𝐌𝐢 𝐃𝐢𝐨𝐬𝐚

𝟏𝟗

Three hours. Three damn hours. That's how long I've been staring at this empty email that's supposed to get sent over to Tex Industries. I've never had trouble with focusing in on my work, and getting things done when it needed to be. Never. But, today, my brain—my body—can only remember the name and feel of Malik Atoni. It doesn't want to remember anything else.

It's been a week since we've last interacted with each other. The night at the club didn't end sexy like the buildup made it out to be. We danced, and Malik had his hands on every inch of my body. Our bodies continued to connect; we were only aware of one another. The only presence I felt was his, and everyone else disappeared into the dark. They didn't matter to me when my guy had his eyes and attention locked on me.

I rest my face in my hands when heat pools in my stomach. My fingertips tingle down to my bones, and it only adds onto the feeling of distraction. My door flings open from the dramatic entrance caused by James.

"Why do you look like you're about to die?"

"I'm annoyed."

James tsks in thought, sliding into a chair that may as well have his name on it. He slides my computer to his side, replacing it with a warm coffee that could almost solve all of my problems. He's a godsend.

"Why are we annoyed? Tex failing things again already?"

"No," I hum around the cup, "surprisingly."

"So what is it?"

I hold up my hand as I drain most of my coffee in one sitting. If I'm going to get through the rest of the day like this, I'll need this and more. I'll go on a damn rampage if not. A few employees have been looking fireable lately, but if I fired them all I wouldn't have any more employees.

James starts to type on my computer and I hum again in protest. I don't need him doing this for me when his workload has doubled ever since he became a shared partner. He's helped me more than he even knows, and is willing to do more. I wish I met him when I first started to build this company. James can accomplish great things—and he will. Sometimes I wish that we started this together.

He rolls his eyes when I motion for him to stop, and I lean back in my seat with defeat. If I took the computer from him now, he'll just tackle me down to get it back. He'd do it if pushed. Today's not going to be the day that I push him.

"I've been distracted all day," I admit, "I think about Malik once, and now I can't stop. My body is refusing to let me focus on anything else. It feels like I'm sex crazed."

James stops typing momentarily to peer up at me, "you're serious?"

"Does it look like I'm joking?"

James smiles widely before bursting into a heinous laughter. He can't stop himself once he starts, so I watch as he slaps his thigh as if he were the funniest person to ever grace this planet. He smears a lone tear away from the corner of his eye before directing his smile back at me.