A Perfect Storm

23

"We should celebrate," Storm said lowly as she fixed her blouse in the mirror. Her & Jake had finished another one of their lunchtime rendezvous when they told each other they got to keep their jobs.

"We just did," He said jokingly, coming up behind her & wrapping his arms around her waist. She gave him a look & he chuckled. "Yes, we should really celebrate. I'll make you dinner, we can drink wine," He stopped & started kissing her neck, making her giggle. "Do a little more of what we just did."

"You're making me want to do a little more right now," She said, turning to him & putting her arms around his neck.

"Yes, we should. But we gotta go." Storm groaned, removing her arms before making sure she looked like she wasn't just fucked. "I'll see you later, okay?" Storm nodded, pecking his lips before walking out the 'mindfulness' room back to her desk.

Meanwhile, Malik was downstairs, getting a guest pass so he could be allowed upstairs. He had been hired to take photos of the 'new class', everyone who had just been hired no matter what department they worked in, and he got lucky because the person who hired him had been black. A black woman trying to help a young black brother get a break in the world.

Malik hadn't even realized this was the same building he saw Storm walk out of weeks prior, but he would realize soon enough. He headed up to the 10th floor to get ready to set up, not knowing who would be walking back into his life in less than an hour.

Storm groaned, slipping on her heels as she prepared to head upstairs with everyone else. They had a new hire meeting, which she thought was stupid because she wasn't really new, but then again, she was.

"Nice ass," She heard somebody mumbled & she looked back to see Jake. She smirked, winking at him as he chuckled before walking around him. "Come on Hardison!"

"Okay Johnson," She said as she stood up straight, fixing her skirt before walking over to the elevator. Little did she know what she was walking into.

"You nervous?" Patrice, the woman who hired Malik, asked him. He shook his head.

"I've done a few weddings before, so if I can deal with raging brides, I can deal with this." The two both laughed at his little joke before they heard the elevator ding from afar and the sound of chattering and heels hitting the floor. Patrice looked at Malik.

"Get ready." Malik walked over to where his camera was and grabbed it as Patrice started talking to the new hires.

"So, we'll start with one big picture then individual. There are only about 50 of you so this shouldn't be too bad." Malik walked back over by Patrice's side, tinkering with his camera, not even paying attention. As he stopped next to her, Storm's eyes widened.

You've gotta be fucking kidding me, she thought to herself. Finally, Malik looked up, feeling that someone was looking at him and his eyes met with Storm.

I knew this building looked familiar, he thought as they both quickly broke eye contact. Storm felt like she could pass out. What the hell was up with both of her exes popping back up in her life when she was finally getting over them? Nothing but the devil. Storm swallowed roughly, feeling her heart start to beat faster. She wondered how he was doing, and if he was still fucking with that bitch India. Then she shook her head, waving those thoughts away. What he did was no longer her business and she didn't need to start stressing herself out about him again.

Meanwhile, Malik was wondering how she was. He was closer than he was the past two times he had saw her, and seeing her that close damn near made him nervous.

"Malik," Patrice said, snapping him out of his thoughts and he looked at her. "Do what you do best." And what was that? Fuck things up between him and Storm? He shook his head as Patrice walked away.