Dreadful Desire

Chapter 9

Jade opens the door as I'm about to read Axle's text. She interrupts, "There you go! I thought you would have been here a while ago. Tell me how was your first day?" She says with a bright smile. 

I giggle, inviting her in for a glass of wine and tell her of the astonishing office building, my beautiful view and how excited I am to have this job. I even tell her how hot Axle is. She notices the laptop, "already bringing work home?" She laughs and shakes her head. I laugh and tell her, "No, they just gave it to me today just in case." 

I remember the NDA and his warning of never letting it out of my sight. We talk some more about her day and other random things. She leaves and I remember how nice she was to me in the beginning. 

Her ability to come over and just open up and talk. I was always reserved but she got me to open up too. It's great having a neighbor I trust. She's a great friend and I'm so happy to have her. 

My mind goes back to today and how Axle was with me in the office. The flirting, coldness, authoritativeness, more flirting and he was so vulnerable in the car. That story. His father. It must have been so hard to live with what he did. 

He did it to protect his mother. If I could have, I would have done it for my mother. He was so open and at the end, oh my god, the end! I almost forgot how embarrassing it was kissing him on the cheek. I can't believe I mistook his bending over me to grab the laptop as an attempt for a kiss. 

I roll my eyes and hang my head in embarrassment. Wait, he text me! I look for my phone. As usual I can't find it. I get into my watch and use the find my phone feature. This is something I do very often. I am soooo grateful for the person who invented this app.

I find it on the counter under my bag. I open my text messages, and read Axles text, "I just wanted to say, I can always help reach for your laptop again. 😉"

I blush and get exited like a schoolgirl. He IS flirting with! But then he is serious, I just don't get him. He has this power over me, to make me all excited and then takes it way when he gets cold and serious. I just don't know if he is real or not. 

I mean he is a billionaire and he can have anyone he wants. Why would he want me? But he flirts so much, maybe it's just in his nature and doesn't know how to stop. I did some research on him and he is a playboy. It wouldn't surprise me if that is his default personality.

To get my mind off of Axle I decide to open the laptop to review those flagged emails and invoices to accounts from last month. I need to review these at work where I will have more access to more files. I create a folder and move them inside. I need to do research on pricing for the things that have invoices. It's been about an hour, and I'm flagging more and more emails.

I hear my phone ring and a number flashes on my phone. It looks familiar but I didn't have it saved. I hit ignore and look back to my computer. My phone pings. I open the text, "Ignoring my calls already?😉 " Oh crap, that was Axle. 

I call him back immediately without responding to his text. "Hello," I hear his deep voice say over the phone and it send shivers down my spine. "Hi, I didn't save the number earlier and when I don't know a number, I don't answer," I explain to him. "Already the bad girl, kitten?" He teases. Kitten?? Why did he call me that? 

He clears his throat, "I wanted to discuss our schedule." "Sure, I'm wide open for you." What the ever-loving fuck did I just say? I hear silence on the phone. He soothes my pain by saying, "I would like to meet at 10 am each morning to exchange files and review anything you may have found." 

We continue to have shop talk and I'm thankful he is easy to talk to. Before I know it when have been on the phone for two hours. Wow, time really did fly and I'm just realizing I haven't eaten. "Axle, I just realized it's getting late and I haven't eaten yet. I'm going to get something to eat," I say. "Okay, I'll pick you up in 20 minutes. See you then." He hangs up before I get to reply.