Strictly Professional ✔️

Chapter 22

"I can't believe you actually convinced me into going with you"
"It sure took a while"
"Of course it'd take awhile, I mean, I'm not exactly crazy on the idea of being seen in public with you"
"And what's wrong with being seen in public with me?"
"Media"

Two days earlier

"Sorry, can you repeat that?"
"Come to California with me"
"For work?"
"No, a date"
"Not a chance"
"I can convince you"
"I've made up my mind, it's a No"
"This is why I shouldn't ask because it'll always be a no,"

He sighed then smiled.

"But where's the fun if you say yes?"
He turned on the engine and started driving again like he didn't say anything out of character at all.

"Do you always chase after girls?"
"No, it's usually the other way around"
"What happened to the 'we're only going to be friends in this elevator' attitude?"

"Things change Juliana, people change, rules change, live with it"
"Yeah, just get me home, it's been a long day"
"Did you have fun with my mother today?"
"I did, she's not a manipulative egoist like somebody else I know"

He glanced at me then back at the road.

"I'm not that manipulative, am I?"
"Is that a trick question?"
"Okay maybe sometimes but I'm usually on the gentle side"

I don't usually see his gentle side.

"How far are you willing to go just to convince me?"
I asked out of the blue, I'm not a needy or demanding girl, I just want to be sure if he's serious.

"Are you asking for a price?"

Well there goes your miracle of a chance.

"I've been working for you for almost four months now and do you think that's something I'd ask for?!"

"It doesn't necessarily have to be money, I could get you whatever you want"

"I'm perfectly content with what I have Mr. Reid"
"Why are you so different? Other women would jump at the thought of spending money"

"And I'm the type to faint at the idea of spending money, but honestly, you don't know the first thing about me"

"I know a few things, for a start, you're generous, you don't help people for the sake of benefiting afterwards, you're intelligent, you think ahead when it comes to everything you do, calculating every possibility, your favorite color is beige-"

"Wait how do you know my favorite color? The rest were easy to see just from observation but that's personal"

"I see you wearing warm cozy colors half the time, beiges, browns, whites, navies, olives, they compliment your skin tone"

"You pay attention to everything I wear?" I looked at him astonished.

"It's difficult not to, considering we're so close to each other half the time"

I remained silent all the way back, but it wasn't a tense or awkward atmosphere, just pleasant.

We stopped in front of my apartment.

"Well this is goodbye, I'll see you tomorrow?"
I turned to leave but he held my wrist.
"Be prepared tomorrow because I'm either going to torture you with work or I'm going to try to convince you to come with me"

I held his jaw and leaned in.
"I'm eager to see you try"

I smirked when I saw his face, his mouth was wide open and so were his eyes.