Matched with my boss

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Jake

The night in New York had a unique energy, a constant hum you could feel even from high up in my apartment. I was leaning against the window frame, gazing at the flickering lights of the buildings and the glow of the signs that lit up the city. The sound of cars and the faint murmur of people drifted in, barely audible, yet enough to remind me that down there, the city never slept. I had always liked that energy; it made me feel connected to the pulse of something vast, something always in motion. But tonight, something felt different.

My mind kept drifting back to Daphne. There was something about her that made me feel... alive. More than that, I felt a connection as strange as it was intense. Until recently, she had just been a girl on a dating app, but now, now she was someone who had gotten under my skin without even meeting in person. It was a new sensation, and I won’t deny that it intimidated me a bit, but, to be honest, I also liked it.

I was lost in thought when my phone vibrated on the table. I glanced at it, seeing her name on the screen. I smiled, anticipating what she might say. I opened the message, and my smile grew wider as I read it. She had asked me for a photo. Something so simple, so basic, but it made me think: why wait until tomorrow or just send a picture when I could offer her something much better? With a single touch, I could give us something more real, something that would bring us a little closer. The idea formed so quickly in my mind that before I could second-guess it, I was already sending her the video call request.

As the phone rang and I waited for her to answer, I ran a hand through my hair, feeling a small rush of adrenaline. I liked knowing that in a matter of seconds, she’d be right in front of me—not in person, but close enough that she’d stop being just a name on the screen. The wait felt endless, and I started to wonder if she felt as nervous as I did. Would I look the way she expected? Would the camera do justice to the image she’d created of me?

Then, suddenly, the screen changed, and she appeared. And in that instant, the rest of the world ceased to exist.

She was there, looking at me with those eyes filled with surprise and a hint of nervousness, and I was simply spellbound. Daphne was... beautiful. More than I had imagined, and it was entirely unexpected. Her hair was tied up in a slightly messy bun, with a few loose strands framing her face, and that only made her look more natural, more real. Something in her expression and the way she looked at me made me feel that this moment was as important to her as it was to me.

My eyes traveled over her face, but it was impossible not to notice the elegant, long line of her neck. I found myself wondering what it would be like to feel the warmth of her skin under my lips, to smell her perfume as I leaned in, and to leave a gentle kiss there. It was a thought that, for a second, made me lose my focus, but I quickly returned to her face, aware that I didn’t want to miss a single detail of this moment.

"Hi, Daphne," I finally said, feeling my voice sound slightly lower than usual. I wasn’t sure if it was nerves or excitement, but she seemed to notice something in my tone, and she returned a shy smile that made me smile too.

"Hi, Jake..." Her voice was soft, and I could see a slight sparkle in her eyes, as if she, too, was processing the moment.

We stayed silent for a few seconds, both of us looking at each other, taking the time to memorize every detail. Each feature, each tiny expression, everything seemed loaded with a meaning it hadn’t had before. She was everything I had imagined and, at the same time, something entirely different. That reality hit me hard. She was real, someone I wanted to know and who already meant much more than she should for someone I technically hadn’t even met.

The way she looked at me made me feel as if I were also in her mind, in her thoughts. And for a moment, I could imagine myself beside her, sharing this moment in real life. The image of the two of us, without the barrier of the screen, formed in my mind, and I could almost feel how the desire to touch her grew stronger.

I chuckled softly, trying to ease some of the tension between us. We talked a bit, and her sweet voice captivated me even more. She was so beautiful and so intelligent that I was utterly amazed to have found her. I had to thank my brother and his wife for this crazy, absurd idea of creating a dating profile for me. So far, it had been an excellent decision.

I couldn’t stop looking at her, observing every detail, every curve of her face, every slight change in her expression as she spoke. My mind was filled with thoughts and desires I had never felt with such intensity. The idea of crossing the screen and being beside her, of being able to lean in and trace the soft line of her neck with my lips, of smelling her perfume and discovering if it was as sweet and warm as she seemed, became so vivid that I had to take a deep breath to center myself again.

There was something in the way she looked at me, in her shy smile, and in those moments when she lowered her gaze, that made me feel that perhaps she was thinking about me in the same way.

When the video call finally ended, I stayed staring at the screen, with a smile and my heart beating faster than it had in years. Her image, her voice, and everything she had made me feel lingered, like an echo that would accompany me until the day I could finally see her face to face.

***

As soon as I arrived at the office and settled at my desk, I knew I had to see her. The night before had left me thinking about Daphne, about each of her gestures, that nervous gaze hiding a sweetness I hadn’t felt in a long time. There was something about her, something genuine and captivating that made it impossible not to want to know more, not to want to get closer.

I leaned my phone against the edge of the desk and looked out at the sunny sky beyond the windows, the rays bathing the city and the glow of Central Park in the distance. I couldn’t help but imagine Daphne, how she would look in that same light. Just thinking about it brought a smile to my face, and before I could second-guess myself, I tapped the screen to call her.

The call rang once, twice, and then her face appeared on the screen. She looked fresher and more radiant than the night before, with light makeup and that smile that made me forget everything around me. She smiled at me too, and in that instant, I knew that everything I had imagined for our first date would be worth it.

“Good morning, Daphne,” I said, unable to stop my voice from sounding a bit lower than usual. Just seeing her already made my day better.

She smiled, and I noticed a slight blush on her cheeks. It was the same shy smile from the night before, but something in her gaze told me she was also excited about this call.

“Good morning, Jake. Did you like last night’s video call so much that you decided to do it again?” she replied with a playful tone, though there was a hint of surprise in her eyes.

“I can’t deny it. I think I’ve become a little addicted to seeing you,” I confessed without hesitation, looking directly at her, and I saw her smile grow wider.

There was a moment of silence between us, a comfortable silence, as if we were both just enjoying the sight of each other. Finally, I broke the silence to tell her what was really on my mind.

“Daphne, I’ve been thinking about our date all night, and I already have the perfect place in mind.” My words made her raise her eyebrows, clearly intrigued.

“Already? Wow, that was quick. Seems like you don’t waste time,” she said with a nervous smile.

“Let’s just say that when something really matters, I see no reason to delay it,” I told her, with as much sincerity as I could muster. And I truly felt it; there was something about Daphne that made me want to get to know her right away, without pauses.

She looked down for a moment, clearly affected by my words, and then looked back up at me.

“Well then… you’ll have to give me a hint. I don’t know what to wear.” Her voice had a touch of anxiety, and I knew she wanted to make sure she would match the place. That’s when I decided to joke a bit to ease her worries.

“Daphne, I’m sure you’d look incredibly beautiful even in a trash bag,” I said, winking to downplay her concerns.

She laughed, and that laugh was a relief I didn’t know I needed. The way her eyes sparkled made me think that, somehow, my words had worked. But still, I decided to give her a few clues to make her feel more comfortable.

“But if you want a real hint, I’ll give you one. Let’s just say it’ll be a place where we can talk without too much noise. Nothing overly fancy, but special enough for both of us to feel comfortable.” I tried to make the description enough to guide her without revealing too much. I wanted her to have that spark of surprise when we arrived.

She nodded, looking a bit more at ease. Then, she glanced behind me, and I noticed how her eyes drifted to the city view.

“Is that…?” she began, focusing her gaze on the windows behind me. “Is that Central Park I see from there?”

My mind raced for a second, and I had to make an effort not to react too obviously. I didn’t want her to know exactly where I worked just yet, not because I wanted to hide it, but because I wanted things between us to feel natural, without pressure.

“Central Park?” I repeated with a slight smile, trying to steer the conversation away. The truth was, I liked that touch of mystery surrounding our relationship.

She looked at me, waiting for some answer, but I only returned a smile that would probably leave her even more intrigued.

“Well, that’s nothing compared to what I’m seeing right now,” I said, looking at her directly. “Everything in the background isn’t as important when you’re on screen.” My words were sincere, and I saw her cheeks turn a little pink. She was incredibly charming, and every time I saw her, I felt like I was discovering something new about her.

She laughed softly and shook her head.

“Are you always this charming?” she asked, trying to sound casual, though I caught a hint of emotion in her expression.

“Only with you,” I replied, without a hint of doubt in my voice.

We looked at each other in silence, and though the conversation was light, there was something deeper floating between us, something beyond words. We were discovering each other little by little, and I felt that every minute with her only made that connection stronger.

Finally, Daphne spoke again, returning to the topic of the date.

“So, what time should I be ready?” she asked, and I noticed a mix of nerves and excitement in her tone.

“Would seven work for you? And I need you to tell me where I should pick you up,” I suggested. She nodded, with a soft smile that made my chest feel lighter.

“Perfect,” she said, then added, “I’ll send you my address in a message.” Her gaze lingered on me for a second, and I saw a sparkle in her eyes that made my heart beat a little faster.

“I’ll be waiting for that message,” I replied, and we fell silent again, as if both of us wanted to stretch out the moment.

Before I could say goodbye, she leaned a little closer to the camera, and I could see every detail of her face, the softness of her features, and that inner light that seemed to radiate from her. A wave of emotions took me by surprise, and without thinking too much, I smiled and told her:

“I can’t wait to see you tonight, Daphne.” My voice was low, almost a whisper, and I saw her expression change as if my words reached her deeply.

She nodded, biting her lip and smiling in a way that made it even harder for me to say goodbye.

“Until tonight, Jake,” she finally said, and after one last exchange of looks, the call ended.