Craved Affection

2. Bumping into you

Ping!

The coffee shop that I frequented isn't the busiest one. They serve amazing coffee and pastry, but it isn't like the other coffee shop where you wouldn't find a good seat because there's none left. On the contrary, there are a lot of vacant seats.

The ambiance of the place is also extraordinary. I love that it is not buzzing with people, it instantly becomes my haven. But the business must be doing well because the building is well maintained and I haven't heard of any complaints about the place.

I walk up to the cashier and the woman behind the register smile at me. She is a new face. I look around and see the one I know serving the other customers their orders. I look at the cashier again–she looked to be in her teens, her black hair is neatly tucked under her cap, and her face is colored with make-up that looks contrasted with where she is working.

"Give me one black coffee and a slice of schiacciata."

She nods her head and processes my order. After paying, I walk to sit at the farthest table on the right side of the coffee shop. It is the ideal place for me. No one will distract you from eating your food. No one will be looking at you as they go past you. And no one will be looking at what I'm doing from behind. I like to be alone and do my own business. The crowd is the last thing I want to deal with.

"Is that him? But who is that woman sitting in front of him?"

"Quiet down. He might hear us. Big shots like him didn't like to be talked about."

As I waits for my order, the women gossiping in front of me caught my attention. I'm about to open my phone when I hear them talking. It is not that hard since the place is quiet and they are near me. This is another thing that I like about sitting at this table, I have the ideal place to watch the people in the shop.

"I want to take a picture of him. He's handsome." The woman in a fur coat coo.

"Me too." The woman sitting in front of her stare at the man they are talking about in a dreamy state.

I follow their gaze to judge whether the guy is handsome or they are just blind. A few tables away from us, he is sitting almost right at the door. He's with someone and he's facing in our direction. So, I got a good look at him.

Technically, he is handsome. Strong jawline, neat hair, clean face and I think his eyes were hazel. The sun is reflecting directly on his orbs. He is handsome. He also has a broad shoulder.

I hear a giggle from the table where the two women are and the guy must've heard it too because he looks up. His eyes met mine and stare at me. I'm caught off guard so I stare right back at him. Then he smiles. A dimple appears on his left cheek as he gives me a small smile.

Playboy.

I'm the first to look away. Luckily, my order comes, so I focus on eating and erase the guy and that little interaction we have earlier. I also open my phone and access the files that I need to look at. But I didn't forget to text Lucila regarding Cody's task. She still has the right to know and I don't want to disrespect her like that.

I finish my lunch in a minute. Lucila is sending me millions of texts saying that Cody wouldn't be my new secretary and that she will be coming this Friday. I just need to wait for another two days, she said. I assured her plenty of times that I just needed Cody to lend me a hand.

She needs to chill. What is she freaking about? I just told her about the side task I'm giving.

I'm already done with my lunch and I'm busy typing my reply while walking so I didn't see someone coming my way. I bump into someone and I'm lucky enough to get my phone sandwich between us and safe. I look up to see the most beautiful set of eyes I have ever seen. The sunlight lightens his eyes for a bit then it returns to normal. It's dark but still beautiful.

"Are you okay?" he asks me.

His voice is deep and manly. He also smells nice. It's luring me in, making me want to pull him close to me, put his lips on my ears, and whisper all the dirty things he can do to me. I mentally slap my face. It's not helping that his hands are on my waist and are sending a tingling sensation throughout my body.

Wake up, Catherine. There's no time for this! Get your act together, girl.

"I, uh, I'm okay. I'm sorry I wasn't looking." I manage to compose myself in front of him.

"It's okay. I'm equally at fault."

There it is again, that smile. That captivating smile of him and that equally captivating dimple on his right cheek. I think I'm losing my mind. So, before that could happen, I excuse myself.

"I need to go. I'm sorry."

I quickly step back and walk out of the coffee shop. I quicken my pace but I keep it sophisticated enough for some reason. I think it has something to do with the way my heart is pounding wildly in y chest. I am mentally beating myself for acting like a teenager back then. What was I thinking? Dirty things?

Come on, Catherine. You're not an impetuous teenager anymore. You're a grown-ass woman. Get your s**t together girl.

~~~

I finally reach the office with much difficulty. The people on the street triple from when I go out earlier. Maneuvering through the crowd was exhausting, so I gladly welcome the cool air the office offered as soon as I step foot inside the office.

Cody was already cleaning up the secretary's table when I arrive. He stands straight when he sees me walking out of the elevator. I look at him and stop to inspect his work.

I must say he's good at it.

"Did you arrange it by file type?" he nods.

"By date?" he shakes his head.

"I want them arranged by date, too. Oldest to newest. Use this sticker as indicators, stick them on the side of the paper, so it will be easier to search." Cody nods again.

"After that, could you also arrange the files on the computer? I want them just like how the papers are arranged."

I peek at the computer and at how messy it was. I shake my head at how sloppy it is.

"Yes, Miss."

"Report to me once you're done."

He nods once again. I continued to go inside my office. Before I could even put down my purse, Lucila call me. I answer it immediately.

"You can't work Cody overtime, Catherine." She said that as soon as I put the phone on my ears.

"I'm not working him overtime. He just needs to finish what I asked him and he will be free to go home," I answered her throwing the purse on my bed.

I walk to the dresser and pull out a shirt and coat. The one I'm currently wearing smells like the guy in that coffee shop. The smell of cedarwood and pine. It sticks to me and it keeps reminding me of that intense gaze and deep voice of him.

"On that note, you also need to go home. Anna had been bugging me to let you go home. I don't want to be involved in your family affair, Catherine." I hear Lucila's irritated voice on the other line.

I'm starting to get pissed off with her. She and I are always neck and neck with each other. Neither of us wants to back down. And I don't like the way she talks to me like I was still that girl she was mentoring.

"Then don't." That earns a grunt from Lucila and a small smile of victory from me.

"Look, I'm busy. Goodbye." I didn't wait for her to answer me and ends the call.

"I'm stressed as it is," I whisper to myself.

I go inside the bathroom with new fresh clothes and take a quick shower. I want to remove the smell because it felt like it had already seeped on my skin. I don't want that. Or maybe I do and I'm just in denial. I don't know.

I didn't bother to dry my hair and sit down in front of my table again. I stare at my computer because it feels like I have forgotten something. I look around me and all I can see was the stack of papers on my side and another on the center table in front of me.

"Did I forget something?" I ask myself.

I rack my head but nothing came to mind. So, I let it go and continued with my work.