Shadow of Doubt

David's POV 

And then I kissed her.

Rosie pulled away first and looked up at me, her expression a mix of surprise and confusion. 

I should have thought about my actions and considered how stupid it might have been, but it's extremely hard to do that when you have a very distracting woman hanging on to you. From her large blue watery eyes to her perfect lips, which felt as soft as they looked, and from her pale yet glowing skin to her overall vulnerable appearance, Rosie Johnson, my secretary, looked irresistible.

For what felt like eternity but was just mere seconds, we both sat there staring at each other. Although it was brief, my lips were still tingling from the kiss, and Rosie looked like she was in a daze. Somehow, my eyes found their way down to her lips, which were still slightly parted. My face was close enough to hers to feel her warm breath. I could just close the distance between us again and…

Stop it, David. She's your secretary for crying out loud. You can't be thinking like that about an ordinary secretary. If anything at all, she's no match for Sofia's poise and elegance.

I leaned back in my seat, coughed a bit too loudly than was necessary to clear my throat and gain some composure, and then, with a tinge of regret, I started "I… I'm so sorry about that Rosie. I acted on impulse and took advantage of your vulnerability.I shouldn't have done that, and I sincerely apologize once again."

I watched as her features fell, the confusion and surprise replaced immediately by a look of disappointment.

Was I imagining things, or did she also want the kiss?

"I understand Mr Crest. I shouldn't have let myself get carried away by my emotions either." Her voice was still hoarse from the crying, and although she had stopped, she looked like she might tear up at the slightest.

Not knowing what to say next, we sat there in awkward silence, Rosie shifting uncomfortably in her seat and picking at an imaginary loose thread on her skirt and me looking at everywhere and anywhere but her face. I tried to make small talk, but all I got was an uninterested response, so I dropped it. 

Rosie stood up and walked slowly towards the closest window, her every movement taunting me, although it was unintentional. It's funny how I just noticed after all these years of her working for me, but she looked really nice from behind. No. 

"Looks like the rain has let up a bit" Rosie's voice rang out, cutting me in my trail of thoughts. I was grateful for the distraction, and I looked towards the window. In our tense moment, we hadn't noticed the rain slow down, but all that's left now was a light drizzle that couldn't exactly get a person wet unless they were under it for hours. "Ah well, it's high time I headed home. This girl's got secretarial work to do tomorrow" She continued in a sing-song voice in an attempt to lighten the mood, and surprisingly, it worked. I met her eyes for the first time after the kiss, and we both shared a laugh.

It didn't darken so fast at this time of the year in New York, so I was surprised when I looked at my Rolex and saw it was well past 7 pm. That meant we had been stuck in here for over two hours since the official closing time.

"Goodnight Mr Crest. I'll have those files on your table first thing tomorrow morning." She said as she headed towards the door.

"Rosie, wait" I might have been called proud and selfish by the general public, but there was no way I was letting a woman go out alone by this time of the day in our crime-filled city. "It's too dangerous for you to go on your own. Let me take you home instead."

She spun around to face me, uncertainty marking her face. "It's fine, Mr Crest. I'm used to the neighbourhood already. I'll be fine." "I insist. Meet me at the car park in 10 minutes " I said in a tone of finality.

We had a stare down, then, "Okay Mr Crest. I'll go get my things" She said resignedly, then left the room. I gathered my own things, shut the window blinds, took out my car keys, and then left the room, locking the door behind me.

I got into my car and decided to listen to music before Rosie showed up. I put on my earpods and was so caught up in listening that I didn't hear when she knocked on the window until I turned my head towards the door she was at. I quickly unlocked the door, and she got in, shaking from the cold.

"I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry Rosie" I said over and over while she settled herself on the plush seat beside me. I turned up the heater, and soon after, her shaking stopped. We rode in silence for the next few minutes, the only thing breaking it was Rosie's occasional directions. About 30 minutes after leaving the office, we stopped at a quaint little bungalow with a stucco roof and carefully tended flowers lining the walls.

"It's a pretty nice place you've got." I said in all honesty. It was a sharp contrast to my mansion, but if anything, this place seemed like a much more comfortable place than mine could ever be.

She replied,"Thank you, Mr Crest. It's my comfort zone, so I take pride in keeping it as nice as I can." I imagined her dressed in overalls, getting her hands dirty as she did gardening work, having a cup of coffee after, and then having a warm bath and…and I caught myself. I was going down the same path I said I wouldn't go. Maybe it was time for me to leave. The 'Rosie air' I've been breathing in for the past few hours must be messing with my head. A drink should help me get my thoughts back in order.

"Well, it's time to go. I'll see you at work tomorrow, Miss Johnson. You should have something warm and get some rest. It's been a long day." I said in a feeble attempt to escape. Whether she sensed my discomfort or not, I wasn't sure, but she smiled and said "Thank you so much, Mr Crest, for the ride and…everything else. You're a really kind person, despite what people say."

She got down, and I waited until she got inside and locked the door before I started my car. I connected my phone to my car's Bluetooth system and turned the music all the way so I'd have something distracting me from my thoughts. 

I drove for some time and parked in front of my favourite bar. These guys have the best and most expensive drinks a guy could ever want. I ordered a Tequila,though, because I wasn't in the mood for anything fancy.

Rosie had been my secretary for years, and up until the whole Sofia fiasco, I had never even spared her a glance. Suddenly, everything she says and does makes me attracted to her, and thoughts of her live rent-free in my head. But I can't have a relationship with my secretary, what would people say when they find out? Even Rosie would be caught in the crossfire because people would assume she came in between me and Sofia for her own selfish purposes.

I can't let that happen. I have to avoid it. Our reputations are at stake. 

I know what I must do now.