AbhiRa One-Shots - Mix & Match

5. After Hours

Akshara knocked on Abhimanyu —sorry, Mr. Birla's cabin door at exactly 6:30pm. Exactly 1.5 hours after she was supposed to get off work. But here she was, working after hours, on a Friday night.

"Come in." His voice was baritone, brooding and down right scary.

"Sir. It's 6:30pm. Is it okay if I leave now?"

"Did you finish your work, Ms. Goenka?" His voice was sultry, with a hint of sexy seductiveness —or rather it just was her brain making things up.

No way would a man like Mr. Abhimanyu Birla, her boss —the heir and CEO of Birla Industries who had girls flaunting themselves at him for attention would ever fall for a girl like her.

"No...sir." She gulped. "But..."

"No buts Ms. Goenka. I need those files in my hand, fully completed before you leave tonight."

"But sir..."

"Are you getting bored out there, Ms Goenka? Working by yourself? Alone?"

To be honest, she was feeling a bit lonely and bored. Everyone had left for the day. Except the two of them.

"No, sir..."

"Come then. Join me." There was a glimmer in his eye. Something she couldn't pinpoint exactly. But it was there.

Akshara's eyes widened. "Sir...?"

"Yes?"

"I...I'm fine working by myself." Her voice was low, hesitant.

"No, no. I insist you join me. Since you can't seem to wait to go home, let me see if I can keep you company. Change things up for you a little bit?"

Akshara gulped. Why did it feel like she made a big mistake by requesting to go home? She eyed her watch and sighed.

And there went another date.

She should probably text the guy, Rajiv and tell him she wouldn't be able to make it for 7:30 and that she'd need a rain check. Rain check for the 4th date in 2 weeks.

It was as if Abhimanyu knew she had plans after work, important plans and that's why he decided to keep her working late on strictly those days.

"So, Ms. Goenka. Join me." He leaned forward on his desk, resting his elbows on the desk.

"Yes, yes, Sir." Akshara lowered her lashes. "I'll just go grab my stuff."

~*~

Abhimanyu looked up from the file folder he was using as a ploy to sneak glances at his personal assistant, Akshara Goenka, without making it obvious.

Her brows were furrowed as she kept glancing back at her phone. The third time she had done so in the last 2 minutes.

"Is there something which requires your attention urgently that you can't seem to give your phone a rest, Ms. Goenka?" He questioned loudly, leaving Akshara flustered.

"No! Sorry. Sorry, Sir." Akshara's cheeks flushed as she put her phone away.

Abhimanyu sighed, knowing full well he wouldn't be able to know what was bothering her if he kept scaring her like that. He was her boss, but he wanted to be so much more.

He knew she loved flowers, roses and lilies to be exact. And she devoured chocolate. That is why he had ensured to keep the break room stocked with her favourite chocolates —ones he'd overheard her talking about to a coworker of hers —and made sure to have fresh flowers delivered to her desk every single day.

He had brushed the flowers off as a welcoming gesture for clients —but all in all, those flowers were for her.

"What is it that I'm keeping you from, Ms. Goenka?"