French Roses and Silk Kisses [Discontinued]

Two Minutes

"Glen I gotta call you back." Zaria hung up the phone before he could even respond. She closed her eyes as she realized what she'd done. She wasn't sure if he was confused because he hadn't read her resignation or because she actually was sleeping with him.

"How much did you hear?" She bit her lip as he continued to stare at her.

"Enough." His voice made her want to cower back into a corner. Gone was the soft tone he'd once used only to be replaced with the tone she'd heard him use with certain clients.

"Look I can explain. Just hear me out, please."

"No need. I think I've heard enough." She quickly grabbed his arm before he could fully turn away from her.

"Let me go." He still hadn't turned his head to look at her. From her grip on his bicep, she could feel his muscles clench and unclench.

"No, just hear me out. You don't even know the full story." She pleaded as she tightened her grip on his arm. Zaria couldn't help but be upset that he wouldn't at least listen to what she had to say.

"2 minutes."

"What? No, you're going to listen to what I have to say for as long as I plan to speak." The attitude that brewed within her spilled over. How dare he try to place constraints on her. Max turned to look down at her, the anger in his eyes reflecting her own.

"2 minutes. That's it." His stare never left her own and Zaria felt her body heat as she tried to control her anger.

"You're being so fucking childish right now. You're upset when you don't even know the full gravity of the situation. Honestly, as a businessman, I'd expect more- obviously I was wrong." She roughly pushed his arm back into his side before folding her own across her chest.

"Well I gave you 2 minutes to explain. So," he gestured to the space between them.

"Go fuck yourself!" Zaria flipped him off then made her way back towards their room. The thundering of his footsteps followed her but she didn't care, she just wanted to pack her things and leave. Max stopped by the entrance of the room while Zaria made her way to the closet, roughly pulling her suitcase from the shelf. He watched as she began stuffing clothing into the bag.

"Where are you going?" Max crossed the room and sat down on the edge of the bed closer to her. Zaria ignored his question, getting up to collect her personals from the bathroom.

"Zaria? Answer me." He grabbed her arm before she could finish placing her things into the suitcase. His grip was loose so she simply brushed him off and continued her business. What use was it to speak to him if he felt her words weren't important enough for more than 2 minutes?

"So you're just going to ignore me?" He let out a sigh as he realized she wouldn't be speaking to him any time soon. Zaria roughly zipped up her suitcase, taking her anger out on the bag. As she dragged it to the front door, she felt her blood pressure rise, her mind racing with ways to cuss him out. She couldn't just leave without saying her piece. Storming back up the stairs, Zaria stomped into his personal space.

"I just think it's so funny how you suddenly want to hear me out now. Like that's hilarious to me. But you know what isn't hilarious? You thinking you have some type of, I don't know, authority over me to where you can limit my speaking time. I'm grown as fuck and I'll speak for as long as I fucking please. So fuck you and that stupid ass idea." Zaria leaned down in his face as she spoke, her mouth moving a mile a minute as she laid all her thoughts on the table. As she finished, she took a step back and a deep breath.

"You're right." Max reached out and pulled her back in between his legs. Her eyebrows pulled together in confusion at his statement.

"It was inconsiderate and disrespectful to try to put constraints on the time you're allowed to speak. You're a human with rights just like I am, and I hold no authority over you. I'm sorry if I made you upset in any way." Max searched her eyes for any sign of forgiveness as he slowly stroked her lower back.

Zaria couldn't gather her thoughts to create a coherent sentence. One part of her still wanted to cuss him out while another part of her wanted to say fuck the fighting.

"And if you're still up to it, I'd like to hear your explanation. As long or as short as you decide to make it, I promise to listen and be more considerate. I reacted on emotions without thinking and it's unfair to both of us." She watched as he placed kisses to her t-shirt covered stomach as he spoke. Zaria felt as if her head was spinning. Before she'd realized it, she was running her fingers through his hair.

"Do you remember that folder I gave you?"

"Yes. It was right before we left." He shook his head yes, his chin tickling her stomach.

"Well that was my two weeks notice. I don't want to be your assistant anymore. Hell the only reason I took the job was because I had my head in the clouds. Now that I got the position at Snow it's helped me see that even more. I don't just want to be someone's assistant, I don't mind it, but it's not my passion." As she spoke, Zaria found herself speaking less to him but more to herself. While the paycheck she made working for Max was nearly double what she'd be making at Snow, she knew she'd go crazy being stuck at a job she didn't love. Zaria's dream had always been to be in some type of media position even as a young girl.

Max began to draw comforting circles on her back as she continued to explain.

"And the whore thing was just to get Glen off my back. While we have slept together I didn't want him to think I was just some girl who slept her way to the top. I mean in some aspects I did, but I'm more than just that, you know." Zaria looked down to find him already staring up at her. There was a look in his eyes that she couldn't explain. He reached up to caress her cheek and Zaria unconsciously leaned into his touch.

"I completely understand, Zaria. I don't want you to feel like you have to be at this job or any job if it doesn't make you happy. You deserve the world and I'll give it to you, even if we aren't sleeping together. I've come to grow quite fond of you." He smiled up at her, his eyes held a softness she'd never seen before.

"And you're not a whore. You didn't use your body to get this job, I actually gave it to you because it's similar to what you did at the park district but had better benefits and pay. While I have enjoyed our escapades it's not all you are to me, Zaria. I have a hard time showing it but I do care for you." His thumb continued to caress the apples of her cheek and Zaria felt her heart flutter. It was official. She'd somehow fallen for this man.

"I've never been in a real monogamous relationship, but I want you, so I'm going to learn. There are some things I'm still trying to get used to but you're worth it and so much more. Ever since we stopped seeing each other I couldn't look at another woman. That's why Alexandria would stomp around the office like that, she probably knew I was drifting from her." He let out a chuckle and Zaria felt a smile form on her own face as she remembered all the times Alexandria would stomp in and out of Max's office. The knowledge of her being the cause for that made the butterflies in her stomach dance.

"Max." She whispered as she finally looked down at him.

"So, what do you say? Give me a shot?"

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