Chapter 41: Chapter 41

She looked behind her distraught as she stumbled through the dark path, sobbing.

She didn't have a destination but the bleak path in front of her was less frightening than the prowling beast waiting to bounce on her.

She tripped over a piece of wood she had not seen because of the darkness, blood trickled down her leg confirming her suspicion that she had been wounded.

She fought to stand up, biting her lower lip to stop herself from crying, then crawled not having the courage not to cover any distance at all.

She heard the sounds of insects and didn't want to think of the possibility of wild animals lurking in the wood, she was currently in.

She knew nobody, she got nobody. Nothing but a sob story and a desire to get away from what awaited her in her mom's broken trailer.

"We are here with you baby," Jasmine cooed, "It is just a nightmare. Open your eyes." She tapped Maya lightly.

Maya thrashed under her touch, her face hinting at how panicked she was.

"Maya no one can hurt you now"

Maya stirred and then her lashes fluttered after. Her brown alarmed eyes shone as she met Jasmine's eyes.

"You are fine, you are."

She sniffed and then held on to Jasmine sobbing.

***

"What are you doing at work?" Xavier raised his brow shocked to see Maya arranging his really scattered table, sorting his workspace, an irony of what she did to his mind.

"I can't stay back at home because of such a silly issue, I'm fine."

"You are still trending, we are still trending on every webpage, blog, news site, social media platform," he brought out his phone Like it was some sort of proof.

She raised her brow. "I'm on social media you know, with followers that keep on toppling over with days if I must add. I Know what is trending." She dropped his cup of prepared coffee on the now arranged table, took the files on the table that needed photocopying and scanning, "And I shouldn't be bothered about that at all,"

He raised his brow at her, "Besides you can just admit you miss a real professional to see to your schedule." She shook her head in disapproval, staring at the top floor over, "This place is a mess, everything has been turned upside down and I just missed work for a day!"

He fought back the smile that was about being plastered on his face, "I do miss you if I am being truthful."

"Because what'll you do without me huh?" She had a cocky grin in her eyes as she scanned the menu of the prepaid dishes available for Xavier's lunch taste bud, she made an order and then smiled at him. "You'll be doomed that's why. I run your office literally."

"I don't just miss you fixing everything and saving me from my doom," her gaze flickered to his as a little gasp escaped her mouth at the smoldering look he gave her, "more than anything, I miss this at the moment casual banter but yet so memorable when you are gone. I miss your cocky smug grin. I miss you just bossing me and taking control." His hands went around her waist, "I miss you, all of you. Totally."

She sucked in a breath at how fast her body reacted to his, like an out-of-hand combustion.

She blinked and then remembering where they were, tried freeing herself from the tempting feel of his big tanned hands on her slender waist as they made her think things that were completely not work appropriate.

"Xavier, someone__" his hot breath against her bare skin as she could feel a fuzzy woozy feeling, being so close to him did to her.

"I've missed you, Maya." His hands find her face, "My kitten"

She stood on tiptoes and then ended the torture he symbolizes in her life by meeting his lips, fisting his shirt.

Tongue clashed against tongue, gasp met groan. Hard breath spilled over and moist met want.

They stumbled over still miraculously in each other's arm as he pinned her on the wall and then ravished her completely, his lips mimicking all he wanted to do to her other lips, as his tongue slipped seamlessly into hers, then he went all out, coming in again. The practice erotic, the desire it brought endless as she was a breathless panting mess underneath him immediately he was done.

"You were not supposed to kiss me or touch me," she held on to the desk, "we had an agreement!"

Anger flashed through his eyes.

"You liked it, you wanted it. You kissed me in the first place!"

"That doesn't make it right!"

"What does!" He growled, "I want you as much as you do yourself, so why the deceit, the pretense, the circles."

She threw her hand up in the air, "Because what is this? A co-worker and her boss just doing the nasty behind closed doors? Friendship with benefits? A fake fiancée trying out real romance maybe to find out the right way to kiss him next time?"

His eyes hardened but he didn't utter a word. She wordlessly has him a little smile, "I thought as much, I'll be in my cubicle. You can ring me if you need clarification on any of the documents you have on your desk,"

He didn't look at her and the click-click of her heels against polished floor was the only clue that she was gone.

Hard breath spilled over his lips as he threw the stack of documents she had neatly placed in the middle of the table, his coffee mug went next. Maya perched her behind on her seat, feigning ignorance to Xavier's rampage in his office, composing a mail to a construction company to give them the info they had asked for in their last mail.

Seconds rolled to minutes, minutes to hours as they both got better at ignoring each other's presence delving deeper into a pile of workload cut out for them.

"Let us talk," Maya saw Italian pair of shoes before she met blue pools.

"Can I sit down?" He mumbled. She nodded and he smiled, plopping himself on a tiny seat she never bothered replacing. She never had visitors anyway because of Xavier's privacy policy.

"I'm a player, a cocky one at that and I don't think I'm ready to give that up yet because," he paused, "that's all I know how to do."

She ignored him, staring at her computer screen instead of wondering why he was stating an obvious they both know.

"So I'm sorry about that, you are a great woman, a great person, and honestly," he grinned, "you deserve less scum than myself."

She met his gaze wondering what the new swerve of conversation was leading to, "I can't give you what any right man in his senses should crave with you, forever. I want you so badly but I guess that is," he smiled tightly, "never enough."

She nodded awkwardly, bringing out her hand, for a shake, "Friends?" He stared at her outstretched hand for long seconds that felt for a lifetime and when she was about letting it fall to her side, he grabbed it with a firm shake, "Don't know if that is possible but yes let's try that."