Chapter 6 His Invitation

With too many wild thoughts, I put back the phone, leaned in my chair, and took a few deep breaths to prepare myself for this meeting.

CLICK ... CLICK

My heart was thumping harder with each step I was taking toward Boss Derek’s office.

There was a moment that I wished I could run away from here, go back, and resign. Who knows what he was going to do to me?

But, I can’t give up this job.

This is the only hope for me to afford our life, or my mom would turn to beg her evil husband again. I'm sure of that!

Come on, Amy, you're a strong, independent woman.

You didn't do work wrong today. Even if he wanted to fire me he would need a reason.

Pushing away all the fear and nervousness from me, I straightened my back and then like a tigress headed to his office without a fear.

Yes, it was just a one-night stand and I had no intention to seduce or threaten him with this. He had no reason to fire me as long as I made my work worthy.

And I'm always a good worker that never disappointed my bosses before.

With new confidence, I passed his secretary, and she nodded at me, allowing me to enter.

KNOCK .. KNOCK

With a slight knock in respect. I waited for a moment before I entered his office. And Derek the Boss, was sitting behind his desk.

His expressions were blank and his eyes bored into me.

With my head held high, I passed him a smile filled with no emotion.

“Good Evening, Boss.”

“Amy Hood…” My name came from his lips a bit differently, it wasn’t like he was acknowledging an employee but more like a hooker.

Shame filled in my cheeks remembering what we did just a day before.

God, he must’ve taken me as a hooker…

Shame!! Shame!!

When the vivid images of us that night passed in my mind, I noticed Derek’s eyes getting sharp on me staring with an unspoken threat.

Quickly, I composed my emotions, “You asked for me, Sir. Is there anything I can do for you?”

For just a flicker, Derek’s sharp eyes flickered with something mischievous with my question and then it returned their sharpness including the deep depth of darkness.

“Miss Hood, I heard that Miss Wilson has handed you the Olsein project,” Derek spoke with a serious straight tone of business and instantly I also returned my posture to business.

“Yes, Boss, I am working on the new designs,” I told him.

“Hmm, what’s the layout in it?” He questioned.

“Currently, I am working in the South. We need the parking lot for the first floor instead of making it underground. Also, if we could add a back exit this would also help in passing vehicles fastly.” I told him the ideas I came up with for the project.

The Olsein Project is something huge, I am sure once the construction would start and the project would be done, people would be rushing to see it.

To avoid the crowd of vehicles, we should go for the back exit, instead of making it to the front only.

Derek’s eyes didn’t move from me, nor his expression dropped, he remained the same as he asked about the North plan.

I told him about it in detail too and he listened without giving any response to me at all.

“When will I get the layout on my desk?” He questioned and without hesitation, I replied, “Tomorrow, they will be on your desk.”

Finally, his straight lips lifted just a fraction as he spoke, “Good.”

And there I let out the breath of sigh I had been holding all the time. So, he didn’t call me to fire me but to question me about the new project.

He wanted to know the layouts and tested my ability.

Thank Lord. I didn't lose this job and still could pay my bills!

But my relief didn’t stay long as the next second he poured the cold water on all my joy.

“I heard the rumor Miss Hood, would you like to clear my understanding of it?” He asked and my smile froze.

“What happened in the morning, was it a deliberate act of seduction?” He questioned straightly and for a moment I looked at him in confusion, and then slowly my mind started to play the memory of the morning.

I, on my knees and he was enjoying my cleavage.

Oh, no !!

It was like a punch in my gut. My eyes closed in despair, that must be the picture I most wanted to erase from my life. But before that, I had to clarify my innocence to keep my job.

“I fell and got slightly bruised too. If I would be acting, at least I would save myself from the pain, Sir.” I explained, trying my best to appear as calm as he is at the moment but with his dark eyes fixed on my face, I am not at ease.

“No pain, no gain, you must’ve heard about that saying, Miss Hood.” He ignored my words completely and mocked me openly.

He didn't believe me, his words proved that he too misunderstands me just like the others in the company. I couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed.

“I didn’t approach you, Sir, far away from the seduction. It was you who came over to help me, I never asked for it.”

"Also, If I truly wanted to seduce you I would stay glued to you after you helped me, but I kept my distance from you all day."

I talked impassively.

“Hmm, what about the other night, Miss Hood, didn’t you approach me that night?"

"Didn't you try to stay as close to me as you could?”

BOOM

My whole face flushed from his bold and shameless words.

Finally, he brought up the topic of that night which I was deliberately trying to avoid. I had prayed to God that he would never mention but here he is discussing it so calmly.

My hand eventually went to my collar at the mention of that night to cover the hickeys. The moment I touched it, I somehow felt the same heat of that night again

Damn! What’s wrong with me?

Seeing me blank and quiet, Derek stood from his place very slowly approaching me. I watched and just watched, as if my tongue had swollen and I had no words to say to him in response.

“So, are you denying that night you’re not the first one to approach me, Miss Hood?”

He questioned, this time his eyes weren't plain but they had a little effect of being coquettish, and they shone with something darker, lust or desire.

I couldn't identify it.

But his closeness was setting my nerves on fire and before I was able to back away from him, he reached for me out of the blue.

I was wrapped in his arms, his eyes staring at me with a hint of a smile, not evil, not mischief but a genuine softness in his eyes.

I unknowingly lost myself under such a gaze from him. I felt my mind messy, what was he really trying to say?

“You shouldn’t be wearing open-collar shirts like this.” He remarked,

His long fingers slid around my jaw, grazing into my hair. His eyes looked down at me and I couldn't look away.

With leisurely insolence, his thumb grazed along my lower lip. The touch shot weakness through my body.

I didn't know why I just couldn’t move. I was transfixed, my heart slugging in my chest.

I should push him away from me, I am just an employee, not his lover, but my limbs had just given up on me.

He is your Boss, Amy!

Office romance would definitely ruin your job!

My self-consciousness returned, and I raised my hand to push him away from me but out of the blue, his mouth crashed onto me, whispering seductively.

"Shall I repeat that night with you again?"

His crazy words immediately took away my senses all for once.

What did he mean? Was he going to lay me down in his office?