His Secretary

Chapter 25: Zoe

"Miss Stevens! Would you come here a moment?" I heard Mathew shout from his office.

I blew a whisp of hair out of my face and I straightened from my crouched position over my desk. I looked to the open door than conjoined our offices and I found him there, sitting at his desk, feet propped up, tie undone and shirt mostly unbuttoned. I guess he's really comfortable at the workplace. He was staring intently at the few papers in his hand, switching between them, reading, then switching back.

I looked back to my own desk, now no longer having a picture frame of me and Jeremy, it seemed a little more empty. Like all my paper and computer couldn't cover out the stark place of missing an item. I'd have to get a little desk plant or something.

"Any time now, Miss Stevens." He said, quietly, but still loud enough to where I could hear him.

I sighed and stood up, adjusted my dress, and walked through the door across the room.

I leaned on the doorway, "What is it, sir?"

"Come, come." He motioned with his hand, beckoning me further.

I obliged and stood behind his chair, getting a great view of his chest. I felt something inside me tug just to reach out and touch him.

"What?" I asked, shaking my head, trying to clear my mind of the thought.

"I want you to write an article. Do you think you can do that?" He asked, leaning his neck back to see my face.

"Do I think I can do that?" I scoffed, "Yes, Mr. Johnson, I think I might be competitent enough."

He looked back to the papers, "Great. Get to working, need it by Thursday after next."

"What? That's too soon. That's not even two weeks!" I say, "You can't give me that type of deadline for my first article."

He spun his chair around, removing my hand from the back of it during its turn, and he scrutinized me, with his hard brown eyes. "You're the one that said The Johnson Article is no longer appealing to you. If it's not even appealing to our own people how could it be appealing to readers? And this is probably the longest deadline I've ever given, Miss Stevens. Use it wisely." His eyes bore into mine, like hot coals of amber.

I felt a chill run through me.

"Yes sir." I mumble and turn to start my way back to my office.

"Oh, and Miss Stevens, have you made up your mind?"

I turned back, "Made up my mind about what?"

A smile quirked the corners of his lips, "About your living situation. Are you going to stay with me?"

"No, sir, I couldn't. You've got your own life to live, you shouldn't have to take care of me and my nephew." I shake my head.

His smile slipped, "But your boy likes it so much at my place."

"Well, I don't leave major desicions to the four year old."

His jaw worked.

"Why do you care so much?" I said, eyebrows knitting.

His eyes shot to mine, "Who said I care?"

I let out a short laugh, "Mathew, you've been begging since yesterday morning at breakfast."

"I have not been begging." He answered, "You've already stayed two nights, why not stay a little longer?"

"Are you really that desperate for company?"

"I am not desperate." He said loudly. "Why can't I just be nice to you? Why do I always have to have a plot or a reason?" His hand went into his hair, messing up its mousse.

"Because. You're not the type of guy to do things without reason." I cross my arms and shift my weight to one foot.

"Fine. Fine. Don't stay. But where else are you going to go?" He asked, eyebrow raised.

As if I hadn't thought about that ever since I'd left my own apartment with my things in my hand.

"I was thinking maybe my mother would lend us some rooms."

He sat for a moment.

"Well, my offer still stands if you ever need it."

"I don't think I will."

"Jesus, Zoe. I'm trying to be nice to you." He stood up with his palms pressed into his desk, his open shirt now showing his abs, and his eyes were ablaze.

"Well don't be nice. I don't want your kindness."

"You don't want me to be kind to you?" He asked, straightening and walking over to me.

I crossed my arms, "No. No, I dont."

He neared with a strange heat in his eyes. He had slow steps but neared with long strides. The closer he got the farther away I tried to back up, but soon enough I bumped into the wall. His face was suddenly extremely close to mine, our bodies almost touched, and he licked his lips. His arm went beside my head and his breath was warm as it blew across my face. My heart was beating so fast and so hard I was afraid with our close proximity he could hear it.

"Are you sure, Miss Stevens?" He growled.

"Y-yes, i am..." I stutter and place my palms down on the wall.

As if it was even possible, he leaned in even closer and our noses brushed. My eyes went to his lips. So plump and pink, so easily kissable.

"What's your definition of kind, Miss Stevens?" He purred.

I wanted to reach out and rip apart the rest of his shirt to where the buttons popped off. I wanted him to kiss me, hungrily, like he'd been asking for it all his life.

His other hand went up and twirled a strand of hair between his fingers.

"Not what you're doing right now, that's for sure." I joke, but neither of us laughed.

We stood there for a while, just staring at each others lips, daring the other one to just lean and close the small space between our lips.

"We'd better get back to work." He said, pulling away and removing his arm and his hand from my hair. I felt the heat disappear from the room, like the only warmth was from our bodies. I wanted him to come back. He looked back to me, with a smirk about the effect he had had on me.

"Yes sir..." I say and hurry back to my own office, brushing my fingers through my hair, trying to tame it back.

Oh my god.