Chapter 22
1177 Words
Lucy felt a mix of excitement and thrill. Who wouldn’t, seeing what that man had just displayed? He refused to admit it, but it was written all over his face. On top of that, he was practically dropping himself into her lap. Naturally, she felt a spark of hope. Finally, she could follow the advice given to her Kelseay This was her chance to make him confess.
She smirked to herself. Genius, I know.
Shifting her attention to her desk, she reminded herself she still had a few papers to handle. Perfect timing. She would bring them to Daryl afterward. In fairness, Daryl was cute. Not her type exactly, but they seemed compatible enough.
Why not?
She began scanning the documents one by one. Later that afternoon, they had another meeting, and she was sure she’d be included. Still, she couldn’t shake Drake’s earlier expression from her mind. He looked like a kid caught in the act, stubbornly denying his mischief. Classic Drake.
Just a few more gestures, and he’ll fall for me. He had nothing to worry about; she was ready to catch him. He was intoxicating, addictive, almost maddening. She had never been this crazy in love before, and it was all thanks to her prickly, impossible boss, who she was certain would eventually be hers.
Yes! Go for it, girl!
After half an hour, she finally finished scanning. Lifting her head, she saw Daryl approaching, carrying a coffee and smiling.
“Hi, you looked busy, so I brought you coffee,” he said, placing the cup on her desk.
“Thanks! You went through the trouble. Perfect timing. I was about to nod off. Oh, and I finished scanning these. Since you’re here, might as well save me a trip to your desk.” She handed him the folder, which he accepted immediately.
“Thanks. By the way, coffee’s on me. I think your number will do,” he said with a wink. Lucy laughed and shook her head.
“You’ve got moves, huh? Since I’m a goddess, the phone’s mine.” She held out her hand. Daryl quickly handed her his phone. She entered her number and returned it.
Moments later, the door to Drake’s office opened. His glare immediately landed on Daryl.
“Why are you here, Mr. Ortega? Didn’t I tell you to stay away?” Drake asked, irritated. Daryl forced a smile.
“Sorry, Boss. I just brought her coffee. She looked sleepy. Just a little wake-up boost,” Daryl explained.
“Tsk. You may go now. Back to your work. She’s my responsibility as my secretary. Don’t meddle next time. I’m warning you.” Drake’s voice was firm. Daryl scratched his head, apologized, and stepped back. Lucy stopped him.
“Wait, Daryl! Your phone. My number’s in there, and you can text or call me. Maybe even load me,” she teased. Daryl stepped closer and took the phone.
“Thanks, Lucy. I’ll remember. Just reply when I do, bye for now!”
He left briskly. Lucy met Drake’s gaze. Their eyebrows locked.
“Problem, Boss?” she asked.
“Why did you give him your number?” he asked, a hint of irritation in his tone.
“Nothing. We’re friends, and he wanted to text me. It works for me too—maybe he’ll load me,” she teased.
“Tsk. You don’t have your own load? You don’t know him well. Why trust him already?”
“Concerned? Jealous, maybe?” she teased.
“Fool. Not jealous. Just giving advice. Why do I even care?” Drake muttered to himself, turning away.
That man was impossible. She followed his movement with her eyes. Before he fully entered, he glanced back at her.
“Next time, don’t fall for that jerk’s trap. He’s not trustworthy just by appearance,” he said. Then he walked inside. Lucy sighed and muttered to herself.
“You were right, Lucy. He’s jealous!” She couldn’t help the thrill. The thought of him blushing, ears red and face warm, made her giddy. Now she knew what a jealous Drake Anderson looked like. Paranoid much?
She picked up Daryl’s coffee. It was still warm, and she burned her tongue slightly. Still, the happiness she felt outweighed any pain.
By 3:30 in the afternoon, Lucy began organizing her things. Drake’s last meeting was at 4:00, so she prepared the necessary papers. Just as she finished, the door to his office opened. He glanced at her, squinting sleepily.
“Let’s go. We need to be early at the meeting place,” he said, walking ahead. She followed, carrying some documents. Suddenly, he stepped back and covered her eyes with his hands.
“Don’t look at that troublemaker. Just walk. I’ll handle your sight,” he said. They were about to pass Daryl’s desk. She heard him call her, but Drake guided her swiftly. When he removed his hands, they were inside the elevator. She peeked. He kept a perfect poker face.
Lucy grinned under her breath, heart thumping like a drum. Poker face? Pfft. I know that twitch of your lips, boss. You’re hiding a smirk.
“Wow, boss,” she said, leaning just enough to brush her shoulder against his, deliberately close. “You know, holding my eyes like that… kinda feels like fate is giving me a head start. Or maybe you just can’t resist me.”
Drake’s jaw stiffened. “Careful, Lucy.”
“Oh, I am careful,” she replied sweetly, batting her eyelashes. “Careful enough to make sure you don’t trip over yourself falling for me. It’s okay, I’ll catch you. Don’t worry… I’ve got experience.”
A faint flush warmed the edges of his ears. Lucy noticed it immediately and bit her lip to keep from laughing. Jackpot.
“Feel free to admit it, boss,” she continued, voice playful, teasing. “You’ve got that look… the ‘I’m pretending to be annoyed but secretly thinking about how irresistible she is’ look. Don’t fight it, it’s cute.”
He shot her a sideways glare, but it didn’t hide the twitch at the corner of his mouth. She leaned closer, letting her perfume drift toward him. “You know, I read somewhere that the closer you stand to someone, the more their heart races… funny how accurate that is right now, huh?”
Drake’s eyes flicked to hers. Oh, he noticed. Lucy could practically feel the electricity sparking between them. She couldn’t resist one last jab.
“And hey,” she whispered conspiratorially, “if your heart is racing, you’re welcome. I mean, someone has to keep your boring old day interesting.”
He exhaled sharply, caught between exasperation and something else she knew all too well. Lucy grinned, leaning back, completely satisfied. Mission accomplished. And we haven’t even left the elevator yet.
The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. Drake glanced at her again, the faintest hint of a smile finally breaking through his stoic mask. Lucy’s heart did a little flip.
Oh, this is going to be fun.
- Writer
