Free Pulse 3 (Pulse Series) by Rhea Wilde

thought it would be. He would introduce me to some of the people he spoke to. It was just as Rafael and Martin planned. I had a positive effect on the company’s image.
    As I sat at my desk one day, organizing some information that Rafael needed to go over, Rafael sat at his desk and took a call from an executive from another company. I could hear the details of their conversation but didn ’t pay close attention to them. I just assumed that it was an important call like it always was.
    “ Alice, will you come over here for a moment,” Rafael called out to me.
    “ Of course.”
    I walked over to Rafael ’s desk and saw a man on the video screen looking back at us. He was an older man, not much different from the hundreds of executives I’ve seen before. His hair was white and thinning and his face was covered in wrinkles and blemishes. He had a kind smile on his face as he looked back at me. His eyes were squinted together so tightly that I wondered how he was able to see through them.
    “ Mr. Peterman, I’d like you to meet my partner, Alice Pratt. Alice, say hello to John Peterman. He runs a tech company in London.”
    “ Hello,” I said as I waved at him.
    “ It’s a pleasure to meet you, Alice. I must say, Rafael, you have excellent taste.”
    “ Yes, I’d like to think that I do,” Rafael said.
    “ I hope that your good judgment isn’t limited solely to your taste in women.”
    “ It isn’t,” Rafael replied to him. “You’ll be happy to know that Alice isn’t the first nor the last good decision I’ve ever made in my life. And I hope that my partnership with her is an example of the strong partnership our two companies can have.”
    “ Now, now, Rafael. You can’t attempt to sway me with such empty rhetoric.”
    “ Rhetoric? You can see Alice here for yourself. I can assure you that she’s anything but empty.”
    “ Yes, I can see that… Nonetheless, I will need time to consider your proposal.”
    “ Take all the time you need, Mr. Peterman. If there’s anything you need, don’t hesitate to call. I’ll keep a line open for you.”
    “ I will, Rafael. You take care now. Goodbye, Alice.”
    I waved again to him as the video screen shut off. Rafael stood up from his seat and let out a sigh of relief.
    “Important call?” I asked him.
    “ That’s an understatement. John Peterman’s company has a near-monopoly in London. If we can come to some sort of a deal, it will be the foothold we need to expand through the rest of the UK.”
    “ Hmm, that is important.”
    “ Yes… it is…”
    Rafael and I stared at one anothe r. The office fell silent. I stood there right in front of him and suddenly found myself trying to figure out what next to say. While the importance of the call wasn’t lost upon me, it wasn’t a particularly interesting discussion. The undeniable look in Rafael’s eyes made it that much harder to discuss.
    “ What are you doing right now?” Rafael asked me as he continued to stare into my eyes.
    “ I’m… just organizing some notes for you.”
    “ You know what I like about the way you work, Alice?”
    “ What’s that?”
    “ You do everything so well. You’re so precise and exact. It’s like you know exactly what I need.”
    “ Well… That’s why I’m your assistant.”
    “ It’s like you know exactly what’s on my mind.”
    “ Thank you. That’s… quite the compliment.”
    I swallowed as I felt the tension between us. I remembered the last time we had done something here. Rafael was angry with himself immediately after. The circumstances were different now. He was free to be himself. And now there was nothing to stop us. Th e desire was knocking at the door and it would let itself in even if nobody bothered to open it.
    “ So, tell me something, Alice. What’s on my mind right now?”
    “… I don’t know, Mr. Barnett,” I said with a sigh. “I’m sure your mind is racing with thoughts at the moment.”
    “ Take a guess. I promise you