YES TO HARRY

CHAPTER FIVE

The next week at Bills and Wicks was intense, Raina was neck buried assisting Lucas on his case. He had asked her to work with him on the case, and had assigned her a couple of tasks. It was a tougher case than Raina had initially thought, but they made a good team together. Lucas was patient, calculating and detailed. He also took what Raina thought were expensive risks, but perhaps they were not so expensive after all since he left no stone unturned and facts checked any information thoroughly too, deciding how to use it to benefit his client.

“You should come in at noon tomorrow,” Lucas said to Raina. “Your commitment to this case is astounding, even to me”. A half smile playing at the corners of his lips.

“Maybe I will, thank you. Raina replied. “But are you sure you won't need me for anything?

I'm sure I can manage for a few hours, so I insist.

Alright then, thank you Lucas.

Wrap that up, leave a printed copy with Millicent she knows what to do and go home Raina. Lucas said mildly.

Lucas was about a couple years older than Sebastian. He had a healthy beard that he seemed to invest a lot in keeping it so, his oval face was mostly serious. While many employers at the firm saw him as difficult and unapproachable. Millicent, his secretary, thought differently. Raina thought she saw him a bit more than her boss, but more of a mentor. She found that admirable. It made her wonder what Tami, Sebastian's secretary, thought of him.

The next day, she reported a few minutes past noon, to find Lucas buried in paperwork.

“Hi Raina” Lucas greeted the minute she walked in

“I'm so sorry I'm late.”

“Nonsense, I was going to call you to take the entire day actually.” Lucas answered

“Umm.. doesn't quite seem like that to me.” Raina responded, her eyes ogling at the paperwork scattered on his desk.

“Oh this! Well I'm just going over a somewhat delectable offer, for another firm totally unrelated to the case at hand”

“I hate to pry but are you leaving BW, Lucas?”

“It's not that delectable” Lucas responded. Gathering the documents and clearing of this desk.

A relief! Raina said, flashing him a smile.

Raina loved working at Bill and Wicks, but working with Lucas was even more fulfilling. He never overstepped, and was both polite and very constructive when he needed to scold her, which he only did once.

She saw less of Sebastian that week, particularly because his office was situated somewhere in the adjacent direction, and when she did, she would simply walk past him.

Two weeks passed in a blur, and her life felt a little more peaceful. Once or twice her mind would wander to her fiance, and what he was upto or if he was thinking of her.

In the last few days she hadn't returned any of his calls or responded to any of his texts. Though, she desperately wanted all these to end and things back to good again. But, she knew she needed to be certain of what he really wanted and if she mattered as much, to him.

On the third week, she was out on a lunch-break with Boma, but the model-like girl from weeks back, with a crush on him had cornered him into a conversation on their way back up, and Boma was too much of a gentleman to put up an act. Raina had excused herself, particularly because she had lots to help Lucas tidy, with his hearing in two days.

She got into the elevator, and just before it closed up, a hand interjected, and the elevator reopened, letting in the intruder, it was Sebastian, she got instantly uncomfortable.

“Hi Betrothed,” Sebastian greeted, studying her. “You look nice,” he looked away to press a button on the closed elevator.

“Hi,” she restrained herself from commenting on his title to her.

“I sent you flowers, didn't you get them?”

Raina wondered what was going on his mind with that statement.

“I was of the impression that we weren't to be intimate at work” responded Raina

“We aren't, I was discreet but..I still wanted to remind you, you're mine and I would like to take you on a date. Your stubbornness leaves me no choice really. He looked at her without a blink, “All the more so, because you haven't returned any of my calls or texts.” Sebastian eyes searched Raina's face as he spoke, then he moved closer to her.

Raina’s heart missed a beat, she was still very much in love with him, and being that close to him after weeks, yet unable to hug him was mortifying.

“I..I..uhmmm, don't think that's necessary" she managed to say.

“You aren't even looking at me, Babe.” Sebastian said softly and made to touch her face. But the elevator opened up, so he bent into her and whispered instead.

"My office".

Raina sighed in relief, when he adjusted the neck region of his coffee brown 6 piece suit and walked away, hands in his left pocket. She cussed herself for being so helpless around him.

“Hi Tami”, Raina greeted Sebastian's secretary, when she got to his office 5 mins later, startling the lady from the phone she was fiddling with.

“Hey Ray, it's you..” she smiled sweetly, straightening out and tucking back the phone in her bag. "Been a minute, you came around..and yeah, he's in. Would you like me to notify him?”

“That won't be necessary, thankyou Tami and nice shades.” Tami was smiling when Raina walked past her, into her fiance's office.

She met Sebastian changing out of his suit, but got her eyes busy somewhere else.

“Won't you help me?” He asked mildly

Raina said nothing in response. “Let's have dinner then.” He suggested"...and talk". He paused to hang the suit on his work chair. "I'm willing to let go of whatever transpired between you and......there was another pause, let's just talk really."

Raina stared at him, a thousand thoughts going through her mind, but when she finally responded, all she said was "okay".

“Great, I'll clear my desk and pick you up at 6? I'll need to have a word with Lucas to cut you loose of some of that stress.” He added.

Hearing Sebastian say that was surprising to Raina, but she didn't react. "No, you won't. I and Lucas are fine, send the details and I'll be there."

“Are you sure?”

Raina was quiet and then he figured the vagueness of his question. I mean are you sure about Lucas?

Raina now so badly wanted to ask him, when he started to care about her work or who she worked or the stress involved but didn't want to pick a fight, a part of her suggested, Sebastian was trying to make up and so she should just listen.

“I'm good, and can handle myself. Thanks!”

“I hope you don't stand me up, Ray!” Sebastian said, his both hands coming around and holding her waist. Then pulling her mildly into his bosom, he smelled like roses and cheesecake, so she helf her breadth momentarily to avoid being carried away.

He placed his lips on hers and kissed her sensually. She didn't flinch, but turned and walked away, the minute he let go. "Leaving Sebastian's bemused eyes escorting her.

The moment Raina shot his door behind her, she exhaled harshly, she had never been more grateful that Tami's office was vacant.

She caught her breath multiple times, surprised at how composed she was when his lips were pressed against hers. Raina took a deep breath, and when she came back to it, she headed towards the exit where Tami was just returning with a lunch pack.

I hope he didn't ask for me” she whispered

Not at all, I had him well occupied, Raina assured, smiling.

“Oh! Tami threw her an accusing look.. Raina figured her thoughts and answered with a smile "Not in that way Tami"

“You're a lifesaver regardless, Thankyou”. Tami said, sinking into her chair.

That response sparked some curiosity in Raina

“Is he harsh to you? You tell me and I'll whoop his ass”