Medusa Pt. 03

"Okay," she clapped. "Time to go, newbies," she said as she got to her feet. "Miss. Tibbs wants to see us in records. Not you, Frank. Data is not until tomorrow. Looks like you get a long lunch. Nice meeting you, Miss. Peterson."

Oh. Okay. Bye-bye. And then it was just the two of us. Him and me. Me and him. Sat together in the loudest silence ever as I tried to keep my raging libido in check.

Which was the last thing I wanted to do.

***

I never really considered what being in love would be like.

Sure, as a teenager, I had boyfriends and the odd deep crush in High School, but as I sat opposite the man, I began to understand what it meant on the most basic level as we talked about stuff in general. Everything that I am was focused on him. Every emotion was slowly wrapping themselves around him and I could feel myself wanting nothing more than to just sit there so I could look and listen to him.

As far as I was concerned he was my soulmate.

I was convinced he was the one.

The more I stared at him the greater my desire became and whatever doubts I had about the power of love faded away into a waking dream.

And he was married.

"You have quite the reputation," he said as I glanced up at him with the sound of his voice bringing me back down to earth and our conversation.

I smiled self consciously and looked away. "Is that good or bad?"

"Mostly good," he smiled.

"Mostly?"

"They say you're not someone to let an opportunity go to waste and that you always get what you set your mind on. Which is a good thing considering who you are and what you do. That's impressive," he said as he took another sip of coffee. "Must have taken a lot of sacrifices and hard work to get that far. Head of Department is a big deal."

At such times, I can be quite the little actress. Not that I hadn't put in the actual effort to get the qualifications I needed to get to where I needed to go but, well, you know, a little strategic fucking helped lube the cogs of the relevant dick or pussy. The rest was down to sheer hard work and no little luck.

"My mother always said to smile and put on a happy face," I shrugged. "As long as I believe in myself and do what I think is right, I know I'll be alright. Life is too short to have regrets even if they happen for the right reasons."

He didn't say anything but stared at me. It was as if I'd said something that he recognized personally. Something he understood. I found myself staring back at him and I knew the last thing I should do was to look away. My heart was racing and It felt like I was drowning when I saw his brow furrow and the intensity in his eyes narrow as he looked at me.

I had the absolute feeling that something had definitely clicked between us.

"You're very beautiful," he said suddenly breaking the silence.

Oh. Oh. Huh. Oh fuck. No one has ever EVER said that to me. And he just did. Straight out with it as if it were a simple fact. It literally made me feel like my heart was going to burst from my chest in sheer joy. Sure I've had compliments about my looks before but they were usually of the "you're really hot/sexy/cute/fuckable" kind. But this was different. Like it was more than just about me physically.

I wanted to say something profound in reply. Something with meaning. A simple "thank you" just wouldn't cut it. I knew what I wanted to say but I couldn't. So I just blushed and smiled at him as his mobile suddenly buzzed.

"Hey," he said as he sat back. "This is a surprise. What you up to?" he asked with a laugh. "No, not today. Actually, I'm done. Early finish. Yup. Uh-huh. We can eat out. Okay. Uh-huh. About an hour or so. Yup. Catch you later. Bye, sweetheart. Love you."

No word of a lie but that cut was most definitely the deepest and it is a small miracle I was able to sit there and keep the pain from my smile as he put his phone back in his pocket. I raised my eyebrows as he began to gather up his things.

"Guess I have to go," he said as he got to his feet and put on his coat.

Guess so," I replied as I looked up at him.

Then I saw something. A fleeting hint of shadow in his eyes. Something behind his smile as he reached out his hand for me to take. His right hand. Right there in front of me. I blinked and glanced up at him. Just take his damned hand, Carol.

Reaching up, I slipped mine into his and the breath caught in my throat as I felt his fingers close over my own and hold me firmly but gently. We didn't say anything as he gave my hand a squeeze with a brief nod of his head.

He then let go of me and turned to leave.

***

As I watched him go, I felt I had to do something. It was no use. I needed to say something about what Babette had told him the other day in the canteen or it would drive me fucking nuts if I didn't. I mean, sometimes you've just got to explain things and clear the air, right?

I grabbed my things and ran after him as he stopped at the main entrance. He looked at me wondering what was so important that I chased after him.

Okay, this was going to be the most embarrassing shit show ever but I felt I had to do it.

"Uh," I blurted out. How the hell was I going to say what I wanted to say? Just explain what happened, you fool. "I just wanted to say something. About that thing that you saw. The other day in my office. With my Secretary and what we were doing.."

He looked at me. "Oh," he said as he remembered me standing there with my bare ass on show and Babette exploring my plumbing. "I didn't mean to intrude or anything. Sorry."

I shook my head. "No, no, don't apologize," I told him. "It was just that," I took a deep breath. "I got something stuck. Up there."

He blinked. "Stuck?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Something plastic," Holy shit, I sounded like a complete loon. "A plastic ball gizmo. You know, one of those sex toy things."

I wanted to fucking DIE.

He didn't say anything for a moment. "Really?" he asked, sounding and looking completely bemused as I stood there blushing to my roots.

"Like my Secretary told you in the canteen," I rushed.

He continued to stare at me like I had lost my mind and was trying really hard to keep a straight face as I suddenly realized what had really happened.

Oh, that little French tart!

***

"Salut?"

"THERE. WAS. NO. SEX. TOY!!"

There was a pause then the sound of my Secretary laughing on the other end of the phone as I stomped around my office mad as a box of le frogs.

"Oh that," she replied. "Of course there wasn't. You did not actually think I told a complete stranger that when he saw us together in your office I was removing a plastic ball from your papoose?"

"YOU. FRENCH.BITCH!!" I screamed, cursing like a trooper.

There was a longer pause. "Wait," she asked slowly. "Has something happened, Cherie?"

Babette always called me Cherie when it came to personal stuff. It was kind of endearing and I knew she did it to calm me down and see sense.

"I told him."

"Who?"

"Clark Kent," I groaned as I flopped into my chair and buried my face in my arms. "Except he's not called that. He's a Frank. A Frank Caprica. And I told him about what you told me when you went over to speak with him the other day in the canteen."

There was an even longer pause.

"You told him what I told you?!" she gasped. "About the thing?"

"Uh-huh."

There was a shriek of laughter that made me wince. "OH MON DIEU!" she squealed. "Cherie, I was making a joke. Having a little fun with you as you were so serious!!"

"Well, it looks like the joke is on me because I told him," I sighed. "And now he thinks I'm a total ass slut who uses her personal secretary to get her rocks off. You should have seen the look on his face. He must think I am a complete basketcase."

Babette sounded like she was going to pee herself laughing.

"Oh, how I wish I had been there, Carol!" she giggled.

I sat looking out of my twenty-fifth-floor window. "Yeah, well," I sniffed. "If you had been, I'd have hung you from the ceiling by your sexy French knickers, Cherie. See you tomorrow."

Well, this had definitely been quite the fucking day.

***

End.

Look out for Medusa part 4. Last one.