Love’n’Lust

“How would you like to interview Mr Larkson.” This question made Belle’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“You would actually trust me to do that, I just started today.”

“I can’t really send anyone else, Mr. Larkson is a very scary person to deal with, I mean that’s what people say, that’s why I wanted to interview him to know if it’s true but now I can’t go and you seem quite fascinated to meet him, so yes, I have no other choice than to trust you right now.”

“You don’t even know my name.” Belle laughed feeling comfortable enough to say what she just said.

“You are… Vera?” Laura said looking at the names of new interns on her monitor.

“No.” Belle giggled.

“Claire?”

“No.” Belle shook her head.

“Then you have to be Belle because that’s the last female name I can see here.”

“Yes ma’am, I’m Belle, Belle Miller.”

“Okay Belle, get ready for your interview, you leave in the next thirty minutes.”

“Okay, ma’am.”

“Laura, call me Laura.”

“Okay, Laura.” Belle smiled.

…..

“Sir, you will be having an interview with Mrs. Johnson from Crisp-tv media house in the next two minutes.” A young woman who was nearly dressed in a grey-colored knee-length pencil skirt and white shirt walked into Ben’s office.

“Mrs Johnson?”

“Yes sir.”

“I asked you to fix a time for her?”

“Yes sir, she was very persistent so you asked me to fix a time for her.”

“How much time do I have with her?”

“Fifteen minutes, sir.”

“I see, alright send her in when it’s time.”

“Okay, sir.” She left closing the door.

“Mr. Larkson would see you now.” The woman informed Belle, who sat waiting nervously. She didn’t want to disappoint her new boss who was very nice to her but after she heard how mean and nonchalant this Mr. Larkson could be, she wasn’t sure she still wanted to meet him so bad.

“Okay.” She managed to feign a smile, maybe it might boost her confidence; she thought.

With her palms sweaty and shaky, she tried to grip her files. Slowly opening the door the woman had directed her to, she walked in but when she tried to close it quietly not to make a noise, her files dropped and so did everything she was carrying. She looked up at the man seated in the middle of the large office, expecting a reaction but got none.

She sighed in relief because his face was behind the laptop and he looked busy too to notice her. Picking up her things she began walking to the desk, which he sat behind and she thought it felt like an eternity because of how spacious this office was.

Ben finished what he was reading before giving his attention to the Mrs. Johnson he was expecting. Looking up from his laptop he saw a familiar face walking clumsily to his desk, wearing a shirt and a corporate trouser, with her papers scattered in her hands.

Was she the Mrs Johnson? Did she lie about her name on the app? But she looked so innocent to do that. Belle Miller, he could remember her name from that night, it had been in his head all through Sunday. If she was the Mrs. Johnson, then she was married, did she really make up a name? But then again, she was a virgin, he was her first, so she probably was a new bride. With all this thought on his mind, he just sat there gazing at her in shock. Did she use him? Did she use him to get her one-night fling before beginning her married life?

‘She was married.’ It couldn’t be, he wanted her again in his bed, he wanted this woman and she was married! He had asked someone to find out about her and was expecting a filed report of who Belle Miller was after he met with Mrs. Johnson.

Belle got closer to his desk, finally easing her concentration on holding the papers in her hands firmly but the moment she faced the ‘Mr. Larkson’, everything on her hands fell again. Her heart beating fast, she didn’t know if she was more scared of those dark eyes staring at her or more surprised to see Ben from Saturday night. He was looking at her like he wanted to pierce her with those eyes of his.

He was angry right now or maybe it was just his ego hurt that she had lied. He wasn’t showing his anger, but his eyes were betraying him because they were fiery to look at so Belle just looked down at the clean polished floor. It was when she realized she had drooped her things again so she bent and began to pick them all up quickly.

Having picked up all the papers and arranged them, she went back down to pick up her pen and pencil. The pen had rolled to the other end of the table and was next to his foot, she stretched her arms to reach them but they weren’t on the floor anymore, he was squatting down on the other side of the table giving it to her.

“Thanks.” She automatically said, collecting it swiftly from him and standing back up.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs Johnson.” He put out his hands for a handshake across the table. She looked up at his face, noticing how much more handsome he looked now in daylight. She thought his grey suit looked good on him, incredibly good.

“Ms Miller.” She took his hands which seemed large as he shook her hands, her small hands.”Mrs Johnson couldn’t be here, she asked me to interview in her place.”