Mr. Hollingsworth.

Ch. 9 Sir?

Mr. Hollingsworth's P.O.V.

Work lasted later than usual, which irked me, not because I was anxious to see Alice again, but because I was scared she did something stupid while I was gone. Like snuck out, or cleaned or something that isn't resting, and healing. So I drove myself home, speeding. Though I didn't want her to see my panic or she'd flip, so I adjusted myself in front of my door, and unlocked it. When I opened it, I froze. She was so damn attractive.

She was stretched across the couch on her side, my t-shirt didn't cover most of her upper thighs, revealing her toned legs, it also showed her figure, and her blonde hair wasn't just messy, it was curly and fell perfectly to her shoulders, a small playful smirk was on her lips, yet her eyes were little glassy like she'd been crying. What she was reading made me think she was ten times more attractive, it was my 500+ paged book on scientific theories. She also had her heels on, which showed off her legs more. Then slowly she looked up from the book, which she was completely immersed in, and when she saw me she looked so guilty I was instantly suspicious. "I'm so sorry sir, I used your shower, I know that's over stepping my boundaries and I should've asked, but my apartment only had cold water, and your shower is really nice and..." she kept rambling like she always did when she felt guilty, and once again I just raised my finger. It completely silenced her. It was like a magic trick.

Then I realized how tired she was and that she was wearing heels, it made me really suspicious, but I ignored the tugging at my gut and helped her stand. She cursed and took off her shoes, which made me laugh. "Yes Mr. Hollingsworth?" She asked, I pulled her close, and nuzzled my face into her hair. She'd used my shampoo, she smelled just like me. "Mr. Hollingsworth, please let go. This is really awkward for me." She said bluntly, she must be very tired. Then, of course, she apologized. It was a cute yet annoying trait. I was positive if she gave a stranger her umbrella in the rain she'd apologize for not handing it to them sooner. I pulled back, and she stared up at me with her big, wide, grey eyes. I felt my heart let out a shattering thud, and she just kind of collapsed back on the couch leaning forward.

Oh yeah, she has a fever, she doesn't live here. Idiot! I cursed myself. "Hey?" I asked, kneeling next to her. "My head is killing me." Her voice was a whimper, and she looked in worse shape than when I left. Why did I have to focus on her physical appearance so much? Selfish prick! My thoughts screamed as I gave her aspirin and just held her close as she shook with pain but refused to let me hear her cry. Eventually she pulled back, and handed my book. "Sorry for borrowing this, it was really interesting though." She said, masking her pain easily. I wondered how often she acted well when inside she was going through hell. "It's fine." I laid it on the coffee table, "I'm going to my room, call if you need anything." I said, and I walked to my room feeling like a douche.

When I stepped into my room, I froze. My bed was made, the floors were scrubbed, obviously by hand, my dresser was gleaming, even the ceiling fan looked clean. I threw open my bathroom door, the mirror was spotless, not one smear, no miscellaneous things were on my counter, everything neatly packed into drawers, and my razor was placed beside the sink, even the shower was organized. She cleaned.

I opened my dresser, and even that was organized, by what it was and by color. She cleaned everything, that's why she's in worse shape, she fucking cleaned the whole house. As calm as possible, I inspected every room, and it was just as spotless as the next. Then when I saw the kitchen my jaw dropped, I could see my reflection in the granite counter tops, underneath the table was scrubbed clean, and when I checked the cabinets, the tops of them were neatly dusted. That's why she was wearing heels, she'd gotten in them, even though that's dangerous considering she's sick, and dusted them. Anger coursed through me. Protective anger.

Trying to look calm, I walked into the living room, and looked down at her. She looked up at me, "You're mad." She said bluntly, but I was too mad to respond. How could she do that to herself? I sighed, but instead I just paced around, so I wouldn't yell. She had good intentions. Why was she so god damn nice!? Finally I managed to just stand there, and stare at her. She looked like a little puppy that was chided as she stared back up at me. She had this infuriating way of looking down, but up through her eyes lashes like a bashful child, and it made her look so innocent and guilty I wanted to apologize. But that wasn't happening.

"Alice," I started, "Oh no, now you're really mad, you're calling me by my first name, should I make a run for it?" She mumbled, she often mumbled her thoughts when she was scared. "No." I said, she looked up in surprise. She always did when I heard her. It was endearing, but she looked like a deer caught in headlights preparing itself to get ran over. "Look Alice, I really appreciate it, but you're making yourself more sick." I said, that's all I had to say, and she spilled her guts. "Sorry Mr. Hollingsworth, I just felt useless, and I hate feeling useless. I also hate taking advantage of people, and I felt like I was taking advantage of you by just accepting your help and doing nothing in return, and I could sit here and feel guilty. So I decided to clean, I didn't know I'd feel more sick, but I had too. I've always been a neat freak and I figured that I cleaned it would be better than doing nothing, sorry. I had no idea I'd upset you it wasn't my intention at all, I feel stupid. Sorry, that was really rude of me not to consider your feelings." She apologized in a rush, I stood there speechless. She always made me speechless because she talked so fast it took me a few seconds to catch up.

Then I did. "You didn't hurt my feelings Alice, but you're making yourself more sick cleaning, and you really need to get well." I said, she sniffed. There was no tears, but just a little sniff. "Yes sir." She really did look like a scolded puppy as she fiddled with her fingers like she did the first time we met. "God Alice, stop calling me sir, I'm not your father." I complained, "Sorry s-" She cut herself off, and looked up at me. "You're my boss though, it's only respectful." I sighed, why did she always try so hard to be polite? "We're not a work right now. Just call me by my first name, Alexander, better yet, just call me Alex." I stated, she smiled like she'd just been given a present. "Yes s-" She cut herself off again, and I could tell she was mentally chiding herself.

Then suddenly she looked at me, and a huge, beautiful, bright grin spread across her face, "Alexander." She said it so clearly, and so lovingly.

I felt my heart thud, except it didn't stop. The longer I stared, the faster it went. She cocked her head to the side, and a dazzling smirk appeared on her face, "Would you perhaps be blushing Mr. Hollingsworth?" She asked, I froze. I was blushing? I sighed, "No. I don't blush Alice." She grinned impishly, "Oh, I've made you upset, you're calling me Alice." She teased, I sighed, then I realized something. She was flirting with me! What the fuck? She never did that! But when I looked back up she still wore that smirk, and my heart did jumping jacks in my chest. Fuck why is she so attractive?

"A few ground rules to calling me by my first name," I started, she raised her brows teasingly, "Oh?" She asked taunting, now my heart was about combust. "Only call me by my name here, not at work or any where else. Okay?" I don't want you making me blush in public, I added mentally. She smiled mischeviously. "Alex doesn't seem like a fitting nickname." She complained, but judging by her grin she had something up her sleeve. Slowly her grin crawled around her face, and she looked like a little trouble maker. My heart, at this point, was on the verge of just stopping all together.

"I'm going to call you Allie." At that my heart stopped for a few seconds. "Can I call you that, or am I in trouble again?" She asked, cocking her head to the side tauntingly, she shot me another dazzling smirk as she added, "Sir." At that my heart was in my throat. "I'm going to go take a shower, don't do anything stupid." I snapped harshly, but I heard her chuckling.

"Okay Allie."

When I looked in the mirror, my face was completely flushed. I'd just been out flirted by a modest, pure-hearted girl. Slowly an ear splitting grin spread across my face.