Secretary

Chapter 25 - Secretary

They climbed out of the bathtub together, water running from their bodies and collecting in small pools across the bathroom floor. Torin reached for the shower handle and turned it on, testing the temperature with his hand before stepping beneath the stream. The warm water struck his shoulders and ran down his back as he tilted his head forward, letting it wash away the sweat and heat that still clung to him. He stayed there for a while, breathing slowly, while behind him Leena remained in the bathtub.

She sank back into the warm water instead of following him immediately. The heat wrapped around her tired body, and she rested the back of her head against the edge of the tub, closing her eyes. Her breathing was slow now, and the tension that had been held in her muscles for so long seemed to have finally disappeared. She could hear the shower running a short distance away, mixed with the occasional sound of water dripping from the edge of the tub onto the floor.

Torin glanced over his shoulder at her while he rinsed the last of the soap from his arms. Leena did not notice him watching. Her eyes remained closed, and for once she looked completely relaxed, without the guarded expression she usually carried whenever she was around other people. He turned his attention back to the shower and finished washing himself, eventually reaching for the towel hanging beside him.

When he was dry, he pulled on a pair of pants and ran the towel through his damp hair. He looked back at Leena one last time before stepping out of the bathroom. She still had not moved, and he decided to leave her alone.

The apartment was quieter than before.

Torin walked into the living room and sat down on the sofa. He leaned back, resting one arm along the back of the couch while he stared at the television. The screen was still showing whatever program had been playing earlier, but the sound was low enough that he could barely make out the words. His attention wasn't really on it anyway. His thoughts kept wandering back to the conversation they had avoided having.

He picked up the glass of water sitting on the coffee table and took a long drink before placing it back down. After that, he simply waited.

Several minutes passed before he heard the bathroom door open.

Leena appeared in the hallway with nothing but a white towel wrapped around her body. Her damp hair hung freely down her back, with several strands stuck against her neck and shoulders. The heat from the bathroom had left her skin warm and her face flushed, and she looked completely different from the woman Torin had first met. There was no carefully controlled expression on her face now. She looked tired, comfortable, and almost peaceful.

Torin's eyes moved toward her before he could stop himself.

For a brief moment, he simply looked.

The sight stirred something in him again, but he forced himself to look away and leaned farther back into the sofa. He had no intention of making another move. He had already crossed enough lines tonight, and the last thing he wanted was to turn the quiet moment into another situation neither of them had planned for.

Leena noticed anyway.

She stopped near the hallway and looked at him with a faintly amused expression. Torin kept his eyes on the television as though it had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the room.

She didn't say anything.

Instead, she walked past him and disappeared into her bedroom.

Torin waited until he heard the bedroom door close before letting out a quiet breath. He rubbed his hands together and stared at the floor for a moment, wondering how quickly everything between them had changed. A few hours ago, he had been thinking about business, work, and the problems waiting for him the next morning. Now he was sitting in Leena's living room in the middle of the night, trying to figure out what exactly they were to each other.

The bedroom door opened again several minutes later.

Leena came back wearing simple night clothes, a pair of soft shorts and a loose top that hung comfortably around her body. Her hair was still damp, although she had dried it enough that it no longer dripped. She walked toward the sofa without saying anything and sat down at the opposite end, leaving a comfortable distance between them.

She picked up the remote and turned the television volume up slightly.

Neither of them watched.

The room settled into a strange silence. The television filled the background with voices, but neither Torin nor Leena seemed interested in following the program. Leena rested one arm against the side of the sofa and looked toward the screen while Torin sat with his hands loosely clasped together.

He had been waiting for her to return because there was something he wanted to ask. It had nothing to do with what had happened in the bathroom but something he had been thinking about for a while.

Eventually, Torin turned his head toward her. "Do you have any contract with your current employer?"

Leena's eyes moved away from the television and toward him. She studied his face for a moment, clearly trying to understand why he was asking. The question had come so suddenly that she wasn't sure whether he was talking about work or something else.

"Why are you asking me that now?"

Torin leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His expression had changed. The relaxed attitude he had carried a moment earlier was gone, replaced by the serious look she had seen whenever he was discussing something he considered important.

"Because I've been thinking about your situation, and I don't think you should stay there."

Leena shook her head slowly, first to one side and then to the other, making it clear that she had no contract.

Torin did not push her. He simply watched her for a moment before continuing in the same calm voice.

“After listening to the way that man treats you, and after taking Misty’s future into consideration, I think there is a better option for you. I would like you to work as my secretary.”

Leena’s eyes widened slightly.

For a moment, she looked as though she had not understood him. Then the tension slowly left her shoulders. Her chin lowered, and her eyes fell to her lap. She stared at her thighs, rubbing her fingers together as if she suddenly didn't know what to do with her hands.

Torin noticed the change immediately. He leaned forward, his expression becoming concerned. “Hey. Is something wrong? If there is a problem, tell me.”

Leena remained silent.

Her fingers tightened around the edge of her pajamas. She tried to say something, but nothing came out. Her breathing became uneven, and she quickly lowered her head further as tears gathered in her eyes.

A tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away, but another followed almost immediately.

Torin stayed where he was. He did not reach for her or interrupt her. Finally, Leena nodded once.

Her voice came out broken and barely above a whisper. “I will... I will become your secretary.”

Torin looked at her for a moment before reaching toward the side table. He picked up a single sheet of paper that had been waiting there and placed it in front of her.

“Then read this carefully. Don't sign anything you don't understand. Take your time if you need to, but if everything is clear, come to me at nine tomorrow morning with your signature on it.”

Leena slowly picked up the paper, her eyes moving over the first few lines.

Torin stood.

He looked at her one last time, then turned toward the door and left the room, leaving Leena alone with the contract in her hands.

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