"Are you sure that you're alright?" Mina asked me for the millionth time, sliding her purse strap onto her shoulder. It was about six and she was getting ready to leave.

As I had been doing all afternoon, I shot her a winners smile, like nothing was wrong. "Yeah, I'm fine, really. It was just a headache, that's all."

She eyed me warily. "You just seemed to be kind of weird when you came back from Parker's office."

"It was just awkward, what do you expect?" I picked up the Prismacolor pencil and returned to my final Hermosa Skin Syrum drawing. I could feel her eyes on me still , but I ignored it. ""I'm fine. It's all perfectly fine. Now go, go home."

I heard her sigh. "Alright. You sure you don't want to go out to get dinner?"

"Naw, we were already out for lunch today anyway, and I'm not near finished with this drawing." And I can avoid an interigation.

"Okay, well, I'll see you tomorrow then." I glanced at her and smiled, waving as she turned and left.

In reality I wasn't planning on coming into work tomorrow, probably not the best idea because if they liked my drawing and wanted to use it for the actual product, but wanted a few details immediately tweaked then I wouldn't be there to do it. I had considered it though, I would rather take the heat Monday for delaying production than have Parker call me back into his office for another chat about "discretion in the workplace" and have him suck my face off.

Well, no, he wouldn't suck on my face. He'd probably kiss me beautifully, he had quite the talented pair of lips, from what forty five seconds had allowed me to sample.

Around eight o'clock most people were gone, few remaining, but nobody that I really talked to. I was nearly finished with my final drawing, a long, thin spherical bottle that you could squeeze the product out of. I had decided that the purple was best, and tomorrow Mina and a team of others would decide on whether or not they would use my design.. A final stroke of my pencil and I was finished, I locked the drawing away in my drawer, and slipped the key under a stack of papers on Mina's desk. I would call her tomorrow morning before she left, letting her know it was there, and I would stay home and spend the day watching Ellen re-runs and eating ice cream.

No David, no worries.

I gave a sigh, content that I was at least going home, grabbed my things and headed for the elevator. I tapping the button a few times, I rubbed the skin right above my left eyebrow where a throbbing pain had begun. I assumed that it was because I'd been thinking so much about that kiss..

There was a soft ding, and the elevator doors slipped open, and I stepped inside, hitting the lobby button. I leaned my head against the wall, closing my eyes and sighing once more. There was another ding, meaning another elevator patron, but I didn't look to see who it was. I felt their body lean against the wall next to me, in silence. A familiar smell wafted into my nose, a musky, masculine scent with undertones of amberwood or, perhaps sandalwood. Whatever it was it was incredible. But why was it so familiar? I opened one eye and then immediately felt my stomach drop.

David was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He was staring at me with is typical tilted smirk and I groaned inwardly. For fuck's sake. Can't I get a break?

"Harper," he greeted in a low voice. He stepped forward and I leaned away, causing him to hold his hands up innocently. "Hey, hey, I won't bite."

"No, don't you start," I pointed an accusing finger at him. "That little thing that you did earlier was totally uncalled for, unnecessary and frankly could be grounds for sexual harrassment."

I couldn't contain the anger and irritation in me, and at this point there was no point in polite. He'd taken care of that in his office, at any rate. What reason did I have hiding behind a boundary of a professional employee/boss relationship if he clearly crossed it?

He dropped his arms, smacking the emergency stop button on the panel, causing the lift to jerk to a halt. "Just listen to me okay?"

I pressed myself against the opposite wall. "I don't think I should." Because you could easily persuade me to make another mistake.

He shook his head. "Okay, I'm sorry about what happened this morning." If he'd really been sorry he wouldn't have been grinning like a douchebag. "I realize that doing that was probably not my best decision. There's no need to get anybody else involved in this."

"Why not?" I persisted, leaning forward defiantly.

"Because you enjoyed it just as much as I did."

I stuttered momentarily, heat creeping up my neck as I shrank back again. "I – I did not!"

He paused, sliding a hand in his pocket and staring at me. "Than, I just have a question for you. If you didn't like it –" He pressed his other palm against the wall next to my head, leaning in and surrounding me with his scent and clouding my head. Before I had never really thought about how good he smelled, but now that it was apparent it was driving me nuts. "– why then, did you kiss me back?"

Because you're incredibly attractive, and any sane woman that found their lips on yours would have?

I looked down at his shoes, refusing to meet his eyes because of embarrassment and denial. He chuckled softly. "Harper," his voice was soft and sultry; pure sex. His fingers were cupping my chin, raising my head to look him in the eye. "Would you do it again?" Yes. But I shook my head, and he brushed his lips against my chin. "Liar," he whispered, soft breath hitting my skin. Then he kissed me in the same forceful manner as this morning, letting his hand drop from my face and rest on my hip. His mouth moved against mine and his fingers slid under the hem of my top and over my skin, giving me goosebumps. I suppressed a moan but couldn't keep from dropping my bag and wrapping my arms around his neck as his fingers slid over my stomach. His body felt great, even through his clothing. It was solid and warm, and I melted right into him.

We stayed this way for a long time, and it was I that stopped it this time. Pulling away, my face was hot and flushed. He still looked perfect, expression perfectly guarded other than his half lidded gaze that held enough lust for the both of us. He stepped back and smacked the panel, causing the elevator to procede on it's route. He then returned to the place he'd been originally and ran a hand through his hair. I felt confused for a moment, who leaves a woman all hot and bothered like that? How cruel. I pulled my top down, straightening myself out and picking up my purse.

"Will you join me, tonight?" he asked suddenly.

"Excuse me?" I shot him a puzzled look.

"Come home with me."

"I certainly will not." What did he think I was, some hussy? I had standards. Despite the fact that I could have let him shove me back up against the wall and take me then and there, I liked to think of myself as somebody more respectable than that. At the pace we were moving it was only logical to end up in his bed tonight, but I knew that I needed to exercise some control over myself.

"When then? Tomorrow night," he insisted.

"David," I said tersely. "No."

With that the elevator doors slid open and I darted out, power walking it for the front doors. I could hear the soft tread of David's shoes behind me, but I didn't look back. It wasn't until I was out in the cool air with the sounds of the city enveloping me that I finally stopped.

Cab, I should hail a cab. It's a quick getaway.

"Harper," I heard him call, and then he was right beside me with his palm pressed to the small of my back. "Okay."

I looked up at him, surprised. "What?"

"It's your decision, when you want to come home with me." His face was scrunched up as if he didn't agree with the words coming out of his mouth.

"Really?" He nodded curtly with pursed lips. I pondered this for a moment, thinking back to what Mina had said during lunch. I was overdue for some fun and excitement, and sex with David Parker could do the trick. It was also clear that he wouldn't wait for me forever.. "Alright then, tomorrow night." His eyes lit up but his expression didn't change. "I want you to take me to dinner first, though."

"Alright, I can do that." He tilted one corner of his mouth up into a half smile.

"Great. Give me your phone." He looked puzzled but pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to me anyway. I proceeded to enter my number into his phone, then handed it back to him. "Don't abuse that," I warned.

"Of course not." He stowed it back in his pocket. "Let me hail you a cab." He stepped to the curb, and stuck his thumb and ring finger into his mouth, a loud shrilling whistle assaulting my ear drums. A cab sped up and lurched to a halt in front of him. He opened the door for me and I slid into the back seat, not able to hide out impressed I was. He shut the door and tapped on the passenger window, which the driver rolled down. David's head stuck in, his arm with it. "Take the lady where she wants to go." He handed him a hundred, which was clearly way too much.

"Hey thanks, man," the heavy-set, mustachioed man said in a pleased tone.

"I expect you'll be at work tomorrow?" David asked, looking at me.

Like I have much of a choice now. "Yes, thanks David."

He shot me his tilted grin. "Not a problem."

With that he straightened as the window rolled up. I gave the driver my address and we sped off. "He your boyfriend?" the driver asked after a little while.

"No." I looked at him as he glanced at me in the rearview mirror.

"Well he's certainly a generous guy. You might want reconsider that."

I looked out the window at the wavy reflection of the cab in the glass building we were passing. "Yeah, maybe."

Maybe.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Whew! Churned out another chapter this afternoon, seeing as I had the time for it and my head was just screaming ideas at me. Hope you enjoyed it. I keep saying that these chapters are going to get longer, and it seriously feels like they should be until they're actually done and they're only like... 3 pages in Microsoft Word. It makes me angry. BUT the next chapter shall have work, dinner, and possibly some playtime (if you're good). Um, yes. I've got another busy week next week, but I hope to have to a chapter by Saturday or Sunday. In the mean time, thhank you guys for the reviews, keep em' coming.