Page 3 of Taken By My Grumpy Pakhan

I fought the urge to fill the space with mindless rambles. I already hated awkward situations as it was but one with the man whose name slipped through your lips while you touched yourself was a different level.

A moment passed before I gathered the courage to look at him. Even in a pressed suit, he oozed raw strength. His jaw was set tight, molars flexing and relaxing while his eyes focused on the door like they were laser beams.

The flickering lights added a layer of mystery to his profile, making him even more imposing than he already was. I’d never been in proximity to him and the initial nerves I got from trespassing into his private space was slowly beginning to give way to an entirely different feeling. Something I had no business feeling towards him especially now.

Another curse escaped him as he retrieved his phone, tapping briefly before tossing it back into his pockets.

“Do you have anything that can work in here?”

It took a second for me to realize he was talking to me.

“Sorry?”

His expression soured the same way they did when he saw me. “Is that the only word you know?”

“No. Sorry.” I winced at the obvious error. “I didn’t… sorry.”

I shut my eyes, willing the floor to open and swallow me. What the fuck, Gen? Your job is literally to talk to people. How difficult can it be to talk to one man?

When I opened my eyes, Kazimir’s questioning look was on me. His question slowly took shape in my head.

“No.” I cleared my throat. “No, I don’t.”

Again, he dismissed me passively.

Way to go, Gen. You finally landed a moment with the man and you totally blew it. Now he must think he hired an absolute lunatic.

I exhaled gently, feeling my shoulders cave with the expired breath. My inner voice might be my biggest critic but she was also honest about one thing.

I’d prayed and fantasized about a moment like this. Matter of fact, one of my fantasies featured me in his office and now, after weeks of bad news, the universe was finally tossing me a piece of cake and I was completely fucking it up. I mean, what are the odds of being stuck in the elevator with the one man you’ve wanted so badly?

Another glance at Kazimir, tracing his features from his sharp cheekbones to his strong jawline. Confidence wrapped around him like a second skin, exuding pure male appeal.

A fire started in the pits of my belly as the temperature in the room turned up a notch.

His body slightly shifted to the right, revealing a smooth sliver of tan skin between his unbuttoned shirt.

A suit sans tie. My absolute kryptonite and his everyday outfit. I was shamelessly checking him out, my mouth dried of saliva, body humming with something I was too afraid to name.

His brows furrowed as he tinkered with his watch while my brain tinkered with the thoughts in my head.

“Live. Get out of my safety net and spend whatever is left of my life living, doing what makes me happy and try out everything I’ve always wanted to do.”

The words were neatly tucked in the last page of my diary but now they haunted me with a derisive undertone, daring me to make good on my claims.

The lights flickered again, taking a longer time to come back. Like something was giving me a silent countdown and indicating I was running out of time.

My heart thudded in my chest, sweat collected in my palm and the files I was clutching to my chest suddenly felt too heavy.

He was so close, close enough for me to make out the coffee in his cologne and flecks in his eyes. My stomach tightened into knots as blood traveled to a tiny nub in between my legs. It was now or never.

For the first time, I had nothing to lose. It didn’t matter how it turned out or if I lost my job. I already had less than two months to live, I might as well snag a memory to help me through the difficult days.

Maybe he felt me draw closer or felt the fragments of my emotions settling into a single agreement, Kazimir’s face lifted in my direction and I seized the moment before my head took over.

Standing on the tip of my toes, I closed the distance between us and sealed my lips over his.

I felt him stiffen. Time stood frozen, the interior of the elevator disappeared from my peripheral vision and the air thickened as I moved my lips against his rigid form.