Chapter 13

There was only an hour left of the meeting, but Serena was becoming more and more restless. She couldn't bear to listen to his voice at the best of times, never mind when it was full of cold. Grimacing as he had another coughing fit, she sighed and raised a hand, pinching the bridge of her nose. Suddenly, Hanssen's leg was touching hers, pushing against it gently. She froze and glanced at him from the corner of her eye, he was looking intently at Cunningham. She shifted her legs to the left slightly, but his moved too. She cleared her throat as she tried to get his attention to tell him to stop it, when Cunningham suddenly looked at her expectantly.

"Were you going to say something, Ms. Campbell?" he asked as she froze, looking around the room at all eyes on her. Hanssen turned his head to her, suppressing a grin and tilting his head innocently.

"No, nothing at all. Please continue Mr. Cunningham." He nodded and continued, oblivious. She refused to look at Hanssen until she felt a hand on her thigh and she almost left her seat in shock. Cunningham shot her a surprised look but she waved at him to continue. She kicked her leg out at Hanssen, hard, and heard him inhale sharply as her heel made contact with his shin. She smiled in triumph as his leg moved away, but his hand simply slid further up her leg. She shifted in her seat, trying to ignore it, but he wouldn't remove it. "I'm sorry." she suddenly blurted, as Cunningham looked at her, shocked at her outburst. "May I be excused?" she asked as he nodded his head.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concerned.

"Oh yes, fine, I just have to...check something." she said quickly as she turned and bolted for the door. When she reached the corridor, she leant against the wall, breathing angrily, what on earth was he playing at!? She began to walk down the corridor towards the toilets when she felt a hand grab hers and pull her into a shadowy corner. "What the hell was that!?" she demanded before he kissed her urgently and ran his hands up her back. She pushed him back and stared him in the face. "Well!?" she said angrily as he pulled her close again.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't hold it in any longer. Sitting so close to you, but not being able to touch you." he breathed as he kissed her neck and she looked around in alarm.

"Stop it! Someone might see!" she urged as she felt herself succumbing to the pleasure of his touch. He continued kissing her, running his hands up and under her shirt, caressing her bare skin. She leant back and closed her eyes, sinking into his touch. She opened them when she realised he'd stopped and she looked at him. He had a hunger and a lust in his eyes as he took her by the hand and led her down the corridor, away from the Boardroom. They descended a flight of stairs and went through a set of double doors, stopping outside a store-cupboard. Her eyes widened as she looked up and down the hall, following him inside. He closed the door behind them, locking it. She stood across the room from him, breathing heavily and feeling weak from his touch. He stared at her and moved towards her, slowly and purposefully. As he neared her, she realised she really couldn't wait any longer. Reaching forwards, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him close, feeling his lips against hers as he lifted her up against the shelves, pressing against her, hard.

"...and so..." Cunningham paused as Serena and Hanssen both re-entered the room, smiling apologetically. "Everything alright?" he asked them as they took their seats and Serena reached for her notepad.

"Yes, there was a rather large, pressing issue that needed to be dealt with, which is exactly what we did." Hanssen replied as she kept her eyes on her notes.

"Something to do with the hospital?" he asked and Hanssen nodded.

"All sorted now." he stated, leaning back in his chair and waiting for Cunningham to continue.

"Right, well, as I was saying, it's not simply how we ask them...it's how we don't ask them..." Serena kept her eyes downcast, not trusting herself to look anybody in the eye. She looked at her watch and seeing there was only 10 minutes left, smiled to herself. When the meeting drew to a close, she began to pack away her things, focusing on the task at hand, avoiding Hanssen's gaze. Standing up, she saw he was holding her coat out to her, a smug smile on his face.

"Thank you." she said, flustered, as she pulled it on and picked up her handbag. As they headed from the room, they weren't approached by Cunningham and Serena let out a sigh of relief. Walking down the corridor, she turned to look at Hanssen and found he was looking at her too. She smiled knowingly as he returned the gesture. They reached the reception, handing over their ID's and exited the hospital. As they neared his car, they heard a shout behind them and turned to see Cunningham making his way over. Hanssen placed himself beside Serena and drew himself up to his full height, staring Cunningham down.

"Ah I'm glad I caught you both...I just wanted to make sure everything with the hospital was okay? What was the emergency?" Serena fumbled for an answer as she felt a hand place itself on her bottom.

"Umm it was simply a...a question regarding..." she looked to Hanssen for help and he turned to Cunningham.

"It was a matter of a patient leaving the hospital grounds, against the advice of the staff, and promptly collapsing outside. Everything is sorted now, the patient is receiving treatment." he explained as Cunningham nodded. Serena felt Hanssen's hand squeeze her and she stifled a yelp.

"Ms. Campbell, are you alright?" asked Cunningham, frowning. "You've been out of sorts all afternoon." She turned to glare at Hanssen and smiled sweetly at Cunningham.

"Yes I'm fine. Anyway, must dash, a second meeting to get to." she elaborated as she turned and headed to the car. Hanssen nodded stiffly at Cunningham as he unlocked the vehicle and they climbed in. "What is wrong with you!?" she scolded him once they were safe inside.

"I find you attractive, does that mean there's something wrong with me?" She sighed in exasperation.

"You know what I mean. What if he'd noticed that?" Hanssen shrugged his shoulders.

"Then he'd have noticed." He started the car and Serena stared at him, surprised. "I must say...that was the best meeting I think I've been to yet." he smiled coyly at her as she smiled back.

"Me too, Mr. Hanssen." she said, feeling the bruising beginning on the backs of her legs. "I hope the next one is as eye-opening." He turned and raised an eyebrow as he decided where he was taking them.

Stopping at the hospital to once again collect the 'Friday file' as they'd taken to calling it, Serena sat impatiently in the passenger seat. It was meant to be her choice of restaurant tonight, but Hanssen had insisted on choosing for them. If she was honest with herself, after their liaison in the store-cupboard earlier, the last thing she wanted to do was go for a meal with the man. She folded her arms, pouting as she saw him walking briskly back towards the car. Climbing in, he handed the folder to her and tapped the cover.

"This has to be done tonight." he said sternly. She nodded her head, slightly disappointed as he started the car and drove them away from the Hospital. As they neared the harbour, Serena realised where he was taking them. Keeping quiet about his choice in parking space, she climbed from the car and they walked side by side towards the restaurant. She felt Hanssen standing closer to her than he had done previously and reflected on how things had changed between them. Entering the restaurant, the owner immediately spotted them and his eyes lit up.

"Ah! The beautiful lady has returned to us, with her handsome companion!" he boomed as he took her hand in his and held it tightly. "You are here for food?" he asked as she smiled, nodding her head. "Bello! I will give you our best table!" he smiled excitedly as he hurried off. Serena looked around at Hanssen and smirked.

"I got beautiful." she teased as she followed the fast-disappearing, over-zealous owner.

"But you're nothing without your handsome companion." he whispered cheekily in her ear as she swatted him away. As they were shown to their booth, Serena slid in and waited for Hanssen to take the bench opposite her. She was surprised when he slid in next to her and held out his hand for the file.

"Straight down to business, Mr. Hanssen?" she asked, passing him the file and smirking as he looked up at her.

"I'd like to get the work out of the way. I have plans with a beautiful woman later." he said simply, turning back to the file in front of him and leaving Serena speechless. As the waiter came over to them, he turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Wine?" he asked her as she nodded, laughing to herself. The waiter agreed with their choice and left them. "Well then, Ms. Campbell, let's get on with it, shall we?"

A bottle of wine, some food and a few disagreements later, Hanssen closed the file and sat back, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. Serena wiped up some of the sauce from her lasagne, with her finger, Hanssen watching as she popped it in her mouth.

"Don't do that again." he warned her, his heart beating quicker.

"Do what...this?" she asked innocently, taking her finger and repeating the action, placing it in her mouth. Hanssen took hold of her wrist, lowering her hand from her mouth and placed it on the table.

"Yes, that." She smirked at him, narrowing her eyes.

"Why not?"

"Because I can't imagine we'll be welcome here again, after you force me to commit an act of public indecency." She swallowed as he maintained his grip on her hand, his eyes boring into hers.

"Do you think maybe we should go somewhere less public?" she whispered as he shifted closer, dropping her hand and raising his own to her neck.

"I think that's probably wise." he said quietly, uniting their lips gently, tilting her head back and trailing his lips down over her chin to the base of her neck.

"Okay." she breathed urgently as he pushed away from her, picking up the file and throwing too much money on the table. Taking her hand in his, he pulled her through the restaurant, barely registering the owner's shouts of thanks. Once they were outside, he tightened his grip and pulled her along with him, both of them walking as fast as they could. Reaching his car, he spun her around so her back was against the door as he brought his lips down onto hers, wrapping his arms around her and pressing them both against the car. He heard her whimper as he ran a hand down her chest and towards the waistband of her trousers, her sounds of pleasure intoxicating him. Pulling back his head slightly, parting their lips, he felt her breath on his face as he looked her in the eye.

"Would you like to come back to my house?" he asked softly as she nodded her head, reaching down in front of her.

"I think you'd like me to as well." she smiled coyly as his eyes burned brighter.