Office Affair (English Version)

Chapter 12

Francesca POV

Did I say the evening couldn't get any worse?

"What do you mean there was a system error and only one booking was taken? What are you going to do about it?" I hissed hysterically and tapped my fingertip on the reception desk, annoyed.
I could feel Manuel's breath and his presence on the back of my neck.
That didn't do much to calm my nerves.

"Excuse me Mrs Jones. As I said, we had a technical problem and many bookings were not accepted. Among others, your booking. Unfortunately, we can only offer you one room for this night. Unfortunately, due to the trade fair, all the rooms here and in the surrounding area are fully booked. We have a second room available from tomorrow, which we will of course make available for you and we will credit you for the double room.We apologise madam. That's the only thing we can do right now,' stammered the man at reception, pushing the hotel card towards me and making me want to explode with rage.

"I," I start.
I can't share a room with the man behind me, I wanted to say. But Manuel grabbed the card from behind and said:
"No problem. We'll keep the room and switch tomorrow. Thank you for your trouble."

I stood still in shock. I wanted to scream, but the scream got stuck in my throat. It was like being on a rollercoaster when you were scared and wanted to scream but your lungs couldn't hold enough air.

"Come on Francesca. 'I won't bite,' Manuel encouraged me to follow him.
I don't know. Not so sure.
The way he was grinning again and his eyes glittered dangerously didn't mean well. I was sure of it.

I silently followed him to the hotel room that we would have to share for the night, for better or worse.
Bloody hell. The universe hated me.
Why had fate brought us together like this?
I wasn't really superstitious, but I was beginning to think the Almighty was sending me a sign.
Why that?
What was I supposed to do?
Should I tell Carlos about this? How would he react?

Manuel threw his suitcase on the bed and looked at me with a penetrating gaze over his shoulder.
"What are you thinking right now? You look like you're about to faint?" he asked me with a smug smile.

I felt really close to fainting.
"I feel sick. The trip is already a disaster. Do you know what they'll be whispering in the office? Oh my God. How am I supposed to explain this?" I moaned and threw my face onto the free side of the bed.
"Calma ti. (Calm down). We're sticking to our plan. I'm just going to jump in the shower and then we'll go and have something to eat. I sleep on the floor if you like. My back can take it. No te preocupes, Guapa (Don't worry, Guapa),' Manuel purred in Spanish and I was damned.

They were just phrases, empty phrases without meaning, but they washed over me like a wave of lust. My throat was dry as dust, my pulse was racing and I pressed my trembling legs inconspicuously into the mattress while I let out a frustrated cry into the pillow.
He had to stop talking to me. No matter what language.
He had to stop being near me.
I wanted to cry or scream. I was tearing my hair out.
Why was my body so obsessed with him? It didn't make any sense.

When I heard the shower start, I lifted myself off the bed and nervously tried to think of anything other than Manuel standing naked in the shower.
Heavens, how I would have loved to take a look in the shower.
My cheeks reddened at the thought.

To distract myself, I picked up my mobile phone and checked to see if I had received a message. Carlo had just wished me good luck and Rico had asked me if we wanted to have lunch after the trip. I immediately agreed and was looking forward to seeing my best friend again and finally finding out more about his new flame.

Suddenly the bathroom door opened and steam came out.

Manuel stepped out of the bathroom, clad only in a towel. The drops ran down his body and fell to the floor. I wanted to put my hands in front of my eyes in dismay and scream out loud. But I couldn't. My body betrayed me with every fibre. I greedily let my eyes wander over his body and scrutinised the tattoos on his upper body in amazement. A lion's head protruded from his right breast and a piercing glistened in his left nipple.
My eyes almost bugged out when I saw the outline of a map disappearing behind the towel on the left side of his groin.
Could this be a map?
Maybe the one from Cuba? After all, he was Cuban.