Chapter 3 TEASING HER

"Everyone! I know we all are busy with work and all that. But there is something more important... Well, there are other important things too. Okay, I have a new personality with us. Our new director, Mr Roland Ryker. Let's welcome him!" Director Abbott gestured for hand clapping as he introduced Roland to the staff members of Ryker Fashion Company. His gesture was met with questioning looks from the staff members. When he looked behind his shoulder, there was no sight of Roland.

"Where did he go?" He looked around in surprise.

He was about to step out to find out what happened when the door opened and Ronald stepped in.

"Director Abboth, there was no need for this grand introduction. Well, erm, I hope we work together to make Ryker Fashion Company, Sydney, to become the best."

Finally the staff clapped.

The staff, one after the other, offered their welcome greetings. Ronald pasted a forced smile on his face.

"Welcome Director Roland, I am Miss Melinda, head of the sales representative. We are glad to have you here with us." Melinda extended her hand for a shake and Ronald took it.

Some other top executives came forward and offered their greetings too. But Roland's eyes were elsewhere.

His eyes scanned around the room through the faces of the different workers that came forward. But none matched the face of the woman he had his interest on.

"Okay, that's all for the greetings. Now let's get back to work." Director Abbott said and shushed the workers off. The way they grinned and stared at Roland was so glaring and was almost getting on his nerves. Especially the females. They had never looked at him in that manner before.

"Damn this bastard! He get all the looks and wealth and now the ladies!" He cussed under this breath.

"Director Abbott? Don't you think I need to familiarise myself with the office. And also I would like to have a look at the showroom," Roland said, stopping in his tracks on his way out.

"Ah, I was coming to that. Who would like to show Director Roland...?"

Before Director Abbott could finish, half of the staff had lined up offering to show him around.

"Director Roland, it seems they all want to show you around. How about you make your pick?" Director Abbott said flashing the staff silent cold look.

"Oh, then I must choose..."

Nervous anticipating faces starred up at him. And Roland's finger hovered above the heads of the anticipating faces.

At the same time, the door opened and Tiffany walked in.

"Director Abbott, how about she show me around?"

His hand moved and finally settled on Tiffany the moment she walked in. Every single eye in the room settled on her.

Tiffany stopped in her tracks, confused.

"Urh, well fine. Miss Tiffany, this is Director Roland and he will be working with us. Show him around the place." Director Abbott said petulantly.

Tiffany looked at the new director she was to show around.

"Urh..." she gasped. But before she could say another word, Roland motioned towards the door.

"Miss Tiffany, shall we?" He said and winked. Then he started out the door.

Tiffany nearly tumbled against her heels as she followed after him.

She couldn't believe the guy with the pretty eyes she met at the elevator was her new boss.

"Shoot!" She cussed under breath as she hastened to match his pace.

When they were away from the peering and inquisitive eyes of the staff members, Tiffany stopped walking. Roland noticed and stopped walking too.

"Why didn't you say you were the new director? So you could have fun teasing me?"

"Urh, I didn't think you would but I guess you remembered me. I thought you wouldn't, considering you refused my harmless offer."

Tiffany let out an exasperated breath. She was right. She had been right about him all along. He was nothing but a rich arrogant prat. Unfortunately she wasn't about to waste her energy on people like him.

"How about we pretend we never met and just work?"

Roland made a face. "Wait, don't tell me you are thinking I came here for something other than work?"

Tiffany's eyes widened. "What?"

He approached her, closing up the distance between them.

"Earlier on, you seemed to have so much interest in my face," he said, lowering his lips to whisper the words into her ears. "Don't tell me you are already thinking of something else to do with me other than work...perhaps..."

Tiffany gulped roughly and bit down on her lower lip. She felt her legs go jittery. His breath had fanned her neck while he spoke and now all of the hairs on her neck stood erect. Once again his scent escaped into her nose causing this strange stir inside of her. She forced herself to look up and catch a glimpse of his broad chest. She imagined what it would be like to bury her face in it.

Fuvk, Tiffany...

She quickly took a step back.

"Stop it," she said.

"Stop what?" He asked in surprise.

"Don't... don't get too close to me."

"Why? Are you scared you would fall for me if I get any closer?"

She opened her mouth to speak. She wanted to yell at him, to tell him to shut his mouth and that there was no way she was ever falling in love with another man, let alone a man like him. But words refused to come out. Like bubbles they clouded her throat.

He took another step forward, closing up the distance between them again. His face inched closer and closer to her lips.

Tiffany felt her heart begin to race.

How is it that nothing her head told her was she able to do? She had to leave his space. She knew she had to run away that instant. But her unyielding legs stood rooted to the spot.

"Tell me, Tiffany, do you really want me to not get too close to you?" His raspy voice breathed.

Intense sensations travelled down her thighs. She wanted to grip onto something lest she fell but more importantly she wanted to taste the lips that were whispering those words to her.

She bit her lips hoping it was enough to stop the rebellious feeling clouding her sense of reasoning that moment.

"Miss Tiffany?"

Someone called and immediately Tiffany flinched and shoved Roland away from her front.

"Oh, Hi Sam," she said nervously. Sam was one of the sales representatives that worked in the showroom where the products of the Ryker brand were displayed and sold.

"I'm sorry... I hope I wasn't interrupting anything?" Sam asked, glancing at Roland.

"Of course not!" Tiffany chuckled awkwardly and shot Roland a glare.

"Miss Tiffany, You are on your way to the show room right?" Sam asked.

"Urhm, actually... him."

Tiffany pointed at Roland.

Roland gave her a what-are-you-trying-to-do kind of look which she ignored and continued.

"Oh Sam, he is the new director, Director Roland Ryker. How about you do me a favour and show him around the showroom. I just remembered I have a report to round up before the next hour."

The name Ryker rang in Sam's head.

Then her eyes widened and met Tiffany's. Tiffany nodded at her in confirmation to her suspicion.

Sam was flustered.

"Oh sure, why not. Welcome Director Roland. I will be more than pleased to show you around the office," Sam said almost breathlessly.

Tiffany saw the slight displeasure in Roland's face. She smiled victoriously and started heading back to her office.

As she headed back to the office, she thought about what happened a while ago.

She stopped and sighed in frustration. She was mad at herself. How could she have let herself be swayed by another man.

She admitted she almost lost her restraint back there but swore to never let that happen again. No matter the level of closeness they got or how pretty their eyes were, men were off limits to her. She quickly brushed it off. Perhaps it was because she hadn't laid a man for so long.

She let out a soft sigh and took a deep breath. That could wait. Soon she would have all the men she wanted in the world with no strings attached.

Tiffany saw two women gossiping about a woman standing some distance away. The woman talked looked worried as if she was expecting someone.

Tiffany wasn't one to listen to people's conversations but she found herself stopping and her ears twitching to hear.

"See, she is waiting for her bastard son. I heard she divorced her husband for no reason," One of the two women said.

Her tone was bitter and laced with displeasure.

"She looks so old when she is barely fourty!" The second woman spat and her face wrinkled in disgust.

But then a boy appeared and hugged the woman tight. The woman's face lit up.

Tiffany watched them embrace themselves in a tight hug. Her eyes watered and she swallowed painfully. She saw herself in the woman. She was strong even when she knew and heard people gossip about her. She knew that for her son's sake, she had to keep going even when she had no more strength.

The woman and her son reminded Tiffany so much about herself that the memories of her past came rearing up in her head.