Office Politics Ch. 08

As promised, here is another, more substantial instalment. As ever thanks to Panaflora for editing, thanks for reading, and thanks for the thought provoking comments.

K

The staff Christmas party was in the same hotel the stakeholders' event had been. They pulled up in a taxi in front of the main entrance and clambered out

Jess was more excited about going this time. Now that she actually knew her work colleagues, she felt like she was going with friends, and she was looking forward to seeing Katie from the outlet and David, who had returned to the Fulham office a few weeks earlier.

But there was the small problem of Gabriel.

Breaking up with him and maintaining a professional distance had been tough. He'd hassled her for weeks, lying in wait in the kitchen, by the printer, on the stairs, outside the building as she left, ready to pounce. A few times she'd nearly given in, but she'd resisted. Eventually he'd taken the hint and stopped. She could go days without seeing him now. When she did it, continued to feel awkward, but she ignored it.

They'd all gone for a drink in The Eagle beforehand. Jess had gulped down her prosecco far too quickly. Lou had squeezed her hand, but she hadn't said anything, she didn't need to, her sympathetic smile told Jess she knew she was nervous.

They climbed the stairs, to find the foyer of the hotel festooned with glitter and greenery. The whole place smelled of cinnamon and citrus, and momentarily Jess was distracted from her nerves when she was handed a glass of champagne, and the prettiest, daintiest mince pie she'd ever seen. It almost seemed a shame to eat it.

Even though things had settled down in the last few weeks, she didn't want to rock the boat. Seeing Gabriel in a social situation, with alcohol involved seemed too much like a recipe for disaster. She wouldn't stay long, she decided. She would have a few drinks, wish everyone happy Christmas and leave before things got a chance to get out of hand. While everyone else drifted off to the cloakroom, Jess found a glass of sparkling wine, tucked herself away in a corner, and discreetly scanned the room.

"He's not here," said a quiet voice from beside her. She spun around to find Lauren was standing next to her. "No one knows where he is."

The anxiety receded a little. "Am I that obvious?"

"No, of course not. I knew you must be wondering, that's all."

When Katie arrived, Jess tried to introduce them but unsurprisingly, Lauren and Katie knew each other already. She wandered off to grab them some drinks and when she got back Katie was telling Lauren the story of the first time she and Gabriel had met. She really didn't want to talk about Gabriel, but Katie noticed her before she could recede back into the crowd and wait for the topic to change. Next, Lauren began enthusiastically filling Katie in on the breakup - on Gabriel telling Jess off in front of everyone. Jess felt her face heat, this was the last thing she wanted to talk about, but the girls seemed oblivious to that.

"We're all on Jessie's side obviously. He behaved like a right dickhead. In front of everyone as well." Lauren rolled her eyes.

Jess tried not to let it show on her face, but it hadn't occurred to her that everyone would have an opinion about what had happened between them, let alone have taken a side.

"Stop talking about it." David had suddenly joined them, sliding an arm around Jess' waist. "This is a party. Jess doesn't want to think about Gabriel, she wants to have fun," he added, pulling her tight against him. Jess squeezed him back gratefully.

Instead the three started on about someone else's relationship woes. They were people Jess didn't know, so instead of listening she had another look around. There was a similar crew at this event as there was at the last one, a mixture of young office staff, older managers and directors and the same group of friends that seemed different somehow. They dressed differently, Jess couldn't put her finger on how exactly, but they were, and they didn't seem to interact with anyone apart from each other (and Gabriel, when he was there), but despite this they were loud, as if somehow they expected to be the centre of attention.

"Does that crowd work at the Fulham office?" she asked David quietly, when there was a gap in the conversation. "I noticed them last time we were here, but I haven't seen them anywhere else."

"No, they're the Capell kids," he replied. "And their friends," he added as an afterthought.

For a moment Jess had no idea what David was talking about, but then she remembered the rushed googling she'd done on the company, the night before her interview. It was a family business.

"The one in the red dress is Georgie, Gabriel's younger sister." She glanced at a pretty young girl with long dark hair, quieter than the others. She hadn't noticed it before, but apart from her eyes, which were brown, she did resemble Gabriel.

'So Gabriel is part of the Cappell family?"

David rolled his eyes at her and groaned.

"But Gabriel's surname is Hunter," she said slowly.

"His mother is Anthony Capell's eldest daughter. You're a crap gold digger, you know that?"

"You didn't know?" Lauren asked, disbelief colouring her voice. "He's going to inherit the family title Jess."

"No, no I didn't," she said slowly as the cogs turned in her mind, and all sorts of things about Gabriel suddenly fell into place; how he had such a senior role in the company when he was at least a decade younger than everyone else in management; why he occasionally acted like he owned the company; why he was allowed to do whatever he liked; the understated confidence that seemed to ooze from every pore -the sort of confidence that only came from an expensive private education.

But the only thing she actually said was, "At least I know where that enormous sense of entitlement comes from now."

David guffawed at that, but Katie just smiled. "I bet you made a lovely couple," she said, for about the fiftieth time. "The way he looked at her that day, David. You would have died."

Some guys from the Fulham office joined their group and the usual friendly banter about the feud between the two offices followed.

A little while later, Jess was returning from the loo when she ran into one of the guys by the bar. She hadn't taken a lot of notice of him at the time, but they got talking and she realised all of a sudden that she was enjoying herself

"I'm Conor," he said, holding out a hand, and she was surprised to feel a tiny jolt of attraction when he smiled.

He was flirting with her, she realised, and although she didn't want to do anything about it, she couldn't help but feel swept away by his charm. He was good looking and funny, and very charismatic.

She indulged him. "Jess, pleased to meet you," she replied. His handshake was warm and firm.

He leaned against the bar looking dashing and the small flutter of attraction in Jess's chest flickered again. It was the first she'd experienced since breaking up with Gabriel. He asked her how long she'd been working for the company, and what she'd been doing before. He knew the village she had been living in, in Thailand.

David joined them. It was clear he and Conor knew each other well.

"Jess is a very good photographer, Conor." David told him, with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Jess opened her eyes wider, and tried to wordlessly tell David to leave it out. She was enjoying the banter but she didn't fancy him, or rather, she didn't want to get involved. Maybe they could have dated if they didn't work for the same company, but they did. She wasn't making that mistake again.

"Maybe you should come to us for a few weeks, Jess," Conor said, watching her intently

"Yes, come and help with the new catalogue shoot!" David added.

They were joking of course, but she could do with a bit of a break from the oppressive Gabriel vibes in the office.They'd eased off a bit, but they were still very much there.

She laughed and smiled politely, "I don't think Lou could spare me, it's a busy time of year."

*

By the time Gabriel arrived, the party was in full swing. It was much later than he'd planned to arrive and he'd also drunk more than he'd meant to. He hadn't wanted to go at all but he was obliged to show his face.

He heard his name, as Arabella's voice carried over the general din. He ignored it. He was too busy looking for Jess. He needed to locate her so he could make sure he stayed well away.

But when he finally spotted her, she was by the bar, deep in conversation with that guy Conor from the Fulham office, and all his good intentions slipped away. She was wearing what must have been another one of Joannie's dresses. Her eyes were rimmed with a thick layer of black kohl, her hair was pinned back into her signature low bun. She looked stunning. All huge eyes and understated beauty. Conor said something and she laughed, when she covered her mouth with a hand Conor reached forward to touch her, but seemed to think better of it at the last minute.

Gabriel clenched his fists.

He knew what Conor was like; he didn't like to waste any time. Something primitive inside Gabriel roared its indignation, and he moved towards them.

"Jess!" he didn't even try to hide the edge of agitation in his voice

She spun around and her face flooded with heat. She looked like she'd been caught out, doing something she shouldn't be doing.

Conor grinned. "Hey man!"

Gabriel ignored him. "We need to talk," he told Jess.

"When did you get here?" Conor asked, slapping him on the back.

Gabriel didn't respond, he didn't even look in Conor's direction, he was too focused on Jess, who looked like she wanted the ground to open and swallow her up.

Finally, Conor picked up on the atmosphere. Looking back and forth at them both he held up his hands, apologised and melted into the crowd

Gabriel could see the moment the penny dropped, and Jess realised what had just transpired between the two men. Her lips tightened, her eyes narrowed. He knew it was unforgivable that he found the fury plainly written across her face incredibly sexy, but he couldn't help himself

She spun around and stormed away.

Gabriel was right behind her

*

Jess grabbed a prosecco from a passing tray and downed it in one.

"You alright Jess?" Lauren asked. Jess smiled and tried to look reassuring.

"She's fine," Gabriel said grimly, resting a hand on her back and urging her forward.

They ended up on a terrace, that same terrace, overlooking the Thames, and even through her pique of rage the view stole her breath.

"You know how I feel about other men touching you." As ever, he was closer than she'd realised, closer than he should be. She dragged her gaze away from the river and reluctantly turned to face him.

The tall brooding perfection of him stole her breath. He looked ruffled; the five o'clock shadow, the tired expression. His tie was askew, his hair a mess. But she still felt the inevitable surge of attraction. She had thought Conor was cute but he paled into insignificance now Gabriel was there. It was so annoying but despite the mess he was in, he was still managing to look bold and dashing, still managing to fit in perfectly with the opulent surroundings.

"He wasn't touching me."

"He wanted to touch you." There was an edge to his voice and he was definitely drunk.

"I'm not your property Gabriel. We broke up, if you could even call what we were doing a relationship."

He took a step towards her. She took a step back. She was well past trying to hide the way his presence affected her.

"You have no claim to me. You have no right to tell me who I can and can't talk to, it's none of your business."

"That doesn't mean you get to throw yourself at every male employed by the company."

Before she knew she'd meant to do it, Jess had put her empty champagne flute down on the balustrade and slapped him, hard, and full in the face. She watched with a horrified sort of satisfaction as her red hand print materialised on his cheek.

Her mouth fell open, she meant to apologise, but before she could answer he was talking again.

"I can't stop thinking about you." His words were an accusation. "I can't concentrate. I can't sleep, I can't eat, I can't even play squash."

Of course he played squash.

His eyes fell closed, he took a deep, indescribably sexy breath. She realised this was the first time she'd seen him and he hadn't been in total and utter control. She considered running, she could just slip out now and get a taxi home. She hadn't been intending to stay long anyway. But his eyes opened again and there was a new kind of heat in them. Nothing like she'd seen before.

Had she blinked she would have missed the muscle that ticked in his jaw, but she hadn't blinked so she didn't. He was so angry. It was a wonder she could still breathe.

"I don't fancy him," she blurted out, without knowing she'd meant to speak.

For the briefest moment, hope flickered across his face, but he narrowed his eyes, and his expression closed down again. He moved closer, glaring down at her -- she stepped back again, hitting a wall she hadn't realised was right behind her. He rested his hand against it, effectively trapping her.

"And why would you tell me that, Jess? It's none of my business, remember?" His voice reminded her of dark things, of forbidden things, of things that should be avoided, at all costs.

With his remaining free hand, he ran a single finger down her face, softly like a teardrop.

"I don't know," she said to herself as much as to him.

He laughed, and something bright shot through her, like a bolt of sunlight. God she wanted him. She'd always wanted him she realised, from the very moment they'd locked eyes during that bloody interview, from the moment she'd walked into the room if she was really honest with herself

Suddenly, he was kissing her, as if there had been no separation. And she was kissing him back as if her heart had never been crushed. And all her dreams, all her memories, faded away as the searingly beautiful reality of it took hold, sweeping through her and lighting her up as if she had never dimmed. As if there had never been the faintest hint of darkness.

The taste of him. The heat. The way a kiss from this man was nothing so simple as the word implied. There was no fairy tale here. There was no cheesy soundtrack in the distance with magic all around. It was too intense for any of that. Too wild.

She could feel his hands, his huge rough hands reaching under her thighs, lifting her until she was pressed against the scratchy stone wall behind them.

His kiss was so punishing, so aggressive, that it felt like he was going to tear all her clothes off right there on the terrace of the hotel, and she was there for it. She was all over it. Because Jess would have given anything in that moment, to feel him inside her again.

But suddenly he released her, huffed out a breath, turned, and stalked back inside.

And she felt like she had been abandoned in Siberia. Naked. Alone.

She pulled herself away from the wall, unable to think, unable to move. She Took a few steps forward, realised she was unsteady on her feet. She pressed her eyes closed, took a deep breath, then stormed inside.

David was there.

"Hey!"

"I'm going home."

"I'm coming with you."

"No you're not. Stop being such a martyr, I saw you talking to that guy from accounts."

He grinned. "HR."

"Sorry?"

"Not accounts, HR."

"Same difference."

"It's completely different."

"Are you blushing?"

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah, course I am. Get back to HR."

They exchanged a signature David hug, and then he said, "Text me, let me know when you're home safe."

"Will do."

"I'll call you tomorrow."

"Love you."

Outside. She just needed to be outside. Back in the cold air, she sobered up. She pulled out her phone, but as she opened the uber app a black cab with its orange light on, rounded the corner and trundled towards her.

Fuck it, she thought as she leaned out and reached her hand into the cold night air, she never caught black cabs, but she needed to get out of there, she needed to be alone. She could afford a one off. The taxi pulled into the space in front of her. She sighed, inordinately relieved to be escaping from the confusing nightmare her evening had mutated into.

Opening the door, she climbed into the back of the taxi, but suddenly he was there again. She could feel him, smell him. The heat of him surrounded her. He pushed her into the cab, clambered in behind her and called his address to the driver before she could contradict him, and gripping her waist in both his hands, he pulled her into his lap.

"I need to have you." He tasted of whisky and forbidden promises.

"Gabriel, I don't think this is a good idea."

"I know it isn't."

But before she could reply, his lips came crashing down on hers, and the world around them disappeared.

*

Somehow they were on his bed, and there was the press of his body against hers, the familiar smell of him all around her, his giant hands cupping her waist, the brush of his lips against her skin.

It felt like coming home.

And yet, it was different. It wasn't the usual race to rip their clothes off and get inside each other as fast as possible. Gabriel was gentle, teasing, slow. As he peeled her dress off, he kissed every inch of the skin he exposed. She was impatient for him to be inside her, but he wouldn't.

She grabbed his head, gripping his hair in both her fists and pulled his face to hers so she could capture his lips in her own. She ground her crotch against his, desperate for him to take his clothes off, to hurry up. But he wouldn't. Instead, effortlessly, he pinned both her arms above her head with one hand, and lazily explored her breasts with the other. When He pulled her nipple into his mouth, sensation bolted through her.

He continued his slow torment until she was in a frenzy, writhing beneath him, moaning his name.

His hand travelled down between them and he pushed her legs apart. With the very tips of his fingers, he drew lazy circles over her heat, watching her face for her reaction all the while. She felt trapped in his gaze, because although his eyes were always blue, they were never quite like this. They burned so brightly she felt as if she was in the fire with him. She bit down on her lip and squeezed her eyes closed to stop herself from begging.

He released her wrists, so he could move further down. He was still gentle, still slow, still teasing. Still infuriating, with that wicked mouth of his pressed against her heat. He built her up slowly, but somehow he knew the moment she was about to tip over the edge. He held her on that precipice for what felt like a lifetime. When finally, he allowed her to find release, she shattered into a thousand pieces.

She was still reeling from her climax, when he lifted her upright, and pressed her against the headboard. While she was still raising her head to see his expression he pushed his way into her. Filling her. Their eyes met. It was as though time had ceased to exist. There were only them. There was only this. She hadn't thought she would know this sensation again. Hadn't thought she would feel him inside her, possessing her again. She unbuttoned his shirt, needing to feel the warmth of his chest pressed against her. When she was done with the buttons he peeled it off, gathered her into his arms and began to move.

It had already been too much, before he was inside her. But too much suddenly became bigger, hotter, brighter. That sweet, drugging heat, it encroached into everything, and she sank into it, gladly. He was taking her over from the inside out. Again, she came apart in his arms, in what felt like mere moments. While her climax shuddered through her. He slowed his pace, he held her close, he covered her wet face in kisses. But he didn't at any point stop moving.