That one summer

Orion

"Not a lunch date!" Rory called out as we entered the cafeteria. There was already a crowd seated scattered, and the queue was not that long.

I turned around removing my jacked and handing it over to her, Rory raised her eyebrows in question. "I want to eat comfortably and having the jacket on makes it difficult."

Rory nodded while holding the jacket closer to herself and I started rolling my sleeves up. Rory's eyes flew to my arms, she did not seem to notice that I was watching her watching me. To tease her more, I went in slow motion for a few seconds before Rory realised what was happening.

Rory tipped her head up, "Why are you going in slow motion?"

"So, you were watching me! Also, I am glad to know you do not like things in slow motion" Winked at her and turned around.

Rory smacked my back, and I turned around questioning while trying to rub the place to lessen the burn, "Ouch, what was that for?"

Rory pouted while looking at my jacket, "You need to stop winking at me when we are at work. It's inappropriate."

I reached the food station, took out two trays, and set it on the table. "Okay, I will wink at you only outside of work. But my back hurts at the moment."

Rory gave a faint smile, "Serves you right!"

I started filling up our plates salads when Rory tried taking the ladle from my hand, "I can serve myself."

We went towards the main section, "I very well know that you can, but I want to. Plus you are holding a jacket, I do not want any food dropping on it."

Rory wagged her head, "I knew you had an ulterior motive for lunch, you just wanted someone holding your lunch."

We were at the dessert section and I raised both of my hands showing her the option of either a Mango Trifle or a Biscoff Cheesecake. She chose the trifle and I took the Cheesecake. We started walking towards a high table where Dec was already seated with both of our plates in my hand and she held glasses of water for us. "I think you have forgotten the bit where you were the one who asked me to have lunches with you, EVERY DAY."

"Apologies, Mr Wrong. Please forgive me." And did a mock bow after that.

I laughed as I set our plates down. I sat next to Dec who was busy watching a Football match with earphones on and did not even notice me sitting next to him. Rory placed my jacket on the back of her chair and sat opposite to me.

The conversation with Rory was quite easy. She was funny and passed a few sarcastic comments which made me choke on my water a couple of times. I also learned that she does not know how to drive, prefers staying at home on some weekends, and has a lot of movies and TV shows on her list yet to watch but every time she ends up reading a book.

Dec had already gone back downstairs leaving only us two, Rory had almost finished her dessert when I offered a bite of my cheesecake, "You know you want to!"

After hesitating she took a small part with her spoon, "Thank you, it looked pretty good!"

I leaned in towards her making sure nobody else nearby heard me, "Food is the only thing I share, and for everything else, I am quite selfish."

Rory started coughing, while I passed her a refilled glass of water not able to control my smile.

Rory got up from her seat and passed me a genuine smile, "I have a meeting in five, but this was nice." She passed my jacket on to me and picked up both of our trays to leave them in the wash section.

I stopped her from taking mine, "It's fine, I can do it."

Rory still took both of them and gave me back my line, "I very well know that you can, but I want to. Plus, you are holding a jacket, you do not want any food dropping on it. Do you?"

She winked and walked towards the wash section. I liked bold Rory, but she was right about not winking at the workplace. I adjusted my trousers before walking up behind her and trying to cover the front with my jacket.

We rode the elevator in silence downstairs, but this time Rory was also standing in the back with me fiddling with her rings. My fingers itched to hold hers even if it would have been for a short moment.

We reached our floor, and Rory turned towards me, "See you around."

"You definitely will!"

With that, both of us went in our direction. But what Rory was not aware of was that the Deputy Finance HOD is on leave for two weeks and I would be covering for him in all the meetings involving marketing led by Rory.

I took my laptop and headed towards the meeting room, Dec and a few of the other colleagues from different departments were already there. I took my seat next to Dec when I saw a surprised Rory at the door.

Rory recomposed and stepped into the meeting room and walked ahead towards the projector. Rory started with the daily inputs, profits, and complaints, and other colleagues in between gave updated input.

The meeting went on for twenty minutes, and if anybody had asked me what the meeting was about, I would have had no clue. All I saw was Rory, I had seen her work, but I had never seen her boss mode. And that turned me on.

Dec had nudged me a few times to pay attention, and I was paying attention to the presenter and not the presentation. My thoughts were wandering in different ways I could pleasure Rory in this very meeting room if nobody else was here when Dec nudged me harder this time on my elbow bringing me to the present. I raised my eyebrows at him in question and Dec motioned his eyes towards Rory.

Rory had a pen in her hand and was trying not to laugh, "Do you have any questions on this Orion?"

Very rarely does she call me by Orion, and I loved how my name rolled out of her mouth. I cleared my throat, "Nope, no questions."

Rory shut her laptop down, "Alright then, that is all. If any of you have any questions do let me know."

Everybody was leaving after that but Dec asked me to stay behind. After Rory also left the room, Dec stood up and closed the door while rubbing his temples, "The only condition I had put out was for you to pay attention to the meeting when you had quite literally begged me to attend these meetings."

I gave him a sloppy smile, "I was paying attention."

"I could very well see where your attention was, be thankful nobody else caught on."

I stood up raising both of my hands, "Okay, boss man!"

Dec looked back at me annoyed, "Don't call me that and let Aurora do her job."

We started walking towards the door, "When have I ever interrupted her work?"

Dec wagged his head in a no stepping into his office, "You are impossible, and stay away from my department."

"That's a difficult request."

I was walking back to my office when I saw Rory smile back at me. That smile of hers can truly melt anything.

When I entered my office, there was a file on the desk with a note attached,