CHAPTER 34

Eric

I couldn't concentrate on my computer screen. I leaned back in my leather chair and took a deep breath. Feeling unsatisfied, I got up and strolled to the window, watching vacantly at a helicopter flying by.

Harper sat opposite my desk, dictating what I had said into notes. She finished the last sentence effortlessly. I'll give it to her; she did her job well. She was efficient and reliable. Something I wanted and needed.

I turned from the window and watched her delicate manicured fingers writing forth across the lined pages. I observed her fashion lately too. My eyes dropped lower, her dark pantyhose shimmered against her legs, her feet enclosed in black heels. A simple classic purple dress clung to her body. Her hair a messy braid.

She looked good. She looked pretty this afternoon.

Her dark brown eyes looked up to me, she creased her eyebrows briefly, catching my gaze. And gave a warm smile.

"We all done." She said.

I gave a firm nod. "Good. You can leave and carry on with work at your desk."

"Okay, just going to get some vanilla latte at the café. Let me know if you need anything?"

"Sure." I nodded.

Harper picked up her blue notebook and laptop and left my office. I felt a sense of comfort knowing she's always a door away and always will be.

I heard faint talking coming from beyond my open doors, the voice of my brother grew slightly louder as he approached.

"Hey bro," Jesse grinned. "What's going on?"

"Hey. I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow's Human Resource meeting?" I questioned. But nonetheless happy to see him.

"Yeah, well I'm up to my eyeballs with HR reports right now, it's a busy time for us you know." He jeered.

I chuckled, "It's a busy time for us all."

"I heard about Mr. Williams," he gritted through his teeth. "Dad is taking it pretty bad."

I rubbed the side of my temple at the mention of my client's name. "I worked out a plan to get him back, and see how that works out. But if he doesn't want to be our client, so be it. It's just the way it is. There are other clients with loaded cash out there." I groaned.

Jesse shrugged. "Anyway, since it's late afternoon and if you not busy. You wanna grab drinks, before seeing dad at tomorrow's meeting?"

I leaned back at my chair and studied Jesse. My face broke into a grin. "Sure, there's nothing urgent right now, why not brother."

I got up from my seat and walked out the office with Jesse, along the way I  gave him a playful punch on his shoulder.

"Ouch that hurt." He whined.

"You need to toughen up." I chuckled and rubbed the top of his dark brown hair.

"Cut it out." He sighed. Being a foot taller, I was way stronger than he was. "Hey, I've seen Violet. She's still looking good; I can't believe the transformation. You think she'll go out with me to the gala if I ask her out?"

I gave an even harder punch to his shoulder, as we exited the elevators walking into the reception area.

"Fuck man!" He squealed, rubbing his sore spot.

"Sorry Jesse." The punch was harder than what I expected and didn't mean to hit him that hard, surprising myself. "And to answer your question about Violet. She's unfortunately taken by the IT guy."

Jesse frowned, "Who's the IT guy?" He frowned.

I stopped and turned to him. "Exactly!" I answered.

But Jesse's gaze looked beyond my left shoulder, towards the office building main entrance. "Is he the IT guy?" He asked, giving a nod.

I looked towards his direction. Harper stood with Jake at the reception table. He held both her hands, caressing them between his fingers. He leaned his face beside her cheek, whispering something in her ear that made her shy and giggle flirtatiously. Her free hand touching his arm.

This was the first time I had seen Harper and Jake together like this!

And she was fucking flirting!

I didn't know what the fuck he told her, but I didn't like the way he was looking at her right now, biting his fucking bottom lip. I knew that look well, like she's the ignition and he's the fucking key!

And the worse part of it, was that Harper was FUCKING LIKING THIS SHIT!

My body went rigid!

My jaw clenched up!

Agitation threaded through me. I felt annoyed as hell!

The green-eyed monster stirred its ugly head. A rare and raw emotion that I hardly felt. Something I hated most.

"Uh, Eric are you okay?" Jesse asked deliberately.

I glanced briefly at his confused face. But I couldn't answer him. My eyes stuck on this perfect happy couple image shit in front of me. The fucking IT guy didn't even know Harper!

"Eric? I take it that's the IT guy?" Jesse tried to get my attention. "Bro, it looks like you jealous or something?"

"Harper!" I commanded. Ignoring that gnawing emotion, that my damn brother just picked up on.

Harper jerked from Jake. Her head snapped to me; her eyebrows slightly raised.

"Eric?" She stammered.

I didn't know what the hell to say right now. "I need you to get the..." Fuck I needed to think of work to do. "... the Royal Brokers on the line pronto." I knew they were hard fuckers to get hold of. It would keep her busy for some time.

She frowned and nodded. "Oh okay, I'll get them on the line for you."

"Good!" I snapped. My eyes shot Jake a glance, he looked at me with an unreadable face and then turned his sights to Harper.

My face turned to a dumfounded Jesse. "Sorry brother. Maybe a drink over the weekend? At my place. We could watch the game."

Jesse placed is hands casually in his trousers and sighed. "Okay no problem, your place this Friday night?"

"You got it." I began to walk away, but Harper didn't follow behind.

She was talking to Jake and glanced nervously at me.

I gritted my jaw, waiting impatiently for her. She left Jake and approached me quickly.

"I'm sorry, duty calls. I'll see you tonight." Harper called out to a solemn faced Jake.

The IT guy and I stared at each other. I looked at him and he glowered at me, while Harper stood behind. Unspoken words of mistrust and suspicion hung between us. I narrowed my eyes, and drilled into him. Jake turned and trudged away, exiting the main building doors.

The corner of my lips twitched up, as I returned to the elevators with Harper at my side. The way it should be.