Bloom [Completed]

Chapter Seventeen

At lunch, I climb into the lift, and instead of pushing the ground floor button I hit the one for the top floor instead.

I wonder on the ride up whether he's called me to his office for another meeting to take notes.
Or maybe he's called me up to tell me it's over before it's even started. I'm sure he dates girls that put out on the first date. That's probably what he was hoping for last night, I think pessimistically.

Oh, it's not fair. That's what I was hoping for last night as well! It's not my fault Mother Nature cursed me with this once a month for five days problem.

When the doors open at the top I can feel I've put myself into a right mood.
Shake it off, I tell myself, you don't know anything.

I step into his lobby and a tall brown-haired girl with a bob greets me eagerly.

"Miss Dalton?" She sings at me.

"Ah, Yes," I reply feeling a little awkward.

"I'll let Mr. Daley know you're here." She got up and went swiftly to his door.

I stood in the foyer awkwardly waiting. I was just going to waltz right into his office. I'm glad I didn't though.

The young girl returned. "He'll see you now."

"Um, thanks..." I murmur as I pass her.

I open the door carefully peering around it. I spot Oliver behind his desk, head buried in his computer.

I quietly walk around to his side like a fly to honey.

"Hi," I whisper.

"Hello, Billie. I just need two seconds then I'm all yours." He replies without looking up.

All mine... the words cheer me up a little and I'm brave enough to perch on the edge of his desk.

As I cross my legs I feel the fabric of my skirt ride up my thigh, just a little higher than is considered office appropriate. I smile to myself hoping it'll get his attention.

"Annnnd sent!" He says with a flourish. "Sorry about that,"

"No worries," I smile down at him. My stomach knots as my negative thoughts creep back in once more. What if this is goodbye?

"You know you can just come into my office yourself," he says. "You don't have to send Simone in first."

"Simone, eh?" I tease. "Finally got yourself a proper receptionist."

"She's from a temp agency." He gives me an admonishing look. "The job is still yours if you want it."

"I've told you," I say chuckling a little. "It's not very appropriate if I'm sleeping with the boss."

He smiles darkly at me and stands between my legs as I sit on the desk.
"Well technically," he purrs as he leans in closer. "You're not sleeping with the boss."

"Correction then," I whisper in his ear, "Dry humping the boss."

"Mmm," He Murmurs against the skin of my neck as his hands slide up my thighs and grasp my bum tightly.

Well, this conversation is certainly squashing all my worries about goodbyes!

"You have no idea—" I start but suddenly we hear the door opening.
Both of us go rigid in panic, I turn and bury my face in his chest embarrassed.

"Oh!" I hear Simone's startled expression. "I'm so sorry! Your lunch..." She trails off.

"Yes, thank you, Simone. Please just place it on the table and go." I can hear the annoyance in Oliver's voice.

I hear her place a tray and then the door closing swiftly.

Oliver lets out a frustrated sigh.

"Poor Simone," I joke, "It's her first day Oliver, cut her some slack."

I laugh nervously and try to detangle myself from him and the desk.

"Wait," he says, grabbing my hands and pulling me back to stand closer to him. "I missed you today."

He leans down slowly and places a chaste kiss at the corner of my lips. I flush pink, mainly at how silly I had been earlier. Clearly, he still likes me.

"I've been thinking about you as well," I respond honestly.

"Come let's eat," he leads me over to the small table and chairs on the other side of his office.

"Sushi?" I eye the packaging.

"Do you like sushi?" He asks concerned for a moment.

"Yes, I love sushi!" I say earnestly. "Been awhile since I've had it."

"Oh good," He replies.

As we sit down and to start eating his phone starts ringing.

He checks the caller ID. "Give me a moment, sorry"
I nod politely. Like he would decline the call if I objected.

"Mum, hi how are you?" He gives me a small smile from across the table.

Oh! I think. It's his Mum, how nice of him to take her call.

"Ollie! I don't want to keep you, are you busy?" I hear her shout down the phone and I stifle a giggle.

Oliver rolls his eyes at me as he turns his volume down.
"I'm just having lunch with -" he's interrupted but I can't hear her voice through the phone anymore.
"No... yes, mum." He looks at me with an exasperated expression.

I continue eating silently waiting for the call to end. Was he about to tell her he was eating lunch with me?

"Yup. I'll be there... I said I would. No, don't worry about that." He turns away from me slightly.

I think he's feeling embarrassed so I avert my eyes.

"Okay, okay... yes I will. Thank you, mum. Okay, I've got to go now." Another long pause. "No I'm not eating alone, you're keeping me from my lunch date." He laughs out loud at something she says. "Okay, love you too. See you on Saturday. Bye." He hangs up his phone and turns the ringer to silent as well I notice.

"We just keep getting interrupted today." He sighs.

"It's okay," I say "I know your busy."

"Not too busy to have lunch with you, Billie."

"Well, I'm not busy at all... Ollie." I laugh as he grimaces at his mother's nickname for him.

"No, no. Don't start that! I haven't been called Ollie by anyone but my Mum since primary school!" He laughs despite himself.

I laugh along with him easily and pop another sushi roll into my mouth. This is very comfortable with him. I get the feeling he feels the same too somehow.