85 You're Getting Soft on Me

Brio is a small but quaint Italian place. The floor is covered in beautiful multi colour tiles and the ceiling is a mural of what I interpret as heaven. The chubby smiling cherubs are waiting outside white gates, there is a set of angles one white and one black locked in an embrace behind the gate. The white angel seems to be trying to pull the other through to the other side.

"Tess?" Harry says and pulls me by the sleeve of his jacket.

"Coming." I mumble and walk to the table.

Our table is set in the back of the restaurant and Harry sits in the chair next to me instead of across. He pulls his chair closer and rests his elbows on the table. He orders for both of us but I don't mind, he has been here before.

"So you and Mr. Vance are really close then?" I ask.

"I wouldn't say that. But we know each other well enough." He shrugs.

"You seemed to really get along, I like seeing you that way." I admit.

The hint of a smile tugs at his lips and he puts his hand on my thigh. "Do you now?"

"Yes, I like to see you happy." I feel there is more behind him and Mr. Vance's relationship than he is telling me but for now I am not going to push it.

"I am happy. Happier than I thought I would be... ever." He adds.

"What has gotten into you? You're getting soft on me." I tease and he chuckles.

"I can knock over a few tables, bloody a fee noses to remind you." He says and I push my shoulder into his.

"No thanks." I giggle.

Our food arrives and I thank the waitress before taking a bite. He ordered us some sort of ravioli and it is delicious.

"Good hun?" He brags and fills his mouth with food. I nod and do the same.

Harry and I bicker about who is going to pay for lunch but he ends up winning.

"You can pay me back later." He winks behind the waitress back.

When we walk back to VP, Harry follows me inside.

"You're coming up?" I ask him.

"Yea, I wanted to see your office then I will go. Promise." He smiles.

"Deal." I tell him and we step onto the elevator. When we reach the top floor I give him his jacket back and he shrugs it on. My eyes widen at how hot he looks in the leather jacket.

"Hey, it's you again." The guy in the navy suit says as we walk down the hall.

"And it's you again." I smile.

His eyes dart to Harry who is standing next to me. 'I'm Harry." He says to the man.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Trevor, I work in finance." He tells Harry. "Well I will see you around." He smiles and walks away.

When we walk into my office Harry grabs my wrist and turns me to face him.

"What the hell was that?" He spits. Is he joking? I look down at my wrist in his hands and take that as a no. His grip isn't tight but holds me in place.

"What?"

"That guy." He huffs.

"What about him? I just met him this morning in the elevator." I pull my wrist away.

"It didn't seem like you just met, the two of you were just flirting in front of me."

"What?" I can't help but laugh. "You're insane if you think that was flirting, I was being polite and so was he. Why would I flirt with him?" I try to keep my voice down. Causing a scene in my office will not be good for me.

"Why wouldn't you? He was nice and clean cut, suit and all." Harry says.

He seems more hurt and worried than angry. My instincts tell me to cuss him out and tell him to get the hell out, but I decide to take a different approach. Just like when he was breaking things at his father's house.

"Is that what you think? That I want someone like him, someone unlike you?" I ask in a gentle voice. He is taken aback, I know he expected me to blow up at him. He contemplate what to say next.

"I don't know...maybe." His eyes meet mine.

"Well you're wrong, as usual." I smile. I need to talk to him about this later, but I need to make sure he knows he has nothing to worry about overpowers my need to correct him.

"I am sorry if you think I was flirting with him, I wasn't. I wouldn't do that to you." I assure him. His eyes soften and I bring my hand up to his cheek. How can one person be so strong yet so weak.

"I...okay." He says. I laugh and caress his cheek. I love catching him off guard.

"Why would I flirt with him if I have you?" I say. His eyes flutter and he finally smiles. I am relieved that I am learning how to disengage the bomb that is Harry.

"I love you. I am sorry for blowing up like that." He says and presses his lips to mine.

"I accept your apology now let me show you my office!" I say in a cheery voice.

"I don't deserve you." He says quietly, too quietly. I choose to ignore it and keep my uplifting attitude.

"So what do you think?" I beam.

He chuckles and listens intently as I show him every detail, every book on the shelf and the empty picture frame on my desk.

"I was thinking I want to put a picture of us here." I tell him. We have never taken any pictures together, the thought hadn't even crossed my mind until I placed the empty frame there. Harry doesn't seem like the type who would smile for a camera, even on a cell phone.

"Oh, I don't really do pictures." He confirms my thoughts.

I am a little embarrassed by him shutting it down that way and he notices.

"I mean...I guess I could take one. Just one though." He strains.

"We will worry about that later." I smile and he seems relieved.

"Now can we move on to how sexy you look in that dress, it's been driving me crazy since I got here." His voice is full octave deeper and he takes a step towards me. My body heats immediately, his words never cease to unravel me.

"You're lucky I didn't open my eyes this morning, if not I would have..." He traces his fingertips along the neckline of my dress. "I wouldn't have let you leave."

He brings his other hand to the hem of my dress and caresses my thigh.

"Harry..." I warn him. My voice betrays me and comes out as more of moan.

"What babe...you don't want me to do this?" He lifts me up and sits me on the edge of my desk. Oh.

"It's..." My thoughts are clouded by his lips against my neck. I dig my fingers into his hair and he nips at my skin. "We can't...someone could come in...or something." The words are jumbled and don't make much sense. He puts his hand on my thigh and opens them further.

"There is a lock on the door for a reason...I really want to take you right here, on this desk. Or maybe against the window." His mouth travels lower on my chest. The idea of what he is proposing sends electricity through my body. His fingers brush over the lace on my panties and he sucks a breath through his teeth.

"You're killing me." He moans as he looks between my legs to see the white lace set I bought yesterday. I can't believe I am letting this happen, on a desk in new office on the second day of my internship. The idea thrills me as much as it terrifies me.

"Lock the..." I begin but we are interrupted by the shrill ring of my phone. I lean back and scramble to answer.

"Hello, Tessa Young speaking." I say. I really need to ask around and see how I should be answering the phone.

"Ms. Young. Tessa" She corrects herself. "Mr. Vance is leaving for the day and is one his way to your office." She says with a hint of amusement in her voice. She is warning me because Harry and I are in here. She must be able to sense how irresistible Harry can be. I flush and thank her before climbing off my desk.

"He's coming in here, stand over there." I gently push Harry towards the window.

"Rain check then?" He smirk and there is a knock on my door.