Page 32 of Secret Desire

Who the hell was this kid running toward us? Where was Jim? This fucking newbie was going to ruin everything.

I put my hand up to stop him in his tracks. “No! I’ll do it myself.”

Jim shuffled toward the front desk from the Starbucks. “Sit down, you fool,” he told the rookie. “Sorry, Mr. Cox. I’ll set him straight.”

I ignored them both and kept walking. Laura had awoken a protective instinct within me. One I didn’t know I had.

Protective instinct? I had money, power, and position. Why didn’t I use those to protect her?

No. I needed to see her safely to her car myself. What the hell was happening to me? Was I turning into a caveman?

Laura waved at the guards. “Goodnight, Jim and…”

Oh great, now I looked like a rude prick. I kept forgetting how nice she was to everyone.

“That’s Ricky,” Jim said. “Good night, Miss Bloom.”

Ricky looked up at Jim and mouthed:What the…?

There was no way to save face now. I took a mental note to read a book on manners and strode toward the doors as “White Christmas” played in the hall.

It was way too early for Christmas music. Only November 30. They should make it a rule that holiday music should not start before December 15.

Laura caught up and fell in step with me as we walked out into the chilly night.

That Ricky kid looked like he could handle himself. I was glad they finally hired him. He didn’t seem too bright, but he had a strong build. But he didn’t have as much at stake when it came to losing Laura as I did.

I would do whatever it took to keep her safe. No one could protect her better than me. I wasn’t that young anymore, but I was as strong as an ox. Only one guy ever got the best of me and broke my nose. Fucking Hawk. It never did heal straight.

A constant reminder to always keep pushing myself in everything I do.

Never let my guard down.

As we strolled along the sidewalk, she said, “Ohhh, it’s snowing.”

The snow drifted down lazily. Too early for snow. Damn weather. My employees better not use the snowfall as an excuse to be late tomorrow, whining that traffic was worse than usual.

I hated snow. It messed with my employees’ punctuality. And their work efficiency, as if they all turned into giddy schoolkids every year at the first snowfall.

A fat snowflake landed on Laura’s eyelash and slowly melted. She leaned her head back and stuck out her pink tongue, catching another snowflake that melted along with my heart.

She giggled.

I loved snow. Best thing ever in the world.

Continuing along the busy streets, now overflowing with too many Christmas decorations, the twinkling lights flooding the streets with white and green and red, we chatted about the commercialization of Christmas and how it affected the fourth quarter in the market.

Every night, we fell into easy conversation as we walked through the city.

And every night, I inched closer to her.

Tonight, we were so close, our hands accidentally grazed while we were mid-stride.

Fucking gloves. Why did I wear them? I yearned to feel the warmth of her hand again. I remembered the brief moment in her office when I held her hand to guide her away from the desk as I helped her with the decorations. And the time my thumb grazed her hand when she handed me a book on her second day.

My fingers twitched inside the thick material. What would it feel like to be holding hands as we walked?

I peeked down at Laura.

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