Page 20 of One Month's Notice

A faint grin played at the edges of his mouth. Nat saw it just before he was able to hide his reaction and her stomach gave a little flip. Maybe she was going to win him over.

After an hour, Nat was pleased with the progress she was making on her work and decided it was time for a short break.

“I’ll make us a coffee. How do you like yours?” She pushed back her chair. The legs scraped against the floor, making them both wince.

“Just black, please.” Michael stretched, locking his fingers together behind his head.

She was momentarily distracted by how the pale blue shirt became taut against his skin. The fabric between the buttons gaped under the pressure, teasing her with a glimpse of what lay underneath.

“The coffee pods are just in that drawer.”

“Oh right, yes.” Nat’s skin flushed bright red, and she turned her back on him.

“How are you getting on with your work?”

“Great.” She knew this was a test. But this time, she was ready. “I’ve finished writing up the actions from the meetings last week and most of them have already been completed. You just need to sign off the latest HR policies so they can be issued. The notes for the finance team have been sent and I’ve checked—they should have completed their assessment of Ethica by the end of next week. The next meeting with Spinigma has been scheduled for Thursday morning and I have triple-confirmed a table for lunch at the new Thai restaurant. Apparently, their CEO has been desperate to eat there for weeks and not been able to get a booking.”

Nat paused to place the coffee cup down in front of Michael, unable to take the satisfied smile off her face.

“Good.” Michael lifted the cup and took a sip. She couldn’t tell if he was pleased or not. “Let’s hope you keep this up.”

Despite his neutral tone, Nat took his comment as a positive and allowed it to lift her confidence. She sat down at the table with her own coffee, placed her headphones back on her head and nodded her head along quietly to the music for the rest of the morning.

The vibration of Michael’s phone against the table caught Nat’s attention. She pulled her headphones aside slightly and watched as he checked the message.

“I need to pop down and collect a delivery.” He closed his laptop and stood up. “I’ll grab some lunch while I’m out. Is there anything in particular you would like?”

“Oh, thank you.” Nat’s stomach growled at the thought of food. “I’m not fussy, you choose.”

Michael grabbed a black leather jacket from a coat stand and made his way to the door. Nat watched him leave. His confident stride and the way he effortlessly pulled on his jacket triggered something inside her. The sight was so far removed from what she was used to—remembering the awkward way Joe carried himself. Joe didn’t slide into his clothes. He wriggled and writhed, just like the snake he turned out to be. Nat shook her head. Now was not the time to be getting interested in another man. Especially not when that man was your boss.

She needed to stretch her legs. Sitting still for a living was not doing her any good. Her joints felt like they belonged to someone in their sixties, not someone who hadn’t even reached thirty yet. Nat decided it wouldn’t harm to explore Michael’s apartment while he was out. Surely he wouldn’t have invited her to work from here if he had something to hide? Plus, it was a good excuse as there was plenty of space to get her steps up.

As she walked around, she noticed the minimalist design and the absence of personal touches continued throughout. A large, pristine white sofa sat against one wall, looking inviting yet untouched. A perfectly aligned book sat in the middle of a sleek glass coffee table. It was the autobiography of a famous businessman. Perhaps an inspiration for Michael and what he hoped for his future?

Nat’s attention was drawn to a framed black and white piece of art photography that hung on one wall. It added a touch of creativity to the otherwise sterile space. The lack of family photos or any personal mementos emphasised to her that Michael was a private man, keeping his personal life hidden from view. Hidden even in his own home, if you could call it that.

The kitchen was immaculate, with stainless steel appliances and a spotless counter-top. Nat noticed the fridge was almost empty, with only essentials like milk, eggs, and some fruit. A few bottles of beer rolled about in the bottom drawer. It was clear that Michael didn’t spend much time cooking or grocery shopping. He probably had food delivered or just ate at fancy restaurants.

The apartment was a perfect reflection of Michael himself—cool, composed, and guarded. The quiet and emptiness that had initially unnerved her now made sense. Michael’s world was precise and controlled, just like his business dealings. She struggled to reconcile this with the man who kissed her hand in the coffee shop only a few weeks ago.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she ventured a peek into the bedrooms. The first was a serene oasis in soft shades of beige and cream. A neatly made king-sized bed with crisp white linens dominated the room, flanked by matching nightstands. She guessed this was his room—a precisely hung suit jacket was the only item that betrayed his presence. She didn’t step inside. Just looking felt like an invasion of his privacy that was overstepping a boundary.

The second bedroom also contained a perfectly made king-size bed, but this was a more functional room. A sturdy workout bench and set of dumbbells were carefully placed against one wall, indicating that it doubled as a home gym. A yoga mat was rolled out on the floor. This was yet another room that gave no clues about the owner of the apartment. Although, it didn’t take a genius to know he was into his fitness. You just had to look at Michael’s toned physique, and Nat didn’t need any excuses to do that. The thought of his body made her blush slightly, even though there was no one around to see.

She pulled the door back until it clicked shut and sat back down at the dining table. As she began working on her laptop, she was even more intrigued by the man behind the quiet façade, wondering where the colour in his life was hiding.

Michael swung the front door open, balancing a parcel on his hip and carrying a couple of bags of sushi from a local restaurant. Nat leapt up from her seat and took the parcel from him, closing the door behind them both.

“Thanks. Would you mind popping it over there?” He signalled over to the kitchen counter.

“I’ll grab some plates. Where are they?”

“That top one there.”

Nat reached up and grabbed two plates from the cupboard, putting them on the other end of the table they had been working from.

“Oh.” Her voice faltered when she saw Michael watching her with a strange expression on his face. “I’m happy to take mine outside if you’d rather have some quiet time.”

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