Crossing the Line (5 page)

“Sorry,” he whispers in my ear, turning my
legs to jelly. He lets go and walks to the pool table, setting it up. I’m still
dumbstruck. His leisure room is home to his pool table, piano, drums and
guitar, two arcade games, two large round sofa chairs and half a back wall
that’s lined with shelves full of DVDs and video games. There’s no TV, but the
chairs are pointed to the end wall, so I guess a screen comes up from the floor
or down from the ceiling. He has another small screen on the wall, and if I was
feeling braver – I don’t want to break anything – I’d press a few
buttons and see.

I ignore the butterflies in my stomach and
swallow my lust. How much longer am I going to be able to resist him for? I
have no idea how I’m getting Dad’s car or even getting home, but I really don’t
care. When I’m with him, I don’t care about anything else. Aden smirks, raising
his eyebrows at me as he holds out the pool cue. I walk over to him slowly, and
neither of us take our eyes off each other.

Chapter Four

We play pool for a while and continue
drinking before Aden decided to put some music on. I’d not heard of the songs
before, but he tells me it’s a young guy he’s recently signed who will be
releasing his album next year. His voice – Harry Palmer’s – is
soulful, and I know it will be a hit.

He stumbles across his game room towards the
stereo, Harry’s voice is long gone, and we’ve been cruising through the late
nineties for the last twenty minutes. “What do you want, Millie?” he slurs,
giving me a cheeky smile and a wink.

“I don’t care,” I reply, already dancing
around the room, lost in the very end of Sweet Like Chocolate. When I dance, in
my head I look like Beyoncé, but I’m sure the reality is very, very different.
I don’t care, though.

The music stops as Aden finds something to
put on. I stop and wait. After a second, music blasts from the speakers and I
burst out laughing. He’s put on ‘Luv me, Luv me’ by Shaggy. “Don’t pretend you
don’t like it,” he teases, laughing and grabbing me around the waist. The
alcohol is telling me it’s a good idea to touch him so I run my hands up his muscular
chest and he pulls me closer. We’re chest to chest and his hands curl around
me, resting on my lower back.

We continue swaying against each other,
half due to the now slow music and half due to the alcohol sloshing around in
our system. I yawn as tiredness suddenly hits me like a bus. I know as soon as
I lay down I’ll be asleep.

“The room’s spinning,” I mumble. My legs
hit the side of the sofa; I take that as a much welcome sign that I should
sit so flop down onto it.

“Mmm hmm,” he mutters in reply to my
comment and sits beside me.

I slowly open my eyes, but I still can’t
see. Everything is dark. My head throbs and I groan. Why did I drink again? My
stupid mouth feels like I’m swallowing sand. Why can’t I see? I lift my head up
a little, and my eyes widen in shock. My head was resting on something very
comfortable – Aden’s lap!

I shoot up, embarrassed, and my head swims.
Oh my God please, please let him have fallen asleep before I laid my head in
his lap. Of course knowing my luck I would have dropped first. When did we even
move to the living room?

Trying to be quiet by tiptoeing towards the
door, I grab my bag and attempt to leave before he wakes up. What the hell do I
do now, though? If I go, he will know I run off in the morning. I pace around
the kitchen, trying to come up with a plan.

Okay I can just act normal. He possibly
doesn’t know that I slept on him, and he was as drunk as me last night. I take
a deep breath and grab two mugs from the cupboard so I can make us both a
strong coffee. He’s in the same situation as me, so there is no need for any
awkwardness or quick exits.

Aden is still sleeping on the sofa in the
same position I left him in when I walk back behind the wall. I put the coffees
down and gently nudge his shoulder. “Aden,” I whisper. He stirs a little,
frowning and groaning, and then his breath-taking blue eyes are staring at me.

He looks confused for a second before
understanding crosses his face and he sits up. “Hi,” he says sheepishly. Okay
not just me wanting to die of embarrassment this morning then.

“Hi. I made you coffee,” I say, handing him
the mug.

He takes a sip straight away, flinching as
it burns his mouth. Just came out of a boiling kettle! I sit down beside him
but leave a big gap between us, even though I just want to get back on that lap
and snuggle down.

“Thanks, Millie.” His expression suddenly
changes to a huge smirk. Oh no. “So how did you sleep last night?” he asks,
trying not to laugh. I love how his eyes sparkle when they’re amused, even if
it’s amusement is mostly always at my expense. Oh God, he knows I fell asleep
on his lap first.

My face bursts into flames, but I try to
remain casual and unaffected by taking a very small sip of coffee. “Fine,
thanks. What about you?” I’m just going to pretend it didn’t happen.

He chuckles and I’m rewarded with the barely
there dimple. “I slept fine.”

I shrink back in the sofa hoping to
disappear as we drink in silence. Out of the corner of my eye I see him
smirking still, and I want to throw something at him but, thankfully, I’m still
very aware that he is my boss.

I instantly start worrying that we’re
ignoring last night but should talk about it. We should clear the air. After
all, we have to work together. Unless, of course, he is about to fire me. I
take a deep breath.
Please don’t fire me.
“Look I’m sorry about last night, I shouldn’t have gotten drunk. It was incredibly
unprofessional and-”

“Millie,” he says, holding his hand up.
“It’s fine, really. We’re both young and not our parents.” I can’t help smiling
at that. We certainly are not our parents – fortunately. “We can make up
our own version of a professional relationship. Getting drunk is fine, as is
sleeping with your head on my lap.” His grin could light up a Christmas tree. I
groan while he laughs.

He finishes his coffee, still chuckling
occasionally and then goes to have a shower before taking me back to the office
so I can pick up Dad’s car and go home to get ready. I am so ready to be home
– not something I though I’d ever think. I’ve had enough embarrassment to
last me the rest of my life, and it’s not even seven a.m. yet.

We pull into the car park, and I suddenly
really realise that I took Dad’s car yesterday. It’s one of the only ones here
as it’s still early. Aden looks at me, and a huge grin spreads across his face
as he figures it out. “That’s your car?”

“It’s my Dad’s,” I reply quickly. “My
brother’s car broke down, blocking mine in so I had to take one of his.” I
explain, ignoring him laughing next to me.

“Your dad has one of the biggest garages I
know so what made you decide to take that one?”

“I did not decide to take it! I grabbed the
keys without realising and didn’t have time to go back and swap them without
being late.”

“Right,” he says, winking. I roll my eyes
and walk to Dad’s car to go home, desperately needing a shower and change of
clothes. It’s only when I start the engine that I stop hearing him laugh.

The front door opens as soon as I get to the
top step, and my mum is standing in front of me – looking royally pissed
off. “Morning, Mum,” I say casually, giving her a quick smile.

“Morning Mum?” she repeats.
Uh oh.
“What on earth do you think you
are doing, Amelie? Get in the house before the neighbours see you.” She pulls
me inside and closes the door. I want to mention that over the gates, high
walls and perfectly landscaped gardens there was no way anyone will see me.
“Where have you been? It is completely unacceptable for you to come home at
this hour.” Her voice gets louder and louder as she goes on.

“I was at a friend’s, Mum, but sorry I
didn’t call.” I try to walk past her and refrain from bitching about how I
shouldn’t need to tell her where I am because I’m an adult – though I
usually did text out of courtesy – but she steps in front of me. We’re
having a showdown now?

“It will not happen again, Amelie,” she
says, her lips thin, and she looks like she’s sucking on a lemon – her
serious, no nonsense expression. “How do you think it looks with you coming
home in the early hours dressed in yesterday’s clothes?”

Oh lovely, she’s only concerned with how it
looks rather than the fact that I could have been murdered last night.
Charming. The worst thing is, I’m not even surprised.

“Now go and see your father. He’s in his
study on his laptop, buying you a second car.” She walks off, and I’m left
stunned. What? Dad’s buying me another car? Okay as far as punishments go, I’ll
admit; this one isn’t bad. I don’t need another car, though. I still feel
bad over the price tag of the first one they bought me.

I hurry to Dad’s study, hoping to catch him
before he’s done anything so I can stop him. I really do not need another
car; I just need my idiot brother not to block in the one I have.

“Ah, Amelie,” he says, giving me a fleeting
smile. “Come and choose one of these please.” He nods to his laptop screen,
turning it slightly so I can have a better look.

“Thank you, Dad, but I really don’t need
another car.”

“The BMW or the Audi? I think the Audi but
which one do you prefer?”

I shake my head at him. Did what I just
said go straight over his head? “Dad, honestly, I appreciate it, but I don’t
need another car.”

He sighs in frustration. Why the hell is he
getting frustrated? I’m saving him a hundred grand! “Amelie, please don’t
argue. Your mother and I have discussed this, now if you have no preference I’ll
just order you the Audi,” he says with authority, furrowing his eyebrows as if
a conversation with me is the most painful thing in the world.

I’m not going to win; he’s made his mind
up. I hate that they just throw money at everything rather than actually
dealing with it. When I was young, and Dad travelled all over for work, I would
cry and cling onto his trousers trying to get him to stay, and he would just
buy me something expensive toy. I’ve never wanted flashy, expensive cars and
gadgets; I just want a supportive, caring family.

Mum is exactly the same. I actually wanted
to spend time with her when I was little, but I only really saw her at dinner.
I wanted her to take me to the park; instead the nanny did. I used to beg her
to take me to play on the swings or go swimming, but she, apparently, hates the
smell of chlorine. There was always an excuse, and then a toy would turn up in
my hands. Neither of them understood that I wanted to spend time with them, but
that’s probably because they’ve never had a very good relationship with their
parents either.

“The Audi is great. Thank you,” I say and
sigh.

He nods once. “Alright, good choice.” The
laptop gains his attention once more, and I know we’re done. There isn’t
anything else he will have to say to me, so I leave and walk up to my room to
shower and get dressed for work.

I scrub my skin a little harder than
necessary, still pissed off with my parents. I don’t care about money and
possessions. No wonder they can’t relate to me at all; we’re too different
to get along. The sooner I get out of this house the better.

As I drive out of the big gates, I start to
relax. Things are getting worse with my parents, there’s even less talking
since I told them I have a job. It’s all business now, where before they used
to ask the odd question about my life.

I’m starting to hate living back there
again. University provided me with a certain amount of freedom, and I loved it
but getting my own place means that I’ll be completely free. I won’t be relying
on them for anything.

By the time I get to work, I’m in a bad
mood, courtesy of my parents, and I really don’t want to put up with Aden’s
Millie-does-stupid-things comments. I flop down on the chair at my desk just as
he walks in looking at his watch. “Pretty good timing. Thought girls took hours
to get ready.”

My mind is screaming fuck off, but I know I
can’t say that to my boss, plus it isn’t his fault. “I’m not like other girls.”

“I’ve noticed,” he replies with a chuckle.
“Your head okay?” I nod. “Good ‘cause we have a meeting in an hour. I’ll make
you a coffee.” He grins as he walks out, and I slam my head down on the desk.
This is going to be a long day.

I look up to see Aden standing in front of
me. I thought he left? “Good nap?” I take a deep calming breath and smile,
tilting my head.
Good one.
“We need
to go now.” Now? I look up at the clock and gasp. I had fallen asleep! Oh God
how embarrassing. My coffee is sitting on my desk looking cold.

“Oh no. Aden, I am so sorry,” I say, shaking
my head and standing up.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s my fault after
last night anyway.” He smiles, and I’m instantly lost in his deep blue eyes.
The dimple is sitting proudly on his cheek, and I want to kiss it. My body
heats up as he stares at me with such intensity desire pools down south.

I gulp. “You look like you’re going to kiss
me.” Why did I just say that?

He takes a small step closer, and we’re
almost touching. I feel the heat pouring off his body. “Maybe I am,” he
whispers, and for a second his lips brush lightly against mine. I have no time
to kiss him back or savour it before he steps back. “We should go now.” He
picks up a notepad and pen from my desk and leaves the office.

I’m frozen on the spot like an idiot. What
the hell was that? My boss just kissed me, and all I want is for him to cancel
the meeting and take me on those posh looking leather sofas in his office.
Meeting, Amelie!
I scream at myself and
finally manage to make myself move. I hurry after him, my face on fire as I catch
up with him in the hallway.

He stops at the end of the corridor and
manages to snap me out of my running my tongue over every inch of his body
daydreaming. “The one in the blue suit is Rupert, and the one with the hideous
red and yellow tie is Charles, he’s a complete pri-”