THE ART OF SURRENDER
Bad weather and a flustered Elena definitely didn't mix, and Rufus was finding out the hard way.
Outside the sky was a dark, oppressive shade of grey which looked like it was going to rain any moment, but the humidity was unbearable for what should be a crisp November afternoon. It was apparent Sephiroth had managed to screw up the Planet in some way, judging by the bizarre change in climate. Or maybe it was one of those latest tropical heat waves from the South.
And to make it even worse, the damned air conditioning refused to work, confining the ShinRa President into the suffocating damp heat of his stuffy office.
And here she was yabbering on about the progress of the latest operations and company's achievements. No sir, she could not have waited for a better time.
Just get on with it, Rufus thought impatiently. Maybe he should dismiss her and pop down to the pool, but it might come across unprofessional, or gods forbid, uncommitted. But the heat was getting to him, and he could certainly think of a better way to spend a Friday afternoon without giving the wrong impression of slacking off.
Uptight was the word. The way she carried herself with such pride for one so young, with such overeager enthusiasm, her thin blonde brows exaggeratedly knitted in deep concentration, trying to imitate Tseng no doubt, ticked him off as well; she was trying way too hard to impress.
Impress who though, was the question….
……………
This wasn't going so well, Elena bit her bottom lip anxiously.
The President wasn't paying any attention to her at all, which was very alarming. Could her new, shorter do and the rather conservative cut of her new jacket be the cause of that sour look on his face? One could not afford to sport an unfashionable attire around the fussy President of ShinRa who took it upon himself to dictate all his employees about the importance of a proper professional dress code; and who probably spent half his time in front of the mirror grooming himself and gelling that immaculate side fringe into place when he wasn't contemplating world dominion and trying to intimidate everyone around him into submission…
No, something was definitely amiss.
Rufus was staring at her with an unfocused, distracted blue gaze, pretending to be listening, but Elena could see his attention was directed elsewhere; the small desk fan to be exact.
Elena wished Tseng was with her, and then she would blissfully fade into the background while the glib Turk gave their weekly report. Gods knew where he was, probably out with his bum-chums Rude and Reno in some seedy bar checking out trashy women; or gods forbid, each other...
It was common knowledge that Reno swung both ways. What worried her was that he was very casual about it and a pro in converting others into his kinky ways, the perverted little bastard.
She felt the knots of jealousy tighten in her stomach at the thought, but she wasn't going to cry over a guy who acted like she didn't even exist half the time.
There, she had gone and done it again; daydreaming about Tseng and what he would look like under that stiff suit of his. There wasn't any chance of finding out in the near future, as the stern Turk was spending more and more time with Reno lately, "doing business" of course.
The disturbing visuals refused to leave her mind's eye, flushing her cheeks to a dark pink as she struggled to keep her attention on the portfolio in her hand, loosening her immaculately folded tie uncomfortably with the other.
Rufus reached for the desk fan and switched it on, his strained features relaxing with instant relief, which unfortunately only lasted for a couple of seconds as the fan began circulating hot air.
This was unthinkable; that a man of his position should be suffering like this. Right now all he wanted was to get his hands on the person responsible for the air-conditioning system and make them scream. Slowly.
Biting back a string of obscenities, Rufus slipped off his expensive white jacket and restlessly tugged at the high collar of his black skivvy that was annoyingly clinging to his clammy skin. He needed to occupy himself with something to put his mind off the stifling heat.
"Sir, are you all right?" Elena glanced up from the portfolio in her hand; one blonde eyebrow arching uneasily as she noted the look of agitation crossing the man's lean, flawlessly honed features that glistened with tiny beads of moisture. Rufus Shinra was sweating like a crack-junkie and looked like he was about to have a seizure.
Come to think of it, she was sweltering beneath her suit too, finding it rather difficult to concentrate on anything other than Rufus's broad, hard-muscled torso beneath that sleeveless tight skivvy. She imagined those long arms encircling her, pressing her painfully close into his athletic body, her hands clutching at those wide, powerful shoulders, her head thrown back in throes of lust…
Elena blushed furiously, hastily averting her eyes. Oh the utter mortification!
Goddamnit, I wasn't just fantasizing about my boss!!!
"Elena, just continue with the report if you please." Rufus spoke sharply from between clenched teeth, his deep, usually soft-spoken voice taut with frustration.
"It…It's a very muggy day isn't it, s..sir?" Elena asked instead, stumbling over the words like a retard.
There couldn't be any harm in initiating a casual little conversation with your boss, right? Highly strung and arrogant to the point of being downright condescending, Rufus seemed like he could use a little chit-chat that involved something other than business and world politics. That was her excuse anyways…
"I don't think I asked you to stop." Rufus said in a sharp, low voice that sent goosebumps down Elena's spine. "And for your information, the rather unfortunate weather condition has no relevance to our current discussion."
"Yes sir; I just thought maybe we could take a little break?" Elena offered politely with an awkward smile.
Oh Gods no…I didn't just say that!
No, she didn't just suggest they take a break, right? Anything but that! She didn't know what possessed her to say that, as it was such an unprofessional thing you could say to your boss, but Elena was having too many blonde moments these days.
Particularly around Rufus Shinra…
"I will thank you to get back to the subject at hand." Rufus demanded dryly, his face blank and expressionless as a slab of marble.
Elena felt her face turn a brighter crimson, wishing she had kept her mouth shut. Like Tseng, Rufus took himself so seriously sometimes. She cleared her throat and stammered an apology, nervously plucking at a loose thread on her sleeve.
Rufus hid a slight grin. The afternoon was proving to be more amusing than he had anticipated after all. Elena was the type to get worked up so easily it was a true wonder she could work with the shit-stirring Reno without ripping his throat out or chucking a spaz attack at Rude. She was small but feisty; a dynamo of energy that put off most men and probably wore out even the usually tenacious and patient Tseng.
Rufus leaned back in his chair and with furtive eyes observed the young woman; taking in the details he never bothered himself with in the past.
There was minimal make-up and a tiny frown on her pixie-pretty face. As his gaze dropped lower, Rufus found himself inspecting her in a most embarrassing way, his shameless blue eyes lingering on the small, but tight breasts under that hideous, conservative suit jacket, brazenly tracing the deliciously sloping curve of her slender hips beneath her tacky trousers.
Okay, so she wasn't a ravishing, voluptuous brunette whom Rufus was partial to; in fact a polar opposite; a bit on the petite side she was small, sleek and slender and definitely trouble. If one could get past the spinster attire and the excessive chatter, she might have some potential after all.
No, she was not his type at all.
But his body didn't seem to agree.
He felt a seething warmth coil in his abdomen, spreading torturously lower to his thighs. Rufus shifted in his seat; the heat was getting to him all right. It couldn't be the fact that he hadn't been with a woman in months…..Could it?
Elena cut a discreet glance at the fidgeting blonde man. His enigmatic frost-blue eyes were glazed over; the hard, sensual mouth slightly parted as he stared at her. Was he checking her out???
Of all the ridiculous notions….
She swallowed hard as she reminded herself the golden rule: Never mix business with pleasure. And if that failed; Look, but don't touch.
So much for that…
Rufus beckoned her over with an elegant index finger, a slow, wicked semi-smile tugging at the edge of his lips. Elena walked toward him warily, doing her best to keep an icy, businesslike attitude, and ignore the sudden pounding of her heart.
"No, come around over here." He ordered when she came to a stop in front of the desk.
Elena carefully edged around the desk, finding him comfortably settled in the high-backed chair, long legs slightly parted, his elbows resting on the sides of the chair, leather half gloved hands folded on his washboard stomach. He swiveled his chair to face her, his scrutinizing eyes glittering like polished blue sapphires, seething like blue storm… seething pure passion.
Or pure wishful thinking on her part…
"Sit." He ordered in a deep, gruff voice, patting his knee.
"Excuse me sir?" She gasped, her pulse jumping.
"On my lap." Rufus said, his arrogant smirk on his sharply defined face growing darker.
"I… I don't think I should, sir…I mean, that would not be very appropriate…" Elena cringed, mumbling nervously.
"Last I checked, I am the one in charge, therefore I'm the one who decides what's appropriate around here. Now do as I command." Rufus said brusquely, his voice dropping lower, deeper.
Elena couldn't speak, but only obey. She slowly sat on his lap, her head whirling with disbelief and sensual overload. No, she was not supposed to feel that way about Rufus Shinra, Elena thought guiltily, reminding herself she was into Tseng; not egotistical, overbearing blondes whose favorite pastime included overworking their staff.
"You may resume your report." He said softly against her mouth, slowly running his lips along the line of her jaw. He snaked one arm around her waist, holding her firmly against him, his free hand beginning to unbutton her jacket, eliciting a soft whimper of protest from her trembling lips.
"I…" She trailed off when the desk intercom buzzed, jolting her out of his erotic spell.
Rufus clamped a confused and panting Elena against him, his hand sliding around her waist and gripping her shoulder tightly to stop her from bolting from the office, and then reached over, pressing the talk button.
"Tseng is here sir."
"Good. Send him in." He said into the intercom, and then leaned back, a dangerous smile spreading across his smug face.
"He's just in time, as always." Rufus smiled, his tongue flicking over neck languidly.
"In time for what…?" Elena breathed a wanton whisper that melted into a soft moan, her brown eyes wide with a mix of fear, astonishment and desire when he effortlessly lifted her leg over him so she straddled him.
"Why, in time for our meeting of course. What did you think?" Rufus said, his voice unnervingly soft as he pulled the jacket from her shoulders, holding her gaze intently as he began unbuttoning her shirt with deft fingers.
Elena swallowed hard. With Rufus and Tseng, she was bound to do overtime.
This time she didn't mind, not one bit.