Harper entered the lift towards floor fourteen where she was only getting more anxious by the second, she felt she needed to sort out this thing between them once and for all. No more messing about, her intention was to see if he wanted something out of this or was just planning on messing about. Harper took a deep breath exiting the lift as she placed her bag on her desk before going over to his office. She knocked the door, her hand trembling as she pulled it back.
"Come in." James said, his tone evoked with authority. Harper bit her lip opening the door, noticing James standing looking out the window, his hands in his pockets. He didn't dare turn around, he was still feeling guilty from this morning. "What is it?" He said, disliking his own bitter tone. Harper stepped forward as James turned, his eyes though failing to meet hers.
"Erm...I-I..was w-wondering if..." She muttered before James snapped. "What?" Harper decided not to breathe a word, instead shook her head offering a polite smile before heading for the door. James tensed knowing how he was acting, however he felt like punishing her, punishing her for these feelings. Or whatever they were. "Miss Daniels. I need you to run some errands for me." He called out, stopping Harper in her tracks. Turning around she met his unreadable face as he walked around to his front of desk. "I need these completing immediately. Given the time I have till my next meeting, you can do them now and have them ready before five. Understood?" He said. Harper nodded, she was utterly confused with his behaviour now, he didn't dare even come near her and his boyish flirtatious mood seemed to be gone just like when he dropped her off.
"Make a mental note." He said. "I need you to go call up the garage, see if my car has had its MOT done. Then," He continued, Harper tried to remember every key detail. "See if they've fitted the chrome alloys I ordered. Once you've done that, I need you to go reserve a table at the Italian restaurant down the road for one o'clock. Book a booth, I won't accept no other." Harper nodded, hoping if that was all, until he continued. "I had Manny my housekeeper take one of my suits to the dry cleaners this morning, she's already got a lot to do, so you can collect it. And I need you to return back here and get on with proof reading the contracts, you can go home once all that is done. Get it done before five, or your position might be re-considered." He said, moving to his seat. Harper nodded slowly, her mind jumbled with her all the details he had given her but was more baffled by his attitude.
"Carry my coffee and notes. I'm going in the meeting now, then you can get on with the tasks I've set you." He said walking over to the door. Harper nodded going over to his desk picking up the coffee along with juggling the notes of paper in her other hand. She had to move quick when James didn't bother waiting for her and was already entering the lift, she however managed to get in one piece before the doors closed on her. He didn't breathe a word to her, he fumbled with his watch, there was this layer of tension she could feel. It was like he changed person over night, or how she felt went to how he was back at the beginning when she started. James exited the lift on the tenth floor, he passed rooms not even waiting for Harper, he had to stay focused he thought. Harper struggled to trail after and had to wait before she could enter the room as a group of people followed in after James. When the last person finally went in, she must have caught her foot on something,that the next thing she knew, she fell flat faced onto the floor. Her face went red as James looked over to the commotion where a few people were snickering, she hoped he would have helped her up, or even offered a single bit of sympathy but looked up at her as if ashamed. Harper got up, feeling slight pain upon her knees where friction between carpet and skin was caught, her eyes threatened with tears but she fought them back as she began picking up the papers as the room went silent, James coughed diverting everyone's attention to him.
"I apologise for our little scene there. Now shall we begin." He announced, as a few around the table chuckled. Harper sighed inside, picking up the papers as she brought them over to him. He didn't offer a thank you, not even a sign that he acknowledged her presence. There was little coffee left in the cup that most of it was upon the floor. She threw the discarded cup in the bin before James spoke out. "And you can get a cleaner to clear up that mess." Harper nodded before exiting out the door, she felt slightly hurt, a little muddled up. Did she do something wrong? Glancing at her wrist watch, she raced back up to the top floor getting straight on to solving her mess she caused.
She called the cleaner up, got them to resolve the mess and was now on the phone to his garage, that without his help had trouble finding at which one his dam car was in the first place. Her quiet voice was a struggle against the working men in the background, they barely could hear her that she had to keep repeating until they eventually understood. Harper sighed as she placed the phone down, she had hoped her morning had gone a whole lot differently, she had expected to have talked to him then know for sure where they both stood in the matter. Instead James was rather cold towards her, she felt so worthless compared to the days before, how he treated her like they were in love. She knew this was all a mess, she knew it was a danger to be getting herself close to him. Harper began punching the Italian restaurant's number, hoping this conversation would go a little better.
"Hello. Vine Valley. How can we help?" The woman on the other line said.
"Hello, I would like to reserve a table for Mr Brewer for a single booth." She said, tapping the pen in her hand against the notepad.
"I'm sorry Mad'm, we are fully booked in the booths." She said. Harper tensed, sighing inside before answering back. "Is there no way, you...can perhaps scoot someone to another table. Its just Mr Brewer, will not accept any other option." The woman took a while before she said. "I'm sorry, we cannot. There are a few tables that are near the booths, even some outside. I mean it is a sunny day, we do have one table left not booked." Harper bit her lip, she didn't really want to piss him off or if he was being serious and threatened her position, then she didn't know what to do.
Harper pushed a loose strand from her face. "I guess I'll take the last one outside." The woman beamed on the line. "Gladly, thank you. Mr Brewer will of course still have great possible service."
"Thank you." Harper said before ending the call. Great, she knew he wouldn't be happy now especially with the mood swings he was having now. Harper got up grabbing her bag as she went over to the lift, now she had to go dry cleaners, she was grateful when she phoned Manny in the lifts that she was grateful, that she told her the exact place to go and the suit to ask for. Harper dismissed going in her car and decided to walk it there, it wasn't far away and she knew where about it was. She was just baffled though, she couldn't understand why he was acting like this but maybe it could be the best, she was after all uncertain about what was going on between them. Harper didn't want a fling after all.
James was listening as the people before him announced their plans, but his mind was distracted elsewhere. He lifted his phone up, hoping even for the slightest missed call from her. James felt bad for treating her how he did this morning, he was ashamed at himself for not even bearing to help her up on her little trip. It looked as she was going cry. James however wanted her far as way as possible, he thought if he could put her on errands to do or even just keep her busy and away from him then these feelings would just go away. Then there was the fact everytime he looked at her, he felt guilty for last night. James couldn't keep her off his mind, how could he? The past month, he had got her to the point that she teased him back, had her nearly on her own desk and even risked hand cuffing her to her own bed. The reason couldn't be cause he hadn't slept with her? Or could it be, he thought?
"Mr Brewer?" One man spoke out. James looked up, distracting him from his daze as he listened to what the man had to say. She was even risking his attention at work now, he thought.
Harper entered the dry cleaners, a old man with greying hair smiled pushing his glasses further up his nose. "Hello, Miss. How can I help you?"
"I'm here to collect Mr Brewer's dry cleaning." She smiled. The man nodded patting his pocket before heading in the back room. Harper waited with patience before the man returned with the garment. "Here you go love, we've done Mr Brewer's suit up to his standards. Got rid of that lipstick stain too." He chuckled. Harper felt lightheaded, distracted by what he said before nodding and smiling slightly as she took it off him.
"Thank you." She said, heading for the door as she opened it juggling the garment as well. Harper knew it shouldn't get to her, but she was curious in whose lipstick it was. Had he been with other woman, whilst whatever it was between them? She didn't like that thought, knowing that the truth could be, he was only messing about with her.
By the evening, she hadn't even got chance to eat lunch, she was secured tight into congestion all the way to his penthouse. She had only a hour left when she returned to her desk and was strained in stress by the amount of contracts he expected her to do. There was no word on if he was annoyed or happy with his reserved table, neither had he turned up yet. Harper sighed flicking through the last page, her hands were straining from writing as she corrected the mistakes made. The pile wasn't getting any smaller and appeared to be going on forever. The large hand on the clock was drawing near five, she had the urge to give up from how tired she was.
She looked up when James strolled in, didn't acknowledge her at all and went straight to his office. Harper only got a word out of him when he returned back to see if the contracts were done. Harper shook her head. "No, Sir."
James struck back the will of how badly he wanted to kiss those lips and instead brushed them off with a cold shoulder. "Well I guess you'll have to stay here until you finished them. They need to be ready for tomorrow. Your job is safe but I expect these to be done. I'm off in 10 minutes. Don't forget to pitch to security you'll be the only one near my office, in case anything goes missing." Harper was stunned, was he accusing that she would do such a thing, what was going on she thought. Instead she put on a brave face and offered a polite smile. James stood there for a moment in silence before nodding and going back to his office.
Harper sighed once he was out of sight and returned back to proof reading. She wouldn't deny how hungry she was, even her stomach was growling. Late takeaway was the only option tonight she thought glancing at the piles of paper stacked up. Ten minutes as he said, she watched from the corner of her eye as James walked casually towards the lift, it was silent as he stood waiting for the lift to come to the top. Harper gave a single glance as he stood in the lifts looking at her before the doors shut.
Then for the whole night, Harper was left alone to complete all the contracts. The only light she had now was the desk lamp and the city lights from towering surrounding skyscrapers across the road. The corridor had lights that were energy efficient that turned off on a certain time, so she felt very alone. It was ten' o clock when she looked up again, she could feel the heavy weight of her eyes. Harper had texted Dani removing any concern or worry for her whereabouts. The only food she had eaten afraid to leave her desk alone, was taking a bar of chocolate from a vending machine that cost her a £1.00 for a small bar not even conquering her hunger. Harper had got through a lot, she had at least five more and then she could go. Cleaners had already gone, so there was the scary thought she was alone and that if she screamed no one would hear, mind you there was the security guards but she wouldn't bet they were exactly near the CCTV all the time.
James placed his Mac laptop on the bed as he walked across to his window. He sighed leaning his hand against the wall looking out to the city. He felt bad, he hadn't even phoned to see if she finished. If he was sure, hadn't seen her at the canteen. Had she even eaten? James screwed up big time. Not only was he acting like a terrible boss but a terrible person.
What was he doing?
Thank you guys for reading. Hope you are enjoying the plot so far. It means so much for all your comments so thank you. If you have any questions to ask me, like characters just inbox me on wattpad.
Please follow, comment and vote.
You guys rock!!!
Thank you
VAMPIREFANGSRULES xxx