Starting Fresh (Lorica Series #1)

Chapter 5

Tovi slammed her face on the papers lying around her desk. The computer beside her kept ringing with notification beeping sounds. Then it was followed by the telephone's ringing. She picked it up then put it on her ear then said in a lazy tone. "He's not here. Please call later." Then dropped the telephone. She put the telephone on the desk, not on its base. She slumped on her seat then rubbed her eyes. As soon as she opened them, she saw Cole coming into the office holding a small paper bag in his hand.

Tovi's curiosity raised as she saw the familiar cafe logo on the paper bag. Then she remembered her blueberry cheesecake when she left the cafe. She bit her lip as she started to feel regrets for not finishing her favorite blueberry cheesecake.

"Did someone call for me?" Cole asked as he dropped his jacket at the clothing rack.

"Yeah. A lot of people were looking for you," she said as she changed her sitting position back to being workaholic and professional. Her eyes never left the computer then she compiled the papers according to its place.

Cole sat down at one of the black couches then he took out the container from the paper bag and began eating it. Tovi glanced at him and noticed that he was eating a blueberry cheesecake that made her mouth water.

"Mm! This flavor is delicious!" he said as he smacked his lips, showing delightful expression. She raised her eyebrows and shook her head then glanced back to the papers on her desk. But couldn't help but get curious about Cole's cake, especially that it was the flavor that she was longing to eat.

"No wonder your friends said that this is your favorite," Cole said with his mouth full then he took another bite of it. Tovi gaped at him as she confirmed that it was the blueberry cheesecake that he was eating! And Tiana and Amy told him about it!

"It's a shame that this will not be available at the cafe soon," he said then he smirked and took another bite.

Tovi sighed without leaving her eyes on the papers. But she couldn't help but get distracted with Cole's smacking of lips and moans as he ate the cake. It was tempting to take another bite of it but that would just make it look like she surrendered herself to him. She just had to endure the temptation until he finished the whole cake.

After a few seconds of torture, Cole finally finished the cake. Tovi may not look like it, but she was celebrating that she successfully went through the temptation of eating the cake. A few seconds later, after Cole gently tapped the handkerchief on his lips, he took out another container from the paper bag.

Tovi's eyebrows arched. "For someone like you who has abs eats a lot of sugar in less than an hour."

Cole glanced at her then gave her a chuckle. "Oh, this is not for me. It's for Ramon," he said then he stood up then placed the container on Tovi's desk which was just beside the papers piled up.

"Give that to him," he said as he gently tapped the container twice then walked towards the door of his office.

"You're not giving Ramon these kinds of things," Tovi said, which made Cole stop and turned around at her.

"You're just playing with me because you know that I love this flavor of cake," she added as she crossed her arms.

Cole c****d one eyebrow then sneered at her. “No, I am not playing with you. Give that to Ramon or I'll fire you."

Tovi scoffed then she rolled her eyes. Cole’s grin faded then turned his lips into a straight line. "Did you just roll your eyes on me?"

She darted her eyes at him and gave him a sardonic smile. "What? Are you going to boss me around?"

"Why not? I'm your boss," he said, his eyebrows arched.

Tovi hissed then she glanced back to her computer. Unexpectedly, Cole walked towards her then placed his hands on the desk. His eyes narrowed at her that made her stop her fingers from tapping the keyboard.

"Stop giving me that kind of attitude or I'm really going to fire your . . . " he said as he paused and his eyes wandered to Tovi's legs that were exposed from her fitted black skirt. " . . . sexy tush."

Tovi's eyebrows raised, her eyes widened as her cheeks turned pink. Cole turned around then walked straight to his office door and closed it behind him. Tovi didn't know what to feel if she should feel submissive or annoyed at him. She took a glance at the blueberry cheesecake on her table then she closed the lid of its container and pushed it an inch away from her. Then continued her work.

Her long shift finally ended and she was able to arrange all the things and reports that Ramon gave to her. After she turned off the computer, she stood up then stretched her arms away while yawning. Then she picked up her purse but glanced back on the cake again. She glanced at the wall clock and saw that it was already nine o'clock in the evening. She nearly forgot about the cake that she didn't ask about Ramon coming by at the office. And Cole just left an hour ago without saying a word.

She suddenly heard her tummy rumble since she didn't eat dinner. She stared back at the container and she was tempted to eat it since Ramon didn't drop by today. But she couldn't disobey Cole's orders because he could possibly fire her, even if she doubted his capabilities. She glanced at the container again and decided to eat it instead and buy a new one tomorrow before going to work. She picked up the fork and opened its lid, then she ate it 'til her heart's content.

Afterwards, she went out of the office and walked to the empty, dark and quiet hallway. She went into the elevator, went down then stopped at the second floor. When it opened, she saw Cole standing in front of her and their eyes met.

"I thought you went home?" Tovi asked him as he went inside. The elevator doors closed.

"I had some business to finish first," he said with his eyes locked on the elevators' number of floors.

Tovi sighed deeply and prepared herself to tell him the truth. "I ate the cheesecake." 

Those words put a simper on Cole’s face as he tried to hide it from her.

"I got hungry and I ate it. So, I'm thinking of buying a new one instead for Ramon—"

"It was really for you."

Tovi blinked after she heard what Cole just said. The elevator opened, then Cole walked out from it. Tovi still had her jaw slightly dropped then she walked out the elevator as soon as it was about to close. Her eyes followed Cole who went down the stairs leading to the parking lot, disappearing from her sight. She couldn't get over the fact that Cole left the cheesecake for her.

Why didn't he tell me in the first place? I could've thanked him!

But she just thought that maybe Cole could get shy sometimes. A corner of her mouth lifted.