Sweet Surrender (Short Story) ✔

3

The blonde woman was waiting for him. This time she wore a black dress that was as tight as the crème coloured one but again didn't transmit any sexual intentions. She didn't intend to sleep her way up. She was lean, young and beautiful – it was probably her right to show off her body.

"Mister Huntington is expecting you," she explained to him as efficient and businesslike like the first time he was there. She guided him through the office rooms and he noticed that the hectic hustle was replaced by the tired attempt to meet expectations. Working overtime to keep the dream job.

Lex worried his lower lip with his teeth when the woman knocked on the well-known door.

"Mister Bate, Sir," she informed her superior and opened the door wide after he had answered something unintelligible. Lex hesitated for a moment and eventually made his way inside after he understood her silent prompt that she wanted him to go into the room.

Huntington sat enthroned behind his desk, a thousand lights behind him and the single light of a desk lamp in front of him.

"Good evening, Lex." Huntington bestowed a kind smile upon him and Lex forced the corners of his mouth upwards. Anne had said that this way he looked even more crazy. But Anne wasn't here.

Huntington's gaze slowly traced over his still form and he wished he hadn't simply taken the pullover on top. Anyhow, which one was it? He peered down at himself. A green V-neck with slightly too long sleeves. He didn't even know he owned something like that but on the other hand, he spent most of his life in underwear. On the sofa, not in offices. Above all, alone.

"Are you hungry?" Huntington asked out of nowhere and Lex shook his head no.

"You already ate dinner?"

"No."

The dark-haired man looked at him, a deep frown marring his forehead.

"Your agent mentioned something like that," he murmured a couple of seconds later with a sigh and Lex wondered how much Anne had told him. Just his habits or more?

"Please take a seat," Huntington invited him and Lex carefully inched closer to the armchair in front of the desk. Deliberately he settled down and placed his laptop on his thighs.

"Tell me about the new book," the man demanded, his piercing eyes unwaveringly set on Lex who indecisively shrugged his shoulders. There was only a rough outline left in his head and it faded with every passing minute more and more.

"There isn't anything to tell," he said and Huntington raised his brows questioningly to which Lex answered with another shrug.

"Why not?" he wanted to know and Lex sighed acquiescently. Nuisance.

"Because after the last sentence I don't think about it anymore and forget everything," he explained matter-of-factly and Huntington nodded slowly.

"So, you write and forget everything?"

"Yes." He looked down at his laptop, forced his nervously writing fingers to stop and looked up with newly found courage. "Mister Hu-"

"Blake."

"I've got the manuscript with me, you can have it immediately. Afterwards I want to go home."

"You didn't fulfill my request yet," Huntington – Blake – reminded him and he narrowed his eyes into slits.

"You can have the manuscript now," he spluttered, clearly upset.

"Tell me about the new book," Blake repeated and Lex crossed his arms defiantly in front of his chest.