Wrote this a while ago and forgot to post enjoy!
"Alright people listen up!" He commanded attention when he spoke now. His chest poked out behind his wool sweater, the bulge of his muscles exerting the force that he could not verbally exude. His voice was deeper. He was suave. He was changed.
The chattering continued and she took a seat beside him. "That means shut up!" She demanded attention when she spoke, before, then and always. Her chest was on display. Her hair was big with curls in an attempt to downplay the swell of her bottom lip that was also concealed by her deep red lipstick. Her tone was sharper. She was on edge. She was changed.
Silence. The Mode employees took a seat at the large doughnut, the overflow leading to the back that crowded around the curvature of one side. Curvature. His eyes glanced down and landed plum spot on her shirt, not going unnoticed by her.
"Okay, the Sex Issue is an important deal...This is our second go around with this concept and since it is June, the season of love-"
"Since when is June the season of love? Maybe in that small, oddly elliptically shaped mind of yours but unless every single one of Mode's readers has an egghead...I don't think that they will follow your awkward train of thought.
Awkward. Laughs ensued from each side as her eyes traveled up his body and stripped him visually, not realizing the weird look on her face as her tongue stuck out to wet her lips.
"Thank you Willie...I don't think I can live a day without being able to defend you being a witch on a daily basis."
"Witch?"
"Give or take a letter..."
Take. He could see himself laying her against the glass, allowing her back to rest roughly close to it as he took her...Bad thoughts...Weird thoughts...Inappropriate thoughts.
"Features..."
Betty popped up and Daniel sat back down beside her, allowing Betty to have the floor. "Well I was thinking about researching the male perspective on sexual tension...How men feel women are lured through bodily attraction...Things like..." She waited and looked to her two bosses, watching their awkward exchange and realizing that they probably hadn't heard a word that she said.
"Would you stop fidgeting...?" She mumbled, attempting to stare ahead.
Stare. He tore his eyes away from her profile, trying not to take the time to admire her features…her beauty...her perfection.
"You're touching me..." He whined, nudging her elbow childishly.
"You're breathing!" She scorned with a whisper, as if his simple existence lured her into an instant misery.
"Just move your elbow..." He nudged her elbow and she inhaled quickly, cutting her eyes in his direction.
"Daniel I swear to God if your bony ass elbow hits mine again I will shave your fingers down to the size of your toes!" Her voice had raised a few notches and a few employees dared to chuckle yet, surprisingly enough, were not scolded. She was too busy attempting to keep up her facade of listening...And it was not working.
"Go ahead dear..." She turned to him, rolling her eyes briefly. "...We're listening."
"Well I was going to say...That I found out there are 4 ways that men attempt to find sexual tension between themselves and a woman...Questions...Passions...Types...And understand-"
"What else Betty?" He flicked his stare in her direction, allowing his foot to find hers beneath the solid table.
"The 3 ways to build sexual tension with a woman...Starting off slow..."
Slow; creeping up the base of her thigh with his hand, watching as she inhaled sharply from the soft contact that sent her nerves into a tizzy.
"Teasing her in a way that is playful, not harmful..."
Playful; One finger danced in circles on her bare skin that he exposed, drawing out a surprised chuckle from the brief contact that eventually lead to her heel stabbing his big toe.
"And last but not least...Know when to walk away from her..."
Away; He pulled away quickly and turned his attention back to the employees, leaving her with a yearning for more, a taste for him, a hunger for him, yet nothing given to satisfy.
"And, Amanda is your partner on this?"
"That's my cue Taco, have a seat!" Amanda popped up, shutting her down and taking the spotlight for herself. "Okay...The 4 ways to create sexual tension...at work..." She looked up, smirking. "And these are proven..." Everyone stared back at her, lifted brows before she recoiled. "...Hypothetically..."
"Amanda how can something be proven hypothetically?" Betty questioned.
"Oh...ha.. ...Ohhh Betty look it's a 6 foot hoagie!" Betty rolled her eyes and Amanda continued, reading off of her arm. " Okay...Number 1...Be affectionate."
(Italicized)
Her head nearly snapped off of her neck when she felt a hand lightly grace her lower back, guiding her through the doorway of the conference room. Looking back, he acted as if he had done nothing and she was just hallucinating...But his touch...was recognizable...His feel...was irreplaceable...And his acting skills...horrible...Because she knew what he had done...the small act...She eventually brushed off...But he...He saw a beginning...
(Italicized End)
"Number 2...Have inside Jokes.."
(Italicized)
Working side by side, they were silent. No one could have ever guessed that they had been there last night into the wee hours of the morning. No one could have ever guessed that Daniel had the key to Claire's office. No one could have ever guesses that they would have used her desk for such a sacred purpose.
Seeing his mother walk by, glass cleaner and paper towels in hand he looked up, standing up straight. "Hey Mom...What are you doing?"
"Nothing...I just...I came in this morning and there were these random smudges on my desk..."
He heard her snicker. His foot hit hers swiftly.
"It is really weird...They wouldn't come off with just alcohol..."
HE heard her cackle...She tried to suppress it and they both looked at her.
"Is something funny?"
She never looked up, still bent over the photo proofs as she spoke. "Nothing major Claire dear...Just picturing you in a coffin...Tickled me a bit..."
(Italicized End)
"Number 3...Go out to Happy Hour."
(Italicized)
"Scotch Straight? Daring?"
"Well I apologize if my drink of choice does not fit your norm...What did you expect? Midori Sour? Sea Breeze? Cosmopolitan?"
"Isn't that a magazine?"
"Careful there...You seem to be following the family heritage..."
"I am not drunk, if that is what you're suggesting."
"I'm not suggesting it...I'm flat out saying that you look drunk...You look like your mother 20 years ago, hell you look like your mother 2 hours ago...You know she gets on and off the wagon as often as Amanda and Marc take a picture of Betty and post it on that God-awful website..."
(Italicized End)
"Number 4...Make a connection..."
(Italicized)
"All I'm saying is that she needs to pick a side of the color wheel and stick to it!" She criticized the girl's outlandish outfit.
"Come on, be nice..." He spoke up not allowing her to hurt the feelings of his longtime friend.
"Be nice? Nice would be her not blinding me every day by looking like Bozo the clown's distant cousin."
"Okay...Betty will dress more sensibly if Marc quits whistling at me every time I walk by."
"He whistles at you?"
"Like a Construction Worker...I think you need to change the password on your computer...Especially when I send you an IMPORTANT email."
(Italicized End)
It was becoming too much. She looked to Betty. She looked to Amanda. She looked to Daniel. It was too much. All of this...Tension...Connections...
"Sounds great Betty! Is that all? Good! Meeting Adjourned." She stood from the conference table after what seemed like a 5 minute meeting and left, promptly storming down the tunnel.
Storm. The wind from her exit wrapped around his body and squeezed, sending chills up and down the length of his spine.
SSS
"Ello Wilheldoll..." Marc strolled in her office, all of twirls as he spun across the carpet.
"Doll?" A brow lifted beneath her sharp widow's peak and she closed he lid on her laptop in secrecy. "Doll? What are you getting at?"
"Nothing...It's just..." Unsolicited, he took a seat across from her and allowed himself a moment to breathe even though she preferred that he did not. In fact, she preferred him to be yards away...At his desk...Trash-talking Gabanna to Suzuki...like she had asked him to. "This morning you seemed so...jumpy..."
"Jumpy? What am I? A Mexican bean?"
"Not like that Willie you just...You've been shagged."
"Excuse me?" Her face sunk behind the holding of her neck, allowing herself to feign surprise as she spun from her chair and stood to face him.
"I know it is not my business...I'm sorry...I was just...curious..." His words left his mouth in a scattered form, his feet moving to the door as she stalked him down, forcing him to an exit.
"You're damn right it is none of your business...What happens in the sound proof walls of my bedroom is between me and my Egyptian sheets!"
Marc nodded, turning away as she did as well before allowing his self-one last murmur. "...And Pasty."
"What!?" She spun around, exclaiming with the lift of her eyebrows and crack in her voice.
"I said God..." HE blurted out. "And God..." He bowed his head shortly, touching his forehead to his chest and then back across, alluding to a Catholic ritual. "Knows all...sees all..."
"Marc."
"Yes, Willie?"
"Get out!"
"Yes, Willie."
TTT
"What was that about in the conference room?" Betty entered his office, paying no mind as Daniel closed his laptop in a cloak of secrecy.
"What was what about?"
"Okay..." She took seat across from him. "What is going on?"
"Going on? Nothing is going on!"
"You're a terrible liar."
"You know pointing out other people's weaknesses is not very nice."
"I'm serious Daniel."
"So am I..." He answered, half-hearted as he looked down to peer at his laptop screen, unsuccessfully.
"Daniel, are you even listening to me?"
"Of..." He began, eyes peeking out past his office to see her heading in the direction of the elevator. "...Betty I have an emergency meeting with Lanvin...Clear my book for about 2 hours..." He stood and grabbed his coat from the chair beside him, taking a final glance as she stood, cocking his head to the side. "...Maybe 4..."
"A 4 hour meeting with Lanvin Daniel?"
"They want to meet on Long Island..." He lied, no longer making sense to himself. Instead of prolonging the sorry Pinocchio scenario, he was on his way out and Betty was confused, ignorant to his actions...And quite suspicious.
STS
He stepped out of town car, briefcase in hand. He looked around, sunglasses on despite the season of winter being upon them. He smirked, spotting a faint light in the window, only recognizable through deep speculation.
With one last look, he made his way into the home, the exterior hidden by the protection of trees, guarded by the protection of security, made there by the hours they spent.
Wasting no time, his coat immediately came off, his tie came a-loose, his shirt came unbuttoned...And he was still alone. His footsteps were ordered in the direction of a darkened silhouette, creeping up the white walls on the home.
Slow; The movements to the collision, the moments to the impact, the seconds before the embrace of bodies, seemed to be splitting seconds like sand through a stocked hourglass.
Playful; The twirling of her finger through the thick curls of her hair as she stalked towards him in such a way that made a sultry ambiance just in her presence.
Away; What they never did, since the collision, the impact or the embrace. Their skin never lost contact.
Affectionate; Oh, he knew her and her him. Every spot, every nook, every weakness.
Joke; For he knew that the scratches he knew that he would incur were indeed no laughing matter. Was she the Editor-In-Chief or Cat woman?
Happy Hour; And yes they were a bit tipsy
Connection; Almost…But not yet.
The tension had come to a peak; the stares were no longer enough. He wasn't satisfied with the misidentified gestures or the plastered smiles or the footsie violence. HE wanted more, she needed more and when, when the moment came and the tension combusted into an atmosphere of hot-aired lust. It would—
But not yet.
"Are you serious?" She questioned, her legs wrapped his hips as her back was braised against the wall. He lifted his vibrating phone from his back pocket, groaning as he picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hello, dear I'm sorry to disturb you…Betty told me that you were in a meeting with Lanvin…"
"Yeah mom…it's pretty important, so can this conversation wait?" He rolled his eyes at her as she groaned over the revelation that it was Claire calling.
"I'm sorry Daniel but this will be quick. I just need to know the password to your computer."
"Why?"
"Well, my computer is down and yours is the only one besides Wilhelmina with the master server of all of all the accounting info and I need to access that information for my next meeting."
"Alright, it's 34…27…. !" HE exclaimed, having been hit by her after learning that he used her real measurements as his password.
"Idiot…."
"What was that?"
"Nothing mom…Did you get that?"
"Yup…That's a weird password though…What is it from…"
"Ummm a birthday."
"A birthday? Daniel there is no 34th month…"
"No…the uhh…the time they were born…"
"There is no 34th hour…"
"Military time mom…duh…."
"There. Is. No. 34th hour…."
"Oh…Well then never mind, did you get in?"
"Yes I did—OHMYGODD!"
"What, what's wrong—Are you okay?"
"Daniel what the hell are you doing trading dirty emails with Wilh—"she gasped" You said that you'll bend her over my desk and —MY DESK?! That's where those damn smudges came from?! What the hell is going on, are you out of your mind—Daniel, DANIEL! DA—"
He could no longer hear anything. Not the screaming or the ranting, feeling her claws snatch his phone from his ear and toss it. However….
He did hear it crash.
"Now…" she dug her nails in his back, forcing him backwards until he tipped back onto the bed so she straddled him. "I believe we have a sex issue to attend to."
Because once upon a time, there was a woman named Wilhelmina.
There was also a man named Daniel.
And between them was great tension.
A 6-letter kind of tension.