Terms and Conditions (ONC 2023)

08

Jonah's POV

     "You have got to be kidding me," Harley says as the emergency lights turn on. She jabs the buttons a couple of times before letting out a sound somewhere between a sigh and a growl.

     I pull out my phone to check my notifications, but there's nothing. "The storm must have hit the power lines. Cell service is down, too."

     "Just my luck," she mutters as she glares down at her phone. "How long do you think it'll take them to get everything up and running?"

     I shrug. "I don't know. I've never been in a situation like this before."

     She presses her lips together and walks back to where I'm standing and slides her back against the wall into a sitting position. I watch her as she plants her hands on her knees and rests her chin in her palms.

     "Does it pain you that much to be around me?" I chew on the inside of my lip. Seeing her act like this around me hurts, though I know she's just stressed out about the boarding situation. I can understand the need to have your own space, especially after essentially being thrown in the deep end at a new job.

     Still, it hurts.

     She lets out a long, drawn-out sigh. "It's not that."

     "Then what is it? Because I know the situation is far from perfect, but the room has a floor. It's not like you're gonna be forced to sleep in the same bed as me. I'm not so cruel as to force you to sleep on the floor, either." I slide down to sit beside her and cross my arms.

     She purses her lips and picks at a stray thread on her jacket. "You make me nervous. And not just because you're my boss, but because you say things that fluster me and I can never tell how you actually feel. Like, are you just a naturally flirty person or are you genuinely interested in me? And other times it seems like you couldn't possibly be less interested in me because you're so focused on your work - which I don't mind. Plus, you're my boss so that makes the whole situation even more confusing."

     I smile a little at her rambling, and as she opens her mouth to say more, I reach over and grab her hand. "I'm sorry I've been giving you mixed signals."

     She pulls her hand from mine and puts both of them on her head. "God, this is beyond embarrassing."

     "I find it kind of amusing, actually. Adorable, even." I grin and tuck a strand of auburn-blonde hair behind her ear, careful to avoid the many piercings.

     Her eyes fall to her lap to avoid looking at me, and after a moment, she pulls her hands to her stomach and adjusts her posture.

     I frown. "What was that for?"

     She pulls her bottom lip in between her teeth, still looking down at her lap. "Nothing. I just... It's nothing."

     "Are you self-conscious of your stomach?"

     She doesn't answer. The look on her face turns my blood warm. I'm not angry at her, but at whoever made her feel less than.

     "Harley, you have nothing to be self-conscious about." I gently place my hand on her chin and lift it to face me. I shift my gaze between her eyes, searching their green depths for any sign that she's truly listening to me.

     "Believe me, I've seen plenty of gorgeous women. Women who are either after my status, my money, or sometimes are genuinely interested in me. So trust me when I tell you that you are just as beautiful, if not more. The shape of your body doesn't change that. Anyone who tells you differently is an idiot."

     Her chin pulls away from my hand and she rolls her eyes. "That's great and all, but how do I know you actually mean that? You're not the first man to say things like that to me."

     She looks back at me, and the tension in my chest releases as I lean forward and pull her close until my lips brush hers. Part of me expects her to push me away. Maybe to tense up and pull back a little. To stop me. But she doesn't.

     Her lips are soft and hard at the same time as she slides her hand behind me and into my hair. She tastes like the coffee she was drinking earlier. Her teeth graze my lips, and I pull back, only to lean into her neck, kissing her lightly, but still enough to make her shiver.

     "Convinced yet?" I ask into her neck. I can feel her pulse beating against my lips. The smell of her rose petal perfume is intoxicating.

     Her eyes are closed, but she shakes her head. "Nope."

     I move up closer to her jaw, nibbling a little but trying to avoid making any lasting marks. Kissing my way back to her mouth, I give her one last kiss and pull back.

     She lets out a little huff and I smirk. "That's only a fraction of what I can do. I may be quite intelligent, but that's not my greatest skill."

     She rolls her eyes and stands up. "You're so full of yourself."

"Rightfully so." I lean my head against the wall and pull one of my legs out from under me to rest my arm on it. "You don't get where I am in life without being secure in your self-esteem."

     Her phone lights up, and she looks down at it, but sighs and drops it after a second. "Just a game notification."

     I fight back a laugh. We could be in here for a while.

     "It's hot in here," she says, sitting down against the wall adjacent to mine. "You'd think it would be different, considering we're stuck in an elevator during a snowstorm in Russia."

     "I would say I think you're just panicking, but I agree." I unbutton the cuffs on my button down and roll the sleeves up.

     Her eyes fall to the tattoo on my arm before she leans her head back against the wall with a quiet thud. "And he has a freaking tattoo. I swear to God, if I don't get out of this elevator soon..." she mutters.

     And just like magic, the fluorescent lights turn back on and the elevator hums as it begins to run again.

     "Thank God," she says.

     I push myself up off the floor to stand beside her, dusting my pants off. As soon as the doors open, Harley steps through them and takes off down the hall. For someone with such short legs, she's taking such large steps I have to power walk to keep up.

     "Harley Goode, you are one of the most baffling women I've ever had the privilege and misfortune to meet."