(Liam's POV - Mon. 23 September 2013)

I slam my hand on my alarm clock when it goes off at 6:00 am and doze off again. I am definitely not as motivated as usual to go to work today so I allow myself a little more time in bed. Anyway, I can arrive until 8:30 in the office and with the extra hours I did last week, I can afford sleeping a bit longer... just a few more minutes. I don't know where my dreams take me, but it feels like I am in a turbulence area or maybe there is an earthquake because I feel my body shaking and people shouting; or rather one person shouting.

"Liam!!!! Li!!!!!" I open my eyes and find that Shannon is shaking me like a rag doll. "What the fuck are you still doing in bed? It's 8:00!" Holy crap!!

"What?!!? Are you kidding? I only dozed off for a few minutes!" In answer, he shows me the screen of my phone and it does display 7:58 am. I am definitely late! "Dang!!!"

I get up, a bit panicked, and start looking for something to wear. Of course, for once I didn't prepare my clothes in advance last night like I always do before I go to sleep.

"Go get your shower, Bunny. I'll find you a suit and a shirt," Shannon says sleepily. This guy can really be such a sweet thing when he wants to.

"Thanks Shan... How come you're up so early by the way? You're not working till tonight..." I ask.

"Had too many drinks last night... Needed to empty my bladder..." he replies with a yawn. Yeah well, that's better than wetting his bed I guess, and this time, it does save my life.

After a very quick shower, I rush back to my bedroom to get dressed while Shan is preparing a lunch bag for me apparently. Has he decided to become a saint all of a sudden? I quickly grab my bag and my lunch pack, give Shan a brief hug and run outside our apartment. I am so grateful that my friend's bladder woke him up, but I curse myself for sleeping in. Even if I am disappointed I won't get to see Mr. Pierce for the entire week, that shouldn't have affected my usual motivation. Hopefully, I will at least get to hear him on the phone...

Since last Wednesday, I have been feeling a bit more comfortable in his presence and I am definitely going to miss him this week. I know I shouldn't feel like this and that I shouldn't let my emotions run over my behavior, but I have been struggling with these weird feelings for the past week and it's giving me a hard time.

A ping echoes from my iPhone when I get out of the train at a quarter to nine. Reading it just throws me into a new state of stress.

8:42 am - Mr. Pierce: I've been trying to reach you in the office. Call me asap.

All sorts of thoughts flood through my head as I hurry along the sidewalk to the office building. His jet was supposed to take off at 8:30 am this morning and he can't have landed already, so why is still in Chicago? Why does he want to talk to me already? On Friday, he said he wouldn't call me until Monday afternoon! Have I done something wrong? Have I forgotten to book something?

I quickly review my preparation of this trip: I called Michael to schedule the flight; I told Tony about the departure time, but even if I hadn't, Mr. Pierce would have reminded him; I gave him all the copies of the documents, so he shouldn't be missing anything. I really don't see what I could have missed!

As soon as I arrive on the 21st floor, I hurriedly toss my jacket on the back of my chair, switch on my laptop and pick up the phone to dial his number. I don't even give him time to announce himself when he answers after the first tone.

"Good morning... Sir, this is Liam," I blurt out.

"I know it's you Liam, although it still says Ally on my screen. Good morning!"

"I'm sorry I was late this morning... I promise it won't happen again! Somehow, I didn't hear my alarm and... I'm..." I try to apologize right away. A fault confessed is half redressed, they say.

"It's okay Liam!!" he cuts me. "There's no problem with that as long as you avoid it on days I'm in the office. Moreover, you worked a lot last week, so you can definitely do a bit less this week."

"Thank you, Sir..." I reply, feeling quite relieved. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to answer your call though. What can I do for you? How come your flight hasn't taken off yet?"

"Oh, there was just a little technical incident at the control tower which engendered some delayed flights, but we're about to take off now, so I won't speak long," he explains. "Did you have a good weekend?" he then asks in a weird tone.

"Hmm... Yes, I did, thank you... And..."

"Did you have fun?" he interrupts me. What is this question about?

"Yes... it was a nice weekend... quite busy..." I reply hesitantly.

"Was it?" he insists. Does he expect me to go into details?

"Yes it was... well, just a normal weekend with my friend..." I just say evasively.

"Alright..." he sighs. "The plane is about to take off now, so I'll speak to you later."

"Alright, Sir..." I say, but he has already hung up, leaving me a bit confused. He almost sounded upset.

What was that about? Does he really need to know how I spend my weekends? Was he expecting me to provide him with details? As much as I respect and like him, he is my boss and what I do over the weekends - and out of the office in general - is none of his business, is it?

This conversation suddenly brings me back to our lunch on Wednesday and all these questions he asked me. It embarrassed me at first because I was the only one speaking and I am not used to telling people about myself. But then, I guess he has some kind of power to make people at ease because in the end, I didn't mind anymore answering all the questions he had about my childhood, my adolescence and even my family.

The more I spoke, the more at ease I felt because he seemed to be genuinely interested. I remember that, for the rest of the week, I felt much more comfortable around him. I just wonder if this comfort will last or if I am going to feel awkward again when he comes back.

Contrary to what he said, he doesn't call me back that day and since I don't want to disturb him while he is in meetings and I don't have anything in particular to tell him anyway, I don't call him either. I know he arrived in Los Angeles because he forwarded me an email that I needed to deal with for him, but apart from that, I don't hear back from him.

The good thing is that it allows me to start catching up on the statistics and reporting files I need to keep updated and to take a full hour lunch break with Elena. The bad thing is that I don't get to hear his voice at all for the rest of the week either.

Despite all the emails Mr. Pierce sends me while he is in California to prepare letters, create tables, write minutes of the notes he took during all his appointments and update his schedule for next week, my days are a bit boring and quite long. Not boring in the sense that I don't have anything to do.

On the contrary, he informs me that one of his biggest business contacts will be in Chicago next Tuesday and he asks me to prepare a lot of documents in view of this visit. But in the end, I am feeling quite lonely at the top of the building and I wish I could see more people, even if I don't like to speak much. On Thursday afternoon though, I answer a number that I don't recognize on the phone.

"Office of Mr. Pierce, Liam speaking, how may I help you?" I automatically say.

"Heyyyy lover boy!! How are you doing?" Ally's enthusiastic voice replies.

"Ally! I'm good! How are you?" It feels good to hear her voice. I suddenly realize that I have managed on my own and haven't disturbed her once since she left.

"I'm good; just a bit bored... it's not really my type to stay home and do nothing..." she complains.

"Yeah, I can imagine..." I chuckle.

"And I was expecting you to call me more often!" she exclaims accusingly.

"You shouldn't complain. It means I've managed on my own and that you taught me well," I argue.

"Yes, that's right... How is it going with Joshua?"

"It's okay. He's in California this week, you remember? So I haven't heard from him too much apart from a few emails."

"Hasn't he called you?" she asks with surprise, which worries me a bit.

"Hmmm no, he hasn't... Should he?"

"Not necessarily, unless he needs anything, but he usually calls at least once or twice a day," she explains. "Well at least it gives you a breather," she cheers.

"Yes, maybe a bit too much, it gets lonely here... Don't you get bored when he is traveling and you have to stay alone upstairs?"

"Not really because there are always people coming to visit me if they know Joshua is out of office."

"Well, I'm not that lucky. Maybe they don't like me..." I stupidly say, suddenly feeling a bit depressed.

"Don't be silly, Liam. Don't get to think people don't like you when it's just that they don't really know you yet! You're still new to the company while I've been there for years. Once people get to know you, it will be the same. And you know... you are also allowed to go to the lower floors and have a coffee with other people too!" she argues with reason.

She is absolutely right, but it is not really my type to go toward people. I usually prefer for them to come to me.

"Liam, you need to open yourself to others; at least a little. They don't have to become your friends or anything. Just make them co-workers so that you don't stay on your own all the time. You're still having lunch with Elena, right?"

"Yes, I am... and other people too. But it's different with Elena. She is so out-going that I don't need to go to her. She's the one coming to me."

"Then spend a bit more time with her and her circle and you'll get to know them."

"Mr. Pierce took me out to lunch last week as well," I suddenly blurt out of the blue.

"Did he???" she exclaims in surprise. Damn! Maybe I shouldn't have told her!

"Yes, he did... Is that surprising? Don't you ever have lunch with him?"

"I rarely do," she nervously chuckles. "Most of the time, he has lunch in his office because he's too busy. But this is good... it means he appreciates you..." Her tone holds something which makes me think she means something different; or that there's something she doesn't tell me. However, I don't prod for more information.

Following Ally's advice, I go to the HR floor on Friday to have a little break in their coffee room. Elena is here of course, but there's also Tom who works for IT and Megan who is an architect. As usual, I mostly listen to them speaking about the upcoming weekend, but at least I showed up, which is a good start.

And the weekend is all I want to see coming. By Friday 5:00 pm, Mr. Pierce hasn't called me at all but before I leave the office, I get a quick email from him wishing me a pleasant and fun weekend, which makes me chuckle and brightens my mood. I simply answer that I also wish him a nice one and a safe flight back.

When I get home, earlier than usual, there's an overexcited Shannon waiting for me, about to go to work. This is his last day, or rather night, at the warehouse. He can't wait for the last minute of work to arrive and get his pay check. Unfortunately, this means he will be jobless again, but I don't worry too much because he never stays in this situation for too long. Anyway, I would probably kick his butt if he did.

The problem wouldn't be so much for the rent and charges because I can afford to pay for both of us now and I actually never gave too much thought about the fact that I pay more than he does. I honestly don't care about the money because I love him like a big brother I need to look after, but I don't want to see him laze around all the same. It usually makes him grumpy and oddly even more hyperactive than he already is, so thank you, but no thank you.

On Saturday late afternoon, I am quietly reading an old book from Harlan Coben called Back Spin - definitely not my favorite from the author, but I just never get tired of Bolitar and his buddy Win - and sitting in a corner of the couch when Shan finally wakes up and joins me in the living room. He lies down on the sofa, resting his head over my lap, with a huge sigh before he closes his eyes again.

"What's wrong, Shan?" I ask. I thought he'd be jumping all around since he terminated his job.

"I need to get laid..." he mumbles and that's when I notice the bulge in his sweat pants. Oh God...

"Don't expect me to help you there..." I chuckle, shaking my head, which makes him laugh too.

"I don't expect you to... though if you want to watch me..." he says, grinning and wriggling his eyebrows.

"No thank you, I'll pass!"

"I could teach you how gay sex works! Actually, I could also teach you how straight sex works if you want, but I'm pretty sure you'd prefer gay sex..." There he goes again! What a pain in the ass!

"I can learn myself... or with someone else! Thanks for your offer though!" I say, resting my book over his face.

"For once I could teach you something..." he sighs. "Anyway, it doesn't solve my problem..." he then adds, pointing at his afternoon wood.

"Sorry bro..." Now that I think about it, he hasn't brought anyone home or spent a night away in a few weeks now. "When was the last time?"

"Hmm... on Monday? Or was it on Tuesday? Well, sometime earlier this week," he replies without too much thought. I must have missed something. He was at work, so how could he...? "But that was only a quickie... at work."

"Oh my God, Shan! did you do that with a guy who works with you?"

"It was my manager actually," he laughs. Oh God, I can't believe it. He's just impossible! "The guy is cool! He's like 35 or maybe more, and married too, and we had that conversation about sex and he said his wife does the best blowjobs. I bet him I could do better... and I did!" he cheers mischievously.

"Ugh Shan, you're impossible!" I exclaim. How could that man cheat on his wife and let a young man do... things to him?

"I know, I know... and it still doesn't help my problem! Would you go to The Lost Paradise with me tonight?" Knowing that this time he'll probably end up leaving the club with some guy or some girl, I'm not too keen on the idea.

"Err... no, but go ahead and find someone there! Someone who can help you with your problem..." I chuckle.

"You could also get laid Liam. I swear it's something really great!"

"I know! You have told me thousands of times, but I'd rather have my first time in... good conditions. And with someone I am really attracted to," I reply, shoving him and getting up to prepare something to eat.

"Li, You're almost 21! It would be time that you try it," he says, wrapping his arms around my shoulders from behind while I am cleaning dishes in the sink, making me feel his... thing against my backside.

"Shan, get that stick away from my ass or I'm going to cut it with this knife!" I warn him.

"Yes, Sir!" he chuckles, still rubbing himself against my backside a couple more times before he picks up a dishtowel to wipe what I just cleaned.

Yet, I know he is right. I'm almost 21 and still haven't experienced what love and sex are. Although it never bothered me in the past, I must admit it is starting to tickle me. I'd love to feel again what I felt in the shower the other day. However, I am just not ready to offer my virginity to anyone and not just anywhere. I don't want this to happen in the bathrooms of a club or in the backseat of a car. I want it to be memorable and with a special someone.

With a silent sigh, I push away the picture of a beautiful dark-haired and blue-eyed God that just formed in my head and focus on what I could be cooking instead.

Published on 4 Sept. 2016

Okay, so it wasn't as boring as it could have been, thanks to Shannon as usual. Don't worry, things will speed up a little in their following week :) Poor Joshua will experience some stressful events...

Quick mention to one of my favorite authors of all time, Harlan Coben, because I absolutely adore his characters from the Bolitar series :) And I dedicate this chappy to ElsieYaa. Thank you for all your votes and comments, Lady :)

Next update will come on Tuesday or Wednesday!

Now, time to go back to continue working on chapter 10 of Twisted Moon!