Up Close
June hadn’t let Veil go to bed without telling her every single thing that had happened since she had been away, including the gift from Anders and the moment on the rooftop at the party. Of course, Veil left out the part where they kissed, as she didn’t think it was important information for June to know.
At least, not yet.
The next morning, Veil was surprised to see June up as well when she went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. June was a remote worker who could work from the comfort of their house, so it was strange that she was awake that early.
“I don’t have any more stories for you,” Veil yawned as she walked into the kitchen, grabbed a cup, and filled it with water.Original from NôvelDrama.Org.
“I’ve had my fill of you,” June answered, chuckling. “But do you know the best element in a story?”
“The suspense?”
“No! The imagery.”
Veil stared at her best friend like she had just grown horns overnight. “What are you rambling about? Are you sure you don’t want to get back to bed?”
“I have decided that the plot will make better sense in my head if I see Mr. Rodriguez up close. So, that’s what we will be doing today.”
“What?” I spat the water out of my mouth in surprise, placing the cup carefully on the sink so it didn’t follow suit. “What the hell are you saying? You cannot possibly do that.”
“Why not?”
“One, it is my place of work, and personal guests aren’t allowed. And two, I don’t want to get sacked so early.”
“But he had his fiancee come over!”
“I don’t think she’s his fiancee, but that doesn’t even count. He is the CEO and can do whatever he wants.”
“What do you mean you don’t think she’s his fiancee? Just yesterday, you said…”
“You can’t come with me,” Veil quickly interrupted, not wanting June to dig any further.
“Okay. How about I drop you off then?”
“June…”
“Come on! Think about it! You wouldn’t have to wait for a taxi, and you know how fast I drive. You’ll be at the office in no time.”
It was too sweet a deal to ignore, so Veil nodded and hurried back into her room to get ready. That day, she opted for something a tad more casual, donning a short black dress that stopped in the middle of her thighs with a pair of formal heels.
After finishing her dress, Veil stood in front of the mirror, deliberating what to do with her hair. Almost in a trance, she lifted her hands to touch her lips, feeling Anders’ on hers. She remembered his taste so distinctly that it messed with her head.
Following the path he had trailed on her body, Veil moved her hand from her lips down her neck, stopping at the base of her throat where his lips had nibbled so sensually. Her breath became ragged, and her face flushed again. Veil couldn’t recognize the person staring back at her from the mirror.
She looked starved and needy – things she had never noticed in her before. Veil needed to put as much space between her and Anders as possible because there was too much on the line for her. She couldn’t even dare to think about how it felt and how much she wished she could feel that way again.
“Maybe it wasn’t about Anders,” Veil thought. It had been a long time since she had gone out with someone because of all the drama in her life, so maybe it was her body’s needs getting the better of best of her. Perhaps she should pursue it with Orleans.
Or some other strange dude.
One thing was for sure. Veil knew Orleans hadn’t lit up a fire in her as Anders had done.
Hell! She needed to quit thinking about him.
“Aren’t you done yet?” June asked suddenly, poking her head in from the door. “You’ve been in here too long for someone who has to get to work before her boss.”
“Coming!” Veil yelled, fanning her face with her hand to get her skin back to normal. Recalling that Anders had asked her to keep her hair down that day, Veil intentionally put it up in a sleek ponytail instead, taking her time to keep it pressed down, with a few curled tendrils falling by both sides of her head, and framing her face so tenderly.
Grabbing a tote and filling it with the essential, she joined June by the car. Her best friend must be so eager to meet Anders as she had gotten all dolled up in leather pants and matching jacket, and had even curled her hair.
“Didn’t you hear the President’s daughter’s part?” Veil asked as she got into the passenger’s seat and fastened the seat belt.
“I also heard that you don’t think that they’re engaged,” June answered, putting the car in motion. “So, I’m going to take my chances.”
Swallowing the sour taste in her mouth, Veil said nothing else about Anders as they bound out into the street. Traffic was very minimal at this time of the morning, and with June’s driving skills, they were at the office in no time.
Just as they were debating if Anders was already in or not, Veil saw his car park in front of the building from the rearview mirror. One of his men rushed to open the back door, and Anders stepped down from the car, looking as dashing as ever. Today, he seemed to have put in a little more effort as Veil noticed the new haircut.
“You’ve seen him up close,” Veil said to June as she opened the door. “Now go back home.”
Hurrying to join Anders before he walked in, Veil stopped beside him and greeted him, not daring to look into his eyes.
“Ms. Hart,” he said politely as he kept his hands in his pocket and started walking. “What meetings do I have planned for the day?”
Just as Veil was about to read his schedule from his iPad, June suddenly appeared before them and stretched out a hand.
“Hi. I’m June, Veil’s…Ms. Hart’s best friend. It’s so splendid to meet you.”