Her Boss’s Private Desire

Touching Himself

I could not make myself turn around and leave.

The sound came again. Soft and rough at the same time. My fingers tightened around the envelope until the paper crumpled a little. I told myself he might be hurt and that was the only reason I stepped closer to the inner door.

I set the envelope down on the big empty desk first. My hands needed somewhere safe to put it. Then I walked to the second door and turned the handle.

The room on the other side did not look like an office at all.

Soft golden light filled the space. A wide bed sat against the far wall covered in dark sheets that looked expensive and soft. A large television glowed quietly on one side. Thick curtains were half closed. The air smelled like cologne and warm skin.

He was on the bed.

His suit jacket was gone. His white shirt hung open. His pants were pushed down around his thighs. One hand moved slowly and tightly around himself while the other gripped the sheets. He was thick and long and completely lost in what he was doing. Every stroke pulled a low sound from his throat.

I stopped breathing.

His eyes opened and for one second we only stared at each other. Then his face changed into shock at first, then sharp anger.

“Get out.”

The words hit me like cold water. I spun around so fast I almost fell. I pulled the door shut behind me and ran straight through the outer office. I did not stop until I was in the hallway with both doors closed between us.

My face burned. My hands shook. I pressed my back against the wall and tried to breathe. All I could see was the size of him and the way his hand had moved.

I forced my legs to walk to the elevator. When the doors opened on the seventeenth floor I kept my head down and went straight to my desk. Tasha looked over.

“You okay? You look flushed.”

“I’m fine. Just the air conditioning up there is strong.”

She accepted the answer and went back to her screen. I stared at the papers in front of me for the rest of the afternoon without reading a single word. Every time I blinked, I saw him again.

When five o’clock finally came, I packed my bag and left without waiting for anyone. Outside, I pulled out my phone and called the one person who always listened.

Zoe answered on the second ring.

“Please tell me your first day was not a disaster.”

“Can I come over?”

Her voice softened. “Of course. I’m home. Come.”

Twenty minutes later, I sat on the edge of her bed while she handed me a cold bottle of water. I told her everything. The quiet outer office. The strange soft room behind the second door. The way he looked when he opened his eyes and saw me standing there.

Zoe’s mouth fell open.

“You walked in on the CEO touching himself?”

“Yes.”

“On your first day at work?”

“Yes.”

She covered her face with both hands for a second and then looked at me again.

“Maya, listen to me. You need to forget what you saw. Focus on your job. That man is married. He is your boss. And you have a boyfriend. Daniel has been good to you. Do not start thinking about someone else just because of one crazy moment.”

I stared at the floor.

“But i keep seeing it.... each time I close my eyes, there it is.”

“Then stop. Put it out of your mind. Tomorrow as you go to work, smile, do your tasks, and stay far away from the his floor. Promise me.”

“I promise.”

Zoe squeezed my hand. “Good. Now drink your water and stay for dinner. You look like you need normal conversation.”

I stayed until late. We talked about her new job and her neighbor’s loud dog and everything except the man on the top floor. When I finally got home, Mama was already asleep. I moved quietly so I would not wake her.

In my room, I lay down and stared at the ceiling. Zoe’s words repeated in my head. Focus on the job. Remember Daniel. Stay away from the top floor.

My phone lit up on the nightstand.

One new message from an unknown number.

Come to my office tomorrow morning before the day starts. We need to talk about what happened.

I read the words three times.

My heart started beating hard again.

I did not reply.

I only turned the phone face down and closed my eyes.

Sleep stayed far away for a long time.