After working in Rossi Solutions for almost four years, you get comfortable. From the atmosphere of whirling printers and clicks of a keyboard, to murmurs of colleagues and boardroom doors closing shut — all you begin to know is the office and it becomes familiar. Everything feels at ease.

So, it was no surprise when you indulge in a book and a warm drink on this gloomy, melancholic day. When most people dreaded the cold, frigid weather and having to dodge the rain as if it were a nuisance, you found solace in the tranquil atmosphere.

That was, until you returned back to your desk.

Lunch ends, as it always does, and you place your novel on your desk before running to grab some more printer paper from the copy and print room.

But the universe was not on your side. No, not today.

A pair of steel, hazel eyes cast only a dismissive glance at your desk after noticing your disappearance. Though, against your better judgment — what he noticed next was your novel.

An erotic novel.

When you return to your desk and see the missing book, your heart drops into your stomach, choking your lungs and stinging your toes.

You didn’t have to ask around, if you even had the courage to in the first place. Without missing a beat, you were quickly called into the executive office.

There, Mr. Rossi leans against his mahogany desk, expression flat and unreadable, nothing intelligible behind those eyes.

And your book, open in his hands.

“When you said you had read up on references about .. power dynamics, this wasn’t the book I was expecting you to be talking about.” He said cooly, betraying no emotion of embarrassment or anger.

His thick fingers snap the book closed, echoing within his office.

“But I’m more curious as to why you feel so comfortable reading something like this in the company. More so, in my company.”