Chapter 2 THE KISS

THE KISS

As soon as the sunlight hit my face, I gasped.

"Oh, shoot!" I'm late again.

I don't have enough time to take a shower, put makeup on, or change my underwear. I slipped through a pair of loose pants and a flowery blouse, and I rushed through the door, carrying the empty canvas in my hand.

"You're certainly getting fired, Nicole," I told myself.

Fishing for my phone, I saw his secretary's message. He wants to see my face, the very moment I get to the building.

"Be ready to be skinned alive."

My palms are sweaty, and I bet that nervousness is shown on my face.

At least I'm still pretty. That's all that matters.

I knocked on his door. If ever the floor is hungry, I'd volunteer myself to let it eat me now.

"In."

"Sir Eric?" Peeping my head inside his office, I saw him sitting on his chair, eyes staring at his laptop. His sharp jawline tells me that I'm dead meat.

"Midnight, I'm certain of the deadline I gave you. Midnight."

"Uh-- sir Eric, I was -"

"Take a chair." He cuts me off, just like what he always does.

He's not even looking at me. Though I prefer it that way, I don't want to be murdered by his deadly scowl.

"Do you know what you just lost, Ms. Allen?" Heaving a deep sigh, he added, "Your job."

I knew it. Now, I should ready myself to go through another painstaking process of finding another place to work.

"I gave you a chance to compensate, and you blew it up."

My head hangs low, and I can see myself sitting in front of him like saggy bread. In my peripheral vision, I saw him staring at me.

"Now, you didn't just give yourself a burden, mine as well!" Shouted Eric, which made me close my eyes. "I'm paying you for the job you're not doing right, and all that you ever make the best are your endless excuses!"

Clamming my lips, I know to myself that what I did for his company wasn't enough.

"Sir, I was so burned out recently. But I promise not to fail you ever again." Risking my everything, I guaranteed him with my eyes closed. "From now on, I swear to give out my very best in every project. I will pass it on time, and I will never snooze my alarm for ten minutes every morning."

Silence.

With my wrinkled face, I lifted my head and found him staring at me blankly behind those glasses.

"Sorry."

Releasing his breath, Eric pulled his eyeglasses off and pushed a paper in front of me I quickly realized that it would be my 'leaving the company and his life and to never be seen around his territory ever again' paper to sign.

With my dismayed eyes, I looked straight at him in the eyes.

"You're f--"

I noticed the way he frowned when he suddenly cut himself off. Can't seem to see a way to tear the stare from mine.

Clearing his throat, Eric opened his mouth to speak, but not a word escaped his lips.

"You're firing me." Accepting my fate, I was about to pick up the pen, but he suddenly crumpled the paper and trashed it. "Sir?"

"I'm not."

"One more chance, I'll give you that." As if blessing showered above me, he changed his mind.

"Sir?"

"I'd accept the last design you gave me. It wasn't that bad." Formally sat there with his eyes, sending me thunder and lightning chills. "One chance."

I chuckled in rejoicing. "Oh my gosh, sir. I promise you, I promise you, I will never procrastinate again. I won't disappoint you." I was about to cartwheel my way to his door and start working my ass off when he cleared his throat.

"I'm not done yet, Ms. Allen." Leaning back in his chair, his eyes raked all over my body, obviously checking me out from head to toe. "You will get your chair back, only if you agree with my conditions."

"Conditions?" With my wide eyes, I repeated.

"You will come with me."

"Huh?"

Without elaborating, Eric stood up from his chair and buttoned his jacket. "Now."

"N-- now?" Lost in a trance for a second there when I felt his hand lay flat on my back, I knew that something was wrong. "To where... sir?"

"Just come with me."

Inside the lift, his manly sandalwood cologne spreads along the place. My body odor is shaking. Not a dead skin clings on him while I need to scrub my whole body with sandpaper for five hours.

"What's your favorite color?" Out of the blue, he asked. He's placing his folded glasses in his welt. I saw the way he glanced at me.

"Brown, sir." Confused, but I answered anyway.

"Why?"

One of my brows is silently judging his sudden change of aura and, technically, his weird questions.

"Uhm-- because I like autumn. And dead leaves' color is brown. It's... aesthetic," I replied without any backbone to that part and winced as I heard him hum.

This situation is making me feel edgy. Things began to make a huge commotion in my head.

"Is that going to be the color of my coffin?" Asked a silly question. It made him arch his thick eyebrow. "I asked something stupid, right? I'm sorry."

Arrived at a branded boutique shop, I glanced at his serious face when his hand once again guided me where we were going.

He even opened the door for me.

"Mr. Marsh, good morning. Are you here for the suit you ordered?" A woman, wearing a blue bob haircut and chopped bangs, asked with a wide smile.

"Yes, and I need you to fit her a gown," Eric replied, showing me to the woman. "Give her something comfortable, but a head-turner."

"Any specifics you'd like to request?" The woman asked as she pulled me by my arms and studied my physique.

"Brown."

"Great!" Clasped her hands before holding my hand. "I have got the very best dress for you."

"Uh -" I turned to look back at my boss, who took a seat on a comfortable couch with his legs crossed like a sexy woman.

After struggling to wear the gown, I stood on the platform as if I was being auctioned, and Eric was the only bidder.

"Since her bust and hips have the same measure, the sweetheart neckline would be best to boast her upper body. The mermaid design would follow the lines of her edges, especially her small waist," She explained before turning me around.

"Backless. Low, lustrous, and a certain head turner," added the designer. "Long sleeves can be conservative, but the shape is scandalous. Just like what you asked."

"I like it." He stood up and tilted his head to the side. "Let's settle the check."

Inside the dressing room, I changed and scratched my itching neck.

"What's with him?" Shook my head and flicked that question away. "Stop questioning what's going on and just be grateful that you're not fired."

Pushing the curtain to the side, I almost dropped my heart and sucked all oxygen on earth when Eric's drop-dead view welcomed my precious eyes.

"What's with me?" Repeating what he heard, he pushed himself from leaning against the wall and trapped me with his alluring stare. "I don't know too, Ms. Allen."

"But I know I want this."

He leaned forward and enveloped his lips with mine.