I glanced at the clock for our time zone on the wall. It was 10:00 am. Burke had made us cover the entire wall with clocks of different time zones. I was surprised at how quickly time flew since I arrived that morning.

10:00 am already?
Huh. For how long were we kissing?

I shook my head to clear my mind of his thoughts. I sat down on the chair. Just as I was about to start my work, a pair of palms covered my eyes. His hands smelled like Calvin Klein and were as muscular as they can get. I smiled since I knew whose they were. I turned around to look at Zach's handsome face. His dirty blonde hair crept onto his forehead a bit. His contrasting black eyes looked at me, amused.

"Hi darling, how have you been?" He asked in his deep voice. I didn't like him that way, but boy was he handsome.

Not as handsome as Alex though.

"Zach, you came!" I hugged him hard, like my life depended on it. I had begun to appreciate anyone who wasn't involved in the Burke drama. It gave me a sense of normalcy. That precisely comprised of everyone other than Burke, his little helping elves from IT and - Alex.

I sighed.

"What's the matter, darling? You okay there?" He caressed my cheek with the back of his fingers. I forced out a smile.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just a lot of work with the take over thing, you know." It was the truth, partially.

"Oh yeah, actually I do know. Don't ya worry, Zach at ya service, ma'am," He replied in an unknown accent and did an absurd salute that sent me into a laughing fit.

Oh Zach. I'd missed this guy.

*****

I completed all the pending work and put up a schedule for a lunch meeting with Mr. Hamilton at 1:00 pm for the next day. I flagged it as important and mailed it to Alex. Five minutes before lunchtime, Chloe came up to my desk.

"Lunch, Bree. Now." I rolled my eyes at her. She scoffed and turned her attention at Zach. His eyes widened as he saw her and before the poor man could protect himself from the tigress that Chloe is, she almost leaped at him and hugged him tight. She had always had a crush on him, but Zach never saw her that way. She kept saying that he kept flirting with me, but I believed that it was all in good humour.

"Uh str- stran- gling, ca... n't breathe," he stammered, making gagging sounds dramatically. I chuckled at his childishness. She pushed herself back, releasing Zach from her strong grip and frowned.

"Lets all go to lunch! Bree, you go ask Mr. Armenti if he wants anything for lunch and we'll meet up at the elevator," she commanded with her voice, though pleading with her eyes.
Yeah yeah, I'll give you all the privacy you want.

I reluctantly made my way to Alex's office and knocked at his door. To make the avoiding strategy work, I needed to be as formal with him as possible.

"Come in."

My heart started racing at the sound of his smooth, deep voice. I knew that if I stepped into the office, it would weaken my resolve of staying at an arm's length from Alex. Also, to stay away from his knee weakening and resolve diminishing smile.