The Game Of Lust

The New Management In Town

I got to work early, despite the windy storm sending umbrellas and hats flying off.

In the elevator I ran into one of my co workers Paula Haze, whose hair was messed up by the heavy wind, she patted it down frantically with her hands. “God I hate the weather these days” she sighed

“ Me too. ”

She turned to me quickly with a crooked smile on her face,

“So how was your date?”

“It wasn't bad. I mean he was nice,” I answered.

“what is it? ”

“what do you mean? ”

“You have that look, that unsatisfyed look.”

“No he's a great person, I like him..”

“but?”

“but nothing.”

Paula lifting an eyebrow, She knew I wasn't really interested in dating as I had told her before she forced me to go regardless.

There was a long awkward silence.

“I heard the new boss will be here today right?” she said turning to me

“Yea it feels like a first day at work again doesn't it?”

“I'm so excited ”she wiggled her shoulders enthusiastically before checking her watch.

“ seven-thirty..you're really early today did you drive?”

My opened my mouth to speak but knew how ridiculous I would sound hesitated for a moment,

“I took the subway,” I muttered under my breath and found her eyes fixed on me and a her perfectly polished teeth opened in a ridiculing laughter.

“I knew it, Regina I know you.. And you're still thinking about that guy you met at the train station.. You think you'll somehow magically bump into him again?” she spluttered,

“What if I do?”I had forgotten that In my drunken state, I spent the entire day prattling on about the man I had assaulted in the Subway, to everyone and anyone that was willing to listen.

“You know it's impossible right? I've come across a lot of handsome men in town and I only see them just once,”she said “you know.. like angels you only get to see once, Ryan's the angel you get to see over and over again, if you want.”

“Can we talk about something else?”

I sighed loudly.

The elevator door opened and Paula stepped out with her wild hair, I remained thinking of what she had said, what if she was right, what if I never see him again? I asked myself. I stepped out of the elevator late and the end of my bag got caught between the closed elevator doors as it tried to drag my bag down along with itself. I pulled hard until it released my bag and the jerking force sent me off balance, I stumbled backwards crashing into the person behind me.

I quickly composed myself to face who I thought was a co worker but turned out to be the very man I had just finished talking about, the man I couldn't stop thinking about and there he was right in front of me like an sculpted image, his toned muscles fitting perfectly into a black waistcoat and a blue striped necktie.

“Oh s**t!.” I blurted out loudly and every one turned to stare.

“My god It's you again.” he smiled looking at my name tag. “Regina?,”It almost sounded like he had asked rather than pronounced,

“Miss Regina you are one strong woman.” he chuckled

Everyone had their eyes on us, I could see Paula's stunned expression as her eyes now took more space on her face and her jaw hit the ground.

“Y-Yea...” my face burned with embarrassment.

“allow me to introduce myself I'm Cole Harrison the new manager what a coincidence,” he laughed and shoke my hand.

My mouth wide open in shock, how was that even possible not only did I see him again but I was also going spend the rest of my career as his employee.

“Andy tells me you're part of the creatives team,”

“Ahh yes”

He gestured to follow him and I followed him into what use to be

Mr Wade's office, it was being renovated, a different color entirely. He threw my paperwork at me but my inability to catch sent all the papers flying in different directions

“I went through it Miss Dalton and I'm really disappointed,” he shook his head,

“I want you to do it again.” he ordered firmly.

The clouds of butterflies surrounding me immediately shattered at his cold remark. I picked up the files from the floor and excused myself.

I spent the entire day redoing the Ad cover he continually dismissed without reading.

Leaving the word “Again.” ringing bitterly in my ear. He was nicer to everyone else but me. The man of my dreams quickly became the man of my nightmares as he humiliated me in front of the others, though it was something Mr Wade never failed to do, it just felt a lot worse when Cole did it.

“Maybe he's getting back at me for attacking him.” I turned to paula who was enjoying a salad on our lunch break.

“Ok..I was completely wrong about it being impossible to bump into your Mr right twice in one lifetime.” she smiled staring at me with jealous eyes.

“Except he's more like Mr uptight, ” I frowned, “Maybe I should apologize for attacking him.”

“I don't think that would be so necessary anymore.”

“I'm not gonna lie he's really sexy,” Andy stepped in, Paula nudged at his shoulder as she laughed nearly chocking on her dry salad.

“He's right.. If I didn't strongly believe in work ethics I would be all up in his gorgeous face by now.” Paula smilied rolling her shoulders sensually.

“Says the one who f****d Jason from the marketing team,” Andy leaned over with a devious grin on his face.

“That was an accident Andy!.” she roared almost immediately.

“How did that happen?,” I asked as I began to unwrapped my lunch in a brown paper bag.

She paused for a moment, staring lostly at my lunch before she finally answered.

“We were really drunk and he drove me home.” she shamefully turned away from our piercing stares.

“What!! Paula It happened at your place.” I took my hand to my mouth covering my shock.

“Yea.. Which leads me to work ethic number one don't drink with colleagues,” she announced snatching the sandwich in my hand.

“How about not stealing their food as well.” I replied as she took a big bite.

“I thought you were on a diet?” I asked rescuing my lunch from her hungry grip.

“Number two do not let anyone at work know where you live,”

“ everyone except Jason,” I teased

“Yea I had to move cause he wouldn't stop sending flowers.”

“Awww!” Andy and I said in unison

“Number 3 don't involve your colleagues in your personal business.”

“None of this has anything to do with my current dilemma.”

“Oh no I don't have any advice for you my friend.”

“I do… Just f**k him and get this over with.” Andy suggested “after that you can do what Paula said, you move out, change jobs and lose all connections.”

“Or you don't f**k him and just take him as nothing but a horrible boss, eventually your feelings will subside.” paula added

“You have a point there.”

After the lunch break I thought hard about what they both said, from my cubicle I could see him in his office on the phone, I fantasized about going to his office and he would aggressive slide away all the files on his desk and place me on it but I knew just how impossible that would be, he was way too organized, his pen placed beside his notepad and all the files sorted out.

Between all of that I couldn't help but replay him throwing my proposal at me several times and the terrifying scorn on his face, with all the anger I felt I couldn't help but look over to his office, watching him talk he looked like a fictional character, not a single thing out of place not even a wrinkle on his jacket, he was perfect.

Hours later I remained at my desk trying to finish up my work but mostly spaced out, everyone wrapped up their work for the day and headed home.

“Need a ride?” Andy asked on his way out, “Yes please” I spouted

“But I gatta pick up my kids first” he added.

“ hell no!” I was in no mood to spend three hours of traffic with Andy's annoying kids, that wouldn't stop bickering.

“come on Regina” he chuckled

“Oh no I've got somethings I need to finish up first but thank you.”

I replied.

I struggled till I eventually dozed off on my desk. I felt a hand rest on my shoulder, shaking me till I eventually opened my eyes and realized it was Mr Cole's hand resting on my shoulder, he leaned towards me close enough for me to get a whiff of his cologne.

“Are you alright Miss Regina?”

He asked, staring pointedly at me.

I felt my heart flutter and my face turned red.

“Ah yea I'm alright.” I answered,

looking around. I realized I was the only one left and it was already nine pm. “I lost track of time,” I said.

I stood immediately, clearing my desk into a locker and stuffing the unfinished work into my bag.

“ The weather is crazy outside, I'll drive you home,” He insisted

“You don't have to I'll take the subway” I replied

“The subway would be closed by now.” He smiled, “Come on, I won't bite.”

His Car was a sleek black BMW,

I couldn't help but wonder why he was even at a subway when he had such a car. He leaned over and fasten my seat belt, his shoulder touching my chest at that moment I could hear Paula's voice in my head telling me how much a mistake I was making by letting this man whom I was madly in love take me home. He'd know where I live I thought, resting my head on the window.

I stared at my reflection in the side mirror, I could feel his eyes on me.

“I'm sorry about the other day,” I said breaking the awkward silence.

He slowly took him eyes off the road and faced me.

“I glad I got to meet you Miss Regina,” he smiled “You know after that day I hoped to bump into you again so kept taking the subway even though there are like a billion people in this city… I only wanted to see one person again. ”

My eyes widened in shock, my heart was racing, I could almost hear it beating from my chest.

“You should be a cop or something.. I've never met a woman so damn strong,”he laughed “I hope you caught the bad guy?.”

“No,” I found myself smiling and my eyes met his in a long quiet stare, his compelling eyes. I quickly looked away but his eyes remained on me.

I couldn't hold back anymore, knowing I would say something foolish I decided to get down and find my way home.

“can you drop me off here?..I can walk the rest,” I said removing the seat belt.

“Are you sure?.”

“yea yea” I replied knowing fully well that we still had a long way to go and I had no clue what to do next but I couldn't remain in the car with him.

I unlocked the door and immediately it began to rain before I could even step out. He leaned towards me shutting the door he chuckled quietly.

‘Why is everything against me today?’ I thought to myself as I fastened the seat belt again feeling completely embarrassed by the situation, we both laughed.

“You are something else Miss Regina...my dad told me about you,”

he mentioned

“You're dad? Mr's Wade is your father?” I spluttered.

“ ‘Wade Harrison’ you didn't catch that from my last name?”

“I didn't know he had children”

“He doesn't I'm adopted.”

“Oh,”

“ Yea it's complicated,” he said

At the end of the night he dropped me off at my place, stepping down from the car I sighted Matt across the street looking better than the previous day but I didn't feel anything about his presence, I was taken away by the man who had just opened the door for me,

“safetly at home” Cole smiled, shutting the door “I told you i don't bite,” he stood so close that if I had exhaled my stomach would have touched his.

“Goodnight sir,” I waved as he drove off.

I could see the jealousy in Matt's eyes from across the street, he approached me and asked “was that the date you were talking about?”

“what if it was?” I smiled

“So how was the date?” he asked again tailing closely behind.

“None of your business,”

“you can't be serious”

“Go home Matt ” I said turning to him before shutting my door.