The Virgin Billionaire And His Willful Secretary

Nether Engagement

Abel flashed a half-smile at Tabitha as he darted past her and jittered down the stairs of the balcony.

As he turned the corner and emerged in the broad hall room again, he scanned the room for Layla. He continued to do so as he walked towards the elevator.

“Hold it”, said a recently familiar voice just as the elevator doors began to close.

Abel held the doors open in time for Rick to dash him. He instantly regretted it, but what was he supposed to do, make enemies on his first day?

“You do know there’s a shitter on this floor right”, offered Rick, just as they began their descent.

“Hmm?”, replied Abel, immediately recalling some bullshit excuse about using the restroom he’d told to get out of the meeting.

“Oh umm, I just figured I’d use the opportunity to get something from my car, you know, killing two birds with one stone and what not.”

“Oh ok”

An awkward silence fell on them both. Its weight much more registered on Abel’s shoulders.

“So you have any plans afterward?”

The question took Abel by surprise, it threatened exposure of his darkest secret, his absolute lack of a social life. So he instinctively fell to his traditional response to such inquiries.

“Yeah, just hanging out with the boys”

“Cool. It’s just I and a couple of friends were hitting this really exclusive club later tonight and I thought maybe you’d like to tag along. But maybe next time.”

“Sure, next time.”

Next time hell froze over, he thought.

Abel had never gone to a club in his life. The prospect of getting frisky with hygienically frivolous promiscuous sweaty strangers in a dimly lit setting constantly being sundered by earsplitting ‘music’ through a hazy atmosphere all while being driven by the frivolity alcohol introduces just didn’t appeal to him. Why anyone would volunteer to have multiple senses blurred for an extended period and call it fun astounded him.

Besides, he really liked remembering what he did at night the next morning, not piecing it together as the day went by while enduring a splitting headache crouching by the shitter.

He had a very vivid intuition of the drunken experience for someone who had never been drunk before.

The elevator came to a halt just then and Abel watched Rick stroll out, hands in pocket. He turned around again just as the doors began to close, taking one hand out of his pocket and pointing to Abel.

“Next time, right?”

Abel replied with a forced smile and left his rescue to the elevator doors. He’d concluded everyone at the office was weird by now.

Only when he resumed his descent did his thoughts flicker back to the clumsy woman waiting just a few feet below.

Clumsy? No, he’d seen her walk into the boardroom, she was anything but. Cheeky! Yes, cheeky was more befitting. Avery cheeky woman indeed.

The elevator came to its final stop and Abel emerged from its clutches, scanning the lot for the woman as he made his way to its center, or at least somewhere relative to that.

He kept on searching with his eyes. He knew her name, but for some reason calling it out loud was not an option. Sure, it would probably help her locate him faster, but so would anyone within earshot, and Abel was not the biggest fan of unnecessary attention.

As he took his second right turn, he came to the area he had parked. His pace reduced as soon as he spotted her, she was leaning on the side of the black Mercedes.

He instinctively adjusted his gait. His steps seemed measured and his poise more refined.

As he drew nearer, he noticed she hadn’t changed her position. She continued to lean on the car as she watched him approach.

She had taken off her blazer, her elegant figure was even more evident now.

“You’re not very punctual, are you?”

Says the one who only just got to less than an hour ago, thought Abel. He maintained his composure without uttering a word.

It wasn’t a ‘cool guy’ act, nothing of the sort. Abel was getting more and more anxious by the second, he was very bad at handling these types of situations.

“Oh, I forgot, you’re a robot. You’re not still mad about this morning, are you?”

Layla finally stood up straight, she then moved closer to him.

“How’s your forehead? I hope it isn’t sore.”

She raised her hand to examine his forehead but Abel moved back a foot. She persisted, ignoring his subtle protest.

Her warm hand grazed his forehead. It was in heavy contrast to the chill atmosphere of the underground lot.

She was once again in his personal space. He found it baffling how easy it was for her to invade it.

And then her scent, it was familiar by now. It was gentle but seemed to sear his nostrils from within, and when it grew faint, it seemed to have an altogether different smell, like custard. It was odd but weirdly nice.

As she touched his forehead he felt a sense of dejavu. It was like back at the coffee house, she was just as close to him as she was then. His mind wavered for a bit, then he took a daring peek downwards.

This time he got caught.

Abel immediately looked away from Layla’s gaze, clearing his throat loudly and stepping back as he did so.

“I’m fine thanks”, he said, brushing his fingers against his temple.

“He speaks! I’m Layla by the way”

“Abel”

“I’m sorry I spilled coffee on you earlier, I was in a rush. We were supposed to have someone super important come in today, but of course, the jerk isn’t here yet”, she said, gesturing to an empty parking spot just a few yards from where they stood.

Abel could see the tag clearly read CEO. Was his dad supposed to come in today?

Then it clicked. He was here on behalf of his father! He was the “jerk” they were expecting. He was ‘supposed’ to park there!

Should he say something? He should probably say something.

“All that fuss for nothing”, Layla continued.

“Of course it’s not that surprising, just corporate assholes being assholes. Selfish bastard!”

On second thought, maybe it was best to leave things as is, he thought.

“But don’t you work for these “corporate assholes”?”

“Not for long, I’m more or less just passing through. This job is just a means to an end, nothing more”

“If you say so”, resigned Abel.

“And you? You were at the board meeting, so I figure you must be someone of relative importance.”

Abel didn’t feel like lying, but he didn’t see the need to tell the truth either. At least not right then.

“Did you just ask me down here to apologize?”

“Oh! I almost forgot”

She turned to the car and retrieved something from the roof.

“Here, I figured you might want this back.”

Abel frantically ran his hands through every orifice on his clothing on seeing the object in her hand.

He was so anxious about the board meeting that he didn’t realize he hadn’t had his phone since the coffeehouse encounter.

“Thanks”, he said, as he reached to receive it from her.

But Layla withdrew her outstretched arm.

“You mean you didn’t even notice it was gone?” she asked amidst a slight chuckle.

“Come to think of it, I haven’t heard this thing buzz once in the hour it's been with me. Your social life must be really… profuse.

The sarcasm wasn’t lost on Abel.

“It’s new”

It wasn’t

“I haven’t synced my contacts yet”

Sure he had. And he could tell she wasn’t buying it.

Suddenly, they heard the elevator ding. The underground lot echoed with Layla’s name carried by a shrill voice with an impatient tone. It was Tabitha.

Layla instinctively pulled Abel out of the light and into a darkened corner of the lot. Abel did not resist. He only regained full awareness to find his back to a wall and Layla pressed up against him.

Why were they hiding? He thought. Why was ‘he’ hiding?

As the voice drew nearer, Layla’s body seemed to press up against his even harder. Was he imagining things?

No! He could feel her warmth through their clothes. He felt her body respire against his and attempted to match her breathing.

By now he’d begun to get ‘excited’. He tried as hard as he could to sway his thoughts.

He thought of Mario, he thought of Pikachu, he thought of Naruto, hell, he thought of Jesus too.

He struggled to think of nothing, something, anything but what was going on at that moment, but her scent…

For some reason, it was even more alluring than before. He caught himself inhaling loudly.

He only just realized why she had different scents. It was her shampoo.

It was a softer scent than the one she wore, although just as nice.

He noticed his ‘excitement’ toning down. He took another whiff, this time a little too loud.

She noticed.

He felt her head tilt upwards, he kept on staring into the far ends of the parking lot, ignoring her searing gaze.

Fortunately, he heard Tabitha curse and get back into the elevator. She was gone.

But Layla didn’t budge, so he gave in and looked down, ever so gently.

He met her gaze and saw the teasing grin on her face.

“Did you just smell my hair?”

Abel had a choice. He could be shy and make things awkward for himself, or he could own it and make her feel awkward.

He chose the latter.

“Yes, I think you have a very nice scent, both on your hair and body.”

He regretted his choice instantly.

Layla didn’t speak, she just stared.

Abel stared back.

For the first time, he was aware of just how quiet, empty, and murky the lot was. They were totally and utterly alone.

He was alone with this woman. In a dark room!

Abel snapped out of the trance first.

“Excuse me”

“Oh! Sorry. I should go. Tabs is probably dying to give me an earful”

“Oh, here you go”, she said, turning back and handing him his phone.

Layla then turned around and walked away briskly.

Abel watched her go.

As soon as she was out of sight he grimaced about what he’d said. It was so out of character for him he could feel a little vomit at the back of his throat.

After regaining his composure, he tilted his head downwards and brought his jacket to his nose as he inhaled deeply.

“God! She smelled nice”.