I sense a sneeze coming on and pinch my nose to hold it back. It doesn't work and it feels like my head imploded. Luckily he didn't hear anything. Unluckily I don't have a tissue and keep rubbing my nose on my scarf.
"He's in a coma? You never said anything about a coma?"
My curiosity is going crazy and I have to whip it back like an old fashioned lion tamer.
"Wait. Wait a minute. So, there is a chance he may never wake up? I came to you because you are the best neurosurgeon in this country and now you are telling me, not only may David never walk again but he may never wake up?"
Oh God! I look at the crinkled paper in my hand. Suddenly picking up his dry cleaning doesn't seem like a chore anymore. I drop the paper on the floor feeling like a selfish ass.
My thoughts are interrupted with a loud crash coming from inside his office. Then another crash followed by a large boom. I race inside to see Mr. Payne's chest moving up and down wildly as he stands by an overturned chair. There is a fern that is no longer in its pot lying in the corner and next to it his phone scattered in several pieces.
"Mr. Payne, are you all right?"
His eyes flicker an intense gaze at me. Without a word he turns his back and strolls casually past his desk to the wall of windows putting his hands in his trouser pockets.
"Ms. Drake please contact housekeeping and arrange to have someone clean this up."
"Of course, sir. But are you all right?"
He turns to face me and gives a tiny chuckle which I barely hear.
"No, Ms. Drake, I'm not all right. I haven't been all right for a long time. Now just go home and have a restful weekend. I'll see you first thing on Monday."
Did he just tell me to have a restful weekend? That is so ... nice. Whoa, something is seriously wrong if he is being pleasant to me. This isn't right. I'll talk to him; bring him back from the edge he is nearing.
"Mr. Payne, something is obviously bothering you. I hear it helps to talk about it?"
His shoulders tense as his gaze narrows causing me to suck in my breath. Even with his hair disheveled and muscles tight from stress the man is still sexy as hell.
"I am not seeing a fucking therapist!"
Wow, cowboy! No need to get eye stabby.
"No, I mean me. Sometimes we need someone to just listen as we let it out."
For the first time since I have ever known Mr. Payne he looks vulnerable. There is a moment when the expression he flashes is one of innocence and hurt, but it quickly disappears being replaced by his usual glare. Derek Zoolander has Blue Steel, well Henrik Payne has Dark Thunder. Made that one up myself!
Dark Thunder intimidates people and causes some to cry in fear, but for me it makes me smile. Because I know it's his little protective barrier to the world. Everyone has a shield of some kind that helps them deal with things they are afraid of, it's what humans do. This is Mr. Payne's safety blanket and it's telling me he's okay, for now at least. Though it would make me feel better if he confided in someone.
"You are my assistant, not my therapist."
"Yes, you made that quite clear down stairs in the Sales department."
He winces and walks over to the couch to sit. Mr. Payne sighs placing his head in his hands to scrub his face and then lays it back so he is staring at the ceiling.
"Yeah, about that. I'm sorry, Ms. Drake. I have a bit of a problem when challenged."
I walk over and sit down on the other end of the couch and arrange myself to face him.
"So that's why you did it because you were challenged by my grandma?"
He turns, bringing his leg up on the couch to face me and rests his head in his hand. Mr. Payne smiles a devastatingly handsome smile.
"That's partly why, Ms. Drake."
Chapter 13 - THE Truce ...
Okay, this is the moment. Right here on this very couch that has so much history about ... us! I laugh and shake my head thinking back on all the memories. The time I almost fainted in the interview when we first met and he helped me to this exact couch that my ass is sweating on now. Or the time he was so drunk he passed out while trying to give me cunnilingus and, how later I nearly ripped off his penis with his zipper. Ahh, good times.
But now he's smiling at me, his eyes twinkling regardless of the terrible phone call he had about his friend/brother/nephew/son? I don't know David, the one in the coma, but he is obviously very important to Henrik. Despite knowing this he still smiles at me. I just know he is going to admit he has feelings for me.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not some na?ve schoolgirl expecting him to pronounce his undying love or sweep me off my feet and whisk me to Vegas to get married. That would be ridiculous! Yeah, crazy, so why are you bringing it up? You are the crazy one, not me. I'm trying to be a rational person and you have to plant over the top romantic gestures in my head. Stop it. You just look sad. Yeah, sad.
"Ms. Drake, are you feeling all right?"
I look up to see Henrik's head tilt in concern.
"Yes, of course."
"You were giggling a moment ago and now you are frowning. I don't understand."