"I just thought of something funny in my head. Now don't change the subject. You were saying that was only partially the reason for what happened downstairs."
He rubs at his face again turning his gaze to the untidy room. Mr. Payne expresses a low groan.
"I am sorry for that. It was completely unprofessional and that's one thing I never am ... unprofessional. But with you, Morgana ..."
His head slowly turns to face me as his expression softens. Gah! Right there. See that face. This is why I lov ... I mean like him. I meant to say like him. It is just a slip of the tongue. Shut up!
"Ahh! I can't think straight. You are so ..."
He's waving his hand in the air trying to come up with a word.
"Refreshing, hypnotic, maybe even charismatic?" I try to help him with his quest for the perfect descriptive word.
He shakes his head.
"No, I was going to say irritating, accident prone and even a bit goofy."
I frown and look down at the leather cushion I am sitting on.
"Gee thanks. Never has a man been so eloquent when describing me."
He scoots toward me and grabs my shoulders shaking his head.
"No, that came out wrong. I mean, yes you are all those things but you are also wickedly smart, funny and when I look at you all I can see is ... my dream come to life. You are so beautiful that if you didn't have those faults you wouldn't be real."
I ... I ... gah!!! What do I say to that?
"Seriously, Brain, how do I respond?" No man has come close to anything like that with me. The most romantic thing Trevor said to me was that I have great tits.
"Morgana, this really isn't my department. I'm the logical one remember, romantic sentiment doesn't compute." My Brain sits at her desk trying to clear the large stack of paperwork on her desk.
"Heart, are you there, Heart?"
"Oh Morgana! Tell him you love him and you want his babies. You both need to wallow in this bliss. Never to wake up from ..."
I close the door on my heart realizing she is too far gone to be of any use. There are times in life, difficult times, when a person must face reality head on.
"So, then why did you just leave me there, alone, downstairs? If you feel this way you have a terrible way of showing me."
Mr. Payne lets go of my shoulders and sits back to stare at the ceiling.
"Because it's not right how I feel, what I have done. This job is important to me, just as your job is important to you. I really don't want to do anything to jeopardize either. It is important for me to focus on work right now. That may seem like a lame excuse but it's the truth. Can we just be boss and assistant?"
As much as I hate what he said, he's right. This job and getting into the program is extremely important to me. What if this just is a fling that fizzles over time, then we are stuck working in a very uncomfortable situation. I can't risk that.
"Oh Brain, you were right all along."
"I'm sorry, Morgana. I know this is tough for you so I won't say I told you so, but ... okay I will say it. I told you so!" Brain runs back to her office and shuts the door like the coward she is.
"Yeah we can just be assistant and boss. Can I be the boss though?"
I smile as he looks over to me and grins. Mr. Payne so rarely smiles that when he does it stops my heart. I think I am clinically dead for a second but then realize all the blood has drained from my head to my crotch. This "only assistant/boss" thing is going to be hard.
"A truce, I will try to be less of a Payne." He cocks an eye at me before continuing.
"Yes, I know what everyone calls me, Ms. Drake. So, I will be less of a Payne to you if you promise not to wear your glasses around me."
I smirk at his request. He really has a thing for women in glasses.
"I'll try, Mr. Payne, but one false move from you and these babies come back out." I lower my frames down the bridge of my nose to look at him. His irises pool black and we stare at each other for a while. Finally he clears his throat and gets up to face the room.
"Ms. Drake, can you help me fix up the room?"
"I thought you wanted me to call housekeeping?"
He turns and reaches down a hand to help me up.
"I think housekeeping will need to vacuum up the dirt from the plant but we can pick up the rest. You aren't afraid of getting a little dirty are you?"
I got this job at a cost. There is always a price to pay when you ask THE gods for help. Because right as he spoke that last line I grab his hand and he pulls me up straight into his body. I can feel the hardness of his muscles, the heat from his skin and the growth between his legs as it all presses into me. My body reacts with a shiver.
"Oh Morgana ..." He whispers as I look up into his heated eyes.
Chapter 14 - THE Let Down ...