Chapter 14
Haylee shimmied her shoulders as happy little jolts of electricity worked through her body while walking to the printer. It used to frustrate her that the printer her computer was connected to was located in a little hideaway nook behind Cherish’s desk. It was amazing how time could shift one’s perspective on these things. Just like Haylee’s opinion of the office itself.
Her playlist had been cultivated, changed, and reworked over the last few weeks. She knew without checking which song had been played the most. It split her face into another smile as that very song came on. Madonna’s voice reached where she stood at the printer, and she hummed along and danced to the music.
The file was thick, and guilt tightened her chest a little at the thought of using so much paper, especially for something Febe—no, she silently corrected herself, Ms. Aarts—hadn’t even requested. But the way Cherish’s eyes would light up with pride that Haylee had anticipated instead of reacted was exactly what she wanted to see. Maybe she’d even get a touch of that smoldering look Cherish had given her while they were shopping yesterday. The paper piled high, and Haylee smiled at it.
“That’s the way it’s got to be.” Haylee sang along as she smiled to herself, her hips wiggling with happiness.
She was enjoying this confident voice in her head that sounded far too much like Cherish. It was true, she knew Ms. Aarts would want this file. Maybe not today but before the end of the week. It was finalized and nothing would change in it, so it seemed silly to leave it on her desk ready for when she needed it. Even if it felt like a ream of paper.
With the file on Ms. Aarts’s desk, Haylee gave in to the chorus of the song, belting out the words and closing her eyes. She let herself swirl in a circle in the open space between her and Cherish’s desks. The words to Madonna’s “Cherish” left her lips, the notes forming before rushing into the open air.
Haylee let the last word linger on her tongue as she opened her eyes, and she froze. Her hips stopped gyrating in figure eights, and her eyes already felt dry from how wide they stared. Madonna continued to serenade the beat of awkward silence as a hand of fear grasped Haylee’s throat, clawing into her chest.
Cherish saved her with a wicked gleam of a smile.
“Good morning, Haylee.” Cherish’s voice caused a heavy thump in Haylee’s chest followed by a staccato of subsequent beats. The quirk of her lips didn’t help the heat that rushed up to her cheeks and down to the tops of her thighs. “By all means, don’t let me stop you halfway through a song.”
Shit.
Was Cherish amused?
Haylee forced a smile but couldn’t meet Cherish’s eyes as the heat intensified throughout her body. But she could tell it wasn’t all embarrassment. Haylee had been thinking about Cherish in her arms, about that damnable kiss on the street corner, and the smooth lines of her body. If only Cherish knew.
Cherish walked to her desk and sat down, her gaze unwavering as she looked Haylee over, a full down and up. Haylee’s mouth went dry, and Madonna’s voice was gone from her ears as they hung on every word Cherish might say. Cherish leaned over, the V of her shirt deepening and pillowing to give Haylee just a taste of what she really wanted to see beneath the fabric.
Her cheeks burned when she locked her eyes on Cherish’s. Cherish shyly curled her hair behind her ear, the long deep red strand falling into that V and teasing Haylee even more. Fuck. Haylee was in trouble. There was something more alive in the way Cherish relaxed, and her smile came easily to her lips. Even if it was at Haylee’s expense.
But beyond that amusement, Haylee noticed something else. She scratched beneath the surface of that smile. Cherish had forgotten to put the city girl persona back on, and instead, she had walked in as the small-town country girl Haylee had been getting to know. The one who missed her dog and knew home wasn’t the same when a loved one was no longer there to greet you.
It was too much.
Haylee’s lips were spread wide, and her heart pattered an unfamiliar tempo. How could she possibly have real feelings for her coworker? A coworker, Haylee reminded herself, who was in love with their boss. Their boss who, by all accounts, was an absolute ice queen and someone Cherish not only wanted to be with, but to be like.
Sure, it sounded logical and good in theory, these reasons why true deep feelings would be impossible between the two of them. But as the day went on, every time Cherish looked up and met Haylee’s eyes over their computers, Haylee’s brain instantly forgot every one of those once logical points.
“Cherish.” Ms. Aarts had been in and out all day, but as she stepped into the office once again, she spoke in time with the sound of her heels as she walked through the space between the two assistants’ desks. “The Michaels report came in handy, they just called and will be in in five minutes.”
Haylee watched as Cherish blinked in confusion, the tap of Ms. Aarts’s heels not missing a beat. Haylee forced her attention back to her computer but couldn’t pull the smile from her lips.
“I hadn’t even thought of the report yet. Haylee must have printed it off for you.”
A stutter in Ms. Aarts steps was the only sign that she was thrown off her game before they resumed. “Well done, Haylee.”
“Thank you, Ms. Aarts,” Haylee managed to get out just before the door to Febe’s office closed with a soft click.
“We’ll need some coffee for the impromptu meeting.” Haylee jumped up, locking her computer and grabbing her purse as she spoke. “Would you like one?”
“Oh, sure. That would be fantastic.” Cherish looked as though she had been happily chewing on grass in the middle of an unlit country road when a car came over the hill and pinned her with its headlights.
“No worries. If they arrive before I get back, hopefully they won’t mind waiting a minute or two.”
“No, they’ll be fine. I’ll text you their usual orders.”
“Great.” Haylee smiled and met Cherish’s eyes for the first time since being caught dancing in the office. At least she hadn’t been in her underwear or something.
“And Haylee?” Cherish smiled. It wasn’t the gleam of this morning but a genuine smile that warmed Haylee’s chest. “Good job on being so proactive. You’ve come a long way in a really short time.”
“Thanks.” Haylee couldn’t get out of the office fast enough. Her whole body heated, and her brain felt like it might explode and cover the office in brightly colored confetti. Why did she hang on every single word that Cherish said?
The coffee run was exactly what Haylee needed. She used the time waiting in line to force her breathing to a more manageable pace and remind herself of the multitude of reasons having even a crush on Cherish was downright stupid. That kiss was amazing, but it was nothing more than that. A kiss.
Her crush was fleeting, and love never lasted. She repeated the mantra in her head on the way back up to the office.
It took less than five minutes for the talking to she had given herself at the cafe to vanish into the ether when she returned. Placing the tray of coffees down on her desk, she pulled out Cherish’s usual order and strode across the corridor between the desks.
Cherish continued to type away at her computer, her fingers clacking down on the keys with a little more force than necessary, a sure sign she was dealing with an idiot. Light streamed through the large glass window behind her. It brushed over her head, highlighting the shades from copper to strawberry.
“Who’s being an idiot today?” Haylee asked, a hint of laughter in her tone.
“Everyone.” Cherish looked up, her mouth pinched and her eyes blazing. Seeing Haylee standing right next to her desk, coffee still in her hands, Cherish blinked and the scowl turned into a small, sweet smile. “Except you. You’re a lifesaver.”
“Happy to help.” Haylee ignored the jitters beneath her skin and smiled, trying to harness her usual cocky mask. She was pretty sure she had failed, but it didn’t matter. She truly wanted to know what had upset Cherish so much that it overshadowed her own feelings. No, her crush.
“Thank you.” Cherish eagerly accepted the cup of coffee and took a large pull from the small hole in the lip.
That sent damn erotic thoughts through Haylee’s brain. The gentle sucking. The precision. The eye contact. She was so fucked.
“So, anything I can help with?” Haylee choked out the question.
Cherish narrowed her eyes in confusion before a light switched on behind her eyes, and she nodded, putting the coffee down on her desk. “These idiots think I don’t know how this time of year means more people need us and reach out to us. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that it’s a busy time of year, and not something to be dismissed as clients can’t get through on the lines. It’s one of the many reasons I don’t have time for twenty emails before we get to the heart of the issue.”
“Cherish?” Ms. Aarts called from her office doorway.
“Oh.” Haylee jumped as she licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry as she watched Cherish a little too closely. “I had better go take the coffee in before it gets cold.”
“Yes.” Cherish waved her away, already returning her attention back to her computer, fingers pounding on the keys just like Haylee wanted them to pound into her.
Stop it!
“Anything else?” Ms. Aarts asked at their usual weekly meeting.
“If I may, Ms. Aarts?” Haylee’s palms were slick with nervous sweat, and she sensed Cherish’s shoulders stiffening in the chair next to her. Perhaps she should have run it by Cherish first, but it hadn’t crossed her mind. And even as she had headed into the meeting, she wasn’t certain she would even mention it.
“What is it?” Febe was already looking at her computer, going back to work. For her, the meeting was over. Her thin lips were pursed as she squinted at the screen, already distracted, which meant Haylee was going to have to work hard to bring her attention back around.
“Cherish and I were talking about how this time of year is notoriously busy. Not just with illness for employees, but there seems to be a trend of high turnover during these two months specifically. Add in the increased workload with new clients and returning clients because of the stress of the holidays.” Haylee worried her lower lip, sneaking a glance at Cherish, who stared at her with wide fearful eyes.
“Yes.” Febe’s eyes flicked to Cherish and then returned to bore larger holes into Haylee. Well, Haylee had certainly gotten her attention. She hadn’t anticipated it would be that easy.
If only Haylee’s palms would stop sweating, she might be able to get through this in one piece.
“Well, I’ve done some research into some of the temp pool companies available, and while I know that isn’t ideal for our clients, there are a few of the companies that have both high staff retention and offer return client preferences.” Haylee rushed through her words, but if she stopped, she might not have the courage to restart. “Some of the companies they work with have a lot of good things to say about keeping their clients happy while also being able to ensure they get the same staff and don’t have to waste time and money retraining new temps every time they hit a busy season. Perhaps it could be something we look into for next year.”
Haylee took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she pulled out the pieces of paper she had printed moments before the meeting started. Cherish raised her eyebrows and took the papers tentatively as though expecting them to explode.
Haylee sat back in her chair and waited as Febe and Cherish skimmed. Or maybe they were pretending to care. It wasn’t like Haylee had skipped her lunch to research this. What she really wanted from it was something to help Cherish when Haylee wasn’t there anymore. Because the likelihood she’d make it to next year was slim.
Febe set her paper down and eyed Haylee over the desk. “I’ll look into it for further consideration.”
“Thank you,” Haylee said on a breath of relief.
“Anything else? Haylee?” Febe looked at her and waited for her head shake in the negative before turning to Cherish. “Cherish?”
“No.” Cherish perched on the edge of her chair, eager to get up.
Haylee truly hoped she had done the right thing. Surely Cherish wouldn’t be mad? All she had done was try to solve a problem, something that had been frustrating Cherish. Worry continued to bury itself further into Haylee’s stomach.
Haylee followed Cherish out and tried not to worry about Cherish’s silence as she busied herself at her desk. Haylee’s stomach sank as she tried to find words for a question, one she wasn’t sure she wanted to ask. Haylee couldn’t shake the doubts that clenched her muscles and distracted her thoughts. Cherish was just busy, that’s all this was.
The afternoon slipped away, and when Cherish got up to go to the printer, Haylee couldn’t deal with the silence any longer.
“Hey,” Haylee said as she entered the small nook. Cherish faced the printer, tapping buttons, her fingers hitting them with precision and a little more anger than Haylee had hoped for.
“Are you waiting for something to print?” Cherish threw a look over her shoulder, but her eyes never reached Haylee’s before she turned back. “I can bring it out for you.”
“Actually, I just wanted to check that you weren’t mad at me for saying something to Ms. Aarts about the staffing issues.” Haylee’s stomach plummeted. There. The words were out, and she couldn’t take them back now.
“What?” Cherish turned around, a smile dancing on her face as though even her lips were unsure if Haylee were being serious or not. “Why would you think that?”
“You’ve been quiet since the meeting, and I guess I’m just worrying about nothing.” Haylee clenched her fists tightly, hinging her response on Cherish’s answer.
“Haylee.” Cherish swallowed audibly, and Haylee prepared to be shut down completely. “I didn’t realize I was being unusually quiet.”
“So you aren’t mad?”
“Absolutely not.” Cherish met Haylee’s eyes this time, and a soft smile touched her lips. Haylee’s breath sped up, her chest rising and falling faster than it had.
She needed to say something, but nothing came to mind.
Cherish laughed and shook her head. “I’m impressed, and you should be proud of yourself. You’re proving yourself every single day. Learning and growing as a professional.” Cherish looked down at the carpet between them, but not before Haylee saw the blush on her cheeks. How Haylee longed to reach out and touch her, to feel if the heat reached Cherish’s skin or not.
“I’m proud of myself, but I wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you.” The air electrified between them. Haylee swore she could hear every breath Cherish rasped. She shuddered as she felt herself moving forward and pulled back slightly.
“I only gave you some pointers. You’re the one doing the work.” Cherish met Haylee’s eyes and relief flooded through her.
No. Not relief.
Arousal.
Haylee took a step, closing the gap between them as the printer whirred, the scent of hot paper filling Haylee’s nostrils. “Maybe.” The word came out as little more than a whisper.
“No, ma…” Cherish stuttered and sucked in a sharp breath. She shook her head like she was trying to clear it and pushed her shoulders back. “No maybe about it.”
Haylee was close enough to touch now, close enough to lean in and press their mouths together. She dropped her gaze to Cherish’s lips, the muted pink color she used, the V of her shirt that Haylee could definitely see down now. Haylee’s entire body hummed as if it were finally alive. Haylee shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, but only one thing reached her tongue. “I want to kiss you again.”
“Oh.” Cherish’s smile was slow to grace her lips, but her shoulders relaxed and her eyes glittered. She whispered, “Me too.”
As soon as the words escaped Cherish’s mouth, Haylee moved the last step and leaned in as close as she could. “Are you sure?”
Cherish pulled her lip between her teeth, her cheeks still rosy, that tint that Haylee swore was now arousal matching hers instead of embarrassment. Cherish fluttered her fingers against Haylee’s cheek, curling them to cup the side of her face tentatively.
Was she scared of this?
“Yes,” Cherish answered confidently. “I haven’t stopped thinking about it.”
Haylee claimed Cherish’s mouth for her own. Cherish reacted instantly, opening and tracing her tongue along Haylee’s bottom lip. Haylee moaned into the touch and deepened the kiss between them.
Cherish’s hands splayed over Haylee’s hips, gripping slightly, and she pulled Haylee into her as they continued to kiss, their bodies moving until Cherish’s back pressed up against the office printer.
Haylee ignored the unimpressed machine as some part of Cherish pressed up against buttons. The machine squealed and squawked, but she continued the embrace. She couldn’t stop. Haylee pressed her hands to Cherish’s shoulder blades, nails threatening to dig through the silk shirt that hung on her, accentuating all her curves to goddess level.
Sliding her hands down Cherish’s sides, Haylee kept their mouths locked together. Cherish hid so much of herself, every day. Haylee just wanted to find out who she was under all of this. Those small hints she’d gotten were a balm to the chaos that was this office. Groaning, Haylee nipped Cherish’s lower lip and debated whether or not to kiss her neck or the tops of her breasts next.
Haylee slid her thigh between Cherish’s legs and pressed in hard.
“No.” Cherish’s shift of hands and slight pressure against Haylee’s shoulders was enough for Haylee to instantly step back. She didn’t want to, but she would never push anyone to do something they weren’t comfortable with.
Haylee’s breath was ragged as she shuffled a little farther back, allowing Cherish to stand up properly and straighten her clothes.
“I’m sorry, I—” Cherish wouldn’t look at her.
“Please.” Haylee lifted her hands, hoping her unsatiated lust didn’t shine too hungrily from her eyes. “Please don’t ever apologize for not wanting something. I get it.”
“I’m just not…I’m not completely comfortable with all of this.” Cherish waved her hand between the two of them, and Haylee noticed the small tremble in her fingers. “Not—not yet.”
“Not yet?” Haylee couldn’t help the grin, and Cherish, red cheeked, nodded a little.
“Not yet.”
“I’ll wait since it’s not yet.” Haylee winked. “You lead. I’ll follow.”
“Haylee…” Cherish blew out a breath.
“Cherish? Haylee?” Febe’s voice was a bucket of ice water thrown on both of them.
Haylee jerked with a start, looking Cherish over quickly and realizing she wasn’t fit to walk out into the main office. “I got this one.”
Haylee left Cherish with a slide of fingers against Cherish’s upper arm and stepped into the main office. Febe stared at her oddly, her brow furrowed.
“I…” Febe stopped short, her gaze dropping over Haylee’s body before she gave a slight shake of her head. “I expect this office to never be unoccupied during working hours.”
That was a chastisement if ever she’d heard one. And it wasn’t like she and Cherish were out of the office, but they certainly hadn’t been paying attention to the phones or who was coming in either. “Yes, Ms. Aarts.”
“I need you to call the Holbrook Foundation. I need to speak with Allegra.”
“Absolutely.” Haylee immediately went to her desk, wriggling her hips a little more than necessary with the joy bubbling up, but she couldn’t help it.
This was a good day.
“Oh, and Haylee?”
Haylee jerked her chin up to find Febe leaning over her desk, Febe’s finger pushed directly onto it, the tip turning white from the pressure. Haylee’s heart stuttered as Febe lifted her finger and pointed to her own mouth, lowering her voice to just above a whisper. “That color isn’t the right shade for you.”
“Shit,” Haylee said as she landed her butt in her chair.
With that, Febe left.
Cherish stepped out from the printer room and gave Haylee an odd look. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Damn it all to hell if Haylee was going to share that with Cherish. They’d never stand a chance then. And holy hell, so much for this just being a crush. Haylee was completely lost in Cherish.