Elliot's POV
O N E W E E K L A T E R
I'm going insane.
One week has passed, a whole damn week, with her not giving me the light of day.
The only time she spoke to me or even looked in my direction was when she had a question about work.
This is what I should wantâher staying behind that line I drew.
However, it sickened me that she did.
Every time I tried to carry on a conversation outside of work, she quickly shut it down.
I even went to visit her father a few times, but still no attention.
Her drug test came back negative, just like she said it would.
I'm really proud of her.
"Italian or french?" Blake asked as I returned to the conversation.
"What?"
"For my date with Sereia!" he smiled.
"Oh," I said as I rubbed my forehead. "Um, french. No, Italian. You know what, I don't know."
"Jeez, what is up with you?" he asked. "I need to convince to her to go on this second date with me. It has to be perfect."
"Why?" I asked and he pointed at his dick.
"He needs to know how she feels," he said. "Did you see her today? The way how her skirt hugs her fat ass is incredible."
I stayed quiet as I tried not to picture Sereia's ass.
"Come on," he bugged me. "Help a brother out. Save my aching dick."
"You told me that you've slept with three others this week."
"I am a man of many needs," he laughed. "Help me get her. French or Italian."
I watched him plead desperately. I've never seen him try so hard to impress a woman before.
Dammit, I'm such a horrible best friend.
How could I lust over the woman he wanted first?
"Neither," I told him. "She likes Thai."
I recalled her lunch orders from our business trip.
He smiled as he tapped my shoulder. "You're the best. Have I ever told you that?"
I forced a smile as someone knocked on the door.
"Come in," I answered before my father's hand-me-down assistant, Julia, walked in.
"Sir, the board members are waiting for you and Mr. Harrison."
We both nodded before we got up and walked to the conference room.
My eyes instantly landed on her sitting alone while the other board members conversed among themselves.
She looked so out of place, yet this was exactly where she belonged.
Blake cleared his throat. "Your CEO is here, show some respect."
Everyone immediately hushed as they stood up to show respect.
As she stood up, my eyes subconsciously travelled to her ass which did not want to be confined to that tight fabric.
When I realized the others were looking at me, I forced myself to walk to the front. "Sit."
Blake ran to the empty spot beside her as they all sat.
I cleared my throat uncomfortably as I opened my folder and tried searching for my notes.
"Today's meeting won't be long, I just need to address-"
I stopped my speech when I heard her soft giggle.
It was so low that the people sitting beside her couldn't hear.
I could. I could hear any of the sweet sounds she makes 10, 000 miles away.
When I looked up, Blake was whispering something in her ear which made her smile even more.
I cleared my throat again.
"Sorry, where was I?" I asked as I tried to find my sentence. "Oh yes, there were some regulatory changes so I need all of you to look over your areas."
I could hear Blake's voice from across the room, mumbling something then chuckling.
What the hell could they be talking about that was so funny?
She giggled again and I tried my best not to look at her.
Why doesn't she laugh with me? Am I not as funny as Blake?
Did my best friend suddenly turn into a damn comedian?
"Um," I rubbed my forehead as I tried to find where I was at again. "There's been some interest spikes recently in the economy. I need us to-"
She laughed again and I snapped.
"What's so damn funny?"
My jaw tightened, and my lips pressed into a thin line.
I was barely concealing the frustration bubbling beneath my surface as I glared at them.
Everyone immediately turned to look at them.
Their smiles dropped when they turned to me.
So now they want to keep quiet?
"No, tell us," I lashed out. "Don't you think all of us deserve a good laugh too?"
What the hell is wrong with me?
Why am I so triggered by her and Blake laughing?
"Elliot, calm down," he said. "We weren't paying attention, but we will now."
She watched me silently, taunting me.
Her silence, it pissed me off.
She liked to see it. She liked to see me make a mockery of myself with her provocatively silence.
Now is when she chooses to stay behind the line?
After I begged her to do it when we first met, now is when she wants to obey my request?
Now when I can't stop thinking about her every second? Now when my body aches just to see her, to feel her? Now!?
I slammed my hands out of frustration on the lactern as I tried to control my anger.
I'm heading a meeting right now, I can't be acting like this.
I sucked in a deep breath before trying to find where I was for the hundredth time.
"Where were we?" I asked before continuing the meeting.
...
I angrily returned my notes to my folder as I watched her talk to him.
The pair kept quiet during the meeting, but after? Those two chose to have a field day.
She suddenly locked eyes on me, with that smug fake smile she'd been giving him for the past five minutes.
My heart raced just from her finally giving me the light of day.
But then she looked back to him.
They hugged and she walked out, her hips swaying seductively from side to side.
Blake walked over to me with a big smile on his face.
He's happy. I should be happy for him too.
I am happy for him.
"Operation date is a go," he grinned. "Looks like I'm finally going to get a taste of that expensive ass tonight."
My blood boiled from the fact that my best friend was only concentrated on having sex with Sereia.
"I'm happy for you," I lied.
The thought of them having sex tonight made bile rise in me.
"Me too!" he said as he danced away with excitement.
I can't take this anymore.
I began to follow behind her.
My footsteps were quick and heavy, each one striking the ground with a force that matched the storm brewing inside them.
Anger churned in my chest and pain in my heart as I made my way to her office.
I can't stand this.
Her not giving me the light of day or a conversation that doesn't involve work.
It was my fault we were like this.
I was the one who couldn't control myself and dropped her towel from around her.
I shouldn't have crossed that line. Now, there was no going back.
I want more. I greedily want her.
A hand grabbed me before Olivia appeared in front of me.
"Not now," I said as I pulled away my hand but she stopped me.
"Someone's torturing me," she frowned and I looked at her.
"What?"
"They-they keep sending me secretly messages and I-I," tears filled her eyes. "Elliot, it's driving me insane."
"Messages about what?" I asked as I diverted my path to my office.
I was pissed right now and Olivia stopping me from expressing my anger to Sereia pissed me off even more.
"Does it matter?" she asked.
"Yes, it does," I snapped.
"Jeez, Elliot calm down," she glared at me. "It's just some nobody I knew from my past."
I held my head as I felt as massive headache fall upon me.
"Look, we'll talk about this later at home, okay?" I spoke before walking back to my office.
Speaking to Olivia with this tone and headache won't solve a thing.