Hired To Be Mine

Chapter 7

One month later

"Good morning Nicole" the way he said her name, almost weakened her knees but she remained composed. "I see you are all set for this presentation" he said looking around her table, which was neatly organized with files and stationery. He took a look at the empty photo frame and couldn't help the frown. All the female employees in his office filled their desks with pictures of their family and friends. But not Nicole. She didn't have a single photo with her. Salim wanted to know very badly that why didn't she put up her kids pictures in there, but refrained himself from asking.

"Yes. And I also learned a lot about Mr. Eugene Winston" she said firmly. Salim silently fumed, "you did didn't you?" he shook his head to get rid of the hateful thoughts towards his best friend and walked around to sit in his chair.

He remembered telling her to get aquainted with the 'A' class society members. But what he didn't know was that she would start obsessing with his best friend so much. He hated it. He didn't want her to get obsessed with any other male except him.

"Did you know that he is into b**m?" Her words snapped his head in her direction. She whispered the last four letters as if she was afraid anyone would listen and get offended. She looked towards the closed cabin door and gazed back at him with those big doe like eyes.

His pants constricted immediately and he suppressed a groan. Those eyes, they have been haunting her for days. He's been fascinated with those eyes like a hormonal teenager fascinating his hot teacher.

" I don't care what kind of s****l life my best friend's has" he said with irritation laced in his tone.

Nicole didn't hear it or completely ignored it, because she walked towards his desk and sat in front of him. Salim couldn't help but smile despite his discomfort. He loved the way Nicole got adjusted with the office so quickly. She talked to him like they were college buddies and she walks into the office like she has been born in here. There is not an ounce of hesitation or stutter in her stance.

"But he is your best friend. I am sure he must have told you about his.... desires" she squirmed a little when she said 'desires'.

"Unlike women, men don't share everything" Salim said holding the armrest tightly in order to stop himself from pulling her closer and kissing the life out of her. Nicole bit her lip and a look of hesitation crossed marred her features.

Salim learnt a few things about his secretary in this past one month and one of them is that Nicole gets very hesitant when it involves something s****l. And she bites her lip during such times. Like now.

This realization hit him hard and his groin twisted painfully. What are you doing to me? He suppressed the groan.

"I... nothing" she muttered a response to his previous question but hesitated and left. Though he badly wanted to know her trail of thoughts he couldn't help but be thankful as well. Or else she would have noticed the obvious bulge.

As she walked towards her desk Salim stared at her behind as she walked away. The cream colored skirt she wore hugged her ass like a second skin, showing the round and curvyness of it. He longed to touch them, caress them and slap them to watch them turn red. Yes, b**m wasn't a compulsory to him like his best friend but from his many companions he learned that women found pleasure in it. And he couldn't ignore the fact that he liked it too up to some extent.

Soon Salim, soon. He told himself qs images of his assistant tied up in his bed crossed his mind.

****

" I took your advice and started working on my gossip knowledge" she said taking a seat in her plush revolving chair.

She couldn't help but squirm as she sat right in front of Salim. The position of their desks was so.... revealing because of the glass tables. One would know what the other one is up to, without straining their eyes too much. She had to cross her legs in order to keep her modesty in check which was a great bother at times since she was so habituted to her own personal cabin in her coffee shop that the presence of some other male made her highly self conscious.

She took a sly glance towards his muscular thighs and noticed a bulge in his pants. She quickly averted her eyes back to her laptop and squeezed her thighs close. She hid her face behind the screen. Get your dirty mind out of the gutter right now! She yelled at herself.

This torture has been going on for the past one month and even Salim knew it. But he did nothing about it. 'Well, neither did you', said a mocking voice which Nicole ignored.

"You like it?" He asked suddenly. Her eyes snapped up to see a smirk on his face. Oh my god! He saw her staring at his crotch. What would he think of her? How could you be such a fool Nicole?

"What?" She asked startled, Oh I am loving the desk arrangements if that's what you are asking about. No better way to have a perfect view of your.... Get the hell out of here, she scolded herself for having such thoughts about her boss.

"The office of course. Do you like it here?" He asked again gazing at her like a hawk gazing its prey. His eyes were so dark with desire that she could hear his dirty thoughts clearly.

"Oh that. I like it very much" she said nervously looking around the office.

For the umpteenth time she looked around and found herself lost in the art. The room was very modernly furnished with everything glass. She hesitated to even take a step in the beginning as she feared she might trip and break something which would value more than her whole life's income. But Salim's presence and strong male dominant voice pulled her together and boosted her confidence. The truth is she can't afford to lose the job. Not when a lot is on stake.

"Its classy" she sighed.

"Is that a compliment" he asked as he grinned at her,

"Of course. I have never worked in any place like this" she said defensively.

"Hmm" Salim's eyes bore into her. For a moment their eyes met and it was as if the time froze. Nicole shivered at the intensity of his gaze. He looked at her like he could see the depth of her soul. She felt naked and vulnerable to those eyes. And what a pair of eyes were they, black eyes, like the storm.

The shrill of the phone wakened them from their moment. Salim looked at the ringing phone in confusion but nevertheless answered it. Nicole got up, excusing herself and rushed into the ladies room.

She ran to the cubicle, shut the door and sat down on the closed lid. She took heavy breaths as she calmed her racing heart.

Damn you Nicole. You have three kids. Think of them. It's not the right time for you to look for quickies with your boss. You need this job. Think how uncomfortable and unprofessional it will be in the future if this affair doesn't work out. Think and stop dreaming.

Nicole never wanted to remain entirely celibate after her husband's death. The truth was first she was pregnant and then she had three kids to nurse and a cafe to look after. The she had three nannies to fire because they were mistreating her kids. Then there was something else and so on. She always looked forward to suitors who approached her with dates. But none of them wanted to be a father to kids who weren't their's. Let alone a father to three boys. She knew that neither Salim would want to. He was a business man and would definitely want a family of his own. A heir of his own. He cannot accept her sons like she wants him to, despite how good at heart he is. She couldn't do that to her kids. They need a father figure in their life and she wouldn't ruin it for her own selfish desires.

She yelled at herself on the inside in frustration and got up. She walked to the sink and splashed some water on her face. The cool water relaxed her instantly.

"Got a problem?" Kelly's voice startled her.

She gripped her blouse in a tight fist at her heart to prevent from having a heart attack, "oh! Kelly. You scared me" she said wiping her face dry with some tissues.

"Hm... sorry" she hummed with a secret smile.

"What?" Nicole asked

"Nothing. The boss seems to have a huge liking to you and something tells me you don't hate him either" she said casually but Nicole heard the tease underneath it.

"Oh Kelly!" she linked her arms with her new friend and pulled her out into the lobby where no one was there.

"What is it? I think you both will be great together" she said chirpily. "And don't worry, the word is already out there. Salim has actually made it quite clear that he wants you by threatening George from designs, who wanted to ask you out last week. The word spread like a fire and.... voila" she kept on ranting without looking at Nicole's wary expression.

"I have three kids" Nicole cried out loud to make Kelly stop the rant.

"So? Salim loves kids. I am sure he would be great with them, if you give him a chance",

"Chance? Kelly! They are my kids. I can't play trail and error with them. What if he can't accept them and they grow a liking towards him? What if he... I can't" she shook her head.

" I think you are thinking too ahead. You both haven't even been on a date and you already are thinking of your future?" Kelly chuckled. Nicole gave her a sardonic smile,

"When you are a single mother of three sons and there is a blade of constant worry for their future hanging on your neck all the time, you tend to become like me - a worrying brat", Kelly's expression turned grim. She didn't mean any offence which Nicole knew. She gave her friend a reassuring squeeze on her shoulders.

"Honey! But you are a mess and I can see that. Being with Salim and stil not being with him is taking a toll on you" Kelly said with concern.

"Tell me about it. Now you know how desperately I want to kill that man for making me work so near to him. I am so frustrated by the end of the day.... you havr no idea" she heaved a sigh of relief, as she was finally confiding in her friend. Though she already knew all of this.

"Trust me i know" Kelly said with a distant look and Nicole knew that she was thinking of Richard. She pitied her friend because she learnt a lot about that stone faced bodyguard of Salim and understood clearly how bad it must be for Kelly. Pinning for a guy who is just impossible.

"But don't you want him like.... you know?" Kelly asked slowly after regaining her composure as if she was afraid that her question might hurt Nicole.

"I am just being a mother and sometimes it shouldn't matter what I want" she said with a sigh and with that walked back into her cabin.

****

Salim stood their listening to the whole conversation between his secretary and assistant. He frowned with understanding. So this is what she is afraid of, he thought ruefully.

He understood a few things. Like why she avoided any topic of her sons. How she never let him meet them or at least see them. She was scared that he might unintentionally hurt them or her. But she was so wrong. He would never let anything happen to her or her kids. Never.

He walked towards his cabin with purposeful strides. He knew what he want and how he is going to achieve it. But first of all, he need to give Nicole what she wants first.

As soon as he stepped in, he saw that Nicole was sitting at her desk and reading todays newspaper. She looked up when Salim walked towards her desk, "you want something?" She asked as she saw him walk closer towards her. Way too close.

Salim watched her intently for any sign of fear or remorse, but all he found was a sense of excitement and passion.

She looked at him the exact way he always wanted her to look at him, with want.

"What are yo-" That's how far she got before he claimed her lips in a passionate seering kiss. Their lips melted into one.

****

It would be an understatement to say that Nicole was shocked. One moment she was determined that she wouldn't give into her desire and do anything stupid and the other moment she was kissing her boss.

And it was not just kissing, it was passionate and full of desire. She moaned into the kiss giving Salim an opportunity to invade her mouth with his tongue. He kissed like a man possessed, with so much hunger that she immediately felt wanted and desired.

Somewhere in the back of her mind a voice was calling her. Asking her to stop, that this isn't the way she was supposed to behave and her parents would be so ashamed of her right now.

And as soon as she heard that voice instead of pushing him away, she pulled him closer by yanking at his shirt. Why the hell should I care what they think or anybody think? I want this and nobody can stop me from doing this.

Salim pulled her up from her chair, their lips still dancing the tango, he walked them back towarda his desk and pushed her on it. She sat on it, as salim started to work on the buttons of her blouse.

Think about your kids...!!!! A voice yelled and the reminder was enough for her to push Salim back with all the force she had.

Salim stumbled a few feet back and stood there panting as if he ran a marathon. Nicole was no better, she too was panting, rather heavily. She slid down the glass table and started to button up her blouse. "I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this" she started to rant continuously.

Salim recomposed himself and ran his hands through his hair. "You want me" her head snapped to him and she stared into those deep pools of darkness. She would have happily drowned in them if the same nagging voice hadn't reminded her of her kids again.

"No no no... this isn't happening. I cannot" she mumbled and fiddled with her dress, trying to smooth the creases.

"You want me" Salim repeated, as it started to annoy her, he simply added, "as much as I want you".

Her heart skipped a beat at his confession. He wanted her? A mother of three? A cafe owner? A nobody with no college degree? Her?

She looked into his eyes again and realized this want was carnal and not emotional. "trust me, I would be jumping your bones if the situation was any different" she said smoothing down her hair.

"Then why aren't you?" He asked. Nicole pulled her hair into a pony tail and sevuted it with a band. She decided to ignore the question, thinking Salim would leave it at that, but he had different plans.

"Tell me" he turned her by her elbow to face him

She sighed in resignation, "my kids...." she shook her head not knowing how to explain, "I am a mother. A single mother of three kids. My hands are full. There's just no room for a relationship" she said looking into his eyes, hoping he would see her point.

He stared at her with such intensity that she felt her heart getting heavy. Her throat constricted and her eyes started to sting. Oh god! Don't let me cry. Please. And then he spoke the words which she needed to hear.

"But I do. I have enough room for all four of you" .