Autumn - In Love With My Boss (An Office Romance)| Completed

Chapter 7 - James

This is what I call a successful meeting. The hotel in the park is the perfect spot for the Hunter event. It is big enough to accommodate several hundred people, it has a conference room that can serve as the exhibition room, there's even a stage for the band. The manager was eager to help with all necessary arrangements, and if Mr. Hunter agrees, we're all set. Well, at least when it comes to the venue. We still need to find a band that is willing to play on Christmas Eve. But I'm sure that won't be an issue, given the amount of money Hunter is willing to pay.

Satisfied about this night's outcome, I walk Miss Lewis back to the parking lot. She is still wearing my coat and I can tell she feels uncomfortable about it. Still better than having her freeze to death.

When we reach the parking lot, she retrieves her phone out of her pocket, dials and lifts it to her ear. I stop a few feet away from her and pretend to check my phone for messages to give her some privacy. I could just tell her goodbye and drive to my apartment, but I know better than that. If she is calling that poor excuse of a boyfriend, he will most definitely not pick her up and I can't just leave her here without a ride home.

"Hey," she says after a while to the person on the other end. "It's me. Can you pick me up?" Out of the corner of my eyes I see her facial expression turn from tense to weary. "That's okay, see you tomorrow. Good night." She hangs up and stows the phone back in her jacket pocket. This is heartbreaking. Why does she not dump that prick? She'd be be so much better off not having him around to take her down.

I don't want her to have to ask me for a ride, so I offer. "Let me take you home."

If I didn't know better, I'd think she was afraid of me, judging by the scared look she gives me. What I do know, though, is that she is incredibly shy, so her reaction makes somewhat sense. To make it easier for her, I walk to my car and open the passenger door.

"Come, let's get you home."

Slowly, she approaches me and hands me back my coat.

"Thank you, Mr. Marlow."

Her voice is so quiet it's almost inaudible and I can't tell if she thanks me for giving her my coat or for offering her a ride.

She gets in and I close the door before I sit down on the driver's side myself.

"So, where to, Ma'am?" I jokingly masquerade as her chauffeur while starting the engine.

"Uhm, West End," she mumbles, her gaze focused on her lap. Geez, I really need to ease her up a bit.

I steer the car onto the road before I give it a shot.

"West End. That's a nice area. You like it there?"

"Yes, it's close to you."

Although I keep my eyes on the road and therefore don't see her face, I can sense the terror that runs through her body like a shockwave.

"Your office," she corrects her statement quickly, her voice louder than usual, almost frantic. "I meant, it's close to your office, close to work."

"Lots of cats in the neighborhood?" I tease, even though I sure as hell don't feel like cracking jokes at all anymore. I don't even care if she gets it. There is just one thought on my mind, buzzing around in my head like a vulture, feasting on my brain.

She has a thing for you, James.

I don't know what to do with that thought. Accept it, dismiss it, ignore it, I don't have any fucking idea. And what if it's true? What then? I don't have any desire to send her to the unemployment line, I like working with her.

She gives me a sweet, shy smile that makes her big eyes sparkle, and the idiot that I am make the mistake of looking at her right at that very moment.

I can't say exactly what it is, but something about her expression tells me that my assumption is right. Her look is so warm, so full of emotion that I can't take my eyes off her, I'm absolutely mesmerized. So mesmerized that I forget about the road and nearly steer the car into a ditch.

Thankfully, God has equipped me with great reflexes, so I'm able to prevent an accident, but my assistant sure is shaken up.

"Don't worry, I do that all the time."

Great, another attempt to be funny. Surprisingly, though, it works. Miss Lewis grins at me, amused, and I can't help but grin back.

We make it to her apartment building without any further incidents.

"Thanks for taking me home."

Don't ask me if she is aware of it, but her smile, the way she lowers her eyes just to look up to me again the next second, the blush on her cheeks, her small hands toying with the hem of her, well, my jacket, it all signals me one thing, so I decide to probe her here and now. I have to know.

I'm a jerk like that; a curious one.

"Anytime, Autumn."

First time I use her first name. I usually don't address my employees so casually, Carla is the exception. Why? Lack of respect, I guess, on both sides.

Miss Lewis is so taken aback, she stops breathing for a second. Then, as she slowly recovers, she looks me straight in the eye and asks, "Would you like tea? I could fix some for you."

Now it's my turn to be completely baffled. Well, yeah, my plan backfired, didn't it? I can't say no, that would be extremely rude, so I smile and say, "Tea would be nice."

Look at her. I mean, seriously. Look at her. The amber of her eyes shines brighter than ever, all gloominess has disappeared, she is simply beaming.

Quite frankly, I have had a lot of women invite me up for a drink, and I almost always agreed. Before you draw any premature conclusions though: No, I did not sleep with all of them. However, not a single one of those women seemed as genuinely happy and excited about my agreeing to join her for a cup of coffee, tea, cocoa, whatever, as Miss Lewis. My words must have made her so happy her entire posture has changed. She reminds me of a delicate flower hidden underneath a mantle of ice and snow, which is now breaking through the cold surface and begins to bloom. I watch her fascinated, as she retrieves her keys and gets out of my car. She is so pretty with those reddened cheeks, just like a rose. An autumn rose.