Miss Clumsy and the CEO (UNDERGOING EDITING)

Chapter 36- Its a risk I must take

The tension was thick and it was apparent as Harper hesitated at the door before following James into his penthouse. He turned on his heel raking his hand through his hair, his eyes shuffling all over the place before finally settling on Harper. Standing near the far wall of the kitchen she held her arm as she waited in patience for him to speak.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. Harper nodded in response to her growling stomach. James pulled his phone out from his trouser pocket dialling a number upon his phone. "You...don't mind takeaway?"

"Surely...I could cook us something." She said, jerking her chin to the fridge. She had quite remembered ordering in stock this morning at work so there was plenty of food to be working with. James agreed without discussion placing his phone on the counter. "Then...I'll do it." He said, rushing around the counter to her side towards the fridge.

"Are you sure? I could help?" She piped in. James shook his head. "No, you just go relax. I can manage." Harper hesitated to protest though instead stepped out of his way heading out of the kitchen.

James raked his hand through his hair sighing to himself before opening the fridge. He needed to cook something that was fast and required hardly any washing up after, he only necessary cooked when he had to; usually Manny was in charge. Undoing his sleeves he pushed them up his arms then grabbed out the necessary equipment. It had to be pasta on the agenda. He felt partly responsible for the whole Duke thing, not finding out before that Duke was still in her apartment, if he had known before he would have stopped this all.

Harper sat uncomfortably in the living room looking around her remembering the last time she was here, it made her spine shudder. How could she not forget waking up to him? So much has happened she thought, she would have not had thought months ago she was taking the interview to get in the firm and now she...well she didn't know what was going on. Trying to get comfortable she moved further into the cushions then taking a deep breath trying to settle down her nerves. Her phone began ringing and she instantly ended the call as soon as she saw the caller ID was no other than Duke.

"Stop bugging me Duke." She grumbled to herself. A lot of cluttering was going on around the kitchen, the sound of saucepans bashed together before she heard a rumble of curses coming from the kitchen. "Shit, Shit. Ah you f**ker!" Harper instantly jumped up rushing back into the kitchen where James was sucking on his index finger before pulling it out and waving it frantically. Harper spotted the problem as the pasta itself was draining from the colander onto the counter as it appeared he must have burned himself trying to pour into the sink.

"What happened?" Harper almost shrieked as she approached him. James pulled away shaking his head. "I'm fine, nothing I can't handle. Just go sit back down." Harper cocked her eyebrow reaching for his hand failing the second time before he sighed in defeat and passed his hand over for her to examine. "You're obviously not okay. I guess the pasta got the best of you." She chuckled slightly to herself. James liked to see her smile and it almost instantly disappeared as soon as soon as she felt his heavy glance upon her. Pulling him with her, she pushed his finger under cold water.

"Ow!" He whined.

"Stop your complaining, how else are you gonna stop the irritation?" She said, rolling her eyes. James bit back his snarky comment as he watched her dare to roll her eyes in front of him. Harper removed his finger from the cold water meeting his brown eyes. It took a moment to realise she was just standing there holding onto his finger, that then quickly letting go of his finger she looked down to the floor before suggesting. "I'll help you clean that mess up. I think you'll be off the hook for you injury." James snorted. "I'd like to finish off what I started." Harper chuckled at his comment then stopped realising he was just staring her. It appeared to mean something more as James just remained still not once removing his eyes from off her.