The Desire Variable | Rewrite

⸻ THIRTEEN ⸻

We're back at Kelex ten minutes before the meeting supposedly starts. Thanks to Kate's coaching, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Or almost.

As much as I love my ridiculous Twilight T-shirt, I'm not dense enough to wear it in front of Kelex's hot shot lawyers. That's why I have a white silk blouse waiting for me on its hanger. Taking the bus with it was no fun, but at least it's still perfectly ironed.

When I enter the office I share with Lex, I'm only half surprised he isn't in there. He and Kev are probably reviewing a few points with their attorneys. I pick up the blouse from the coat hanger, intending to go change in the restroom--where I left Kate. But now that I'm alone here, with Lex busy somewhere else, I decide it's not worth going back there, then returning here to discard my T-shirt. I can do this in ten seconds, tops.

Not overthinking it, I pull myself into action. The Edward shirt slips off me easily, and then I realize my strategic mistake. I should have unbuttoned the blouse first. Idiot.

In my white bralette, like the moron that I am, I get it opened in no time, despite my fingers slightly shaking, and then slip it on. I'm just done passing the second arm when the door opens abruptly. My boss enters and I freeze for a brief instant. During that momentary lapse of time where my brain stops working, he notices my presence and his eyes fall on me.

My hands hastily grab onto the silk to pull it in front of me, shielding me from his shocked gaze. Then he turns around, his jaw ticking with annoyance. Everything probably happens in under two seconds, but it feels like minutes.

"Maybe you could knock?!" I say with a shaky voice, working on the buttons. My entire body shakes with shame and adrenaline, and it's not helping with those tiny pieces of shit.

"To enter my office?" he muses, unimpressed.

"We share it."

"It's an office, Andrea. Not a locker room."

My face, which is already hot, is suddenly searing. If he could stop saying my name with that voice of his when I'm getting dressed a few steps away, that'd be great. I'm almost done, only three buttons left--No, two.

Fuck, I put them wrong.

With a deep breath, I start over. This time, I make sure to have the right button in the right hole, and move up more carefully. He's also wearing a more professional outfit, holding a tablet in one hand while the other is tightly clenched. Per usual, I'm pissing him off.

"Are you done?" he asks, irritated.

"No. Stay like that."

He huffs disapprovingly. "What made you think this was a good idea?"

"I thought you were busy somewhere else, preparing for the sale."

"I was."

"Clearly not busy enough," I mumble, opening my pants and slipping down the zipper a bit. I can swear I see him stiffening, but I'm too preoccupied with putting an end to this to make sure.