gif of leah just to be different though if you watch it too many times it kind of looks like she's having a seizure :/
CHAPTER 10
"I know it hurts, but seriously, you can't stop now."
I groan as I move my body again, my skin covered in a layer of sweat. I bite my lip to keep from screaming out a couple of choice curse words. The pain is nearly unbearable.
After a couple seconds I collapse back down on the bench, completely spent. Liam holds his hand for me to high-five but I literally can't move my arms anymore.
Yes, Liam. No, I'm not in Harry's bed, but at the gym doing a workout (or what Liam calls a workout, I thought it was more like a torture session) before I head to work.
"That...was...terrible," I grunt from my position on the bench. Liam laughs at me. He tends to do that a lot.
"Come on, in thirty minutes you will be feeling great," he assures me while helping me off the bench and up onto my feet.
"Yeah, well right now I feel like a bulldozer just ran over me. Multiple times," I tell him, clinging to his arm for support as my legs feel like they're about to give out.
"You're so funny, Leah," Liam says. I look up at him with concerned eyes.
"Really? And all this time I thought you were laughing at me because of my bad workout skills."
Liam rolls his eyes and playfully pushes me towards the locker room. "Go shower. I'll meet you back out here."
"Yes, sir," I salute him before walking through the doors.
After showering, blow-drying my hair and applying my make-up I realize Liam is right. I do feel a lot better, more energized and refreshed. I walk out the locker room, clad in a new dress I bought for work over the weekend. Liam is waiting for me just as he promised.
"You look nice," he grins as I walk over to him.
I shove at his shoulder. "Pretty sure it's just because this is the first time you've seen me when I'm not pouring sweat."
"Maybe."
We walk out to the parking lot together, and I actually smile at the sunrise in the horizen. I was never a morning person, but the day ahead doesn't actually seem unbearable. I turn to say thank you to Liam but he beats me to the chase.
"In all seriousness, you did great today," he says.
"Well, thanks for helping me. If it weren't for you I'd still be on that treadmill," I comment as we reach my car.
"Yeah, no problem," he says. "Maybe we could make this a regular thing."
"Like a personal trainer?"
"Yeah, but you don't have to pay me," Liam grins. "I'm free of charge." I raise my eyebrows at him.
By this time I'm in my car, sitting in the driver's seat while Liam leans on the window. I start the engine and roll my eyes when I look over and see he's still there.
"Ok, you big dork, I have to go," I tell him.
He pouts for a second but then says, "See you later, Leah!"
"Bye, Liam!" I call after his retreating figure. Then my eyes fall on the clock on my dashboard and my heart plummets when I realize I have to be at work in fifteen minutes. I press firmly on the gas pedal and quickly turn out of the parking lot.
Hey, it's not speeding of you don't get caught.
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"This is amazing," I moan as I take another bite of my meal. The meat is tender and juicy, and it helps that lobster has always been one of my favorites.
Edward grins at me from across the table. He insisted on taking me out for lunch again, but little did he know that I'm planning to pay for the meal. I can actually afford it now thanks to Harry's generous pay raise.
"I'm glad you're enjoying it, my dear," he says as he slurps on his own clam chowder. "So how is the job going?"
"It's pretty good actually," I tell him after sipping on my water. "Harry decided to act mature and allow us to become friends, so that was nice. Though we do get in the occasional argument..."
Edward chuckles. "Well, I'm glad my grandson pulled himself together in any case. And don't worry about any disagreements- I'm sure you've realized that Harry is very prone to them. In all honesty, nobody's job has ever been safer than yours. Harry would never admit it, but he would be lost without you."
Actually, he did admit it, but I'm not about to tell Edward that. Instead I smile and say, "Thank you for the boost of confidence, Edward."
"Anytime, Miss Leah," he says cheerfully. "But you know, if you're really worried about securing your job, just keep bringing me those wonderful chocolate clusters..."
We break out into laughter, and the rest of our lunch consists of idle conversation and Edward telling me some hilarious and very embarrassing stories about Harry when he was a little boy.
However, throughout our meal people keep stopping by to say hello to Edward. It's obvious the people are just introducing themselves to find out who I am, so after what feels like the hundredth person stops by I smile at Edward and say, "You have a lot of friends here."
"Not really. When you pay more in taxes each year than most people pay in a lifetime, everyone wants to be your pal." His voice echoes with loneliness. "Sometimes all the money makes it hard to tell who your real friends are."
I feel a surge of compassion for the old man. "If it makes you feel any better, I'd still like you if you were homeless."
Edward looks at me like I'm ridiculous. Ok, so maybe I'm not the best at comforting people...
Luckily, he bursts out in laughter. "I know that, Leah. Why do you think I invited you to lunch? Though I do wish I brought you someplace else. I know too many people here, and I don't want them assuming your some sort of gold-digger."
Chuckling, I pull out my credit card. "They won't think that after I pay for your lunch..."
"I like the way your mind works," the old man grins at me. "If you're finished, why don't you signal the waiter and I can sit back and enjoy the shock on everyone else's face?"
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When he drops me back off at the building later, I bid him goodbye and am halfway to the door when I hear him calling my name behind me.
"I forgot to give you something," Edward says, handing me a small wrapped gift.
"Edward, you have to stop buying me things," I groan. "I feel so spoiled."
"Nonsense. It's my money and I can do whatever I please with it."
Rolling my eyes at his stubbornness, I unwrap the tiny present and find a gift card falling into my hand. It's to the local grocery store, and when I see the amount on it my eyes nearly fall out of my head.
"Five hundred dollars? Edward, what-"
"It's so you can keep buying ingredients to make your clusters," he explains before I can protest any further.
That does seem reasonable enough. Buying ingredients week after week really puts a dent in my wallet.
I huff indignantly but accept the gift. "Thank you very much."
He kisses me quickly on the cheek and starts heading back to his car. "You're very welcome, Leah."
I wave goodbye as he pulls out of the lot and then head through the front doors. As I breeze past the reception desk, the guy I remember as Hank calls out to me, "Did you have a nice lunch, Miss Evans?"
I stall my walk to the elevator and force a smile. "Yes, thank you."
"You seem to be enjoying your job," he remarks.
"I am, thank you."
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone how you got it."
I stop fully now and turn around to stare at him. Or more specifically, glare at him until I hope he feels uncomfortable. "And how exactly was that?"
Hank glances pointedly at the spot where Edward's car just pulled away. "I'm simply saying that the old man has good taste in more than just cars."
My cheeks redden but I don't soften my gaze. What a creep. "Mr. Styles and I are nothing more than friends," I inform him.
"That's not what it looked like when you were kissing him just now," he points out.
"Well, I'm sorry you have a perverted mind and jumped to wrong conclusions," I huff, and Hank's face turns beet red. Mission accomplished.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to go do," I snap before stomping into the elevator.
As soon as the doors close, I realize the only other person in here is Ivy Jackson. Great, could this afternoon get any worse?
I suck in a breath and plaster a smile on my face that I hope is convincing. "Hello, Ms. Jackson, how are you today?"
Ivy looks me over with an unimpressed gaze. "Fine, I was just about to go drop off this report so Harry could look at it before the weekly staff meeting." Her lips curl into a very evil smile, reminding me of the Grinch, and she shoves the papers in my arms. "But since you're his secretary I guess you can deliver it for me, right?"
I tuck them under my arm and straighten my back. "I'll be sure to give it to him right away."
"If you haven't already," Ivy coughs. It's obvious she's not talking about the report anymore. "I have to hand it to you, Leah, the sexy, sassy assistant thing you've got going on certainly caught Harry's eye."
What is with everyone accusing me of fooling around with the Styles's today? "I'm not-"
"Save it. I saw the way you two were staring at each other the other day." The elevator doors open and Ivy pushes past me to get out. "Just remember, little Leah, even if he shoves up your prissy little skirt and screws you senseless, you weren't the first and you certainly won't be the last."
With that, she prances away and the doors close on my face, which I'm sure is flushed with anger and shock by now. How dare she say such a thing to me? First of all, I am not planning on "screwing" Harry anytime in the near future, and I'm certainly not playing the role of the sexy assistant to get his attention.
When the elevator doors finally open with a ding on my floor, I'm still fuming from Ivy's comment. I mean, she pretty much radiates bitchiness, but I had no idea she could be that downright horrible.
Which leads me to ponder her connection with Valerie...she mentioned something about me not being the first person Harry would be with in the office. I have a pretty good idea about who he messed around with before.
I used to envision Valerie as this girl who was bashed and trashed by Harry, similar to me and Ryan, but now I feel like she is the one that hurt Harry. Maybe I had it wrong all along.
I suddenly realize that I'm still holding the report Ivy gave me in the elevator and decide I better deliver it now. I peek at Harry's little office window, but he's no where to be seen. I'll just drop it off on his desk and tell him when he gets back.
I open the door to his office and am heading to his desk when I hear a loud clank. My gaze jerks to the source of the sound, which came from the open door to Harry's personal gym. Since he usually works out later in the day, I find it a little odd but I decide to just quickly inform him about the report.
I poke my head in the door and my words instantly get clogged in my throat at the sight of his nearly undressed body. Harry stands there, back facing me, clad in only a small pair of black gym shorts and some athletic shoes. I'm unable to tear my eyes away as he lifts and lowers the bars of the weight, the bronzed muscles in his broad back and shoulders flexing and rippling.
Rivulets of sweat trickle down his body, and I gulp as he lifts the bar again, his muscles trembling with effort. My gaze drifts lower to the dark hair dusting his sinewy thighs. He completes one last repetition, then turns around, stopping slightly when he sees me there, staring at him.
I swallow again, trying to clear the dryness in my throat. I try really hard to focus on his face and not his abs, a whole six pack of them, beautifully tan and glistening with sweat.
"Uh, hey, I was wondering where you were," he finally spoke. "I saw Edward pull up quite a while ago."
"Yeah, Ivy Jackson stopped me in the elevator and asked me to give you this," I weakly wave the report in my hand. I don't know how I'm even forming coherent sentences right now because my mind is so distracted by his muscles and sweaty skin and the way his hair is slightly plastered to the sides of his face.
"Did you have a nice lunch?" Harry asks.
"Yes." My voice is raspy. "Edward was very kind to take me."
"You deserve it."
I falter; my gaze involuntarily drifts down to his taut stomach. I have never seen anyone look this good without a shirt on. Not even Ryan Gosling can compare to the beauty of Harry's torso.
Except for the bobbing of his Adam's apple, Harry is motionless as my eyes roam shamelessly over his body, mesmerized, as I breathe in the musky scent of his sweat.
I close my eyes, and warning bells immediately ring full volume in my head. What the hell am I doing, drooling over Harry's amazing body? He's my boss.
He's my boss.
When I open my eyes, Harry is saying, "Well, I hope you enjoyed yourself."
My eyes widen in horror, but then I realize he was only referring to my lunch, not my obvious appreciation of his six pack.
"Yes, it was lovely. Here's that report," I say, hating how breathy my voice sounds. I really need a better poker face.
As I walk back to my office, I try and process the fact that I just saw my boss shirtless and really, really enjoyed it. Oh god, I'm a lot deeper in than I thought.
And it's going to be a long time before the image of Harry in just his gym shorts fades from my mind.
I'm so screwed.
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A/N: I don't even have an update schedule anymore, I just kinda post chapters whenever. Oops.
dedication: Frisaa. thank you for your comment, it was lovely!
so...TEAM LIAM or TEAM HARRY ????
vote&comment, ily all.