Control Freak ✔️

16 unlucky boy

Caleb pushed the door open, nervously peering inside as if he was expecting silly string or confetti to come bursting out from the inside. "Oh, sorry," he stammered. "Was I supposed to come in now? The lights were off but I just wanted to make sure you got the files you asked me for last night..."

"It's fine, Mr. Morris," Lauren said, quickly setting her feet back on the floor and pulling her earbuds out of her ears. "I asked you to come early, after all. I apologize for my unprofessionalism. I try to get a workout in before the day starts."

Lauren was wearing a tight black sports bra and black compression shorts. She had a hand towel draped around her bare shoulders that she used to gently dab the light sweat on her golden body, and Caleb was unable to help himself from stealing a glance at Lauren's flat abs and her ample cleavage.

Lauren gestured for him to come in and sit down. Her smile was sweet and kind, as always. Caleb sat down in front of her, slowly descending on the chair like somewhere on it there was a giant invisible pin that would stab him in the ass if he touched it. Her golden-brown eyes flashed even in the dim light of the office, and it took every muscle in his neck not to keep staring at her body.

"What's wrong?" she said. He was caught.

"Oh, uh. Nothing, nothing. Everything looks good so far."

"Thanks, professor," she giggled, tossing in a playful eye-roll. Caleb let out a sigh of relief. Smooth save.

He moved the mouse to the next slide. "Actually..."

"Yes?"

"What... were you doing just now before I came in?"

Lauren's expression went blank as her cheeks began to burn red. Caleb had never seen his boss blush before. Her pupils dodged him as her instincts and pride told her to protest while thinking of a lie. "What? Oh that? Those were just breathing exercises."

"Oh."

They sat there working in silence until more people began to fill the office floor. Suddenly, he felt something on his thigh. Lauren had slid her bare foot out of her sneaker and made it brush up against the inside of his leg. But she wouldn't acknowledge that she was doing it. She just kept reading her printout and jotting notes as Caleb sat there, squirming.

Caleb's jaw swung open. Just the warmth from her skin touching his was almost enough to make him bust in his pants, so he had to sit funny and hope she wouldn't notice. But by then, her wandering toes had already discovered the boner he had tried his best to conceal. She gleefully traced circles around it.

"This is fun, Mr. Morris," she said dryly. Again, not even lifting her gaze from her paperwork. "We should do this again, soon. I think we work well together."

His heart was beating fast. Lauren was definitely flirting with him. Lauren, the fantasy of every guy in the office, was flirting with him. And yet, he somehow felt guilty. The back of his neck felt hot as he explored the implications behind even entertaining the thought of hooking up with his boss. He shook his head. Sure, if things didn't work out, she could fire him. But at least she wouldn't murder him. Probably. Most likely. But then, on the other hand... Caleb's heart began to race again, as he curled himself over his stomach to keep himself from dry heaving.

He sprang up from the desk, much to Lauren's surprise.

"Uh, I gotta use the bathroom real quick. Sorry!"

"Is there something wrong?"

"It's nothing I just... I just ate something I probably shouldn't have!" He nearly crashed into the glass window as he fumbled for the doorknob. People turned from their desks as they watched him stumble and almost plow into a person crossing his path.

He settled down once he reached his own cubicle, stopping to wipe his sweaty face with his shirt sleeve. But just as he exhaled a deep breath, he heard a voice close by.

"Uh, Caleb. Somebody's here for you."

"Huh? Who?"

"Uh, a girl."

She was sitting on top of his desk, with one long, slender leg folded over the other. She was wearing a cropped sweater and a tight plaid skirt, with her bare thighs showing and her kneehigh black stockings covering the rest.

"Caleb, darling, you forgot your breakfast this morning," she said as she dangled a brown paper bag from her fingers. "Ya know, he's been eating all fast food like a little piggy lately. Oh! My gosh! I'm starting to sound like him." She clutched the bag over her face to hide her blushing.

Arnav's jaw hit the floor. "Caleb is officially the luckiest guy on Earth," he whispered.

"He's got a girlfriend now, dude. But why would he hide that from us? She's a ten!"

"Uh, thanks for the food, Ivy," muttered Caleb. "Can, I, uh, talk to you, outside?"

"So I see we're entertaining guests this morning, gentlemen," said Lauren in a stern voice. "But I don't think we've gotten our tasks finished." She stood in front of them with her hands on her hips, still in the form-fitting tights she had been wearing that morning, and still slightly glistening.

"I'm sorry about this, Lauren. I promise this'll be quick."

"After you handle personal business, I'd like to speak with you as well, if you don't mind," she said with an ominous inflection. Her tone was sharp and serious.

"No, that's fine," he dejectedly murmured. "I'm sorry about this."

Ivy clutched her fist tightly and held the paper bag by her side and as she inched toward Lauren, her bubbly expression froze over. Lauren in return, gave her a nasty scowl.

"Found you," she murmured, her face cemented in a dead-eyed expression as she unleashed the blade from its holster and approached her. "You thirsty, bih—"

Caleb caught her by the wrist just as she was beginning to drop the paper bag which concealed the knife. Then, he dragged Ivy by the hand down the hallway and to the elevator.

"I just can't believe you!" he screamed when they were out on the street finally. "Where on Earth did you get the idea that this was okay? Are you trying to get me in trouble?"

"But Caleb, I—"

"I don't wanna hear it, Ivy. I'm already in trouble with Lauren as it is and—wait—you didn't hear that. Everything is absolutely fine. Fine. You hear me?"

"Yes, but—"

"Ivy, just go home," he moaned. "Okay? Just go." He chose to watch the cars go by. He'd watch anything if it would distract him from the tears welling up in her eyes.

She saw that he wouldn't look at her. "Caleb," she whimpered. He remained rigid, only finally peeking over his shoulder when he heard her defeated footsteps trailing off in the distance.