Chapter Text
You finally sat back in your office chair. A groan of regret leaving your lips as you felt the effects of your poor posture on your lower back. You tapped the phone screen on your right. 8:34pm. Way past quitting time. You closed out of your computer and began gathering your personal items. You heard the door to your office open and closed your eyes. You knew you should’ve left earlier.
“You got a minute?” your boss asked as he stepped into the room. “Sure let me clock back in.” you said as you plopped back into your chair. “Nice try, but you’re salary.” your boss responded as he approached your desk. “Whatever you’re going to ask me for I probably don’t have the time.” you said as you looked up at him.
“Please-” he began.
“I’m juggling five projects right now Ryan. I really don’t think I can take on another.” you gestured to the mountain of paperwork spread across your desk.
“Alright.” he shrugged as he turned to exit. “I guess I can find someone else to handle the Smith account.”
Now you were awake. “The Smith account? As in THE Smith account.” The Smiths were one of the most influential families in the hotel business. If you could secure the account you’d make a name for yourself within the company. The pay increase itself would be substantial. Not that you weren’t making good money now as it was.
“So now I’ve got your attention.” your boss said with amusement in his voice. You’d known Ryan in college as one of your professor’s assistants. You shared the same humor and got along surprisingly well. He helped you secure your first job at this company years ago and you’d been eternally grateful. “There’s just two small things. You’ll need to catch a flight to Miami this weekend and meet the eldest Smith son at one of their family resorts. They’ve been generous enough to cover your room and food while you’re there. It’s just a four day trip. You’ll be back before you know it.”
“Four days? I can’t. I’ve got Beefy at home. I’d have to hire a pet sitter.” you trailed off as you stared at the framed photo of your cat on your desk.
“I’ll watch him.” Ryan interjected maybe a bit too quickly.
“Any chance to steal my cat from me huh?” you sighed. “You’re really not going to let me out of this are you?”
“It’s the chance you’ve been wanting to move up in the company.” Ryan said gently. You shook your head knowing he was right and that this was the push that you needed.
“Wait, you said that there were two things. What’s the second?” you asked cautiously.
“Absolutely not.” you could feel your ears getting hot from frustration.
“Please, it's just for a few days. You’re telling me you can’t stand him for four days?” Ryan asked incredulously “You don’t even need to be in the same room as him besides meetings and dinners.”
“No!” you seethed as you shoved the last of your items into your bag. “He’s full of himself, he hates collaborating, and he talks to me like I’m an idiot.” you shoved past Ryan and began walking down the hallway.
“Look I’m sorry but they asked for you and Nanami by name. If you don’t go there’s no deal.” Ryan pleaded.
You stopped walking for a moment to lean your forehead against a wall. Closing your eyes you softly banged your head against the wall. “Fine, but I want the company card to pay for my drinks on this trip.”
“It’s all expenses paid as it is-” your boss started.
“Ryan, if you say another word I’m not going.”
Saturday came bright and early, your cat had been dropped off with Ryan the night before. You’d hoped he would be an angsty cat mess but this morning you woke up to a selfie of Ryan and Beefy sharing a piece of bacon. You sighed internally. At least your cat was going to have a fun weekend. Grabbing your suitcase and mentally running through your checklist you decided it was time to head out to the airport. You opened the front door and ran into something that felt like a brick wall.
Almost falling backwards from losing your balance a strong muscular arm latched onto you to settle you.
“Bit early to be drunk isn’t it?” a monotone voice asked.
“Sorry that I didn’t expect a brick wall to be on my doorstep first thing this morning.” you seethed as you adjusted your bags.
Nanami chuckled and stepped back allowing you to exit your home and lock up. “I figured we could ride to the airport together.” You looked at his sleek car parked in front of your house. “I was going to take a taxi.” you began to say. He waved off your sentence. “I’m already here and much cheaper than a taxi.” He scooped up your suitcase and bag before you could say anything and began loading them up in his car. “Door is unlocked if you want to hop in.”
You meekly climbed inside his car. Everything was in its proper place and pristinely clean. The warm leather seats helped you to relax a bit while the faint smell of air freshener wafted through the air. “Ocean scented?” you mused. The driver side door opened and Nanami climbed inside. Within a few seconds you were both on your way. The drive to the airport was relatively short and you passed the time looking out the window. You were okay with the silence, in fact you were used to it when it came to Nanami.
“I’m surprised you still remember where I live.” you said watching the scenery pass outside the window. You weren’t surprised at all actually. He watched everything like a hawk, even if he didn’t say much he was always processing his surroundings.
Nanami adjusted in his seat, his forearm tightening as he held the steering wheel. “To be fair you were a bit more drunk than I was when I was there last time.” he said, focusing on the road ahead of him. There was more that he wanted to say but he held his tongue. There was a deep heat that had begun to burn at your cheeks. You swallowed and kept your gaze out the window. You were going to be stuck with him the next 4 days and knew that if you didn’t say something now it would just loom over the both of you the whole business trip. You needed this trip to go well and didn’t need to be distracted. “I’m sorry again.” you said softly. You looked at him for maybe the first time this entire car ride.
“No need to apologize.” he said flatly. “You don’t need to apologize for what you feel.” his tone had grown slightly colder. You sighed, sinking into your seat. He was right, if he wasn’t worried about it why should you be?
“The fact of the matter is that we were two consenting adults that slept together. It happens every day. Nothing special about it.” He pulled into the airport parking garage and parked. He took the opportunity to look at you, there was something else in his gaze but it quickly faded. “It was just a quick fuck. I had no right to push my feelings on you like and for that I apologize.” he said looking into your eyes.
Your breath caught in your chest. You needed to get out of this car now. “You aren’t the first guy to profess his love for me after a hookup.” you said in a teasing tone hoping to change the mood back to something familiar. As Nanami grabbed the bags you followed him to the check-in area for your flight. Your mind raced the entire time. It was 2 years ago at this point, both of you freshly promoted at the company Christmas party. A few too many drinks led to a drunken make out session in the elevator. Which led to you both getting a taxi back to your home. It was the best sex of your life but when you woke up the next morning to him telling you how he actually felt about you, you got scared and shut him out. You always did it. It wasn’t like you didn’t have feelings for him at the time. You had always had a deep crush on the tall muscular blond man but something about him seemed so unattainable. You continued to see him at work, keeping things strictly professional, choosing to focus on his small flaws to help turn yourself off of him. But every now and then you found yourself wondering what if you had accepted his feelings and shared your own.
“I need your boarding ticket.” Nanami’s voice brought you back to reality.
“Here.” you passed it to him. Your fingers grazing his for a moment.
You both locked eyes waiting for the other to say something.
“I think I’m going to grab a drink.” The words jumped out of your mouth before you realized. Nanami raised his brow and shrugged. “Suit yourself, I’m going to find something to read on the plane. I’ll meet you back at the boarding area.”
You practically tripped over yourself trying to put distance between the both of you. This trip was going to drive you crazy and it hadn’t even started yet.