Office Politics Ch. 07

This installment is annoyingly short, but i feel like it doesn't fit with the one coming up, it needs to stand alone. I'll upload the next one in a few days.

Thanks again to panaflora for editing.

K

The following day at work they didn't speak. Jess avoided looking anywhere near Gabriel's office. Even when she could feel his stare. Especially when she could feel his stare. But when she left the building at the end of the day, he was leaning against the wall across the road, arms folded over his chest, watching her through hooded eyes. She didn't acknowledge him as she passed. She wasn't ready to speak to him yet; she was still furious with him.

She'd have thought that was fairly obvious, but apparently not, because he fell into step beside her all the same.

"I apologise," he said, in that arid way of his, which was in fact no apology at all.

She didn't acknowledge him. Instead, she pulled her jacket closer, and kept walking. He followed.

"I overreacted because he keeps touching you. You do nothing to stop him and yet I'm not allowed to touch you at work. I'm barely allowed to speak to you."

She huffed out a breath and walked faster. Of course he had no trouble keeping up.

"Jess?"

"What?"

"Haven't you got anything to say to me?"

"It's not the same and you know it isn't," she replied, through clenched teeth.

"How is it different?"

"Well, he didn't try to have sex with me against the boardroom wall on Wednesday morning for starters." She stopped walking and faced him. "And besides, he's more interested in getting his hands on you than me."

He frowned.

She waited for the penny to drop.

It didn't.

"'Gabriel, David is gay! How could you not know that?" He must have a completely malfunctioning gaydar.

His answering laughter was infused with relief, and the smile on his face was breathtaking. He pulled her into his arms and she almost melted into his embrace. Almost.

"Ah, okay." he said, as he laid a row of gentle kisses along her jaw.

"No it isn't okay."

His grip loosened and she managed to wriggle free.

"I don't owe you any explanations for how I behave with work colleagues," she said, as she staggered back. "And there is no justification for talking to me like that. Ever. You're not even my line manager. How dare you?"

"I'm sorry," he said again. Although it sounded more heartfelt this time, she could see by his puzzled expression that now that he'd realised David was no kind of threat to him, he didn't really understand why they were still arguing.

Suddenly he grabbed her again, catching her off guard. His body slammed into hers. She hit the shop window behind them. Their lips fused. An unexpected bolt of desire almost floored her.

"Come home with me," he said against her lips.

"I can't Gabriel," she whispered through the fog of her arousal.

"I need you."

"I need to go home."

"You don't have to stay the night."

"No!"

She disentangled herself from his embrace, pushed her hands into her pockets and pressed on to the station. It started to rain. He carried on walking beside her, tight lipped and angry at her rejection.

She ignored him.

*

She was catching up on emails when David rested a cup on her desk. She caught a whiff of ginger and smiled up at him gratefully.

"David, that's so thoughtful."

"Well, you look like shit."

She spluttered. "Thanks!"

"Are you okay?"

"I didn't sleep very well last night."

She'd tossed and turned in bed for hours. Sleeping with the boss was such an unprofessional thing to do, she felt like an idiot, she needed to end it. She'd had hardly any sleep, woken up late, and only just made it into work on time. She could barely concentrate, she kept zoning out.

She needed to end it with Gabriel, it was all getting out of hand.

*

That afternoon he caught her alone on the stairs. She was so tired she hadn't noticed him until it was too late. She almost ran into him. With lightning speed he grabbed her waist and slammed her against the wall. He shoved his hand down her pants and captured her mouth with his.

Jess' head was spinning, she couldn't think.

"Come back with me tonight." He mumbled against her lips

She gripped his lapels and shoved him back. They were both breathing hard, glaring at each other. His eyes were hard, like flint.

"Will you stop stalking me as if you're some kind of predator, I feel like a hunted animal."

"Stop avoiding me then."

"Gabriel, I..."

But before she could complete the sentence, he ground the heel of his hand against her heat. She squeezed her lips closed in the nick of time, she'd hate to give him any indication that he was succeeding in turning her on.

"I'm not going to take no for an answer Jess. I need you."

He brought his lips down to hers and she was being pulled back under. She struggled to free herself again.

"I need to get back to work."

He released her. "This isn't finished."

Yes it is. She thought. But she knew if she told him that right then, while he had her trapped in the stairwell, there was no way he'd let her get away.

*

As soon as David stood up to leave at the end of the day, Jess called after him. "Hang on, I'm going to walk out with you!"

He looked confused for a minute, she didn't normally do this. But then the penny dropped.

"What's he done now?" He asked the moment the doors closed and they were alone in the lift.

"Nothing."

His eyes narrowed. "Jess?"

"It doesn't matter."

*

The following morning Jess made straight for Gabriel's office. She'd slept badly again; she was feeling even worse than yesterday.

"I need to speak with Mr Hunter."

Maddie raised her eyebrows but didn't ask why Jess needed to speak to Gabriel. Instead she said "He has a meeting at 9.15, but now is okay, if it's not going to take too long."

"Thank you, that should be fine."

She knocked on his office door.

"Come in," he said almost immediately.

She closed the door but stayed with her back against it. "I can't see you anymore." The words came out in a rush.

She could feel every pair of eyes on them through the glass, sure she wasn't imagining it.

"Jess." He stood up.

Her insides clenched. "This has to stop. We work together."

"Jess," he said more forcefully, as he moved around the desk towards her.

She panicked. "I'm leaving now."

"I'm not finished here."

"But I am."

"Jess!"

She backed out, and rushed to the toilets. He didn't follow.

She'd only just returned to her desk when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen.

We need to talk.

She ignored it.

Please Jess.

*

First thing the following morning, he called her into his office again. Again she stayed at the door. He was sitting with his back to her, facing the window but he must have heard her, because the moment the door clicked closed he spoke.

"Come here."

There was that edge to his voice. She felt it in her loins; the pull. It was almost irresistible, like some kind of Pavlovian response. But she was ready for it this time, she'd been expecting it.

She breathed in, bracing herself. "No."

"I need you," he gritted out.

"I can't, Gabriel."

Finally, he turned around and his expression was tortured. "Have lunch with me then."

She shook her head and looked away from him.

"Please."

"No, Gabriel. It's over." She risked another look at his face; he was scowling.

"I'm not ready for it to be over."

"But here's the thing, you're going to have to be. Because I'm ready for it to be over."

The scowl deepened.

"You're going to have to learn to ignore me," she said, infusing her voice with a synthetic cheeriness. "Just pretend none of this happened, I'll do the same. It'll be easy."

She wasn't finding it at all easy.

"I don't like pretending," he growled.

"It doesn't need to be an Oscar winning performance."

His only response was to heave an angry sigh and she wondered how she didn't incinerate on the spot.

*

The following afternoon she turned a corner, to find him waiting at the top of the stairs. Without acknowledging him, she turned and walked back down.

"Jess."

She ignored him.

"Jess!"

She didn't look back, she just carried on walking.

*

That evening, she was finally drifting off to sleep when she heard a notification on her phone, and then another. She was determined not to look, she knew it could only be him. No one else would message her so late. After a few minutes of tossing and turning she gave in and grabbed her phone. Notifications from Whatsapp filled her screen and of course they were from him.

I can't stop thinking about you

and all the things I want to do

to you.

I want to...

She stared at the screen, torn between two conflicting urges. She wanted to view the rest of the message, but she knew she should ignore him. He'd know if she'd read it.

She pressed her thumb against the sensor.

I want to peel you out of that skirt

that makes your arse look so

delectable, bury my face in your

cunt and taste you.

I want to slide my cock into you,

I want to pin you down and

fuck you, until you come

apart in my arms.

Heat bloomed everywhere, she clenched her thighs together and tried to ignore it. He was still typing. She clicked on his name at the top of the screen and scrolled down till she found the block button.

Then she slammed the phone back down on her bedside table, buried her face in a pillow and groaned.

Another notification. A series of texts this time.

I love the sound of my name

on your lips.

I love hearing you tell me

what you want me to do to you.

I love the glassy look you get

when I give you an order.

It took her longer to block his number on her phone, she was tired and despite herself, turned on, but she finally figured it out.

*

A few days later, she was using the printer in the boardroom, when he came and just stood behind her. He didn't touch her, but she could feel his breath against her skin, she could feel the heat of him. She stopped and waited.

"Come home with me."

Even though she'd known he was there, she still started at his words. "No."

"Change your mind." It wasn't a request, it was an order, and she felt it move through her like a tsunami.

"That's still a no." Despite her words, her stomach clenched and that infuriating heat bloomed in her again.

"I could make you."

"You're a control freak."

"Such insults," he sighed, as he closed the gap between them and she felt the feather-like brush of his lips against her neck.

She gripped the edge of the printer, and squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn't sure where, but somehow she found the strength to keep resisting him. "Don't."

Gabriel huffed out a breath and stormed off.

Jess sagged against the printer.