Zaria was about to go to sleep when her phone rang. She curled into the covers as she answered it sweetly. "Mr. Workaholic CEO finally has time for me." She teased him.

"When was I ever too busy for you?" He chuckled. "Were you asleep? Did I wake you?" He asked.

​​

"Of course. You interrupted me from dreaming about a handsome adonis." She joked.

"Then I'm glad I interrupted that kind of thing. You cannot dream of anyone who is not me." He joked, but she knew that he was serious about the last part. He was that jealous.

"What are you doing up so late at night anyway?" She asked.

"I could ask the same thing about you." He returned her question. "Are you pulling an all-nighter?"

"I thought I would but I don't need to anymore. I finished work sooner than I expected." She responded.

"I miss you." He groaned. Their schedules had been so different in the past few days that they had not seen each other in two days despite working on the same floor of Preston and Fort Group.

"I don't miss you." She teased him, chuckling when he groaned in complaint.

"Hey, will you be too busy the day after tomorrow, in the evening?" He asked.

"No." She shook her head even though he could not see her.

He sounded relieved. "I would like you to accompany me to a banquet."

She remained silent for a while. He almost thought she had hung up until he heard her sigh. "Okay…"

"Is anything wrong?" He asked. Had she forgotten an appointment she had already made that she just remembered now?

She tried to sound calm. "No. Just… nothing good has been happening at banquets lately." It might have appeared trivial but she still couldn't get over it.

He was relieved that it was just that. "I wouldn't ask you to come along if I wasn't certain that everything would be safe." He reassured her.

"Then I guess I don't have any excuse to turn you down." She chuckled.

He was about to say something in relief when her words sank in. He wanted to spank her for that. "Don't make it sound like you were looking for excuses to turn me down."

"What if I was?" She laughed slyly.

"Then you will get it from me tomorrow." She knew that he was smirking even though she couldn't see him. "I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight." She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

___

When he threatened to make her get it from him, the last thing she expected was for him to spank her butt as soon as he saw her. What made it worse was the fact that she had just gotten down from her car and there were other employees too! At least ten eyes just saw the CEO spank her in public! She wanted to drown in the ground in embarrassment. Seeing his smirk, she knew that he had done it on purpose.

"What was that for?" She glared at him when he pulled her into the elevator under the watchful gazes of the employees who had their jaws on the ground in shock.

"That's what happens to naughty assistants." He grinned.

"I'm not your assistant at the moment, remember? Are you telling me that's how you punish all disobedient assistants in the company?" She raised an eyebrow accusingly at him.

"Only if their name is Zaria Williams." He pressed a hand against the elevator wall to trap her. His other hand roamed the sides of her thighs before digging in between them. "And if she is wearing a skirt like this, I don't need her to make a mistake before I spank her."

Her black skirt wrapped around her curves in a way that made him hard with just a single glance. His hand moved up and she parted her thighs in silent invitation. He caressed the centre of her panties, which was probably not a good idea. It was a lacy thing and it was wet. "You are trying to kill me."

She chuckled. "And you're not?"

Her heart accelerated under his touch. She turned to glance at the green arrow on the door of the elevator, which showed which floor they were on. They only had six floors left.

He followed her gaze and turned back to her. "I need this. Right now."

"What?" Her eyes widened. He definitely didn't mean that, right?

"Your thong." He emphasized and glanced at the door to silently remind her that they were running out of time.

She chuckled. They could get caught, but that excited her. Bending slightly and letting him enjoy the view of her backside while she did it, she took off the pink lacy thong and stuffed it in his palm. He took a deep sniff that made her cheeks redden. He stuffed it into his pockets.

"Why do you need it anyway?" She asked.

"Every time I feel them, I'll think of nothing but the fact that you are wearing none." He curled a lock of hair around his forefinger. "That, and the fact that it will be easier to bend you over my desk and take you later." He was about to kiss her when the elevator dinged and slid open. He hugged her briefly instead.

"I'll send you a gown this evening."

"Okay." Her phone rang just as they stepped out.

"I' ll get this. See you later." She smiled and answered it as she entered her office.

"Hey, uh what? But I ordered it two weeks ago." She frowned when the store she had ordered something from called and informed her that the items were out of stock. "Okay." She hung up with a groan. Just what she needed.

…

That evening, she didn't expect to see Ryan waiting for her in front of her house when she arrived from work.

"Hey Zaria." He smiled when she got down from the car.

"Hey. I didn't expect to see you." She was a little awkward. In the past, she would have hugged him. But she couldn't anymore, knowing that she would take it for a platonic hug while he might think something else of it.

He sighed when he observed that she evaded his hug. "Of course you didn't expect me. You never said a word to me since you moved out. Did twenty years of friendship go down the drain?"

Seeing how awkward she looked at his question, he smiled. "Don't worry. I'm just joking."

"Oh." She forced a smile.

"Yeah. Anyway, it's Nina's birthday tomorrow. I thought you would want to know." He announced.

"I'm throwing her a small party in the hospital. Just me, her and the nurses."

Although he didn't outrightly say it, she knew that he was about to invite her.

"I'm so sorry. I can't make it."

She felt a stab in her heart seeing his disappointed face.

"Don't sweat it if you are too busy. I only told you because I'm sure Nina would like you to know." He rubbed the back of his head. "I'll not mention a word if she doesn't ask about you."

She knew he was trying to make it easier for her but she felt worse. Shit. Why did it have to be the same day as the banquet? It even had to be in the evening.

She slumped on the couch when she entered the house. She couldn't possibly turn down a girl who needed her, could she? It had been long since she last paid her a visit and that already made her guilty. She couldn't even drop by to wish her before leaving. A thought crossed her mind.

"That's right. I don't have to stay for the party." She smiled when she thought of the best thing to give her. Nina liked chocolate chip cookies.

"Chocolate chip cookies, coming right up!" She cheered and ran to the kitchen to start baking.

By the time she was done, it was already a few minutes to 11pm. She glanced at the clock and took a deep breath. She would make it, right? She arranged two cookies each in colorful cupcake wrappers. She then put them in a basket with a pink ribbon on its handle and threw in some chocolates. Certain that Nina would love it, she wrote a birthday note on a colorful post-it.

…

Ryan was about to leave the hospital when she ran into Zaria at the door. His brows furrowed. "What are you doing here?"