Still, The Rule Breaker
CLYVE
I HAD BEEN sitting with the advertising agency representative for nearly an hour, and I wanted to bolt out of the room if I only had the power to. I knew how it worked. I just didn’t know how the bloody fuck took it so long.
I looked down at the bunch of flyers, samples, and templates on the table. She showed me a short campaign that would work for the gallery. Still, she was not done talking.
I admitted she was pretty good at sales talk, but I wanted a good outcome. Her company had a remarkable reputation, that was why I chose them when Skip listed down some names.
“We can talk more about this over a coffee if you haven’t made your decision yet.” Bloody fuck! Is she this dumb?
“I think I already have a few ideas. I’ll keep in touch via email, Laila.” I rose from my chair and extended my hand. “Thanks so much for your time.”
She smiled. It was almost flirty, but I pushed that image out of my head because I knew exactly what she was doing. She’d been shoving her chest into my face the whole time. I got it, she had amazing tits, and I’d been cockblocked for quite a while now, but I had an eye for someone else, and I kept it like that.
“I’m just a call, Mr. Linton.” She shook my hand firmly and then dragged her fingers against the palm of my hand.
“Of course.”
I leaned my back against the chair, my arms at the back of my head when she was gone.
Closing my eyes, I was finally able to release a deep breath, but her perfume was still left in the room.
“She’s hot.”
I stilled to that voice. My lips spread into a smile, knowing there was a hint of jealousy in there. Our last coffee date was uneventful, and I was counting how I would smash my lips against hers or press her against this new office wall. I had thought of that a lot, but I could be patient as I could be when it came to Westley.
“Yeah, she is.” I was still in the same position, my eyes were still closed, but the air in the room had shifted into a tension that my pulse accelerated its beat.
“So, is she your type, Linton?”
Her scent reached my nostrils, indicating she was now closer.
It was sweet, sensual, and feminine. “You changed your perfume.”
“Are you jumping the fence on this topic, Linton?”
I opened my eyes, and I thought I fell from my chair. She was only wearing a white blouse and high waist trousers, but she was a sight for sore eyes.
“Come closer, Westley. Have a seat. I still don’t bite.” I sat straight. “Can I get you anything?”
“Who’s she?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous.” I slept well at night, knowing we were friends again. “Don’t you have meetings or a lunch date with your father?”
“Now you’re being ridiculous.” She sat across me.
My gaze landed on her lips as she bit her bottom lip unconsciously. “I can’t remember having a coffee date with you. Maybe I should really follow my brother’s advice to hire an assistant because I’d been forgetful lately. Why are you here, Westley? And don’t give me a shit about visiting your brother. Haven’t you got tired of seeing his ugly face? You had a whole day together yesterday.”
Squinting, she eyed me. “Are you jealous? You are the one who said you’re busy.”
She had no idea why I had to lie to her. God knew how much I wanted to spend time with her every bloody day if it would be possible, but she was not completely a free woman.
I couldn’t trust myself anymore when I was with her, and I knew that this time, once I would have a taste of her again, I didn’t think I would be able to control myself. Even right now, I wanted to capture those pouting lips with mine.
Heat flushed my face, and I quickly looked away when that thought seemed so vivid that even my lips tingled. I gave myself a mental shake, trying to snap myself out of that haze.
I scratched my head in irritation, thinking of this whole friendzone thing as not a good idea. I knew that Westley was like good therapy for me.
This week, she made me think straight, knowing that she was still here, offering me her friendship.
I stood up. “I have a lot of things to do.”
“What’s with the overthinking, Linton?”
“Just have a lot of things in mind.”
“Should I come back?”
“What?” Confused, I asked.
“Oh? I thought we’re gonna check the apartment. You replied yes when I texted you earlier.”
“Wait. Did I?”
“Yeah.” Hell, she looked confused as well.
“I’m gonna break your brother’s nose.” My jaw flexed.
Westley laughed out loud. “It’s time to put a lock on your damn phone, Linton.” When she was done laughing, her eyes glittered with amusement. She walked toward the door. “Never mind, since your busy, I’m gonna go check out myself.”
“Hey.” I quickly rushed to catch her arm. The moment my skin touched hers, I thought I would combust. We were merely a part, yet heat radiated between us.
I could see the anticipation pooling in her eyes, and I was sure she could see the same thing in mine.
I knew I would not hold myself back, she wouldn’t either, but we made a point to be just friends since she was still married. I could just shake that thought off my head if I wanted to touch her-if I wanted to kiss her-if I wanted to take her right now because I knew we were both struggling with controlling this tension between us.
“Don’t look at me like that.” Her voice was shaking, and I hadn’t realized I was already holding her in both arms.
“I’m sorry.” I let go of her arms and stepped back.
She smiled sadly. “I should go.”
“No. Since you’re already here. I’m coming with you.”
* * *
WE RODE in her car to the apartment building she was talking about earlier. Thankfully, my hard-on didn’t give me a hard time at this moment.
When she parked the car, I looked out the window only to find myself looking at the building of my apartment.
“Westley, are you sure we’re at the right address?”
“Let’s go,” she said enthusiastically and climbed out of her car.
She grabbed my hand once we were outside, and as we marched inside the lobby.
“Hello again, John,” she greeted the security.
You made friends already.” I looked at her, and she was smiling at me. “Westley, what’s going on?”
Once we were inside the elevator, she replied. “Isn’t it obvious?” I could feel she was rolling her eye. “I’m taking my quest seriously.”
“That we’re gonna be flatmates? Bloody, I started to get it now. But why here?”
Pain crossed her beautiful face. “Don’t you want it?”
I let out a defeated breath. “Don’t get me wrong-”
“I get it, you don’t trust me-”
“Don’t say something like that. It’s not you that I am worried about, Westley. It’s me. Earlier, I wanted to kiss you and take you there in my office, and I always held in a fine thread every time I was with you. The problem is, you are the best therapy I have had in years. Since we talked to each other last week, I started thinking back straight. I sleep pretty well at night, but of course, there’s always a darker side to that.”
Her face softened. A small smile graced her lips. When the elevator slid open, she stepped out without a word.
“What?”
“Don’t worry, Linton. I will give space between us.”
“What?” I had her pinned against the wall before I even realized it. Her blue eyes widened in shock. Hell, I was shocked by my action as well. “Did you even understand what I just said?”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Yes. My brain is still intact. That’s pretty damn clear, but you might have forgotten how stubborn I am.”
“Don’t do this to me, Westley,” I pleaded.
“You, don’t do this to me.”
“Don’t you think it’s easy for me?”
“I started to believe it is for you. Why can’t you just break your fucking rules for us? If you can’t or won’t do it, then I will. I made a move because I wanted to do the things that I should be doing for weeks now. Hate me all you want, but I want to be closer to you. That’s why I am here. We are consenting adults for god’s sake. Life is too short to hold on to your desire until the time is running out on us. And you made me damn insane every time you held to your self-control. If I can’t have you the easy way, then I will have you the hardest.”
Still overwhelmed, I gasped in shock as I felt her softest lips pressed against mine.