“That’s my job.”My heart feels like it’s going to burst with gratitude.Unable to stop myself, especially since he told me that I smell decent, I lean in to give him another hug.
This time he lets me.
In an instant, his arms wrap around me like a warm blanket, and I feel so safe, so secure and so well taken care of.We stay there, arms around each other, close but careful.I tentatively look up at him, my cheeks burning, because I can’t ignore this pull between us anymore.
His brow creases, and I remember myself.And who he is.Who we are.It’s been a long day and I’m exhausted, so I break out of our embrace first.
“Well,” I say softly.“I guess I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
He adjusts his tie as he moves towards the door.“If you need anything, the concierge can help.And if you’re not sure about anything, call me.”
“I will.”
He pauses.“I mean it, Maya.Call me.”
“Okay.”
After he leaves, I wander around the apartment in quiet awe.A notification pings on my cell phone.It’s Fleur.
Fleur: Are you okay?
Okay?I am more than okay.I am living the dream, but I restrain myself and delete the row of smiley faces on my message.
Maya: Yes
I don’t tell her where I am.I don’t tell her any of this.
This is my secret.Just for me.
Chapter 19
ZACH
It’s cool and crisp early in the morning as I head back to the Stella offices.I feel a little off.A little distracted.A little unfocused, and yet completely wrapped up in thoughts of Maya.
I arrive in the office early and as time creeps by, the place starts to fill with people, but Maya’s still not here.
I try to act busy, every now and then scanning the open-plan space and waiting for her to get in.And when she does, my body reacts in a way that makes it almost impossible for me to pretend she doesn’t exist.That she’s just another work colleague.Maya is never “just another” anything.She affects my mood and my feelings, and last night I couldn’t sleep, because of the way she hugged me.
She looks right at me as she walks past and my heart stutters inside my ribcage.It’s like we’re on the same frequency; our eyes meeting instantly and locking together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.Then she turns away, cheeks flushed, like she can’t look at me a moment longer.Heat crawls up my neck, and I’m feeling flustered, and a little more frustrated than when I first walked in here.That hug, the way our bodies pressed together; she left an imprint of her on me, with her arms around my waist and her face buried in my chest.It was the most unexpected thing, and yet the thing I’ve craved the most with each passing day.
It also means that working with her just got a hundred times harder.We have a meeting soon, and I need to get myself together.Act like a boss, and not a lovesick teen.
She comes to my door, notepad in hand.
“Come in.”I nod, beckoning her to enter.I force myself to focus on my PC screen, staring blindly at numbers that don’t mean a thing.“I’ll be with you in a moment,” I tell her, not even looking her way, as I try to still my racing heartbeat.Try to fight my feelings for her, feelings I promised myself I couldn’t have.
“Did you get settled?”I ask, after a few minutes have passed.My eyes are still on the screen.
“Yes.Thank you.It’s a beautiful apartment.”
“Stay there as long as you want.”
“I think just one more night will be fine.”She coughs then fidgets like she’s nervous.“You must send me an invoice …” Her voice trails off.We’re talking in lower hushed tones than usual, and already it feels like we’re having a secret clandestine affair, and hiding secrets we shouldn’t have.
I chuckle.“I’ll send it to—”
The door opens without warning.
