Saving Herself (Ch. 03)

CHAPTER 3

Marla was already at the office when he arrived Monday morning. He stuck his head into her cubicle and greeted her good morning, as if nothing had transpired between them. Busy at work, he tried to ignore her presence, but every time someone walked by to chat with her, he found himself enchanted by her lullaby voice. Shortly before lunchtime, she entered his cubicle and stood at the edge of his desk. She furrowed her brow and burned her gaze into his.

"I'm confused," she began. "What does it mean? Were you trying to be funny?" Her lips pressed together in a thin line of disapproval.

"I'm not sure what you mean," he answered.

She planted both hands on his desk and leaned forward. "I don't appreciate that kind of talk, Devin," she explained, "especially not at work."

Devin shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He felt bad about crossing an unspoken line. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean anything by it. I was just trying to..." He stopped. He didn't know what to say.

Marla's nostrils flared. "Trying to what? Make me uncomfortable by flirting with me, when I've made it clear that I'm not interested?" Her voice filled with agitation, drawing the attention of a nearby colleague.

Devin felt embarrassed and frightened. This wasn't going at all like he intended. "No, that's not what I meant," he said quickly. "I was just trying to lighten the mood. It was wrong of me, and I'm sorry." He looked down at his desk to avoid her accusing gaze.

Marla stepped back and put a hand on her hip. "I think you should focus on your work and leave the jokes to someone else," she reprimanded. "I don't need your attention and don't appreciate your inappropriate comments."

She returned to her desk. Devin watched her walk and wondered how she slipped into such a tight skirt. As badly as he felt about everything, he couldn't deny the feeling of his cock trying to get hard inside his cock cage. He knew he pushed things too far but hadn't expected such a strong reaction. He hoped his apology was sufficient.

At the end of the day, he mustered up the courage to speak with her again. He found her at her desk, gathering her things. "Marla," he said. "I want to say again how sorry I am. I hope you can forgive me."

She looked at him suspiciously. "I'm not sure what to think," she admitted, "but I appreciate your apology." She threw her car keys into her purse and looked at him. "I know I can be hard to deal with at times."

Devin felt a wave of relief. "Thank you," he said. "I'm sorry that I upset you. Maybe we can start over and get to know each other under better circumstances?"

"We'll see," she said and picked up her purse. As she brushed past him, he could have sworn she pressed her body a little too close for it to be an accident. On purpose or not, her perfume lingered in his nostrils. He grabbed his backpack and followed her to the elevator.

It wasn't unusual for them to ride the elevator together, but this time felt different. His heart pounded, as the door closed, leaving them alone together. It was only twelve floors but felt like an eternity. He did his best not to stare but couldn't look away. Her tailored suit left little to the imagination. His cock raged inside its steel prison. He was certain she could feel his arousal. They rode together in silence. The elevator reached the ground floor, and he followed her into the bustling lobby. He fell in step behind her, as they walked briskly to the exit.

"Marla, slow up," he called out. His voice was slightly breathless. "I hope we can put the incident behind us."

Marla glanced at him. Her expression was unreadable. "We'll see, Devin," she said. "I'm still not sure what to make of it."

She pushed through the revolving doors and stepped onto the busy sidewalk. He followed close behind.

"Look," he said. "I know I've said some things I shouldn't have, but I meant what I said about getting to know you. We work ten feet from each other, for gosh sakes."

Marla stopped and turned to face him. "Is that so?" she asked, with her arms crossed over her chest. "What exactly do you want to know about me? You already think I'm prudish and boring. At least that's what I hear about my reputation in the office."

Her words were harsh, but he sensed a hint of vulnerability in her voice. Looking at her, as if he were seeing her for the first time, he said, "I don't think that at all. I find you intriguing... and complicated." He reached out and touched her arm. "Let's grab a coffee or something."

Marla froze beneath his touch. It was a harmless gesture but felt uncomfortable all the same. Taking a step backward, she responded, "I don't know, Devin. I'm not in the habit of grabbing coffee with strange men." She looked around for an escape route and continued. "You know I have a boyfriend, right?"

Devin's emotions sank at her rejection, but he pressed on. "I know, and I respect that, but it's just two co-workers having coffee. No harm in that."

Marla bit her lower lip and considered his proposal. Perhaps she felt angry at her boyfriend for not coming into town to visit last weekend, or maybe she felt bored. She nodded with a small smile and said, "Alright, Devin. One coffee. But only because I'm feeling generous today." She stepped around him and headed towards a nearby café. "You're buying!"

Devin did everything he could to appear gentlemanly. He opened the café door and asked how she liked her coffee. When he found her at a table in the back, he handed her a small latte with oat milk. He tried to keep his eyes on hers, but her breasts rested on the table and were a huge distraction. He watched her sip her latte and focused on her face. "So, what do you like to do for fun outside the office?" he asked.

She took a long sip and licked the foam from her lips. "Oh, you know, the usual," she said. "Church, volunteering, spending time with my boyfriend." She set her coffee down and leaned forward. "What about you, Devin? What's your story?"

Devin silently cursed himself for his lack of rehearsal. He no longer felt comfortable revealing too much about his current situation. "Well, I'm pretty much a homebody," he replied. "Other than work, I go to the gym and hang out at home."

Seeing that she wasn't satisfied with his answer, he tried to shift the focus back onto her. "My life is boring," he insisted. "I'd much rather hear about you."

Marla fired back, "Oh, really? And what exactly interests you about me?" She crossed her legs, shifting the fabric of her skirt enough to give a glimpse of her thighs.

Devin was losing the battle of straying glances. Catching himself, he looked down at the steam rising from his coffee.

"I just meant that..." he strained to put a coherent thought together. "I don't know. I just think there's more to you than your office persona."

Marla laughed at his awkwardness. "Is that so?" she asked. "You think I'm hiding things?"

She felt in command of the conversation and took another sip. Her eyes bored into his over the rim of her coffee cup. Devin swallowed and kept talking. He felt disarmed but desperately wanted her to like him.

"I just get that vibe from you," he said, hoping flattery would soften her edge. "There's got to be more to you than work and church."

He took a deep breath and added, "Please don't get angry. I'm not an eavesdropper, but our desks are ten feet apart. Some of the things I hear you talking about stay with me."

Marla leaned forward, pressing against the table. "Well, aren't you the charmer?" Twirling a finger through her hair, she looked toward the window and commented, "I'm not sure you're ready for the real me. I'm not sure anyone is."

No one had taken an interest in her for a long time. Even her boyfriend, Randall, barely gave her the time of day the last time he was in town. All he could talk about was his new job and how much money he would pull down. Devin's attention felt nice. She reached out to touch his arm and said quietly, "Some secrets are best left hidden."

Devin shivered. He'd never seen her this way in the office. She was actually smiling. Her vulnerability softened him.

"I'm pretty unshockable," he assured her. "I try to be nonjudgmental and think I can handle whatever you tell me."

Marla leaned back to finish her latte and said, "We'll see."

Their conversation was at a tipping point. A number of questions ran through Marla's head. She finally mustered up the courage to ask, "That cage in the photo... does it really keep you locked down? No escape?" Her dark eyes held his. His pulse climbed with the anxiety of being exposed. He tried to come up with a plausible explanation, but the words got stuck in his throat.

"You don't have to answer that," she said. "It's your secret." She smiled to put him at ease and stood up. "Thanks for the coffee!"

Then, she left the café, with Devin's eyes on her hips, as she strutted out the door.