Chapter 5

Armando waited impatiently for Beatriz to come to work. He didn't get a chance to talk to her yesterday. As soon as he noticed that Daniel Valencia had left the Ecomoda, he went to her office. There he learned that Betty had left Ecomoda two hours earlier on Nicolas Mora's shoulder. He wanted to know what was going on. He didn't like being ignored.

"Armando, if it wasn't for the fact that I know what you mean, I'd think you're lurking for fresh gossip like Bertha de Gonzales."

"Mario, yesterday I waited too long and I didn't get the answers I needed." - Mendoza was getting more and more restless.

"I don't think you're lucky today either." - Mario noticed Daniel Valencia from behind the half-open door. - "Daniel has come, so you have a choice. Wait until he leaves again, risk Betty escaping you again, or just take advantage of the fact that she's your boss like a normal person. Conversations on the line of the employee-boss are perfectly normal."

"You know what? You're right. I'm losing my mind from this anxiety."

xxx

Daniel Valencia directed his steps to the president's office. They talked about helping Nicolas Mora with his finances in his spare time, but he wasn't sure if he was going to just help or get his desk and bookshelf. He knew the second option would be much more convenient.

xxx

"Betty?" - Aura Maria tried to attract the attention of the boss - "Betty!"

"Yes, what happened?"

"Mr. Daniel is at your office. I didn't know whether to let him in but he's a shareholder, he usually shows up when something bad happens like a vulture flying over a carcass so I didn't want to risk it..." - Betty's friend was clearly nervous.

"Nothing happened, so you don't have to worry. Mrs. Daniel probably came to negotiate terms of employment."

"Employments? Will he wander around here like a vampire from a novel?" - Aura Maria was clearly terrified of the very idea of working with this man in the same building.

"Calm down, it will be okay. He's just supposed to help Nicolas from time to time and I don't want anything from him for free."

xxx

Daniel was annoyed. There was only one thing on his mind since yesterday morning. That he didn't take advantage of the opportunity he had in his hands. He was going to go slowly. He treated yesterday morning as an addition. He wanted to show Beatriz that he could care for a woman even under these circumstances. He didn't know if he was overreacting.

"Are you aware there's still half an orange left?" - A shy smile appeared on Betty's face. He saw her eyes wander to his growing erection again. - "what are you thinking about?"

"That I would like to repay you." - Daniel's throat went dry.

"If you're thinking what I'm thinking, I'll say next time. I already told you. Today is about you."

He heard the sound of the door opening. He didn't expect to see her with THAT in her hand. Why THIS? Had she discovered what he was trying to do yesterday?

Hello Daniel, what brings you here at this hour? I thought you'd come later. After all, you're not an early bird." - He watched as she passed behind the desk. How her hips sway in a red skirt. He watched how she pull out oranges. He watched as she sat down in the president's chair and played with one of them.

"You've got nerve, woman. We played with it yesterday, and today you stick it under my nose, even though you know I can't touch you now." - he was annoyed. Before mere fruit, he thought about how naked she looked on his bed.

"It's not my fault that you have such associations. I like oranges. I really like them."

Beatriz began meticulously removing the skin piece by piece, looking in the Daniel's eyes. He knew that if someone entered the office now, they would have a problem with some... trouble. He felt a throbbing as he saw her shapely hands rip the oranges to pieces. And when he saw the juice running down her skin, he acted instinctively. He grabbed her hand and used the tip of his tongue to wipe away the droplets that hit her wrist. They were both so focused on the moment that they didn't notice that someone else entered the office.

"Maldita Sea! What's going on here?"

It was Armando Mendoza.

xxx

Armando couldn't believe his eyes. He sensed the tension between Beatriz and Daniel, but he hadn't expected something like this. He hadn't expected to see Valencia's tongue gliding over her skin upon entering her office. He hadn't expected the intensity of HIS Betty's gaze looking at Daniel. He knew that flash. It was lust. He hadn't expected her to look at anyone other than him like that.

"What's going on here? And what does it look like?" - Beatriz looked at Armando calmly.

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking. WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH DANIEL?" - The man's voice cracked but he tried to save face, if it broke now he could kill his potentially future brother-in-law. It wouldn't help him fix his relationship with his beloved.

A mischievous smile appeared on the president's face. She got up from her chair and went to the door of her former office, fixing her hair. Armando was beginning to think it was her nerve trick.

"I was talked with Mr. Daniel about his idea for a 'starter kit'. I know we discussed the general outline at yesterday's meeting, but today I received from him a list of companies worth linking to this action. We are a fashion company. We could use a contract with a cosmetics company besides Pantene responsible for hair products. After that, we refined the issue of his employment."

Out of the corner of his eye, Armando saw Valenta sitting on the couch, strangely silent.

"You know that's not what I asked."

"And YOU know very well that I don't have to explain myself to you about my private relations." - he saw that her eyes ran over his silhouette, a moment longer focused her gaze on the area of his waist - "So why did you want to talk to me?"

"I wanted to talk to you?"

"That's what you usually come to someone's office for. Unless you wanted to play wizard chess with me."

"What is wizard chess?" - he sighed - "Ah, never mind... We talked about franchises earlier. I was wondering whether to include a new form of sale in the proposals."

"Yes of course. Something else?"

"No, see you later." - Armando saw Daniel get up and walk over to him. The man placed a hand on his shoulder, which made Mendoza tense.

"Armandito, I'm sorry, but you don't read enough. Far too little. Do you use the library in your family home at all?"

xxx

"Daniel, do you have to be so mean?" - Beatriz pinned the man against the door.

"I wasn't mean, just surprised. Armando bought David, Camilla's son, Harry Potter. In two copies. One to grandparents, the other to his house. I usually check the books I give child to avoid giving something too violent. Apparently Armando bought them based solely on the bestseller list."

Betty was surprised by Valencia's indignation. In her eyes, he had always been a handsome and bitter bastard. After talking to him, she learned that he was intelligent and witty. She wasn't sure what to think. She knew that she wanted to meet him not only on sexual grounds.

"You are surprising me." she said looking him straight in the eye.

Daniel placed his hand on her cheek and leaned over her. She thought he was going to kiss her but he brought his mouth to her ear and whispered a phrase that sent a shiver down her spine.

"You amaze me too. Until recently, I never thought you'd let me lick my favorite juice off you. Now I will associate him with you." -She heard he wasn't in control.

"Don't worry about it. Orange juice will remind me of Ecomoda's Lucifer."

She smiled at him and when she looked into his eyes her mouth was only a few millimeters from his. She closed the distance. The kiss was innocent and short. Daniel rewarded her with a broad smile. He wrapped his arms around her so she hid in them. She could inhale the musky aroma of his cologne. She wasn't ready to let him go, so she felt sad when he released her from his arms.

"I'm sorry but I have to go. I promised I would go to Marcela again. I'd rather not imagine her outburst if she found out I didn't go to her place."

"See you later." - Betty felt her smile tentative, and as she saw the door closing, she felt homesick. - "Time to see a psychiatrist. I fall in love too quickly."

xxx

Meanwhile, in his office, Mario witnessed a rather peculiar behavior of his friend. He thought that after talking to Betty he would be able to get the latest gossip, and there was nothing. He knew he wasn't much different from the Ugly Clan girls in that respect, but he didn't care. He wanted to know what had happened, but Armando Mendoza hadn't said a word since walking through the door. He was clearly nervous, but instead of the usual show of temper, he looked like a geyser moments before it exploded. Except that blast wasn't coming. And that was weird.

xxx

Marcela Valencia was reviewing documents related to the new strategy. Despite her dislike of Beatriz and her initial doubts, she had to admit that the idea made sense. If it wasn't for the fact that it came from her rival, she would have said it openly. Maybe it was time to swallow pride and reach out to her? They don't have to like each other, but a truce could make it easier to get through this interim presidency.

Marcela's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. At the beginning she was mad but she smiled after raising her head, she saw a waving hand waving a lollipop like a white flag.

"Daniel, come in." - when her brother closed the door behind him she continued - "what brings you today?"

"I need to talk to you before I take any further steps on something. I need to know your opinions." The woman hadn't seen such nervousness in her brother's eyes for a long time. This scared her a bit.

"I'm getting more and more involved with a woman, but because of our shared history, I'm afraid you won't accept her."

"Shoot instead of meandering around the subject. Remember. It is easier to peel off the patch quickly."

"Beatriz Pinzon Solano. It's about Beatriz Pinzon Solano."