Chapter 7 Must be Crazy

For the umpteenth time that night, Elliot cursed under his breath.

He tried helping Audrey stay upright, but Audrey wasn’t making it easy.

After finishing the paperwork at the front desk, Elliot grabbed her arm to guide her to the elevator.

Of course, Audrey had other plans. She suddenly laughed loudly and pulled away. "Mr. Harrington, you’re so tense... don’t be so serious!"

"I’m not tense," Elliot snapped, grabbing her arm again and guiding her toward the elevator.

When they were inside, Audrey babbled on about random things that didn’t make much sense.

"Mr. Harrington, do you know..." Audrey paused, staring at him until Elliot turned to face her.

Her disheveled and seductive appearance made it even harder for Elliot to stay focused. He couldn’t stop himself from praying for the strength to stay in control.

"You’re so handsome, you know..." she said, leaning closer, tilting her head and giving him a half-lidded stare.

Elliot nearly choked on his breath, coughing softly, trying to turn his attention anywhere else.

But Audrey didn’t stop there. "So... which girl is lucky enough to get Mr. Harrington? Hmm? Is it me? Ow... but I’m your secretary..." She giggled and rested her head on his shoulder, completely unaware of the boundaries.

Elliot tensed up even more, his face warming and his heart racing. He tried his best to stay calm, especially with his body reacting. Truthfully, he wasn’t used to such awkward situations, especially with his own secretary.

The ride to the suite floor felt like hell, and Elliot sighed in relief when they finally arrived.

He quickly led Audrey out and toward the room he had booked. But the journey wasn’t without disruptions.

Every time they walked, Audrey kept grabbing his arm or trying to hug him, making Elliot falter and his thoughts spiral out of control.

"Elliot…," Audrey suddenly murmured, her voice a little more serious now. "You're... stubborn... like a brick wall... and your mouth needs a filter! But... I... I like you!"

Audrey chuckled softly, and before Elliot could react, she tripped over her own feet. Instantly, he caught Avery before she fell.

Elliot immediately felt Avery’s warm breath near his neck, and his heart reaced even faster.

Everything was truly a mess!

Carefully and patiently, Elliot finally carried her toward the hotel room. The man sighed heavily, grumbling internally while trying to ignore the sheer intimacy of their proximity. This situation was truly far from what Elliot wanted, or was it?

"Am I heavy, Sir?" Audrey asked suddenly, giggling. Her innocent laugh in Elliot’s ear made the man lazily roll his eyes.

"Heavier than an elephant!" Elliot retorted curtly, though he knew her weight was far less than the weights he lifted at the gym.

Audrey pouted, her lips twisting into a funny frown.

Seeing his secretary's expression, Elliot could only sigh deeply, fighting the desire slowly rising within him while feeling amused at the same time.

Once they reached the room, Elliot carefully placed Audrey on the edge of the bed. He sighed in relief, calm for the temporary distance from her.

Elliot was about to take off her crooked glasses when her hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.

Audrey looked at him with a confused, furrowed brow. Elliot met her gaze seriously, raising one eyebrow.

"Do you plan to sleep with your glasses on?" he asked, his tone slightly commanding.

Audrey pursed her lips again, as if wanting to protest, but finally released his wrist. He successfully removed her glasses and placed them on the nightstand.

"Take off your blazer. You’ll sleep more comfortably," Elliot said, taking a step back.

Though reluctant, Audrey obeyed his words. She muttered quietly as she tried to remove her blazer, making Elliot smile again.

"Even drunk, she listens to me," Elliot thought, amazed by her obedience.

Audrey, in her drunken state, struggled with the blazer. Elliot grew a bit frustrated and quickly helped her. But every time he tried to pull the blazer off, her head tilted to the side, her body swayed, and her hands waved aimlessly.

Elliot sighed heavily, trying hard not to lose it then gently but firmly grabbed Audrey’s arms to stop her movements.

"Can you stay still for a minute?" he hissed, glaring at her.

Audrey froze, meeting his gaze with hazy, half-open eyes, her lips pressed together.

Their eyes met, so close now, and Elliot felt his heart race faster. Instantly, the room around them had gone silent, only their breathing sound making the tension grew.

This time, Elliot didn't curse. Unconsciously, the man drawn closer, as if an invisible force was pulling him.

The man's focus instantly dropped to his secretary's pink lips.

Elliot could no longer resist the urge to bring his face closer, like a magnet drawing him near, to reveal the feelings that had been buried in those indecent dreams.

But just as he was about to be swept away, Audrey let out a small giggle.

That sound instantly waking Elliot from the nearly uncontrollable desire.

"You wanna kiss me, don't you, Sir?" Audrey whispered with a mischievous smile.

The young CEO's face flushed crimson instantly. He pulled back, feeling thoroughly caught.

"Don't be so conceited! You're drunk! Go to sleep!" Elliot muttered, shaking his head, trying to hide his blushing face.

The man took a long, steadying breath, attempting to calm his still-pounding heart. Grumbling, he tried to focus and reached for Audrey's blazer again, extending his hand very cautiously.

As Elloit's fingers touched the fabric, he felt its softness, but what imprinted on his mind was the warmth of Audrey's body through the thin layer of material.

He felt his chest and throat tighten. The same went for the area below his stomach.

Damn it, Elliot! Get your grip!

Slightly rushed, Elliot immediately stripped off Avery’s blazer and tossed it carelessly onto the edge of the bed. He bent down to remove her shoes. As his hand touched Avery's ankle, he felt his heartbeat become even more erratic.

This was the first time Elliot had seen a woman's legs this close and this exposed, leaving him frozen for a few seconds. There was something profoundly intimate in the touch, especially wrapped in black stockings, his thoughts spiraled further.

At that moment, he regretted his decision to do this utterly unnecessary thing!

Elliot quickly finished his task, trying to control something that was growing increasingly hard to contain.

Once he made sure Audrey was comfortable on the bed, Elliot stood for a moment, watching her sleep. She looked nothing like the cheerful, teasing woman who had kept him on edge all night.

He sighed, a small smile curling his lips. He briefly thought about leaving but couldn’t bring himself to leave her alone, especially in her drunken state.

Should I call Laura? Elliot pulled out his phone but then sighed again. He wasn’t sure Laura would keep it quiet. It would probably stir up a mess, especially with his mom.

After hesitating, Elliot decided to stay. Slowly, he pulled the chair closer and sat down by the bed, watching Audrey sleep. Despite the weirdness of the night, he realized he didn’t want to be far from her.

I must be crazy…