Chapter 4 Steven
STEVEN
As Becca passes by my office, I can’t help but stare.
Not just because she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, but because of the wonderful person she is, inside and out.
Yes, she didn’t make the best decision when she left me heartbroken, but it doesn’t make her a bad person.
She did what she thought was right at the time.
Russell finding out about us would be terrible for both of us.
But now, she’s back.
Even if she’s only my secretary, I’ll take it.
She is such a hard worker, going above and beyond my expectations.
She’s even finished my lists early, and since it’s Friday, she’s out in the reception area, helping my new hire.
Making the decision to hire her was the best one I’ve made in a long time.
When Russell put the bug in my ear that Becca was moving back home and looking for work, I was reluctant because of how we left things.
But now, I’d hire ten more of her without question.
My phone buzzes on my desk, and I see it’s a notification from my delivery driver, letting me know that the lunch I ordered was sitting down on the main floor at reception.
Sighing, I stand just as Becca peeks her head into my office. “Hey, I’m going on lunch in a few, need anything before I clock out?”
Suddenly, an idea pops into my head, and I smile. “Actually, yes. It’ll only take a minute. Can you run down and grab my lunch delivery from Alice?”
She nods. “Sure thing, be back in a sec.” I watch her head into the elevator.
While I could’ve gotten it myself, maybe this way I can talk her into eating lunch with me.
I was going to invite her anyway because I purposefully ordered two subs.
Over the past week, I noticed her softening up and being more open to the idea of being around me, so I’m going to push my luck.
I just miss her.
“Here’s lunch,” Becca announces, setting the bag in front of me, and I thank her as I pull out my food.
“Oh, they sent me extra,” I say, looking back up at her. “Want to join me? It’s from Tony’s. I know it’s your favorite.”
Shooting her my best pleading smile, the one I remember she couldn’t resist, she giggles, and her cheeks flush.
She agrees.
I try my best to contain my excitement.
Becca sits across the desk from me, and I slide her one of the meatball subs.
Her hands delicately unwrap it, and she takes a large bite.
I chuckle, asking if she’s hungry.
“You don’t get it,” she replies with a mouthful of food. “I haven’t had Tony’s in … hell, since we got it that one night under the stars, remember that?”
I’m shocked that she brought up a good memory between us willingly.
On Monday, getting her to even look at me was like pulling teeth. “Yeah, I remember everything, actually.”
My comment has her lowering her eyes as I begin to worry that I struck a nerve.
But this beating around the bush thing isn’t working for me anymore.
There’s stuff we need to talk about, whether it make us uncomfortable or not.
I’m owed that at least.
But for now, I’ll take any good moment with her I can get. “Do you remember when we were out on the golf course after hours?”
Her face lights up at my question and she laughs. “Yeah, and the sprinklers kicked on when we were just getting started?”
It feels good to joke with her, especially when it gets her to acknowledge that we were together in the past instead of avoiding it altogether.
I missed her smile, her company … even the way her curly hair bounces when her head falls back in laughter.
“We did have some pretty great times, didn’t we?” It surprises me, but I agree with her.
“Yeah, we really did.” I take another bite of my sub, just enjoying her being here with me.
After the first year of her being gone and not returning any of my attempts to reach out to her, I tried to forget about her.
But I couldn’t.
Nothing I did erased her from my brain.
I even went out on a date once, but I ended it early, faking a family emergency.
It wasn’t that the woman was ugly or boring, she just wasn’t Becca.
No one makes me feel that way she does. She’s one of a kind.
Once the laughter dies down, Becca brings up the upcoming holiday season. “So, why is Christmas such an important time for you?”
“Well, my company has its hands in almost all the advertising that’s digital and up on the billboards. So all the new toys coming out or the businesses that need their names put out there, we do that. Vacation spots, seasonal spirits, you name it.”
Once we finish our food, Becca grabs all the trash and throws it away.
“Well,” she says, sitting back down and crossing her legs. “I’ll do what I can to help things run smoothly for you.”
“That’s why I hired you,” I say with a flirtatious tone, testing the waters with her. She giggles, and her hand covers her mouth.
Her smile quickly fades the moment her eyes catch Cam walking into my office.
“Hey, am I interrupting something?” he says, looking between the two of us. Becca stands up, saying that she better get back to work as she keeps her eyes to the floor and leaves in a hurry.
“Thanks for lunch,” she practically whispers before the door closes.
What the hell was that?
I didn’t think Cam and her had even talked more than Monday when I introduced them.
That’s something I’ll have to ask her about later because that was weird.
“God, now that’s a hot piece of ass. Good job, man,” Cam comments as he stares at Becca’s ass while she walks down the hallway.
This infuriates me.
Hearing anyone speak of Becca in such a way lights a fire in me that I can’t seem to control.
“Shut the hell up.” I can’t help but scold him.
Cam has always been overly cocky, but when it comes to Becca, I won’t allow it. “You can have anyone you want. Leave my staff alone.”
Cam scoffs, brushing me off. “I don’t want just anyone. She’s playing hard to get, and you know I love a good chase.”
Something about that relieves me, knowing that Becca isn’t falling for Cam’s bullshit lines or his overzealous charm.
It wouldn’t be the first time Cam has stolen a woman from me.
The difference is, I didn’t love that girl, but Becca … I’ll never let that happen.
Cam soon leaves once he sees that I don’t find his comments amusing, and I’m left alone, feeling annoyed.
Not only did he ruin a good moment we were having, but he admitted to trying to get her.
If only he knew …
Trying to get my mind off of that, I open my laptop to check some emails when I hear someone shouting in the hallway, and it’s growing closer.
“Someone went in and fucked up all the work I did this week,” Becca shouts angrily as she steps back into my office. “All that hard work, and it’s screwed.” She stands in front of me, her hands on her hips with red cheeks.
I keep it to myself, but she’s absolutely adorable when she’s flustered. “Alright, let’s just take a breath. What happened?”
Becca breathes for a moment. “I’m sorry for the freakout. And sorry for cursing at work. All the files that I organized and placed in by dates are all mixed up. That’s going to set me back a few days next week …”
“That was probably the new hire. I’m sorry that happened.
I must not have been clear enough for her.
How about this, I’ll stay late tonight and get it all fixed for you.
I saw how hard you worked. It wouldn’t be fair to make you do it again all alone.
” I keep my voice calm because getting worked up won’t help her at all.
It just means that I need to keep a closer eye on the woman I just hired to help one of my other campaign managers.
Her face calms and she sits down, her tension seeming to diminish a little.
Her tensed muscles relax as she looks at me.
“No, that’s not fair to let you do it all. I’ll stay late and help. Things at home are … taken care of, so I’m free.”
My heart skips a beat with her offer.
Is this finally my chance?
We’ll be all alone, with no distractions.
If nothing else, at least I can spend some more time with her.
I agree, and she leaves, telling me that she’s going to put all the folders in a box and bring them in here so we can sort them on a much larger floor than she has in the back office.
After she leaves, I count down the minutes until people clock out for the weekend.
I watch the elevator until the last person leaves the floor.
Becca soon comes back, holding a large cardboard box filled to the brim with folders.
Seeing the work she is spreading out on the floor, I feel a little overwhelmed.
“Going to be a late night,” she jokes, turning to look at me as she rests on her knees.
“Fine with me.” A smile forms on my mouth as I walk over and join her on the carpet.
We empty folder after folder, then match the dated papers with the corresponding folders.
The first half of the work flies as we laugh, reminiscing on old times.
I throw a few flirtatious lines in, and she doesn’t reject them.
It feels like no time has passed at all. I missed these moments with her.
More than she will ever know.
Finally, the last paper gets filed properly and she closes the folder. “I’ll talk to Rosalie on Monday. This won’t happen again.”
“I really do appreciate you staying and helping me.” Smiling, she leads the way to the elevator after we grab out stuff. The doors open and we step inside.
We both reach for the G button, and our fingers touch, sending a spark up my arm.
There’s still this undeniable attraction and tension between us.
I just wish I didn’t have to fight it.
She blushes, saying sorry, but I stop her. “Please stop apologizing. Neither of us did anything wrong.”
Her beautiful blue eyes stare at me, and it’s evident that she knows I’m not just talking about pressing the button on the wall.
I mean everything between us …
The small space we stand in begins heating up quickly, hot enough to burn this entire building to the ground.
The air falls silent again until she turns to say something to me again, and without my inner thoughts talking me out of it, I grab her face.
The moment my lips touch hers, my entire body ignites.
Her hands grab the front of my shirt, gripping the fabric between her fingers.
My tongue enters her mouth, finding her tongue in some wild dance.
God … I missed you …