A Brewing Storm in the Distance

So much for taking a bath now.

Few hours after Ivo left, another knock jolted her out of her reverie. She released a heavy sigh. Retrieving her discarded t-shirt, pj's, and robe from the floor, she padded to the door. She narrowed her eyes against the peephole. Harold stands behind her wooden door. A plumpish but dapper, older not to mention the lecherous old man is here, back facing at her, his feet tapping in rhythmic movement.

She watched and waited. He's no friend of hers, so his visit falls under her category of suspicious behaviour. He turned, irritation evident on his rather wrinkled face. He closed them, opened them once again as shadow now forms beneath his eyes adding a dramatic effect to the peculiar expression he now wore.

Still to come here directly. What a pompous, concupiscent, did I mention old? Yes, old man.

She narrowed her eyes when he knocked not only once ...twice...but three times yet she ignored them all. His scowls deepen when no answer came from her.

It's not like he knows I'm here, is it? She shook her untamed hair. It's one pervert after another. As the saying goes: when it rains, it pours.

'Ms. Phi,'--------- a silken voice called her. She shivered involuntarily. Ugh. I'm gonna puke. She cannot stomach him at all.

Clutching her torso with both hands, she tiptoed back to her room to continue her bathing.

'Ms. Phi?' he called her once again, but this time, voice now laced with mild irritation.

'Why can't he just go away? She muttered to herself. 'This is Ivo's fault.' Tsk. 'That bastard. Didn't Ivo relay my message to 'him'? Probably not. But why the hell is he be the one to be here? He's not even my boss for that matter.' Perverted old man. She nibbled her lips, thinking, then shrugged her shoulders when no idea came to be.

She was in the middle of lifting her shirt when she heard a different yet familiar voice coming from the direction of the door. Frowning, she let her hands down, walked back softly. A meter distance, she can clearly hear Ivo's deep, baritone voice asking her unwanted visitor outside. She can imagine his expression just hearing his voice, she pressed her ears against the wooden door. Ivo's airy and smooth voice cut through Harold's pathetic excuses for coming here.

'She is a busy person, Sir,' the placated, tone he used cracked her up. She nearly burst into laughter instead immediately covered her mouth with both hands to prevent any sounds from escaping. Her eyes twitched imperceptibly. He doesn't know when to back down, that Ivo.

She peeked once more to the peephole and found Harold's no more. She frowned. While Ivo's still there, not that she's complaining, but instead of being alone, another bothersome came with him.

'He' was with Ivo. Her eyes bulge out when she spied that accented raven-blond hair.

Shit.

She did not hear any of this. Why is 'he' here?

They seem to be talking in a hushed tone, faces serious. She pressed her ear once more closely to the door, straining her sense of hearing, catching some words uttered.

Shit. Shit. Don't tell me??

When she heard fading footsteps, she hastily opened her door. 'His' stormy blue-grey eyes narrowed on her, pinning her to the door, rendering her immobile on the spot. She gulped audibly, throat bobbing up and down. It was scratchy. She tried to swallow but his penetrating gaze stops her from making any movement at all. She watched Ivo's fading back until it was blocked by the large oak door. The door shut noisily, like a horror movie, it signifies that she is really alone with 'him' here.

She kept her silence. It was the most awkward situation she finds herself in. Compared to him, she looks like a drowned cat in the rain. She felt insulted by his immaculate image without him even talking.

She inhaled deeply, preparing mentally for another attack on her already battered pride. Why the heck did Ivo allowed him to be here? I told him specifically to make any excuses for her, yet he allowed 'him' to accompanied him here... Unbelievable.

He did not bother to grace her with his sarcastic remarks which he usually does especially if it's her and that made her feel more nervous. The ticking of the clock further down the hallway added to the tense atmosphere inside. She pursed her lips, eyebrows drawn as minutes passed by without any of them trying to break the fragile peace between them. Yet, as usual, he likes to torture her.

'Would you not invite me in?' his deep, rich voice washed over her muddled brain, sending her frenzied mind to a halt.

'Huh?' Looking at him with bewildered yet confused eyes. He merely tilts his head, blue-grey eyes steady on her. When she continued being an idiot, he simply walks towards her, sinuous body moves with purpose, that unmistakable suffocating aura enveloping his body sends goosebumps all over her. She does not understand her body's reaction towards him but she's hypersensitive to every move he made.

So she took a step back when he did not stop, stumbling over trying to gain distance from him. She can feel her heart beating so fast and grasp it over her chest, eyes trained on him. This game of chase continued until she's cornered over her couch which she remembers not being there.

Towering over her, broad shoulder block her view as muscled arms raised over her head. She blinks unable to comprehend his action. What is this situation?

When he shifted closer to her, she pushed both her hands onto his hard chest, preventing him from doing so. She raised her head and found him staring at her. She immediately ducks, embarrassment catching up, untamed raven hair shielding her from his penetrating gaze. She can feel the heat of his body, caressing her, making her temperature rise. She can already feel her face burning. What is this? This is unusual.

She jerked when a soft touch lingered over her shoulder. A rough finger traced her collar bone showing, then grabbing her chin softly, tilting it. She gasped when his thumb grazed lightly on her lips, over and over again. She grabbed his hand, stopping it from touching her, yet he only removed them, placing them firmly on her side.

He leaned down, face level with her, she shrunk back, manoeuvred her body to the side but he stopped her by pushing her body to the wall with his body. She shivered. She pushed him back harder but he remained immobile.

'I...I think....I....this...' stumbling over her words, her brain lagged processing the turn of event. Her voice trembled, high pitched, face blushing, and eyes wide trying to comprehend the situation.

'What was Harold's purpose coming here?' a cold voice whispered, his breath caressed her sensitive ear.

'I...I don't know.'

He peered over her face, serious and...angry. He was angry. When she did not explain, he sighs and grabbed her jaw again.

'Look at me when I am talking to you,' he sounded calm but his eyes remain angry.

'I.....I....can we...not...talk like...this,' gesturing to their current situation.

He merely looks at her. 'What's wrong with this?'

Huh??? What's wrong??? Everything's wrong! You imbecile. Even though you are a handsome, gorgeous male species, this...this is so wrong on so many levels.

No. Calm down.

'I....mean..we can talk....without the both of us.....Ummm....invading our personal space, can't we,' she explained.

'No.'

'Huh?'

'Let' talk about you.'

'Me?' pointing to herself. He nodded. He really is bipolar. Whenever they are alone like this, such behaviour he has never shown to others surface when he talked to me. But she knows that when they are in public, he will flip that switch he has and altogether ignore her.

'Your absence during the meeting.'

'I can explain.'

'I hope you have a reasonable excuse of your tardiness earlier, Phi?' his hard voice stopped whatever excuse on the tip of her tongue.

What excuse? That you oversleep?

'Ahahahahaha, I...I...' I do not know what to say.

Her face fell when he remained unimpressed at her display of idiocy.

'Ha....ha....ha....I....did not hear you...?' a dry laugh trailing every word said. She shuffled her feet, mouth strained as she offered him another smile. She is really uncomfortable right now. Well, she is always uncomfortable being alone with 'him' most of the day but right now, she does not want to be alone with him. What a bit of rotten luck you have Athy! She mentally castigated herself.

'I was in the bath....roo.....' she stopped midsentence she noticed his stormy eyes zeroed on her face. She blinked trying to regain her composure.

'I.....' She clamped her mouth and forced herself to stay quiet when he gave her a cold, calculating stare.

'Your unwarranted absence brought a lot of works to my table. I hope you are ready to face the consequences?'

She diverts her gaze beyond him. Lit from above the ceiling, four lamps adorned the hallway, medium-sized paintings of famous painters lined up from left to right as walled windows are set up against as backdrop facing the cliff. For normal days, she will not bother looking and even starts to appreciate the beauty of the designs and the charms it brought to the house, but right now it demands more of her attention partly because she does not want to prolong their conversation, whatsoever and dip her body in a hot bath. Maybe he was offended by my message?

'I deeply apologize.'

'I don't need your apology. Come to the office after you make yourself presentable.'

This guy. He never minced his word, does he?

'Order received, Sir.' Yet he stayed where he was.

'Sir?' she called him.

'Is this how you usually entertain your guest, Phi?' he whispered to her ear.

'Huh? No!' she vehemently defends herself.

'It's showing.' That's what he said before he left her there, face in shock.

What?

What?

Huh?

Huh?

She looks down.

Lo and behold, it was really showing.

Her breasts.