Mr. Lawson's Assistant

Chapter 58

David, Soma and Kenya were all laying on the couch, asleep. The TV was on, and all their phones were sitting on the coffee table. I pursed my lips and moved around the couch to check their phones. Each of them had gotten our texts. Glancing at the pile of limbs on the couch, I noticed that David and Kenya were suspiciously comfy together on the couch. I glanced back up at Damon with an annoyed sigh. He was smirking in mild amusement, but when I looked at him, he seemed more amused with me.
'Wake them up?' He mouthed, and I looked back at the three bodies on the couch. Shaking my head, I left the three alone and padded back around to the kitchen.
Damon followed me quietly and I offered him a glass of water. I managed to fill both of our glasses without waking anyone, then we moved back out into the hallway.
"Wow." Damon laughed as I closed my apartment door behind us.
I shook my head, "How did all three of them not wake up?" I raised my glass to sip the water and Damon smiled.
"I guess Kenya's crashing at your house tonight." He sipped his own water and glanced back to my apartment door. The way the corners of his lips dimpled when he sipped his water made me smile.
I finished my water and waited for Damon to do the same, before we crept back into my apartment.
"I should go," Damon whispered, setting his glass in the sink and turning to face the crowded couch. I nodded following him to the door. Before he crossed the threshhold, he turned back to me and smirked. "I'll see you tomorrow- and I'll have your new shoes." He added, seeing the warning look I was sending him, before he winked and let himself out into the hall.
*
I woke up the next morning, my hair dried in the most awkward angles, the curls winding around my head with no particular order. Getting up, I jumped into the shower, and washed off the remnats of the lake and washing my hair. After I'd dried my hair, dressed, and applied a minimal amount of makeup, I headed out to the kitchen. Shutting my bedroom door behind me startled the three bodies on the couch, and everyone sat up, blinking in confusion.
"Good morning." I said, walking into the kitchen and pulling out a pan to make eggs.
Soma bolted up off the couch, "Morning! What time is it?!" She rushed, throwing her hands up to her head when she stood up too fast.
I held back a smile, "Seven thirty." I knew Soma had a coffee date today with some guy that she'd met at the airport a few weeks ago.
"Oh my gosh!" Soma flew towards her room, already stripping her clothes from yesterday. David ducked behind the couch, laughing with Kenya until Soma disappeared into her room and slammed the door shut behind her.
"Eggs?" I asked, turning my back on David and Kenya as I started the stove. I had roughly twenty minutes before I needed to leave for work, but I'd already showered and dressed.
David and Kenya agreed in unison, and I glanced back at them with raised eyebrows. Instead of looking at me, they were looking at each other, sheepish expressions on their faces. I paused, watching the extensive eye contact that the two had, before I started to realize what was happening. Turning back to the stove before either of them saw me, I started scrambling the eggs.
David and Kenya?
I thought.
I guess they'd be a cute couple...
I physically shrugged and decided to push my thoughts away.
"David, get out three plates." I called over my shoulder when the two started laughing about something David mumbled. As much as I loved Kenya, seeing my brother flirt was awful. Kenya stood up slowly as David made his way into the kitchen, "Can I help with anything?" She came to stand beside me at the stove.
I nodded, pointing left. "Silverware is in the third drawer to my left."
*
After Kenya had breakfast with David and me, she and I headed down to the parking lot together. She was stopping by the Lawson Company to talk to Greyson about something before she headed back to her apartment.
As we descended the stairs, I sensed that Kenya wanted to say something. When she still said nothing after we were out in the parking lot, I decided to speak first.
"So, you and David then?" I started, and Kenya snapped her attention over to me.
Blowing out a breath, she said, "I was going to ask you if you minded-" she stopped when I laughed.
"You don't have to get my permission to like my brother, Kenya."
She smiled and shrugged, "I know, I just didn't want things to get awkward between us if. . .things don't go well." She winced at her word choice.
I rolled my eyes and stopped in front of my car to turn to Kenya. "If you ever broke up with my brother, he'd probably deserve it."
Kenya grinned, "I have to actually date him first."
"I'll mention that to him." We laughed and Kenya started towards her own car. I followed Kenya out onto the road, and in five minutes we parked side by side in the parking garage beside the Lawson Company building. As we climbed out, Kenya chatted about what she, David and Soma had watched last night, and we made our way down the street towards the front entrance. We walked inside and I inwardly frowned when I saw that Rachel, the usual sour-faced receptionist had been replaced by a cheery blonde woman.
"Excuse me, do you ladies have an appointment?" She called after us, plastering a smile on her face as we turned back towards her. Kenya made an undecernable noise under her breath and I raised my eyebrows.
"I work here."
As I started to walk away, the lady continued talking.
"Which floor?" She blinked, still smiling.
Kenya cut in, "Honey, we're on our way up to see Greyson, and we're going to be late." She threw an equally fake smile at the new receptionist, and started off towards the elevators. I did my best to hold back my own smile and followed Kenya, ignoring the fumbling blonde behind us. The minute the elevator doors closed behind us, I laughed out loud and Kenya rolled her eyes, flipping her black curls over her shoulder. Since her hair was so thick, all it really did was bounce up and down, but the effect was the same. "What is it with Greyson and annoying desk women?" She shook her head.
I sobered quickly. "Thanks a lot."
Kenya frowned, "Oh, you know I wasn't talking about you." She waved away my smile with another eye roll. When the elevator stopped, we headed down the hallway together, but Kenya stopped in front of Mr. Lawson's door and waved me away. "I'll stop in later and say goodbye." She raised her hand to knock on Mr. Lawson's office door. I made my way down the hall to the next door.
Stepping into my office, I inhaled and hung my purse up on the wall hooks beside the door. Taking a seat behind the computer, I moved to grab the large stack of papers that Mr. Lawson had set beside my computer.
*
An hour later, I hung up the phone after confirming an appointment for Mr. Lawson at three today, and shifted my chair forward to focus on the computer screen in front of me. I had been trying to start editing a contract that Mr. Lawson had sent me earlier, but people had kept calling to schedule appointments for the week. When someone knocked on my office door, I called for them to come in.
"Come to say goodbye?" I asked Kenya, jotting down what page number I was on in the contract.
"I hope not."
Startled, I looked up when the voice I heard was not Kenya's. Damon was standing just inside the door from the hallway, smirking.
I felt my heart rate rise and withheld a frown. "I thought you were someone else," I murmured, scooting back from the computer so I could see Damon clearly. He stepped further into my office and moved to lean against the wall beside the door to his brother's office.
Amused, Damon drew his eyebrows together. "Who?"
I gestured to his brother's office, "Kenya's meeting with your brother." Damon glanced at the door. After a moment of silence, I reached out to continue working, unsure of what Damon wanted, and sure I didn't want to ask him.
"So, I bought you a new pair of shoes..." He trailed off, his eyes sparkling. I couldn't help the smile that leaked onto my face.
"That was fast."
"I told you I'd have them today."
Trying to re-hide my smile, I shook my head and pretended to look back at my computer screen.
Damon lifted his hands, "Aren't you going to come try them on?"
I glanced up at him and furrowed my brows. "I'm working."
He smirked, "I had no idea."
I pursed my lips at him and reached for my keyboard. Instead of arguing with me, Damon turned and opened the door to his brother's office. I lifted my head, but couldn't stop Damon in time. "Greyson, Oana's done for today. She'll be back tomorrow, normal time." He called, stepping just over the threshhold into his brother's office. I heard laughter that most definitely belonged to Kenya, and Greyson's ever-calm voice murmuring his response, before Damon turned back to me with a grin. He closed his brother's office door behind him and looked at me smugly.
I gaped. "You're awful!" I stood up, having every intention of telling Mr. Lawson that Damon was only kidding. Damon blocked my way to Greyson's door when I stood up, and by the way the corners of his lips were upturned, he had no intention of letting me past him. I crossed my arms and looked up at Damon. "Move."
His lips stretched upward further. "Nope."
I took a step forward towards Damon, assuming he was just bluffing and that he'd move, but instead, he also took a step forward. That put us nearly toe to toe. Part of me wanted to back up and put a step between us, but with the smart look that Damon was sending down at me, my stubborn streak started to show. I made steady eye contact with Damon for a minute, looking into his deep green eyes. I slightly enjoying the way I could read his emotions through his eyes.
The windows to the soul...
Realzing that I'd been staring at him much longer than was appropriate, I turned and started for the hallway. There were two ways into Mr. Lawson's office. Just as I reached the second door, Damon's arm snaked around my waist and pulled me back.
"What are you-" I blurted, surprised and taken off guard as he hauled me backwards.
Damon lowered his lips to my ears, just far enough not to touch me, but close enough for me to feel every breath he took. "Are you going to make me carry you out of here?" He murmured, sending shivers down half of my body. When I shuddered, I felt him smile against my ear and he lifted me up off the ground, carrying me towards the elevator.
Finally regaining my voice, I started to squirm against Damon's hold on me. "Damon! Put me down, right now!" I demanded as he stopped in front of the elevator.
He tightened his grip around my waist, "Not until you agree to come with me."
My eyes went wide when the elevator dinged and the light for our floor turned green. "Damon, I'm serious!" I struggled against his hold, trying to wriggle my way to freedom before the elevator stopped.
He shrugged, keeping his grip in spite of my struggle. "So am I."
I switched my eyes back up to the elevator button as it flashed green and stopped on our floor. "Fine!"
Damon smirked, "Say it." He tightened his arms a notch.
"Damon-"
"I want to hear you say it." He insisted.
The elevator doors started to slide open.
"I'll go with you!" I rushed, watching in horror as the elevator opened.