ABENA
I want him so much, but he doesn’t seem to know that I exist. Well, he does know that I exist because he works for my Dad, but he doesn’t see me beyond being his boss’s daughter, and it’s driving me crazy. I’ve never wanted any man as much as I want Amo, but he ignores me unless I’m in his way, and he doesn’t talk unless he has to speak to me. I’ve been breaking down his walls, slowly but surely, by spending more time at my dad’s company volunteering for jobs I would never have accepted even if I was being paid to do them. I think my Dad knows why I’ve suddenly become so helpful, and it amuses him greatly, but he won’t complain because he’s getting free labour and he’s happy I’m showing interest in my legacy.
AMO
I want her. Badly. But I can’t ever let her know. I can’t betray any bit of how much she tempts me or how much I long to touch her and be with her. The only thing holding her back now is the fact that she doesn’t know I feel the same way as she does. In the one year since I’ve been her Dad’s personal assistant, I’ve gotten to know Abena a lot just from observing her without her knowledge.
It was easier to avoid her when I hardly saw her, but she’s been coming around more often, and slowly but surely, she’s breaking down my walls. It’s hard to keep the icy facade in the presence of someone so bubbly and funny, but I do try. To let go of the control of my simple emotions is to let her in, and to let her in is to want more than I can have. To want more than I can have is a recipe for heartache. So I try not to smile when I see her and keep my laughter inside when she says something funny. But damn, it’s becoming harder. I want this woman so much. Not just sexually — and that is even worse, because I can ignore sexual attraction, but it’s harder to ignore my attraction to her personality.
ABENA
He smiled at me today. I don’t think he meant to, and his expression smoothed as soon as he realised what he was doing, but I saw it! He smiled! I can’t believe I got a smile out of the Ice Prince. I’ll go to bed happy today, remembering how gorgeous he looks with a smile on his face. I think I amuse him even if he doesn’t show it. I will get him to laugh one day.
AMO
I smiled at her today. I couldn’t help it. I caught myself as soon as I realised I was smiling, but it was too late. She saw it, and now that she has found a weak spot in my facade, I know she’s going to try harder to break down the walls completely. It’s so hard because I like her so much, but I’ll try. Even though I don’t really want to anymore. My traitorous thoughts are telling me that I need some sunshine in my life. They’re asking me what could hurt if I allow her inside just a little bit. Nothing as crazy as what I really want from her or what I sense she wants from me. But I know that giving in to the smallest emotions would incite the tightly held control I have on the bigger ones that are pushing to be freed from their prison. But I never mix business with pleasure, and I love my job and the perks too much to mess with the Boss’s Angel.
ABENA
I stayed back longer today to help him finish a document that needs to be submitted to the Board tomorrow. My dad was initially surprised that I was staying behind after work hours, but when he remembered my interest in his assistant, he shook his head in amusement.
“Don’t scare him away. I quite like him, and he’s the best assistant I’ve ever had,” he warned mildly on his way out.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I hedged. But we both knew that I wasn’t staying behind to compile data for the Board. I was staying behind to tempt my Ice Prince into thawing some more.
AMO
When my boss told me that Happy Princess was staying behind after working hours to help me with my work, I couldn’t hide my surprise fast enough. I wasn’t ready to be alone with her. We’ve been dancing around each other for months, and I wasn’t sure what would happen if we had no chaperones or barriers between us. I am determined not to give in to what she’s offering. She is nothing but trouble and a dangerous temptation for me, one I need to keep avoiding.
ABENA
I stay in my dad’s office for a while after he leaves, clicking away on my laptop in a diligent effort to concentrate on the work I had claimed to stay behind for — at least for now. I also want to keep him off-balance, waiting in anticipation for me to bring the files to him. Was he as nervous but excited as I was? Was he counting the seconds and minutes in anticipation, wondering if this was the night that will finally push us into the kind of relationship I’ve been hungering for? I wonder what kind of lover he will be. Will he be gentle and sweet, hard and passionate, or somewhere in between? The idea gives me another rush of anticipation. I tell myself to calm down and spend almost an hour in my dad’s office doing my part of the work. Then I freshen up in the bathroom and walk to the outer office, closing the door behind me as I gaze at my quarry. Damn, he’s handsome.
AMO
I hate to admit it, but I feel a build-up of tension the longer it takes her to emerge from the office. I had expected her to come out immediately after we were alone, but she didn’t. It’s hard to concentrate on the work I have stayed behind to do when every small noise makes me stare at the door in anticipation of her emergence. I’m not ready to have her up close, but I’m also anxious to see her. Still, I manage to finish my part of the work but stay there fiddling with my computer waiting for her.
When I finally see the doorknob turning, I look away and fix my eyes on my computer. I ignore the tempting perfume she’s wearing and pretend to be transfixed by my work. No, giving in would be a terrible idea. I must not let her see how much she’s affecting me.
ABENA
Damn, did I mistake his possible interest? Am I delusional? In the past hour since I came to put the work we’ve both done together, he has barely looked at me. He keeps being ridiculously professional and ignores all my innuendos. I almost want to finish the job quickly so that I can go home and drown in my disappointment. We’re almost done putting it together when the Chinese food my dad had ordered us arrives. I sneak glances at him while we eat silently. He is completing the work while he eats, so his eyes barely move to me. He somehow finishes eating faster than I do and after he’s done, digs into his ice cream cup, the dessert that came with our meal. I almost forget to eat mine as I stare at him lustfully while he eats and licks his spoon. I know that he can feel me staring, but he ignores it.
When he’s finished and there’s no show to watch anymore, I dig into my ice cream, moaning at the touch of cold chocolate on my tongue. For a minute, I forget about my quarry as the ice cream gets my full attention. After moaning around the last spoon, I look up and catch him looking at me with a naked desire that makes me gasp.
AMO
Fuck. I’ve messed up. Now she knows that I’m not as indifferent as I try to look. I can feel her eyes on me, watching me thoughtfully as she tries to assimilate what just happened. She had caught me staring hungrily at her, and I can’t erase that from her memory no matter how nonchalant I act now.
When I see her rise from the corner of my eye and walk towards me, I know that I’m in trouble. But I need to decide whether to give in to the trouble or continue to resist.
ABENA
HE WANTS ME. He wants me badly. And I can’t believe I almost missed that.
He watches warily as I walk toward him. Fuck, he is so fine, and I can’t wait to be under him. I want to feel his big body covering mine; I want his lips — damn, I need to calm down before I scare him away. Now that I know that he wants me, it has changed the way I used to see things between us. I’ve been mistaking sexual tension for impatience. I keep my eyes on him as I walk around the desk to him, daring him to say something to stop me. He doesn’t look away either and stays unmoving as I walk over with intent. When I reach him, I push his chair backward and plop on the desk in front of him. He still doesn’t say anything as his eyes track my every moment. When I lift my hand to trace his full lips with my fingertips, he pulls in a deep breath.
“What are you doing?” he finally asks.
The question makes me laugh. “I’m seducing you, of course.”
His eyes light up with interest and desire flashes in them again. Oh, yes. He does want me badly. And now I can see that he’s losing his grip on the control he has been holding on to so that he doesn’t give in to what is brewing between us.
“You know this is inevitable. I know you want me. I want you, too. Stop fighting it.”
AMO
I find the grip on my control loosening even more. The desire that had been slowly climbing since she stepped into the office hits me hard, and the memory of her licking the cream makes me harder. This is a bad idea; I know it is, but I can’t help finally giving in to her dangerous temptation. Reaching up to pull her onto my lap, I take her lips in a hungry kiss. Maybe I will give in… just this once.
