It rained hard the following day, and they both had to wait it out. He went up to her office, since he sent his staff home a little earlier, sensing that the weather wasn't going to get better. She was still hunched over her table, pounding mercilessly on her calculator, the sound of the keys being punched matching the sound of thunder outside. Lightning cuts across the dark skies, making one shudder like it might pierce through anything that it comes across.
Pretty much sets the scene for an impending confession. If it may be called a confession, since he thinks he didn't really commit a crime. Even if the pen thinks otherwise, or his wise bottle advices him to come clean.
He enters her office. The receptionist gasps as he approaches her.
"Hi, is Miss Maine Mendoza still in?"
She sat there gawking at the figure in front of her. She's seen him before, and his reputation as a terror boss transcends the offices in the building. News travels through elevators, no matter how slow it goes.
"Uhm, miss? Can you tell Miss Maine that Richard's here?"
She blinked, processing what the dimpled guy before her is saying.
"I know who you are..."
"Oh. Ah. Ok..Can I just go to her desk, then?"
The receptionist, no matter how in awe she was with the gorgeous specimen before her, became suspicious, raised a brow, and gave him her most stern voice.
"And why should I let you in? Are you a client? What's your business with Miss Maine?"
"She's my girlfriend."
As if on cue, Maine stepped out and walked up to him. His arms immediately went around her and pulled her in for a hug, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. The receptionist fell back into zombie mode witnessing this display.
"I saw you from inside, I'm still not done though. Do you mind waiting for a while?"
"That's why I came up, so I can just wait with you here. Besides, the rain's still pouring real hard outside, it'll be torture on the road."
"Clarisse, is it ok if he comes in? We're the only two left in the office anyway. Besides, he knows how to behave."
She pinches him on the waist, earning her another kiss on the cheek, and he turned to the receptionist who was now turning red.
"Uhh, Miss Maine..."
"Please, Clarisse?"
"Please, Clarisse?"
He chimed in, batting his eyes at the young girl. She gave in.
"Fine, Miss Maine. But only until seven in the evening. I'm leaving in a few minutes, but you know you're not allowed to go on overtime anymore. If HR learns that I let you..."
"They won't Clarisse, don't worry. And I already got that memo from HR. We won't stay long, just until the rain's let up."
The receptionist nodded at them.
"Ok, then. I'm allowing this just because I trust you Miss Maine. And because your boyfriend's dimple is pretty."
They laughed at how blunt she said that. Maine swiped her ID on the door and led him in. The office was empty, and suddenly aware that they're alone, he pulled her hand, turning her to him and gave her a kiss. Surprised, her lips were partially open, making him dive in with his tongue. She pushed him back playfully, and pinched his nose.
"You do know we have CCTV cameras around here, right?"
"I know. This gives your security something to talk about."
"Did I tell you my boss asked me about our elevator scene?"
"You make it sound like we made a scandal."
She hit his arm and stood up, walking to her table. He looked at her retreating back, admiring the shapely behind that he's had the pleasure of pinching and slapping. She settled back in her chair, her desk in disarray full of papers and folders. He winced seeing the clutter, and he had to hold back from volunteering to clean them up for her. He could hear the calculator wincing as she started to hit digits again.
"Is that your guy, again, Maine?"
"Yep. Love, come over and say hi to Callie."
"Hey, Callie, nice seeing you again."
"Hmp. Maine, hurry up, I don't want him hovering around me."
"Don't be too presumptuous. He's hovering over me."
"I know that. I just want you to finish and leave. His dimple is too deep it bothers me."
They stayed for another hour. The receptionist went in to say goodbye some thirty minutes earlier, and turned off the other lights. It was still pouring outside, and the thunder and lightning was getting scarier. They decided to still wait it out. She took the calculator and placed it inside her drawer.
"Thanks again, Callie."
"Hmp. Go home. You, Richard, take this girl home. Don't make her stay this late again, hear? I get tired, too."
"Yes, ma'am. Goodnight Callie."
"Hmp."
She stood up and grabbed her bag, searching for something. She turned to him and smiled.
"I forgot that Bic was with you. How was she? Did she give you a hard time?"
It then struck him that he left the pen on purpose, even his bottle, because he needed to talk to her alone.
"Oh, I left her with Remy and Bel."
"Ooh, she finally met Remy! How was it?"
"Let's just say they aren't the best of friends yet."
A sharp blast of light pierced through the dark sky outside, and the office went black. The electricity went out, and one could hear moans and shouts from the nearby offices on their floor. Some were still stranded, like them.
"Love?"
"Yeah?"
"We need to talk."
She looked at him, puzzled. She hasn't seen this serious side of him for some time now, and it gave her heart a tug. Her mind wanders off, making her worry about what he wants to tell her.
"What is it?"
"Yesterday, I told you we had a lunch meeting with a big client..."
"Yeah. And Bic was excited about it, seeing you in action. And you said you got the account, right?"
"Yes, we got the account. What I didn't tell you was...the client's finance head is my ex-fiancee."
Thunder exploded outside, but she seemed not to hear it. What he just told her sounded more frightening.
"Andrea."
"Yes, it was Andrea. I didn't know she was going to be there, I didn't even know she was with that company already. I was surprised to see her at that meeting."
Thunder and lightning combined its attack outside, making the building shake a bit.
"And then what happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"After the meeting, what happened? I seem to remember Bic, thank goodness for that sarcastic pen, hinting something about red nails."
"Damnit Bic."
"What happened after?"
She emphasized each word, as thunder continued to roar. He held her hands, thankful that she let him.
"We had coffee afterwards, that's all. She insisted we catch up, but I only talked business with her. You can ask Bic about it."
"Well, Bic isn't here now, so you have to tell me everything."
He kissed her hands and sat on her desk, pulling her to him, making her lean on him. He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her shoulder.
"We just had coffee, and I felt really uncomfortable. Because she kept holding my arms. Her fingernails were digging deep into my biceps, touching me..."
"And you let her."
"But I kept pushing her hand away, believe me. It just wasn't the same anymore. I felt scared of her."
"Scared of her, or of what you still feel for her?"
He turned her around so that she was facing him. He could see the tears already forming in her eyes and it broke his heart. He kissed her eyes, and the tears escaped. He kissed her lips to drown out her sobs.
"I no longer feel anything for her, because it's all about you now, ok? I love you. Only you."
"But you said you were scared of her..."
"I am. Definitely. But because she seems so ... powerful, now. And she's a client, so I have to be on my guard with her."
"You mean you'll still see her?!"
"Love, I have to, it comes with the big account. I have to deal with her. Not only her, of course, but it's inevitable that we see each other."
"Can't you just let Carlos or Mina take over this account?"
"My boss is relying on me for this account. And the client heard of what I've done for other accounts so he personally requested for me."
She lowered her gaze, her hands playing with his shirt. He waited for her to speak, his insides turning but he was glad that she hasn't let go of his hold around her. She cupped his face on her palms and kissed him deeply, making him hug her tightly. She pulled away for air and looked at him.
"Promise me you'll tell me every time you meet with her, ok? I don't need to hear it from Bic or Bel or Remy. I want YOU to tell me, clear?"
He hugged her back again, kissed her nose, her cheeks and her lips.
"I promise."
Outside, only the pouring rain could be heard. It has slowed down, but thunder could still be heard from a distance. They stayed there hugging for a few more minutes, letting the rhythm of the rain drown them. The dance of thunder and lightning went on outside, albeit faintly.
"We should go. The night security will be coming up soon."
"Just one more kiss."
She smiled as he closed in on her for one more lingering kiss. He hugged her tightly, taking in all of her scent and whispered very gently.
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
Holding hands, they went out the office and waited by the elevators. A ping, the elevator doors opened, and out came a drenched guy, umbrella still open. He looked like he was lost but then he saw them and smiled.
"Maine..."
She made a step back, and looked up at the puzzled face of her boyfriend. She looked back at the guy.
"Andrew."