A hand appears, taking hold of the carton. “Let me deal with it.”
I look up.Now,that’sa little more delicious than stinky dairy. It’s Damon Carlisle, our new IT manager. He joined three months ago, and everything in the office has been running so much smoother ever since. My inbox folders actually make some practical sense now, and that weird freeze thing Adobe Sign used to do on my laptop doesn’t happen anymore. Plus, Damon’sveryeasy on the eye indeed. Dark, messy hair, silver eyes like mercury, gorgeous square jaw and cheekbone combo, and no wedding ring… Definitely someone to think about late at night with your Womanizer vibrator in one hand and a fistful of bed sheet in the other.
“Oh, thanks,” I say, pulling the carton back towards me, “but it smells really bad, so let me—”
“I wouldn’t know,” he says in his quiet, husky voice, “I have no sense of smell, so I’m probably the best person in the office to deal with it.”
“Oh, well, in that case…” I let the carton go and step back, waving my hand in front of my nose. He smiles and pours the remaining liquid away without even flinching before binning the rest of the foul smelling chunks. “Wow, no sense of smell? None at all?”
“Nope. Genetic condition. Same one that makes me wear this,” he says, pointing to the hearing aid in his left ear. He grins. “And I’m slightly colourblind, too.”
“Damn,” I say in an impressed tone. “Well, I hope you know your superpower means I’ll be calling on you again the next time this happens. Cos let’s face it, in this office, it’s gonna.”
He laughs, and it’s quiet and soft. “Anytime, Faith.”
Ooh.I like the way my name sounds in his voice.
Back up, little one, I say to my core, who’s perking up gamely. Little darling doesn’t seem to have gotten the memo that she’s not tall enough for the rides at the theme park, and my clit is downright livid with me for shutting up shop. So they seem to be teaming up to make me take notice and rethink my enforced celibacy. Like an extreme sports enthusiast determined to snowboard right off that cliff.
Nice try.
Almost as nice as Damon’s arse as he walks away back to his desk…
Stop it!
With a wistful sigh, I make myself a black coffee.
Damon
Superpower, hey?
I’ll take it.
I smile down at my coffee mug as I carry it back to my desk, suddenly realising that it’s empty because I completely forgot to make any.Damnit.
I always find Faith Stilwell so distracting. I make clumsy mistakes around her all the time, like forgetting to make coffee, and that time I tripped over literally nothing in front of her.
So I’ll happily accept her saying I have superpowers.
I admire the heck out of her. She radiates confidence and security in her knowledge, and takes absolutely no shit. In the last meeting, she stood up to the Chief Investment Officer politely but very firmly, when nobody else would, and ended up swaying the CEO to her way of thinking because she was just so succinct and logical. I wasn’t the only one who wanted to stand and applaud, because to be honest the Chief Investment Officer is a world class stuck up prick.
And also, Faith’s really pretty. I’m a sucker for blondes, and blondes with freckles are basically my kryptonite. She has this golden summer day quality, always looking like it’s her first day back at work after a weekend spent at a sunny music festival. Looking at her, being around her, gives me that feeling like I want to be a dancer in the video forHappyby Pharrell.
It’s never going to happen. She’s a very long way out of my league.
But there’s no harm in enjoying a secret crush, right?
Well, fairly enjoyable, if you put the yearning aside.
Fucking genes.Always spoiling my fun.
Faith
“Go. Home,” I scold my awesome assistant fondly. Elliot’s work ethic is spectacular, but I have to bully him into taking lunch breaks and going home at a reasonable hour. Quitting time was half an hour ago, it’s Friday, and he needs a better work/life balance.
“It’s fine,” he protests, “we can clear this in a couple of hours—”
“Or, I could take care of it and you can go and get ready for your date.” I narrow my eyes at him mock-sternly. “Your manager has spoken.”
