Chapter 13

She kept laughing until she saw him from the side of her eye not reacting.

She stopped after catching her breath and met his eyes.

She shied away hurriedly from his gaze.

She didn't why she did so so fast, but he was staring, so intensely.

"W-what?"

He didn't answer and looked at the ground for a second.

He shook his head and turned to throw the bag in the trash bin.

She turned to look at him as he walked up to take a book from the table again.

She thought he was annoyed or something, she couldn't stop herself but ask again, "What is it?"

His hand slowed down its fingers turning the pages.

"You should," he didn't meet her eyes, "smile more often."

He regained his pace and chose a book.

He sat down and started reading, leaving Ari, with a stupefied expression on her face, her cheeks turned pink and her ears red.

She couldn't say a word, nervously looking around the room trying to avoid her eyes on him.

Cough.

She coughed suddenly.

"Ehem," she straightened her back and tried to focus on the papers with her hand covering half her face.

She was trying to make it seem like she was thinking.

But in truth, she was hiding her frustrated face before he would notice.

That was just a normal compliment, a normal compliment, she kept telling herself.

A light thud hit her desk.

She woke up from her line of thoughts, raised her eyes slowly to see a cup of water in front of her.

Her eyes then fell on him making his way back to his seat, calmly resuming his reading.

He laid back on the couch, yet even in that position, he screamed confidence.

His dark hair fell on his half-sleepy eyes, reading the book carefully and seriously.

He had his jacket next to him, only had his slightly opened white shirt, showing a bit of his chest, the silver lining of the necklace laid on his muscles, loosened black tie, and tight waistcoat.

Her eyes kept going lower.

She just noticed his sleeves were rolled.

Staring at his forearms with fine lines of muscles and veins.

His right arm tattoo was more noticeable this time, the snake-like lines wrapped around his wrist all the way to his forearms, and it looked like it went even higher up his arm.

Her eyes followed his hand, grabbing the book tightly while the other's long fingers turned the pages.

When did a man reading a book looked this gorgeous? She asked herself.

Her eyes widened, surprised and embarrassed by her own thoughts she turned all red.

As she tried to look away from him and focus on something else, her nervous eyes fell on the cup of water he placed in front of her.

She calmed down.

Her hand raised the glass all the way to her soft red lips.

She drank it gently.

The cup left her mouth, she held it with both hands as her eyes fell on Kale sitting there uncaring.

She unconsciously smiled, placing it next to her, and started reading her papers.

It didn't take her long to become fully immersed in her work, and by then Kale's presence disappeared from her mind.

Feeling this change in her breathing pattern and heart's pulse he made it so that the pages he turned didn't make a sound.

He didn't want to break her focus.

She kept answering calls here and there, then she called for her secretary.

The female secretary noticed Kale sitting on the couch, being nonchalant.

Ari stormed her with workload before she could even take a second look.

Time passed so fast for Ari that she felt that she didn't get much done as her eyes fell on the clock.

It was lunchtime and many employees already left for their lunch break.

Ari decided to stay, forgetting about Kale she just wanted to get her work done.

All of a sudden, as she turned over a paper, a thud came from his side.

He slammed his book lightly on the table.

She was staring at him blankly for a moment, until she realized she forgot about him.

"You can go grab your lunch, I won't be leaving here."

She quickly turned back to her work.

"I am your bodyguard. I can't leave you alone."

"It's okay, I will just be in the company, there is security."

Seeing as he didn't answer her she raised her eyes.

He had stood up with his back against her.

She saw him reach and grab his jacket meaning he was leaving.

"Let us go, I am waiting for you."

Ah? She was surprised. "But-"

He left and closed the door as she spoke.

She looked over the pile of papers in front of her, then again at the door.

She sighed and stoop up following after him.

She found him at the foot of the door and almost bumped into him.

"You know you are pretty stubborn right?"

"So are you."

Her eyes widened. Did he just...

"You! you! you-"

Suddenly he got close to her, bending down toward her.

His neck and shoulder were so close to her face.

She froze.

Her nervous eyes fell on his chest which showed a bit from his open buttons.

Before she could assess the situation she was hit by his nice smell. More than nice, it smelled, erotic?

Her eyes lost focus.

She couldn't see straight.

The lines of his neck suddenly became so highlighted in her vision.

She heard the door close behind her.

He stood straight.

"Yes?" He tilted his head and asked.

She woke up from her trance, her eyes regained focus.

"You..." She gritted her teeth frustrated as she couldn't speak a word.

"Hmpf," she fumed and walked away to the elevator not caring if he followed her or not.

She got in and as she thought of pressing the button she saw his nice hand gently reaching out to it first.

She looked away in a hurry and kept staring at a corner of the elevator while he stood next to her.

As it grew quiet she slowly looked over, staring at his composed face staring ahead.

Calm as if he did nothing, playboy, she cursed in her mind.

She didn't notice that he smirked when she ran away back then.

Teasing her was fun, and making her frustrated was even better.

He could feel her piercing gaze right now, but he decided not to dwell on it.

Because on the first floor, some guests were waiting for them.

Annoying pests, He thought.

His eyes flashed a cold light.