7. THE NEW COLLEAGUE.

My alarm beeped for the sixth time while I kept tapping on the snooze option.

"Just let me sleep for a little while," I mumbled with my face buried in my pillow.

Beep! Beep!!

'Okay, that's it,' I groaned inwardly and struggled my way with bedsheets and sat on the bed, my eyes all blurry and still feeling sleepy, I buried my face in my palms while that annoying sound of the alarm kept on ringing in my ears.

My iPhone suddenly rang, and I turned my face towards my phone on the chest beside the bed to see who was calling me. I leaned closer and grabbed my phone and stared at the unknown number calling.

'Who could be calling me early this morning?' I thought, staring blankly at the number calling with my brain having no clue or familiarity with the number.

My instinct was to ignore the call, but another sensible instinct made me realize I just got a job and some clients might be the ones calling me.

'But early this morning?'

"And no one knows my number at work except-' I pondered, knitting my brows

together.

Just answer the call,' My mind suggested.

I sighed accepting the unknown call and brought it close to my ears waiting for the caller to speak because there is no way I would be talking first when I pick an unfamiliar call.

"Hello, are you there, Miss. Jackson?" A deep-voiced echoed through my ears and my eyes widened, every hint of sleepiness scurried away when they heard his voice.

It was my boss...

"Go-Good morning, Sir," I stammered and cleared my throat immediately.

"Get me freshly baked scones and croissants when coming to work, I want them hot, and don't be late," He ordered and hung up before I could speak and my jaw dropped.

'What the hell?'

'He didn't even say a 'good morning,' greeting, how rude of him!'

I scooted out of bed and ended up falling on the floor with the sheets tangled around my legs.

"Ouch!" I grimaced and disentangled the bedsheets from my legs and stood up on my feet and limped my way to the bathroom.

~~

I ran into the company with a box of freshly baked scones and croissants, ignoring everyone who smiled or gave me curious stares.

I was late, so fucking late, and it's thanks to New York's crazy traffic... This is 7:45 a.m., 15 minutes beyond my resumption time.

'I'm so dead, right now; I thought worriedly, I don't know his take on lateness, and I'm not ready to face that yet.

I got to the lousy receptionist who was busy typing on the keyboard.

"Good morning, I need to sign," I told her Impatiently.

"O00! Someone seems to be late on the second day of their job," She mocked, flipping her hair over her shoulder, and I could see the edge of her lips curling up into a taunting smirk.

"You don't need to remind me," I uttered in a dead-panned tone, I was in no mood for respond or picking with this bitch.

Her countenance changed when she saw how serious I was, and she scoffed, rolling her eyes at me.

"Over there," She pointed to the signing book on the front desk and continued with what she was typing on the keyboard.

I hurriedly signed and made my way to the elevator, I had to place both boxes of scones and croissants in my left hand to be able to press the button on the elevator with my right hand.

As I stepped out of the elevator, I bumped into someone, almost making the boxes in my hand fall to the ground, but I was caught immediately and held by my arms.

I looked up to see who was holding me, and my breath hitched.

He was tall, had gray stormy eyes and messy brown hair, and he was staring into my face too, but his looks were more intense than I could imagine.

"Uhm," I muttered, and he let go of me, making sure I was balanced on my foot and I cleared my throat slightly, afterward.

"Hi, I'm Steve, the new guy," He introduced himself with a smile revealing his charming set of white teeth.

"I'm new too," I smiled at him and his eyes beamed at me.

"That's great, nice to meet you... I guess we would be seeing more of each other then," He winked, and I arched a brow at him.

'He's cool and hot too,' I thought.

"Yeah, I guess," I muttered awkwardly.

'You're late!' My mind reminded me and my eyes widened.

"See you later, I've got to go," I excused myself and increased the pace of my footsteps.

I got to my boss's office in no time, filled with thoughts on which excuse I could render to him to make up for my lateness in case he asks, but it wasn't my fault either, why would he give me short notice get him a box of scones and croissant early in the morning?

I knocked on the door and hesitated for a moment waiting for a response before opening the door but got no response to my dismay. I sighed and knocked on the door again, wondering whether my boss was inside or not, but I couldn't keep on waiting for a response because my hands were full.

Furthermore, I barged into the office and a loud gasp escaped my lips.

It was my boss kissing a red hair this time around, and they were both in a passionate embrace. He was sitting on the edge of the desk while his hands roamed freely up and down on the exposed thigh of the lady he was with while she drew him closer by the collar for her to gain more access to his lips.

'Is it this--I mean, is this his sort of morning routine?'

Suddenly, my boss looked towards me and our eyes met, I shuddered and dropped the box in my hands unconsciously and the red-hair lady with him disentangled herself from my boss, quickly adjusting her skirt, and looked my way with shock.

I cleared my throat and scooted to the floor immediately and picked up the box I dropped and stared at my boss with disgust, the red-hair lady was already making her way towards the door as fast as she could.

"Why are you late?" My boss's deep voice echoed in the office as he stood on his and adjusted his collar and tie, with no ounce of embarrassment or guilt coming from him that I caught him with another person different from the person I first saw him with.

'He's so cocky and arrogant,'

"Traffic," I blurted, tapping my left foot impatiently on the ground. I just wanted to leave this man's presence as fast as I could.

"Traffic?" He questioned, cocking one of his brows and tilting his head to the side at me, then shoving his left hand into his pocket.

"Yes sir," I muttered, lowering my head at him, and clinging to the boxes in my hands as my only savior currently while praying silently, biting on my lower lips.

"And what did I tell you about entering my office without a response?" He asks, and I could hear his approaching steps towards me.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again, sir," Suddenly, all the hair on my body stood erect, and I could feel his presence close to mine and that intoxicating cologne of his filling my nostrils.

"Here's what you asked for," I said, trying to give him the box of freshly baked scones and croissants he ordered me to get for him.

"Take it out, it will be cold already,"

"Excuse me, sir," I snapped at him and ours met, but I was glaring fiercely at him, hoping I heard what he said.

"Is there by any chance you love me repeating myself, Miss Jackson?" He asked, closing the distance between us, and my heart started beating unusually fast.

"No-no, Si-sir," I stuttered and took a step away.

"I'll take it out as you said," A fake smile spread on my lips as I turned around and marched my way out of the office.

A breath of relief escaped my lips as I left the office and closed the door behind me.

I wish I could strangle that man, did he know what it took me to get a box of freshly baked scones and croissants this morning and only for him to reject it?

He didn't even check it out...

I sighed, striding over to the elevator to get to my office.

As I stepped out of the elevator to the second floor, I saw Steve standing in front of the coffee machine, trying to figure out how it worked.

"How does this thing work?" I heard him mutter to himself.

"Hey," I called to his attention, trying to hide my amusement from him.

"Hey," He replied, turning around with a smile.

"It's you, I forgot to ask for your name earlier," He said.

"My bad, I should, I've introduced myself to you too," I chuckled.

"I'm Amanda Jackson, personal assistant to the boss here," I introduced, and he smiled at me.

'Calling that filthy man boss sounded so bitter and awkward on my lips'

Yuck!

"That's nice! I'm the new marketing executive," He informed.

"Cool," I smiled and dropped the boxes of scones and croissants on the counter, then extended my right hand to him for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Steve, marketing executive of this prestigious company," I smiled warmly at him.

I saw the twinkle at the corner of his eyes and he took my hand in his. His shake was firm yet soft, and before I knew it, he bent slowly and kissed the back of my hand.

"Nice to meet you too, Amanda, Personal assistant of this prestigious company," He spoke, and our eyes held on to each other for seconds that I couldn't count.

"Uhm! I see you were having struggles with the coffee machine earlier," I said, and he let go of my hand.

"True," He chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head.

"Let me help," I offered.

As I helped him with the coffee machine, we chatted for a while, and I found out that we had a lot in common. We both loved hiking, touring, singing, and so many others.

"So, how's your first day going?" I asked, curious to know.

"It's good, thanks for asking," He replied, pouring the coffee into two cups. "I'm still trying to figure out where everything is, but I think I'll get the hang of it soon,"

"Same here," I said, taking one of the cups of coffee from him, and my eyes drifted to the box of scones and croissants on the counter.

"Do you mind sharing this with me?" I offered, opening the box of scones and croissants and urging to him take them out of it.

"Thank you, so much," He appreciated, taking out the scones and croissants.

"Mm, this is so nice," Steve said, and believe me when I said this man looks sexy when he eats, I could watch him forever.

"Glad to hear," I smiled at him, and he winked at me before he continued eating.

I picked one for myself and munched on it too, and my eyes sparkled at such delicacy my tongue tasted.

'Too bad, that fool missed out on this!'

'What's cold in this anyway?' I thought, helping myself with another delicate scone.