Layers(35)

“Hayley, what’s your favorite food?”

What? “That would be sushi.”

“Okay, I really need to go now. I don’t pay myself to play.” He huffs a short chuckle and I snicker in response. Another kiss, and then my own private tornado of sinful scars and up-to-no-good-smile is gone.

I turn on my heels to get back to my new boss at my new job. Daniel, you could not have picked a better occasion to fulfill your urge to kiss me; he came all this way just to kiss me. My heart twirls with joy. Miss Piercings is ogling my every step; I frown at her and head to Josh’s room.

“I am sorry for, hmmm, that,” I stutter to Josh. I feel my face flush.

He ignores me and asks, looking somewhat surprised, “You’re Daniel Stark’s girlfriend?”

I’m not sure about the girlfriend part, and why is that of any importance anyway?

“We are … dating,” I reply. You know, your usual boy meets girl story … Boy sends girl mixed messages for a while. Boy driving girl insane with all of his contradicting cues. Boy goes from I don’t kiss if it doesn’t mean anything to coming all the way to girl’s first day at a new job just because he had to kiss her …

Josh seems rather contemplative for a short while, and I wonder what he’s thinking about.

Next, he gives me a list of tasks for the rest of the day. I am to go over a few older issues of YOU, review some designs made by my fellow colleagues which I will have to discuss with him later on, and attend some meetings he scheduled for me beforehand with some key people I’ll be working with.

“The first cubicle opposite my room will be yours,” he mentions. “I’ll check on you later on.”

I believe this is my cue to be dismissed. Just before I commence actually working I text Daniel and Tasha.

I’ll be at your place around 7, see you later, H.

@ work, tons to tell you but not tonight, as I will be projecting Mr. Stark’s brains off H

Not a minute passes before I get a text back from Tasha.

Tasha: Since when is it my place? I thought we were roommates, you have something to tell me, Hales?

Oh no, f**k no., if I’ve sent Tasha the first text? OH, NO! I feel the blood drain from my face. FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!

Txt mix up; will tell you tonight, still your roommate –love ya

I don’t even manage to put my phone back before it rings. Looking at the screen I bite my lips and answer, trying hard, very hard, to sound as casual as I possibly can.

“Hello.”

“There were five people in the room when I got your text, Hayley, and I’ve asked them all to step out as I had a very important matter to iron out.”

His voice sounds way too amused. He’s so going to make a whole fiesta out of this one. He pauses for a long moment, letting me stew.

“They’re all waiting just because of you and I do pay them a lot, so now we are officially wasting Stark SW capital, hence enlighten me, Hayley, quickly if you can, for the sake of the company, that is.”

“Well, since you’re so interested, that wasn’t actually meant to be sent to you.”

“So I gathered.” I can actually hear his wicked smile from his smug tone. He is so enjoying every minute of this.




“It’s a private joke between Tasha and me; it’s not even that funny. How are you?” I try to divert him away from the subject.

“Oh no, I’m not letting you get away with this one. Either you tell me what ‘projecting my brains off’ means, and of course I can assume I am the alleged Mr. Stark in question, or perhaps you will be projecting some other lucky Mr. Stark’s brains off tonight,” he chuckles and adds, “or I could always summon the esteemed Miss Taylor to my room and ask her. What do you say, Miss Grace? What will it be?”

I’m Miss Grace now? “I presume making me squirm is one of your kicks. We do have a history with that. Very disturbing, I must say. Have you ever thought about seeking professional help?”

“Hayley Grace, you’re straying from the crucial subject again,” he snaps, trying to sound harsh. Now I can hear him calling his PA. “Anne, ask Miss Taylor from R&D to come over,” he tells her.

Oh no. You’re seriously demented, huh? What are you doing? Don’t you have a serious business to run?

“Okay, okay, you made your point, leave Tasha out of this. My god, you are so irritating.”

“Am I now?” he laughs. “Anne, it’s okay, I won’t need Miss Taylor after all.”

“Now people are waiting, Hayley. Time is money,” he urges me.

He won’t let me get away with this one, psycho that he is. “I meant that I’ll be doing you tonight,” I say very quietly. I am sitting in an open space and don’t need this conversation to spread any more than it already has.

“Meaning?” He laughs a low, throaty laugh.

“Should I really be more graphic? Haven’t you already had enough fun?”

“Seriously, you’re the sweetest thing. Now I’m craving tonight even more.”

“I am glad.” I try to sound upset. “Bye, Daniel.”

“Bye, sweet Hayley.”

Sweet Hayley …

And finally my first work day can start.

~~~

“I’m going home,” says Christina, my assigned mentor at YOU.