Chapter Seventy Eight: feelings...

Amanda noticed Laura standing almost behind Ray, she must have figured that there was a little problem between her guard and Raymond.

"IF SHE ASKS THAT LEAVE HER SPACE, THEN YOU LEAVE HER SPACE WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED!

Amanda didn't expect such rage coming from Raymond, especially considering the fact that he barely flared up about anything.  

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Amanda's gaze had immediately become warm and fragile, Ray would never let anyone hurt her, she just realized that.

She nodded innocently before moving her gaze to Laura who seemed to be observing everything. Her expression was calm and observative, but she also looked like she thought the situation bizarre. Her gaze rested on Amanda softly but Amanda could see that she had questions. Questions that any other person would have. 

Why was the calm and collected Raymond Blazzer all in his feelings about his assistant? A question even she was not sure what the answer was.

The guards most have noticed how Laura had nothing to say about what they were instructed to do before they finally took the exit.

At this point, the room now habited just the three of them as silence befell them, an awkward silence.

"So sorry about that," Amanda said, rendering an apology to Laura for the little drama that just transpired. 

"Mmm," Laura let out with a brief fake smile before making her way back to Ray's office without saying a word. 

"Are you sure you are good?" Raymond asked, reaching and holding her arm.

"Yes, thank you," she let out a smile, taking her gaze into Ray's office to sight Laura who had sat back on the chair across Ray's table and slightly took a peek at them.

'Oh, this isn't good,' she thought.

Ray had let go of her arms before making his way into his office.

Raymond sat back at his office chair, looking in Laura's direction who now seemed to be awkwardly quiet. Not like she had ever really been a talkative.

He knew how what happened looked like, but he cared little about what she thought. Besides, she had come here to apologize for her actions during her book lunch, so he clearly didn't owe her anything.

She'd should do well to speak to her over zealous guards about how to act, because he would not condom anyone laying hands on Amanda even as a joke.

He understood they were doing their job, but they weren't employed to work in Amanda's office. 

"So, uhh..., I... I will now take my leave'" she said as she reached her purse which she dropped on the second chair just beside her. 

Raymond didn't feel like he owed her anything, not even a kind gesture, but she seemed like a good person, a sweet person even. She even promised to release a media statement debunking all the rumors and clearing the confusion about whether she initiated the kiss or not.

She was thoughtful and didn't want him in any more mess than he already is.

"I hope you were not put off by the incident that just happened," He asked, trying to be nicer to her, especially because she had also been nice to him.

"I understand why it had to happen," she said with the same fake smile, giving him a brief stare before standing on her feet.

Raymond knew that she was faking being okay, but he aimed to make sure that she was completely okay and not faking it.

"How about having dinner over that book review you asked for at your book launch?" 

She paused, and he knew that would do it for her.

"I guess I can't refuse that," she made her way out of the chair, placing it back.

"Sometime next week?" He asked.

"That will be fine," she said with a smile that didn't look fake this time.

She reached inside her bag, took out her card, and stretched her hands towards him. 

"You can text me the venue," she said as he reached for her and collected the card.

"Sure will," he responded.

Amanda had just bid goodbye with Laura, she seemed normal and was still very polite to her.

About an hour later, Raymond called her into his office after a while, he needed her to sort documents for him while he attended to something else. 

She sat across from him and got to work. But, between the different eye contacts and skin brushing, she found herself a little distracted and flushed by how much distracted his gaze could cause her. And it was as if he was constantly looking at her intentionally, just because he knew what it did to her. Their hands had brushed again when she reached the pen rack to write a figure down. He was probably reaching for a pen too, but now, both their hands just froze. Ray's hand was resting on hers, their eyes simultaneously found each other. A wave of emotions now filled the air. Raymond almost abandoned his hand on hers which rested on the pen rack, like he had no plans of moving it. Her slender fingers rested under his, his consuming gaze eating her up and for a moment she hated this large table that separated him from her.

"Guys! What's going on?" Tyler's voice now filled the room. He had gotten in from the interconnecting door. She slid her hands away without looking in Tyler's direction. Her gaze now fell to her laptop, back to the files she was sorting. She noticed Ray's attention move to Tyler who was moving towards them before he briefly gazed at her and then back at Tyler.

"What is it?" She heard Tyler ask. She wasn't sure if it was it was a displeased voice or if it was just the usual tome he spoke to Tyler with.

"Did you sort the issue with the big guys?" Tyler inquired.

"They acted a little uncivilized but it was sorted out," Ray responded before she noticed him adjusting on his chair. 

"Mm, I see," 

"What is it you are doing?" Amanda noticed that the question was for her, so for the first time, she looked up at him,"

"Just these Timeless LTD company records," she said.

"But, I'm almost done,  just right about now, she said. Punching the last key of the keyboard a little harder to she was done with the task.

"Oh, let me see," he asked moving closer to her, then took a look.

"Mm, impressive." He said as his attention was still on the laptop.

"Share it with me, Tyler, and the managers," Raymond instructed.

"Okay," she responded without taking a look at him, yes, and it was consciously. Because it was beginning to seem that his gaze felt like it was laced with something, like a hard drug that called you to it and you could never have control of yourself when you become addicted.

Amanda took to her heels and made her way out of their view.

Tyler moved to the couch in Rays office, falling on it and breathing out heavily in a relieved tone.

"So what was it that Laura wanted?"  Tyler raised his legs and placed them on the glass table in the center, before resting his head on the couch in a way that his gaze was now on the ceiling.

"To apologize," Raymond responded.

"Oh, that was the reason she gave?

She couldn't just call you to apologize?" 

Raymond rested on his chair, he saw Tyler's point, but he didn't think much of it.

His only concern was the dinner he had promised her, now thinking of it, he wasn't sure how he thought it through to promise her a dinner where he would review her book.

The displeasure and boredom he would feel that day was yet to be heard of. 

Laura was plain and almost didn't have a personality.  That aside, the major problem he should focus on is trying to read the book. Could he get himself to read the book before going out with her? He loved reading, he also had so many books he was yet to read, but since he started encountering some of the Rebecca issues, he was not able to seat and read for a while now. Though he was gradually thinking if going back to reading books, but would Laura's book be what he'd rather start with?

He sighed, adjusting his sitting position.

"What's wrong?

What is it? You look like a man who was asked to choose between two lovers who he equally loved."

Ray sat up before running his hands through his hair. "You can't love two people equally."

"I have been there before," Tyler argued.

"Only because you are confused and always confuse lust with love." 

"Ouch," Tyler let out in an impression that meant that Ray was attacking him.

"Maybe one could love two people, but not equally. Ray said.

One would always be genuine love and the other Luxury and maybe leisure." He added.

"Isn't it ironical how you know about love but yet don't offer it...," Tyler said nonchalantly.

I saw ishatu's, Naa's and Grace's reply to yesterday's question.

Thank you for giving a feed back!

A reminder, go and read "Mr. Devil And little Me!"