Babysitting The Boss

18.Neutral Ground

"Hello?"

Most people did not know this but Laura was a really good mimic. She developed the skill in her teenage while pretending to be her older brother in his room.

So when Heath heard the deep, brooding voice, his blood boiled.

"Who is this?" Heath growled.

Laura grinned mischievously. "This is June's boyfriend," she said, her voice dropping an octave to mimic a deep, authoritative tone. "And I'm telling you to leave her the hell alone."

On the other end of the line, Heath's jaw dropped. "What the—?"

"Jeez Lau, you will get me in trouble!" June rolled her eyes as she took the phone from her protesting friend.

"But I was not done with him!" Laura whined in her normal voice.

On the other side, Heath Robbins was confused.

"June, is that you? What's going on?"

"Yes, it's me, Heath," June said into the phone, her voice weary. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "I'm sorry about Laura. She's just... looking out for me."

"I can see that," Heath said, his voice still tinged with surprise. "Look, June, I just wanted to talk. Can we... can we meet up?"

June's heart skipped a beat. She knew she should say no, that she should maintain her boundaries. But she also knew that she still had feelings for him, despite his childish behavior. "Okay," she said, her voice tentative. "But not at the office."

They agreed to meet at a local coffee shop, a neutral ground where they could hopefully hash things out without the weight of the office looming over them.

When Heath arrived, he looked even more disheveled than he had that morning. He saw June sitting at a table by the window, her legs crossed and her arms folded across her chest. Laura shot him a glare from the corner of the room before disappearing into the kitchen.

"June," Heath began as he approached her, his eyes searching hers. "I'm sorry. I really am."

"You should be," June said, her voice firm. "You threw away my job because of your own insecurity."

Heath sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're right," he admitted. "But I just... I couldn't handle the thought of you with George."

June leaned forward, her eyes piercing. "Why not?" she asked, her voice quiet but demanding. "Is it because you care about me, or because you can't stand the idea of someone else having what you want?"

Heath paused, his eyes dropping to the table. "Both," he murmured.

June's expression softened, but only slightly. "Well, you need to decide which one is more important," she said. "Because if it's just about owning me, then we don't have anything to talk about."

Heath reached out, his hand hovering over hers. "It's not just that," he said, his voice earnest. "I do care about you. I just... I'm not good at this relationship stuff."

June felt the heat of his hand but didn't pull away. "That's not good enough," she said, her voice firm. "If we're going to do this, you need to trust me."

Heath nodded, his eyes meeting hers. "I know," he said. "I'll work on it."

"And I need to be able to trust you too," June added. "No more secrets, no more NDAs."

"Agreed," Heath said, his hand finally landing on hers. "Let's start over."

June took a deep breath, looking into his eyes. She could see the sincerity there, the vulnerability. It was tempting to forgive him, to let herself be swept away again. But she knew she had to be strong. "Okay," she said finally. "But if you mess up again, I'm not coming back."

Heath nodded, his thumb tracing circles on the back of her hand. "Understood," he said. "Thank you for giving me another chance."

June nodded, her eyes never leaving his. "But don't make me regret it," she warned.

The air between them was charged with unspoken words and emotions. They both knew that this was a pivotal moment in their relationship, and that the next steps would define their future together.

As they sat there, their fingers intertwined, the sound of laughter and clinking dishes filled the air. The world outside the coffee shop window continued to spin, but for that brief moment, it was just the two of them, trying to navigate the stormy waters of love and trust.

The tension in the room was palpable as they talked, each word hanging in the air like a tightrope between them. Laura hovered in the background, watching her friend with a mix of worry and hope. She knew June was strong, but she also knew that love could make people do stupid things.

"What happens now?" Heath asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

June took a deep breath. "Now," she said, her voice steady. "We figure out how to make this work without tearing each other apart."

Heath nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes," he said.

June felt a flicker of hope in her chest. Maybe, just maybe, they could find a way through this mess.

"Let's go to my place," Heath suggested, his voice low and husky. "We need to talk some more."

June's heart skipped a beat. She knew what that meant. But she also knew that she couldn't resist him. Not when he looked at her like that. So she nodded, and they left the coffee shop, their hands entwined.

When they reached Heath's apartment, the tension was thick, like a humid summer night. He led her inside, and she could see the effort he had made to clean up. The lights were dim, and a faint scent of his cologne filled the air. She knew he was trying to make it right, to show her that he cared.

Heath took her hand and led her to the bedroom, his eyes never leaving hers. They stood there for a moment, the air heavy with anticipation. Then, without a word, he leaned in and kissed her, gently at first, then with a passion that took her breath away. June felt herself melting into him, all the anger and confusion slipping away like sand through her fingers.

"You're so beautiful." He murmured. "So very beautiful."

Their clothes fell away in a frenzy, each touch and kiss a silent apology, a promise of better days ahead. Heath's hands were gentle as he explored her body, as if he was afraid she would break. But June was made of stronger stuff than that. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer, showing him that she was still there, that she still wanted him.

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