No major traffic on the roads, except for a few cars here and there, probably people going to work, since it is Monday.

As I'm sitting in the backseat of the car, I kept thinking about what happened in my own bathroom, in my own house.

And it was two days ago since it happened.

So, of course I have been thinking about that incident ever since.

It's currently five in the morning, and I haven't gotten any sleep last night, I just have been thinking about why and how it happened.

It was so casual all too well, I just been brushing my teeth, then all of a sudden, I started to imagine him and his–

I don't even want to finish that disgusting thought. He's my assistant, my employee, a person on my payroll.

That was so out of the blue. Just like an everyday thought, but it wasn't, for me at least.

My thoughts are all crumpled and scrambled because of this. And it's happening at the worst time, he's getting on the same flight as me, we are going to be in close quarters for hours on end.

The airport is a few minutes away, so that should give me some time to brainstorm something to help me get over this and fast.

I can think about this in deep depth later, but right now, I can't distract myself with even the thought of my assistant in a sexual way.

As I brainstormed, the only thing that I could come up with was one thing. The cafe "break".

That's where it all started, I let him tag along because why not, I let him ask his questions that he wanted to ask, (even though I was very suspicious of him). He stated that he just wanted to get to know me more because of our professional relationship, I guess.

I was able to break down the real reasoning and he finally revealed and I gave him advice at the end.

That, right there, was the push he wanted, needed. He now thought that he was confident enough to text me outside of work.

He convinced himself in his small brain to get comfortable with me.

Don't get me wrong, I want all my employees to be comfortable with my workplace, it makes their performances better and that makes my company thrive better and faster.

But they can't get too comfortable that texting me would be like texting me like a friend, which is what he was doing.

Now this is the aftermath, the butterfly effect got to me because of him.

And now the effect might make my performance horrible because I hardly, not even hardly, got any sleep at all.

I tried everything, but nothing worked, all I did was close my eyes the entire night, but never actually slept.

All because I let Chopard tag along with me.

Why–why am I such an idiot? I didn't fully grasp the possible outcomes of that, and now I'm paying the price and it might affect this business trip, which I don't want to happen.

I already have enough on my plate, and adding to this will evidently make the plate shatter and fall between the cracks on the floor.

I can not let that happen. That was just a one time thing. I turned my brain off, just one moment, it will not happen again, I will make sure of that.

Looking up, I can see the airport up ahead, so I need to get my head out of my ass and focus on the trip and my business here and now.

Plus, I concluded that Chopard wanted this, he wanted me to open up to him, to scrape off the surface, he wanted to distract me from the task at hand.

And it worked on me, like a common dumbass.

The car came to a stop and someone opened my door, allowing room for me to get out, the guys waited for my permission to open the trunk and get out all my bags and suitcases.

I looked beyond my private jet, with the name "Cantrell Corporation" displayed, in big and bolded letters.

I figured that I should have my own jet as I travel every so often, plus traveling along with other people might not be the best idea, especially for a wealthy business person like me.

Turning to my bodyguard, I ask, "When is Chopard getting here?"

He looks at his watch, as he holds the earpiece in his ear, trying to make out from the other end of the line.

"Chopard will be arriving shortly, Ms. Cantrell" He says.

Of course I sent Chopard a car to ride in, who knows if he will get pulled over by the police or he goes to the wrong airport, or maybe, completely sleeps in.

It's not worth it, and I don't have the patience to be dealing with him or any problems that he might cause. Right now, I have to focus on the trip and what I'm going to get out of it.

Also because I need to mentally prepare to spend hours and hours on a plane with someone I don't fully trust, so that's why I'm having security in the plane as well, to make sure the plane ride goes smoothly.

So there was no need for Chopard and me to be in the same car, not at this time.

I think about all this, but to be honest, the deepest and real reason for all of this arrangement is because of Friday night, and not being able to stop thinking about it all weekend, leading up to this morning. I just can't make myself face him.

Not after that imagination.

At least I'm self aware of that fact.

As I waited for a few more minutes, which felt like years compared. I see a black SUV pulling in. It came to a halt as it was put into park.

The driver got out, greeting me and my security, as he opened the back door, and out came Chopard, hopping out of the car like a dog.

And he's smiling.

Five in the morning, and he is smiling.

Did he take something? That is my only guess as to what's up with him.

As the driver unpack the trunk, consisting of one suitcase and a duffel bag, as Chopard already has a backpack on.

Chopard's big smile reduced to a grin, ear to ear.

He starts to walk up me, as he greets, "Ms. Cantrell", a pause between, "Normally, I wouldn't be this happy this early in the morning, but since we're going to New York, I might as well be"

He slightly opens his mouth to say something else, but then closes his mouth, I can see his eyes looking me up and down. His eyebrows rise, making his eyes go wide, with surprise, most likey.

It's my clothing choices, I bet.

I'm wearing a comfortable basic solid sweater, the color being gray, paired with a sweatpant to go along with it.

My hair is tied down to a loose ponytail, instead of tied into a tight ponytail or having it straight now like usual.

And he was still looking at my outfit. I realized no one has seen me outside the office, none of my employers have seen me without a suit on, whenever the work day ends, I don't socialize with them, or go to clubs or bars.

Quess Chopard is the first to see me with 'normal' clothes on, and after this trip, it will be the last.

And against my better judgment, I start to feel, I guess, uncomfortable under his gaze? Whether it's on purpose or not, he's still looking at me, not my eyes, but my body, my clothing.

My gosh, should I even have worn this if it's going to cause people to stare? I might as well change into a business suit.

I mean, what did Chopard expect for me at five in the morning. Glammed up in a high ponytail and a sharp suit on. It's not rocket science.

A few seconds goes by, and the more he stares, the hotter my body feels, I feel like I'm about to explode.

The temperature my bod is at right now is the same heat whenever I imagined–

Hailey, stop that, I thought to myself, I will not revisit those embarrassing moments.

To counter this, and get the show on the road, I cleared my throat, "What Chopard?" I said, in my most professional tone, so that he knows that he is eyeing his boss without a care in the world.

He stands straight up, arching his back even more, he was taller then when he was eyeing my clothes and now I have to actually look up at him.

His hand went up in surrender quickly as he conceded, "Nothing! I was just taken by surprise, I never seen you in anything other than a suit before", he pauses, "It's new to me"

I scoffed as I turned away from him. I guess because I haven't got any sleep the night before, my body will do whatever it wants.

Then he said this, "You look so comfy"

I said nothing to that, but my brain turned into a mushed mess. Like my brain is rebooting itself because of that one statement.

Still facing away from him, I couldn't stop my body or my mouth from doing what I didn't want to do.

I turned back around and said, "Well Chopard, don't get used to it"

A smile slowly appears on his face as puts his hand over his mouth. His cheeks are still puffing up, indicating that he's still smiling and he's trying to hide it from me.

He clears his throat as he wipes that smile off his face, but I can see that he's trying not to smile again, "Yes ma'am" he says.

He's lucky that I'm too tired to call him out for laughing at me.

Rolling my eyes, not even trying to hide it, I said, "Let's go, we have a lot to do in New York"

I looked around the area, realizing that we have been standing for a while, not my fault by the way, everything is packed up and security is still standing outside with us, waiting for us to get on the plane.

Everyone is waiting for us to get on the plane.

I looked at my watch, and many minutes have passed since Chopard got here, minutes where we could have been in the air right now.

I turned towards the plane and made my way to the stairs leading to the inside of my private jet. I heard my assistant following close behind me.

After greeting the pilot and the flight attendant, I buckle into my seat as Chopard sits right across from me, setting down his bag on the side of his seat.

A ding comes from above the plane, telling everyone that the jet is about to take off from the runaway, and as it does I think to myself–

Hailey Cantrell, get yourself under control, you have a job to do, don't fuck it up.

Handle yourself with dignity and get fucking control of the game you build.

Exhaling a sigh from that harsh but yet needed thought, I closed my eyes while my face turned towards the window, letting myself close my eyes for a bit.

Will Hailey survive this trip? Let's see.

-Summer Roe