- Open secret
James's pov
I had asked Dei several times for the past 3 days if we were good and she'd assured me we were.
On one particular occasion, I cornered her so she was placed between a wall and me. And I had asked her again if we were good, that was when she admittedly told me her acting different was because of the girl at the cafeteria, as the referred to Cassie.
When I'd asked if she was jealous, she admitted she was at first, but then she became angry with herself for being jealous when it was uncalled for. It killed her to pour this out to me, but she did and I was grateful.
I'd agree the jealously was unnecessary as I never even noticed Cassie, but I objected to her being angry at herself. Although the jealousy was unnecessary, she was hot when she was jealous.
We were still taking things slow, I being overly posed with self-control I didn't usually have when it came to her, and her being evasive with anything that had to do with the topic she had evaded the night we rubbed minds at my penthouse.
I wanted so much more. I wanted us to be more and I knew she did too. Soon, very soon.
On another hand, It had been a week since I started working with Dei —as a borrowed assistant like my mum called it—and already Dei was more than good to stand on her own.
With how smart she was, it didn't surprise me when I noticed she didn't even need me to supervise her anymore, but she didn't know. No one had to know. Mr.Barbson had assigned me to supervise her for two weeks. He also added that I could stop whenever I thought Dei didn't need me to supervise her anymore. Now would be a perfect time.
She ran the company —in my opinion — almost as good as her dad did if not better. She went beyond my expectations. I wasn't the only one who taught her, she had also taught me without even realizing it. I was the one who attended business school for four years to attain a degree but with how Dei was leading, anyone would think she did too.
She had more knowledge in business than some persons who had spent years in business schools. And my dad testifying to that after the meeting he had with her, was the confirmation I needed that I wasn't just saying that because she had me by my balls. She was more than good. It was either that Nat guy did a very good job in supervising her those first weeks or business was an in-born for her.
If I were to go by what Mr.Barbson had said— that I leave her be when was ready to stand on her own— I'd stop right away. Now was a perfect time, but I wasn't going to do that. There was no way I was missing spending time with her if it was as a supervisor.
When Mr.Barbson had first asked me if I could supervise her, I didn't waste a second before agreeing. Because why would I? It was an excuse to see her and spend time with her, something I never wholly had, and although I still found it strange her dad— Mr. Barbson— has sorted me, I was glad he did.
At first, working with her was difficult as I had unconsciously watched her lips move anytime she talked, increasing the raging urge to kiss her senseless. But I had come to learn how to drag my eyes away from her when we worked. Still, the way she was determined and passionate about work was a turn on. Everything she did turned me on, and I wasn't going to deny it.
Nothing could control the way my body acted, and so the least I could do was adjust my pants now and then as unnoticeable as I could.
It was crazy enough that anything she did turned me on, her unconscious bitting of lips every few minutes was something that could easily be the death of me. If death came this way, then it should because I didn't want this to end. I loved waking up every morning knowing that I get to see her. I loved pissing her off even though she was hardly pissed. I loved watching her lips move when she explained and anytime she spoke. And overall, I loved her, the whole of her.
I've wanted to spend quality time with her ever since she reappeared in my life, and working with her was a rare given chance. I couldn't for one not take advantage of the situation.
Soon enough we'd have to tackle the issue that was 'us', and she wouldn't be evading. She wouldn't be evading next time.
Coming out of my room, I was welcomed with the aroma of my mum's cooking.
It's Saturday yet I still hadn't come forth to her about moving out.
I'd just have to, I thought, running my palms to my forehead frustratedly.
I shut my eyes envisioning how my mum's face would be when I told her. I couldn't watch her heart break. I can't. One more week, I told myself. Just one.
I had already told my dad about moving out though. When I thought he'd be happy to rid me of him, he wasn't. He called me selfish, saying I wasn't thinking of my mum. Emotional blackmail was something I always saw as a manipulative element that stung and I hated it.
To make issues worse, Zara didn't give me the backing up I needed. She too accused me of wanting to leave our mum. Her drama that day was beyond me, I saw it as unnecessary seeing I wasn't even moving out of town. I assured her the drive to mine only took minutes and that I was leaving the house and not my mum. Trying to get her to see was a waste of her effort because it stopped her drama.
"Good morning, love," mum greeted me warmly as I approached her where she stood behind the cocker.
"Morning, love." I planted a kiss on her cheeks.
"How did you sleep?"
"Very well baby, and ya?"
I smiled at the way she carefully placed the plate of egg and bacon in front of me. "Fine, I slept fine."
She studied me with a glint in her eyes then grinned. "What's up with you, Jamy? You've been in very high spirits."
I shoved some eggs in my mouth. "What are you on about now, ma?"
She hummed and turned to hug Zara who had just walked in all dressed up.
"Of course you know what she's talking about," Zara said, sarcasm lacing her voice. "You get to supervise your Dei." she winked.
My mouth hung open. Of course, mum had told her.
"Of course, she told you," I muttered under my breath voicing my thoughts.
I shook my head in disbelief. "Mum, " I groaned. "You couldn't just not tell her, could you?"
"Oh? So she's indeed the reason for you being high spirited?" my mum chirped.
Somehow, I felt like they both already digested what they were bringing on.
"I've no idea what you're on about," I said truthfully. Having to think about what my mum's reaction would be when I told her I got a place was already a downer. I wasn't as high spirited as they'd perceived.
Zara huffed "Come on. It's all over you. No one would need cupid to tell them you are in love." she lets out a giggle.
"He'd better be," mum added
I stopped chewing my food. "I'd better be? Really?"
Was she threatening me over Dei?
They both chuckled and I rolled my eyes.
Zara walked to me to shove a forkful of my food into her mouth. "Have you told her?" she kept her voice down.
"No."
"Why?"
"Stay out of it missy. I'd tell her. Just make sure to keep your mouth shut."
She rolled her eyes, pecked my mum, and walked out of the door. I thought I saw her flipping the bird at me, I disregarded it anyway.
"Eat now and to your Dei," mum said patting my face. "Or wait till Monday." She shrugged.
She had to add 'your' and damn, did that so things to me.
I loved that she referred to Dei as mine because she was and I was going to make her see that.
The weekend passed in a flash and I had nothing against busy Mondays. I get to see her.
I dropped by my office, spent an hour and 3o minutes working on some documents I needed to before going to Barbson Empire.
"Hey," I greeted Racheal as I reached the reception area of the office Dei occupied.
She smiled politely. "Good morning, Mr. Martin. I'll inform her you're here."
I gave a small nod and she quickly rang her office phone.
"Good morning, angel." I smiled at how focused she was on her MacBook.
"Good morning, James," she greeted without taking her eyes off what she was doing.
"I brought you coffee." I was going to put the iced coffee down in front of her but stopped when I saw she already had a cup.
I grabbed the cup, taking it away from the table then I replaced it with the one I brought her.
After trashing the cup of coffee I grabbed from her table, I took the chair across from her and crossed my legs. I swiveled in my chair like I didn't just behave like some teenager.
Finally, she looked up from whatever she was doing. The look on her face was that of disgust. "What did you do that for?'"
I smirked. "I did."
"What's gotten over you? You should have asked me if I was still drinking the coffee Nat br–"
"Of course he brought you that." I pointed to the trash can where I had disposed of the said coffee
"I'm taking extra measures to your safety. Can't trust no one. So I trashed it."
"You trashed the coffee because Nat bought it? I don't believe it's you being over in measures to my safety. What do you've against him?"
"Nothing. Drink up before it defrosts." I gestured to the cup of coffee.
She sighed and took a long sip. My eyes trailed on her throat as she gulped down. She looked...
"James?"
I looked away from her. "Hmm?"
"Why don't you want to tell me what you have against Nat? I know something happened between you and him before."
"Nothing, Dei," I lied. "You should know why I don't like him around you though."
She snorted. "And why's that?"
"Obviously. Eh..." I trailed. "He has eyes for what's mine."
She sipped from her coffee and from how her throat gulped, I could tell it was a significant amount. "What's that?"
I suppressed my giggle at the way she acted obliviously. "Not what, who."
She arched her perfectly shaped brow. An act I found incredibly sexy. Don't I find every act of hers sexy? I asked myself.
"Who?"
I held her eyes. "You, Dei. He likes you. And I know you aren't oblivious to that."
She cleared her throat confirming her obliviousness was just an act. "We should get back to work."
I didn't mention that she'd been working in my absence since morning. "You've been avoiding us," I made air quotes "As a topic."
"What do you want me to say?" She averted her eyes and continued on her MacBook.
I saw through her, whole demeanor had changed. She was now nervous and her shoulders had tensed. She was still passing off as busy typing on her MacBook.
Without thinking, I crossed over to her side. I tilted her chin upward— that way I could see her face as I talked. There was no way I was allowing her to shrug us off.
"Dei-"
"Later, please," she cut me off, still not meeting my gaze.
"Fine." I let her be. For now. I couldn't force her to talk, but I could persuade her, but not now.
I busied myself, helping with areas she didn't need my help. I just needed to distract myself.
Few minutes past 1:pm, when it was time for a break, I decided to continue probing her.
"Dei?"
She wasn't working this time, just scrolling through her phone. "Yeah?"
I cleared my throat at the way she answered me. Was she angry over something? I asked myself.
"Was wondering if we could go down to grab a burger or something."
"Erm. Nat-"
I crossed over to her, pissed at what I knew she was trying to do. "Are you actually going to use an excuse of going to have lunch with him?"
I was trying not to be angry over something so little. I'd been waiting for her to come around since she walked back into my life and I wasn't going to push her... for anything. But it was taking her forever to come around.
She sighed and finally looked my way. "What's it with you, James?"
She was good at pretending to be oblivious, I had to give her that.
I tilted her chin up and held her eyes, she wasn't going to get away again. Hours ago wasn't the time, now was the time. I tugged her up from where she sat. She gasped when she came in contact with her chest.
When she recovered, she tried backing away from me.
I tsked, smirking as I approached her.
She struggled to get her wrist off my hold and backed further away.
Very good, I thought. She was going just where I want her. She was now almost at the wall. She had no idea what was coming for her now.
One last step backward had her gasping as her back hit the wall. My lips lifted as I approached her.
"Dei," I whispered huskily, taking both her hands and pinning them to the wall. "You want to know what's with me"
She swallowed, nodding.
"You," I whispered in her ears and smirked in triumph when she shivered.
How well she responds to me.