Chapter 22
Chandler
I let out an exasperated sigh and tossed my phone on my desk, the loud clatter drawing in the eyes of an employee passing by.
They quickly averted their curious gaze and kept walking, seeing I was in no mood.
I ran a hand through my hair and sat back in my chair, turning to look out at the view of the city.
Gabriella hadn’t responded to my text and when I called her, it went straight to voicemail.
I wondered if I had pissed her off with my harsh response to her taking the morning off, but it was unlike her to just not come in.
I hated that I relied on her as much as I did.
I had grown used to her being here and though I often pretended to ignore her guidance, I really did take most of what she said and implement it as my role as CEO.
I wasn’t an idiot. I knew her tenure here, and how it could benefit me.
I just didn’t like admitting that much to her.
Without her here, I felt a little lost and I didn’t like that feeling, especially when the office turned to me for guidance without their friendlier middleman here to help them out.
Without her here, the office felt quieter.
Lonelier. Dull. There were none of those sneaky glances in each other’s direction.
No office nookie. No sharp comebacks. Honestly, I hated it.
As I looked at her empty desk across the way, I realized my idea of firing after enough time had passed would be a pretty miserable one.
I chewed the inside of my cheek and picked up my phone again.
I figured I would try one more time and then I would give up.
The phone didn’t even ring one time before her voicemail picked up, the melodic sound of her voice filling my ears.
I debated leaving a message, maybe an apology or an “I hope you feel better,” but decided against it. I hung up.
She seemed fine last night. More than fine.
It had been bold of me to show up to her apartment unannounced, with no invitation from her.
Especially when I had been there the night before.
But I couldn’t help myself. The evening had rolled around and I was on my couch eating leftover takeout and watching the news, and I found myself lonely.
And horny. I had driven over to her place and hoped she would be there.
And boy was she. She opened the door wearing a flimsy pair of silk pajamas that left little to the imagination, and I was already tearing them off her by the time the door had closed behind me. She didn’t question it. We just fell into each other, like we always did.
I had slipped out of bed and quietly pulled on my clothes while she lay fast asleep in her cloud of a bed.
Seriously, I had to ask her where she got her mattress from because it was nearly impossible to pull myself out of it.
The fact that she was naked under the sheets also made it difficult to leave.
But I never stayed the night with any woman, even if it was Gabriella.
Actually, especially if it was Gabriella.
This thing we had going on between us was already confusing and consuming as it was, as much as I tried to deny it.
There was no need to make it more than it was, so once I was changed, I watched her sleep a second longer before slipping out of her room and leaving her apartment, closing the door softly behind me.
It wasn’t the first time I had snuck out, and it wouldn’t be the last. She never questioned me about it, so I figured she had no qualms about it.
Most women did, usually texting me the morning they wake up to find me gone to chew me out for being an asshole for not saying goodbye.
But Gabriella was different. She knew what this was. Or wasn’t.
The rest of the day at the office dragged on.
My mind was being pulled to Gabriella, a knot of worry in my stomach that she must be really sick if she wasn’t returning my text messages or calls.
I had the idea of taking chicken noodle soup or ginger ale over to her apartment, but it dissipated as quickly as it popped into my head.
We weren’t those people. I wasn’t that kind of guy.
When I arrived at the office the next day, I was surprised to find her sitting at her desk, focused on typing something on her computer.
She had never called me back the day before, and now she was just sitting here like she hadn’t gone all MIA on me.
I made it a point to slow my pace as I walked past her office, feeling that hint of excitement pulse through me whenever she was near, but she didn’t acknowledge me.
She kept her eyes down and on the glow of her computer screen.
I frowned slightly before continuing into my office.
Maybe she hadn’t seen me. But she always saw me, just as I always saw her.
It was instinctual. Without laying eyes on her, I could feel she was nearby.
My cock could too. It was like one of those lightning rods, electric and humming for her to come closer.
I sat down at my desk and looked at her, my brows furrowed as I tried to get a read on her. When she continued to avoid my gaze, I cleared my throat and garnered her attention. Her hazel eyes were wary as they slowly raised to me.
“Gabriella, can you please come in here?” I said in my best authoritative voice. It was the tone I always used on her because we didn’t want to raise suspicions. We wanted the office to believe we still hated each other, which was true on some level, but we also loved fucking each other.
She looked nervous, and not the kind of nervous I was used to when she wasn’t sure if we were going to take things slow or rough and fast. She stood slowly from her desk chair and walked into my office, leaving the door open behind her. Something was off. She always closed the door.
“You’re back,” I said, gesturing to the leather armchair across from my desk.
“Mhmm,” she said, not taking the invitation.
I tilted my head and peered up at her. Her eyes were on the floor and it was as if she was trying to hide behind her long, brown hair that fell partly in front of her face.
“Please sit,” I said. “I need to catch you up on yesterday.”
She nodded and hesitantly sat down.
I wondered what the hell was going on. Had I done something wrong?
Maybe she didn’t like the fact that I had snuck out of her apartment.
Again. I shook the thought away because that would mean she was getting attached, and we couldn’t have that.
Gabriella was too smart for that, anyway.
She knew mixing business and feelings was a no-go.
“First off, how are you feeling?” I asked, trying to sound warm and hide my irritation as to why she was being so standoffish.
“Fine,” she said.
She was really on one with the one-word answers today.
Mhmm.
Fine.
It was really getting under my skin.
“Good. That’s good,” I said. Then I proceeded to go over yesterday’s agenda of meetings, so she was up to speed.
I knew it was important for her to know what was going on at all times.
It must be a control issue, which usually irritated me, but I was trying to throw her a bone here.
With her vacant stare, I wondered if she was even hearing anything that I said.
She was usually feverishly taking notes or typing into her iPad that hardly ever left her hand.
“Well, that’s pretty much it. You’re up to speed.”
“Good,” she murmured, looking back toward the door.
That pissed me off. I hadn’t seen her in two days and she was already looking for an escape route.
Maybe she was just having an off day or maybe she was just back to being her old self.
I sometimes couldn’t keep up with her hot and cold attitude.
It was probably why I was so stupidly intrigued by her.
But if this was how she wanted to play it, then fine. I could be cold, too. I had plenty enough to do than to worry about her feelings any longer.
I straightened in my chair, tilting my chin up with pride and peering down my nose at her. “You’re dismissed then,” I said, looking toward the door impatiently.
She looked like she might say something, like I had finally gotten to her, but instead she stood from her seat and walked out the door, giving me a view of her perfect ass just to rub salt in the wound.
We spent the next few hours mostly ignoring each other, aside from the occasional necessary email.
There were no innuendos. No flirtation. They were straight to the point and dull beyond belief.
I attended meetings by myself, not inviting her to tag along, and her not insisting she attend.
Something must be really wrong if she wasn’t butting into everything.
Shortly after she arrived back from lunch, she looked like she was packing her things up to leave again.
I watched her curiously from my desk, where I had taken my lunch because I had a few things to figure out.
Things I normally would ask Gabriella about, but refused to give her the satisfaction.
I had let a lot of things go today, but her leaving was just enough to tip me over the edge.
“Where do you think you’re going?” I asked from my office, not caring if anyone heard. Everyone here knew I was forward. Gruff. Cutthroat.
She finished putting her iPad in her large purse as she muttered under her breath.
“What was that?” I asked sharply.
“I said I’m leaving to go meet my father. Do you have a problem with that? Or do you need to keep tabs on me at all times?” she snapped as she slung her purse over her shoulder.
“Uh, yes. I do. I’m your boss, remember?”
“Like you’d ever let me forget.” She rolled her eyes.
At least she was back to being a bitch and not the vacant version of herself she was earlier. Maybe we were getting back to our normal selves.
She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and walked out of her office, passing mine without so much as a glance in my direction, let alone a goodbye.
I could tell some employees in the office were watching, casting sideways glances our way.
They were enjoying the show, but Gabriella’s defiance wasn’t a good look, especially when I was supposed to be in charge.
I wanted to storm after her and chew her out, but I knew giving everyone more of a show would look bad. Instead, I stayed at my desk, quietly stewing and pretending to be busy with the papers on my desk. Internally, I was giving her a vulgar gesture.
What did she need to talk to her father about now?
I thought we were past the point of her always trying to undermine me and paint me in a bad light, but maybe I was wrong.
No matter how much sex we had or small moments where we were actually decent to each other, none of it mattered.
She was still out to get my job. A job that I had busted my ass to get, but she didn’t seem to understand that because she believed that it should be hers on a fucking silver platter.
I was not going to let her ruin this for me.