Lucas – 14. chapter

Lucas realized that morning that it didn’t matter whether Lucia was wearing a skirt or pants. She had on jeans. Sneakers, even. And still, all it took was finding her leaning over the desk, taping something to the wall behind it, for the familiar tension in his pants to hit him again, just like it had almost every day lately. With a desperate sigh, he dropped into the chair she had pushed aside.

“Good morning,” Lucia said over her shoulder when she heard him.

“Lucia, you’re going to kill me.”

She glanced back at him in surprise, but when she caught him staring at her ass, she only shook her head and went back to the wall.

“You’re doing this to yourself. Should I just call someone over for you? You looked pretty satisfied when that blonde left. Helena, was it?”

“I want you.”

She didn’t react, so he went on.

“Doesn’t it seem strange that you’re offering me hookers?”

“I’m offering them to you? You’re the one who calls them over all the time. I even know some of them by name now.”

She finished taping, sat down on the desk cross-legged, and winked at him.

“Or did you really think I wouldn’t figure out who they were?”

“You’re exaggerating. It wasn’t that often. Once, maybe twice a month. And none have been here for at least three weeks.”

She just shrugged.

“Please,” Lucas whispered. “I’ve suffered enough by now. Haven’t I?”

It seemed to him that she actually thought about it.

“I’ll do anything you want,” he promised quietly. “Just let me come closer.”

“…this way of communicating suits you much better,” she admitted with the faintest hint of a smile.

Encouraged, he stood up carefully.

“It’s not exactly… my style,” he said, taking a small step toward her, “but… I’m fairly teachable…”

He slowly placed his hand on the desk beside her knee. He looked into her eyes, barely breathing. Then he lifted his palm just above her thigh.

“…may I?”

She let him wait before answering.

“No.”

He breathed out in desperation, not surprised. He pulled his hand back and stepped away.

“Okay,” he rubbed his face. “Okay. I think this qualifies as inhuman torture by now, but fine. Your call.”

He went back to his office.

Left alone, Lucia smiled to herself and jumped down from the desk.

She checked and found no new tasks. Lucas had said he didn’t need anything. So she opened Facebook. Scrolled through statuses and videos. Checked the latest messages. After a while, Lucas went off somewhere too. She leaned back, folded her arms across her chest, and let her bored gaze wander over the desk.

She wondered what to do next and remembered that the young colleague she’d had breakfast with that morning had asked her for the company’s code of ethics. She could have emailed it, sure, but she had a printed copy. At least it would give her a reason to walk around and kill some time.

She didn’t know exactly where he sat, but of course she knew which areas belonged to marketing. She grabbed the papers, walked down the long hallway, and started scanning desks in the right section. She had already covered almost half the area when she noticed Lucas.

He was sitting with his back to her at a corner desk. The monitor beside him blocked her view of the person he was talking to. It struck her as odd. Lucas didn’t go to people in positions below manager. And managers had their own offices.

She adjusted her path to see who he was with. She had to take a few more steps to look between Lucas and the monitor.

Juraj.

The guy from breakfast.

Juraj? What did Lucas want with him?

Quietly, unnoticed, she moved closer. Juraj looked almost frightened. Lucas was whispering. She could only make out the words when she was barely two steps away from him.

“…it would be better for your career if you stopped seeking this particular company altogether.”

Juraj clearly noticed Lucia. He gave her a brief glance, grew even more nervous, and stared down at the desk.

“I’m sure,” Lucas continued softly, “that there are plenty of other opportunities in this company that would suit you much better.”

Lucia began to understand what was happening, though she still couldn’t quite believe it.

Is Lucas really doing what I think he’s doing?

Juraj cleared his throat and looked up at Lucas.

“Yes, sir,” he answered quietly.

Lucas went on.

“I assume it goes without saying that the other party doesn’t need any detailed information. You simply aren’t interested. Or don’t have the time.”

“I understand, sir.”

Yes. He’s doing exactly what I think.

“Good,” Lucas concluded. “I’m glad we understand each other.”

He had just forbidden Juraj from seeing me.

As Lucas stood up, he gave Juraj a brief pat on the shoulder, straightened, and turned around.