Miss Pen

Chapter Ten

I'll try, but if no one else goes for him, I will. Screw company policy.

Carlita's words rang in my ear, causing me to clench my fists. Couldn't she just control herself for one minute? If anyone was going to go for Rhode, it would be me.

Wait, what?

I watched his form walk further away from me, giving him some time to get up to the floor before I started for it. Wondering if I was making the right decision, I nervously scooted my chair back, glancing around the office to see if anyone was paying attention to us. Thankfully no one was, but that still didn't stop the the voice in my head that screamed, Something's going to go wrong, about a hundred times.

Ignoring it, and after about a minute of wringing my hands, I lifted myself from the cheap, black plastic - nothing like Rhode's throne - and followed in the path that he had taken moments before. Not making eye contact with anyone, I hurried around the corner and down the hall to the elevators.

An inch: the only thing left between my index finger and the white, circular button with the black up arrow.

The nagging in the back of my mind proved to be right, but why couldn't it just let me be for once?

"It's Aubrey, right?"

A raspy, female voice asked from the side of me. It wasn't a manly one, though. More like one of an old-time, Hollywood movie star, with killer seduction skills.

For a moment, I was jealous of the voice that belonged to the ninja-like woman, then realized that she probably sounded like a chain smoker if you listened to it for a while.

"Yes, and you are?"

I was impatient, still itching to press the glowing button that seemed to be mocking me. My tone wasn't intentionally meant to be clipped, but I couldn't take back the way it came out.

"I'm Elise. I just saw you standing here and decided to introduce myself." Her thin, dark blonde eyebrows furrowed, causing her to look uneasy.

What the hell does she want? I've got things to do.

"Right. Well, it's nice to meet you, Elise."

I tried to reach for the elevator button again, but Goldilocks wasn't having it.

"So you're training that new guy, right?"

Of course that's why she wanted to 'introduce' herself. I had been getting smiles, winks - even glares, all morning from the women at the magazine. Since no one had approached me about it yet, I wondered what the woman with the cat-like eyes, wanted.

"I am." Giving nothing else away about it, I waited for her to continue.

"And you're also friends with Carlita."

She didn't question; she stated. Who the hell was this chick?

"I am."

I wasn't sure about that one, but we were a lot closer than before.

"You're probably wondering why I want to know." She took a step toward me, her blue eyes slightly widening to show how serious she was. It was like she was desperately trying to get me to see into her mind or something.

I was going to say 'I am' again, but didn't want to sound like a broken record. Plus, she was creeping me the hell out.

"If you're here to tell me something, just say it."

Now I was intentionally being short with her. Whatever she was in front of my face for, she needed to just get out with it. I hated when I had to guess what people wanted to say.