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“Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?” I asked when she finished her recap, allowing a hint of warmth to color my words.
“Actually, yes,” she said hesitantly, her voice softening. “I’ve been thinking about our conversation the other night.”
“Go on,” I urged.
“Your candor was… unexpected. And it made me realize that maybe we misjudged each other.”
“Maybe,” I agreed, my grip tightening around the phone. “I think it’s important for leaders to show empathy and understanding. It’s something I was working on.”
“Me too,” she admitted, her breath hitching slightly. “I appreciate your willingness to be… open.”
“Likewise,” I responded, feeling a surge of respect for her tenacity. “Perhaps we can learn from one another.”
“Perhaps,” she echoed.
As our conversation continued, I found myself captivated by her boldness, her unwavering dedication to her ideals. She was a worthy adversary, one who challenged me to reevaluate my approach to leadership.
“Olivia,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I have to admit, I’ve been thinking about you… our conversations…” Fuck what was I saying?
“Alexander,” she breathed out, her tone laced with desire. “I can’t deny that there’s something between us. But I don’t think it’s smart.”
“Agreed,” I replied, my body aching for her touch. “But it doesn’t mean we can’t explore this connection. Maybe we’ll find common ground outside of work.”
“Maybe,” she said, her voice sultry and inviting. “Look, I have another meeting.”
I cursed myself for the work I’d given her. “Goodbye for now, Olivia,” I murmured, reluctantly ending the call.
“Goodbye, Alexander.”
***
The scent of freshly brewed coffee wafted through the air as I walked into the conference room, my mind preoccupied with thoughts of Olivia.
“Morning, Alexander,” said Christopher, handing me a steaming cup of coffee. “You seem lost in thought. Busy on the new campaign?”
“Always,” I replied, taking a sip and savoring the bitter taste. I wasn’t ready to divulge details of my late-night encounter with Olivia just yet. It was a vulnerability that still felt raw.
“Alright, let’s get started,” announced Sarah, a project manager I had recently hired, signaling the beginning of the meeting. As we dove into the agenda, I should have been evaluating her performance, but I found it difficult to focus. My mind kept wandering back to Olivia—her fiery spirit, her determination, and the undeniable chemistry that crackled between us.
“Alexander, any input on this?” Christopher’s voice snapped me back to the present moment.
“Uh, yes,” I stammered, quickly scanning the document in front of me. “I think we should consider alternative strategies for reaching our target audience. We can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again as CPC grows.” I normally would have phrased that as a critique of Sarah’s presentation, but for some reason, I softened the blow. As I spoke, I realized that my newfound empathy had extended beyond Olivia. I was questioning my own actions and their impact on those around me.
“Great point,” Sarah responded, making a note on her tablet. “We’ll explore that further.”
As the meeting wrapped up, I gathered my belongings and walked towards my office. The image of Olivia’s smoldering gaze remained etched in my memory, forcing me to count moments until our next meeting.
Chapter Five
Olivia
As I entered the boardroom, a few familiar faces greeted me with warm smiles. Ethan, who I had been spending most days with, walked in beside me, his lanky frame towering above most of the others. At first, I had been hesitant about getting to know some of the people around the office, but Ethan had bounded up to my desk on the first day, telling me how amazing my shoes were. When he noticed my reluctance to accept his compliment, he told me not to worry about him. Apparently, he was one of the few openly gay guys in the office, not some perv hitting on me—his words, not mine.
When I had called Mia that night and told her, she had laughed and then told me not to replace her. I had reminded her that no one could ever replace her as my best friend, but having Ethan around had been nice.
We all exchanged pleasantries as we took our seats, and the tension in the room was palpable.
“Did you hear about the new coffee machine on the sixth floor?” Ethan joked, grinning broadly. “I heard it was so advanced, it could tell your mood just by looking at you!”
