The night settled warily over Stockholm as her coworkers started leaving the building one after another.
To their spouses and children waiting for them at the dinner table with fresh home-cooked food while they talked shit about their bosses.
She smiled involuntarily. The idea evoked something warm and fuzzy somewhere in her chest.
Minus the kids, of course.
She forced herself to look back at the computer screen glowing in the dark room. She had almost eight hours to complete a week's work; there was no time to think or drool over imaginary things.
She felt a stare on her. It was Theodore, typing rhythmically while occasionally passing her the stink eyes. His lips hummed "I'm the perfect mix of" in an almost soothing tone, while he swayed to his own singing.
Well, at least he has good taste in music.
Shayna unconsciously began humming alongside him, her hair swaying from the wind blowing in through the window. Theodore glanced at her, amused, before going back to his work.
Shayna stole another glance at him. The boy looked young, probably in his early twenties. His manners seemed rather more of the rebellious kind, and he looked like the kind of guy who would be popular amongst ladies.
A phone rang somewhere in the distance, and Shayna almost indistinctively reached into her pocket before realising that it was his phone that was ringing.
"I'm going to be a little late today ", he replied," Something came up over here. "
"Yeah, and make sure Lily eats something. She usually doesn't until I get home ."
What's with these guys treating their girlfriends like a fucking five-year-old? Like, leave her alone for God's sake.
"Yeah. She's staring at me right now", Theodore replied, laughing.
Shit. Busted.
She turned back to her laptop as she saw Theodore putting his phone back in the corner of his eye.
She had half a mind to call Rebel right then and describe in detail a mongoose that had gotten in her office.
But Rebel was probably too busy with a particular kitty right now.
She tried to get back to her laptop, typing absentmindedly into the abyss. Her eyes remained partially open as she yawned widely, throwing her feet on the table.
Her eyes unconsciously landed back at Theodore, who was now deep into his work. Her eyes caught his messy, ruffled hair falling handsomely. Her gaze travelled downwards onto his partially open shirt buttons, and Shayna caught a glimpse of a well-toned olive chest underneath.
Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of beetroot red.
I really need to get laid.
Lucas would probably announce a nationwide holiday in excitement if she asked him. He was also sexy in his own way, and had a good figure which he maintained by going to the gym every fucking day.
But this was really unfair.
Why did all the guys she had ever considered have to be Leonardo fucking DiCaprio while she looked like a female version of Leonard Hofstader even at her prettiest.
Weren't women supposed to be the prettier ones?
A sharp pain shot through her ring finger. She stopped and stared at its bent shape, her eyebrows furrowing in annoyance.
"Great, can we go now ?" Theodore asked from the other end of the room.
So he was staring at her, after all.
"Is your share of the work done, Mr James ?"
"No, but since you stopped.....
"If you focus more on your computer screen rather than my fingers, James, the work will probably get finished quicker ."
Her eyes landed on the clock, the silver hands striking 11 o'clock.
"Are you halfway done ?", Shayna asked, her attention subconsciously drifting back to Theodore's face.
"If you don't pay so much attention to my face, the work will get done sooner."
This little brat.
"I don't pay you for witty remarks, James. I pay you for the work you do. "
"You don't pay me at all ", he retorted, though his eyes remained fixated on the screen.
Unable to think of a reply, she turned her gaze back to the screen, muttering curses under her breath.
After about thirty minutes, Shayna felt her shoulders slump slightly, and she finally let her head drop to her desk, making a Tony thud sound.
Her eyes caught her exhausted face staring back at her from the laptop screen.
"Must be nice to be you."
The reflection did not respond, just stared lazily back at her exhausted face, looking as ugly as ever.
" How dare you call me ugly ?" She angrily prodded the screen with the tip of her pen.
It remained as still as ever, and Shayna could almost feel the smug expression on its face. Just enjoying life while judging her poor, tired self.
" Well, you probably never get laid ", Shayna mumbled, knowing that she probably sounded crazy right now.
"It's not like you get laid a lot ", Shayna felt the reflection mouth to her. She chuckled to herself.
Gosh, I'm going insane.
It's this stupid office.
No wonder why that poor office attendant started doing drugs.
Shayna suddenly heard a slight snickering sound coming from the corner of the room. A red blush passed heavily from her cheeks as she realised that Theodore was probably watching.
That son of a bitch.
She felt an urge to cave a hole in the ground and bury herself in it.
Her eyes looked back at Theodore, who was still staring at her face, looking particularly amused.
Why were the men in her life so fucking annoying?
First, that dumbass Graham who just couldn't keep his stupid mouth shut about the project.
Then those little shits who were busy doing everything except what they were supposed to do.
Craig, who just couldn't take a hint of fuck's sake, and leave him with more than one night for a deadline, and left her to work her ass off while he cuddled with his family.
Lucas, who had no other job than to watch her ass all the time and control every freaking aspect of her life.
And now this asshole, who had the nerve to look like freaking Hercules.....
Shayna slammed her coffee mug hard on the table, debating whether to take out her cigar from her right pocket.
It was like that scene from the movie where a devil and angel with your face pop up on either side of your head and start hovering.
"This is a professional environment. The new hire is watching you", the angel whispered.
If only she had known that the new hire had probably seen her in a way worse state, not so long ago.
"So ?" the devil asked. "The new hire is also not supposed to be this sexy and giving her all these erotic thoughts."
Hey ?!
"It will make him believe that she's unprofessional, and he will take advantage of that ", the angel said.
"At the moment, he's probably thinking she's high on something ", the devil said, pointing to Theodore, who was still snickering. " So, fuck it."
"Hmm", Shayna thought impulsively. On one hand, the devil was absolutely right, even though a bit annoying.
But a tiny part of her did not want Theodore to get a bad impression of her.
Vixen would cringe so badly at that.
"Hey, James ", she called out to him, who pretended to look at her for the first time that night," Could you lock the oak cupboard on your way ?"
"On my way where ?" Theodore asked, confused.
"Out of this building ", she said flatly.
Theodore looked surprised but got up when he realised that she wasn't joking. He gave her an incredulous stare before turning back.
"And Theodore ", Shayna called out.
He looked back, anticipating.
"Close the door when you go ".
Theodore obeyed, leaving, though his expression remained confused as he left.
Problem solved.
Shayna smiled as the angel and devil figures gave her a nod of approval as she took out her cigarette from her pocket.