Encounter With Steve Mclare

Tup! Tup! Tup! Her steps were firm and solid, dictate her powerful aura that could make those who had bad intentions to cower in the corner. That afternoon she arrived in her beige ruffled-blouse that was buttoned up to her neck, a white high-waist pencil skirt with a slit up to her mid-thigh on the front, and a brown autumn spring blazer topping her blouse. She had her sunny glasses perched on her pointy nose. She appeared sophisticated and the way she dressed could fool people, but the sweet and humble smile that plastered on her face gave way and made her appeared approachable.

She went straight to her personal elevator and punched in her office number on the fifteenth-floor. It was then a hand stopped the door from closing. She raised her head from the phone and there, she saw Steve Mclare.

"I need to talk to you." He stammered. Rose drew a deep breath and her lips turned into a thin line.

"Get in." she said, in the end while moving to the side, giving him some space to stand in.

As soon as the elevator closed, Steve grabbed her hands and stared into her eyes. Rose was startled by the sudden body contact.

"Let go of my hands. This instance." she furiously demanded. Steve didn't let go, instead he tightened his grips.

"What is you relationship with Jude?" he asked sternly. Rose frowned.

"What it has to do with you?" Instead of answering him, she fired him back with a question.

Good god! What have I done in my past life that these people keep on pestering me? I need some space to breathe! Why can't they just leave me alone?

"How could you break my heart after all these years?" Rose stunned with his sudden accusation.

"Hello?! Since when did I broke your heart? What the hell are you talking about?" she totally fumed. Steve placed both his hands next to her head before inched closer to her. Rose instinctively tilted her head to the side in order to avoid being so close to him.

"Have you forgotten the pledge we made years ago? It was such a pity that Gregory had gone. Otherwise he could help to knock some sense into your head." he muttered dejectedly.

"I guess time changed everything. So, back off and don't act foolishly, will you?" Rose didn't back down. Instead she stared back at him with the visible anger in her eyes. But the way she fumed had incidentally ignited his wild desire. He knew what he felt inside and what he desired was wrong, they were cousins. Argh! Screw the family tie, he had long harbour feelings that he shouldn't have for her.

Steve suddenly cupped her face and kissed her right there and then. Rose's eyes widen and she raised her hand to slap him but he caught it in mid-air.

"Don't try to push me away," he murmured to her ear that she began to feel suffocated with the overwhelm situation she was in.

"Steve!" She yelled his named loud and her voice echoed and bounced back on the walls of the elevator. Her breath hitched and her chest visibly rise and fall rhythmically.

"You taste just as I imagine - sweet and scented." Then the door opened with a ding. Steve gazed deep onto her eyes and stammered, "I'll come back for more!" then he stepped out of the elevator leaving Rose behind, stunned. What did he meant by coming back for more? She clenched her fists. Grab hold yourself Rose. Breathe it easy. And forget those unimportant words of him. She told herself. She was about to reach for her briefcase on the floor when someone came to her sight that startled her. Rose clasped her hand on her chest,heaved a sigh in relief when she saw it was Paul.

"Boss! Are you okay?" It was Paul. There was an obvious concern in his eyes upon looking at his boss' state at the moment. He saw Director Steve earlier, coming out from the elevator. What exactly happened? But he quickly shook off his thought and helped her to carry her briefcase.

"I'm okay. Let's go to office." She stammered.

She casually took off her blazer and hung it on the hook while Paul looked away. He had yet to adapt to the current situation. Whenever his boss took off her blazer, he always succumbed to the temptation to look on. He was a young man with young blood. So, no one could blame him for what he thought and felt deep inside. And his young boss was a young lady. A beauty at that. He was utterly suffocated with the temptations to cross the boundaries. But he knew he wouldn't do something that will jeopardized his mission.

"You wait here. I need to freshen up!" she swiftly left him alone and went to her personal washroom in her resting lounge.

Once she in the restroom, she quickly rinsed off whatever residues left by Steve on her face. Damn! This was so stressful… she lamented in her heart. She sighed heavily and casually grab her cleanser from the rack, squeeze a fair amount and quickly rubbed to her fair skin to clean off her face. Then, she applied her make up and re-do her hair into an exclusive bun that outlined her slender swan-neck. Looking at the paled kissed mark left by Jude three days ago made her heart bloomed into spring.

Jude… I haven't seen him for days since the day I rejected his proposal. She sighed for the umpteenth times. Maybe it best if I would just forget about him. She smiled bitterly at the girl opposite her.

You and I can brace this obstacle together. We need to protect ourselves. She mumbled to herself.

Before she walked out her washroom, she double checked her own appearance and adjusted her blouse collar.

"Boss, these are the reports that you required the other day." Paul placed the reports on her table and bowed his head slightly, waiting for his next task given by his lady boss. He peeked at her and gulped upon looking at how slender her swan-neck. Damn! What did I do to deserve to work for a beauty? And she is my boss. My! He cursed inwardly. He was going to claim his mental compensation once everything was done. Mission accomplished.

"Oh, please ask Sarah to get for me a cup of cappuccino and cheese tarts. And, oh, get one for yourself too. We need to work on these reports." She ordered. Paul was taken aback slightly when she mentioned that they will need to work on the reports together. Nevertheless, he nodded his head and swiftly went out and carried out his task.

Three hours later.

Rose tapped furiously on her Surface Book 2 with her lips tightened into a thin line. Paul curiously glanced at her. Frowned a second later. Judging the seriousness on her face, something wrong must up with the reports that they were inspected at the moment.

"Look at this. Tell me what can you conclude?" She suddenly turned over the laptop towards him, gestured him to take a look and compared the figures between the reports. It didn't take long for him to understand the matter.

What made Rose surprised was this project was managed by Mr Blair where his proposal was verified by Miss Kate and was approved by George. Based on the report, this project should be a big project with enormous budget to cover. Was someone trying to embezzle company funds?

"The figures in the printed report different with the one reported on site." Paul voiced his thought. Rose nodded her head knowingly.

"Are they trying to embezzle company funds?" Rose asked, hypothesized the matter at hand.

"What are you going to do boss?" Paul asked her. Rose tapped rhythmically on her table and leaned comfortably against her chair, biting her fountain pen, in a deep thinking. While Paul chanted in his heart to not think some foolish thoughts. His heart was practically beating so fast that he couldn't catch on with his own breathing pace.

"It's time for cleaning." She said in the end with determined. Paul was shocked. Cleaning? Is she going to dispel those unworthy? Most probably…

"Do you need me to call Sarah to help you to type the memo for all departments?" He asked her.

"No, I will do it myself." she answered with an evil grinned on her face. Paul who watched her, feeling goosebumps all over.