Miss Clumsy and the CEO (UNDERGOING EDITING)

Chapter 27- Cold shoulder

Harper entered the lift towards floor fourteen where she was only getting more anxious by the second, she felt she needed to sort out this thing between them once and for all. No more messing about, her intention was to see if he wanted something out of this or was just planning on messing about. Harper took a deep breath exiting the lift as she placed her bag on her desk before going over to his office. She knocked the door, her hand trembling as she pulled it back.

"Come in." James said, his tone evoked with authority. Harper bit her lip opening the door, noticing James standing looking out the window, his hands in his pockets. He didn't dare turn around, he was still feeling guilty from this morning. "What is it?" He said, disliking his own bitter tone. Harper stepped forward as James turned, his eyes though failing to meet hers.

"Erm...I-I..was w-wondering if..." She muttered before James snapped. "What?" Harper decided not to breathe a word, instead shook her head offering a polite smile before heading for the door. James tensed knowing how he was acting, however he felt like punishing her, punishing her for these feelings. Or whatever they were. "Miss Daniels. I need you to run some errands for me." He called out, stopping Harper in her tracks. Turning around she met his unreadable face as he walked around to his front of desk. "I need these completing immediately. Given the time I have till my next meeting, you can do them now and have them ready before five. Understood?" He said. Harper nodded, she was utterly confused with his behaviour now, he didn't dare even come near her and his boyish flirtatious mood seemed to be gone just like when he dropped her off.

"Make a mental note." He said. "I need you to go call up the garage, see if my car has had its MOT done. Then," He continued, Harper tried to remember every key detail. "See if they've fitted the chrome alloys I ordered. Once you've done that, I need you to go reserve a table at the Italian restaurant down the road for one o'clock. Book a booth, I won't accept no other." Harper nodded, hoping if that was all, until he continued. "I had Manny my housekeeper take one of my suits to the dry cleaners this morning, she's already got a lot to do, so you can collect it. And I need you to return back here and get on with proof reading the contracts, you can go home once all that is done. Get it done before five, or your position might be re-considered." He said, moving to his seat. Harper nodded slowly, her mind jumbled with her all the details he had given her but was more baffled by his attitude.

"Carry my coffee and notes. I'm going in the meeting now, then you can get on with the tasks I've set you." He said walking over to the door. Harper nodded going over to his desk picking up the coffee along with juggling the notes of paper in her other hand. She had to move quick when James didn't bother waiting for her and was already entering the lift, she however managed to get in one piece before the doors closed on her. He didn't breathe a word to her, he fumbled with his watch, there was this layer of tension she could feel. It was like he changed person over night, or how she felt went to how he was back at the beginning when she started. James exited the lift on the tenth floor, he passed rooms not even waiting for Harper, he had to stay focused he thought. Harper struggled to trail after and had to wait before she could enter the room as a group of people followed in after James. When the last person finally went in, she must have caught her foot on something,that the next thing she knew, she fell flat faced onto the floor. Her face went red as James looked over to the commotion where a few people were snickering, she hoped he would have helped her up, or even offered a single bit of sympathy but looked up at her as if ashamed. Harper got up, feeling slight pain upon her knees where friction between carpet and skin was caught, her eyes threatened with tears but she fought them back as she began picking up the papers as the room went silent, James coughed diverting everyone's attention to him.

"I apologise for our little scene there. Now shall we begin." He announced, as a few around the table chuckled. Harper sighed inside, picking up the papers as she brought them over to him. He didn't offer a thank you, not even a sign that he acknowledged her presence. There was little coffee left in the cup that most of it was upon the floor. She threw the discarded cup in the bin before James spoke out. "And you can get a cleaner to clear up that mess." Harper nodded before exiting out the door, she felt slightly hurt, a little muddled up. Did she do something wrong? Glancing at her wrist watch, she raced back up to the top floor getting straight on to solving her mess she caused.