The Assistant(7)

“Are you ready?” he asked after a few moments.

“Ready?” I repeated in confusion.

“To go out for lunch,” he stated flatly, as if he had told me previously.

“Together?”

“No Emily, with my desk chair. Get your things, the car is already waiting for us downstairs. I’ll meet you at the elevator.” He brushed past me on his way out the door.

The smell of his cologne lingered in the air as I made my way back to my office to grab my phone and bag before dashing back out to catch up to him.

“Took you long enough,” he scoffed once I arrived.

I looked at him in disbelief. “I wasn’t even two seconds!” I exclaimed.

He ignored my response and walked into the elevator and pressed the ground floor button. The elevator dinged and the doors were starting to close as I let out a squeak and hurriedly stumbled inside. To my deep embarrassment, I landed on Adrian as the doors closed completely. His arm wrapped around my waist and he steadied me as my cheeks began to warm up and change colour.

“Sorry.” I mumbled, looking away.

His arm was still tightly clinging to my waist. I felt him chuckle and pull me closer to his chest. “Are you ordinarily this clumsy and hot around people? Or do I have this effect on you?” He whispered the question into my ear, making my blush deepen.

“I- um- I’m naturally clumsy,” I stuttered, trying to pull away. His grip got tighter and I looked up to find him smirking down at me.

“You know,” he said while tracing patterns on my back, “Anna told me something today.”

“Mmm. What did she tell you?” I replied as his hands moved to my lower back, making my eyelids flutter closed.

“She feels threatened by you. So do the others. They think that I’m going to start using you over them.”

My eyes snapped open at that, and I moved away from him – catching him off guard.

“What did you tell her?” I asked, frowning.

He smirked. “I told her not to worry. When I do get you to sleep with me – and I will – and you come back for more, I’ll treat you like I treat the rest of them.”

I scowled. “Wow. You really know how to make a girl feel special. No wonder they’re all falling at your feet.” The elevator door opened and I straightened my skirt before walking off without him.

“Emily!” Adrian called out. I could hear his footsteps catch up to mine as I exited the building but chose to ignore them and walk faster. “You’re having lunch with me,” he stated once he had fallen into step with me, lightly grabbing my upper arm to stop me from walking.

“There you go again! Thinking you have everyone eating out of the palm of your hand! You didn’t invite me to have lunch with you to begin with. You just threw it at my face and expected me to obey like some sort of slave. Then you go and – and say all that rude stuff in the elevator and expect me to-”

“Shut up and get in the car,” Adrian said with a bored expression. “I’m hungry.”

I gawked in disbelief at his attitude. “No. I’m going to eat across the road alone and get back before my lunch break is over and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.” I folded my arms stubbornly.

“I’ll fire you,” he smirked.

My folded arms dropped to my sides and my eyes widened in shock. Over not having lunch with him?! “On what grounds?! That’s blackmail!”

“You’re disobeying your Boss’s orders. I’m pretty sure I can fire you for that.”

“You can’t do that! It’s my lunch break and – Ah! What are you doing?!” I squeaked as he wrapped his arms around my waist and threw me over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing.

“I’m taking you to the car since you couldn’t do so yourself.”

“This is kidnapping! You’re taking me somewhere against my will. Put me down!” I pounded my fists repeatedly on his back. If my assault towards his back affected him in any way – he didn’t show it. When we got to the car, he threw me onto the leather seats and slid in gracefully after me.


I glared at him before turning away and crossing my arms over my chest stubbornly.

“Emily.”

I continued to ignore him as I felt him slide closer to me as the driver started the car. His hand leaned across my torso and I whipped my head to see the smirk plastered firmly on his lips as he leaned forward, our noses almost touching.

After a few more moments, I heard a muted zipping noise fill the silence within the car before I felt a light weight being pressed against my body. Adrian clicked the seatbelt into place before smirking and pecking my cheek.

“I need my assistant to stay safe at all times,” he said, before slowly moving back to his seat and clicking away at his phone. I bit my lip and frowned at him curiously. Why was he being so nice?

“Where are we going?” I asked after a while.

“To eat,” he replied bluntly, still tapping at his phone.

“Really? I thought we were going to a circus!” I exclaimed sarcastically. He stopped looking at his phone to meet my eyes and glare, before looking back down.

I rolled me eyes and looked out the window and sighed. That lasted long. I thought to myself as silence consumed the car.

***