Chapter Nine - Aftershock

The moment he closed the door behind him I felt an aching need to call him back. A need that had a very uncharacteristic, tangible quality about it. It was like a force that was pushing me to push past that door and explore a possibility I didn't know until this very moment that I needed. It took me a little over a while to finally snap out of whatever the hell it is that was happening to me and find my way to my comfortable, leather chair. I felt stupefied. I wasn't quite sure what had happened or how or why. I just agreed to let a complete stranger take pictures of me that he could later sell. I felt both violated and amused.

I also knew that I wanted to know Killian better. I don't know why I had built such a curiosity towards him, but he was just someone I simply had to explore. I wanted to know him intellectually, emotionally and physically – especially physically. He intrigued me. It was something I rarely felt towards someone. I wasn't sure if it was his bad-boy appeal, his refreshing bluntness or the way he looked at me, but he definitely had me on my tippy-toes; something no one has ever been able to do to me in forever.

For a moment there I was hoping that he would grab me and kiss me. I never wanted to be kissed in my entire life as much as I wanted to be kissed by one particular Killian Rhodes. He has awoken something in me that I never knew I had. A longing. A need for physical contact that went beyond the primitive, sexual nature of human intercourse. I wanted him to want to explore me the way I wanted to do him. In a way, I think he wanted to. Why else would he want to take pictures of me? If his motives were purely materialistic then he would've asked for money from our new working arrangement. No. There was something in the way he looked at me that made me almost certain that there was more about Killian that he was letting on. I had to dig in deep into this bizarre situation that I found myself being reeled into. It was like I was developing a new, perverted addiction. I was starting to weird myself out

What a morning this has turned out to be!

I hadn't noticed that Monica came in until she waved her hand in front of my face.

'What?', I asked, annoyed.

The last thing I wanted right now was Monica distorting the perfect image I had of Killian inside my head.

'Do you like him?', she asked.

My throat went dry. I started panicking. Did she notice my attraction to Killian? Was it that obvious? Of course it was obvious! Any fool would notice what that man has done to me.

'Do I like him?', I repeated slowly, more to myself than to her.

'Is he fit for the job?', she rephrased her question.

'Oh', I said and let out a sigh of relief followed by a nervous laugh.

'Yes, he's the perfect fit', I said after I gulped down the entire cup of water, hoping it was something stronger.

Whatever happened to drinking on the job?

'Why are you being weird?', she asked and frowned.

'I'm not being weird. I'm overwhelmed with work, that's all', I said as I adjusted my composure.

I had to do a whole lot better than that to fool Monica. She was an expert on body languages in tense, awkward situations. It was basically her forte.

'You're always overwhelmed with work, but you never act weird', she accused.

'Would you stop calling me weird?', I asked, irritated.

I was wishing and praying silently that she would throw herself out.

'Weirdo', she teased.

'Cut it out!'

'Are you blushing?', she teased some more.

Where is that stapler I so badly wanted to throw at her?

'Why would I be blushing?', I sounded defensive.

My face did feel a whole lot warmer than it did a minute ago. My pale complexion makes it so easy for me to go red.

'Because a hot man just walked out of your office', she sounded like a teenager.

And just like, she busted me. If she weren't a personal assistant, she would've been one heck of a detective.

'You should be ashamed of yourself! He's engaged to Madison's sister', I chastised myself more than I chastised her.

Who was I kidding? I knew all along that he was engaged and yet I let myself think provocatively about him. Oh what I would do to get him to use his hands on me just once. Or his lips. Or his tongue. It would definitely be euphoric. I was feeling ecstatic just thinking about it.

Wow, I am really going out of control here. What the hell was going on with me? I needed to slap myself out of this untamed madness.

'And what a challenge that must be for you', she continued teasing.

I raised my eyebrow at her. She was acting like a child, and she was starting to get on my last nerve. I had to breathe in and out a couple of times before I said something that could seriously hurt her feelings.

'I get it. He's attractive. I don't blame you for finding him interesting', she tried to reason with me, cutting off any attempt of me protesting.

'He is quite charming. Doesn't change the fact that he is engaged, though, and off limits', I reasoned back.

'But if he wasn't, you'd totally jump his sack.'

'Monica!'

She was totally right, though. I would've jumped his sack then and there if I had the chance.

'Come on! It's been a while. You must be very dry down there. It's actually healthy for someone to get your female juices flowing every once in a while.'

'You're disgusting', I said as I made a face.

It really was disgusting the way she put it.

'No, I'm a woman and I understand. I'm not judging. I'm actually interested to see how this thing plays out.'

'We're only going to be working together', I reassured her.

'We'll see', she said and walked away.

I was left alone to my thoughts again. I couldn't stop picturing his eyes every time I closed mine. Their piercing look stuck with me. My heart roared like an engine in my chest and I was perspiring.

Monica was right; I was acting weird.

At least my body was.

No man has ever gotten me so worked up before, and I had my fair share of men to come to that conclusion.

I squirmed in my place as I remembered his handshake. He was more of tugging me towards him instead of shaking. If he had only tugged a little harder, I would've gladly stumbled into his arms.

Damn you Killian Rhodes!