Vice

30: His Office

Peeling off the disgustingly tight dress from yesterday and slipping into the work dress she had hidden away in the downstairs clothing room, Natara remembers the day before. Spending time with Mr. Vice was different than spending time with anyone else - Macey, James, Jace, her parents, her friends in high school...

Unlike them, Mr. Vice is unpredictable, unusual, tempting, and dangerously deep and emotional. Natara could predict when her parents were going to get angry and knew what kinds of dramas Macey felt like watching on the day to day, but Mr. Vice feels like a complete wildcard and it's even more unnerving that he's the man that the success of her entire first job depends upon.

Natara heads downstairs to make Mr. Vice's coffee, reminiscing on how it felt to have his hand nestled on her lower back and her body snuggled against his as she drifted to sleep in his penthouse. 

She wonders if he still even wants coffee after he came in for work so early but it's on her to-do list so she makes it anyway. By now, she has the odd combination of things in his coffee memorized, with the exception of not being able to do the perfect whipped cream art like Jace.

Once her lackluster whipped cream decorates the top of the coffee, Natara takes it up to Mr. Vice's office, slips it in the delivery compartment, and walks back down the hall toward her office. To her surprise, the door to Mr. Vice's office opens behind her.

His low voice drifts through the hall. "Knock from now on when you come by. And wait for me to open the door before you run down the hallway." 

Natara's eyes widen and he flicks his fingers, motioning for her to enter his office. She glances nervously around the hall. Is this appropriate? Or would it be wrong for her to not obey her boss?

She cautiously walks down the hall and steps inside the office. 

The space is bigger than she expected, with heavy black curtains over the windows and a patterned red and black rug at the center. A large u-shaped desk and computer chair sit at the rear of the office and Natara notices a private bathroom toward the right side of the office. 

"Is there something you need done, Mr. Vice?" Natara's voice trembles. Mr. Vice looks like he's about to roll his eyes. Instead, he sighs and glances toward a leather couch on the left side of the room.

"I'm stressed from my fucking father's bullshit this morning. If you're my secretary and you're really supposed to make my life easier, then rub my shoulders." He raises his eyebrows, walks over to the couch, and leans back into the cushions. 

Natara nervously follows. Massage is not her strong suit. Neither is touching a man. Is massaging his shoulders even company appropriate? She doesn't know, but a tiny piece of her doesn't care as much as she should. She gingerly places her hands on his shoulders and tries rubbing her thumbs in circles.

After a few minutes of probably very mediocre massage, Mr. Vice slips his hand over one of hers and tugs Natara onto his lap, interrupting her. Her face flushes as he pulls her into him, snaking his hands around her waist. 

His heart beats against her chest. It's slow and steady, unlike her own quick and nervous heartbeat.

He trails his fingers up her side and buries them in her hair, gently turning her head to look at him. His gaze lingers on her lips. Natara wiggles nervously in his hold. She's way too aware that his lips are only inches away. He moves in closer and then backs a few inches away.

"I need to feel more of you, Natara," he mutters. Natara stiffens. "I need you."

She isn't sure what he means but, judging from his tone, it seems like his own weird way of asking to kiss her. Her whole face burns with shyness. It's one of the first times he's called her by her name, too. 

As confusing and frustrating as he is, Natara has to admit to herself that her name sounds surprisingly nice coming from his lips.

His lips, she thinks, staring at them. She can't help fantasizing about how soft they probably feel. They look so very soft. 

But does she really want her first kiss ever to be with Mr. Vice of all people? Her insufferable, unpredictable boss? And what did he mean by "feel more of you?" If she kissed him, would things end up going farther than just that? Why does he want to kiss her anyway? Doesn't he hate her?

"Why?" Her breath brushes his lips. She doesn't release the huge flow of questions swirling in the back of her brain. Mr. Vice glances away.

"I don't know," he says. "It just helps. You help. You don't get my coffee right and are completely unqualified to work this position and you literally poisoned my fucking food but somehow - who knows how - you help."

"I didn't mean to poison your food," Natara mumbles.

Mr. Vice chuckles. His eyes still smolder as he stares at her lips, only mere inches away. "I couldn't blame you entirely if you did mean to."

It's not like she can tell him she was sabotaged by a fellow employee. Would she lose her job for talking about something like that with him? Crystal has worked here for longer so obviously they would keep her there over Natara if there were problems between them, wouldn't they?

And what would happen to her if anyone knew Mr. Vice was offering to kiss her? What would happen to her if she said yes? Why would she even want to say yes? He's frustrating, spoiled, foul mouthed, offensive, uncaring, bossy, and controlling. 

So, why does Natara want to say yes and let him press his pillowy looking lips against hers? And why does she want to let him, of all people, be her first kiss?