Your Beauty Never, Ever Scared Me - Wintumn Stories

The Worst Kept Secret

The couple decided to keep the news of them getting together to themselves at first. Though employees dating other employees was nothing more than frowned upon, and truthfully Autumn knew her father wouldn't actually enforce that rule, they didn't want to field all the questions just yet. Autumn was worried that when the staff found out Winter was seeing her they wouldn't understand how he could fall for someone like her. 

Winter never thought twice about what anyone would ask or say. Autumn was everything he had ever wanted. She was gorgeous, affectionate, witty, extremely intelligent. Nothing like the cold authority figure she presented herself as at work. It just took getting to know her to see that she was keeping her guard up to be taken seriously as a woman in a position of authority which is hard enough. Add in no one believing you are qualified for your job because you are "just the boss' daughter" and that fight would make anyone take up arms. 

But he had to admit, there was something sexy about having a secret.

However, despite their efforts, it was the worst kept secret in the office. Between the glasses, Autumn always smelling of Winter's cologne, the two just coincidentally going to the Lake District the same weekend, and Autumn jumping to Winter's defense anytime his name came up in conversation the whole office knew in less than 2 weeks. But they decided to just let the two decide when they wanted to tell. Who were they to spoil their fun? Most of their friends even made a game out of it. Whoever Marjorie decided heard the wildest deflection that day didn't have to do handovers with the more difficult parents.

They were nearing two months together when they ended up back at the same bar from Halloween, this time for the staff Christmas party. The couple went to great lengths to keep their secret; They arrived in separate cabs, at different times, and more or less avoided each other for the first hour of the get together.

Winter was sitting with Sorscha and Charlotte but he was anything but focused on their conversation. His eyes kept traveling across the room to his love who was just as invested in a conversation with Marjorie. When their eyes met, Autumn gave him a nod. He knew that look. He quickly excused himself from the ladies and headed back to where it all started.

The pair had grown more or less inseparable in their time together outside of work, so this hour that they were forced to be apart was like torture. He watched as Autumn entered the room and locked the door before quickly running over to him and pinning him against the counter, kissing him fiercely.

"God I needed that." She said to him pulling away.

Winter had his arms around her waist, holding her close.

"You know, my darling," he started feeling more nervous than he had in months, "we could take this opportunity to tell everyone about us...Then we wouldn't have to avoid each other anymore."

"Yes I know, I just..."

"I know. I know. Too much emotion. It's just-"

Winter stopped before going any further looking at his girlfriend. They had made their relationship official after their second night together. They both knew they never wanted to be with anyone else. It was like magic how they could read each other's mind and have an entire conversation with just the slightest glance and tilt of the head. So it wasn't a surprise when Autumn was able to finish his sentence.

"You're tired of hiding."

"Yes, darling. You know I would do anything for you and I wouldn't imagine telling anyone before you are comfortable, but I want to be able to show you off. To look at someone and say 'why yes, I, out of everyone, did land the most beautiful girl in the room.' To shout from the rooftops that..."