I woke up on the morning of my interview feeling better than I had for the past couple of days. After the rude awakening, so to speak, at Andreas' I hadn't fared very well, mentally punishing myself for being stupid enough to buy into his bullshit.

I checked my phone as I sat up, finding it yet again filled with missed calls and messages from Andreas, probably full of all kinds of lies to get me back on his hook. Well I'm not biting. My reflection was rough, my eyes slightly puffy from my bouts of hurt, frustrated and at times angry tears. The restless nights had also begun to develop some dark circles under my eyes.

I met my gaze in the mirror. "Now you listen here Nicole. You existed fine before this man, and you will not give up everything you've ever wanted because of this petty shit. You are better than this." Resolved, I began piecing myself together outwardly as I got ready for the day.

***

I was surprised to find the dark sedan awaiting me as I exited my building, though this was probably another one of Andreas' schemes to get himself back in my good graces. I greeted the chauffer as he helped me into the back of the vehicle.

As we pulled away from the curb, I noticed the box on the seat beside me. The handwritten note placed on top had my name on it. My agitation couldn't outweigh my curiousity as I picked it up. The note read:

Dear Nicole,

I understand that you'd be upset about what happened the other day, but please allow me to explain. This situation isn't what you think it is. This gift is in no way me trying to buy your forgiveness, I know better than to ever try that with you. I just thought of you the moment I laid eyes on it, and I couldn't stop myself from purchasing it that instant. I hope you like it, and can find it in your heart to hear me out.
-Andreas

I pulled the lid of the box up to reveal a gorgeous diamond choker and matching teardrop earrings. I had no doubt that every stone resting against the deep blue satin was genuine. As beautiful as they were, the risk of falling for his lies once again, buried any thoughts I had of accepting this 'gift'.

I shut the box, placing both it and the note back where I'd found it as I did my best to focus my thoughts on my interview and nothing more. I will not let Andreas screw this up for me.

***

I adjusted my sleeves as I sat in a small, glass meeting room at the end of Femme's large, industrial-concept, office space. Just outside, immaculate employees flitted about, planning shoots and crafting layouts, working almost seamlessly.

An elegant woman walked over to the room I was in, her gray hair slicked back to accompany her bold eyeshadow and deep, plum lipstick. She was clad in a textured, black pantsuit and a pair of chrome, silver Louboutins. I stood as she entered, returning her smile as she reached out to shake my hand.

"Hello Nicolette. I'm Camilla, the Editor in Chief for Femme here in New York."

She took a seat in a chair across the table from me. "Hello Camilla, its truly an honour to meet you. I've looked up to you ever since before I went to college, and to be sitting here, is surreal to me."

Camilla graciously accepted the compliment, looking down to study the resume I had submitted earlier. "Well this was no coincidence my dear. After seeing your work, I knew I just had to interview you myself. Truth be told, I was excited by you, and that doesn't happen very often."

I couldn't contain how ecstatic I was with receiving such gratification from her. "Thank you so much, that means the world to me."

"So please, tell me more about yourself. What are your interests outside of writing?"

"Well, in my free time I also enjoy travel, cuisine and the occassional spar." She cocked a brow at that. "I've been trained in several martial arts styles since I was a child."

"I hope that's not what you meant when you mentioned conflict resoultion under your skills." She joked.

I chuckled. "Oh no. I must admit, though I've been at it for some time, I just can't seem to master any of them. Hence why I've tried so many." I shrugged. "Doesn't keep me from sparring though, even if I more often that not, lose."

"I can appreciate the tenacity and resolve."

I leaned forward. "Fortunately, I have an abundance of both."

"Glad to hear that. In terms of your past experience I think you'd be a perfect fit for our company. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Yes, if I'm hired here, what would be my jobscope, exactly?"

She leaned back. "Should you choose to accept this position, you would carry out the duties of a content creator, which are mostly writing as well as visual conceptualization. If you continue to impress, you could eventually earn a position training directly under me to become an editor yourself. How does that sound?"

"Wait... If I choose? Are you saying that you're offering me the position here?"

She smiled. "Yes, Nicolette. What say you?"

I couldn't contain my excitement. "I say, when do I start?" We spent the rest of my interview discussing my schedule as well as the other details of my employment. Camilla seemed sincerely kind and knowledgable, offering to walk me out after we wrapped up.

***

As we exited the elevator, the waiting area caught Camilla's attention. My gaze followed hers. What. The. Hell?! Andreas was seated in one of the armchairs, watching me intently as he ignored the curious and in some cases lustful, stares of the women around him. I refused to acknowledge him, ripping my gaze away to stare straight ahead instead.

To my dismay, Camilla headed right towards him as a brilliant smile came to her lips. I trailed a couple steps behind her, controlling the urge to throttle Andreas. I'm going to kill him. "Mr. Petrov, I don't believe we've ever had the pleasure of meeting." He rose as we approached, his gaze still transfixed to me, despite my lack of a response.

His eyes met Camilla's only when he spoke. "Well our industries do not often intercept. You are?" I detested the fact that this man, that had made a complete fool out of me, had the audacity to stand here now looking impeccable in a perfectly tailored, deep blue, 3-piece suit, paired with a crisp white shirt and deep red tie.

She extended her hand. "Camilla Leonard, Editor in Chief of Femme New York. We did an interview with your mother last year."

"Of course." He said as they shook hands. "It was quite the piece."

"You flatter me sir, but thank you. What brings you here today? Anything I can assist you with?"

"That won't be necessary. I'm just here to pick up Nicole."

Camilla hid her shock well, though I still managed to glimpse her utterly gobsmacked expression for the better part of a second before she caught herself. "How kind of you. I'll let you two get going then. It was a pleasure to meet you." She flashed him one more smile before turning to leave. She lightly grasped my shoulder as she passed. "I'll see you next week, Nicolette." I nodded.

Andreas walked over to me, offering the crook of his arm as he flashed me a smirk. "Shall we?" This arrogant prick, he knows I can't make a scene here. Fine, I'll play along. He flexed as I took his arm, watching me for a reaction. I just kept my gaze ahead, leading him out the front doors towards our awaiting vehicle.

The moment he closed the door behind us, my mask of indifference slipped away to reveal my displeasure at having to interact with him. "What are you doing here Andreas?" At that, he flashed the driver a look, prompting him to roll up the divider.

"I would think that's obvious, Babydoll." I pulled my hand away as he reached for me. "How did the interview go?"

My irritation towards him continued to simmer. "That's none of your damn business and the name is Nicole." I turned towards the window, unable to stand the sight of him without wanting to inflict some serious bodily harm.

I felt him move to my side, and despite my best effort to deny it, his scent was both delicious and comforting. Damn him a thousand times over. "Babydoll please, just let me explain." His pleading tone had the weaker part of me entertaining thoughts of forgiving him. If you do, you'll be exactly the fool he seems to think you are.

"I'm pretty sure we've already done this scenario haven't we?" I turned to him. "How about you do both of us a favour and skip it this time." Despite my best efforts to push him away, he grasped both sides of my face, forcing my to meet his eyes.

"Nicole look at me."

My brows creased as my ire grew. "What the hel-"

His expression matched mine. "Really look, Nicole. Do you not see how much this misunderstanding pains me?" One of his hands moved to grasp my nape. "How much your pain hurts me?" His agitated look became more pained. "I've been unable to function, can't eat or sleep without thoughts of you, what you must be thinking. Please, I just need a moment of your time, and after that if you want to despise me, I'll accept the fact. Just let me set things straight."

Upon closer inspection, he did in fact appear worn out. His eyes were slightly bloodshot over dark circles, and his five o'clock shadow was uneven in several spots where he'd tried to shave but had appeared to give up. "Fine. You have two minutes. But let me go."

He did immediately, his sincere smile tugging at my heart despite it all. "Devyn was a friend with benefits but I haven't slept with her since we've met Nicole. Our relationship was extremely casual, and it had slipped my mind that I should tell her that I wanted to cut things off, because since I've met you, I haven't thought of anyone else. And I don't plan to in the foreseeable future." His hand grasped mine. "I told her that it was over the other night, because I only want you."

I pulled my hand away from his. "Well that's a shame considering I don't want to have anything to do with you. I trusted you, despite all my reservations I decided that for once I was going to go with my heart instead of my head and look what that got me." I shook my head. "And your big excuse is 'I forgot about her'?"

"Look Nicole, is it the perfect excuse? Not in the slightest, but do you really think I'm a bad liar? If I wanted to spin you a good story I would, but I want to be honest with you, as I have always been. It's pretty fucking obvious I'm an imperfect human being, and at times I see people as nothing more than tools or conveniences." Very on brand for him, I have to admit. "As monstrous as it sounds Devyn was convenient back when I was lonely and bored, nothing more, but with you, I'm neither. I didn't need her anymore, hence I didn't care enough to give her a memo." He reached for me once more, and I allowed him to take my hand. "I know it's fast and understandably you have very little reason to believe me, but you make me happier than I've been in forever, and despite my many mistakes, I would never intentionally jeopardize your trust in me." He raised my hand to his lips. "I'm falling for you hard, Babydoll, even while you're angry at me."

I couldn't help but acknowledge that he was making sense, and some of my anger towards him deflated, though I remained wary. "Do you have any other 'friends' you should handle?"

"I cut it off with all of them right after I dealt with Devyn."

"How many calls did you have to make?"

He sighed. "Excluding Devyn, there were three."

I frowned. "Busy, busy." Then again, he could have just lied and said none, Nicole.

"But that day was the first I'd even seen Devyn in two and a half months, and I haven't been in contact with the others for even longer." He met my eyes.

Something occurred to me then. "Minus blondie, whom you threw in my face within days of meeting me?" He winced at the reminder.

"And again, I'll regret that for the rest of my existence."

I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut as I grasped my temple. What am I even supposed to make of all of this?!  My instincts screamed that he could be trusted, as I tried and failed to recollect a moment where he'd been dishonest with me. That I know of.

The spark of feeling I had for this man had begun to grow once more, and was strongly urging me to accept this apology. Even the logical part of my brain couldn't come up with ample rebuttal. His reasons are sound Nicole, at least he's coming clean about his dirty secrets. Plus, you're meant to be playing house until this mess is sorted anyway.

Doesn't mean I'll stop being careful. "Andreas, here are my terms." I met his gaze, moving closer as I pulled my hand out of his to grasp his jaw. "If I ever catch you doing anything to betray my trust, I will leave and never look back is that understood?" His eyes dropped to my lips for an instant and I almost lost my train of thought. Keep it together. "I am no one's fool, and I won't be yours."

He shook his head as his eyebrows pulled together. "Never."

"And for now, I'm choosing to believe that, to give you some of my trust back." He met my eyes once more. "But understand that that is a privilage. Don't make me regret this."

His expression turned hopeful and I couldn't help but soften a little more towards him. Tentatively, he began to wrap his arms around me, and I couldn't keep from relaxing into his hold. Despite all your baggage, you're a sweet one Andreas.

I released the grip I had on his face as he pulled me closer. His look of absolute contentment when I allowed him to pull me onto his lap warmed some of the residual ice around my heart from his misconceived betrayal, my smile becoming increasingly difficult to contain.

He leaned up towards me, barely touching his lips to mine, waiting to see how I'd react. As tempting as his lips were, I moved to kiss him on the nose instead. Even at that slight contact, his eyes closed as he began to relax, breathing in deeply. "I missed you." I hummed in response as I studied his face, brushing my fingers through the front of his hair before moving to trace his brow and his cheekbone. How do I know you're telling me the truth, beautiful boy? He peeked an eye open. "This is where you confess how much you missed me too, Babydoll." His tone was teasing.

I shrugged as I wrapped my arms around his neck, teasing him right back, despite my reservations. "Well, I didn't."

"Didn't you now?" Before I could register what he was doing, he had my top two buttons undone. His gaze was now rapt to my cleavage, just inches from his face with our current position. "Well I missed you, very" he pressed a kiss to the top of one of my breasts, "very" and the other, before meeting my eyes once more, "much."

Despite it all, he still had a very strong effect on me, and before I could decide why I shouldn't, I leaned down to press my lips to his, his grip becoming almost painful as he pulled me closer. He groaned as our tongues met, my fingers moving to bury themselves into the hair at the back of his head. I gripped his head hard as he moved to remove his jacket, not letting him break contact as my other hand grabbed his tie, yanking it right off of his neck.

We only pulled away when my lungs burned for oxygen, studying my handiwork around laboured breaths. His hair was mused, with my red lipstick smeared all over his lips, and one red spot on the tip of his nose from earlier. I couldn't help but laugh at his resemblance to a certain reindeer. He flashed me a pointed look.

"I left some of my lipstick on your nose." I moved to wipe it away with my thumb. "Very cute."

He smiled, grasping my hand. "Did you really not miss me?"

I scoffed, squeezing his fingers. "What do you think?" His smile widened, and I wanted to hit something at how adorable this man was proving to be sometimes.

"I think that I really really like you, and you really really like me."

"Is that so?"

He nodded. "I appreciate you letting me explain, Nicole."

I shrugged. "Don't thank me yet. I'm sorry but, I still don't know how I feel about all this, yet."

"No, don't be. I understand the playing fields' uneven here. It would be weird if you weren't suspicious of me."

I flashed him a half smile. "Well you are quite the shady character."

He grabbed at his chest, wincing. "You wound me."

I rested a hand over his. "Oh did I Andre? Let me make it better." I undid the top of his buttons until his chest was fulling exposed, greedily running my fingers over his tan skin as I leaned in closer, pressing a kiss to his neck. "How's that?" How many women have found themselves here?

He gripped my hip. "Not quite there yet." His voice was a tad bit rougher now.

"Poor Andre." I continued to kiss along his neck, nuzzling his collarbone as my fingers traced circles over his chest. I breathed in the smell of his cologne, relaxing in his hold as the tension of the past couple of days melted away. I can't keep doing this. And I can't completely trust him either. It's too soon. I sighed, resting my forehead on his chest as my negative emotions seeped away the rest of my desire.

He rubbed my side. "Nicole? Are you alright?" I squeezed my eyes shut, pushing away from him as I returned to my seat.

I righted all of my clothing. "No, I guess not."