Race Relations

Office Date

Office Surprise

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        The next morning, Leila woke up to the sound of Thomas loudly chanting, “It’s raining men” in the shower. Leila groaned realizing that she really did not want to go to work today. But still, she waited for Thomas to finish and then took herself a shower. Her leg felt much better now, due to the painkillers, making it easier to place pressure. After several minutes of war with her clothes, she finished dressing herself in her black pantsuit. Simultaneously, her cell ringed; taking it into her hand and looking at the screen, her heart immediately pumped faster when she saw his name flash across the screen. “Hi” she says into the receiver, trying her best not to reveal the happiness in her voice.

“Good morning” his velvet voice comes across and into her ears. “I was wondering… since you told me that…” he stumbles.

                  Nathaniel had never had trouble with women before. It seemed that he lost his breath every time he talked to her. “…You told me that you were working today; I was wondering if you needed a lift to work?” he asks. After a long pause on her side, she said to him.

“I’m actually fine, thank you. Thomas came and slept here so he’s going to drive me.”

“Ok then, I guess I’ll see you around”

“Yeah around; thank you so much for the offer.”

“It’s no problem. Goodbye Leila”

“Bye Nate” she said and hanged up. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Nate says to himself. She probably thinks he’s a moron. Why did he have to call early in the morning? God, he didn’t even know if she was dating anyone. And why the fuck is wondering that? Nathaniel knows he has gotten himself in too deep and he decided to get himself out. Leila isn’t his to take care of. Leila is not someone he should not care for and he goddamn it he wasn’t going to let himself fall for her.

 “Good luck, Knock ‘em dead” Thomas tells Leila as he kisses her cheeks.

“Thanks.”

“Do you need me to pick you up after; you know you can just call me”

“No, it’s alright, I’ll take a cab.” Leila informed her friend as she stepped out his car and into the sidewalk. “Wish me luck!”

                         Stepping into the Sport Inc. building, Leila’s heartbeats were faster than the average human being, after all this could either make her or break her in the path to her career. Meeting the front desk, she addressed the young woman that sat there. “Hi, I have a meeting for the sport line add.”

“Name?” the young woman asked 

“Leila, Leila McNeil”

“One moment” the young woman tells her as she opens a binder, looking for her name. “There you go up to the twenty second floor and just I’ll inform the secretary tell the young lady in the front will be waiting for you to escort you.” Smiling at the young woman, Leila thanked her and headed up to the elevator. Although she was nervous, there was something else. Something else, something that she just quiet couldn’t place her finger on. It wasn’t the jitter about the pressure on clamping down on this business deal. Shaking it off, when the elevator doors open, Leila walked onto the twenty-second floor and meet the young woman that in fact had been waiting for her.

“Good morning!” The young lady said as Leila reaches her. “Mr. Harrington has been waiting for you”

“For me?”

“Yes, he and the board; so they can also see the proposal and place their ideas” she explained while smiling her beautiful white smile. Her long brunette hair floating over her shoulders, she seems as though she belonged on the cover of a magazine.

“Yes, of course.” Leila answers,

Handing the cup in her hand to Leila, the young women informs her “Here, coffee, you’re going to need it when dealing with Mr. Harrington” So the rumors are not made up only by her friends, Leila mentally remarks as she takes the coffee and follow the young woman.

Stopping in front of the conference room, the young woman knocked at the sound of a voice instructing them to come in, the young woman that received her walked in first. “Mr. Harrington, the magazine representation is here”

“Bring her in Sasha” a deep muffled voice answers, yet, Leila’s heart skipped a beat at how familiar the strange voice sounded.

With a big sigh, Leila walked into the conference room, saying hello with a big smile to the old board members, but one stood out, he didn’t seem old, he seemed very young, at least from the back of course as she did not see him because he face the window, looking outside. From the back, his shoulders seemed strong, even through the suit; his upper body is well defined. He almost reminded her of…at same moment the gentleman turned his attention back, turning completely. Nate? Leila felt the last gulp of the coffee she had sipped freezing; almost chocking her. Her mind wanted to work around the image that she had seen, but it wasn’t an illusion, he was in the flesh.

               Nathaniel figured that maybe somehow, someway in this life or in his past life, he had angered some kind of god, because it could not be possible! Not after that he had gone home last night and gave himself a really cold shower, and drank almost a pack of beer trying to forget about her. Now, of all the places that she could have been, destiny chose here? Here? Of fuck my life, Nathaniel thinks to himself. He cursed under his breath as he realizes that the seat that had been reserved is right next to his an order that had been made by him, wanting to examine the proposal closer. Oh he’ll want to examine all right. ‘Great! Just fucking great! I get a surprise and a hard dick in this meeting’ Nathaniel thought to himself, it really wasn’t the way he was planning to spend this morning. So he smiled at Leila as she approached her chair. Following her actions, Nathaniel took his seat, close to hers. He noticed that none of the board members were paying attention; they were too busy arguing about the reason why they should raise the sport equipment’s prices. With his hand under the table, Nathaniel subtly brings Leila’s chair closer to his, letting his mint flavored breath tickle her face as he spoke. “What are you doing here?” he asked, almost half annoyed.

He realized that he wasn’t annoyed at her, but more annoyed at the fact that he is happy to see her.

“I’m here to present and negotiate the sport ad that you guys want to do” she informs him with a smile” although, Leila is close to a panic, especially when he flashed her his beautiful smile.

“So I’m guessing I’m the boss that everyone hates?” Nathaniel asked with a smug chuckle.

“You know, you shouldn’t be laughing if your employers hate you”

“I guess; do you hate me Leila?” Hate is the last thing I feel for you Nathaniel Harrington, Leila wanted to say, but she settled for,

“I’m not your employee”

“Touché, at least not until we have sign the contract.”

“I guess”

“Well, do you think I am a stuck-up person like your friend says?” Leila’s eyes popped open.

“Look please don’t fire her, she was just venting, please, she really cat get fired”

“Relax, I wont fire her; for you anyways” he said to her with a cheeky smile, and a wink. Biting her lips, Leila forgot about the other board members as he only enthralled her. “But you can’t think of me as an asshole”

“I never did”

“And how did you think of me”

“Let’s just say, it’s far from how your employers think of you, at least certain parts”

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