TEMPTED. ||BEYNIKA

Elavator Scenes. 1

"NO, no, no," Onika muttered under her breath. She thought briefly of pushing the 'close doors' button before holding the door instead.

She slipped through the elevator doors and nodded her thanks. As the doors closed and the elevator hummed its way down to the parking garage, she glanced at her. "You're working late this evening, Ms. Onika."

She smiled stiffly at her. She was the reason she was working late when she should have been out celebrating Normani's birthday with the rest of her friends. She sighed and brushed at a speck of lint on her skirt.

It wasn't that she hated her new boss. She just really, really disliked her. Beyoncé Knowles was by far the most arrogant, egotistical jackass she'd ever had to work for. It didn't matter that in the last six months she had taken their small, unassuming website and turned it into one of the most-viewed websites of the year. Nor did it matter that she had secured so many new advertisers that everyone in the office had received a bonus and ten percent raise. She knew she was good at what she did - it's why she was hired in the first place. The problem was that she was a damn fine copy editor and she worked her ass off for the company, but for some mysterious reason Beyoncé Knowles loathed her.

Today was particularly brutal. She had stayed positive only by reminding herself that it was Friday, and she could forget the day with a few, well-timed tequila shots at Normani's birthday party. Of course, thanks to Ms. Knowles, that plan was shot after lunch. She sighed again and glanced at her cell phone. It was only eight thirty. She could go home, change into something slinky and sexy and still meet the gang at the pub. She realized that her boss was standing a little closer and staring silently at her. She shot her a dirty look before returning her gaze to her cell phone. She was off the clock. There was no need to be friendly or polite with her.

"Ms. Maraj, do you have a problem with me?" she asked suddenly.

"Why would you think that?" she asked.

"Because you -"

The elevator came to a sudden, grinding halt. The lights went out, plunging them into darkness, and she was thrown against her. Her cell phone flew out of her hand and hit the elevator wall with a crunching noise that made her wince. She shrank against her, her heart thudding in her chest. With a low buzz, the emergency lights came on and bathed the elevator in a dim red light. She was still pressed against her with panicked intimacy.
She was holding her with her large hands clamped around her full hips, and she flushed and shoved at her comfy chest.

"Let go of me."

"Just wait a minute, I think -"

She gasped as the elevator made another groaning lurch and dropped a few more feet. Her stomach dropped with it, and her fear made her clutch to her broad shoulders.

"What the hell?" she said.

Beyoncé frowned. "The elevator seems to be broken."

She pushed again at her chest. "Let me go, please."

Beyoncé's gaze dropped to her mouth and lingered there. Her stare, combined with the warmth of her hands on Onika's  hips, was making her skin tingle. Onika licked her lips nervously. Beyoncé's gaze darkened and her nostrils flared, and she stared mesmerized at the dark stubble that covered her lower face. Onika was struck by the urge to kiss the dark shadow, to lick it with her tongue and feel it prickle against her lips. She was actually leaning forward when Beyoncé gently pushed her away.

Onika turned away, utterly mortified by her behavior, and wondered briefly if she could pry the doors open and climb down the elevator shaft to get away from her. Instead, she walked gingerly across the elevator to rescue her cell phone. Beyoncé opened the control panel door and picked up the black telephone receiver that was attached to it. She held the receiver to her ear, waiting patiently. Onika stared at her cell phone and muttered a curse. The screen was shattered but she pushed a few buttons, knowing it was pointless but trying anyway.