*****ANNIE*****

  I hugged my pillow firmly and suddenly broke out in a set of happy kicks, squirming like a worm while making little squeals. My heart was a thread away from exploding from all the delight and anticipation flooding in it.

   Jack's words, in the end, were, 'I'll give you an answer tomorrow'.
He hadn't said it'd be impossible to accept my third request, he just said, tomorrow.

  For the first time in five years, the nervousness of being around Jack struck me like lightning. It felt like I was seventeen all over again when I started openly flirting and seducing him.
The bliss running through my body was better than the billions of dollars in my accounts. I felt...satisfied.

     Other than taking over Black Blood, my other major goal was, taking back Jack. He was the only man I longed for. The only man I envisioned a future with. I just didn't think that the plans would have to be moved forward before Project Beta was completed. But whatever, I could juggle between work and my love life. Or entrust the project to Jack. I trusted him with my life. That, would never change.

   It's finally happened Annie, I squealed in my head, tossing on the bed from one end to the other.
The night would feel too long, but I was ready to endure the hardship of waiting for daybreak without a single complaint.

----------------------------------

   Nine thirteen, the round wall clock read.

My eyes fell on my wristwatch, comparing the time just in case the clock had stopped functioning.

    It was still nine thirteen.
So why had Jack not contacted me yet?

Frowning, I tore my eyes from the wristwatch and looked around at the faces keenly listening to the worker who was busy reporting about the progress of the new tech the company had released in the market.
    As I forced my gaze to the female speaking, I collided with a dense pair of gray eyes watching me. They were steady and questioning.

Damn!

   I quickly averted my gaze to someone else, escaping Paul's wordless interrogation. His stare was so thick that I could still feel it on me even after looking away.

About thirty minutes elapsed, marking the end of the meeting. The board of directors paid their respects to Paul-I made him the face of the tech company a year ago- and left.

    I got up to leave the conference room when Paul's voice suddenly rang out, "Wait!"

   "Um..." I faced him.
For countless days, Paul hadn't spoken to me ever since what he witnessed in my house that night.
It was right saying he had been avoiding me.

   "You..." He got up, his hands tugging his jacket down to straighten it. "You seemed lost and distracted," the male said as he walked past the four chairs that had been separating us.

My palms were suddenly covered by a layer of moisture, scared about the conversation he might bring up. When angry, Paul was a savage. I had gotten to know him deeper during our five years of cooperation and crossing him wasn't something I liked doing.

   My throat slowly and quietly dried out the more the male got closer.

     "Something wrong?"

I quickly shook my head and pulled out a fake assuring grin.

   He kept coming, invading my space while I tried moving away from him as much as I could. But damn the chair behind me. It made me tumble till my ass dropped on it.

     Paul's face darkened with an evil and cold grin. "And she's scared," he mocked as his right hand gripped the headrest, stabilizing his motion. While still caging my gaze, Paul leaned down further till his warm breaths could fall on my face.

   "About that night..." He whispered.

"What about it?" I barely managed to speak.

   Paul let out a low deep chuckle before pressing his left cheek against my right to access my left ear, "You looked so hot sucking-"

My hands dashed forward, pushing him away from me before he could finish that sentence. It was humiliating enough that he had witnessed me in such a state, but having him tease me about it felt a different kind of embarrassing.

     He wore an enraged expression even as he laughed at my reaction. "Gawd! You're so cute when you blush," he complimented while straightening and taking a step away from me.

   "Could you not, do that again?"

"What? I haven't done anything. You're just feeling embarrassed that I saw you."

I glared up at him, sending poisonous daggers with my vision.

    "Okay, fine. I won't tell you how sexy you were whe-"

"Paul!" I yelled.

But this only made him laugh even harder till some moisture glistened his gray eyes.
   He didn't seem the slightest happy, yet he laughed. Laughed till a tear or two escaped his eyes.

   At this point, I felt more concerned about him than annoyed. He clearly wasn't laughing due to anything funny. Heck! I was the most unhumorous person ever.

    "Are you alright?"

My words dimmed his laugh.
He sniffed, bringing his eyes down on me.
Paul was...crying.

    "I'm good. Why wouldn't I be? I'm happy that you two finally got to reunite. We should have celebrated."

There was pain in his words. There was hurt in his heart. I could feel it.

   Paul wiped off the tears and smiled, "I have some work to do. I'll get going."

I didn't stop him.
What could I possibly say to him that would make him feel better?
Nothing!

    
    The door shut in a soft thud, then came a moment of silence. I was about to drown in my thoughts when a masculine scent infiltrated my nostrils. A cologne scent that my body responded to dramatically; my heart started pounding thrice at its normal speed and a million tiny butterflies filled my tummy.

   He was present.
He was there.

    "Wrong timing?" Jack's deep voice floated through the air and into my ears.

My head spun towards the door, almost snapping my neck in the process.

     "You-you're here?!"
My tone bled confusion and cheer all at once.

  He was standing right there, his back leaning on the door frame, his right hand dipped in the comfort of his hip pocket while the left was busy adjusting his tie.
The damned bastard wasn't even looking at me, his eyes were focused on the red tie. But good lawd, he looked like a snack. An expensive snack wrapped up in a black suit that illuminated his complexion.
  
     My body moved on its own. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of Jack, my eyes growing bigger from all the attraction I was feeling towards the tall snack.

  Jack's brow raised, obviously questioning my sense of dignity for I was staring at him so openly. Fuck shame. Fuck dignity.

  This attraction felt like it had renewed after our talk the previous day.
     
      When I couldn't pull myself from the shameless gawking, Jack flicked my forehead with his finger.
   "Silly," he muttered.

I chuckled embarrassed and looked away to hide it.

  "Let's go. Where are your bags?"

Zap!

My eyes shot back at him at a speed that exceeded that of light. "Ba-bags?"

   "Is this a trick to get me to go shopping with you?" Jack asked looking directly into my eyes.
Before I could gather words to answer him, he placed his index finger under my chin and pushed it upwards. With a slight lean at me, Jack whispered, "I'm not spoiling you again."

    I tried to swallow. Gawd knows I did.
But seeing him so serious and assertive unlocked a strange fetish within me.

      "No Sir," I breathed.

"Good. Cause us living together is more of business than pleasure."

Than pleasure. He hasn't said no pleasure. Yaaasss! I screamed in my head.

   "Let's go."
The male released my chin, leaving me dazed for a moment.

*****Author's note;
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