a
firecracker than I’d anticipated. Maybe if she wasn’t quite so
gorgeous when she was flying off the deep end, I'd be able to
resist her, but right now; the temper, the chase, the excitement—it
was killing me not to take her then and there.
“Where are you
going? You can’t just walk away; we’re talking” she shouted after
me.
“No Inta, we’re
not talking. You’re shouting at me, and being completely
irrational, all I’ve done today is try to help you. You’ve hit me
more times than I can count, hurled abuse like a drunken sailor,
and argued with me every step of the way. You’re lucky I’ve been
this patient and you’re damn lucky I’ve held my temper, which is
more than I can say for you. So, if you’re not going to let me help
at least give me some goddamn peace!”
Stomping away
to the front desk area, I silently prayed that she wouldn’t leave
but at the same time I’d had just about as much as I could take.
All this time I’d wanted a woman who’d keep me on my toes and now
my wish had been granted, but I couldn’t have her. Damn these
employer-employee boundaries, they were messing with my life.
I’d been
working for a solid hour before she came to my side.
“My shoes are
not ridiculous Dominic” she stated with unquestioning
sincerity.
“Seriously,
Inta? You’ve sat there for an hour and that’s the best you’ve come
up with? How about I’m sorry Dominic for being rude, for punching
and hitting you, for swearing at you, for palming you off with a
pathetic one-liner” I retorted, incensed at her and at the same
time finding her stubbornness a major turn on.
“You have no
furniture in your office. Do you want me to order some?” she
offered, completely oblivious to everything I’d just said.
“Inta. You are
driving me fucking insane, you know that right?”
“No, I didn’t”
she replied quietly, “I don’t know how else to apologise, I know I
was out of line earlier and I’m sorry. I’d like to help you though,
what can I do?”
“Office
furniture would be great. I don’t really know what I need, but I
was thinking at least another desk chair, a couple of armchairs and
maybe a futon if one will fit in there. You'll have to measure up;
there's a tape measure on my desk ” I replied, letting out an
exhausted sigh.
“Consider it
done” she said, turning back toward the office. “Hey Dominic, why
do I piss you off so much? I know I can be a pain in the ass but
you seem—“
“You piss me
off because you’re the absolute pain in the ass I’ve been looking
for all my life and now that I’ve employed you, I can’t have you.
I’m more pissed at myself than you, but lets just say you’re not
making it any easier for me.” I blurted out, surprising even myself
at my directness.
“Oh. So, is
this some kind of employer rule you’ve got, Dominic?”
“Something like
that, yeah. Now are you going to order this furniture or not?” I
retorted, desperate to end the line of questioning.
“Is this rule
of yours written down somewhere Dominic?” she asked genuinely.
“No, it isn’t.
I’m not much of a fan of rules to be honest.”
“Good. Neither
am I” she replied before turning and heading back to my office, her
ridiculous shoes squelching the entire way.
CHAPTER
FIVE
We’d been flat-out again all week. I’d expected our
second week to be quieter but if anything we’d actually gained more
momentum. I was spending up to ten hours a day tattooing and trying
to fit the operations of the studio in around that. At this rate,
I’d need another artist on staff just to keep up, two more if I
wanted to increase business.
Inta and I
hadn’t had a chance to speak much during the past week though I’d
been sub-consciously paying attention to her every move; feeling
her energy with each passing moment. Without even realising, she
had somehow seeped into my every thought. I woke thinking about
her, worked with her next to me all day, and I drifted off to