27

Chapter 27

"Are you ready?" Richard asked as I stepped out of his father's office. He was standing near the door, clearly waiting for me.

"Ready for what?" I asked, a bit confused.

"To get your things from the office."

I squinted at him. "Yes. Why do you ask?"

"I'm going with you."

"It's okay. I can manage on my own," I replied. "I don't have much in my cubicle anyway."

"Why is it that you always refuse help?" he asked, his voice laced with a growing irritation.

"It's not about refusing help. I just don't need it this time," I shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal of it. "Unless you don't trust me to go there alone?"

Richard was about to say something but decided to bite his lips in contempt instead. I bet it was something offensive.

"I'll bring the car around. Meet me at the porch," he said before walking off.

The short drive to the office was filled with a strange tension. Once we arrived, I went straight to my desk and began packing my few personal items into a small box. The weekend made the office feel eerily empty, just the soft hum of the air conditioning and the two of us in an otherwise silent building.

"I'm going to miss you here," Richard said suddenly, breaking the silence.

I paused mid-packing and glanced over my shoulder. "Are you just saying that out of formality?"

"Why would I do that?"

"I don't know... it's not like you won't be seeing me at home."

"Just take the compliment, Carl."

"Okay, thanks?"

It didn't take long for me to finish up. Once everything was packed, I handed in my keys and access pass to the admin office. The receptionist gave me a kind smile as she wished me luck. I took one last look around the familiar space, wondering if I'd ever be back

Down in the parking lot, I found Richard waiting in the car, leaning back in the driver's seat with his eyes closed. When I got in, he wordlessly started the engine. As we drove off, I noticed that we were heading in a different direction than usual.

"Where are we going?" I inquired.

"Dinner. Just the two of us," he said casually, not taking his eyes off the road. "And before you ask, I already told my dad. He's fine with it."

"Alright," I agreed. "Mind if I pick the place? There's somewhere I've been wanting to try."

Soon, we arrived at the outdoor mall, and parking was a mess, as expected. I could tell Richard was getting irritated—this wasn't his usual turf, and with no valet to make things easier, he had to wait, which only worsened his mood. To make the matters worse, someone snatched the spot we were patiently waiting for.

I managed to calm him down and after a frustrating search, we found a space in the farthest corner. Richard almost got into a confrontation with another driver who tried to take a parking slot again from us, but luckily, it didn't escalate.

The sky was looking gloomy, so I brought my umbrella just in case. I was right to trust my instincts, because the moment we stepped out of the restaurant, the rain came pouring down.

"I told you we'd need this," I said smugly, holding the umbrella over us. Richard had questioned it earlier, but now he remained silent as the rain drenched the streets around us.

As we walked, I had to hold the umbrella higher since Richard was so much taller than me, his head nearly touching the canopy. His warm torso brushed against me as we squeezed together under the small umbrella. It doesn't help that the rain was relentless since my shoulder quickly became soaked as it caught the overflow from the umbrella.

I inched closer to Richard, hoping to stay drier, but it wasn't enough. With the car still far off, I realized we might have made a mistake walking through this storm.

"This isn't working," Richard muttered, taking the umbrella from me. He lifted it higher, wrapping an arm around my shoulders, pulling me tighter against him.

The cold rain and wind swirled around us, but I felt a warmth creeping through me from the way our bodies are pressed together.

We trudged through the downpour until we reached the car. Richard, the unexpected gentleman, held the umbrella as I climbed into the passenger seat. It should've been the other way around, but he insisted on getting me inside first before circling to the driver's side.

Once inside, he tossed the soaked umbrella into the backseat and, without warning, started peeling off his wet clothes.

"What are you doing?" I asked, startled.

"Taking off my shirt. I hate sitting in wet clothes," he replied, pulling off his white tee in one swift motion, revealing his sculpted torso.

As he started the car, I couldn't help but stare. This guy is seriously hot.

"Carlton!" His voice snapped me out of my daze. "Yes?" I stammered, caught off guard.

"Put on your seatbelt please." he said with a smirk, clearly amused. I quickly buckled myself in, feeling my face heat up as I looked away, pretending to be interested in the rain outside the window.