Chapter 8

• For an instant, Emma became oblivious to everything around her. Her eyes became two round, hollow circles as she tried to process the words she had just heard.
• A tremor shuddered through her body, her lips gradually opened, so much so that the beginning of her teeth became visible. As much as she tried to digest what she had heard, it was simply impossible. Her? A simple secretary dating Leonardo White? What kind of bitter joke was that?
• "Are y-you s-serious, sir?" Her voice barely came out, her eyes full of deep perplexity didn't leave her boss for a moment. Him? Such an attractive man, asking her for a date? A nervous laugh escaped Emma's dry lips, it must have all been a joke, Leonardo liked to play pranks on her, she was sure that this was another one of the many he had played on her in such a short time.
• "What are you laughing at, Emma?"
• The woman's smile faded to nothing when she looked at Leonardo's serious face, there was not even the trace of a smile, not even a small one, not even his eyes, which were the first indicators that a smile was coming, reflected nothing: he was serious.
• "What y-you just t-told me... that was a b-joke, wasn't it?" She felt stupid because she wasn't even able to formulate the words correctly, a shudder came to her lips every time a sound emerged. Of course, it wasn't the first time a man had invited her to dinner like this, but it was the first time a man had invited her to dinner like this.
• "I'm not kidding, Emma" Emma opened her lips, she wanted to say something, but she chose silence and to think about her words properly, although she could not keep calm with Leonardo's expectant gaze fixed on her like needles spurring every part of her weak body.
• "I understand... you wants a business appointment," she told him, imploring inwardly that an affirmative answer was the only thing her ears would hear, instead; only a chuckle echoed in the quiet place, so quiet that Emma was sure her heartbeat could be heard by him.
• "Emma, you know very well what kind of date I'm talking about" The smile was erased from her face, it acquired seriousness and she looked at him, straight into those trembling eyes that, no matter how hard she tried, could not stay fixed on him. He felt a tremor on the woman's part when she again held his hands, which were throbbing, as if the most impetuous cold was taking place, even though an enormous and violent heat had taken presence, without previous warning. "It's just a date to get to know each other better".
• Every word Leonardo said set off a different tremor in Emma, who didn't speak, not because she didn't want to, but because the words had stuck in her dry throat. She needed water, she told herself, and that would be a good excuse to break the tension of the moment and maybe make the man reconsider. Did he really want to go out with her? Did he really want to get to know her better? Why? What for? There was nothing particular about her, there was nothing too different, or there was nothing that the others were not capable of giving Leonardo.
• "I'll go get some water," she announced suddenly, trying to stand up, but he stopped her in her tracks, forcing her to sit on the couch, "P-please... I really need the water".
• "I need an answer, Emma," asked Leonardo, the temptation to caress her face caused a tremor in his long fingers, but he decided to control it, "I just want to get to know you better, there will be nothing else, just a quiet night where we will talk".
• "But... what could a girl like me talk about with a man like you?" she asked him, looking at him with that perplexed look that announced no retreat, "We have nothing in common," she said frankly. "There's nothing interesting about me, sir... and-I..."
• "I just want to meet you".
• Leonardo was weaker than his impulses, he placed his right hand on Emma's thin cheek, throwing back her red hair, which was straight, even though more than once he had seen her with it curled.
• "There is nothing interesting about me to know," she said, trembling at his touch.
• "Why don't you let me find out on my own?"
• "I'm just your secretary," she clarified, trying to sound angry, but she only looked flustered and nervous, "You m-my boss... there's nothing you need to k-know about me... just that I'm a good employee... and you know that".
• The woman sighed as the caress on her cheek lingered. She was looking for him to let her go, but at the same time, she wasn't. She was unable to understand herself, her nerves were playing too dirty on her.
• "I want to meet the female Emma".
• "And which one do you k-know? The man?"
• A thin laugh escaped of Leonardo's lips, but she was unable to reciprocate it, she was too restless to do so.
• "I want to know more of that Emma who was afraid for blood a while ago, of that Emma who cursed, stepping out of her role of perfect employee, I want to know the female Emma, not my secretary, I want to know you... not that version of you who does a perfect job".
• Those words further clouded the woman's reason, making it impossible for her to breathe normally.
• She didn't know how to tell him that it would be frowned upon for him to date his secretary.
• "You're my boss, and if people see me dating you..."
• "I'll make sure dinner is somewhere out of the way from here" Leonardo removed his hand from Emma's cheek, then stroked those feminine fingers that had turned from sweaty to cold. "Nothing out of the ordinary is going to happen, Emma".
• ‘My boss asking me out is already something out of the ordinary,’ thought the girl, but she did not externalize anything.
• "Do you want me to order something to eat?" he suddenly questioned at the woman's silence, "Maybe it will help you think".
• "No, no... thank you, j-just give me some time..."
• "Time?"
• "Y-yes" She stood up and he didn't stop her. "I need to think about it".
• "What is there to think about, Emma?" She felt the man's long body rise to his feet. "It's just a date, Emma. It's not like I’m going to propose to you there" He laughed as he said the last, she didn't. Leonardo's hands traveled to Emma's shoulders, massaging them. A sigh escaped the tense woman's lips, he noticed. "Do you like it?"
• "Sir, I need t-think about it..."
• "What is it?"
• "The date," she said, as if it wasn't too obvious, "G-give me some time, p-please..."
• Leonardo looked at her, the women to who he used to propose an outing, never asked for time: they simply agreed. He was Leonardo White, one of the most eligible bachelors in that city, why would she think about it?
• Anyway, Leonardo did not seem annoyed by her words, on the contrary, he found Emma's way of reacting curious, and it had been just curiosity that had prompted him to propose that appointment. He found the nervous way she looked at him comical.
• "It's all right, Emma" Leonardo reached into his pocket, and when he pulled it out, she realized it was some kind of card that was handed to him. "Call me when you make the decision, or... I could call you".
• "No, I'll call you, s-sir".
• He smiled.
• "You know your number is in the company's data, don't you?" Leonardo laughed when he saw the surprise in her eyes, "I'll call you in thirty minutes for an answer," he warned her, she wanted to tell him that it was too short, but he didn't allow her to speak. "See you soon, Emma" A hug and a superficial kiss on the cheek was Leonardo's farewell to Emma, who was standing there, static, like a rusty piece of metal that needed movement, a strong blow to propel her. "By the way, are you sure you're not hungry? I could order something, and stay and talk abou..."
• "No, sir! I'm not hungry, y-you can go, t-thank you" She guided him to the door slowly, he smiled, there was no smile from Leonardo White that denoted any kind of innocence, he always seemed to have the ability to predict her next move, or to leave someone unarmed enough to not make the next one.
• "Goodbye, Emma," he said, adjusting his suit, "See you soon".
• Emma slammed the door shut, releasing the gasp of air she had unknowingly been holding in. Her body was so gripped by tension that dropping to the floor was the only alternative she saw. When her body touched the cold floor, she managed to feel more relaxed, but her heart was still beating with the speed of a beast, as if it sought to burst out of her chest and run away from her, to leave her alone with her indecision.
• She soon stood up from the ground and leaned out of the window, watching him get into his car, but before doing so, he stopped to say goodbye, gesturing with his hand. Emma closed the window, throwing herself back on the ground, like a little girl lacking ideas to carry out.
• She was just a simple secretary who had just been invited to a dinner party by her boss. What was the point?
• Immediately, her friend's words telling her that he was a womanizer resounded in her ears like thunder cracking the sky. It was likely that he just wanted to make fun of her.
• What interesting thing could a woman who barely spoke have? Nothing, he just wanted to tease her, she said to herself, stretching her head, then dropping onto her side.
• ***
• She didn't know how long she had been in that position, but she guessed a couple of minutes, when suddenly, she heard the message notification from her phone.
• She stood up.
• Number not registered.
• She opened the message.
• "Hello, Emma, it's me, Leonardo. Add my number, I hope to get a response".
• Emma did not respond to the message, nor did she save her boss's number, just threw her phone on the couch, and then threw herself on the floor once again in uncertainty.
• Refuse and lose a good job, or agree to go out with the most acclaimed womanizer and maybe end up with your stupid delusional heart. Which one should choose?
• Should Emma have agreed to go out on a date with the C.E.O.?
• She had to if she wanted to keep her job.
• Besides, it couldn't be that bad, what was the worst that could happen if she agreed to go out with him?
• "Maybe everything," she whispered to herself, curling her hands around her slender body.
• Her gaze rested on absolute nothingness, her empty eyes met and her mind raced violently in all directions.
• And it was after more than a full hour of analyzing it that Emma came to a decision.
• She stood up, clutching the cell phone in her hands and entered the unknown number that had written her that text message.
• Her trembling fingers traveled across the keyboard, typing the reply she hardly sent.
• "Yes, I agree to go out to dinner with you, Mr. Leonardo".