It's two in the afternoon and we've been in my office since nine this morning.

Serena took the day off from work to help me with the paperwork on her case against the NG Group.

Companies study the marketing strategies oftheir brands for months and having projects blown under their noses is something frustrating, to say the least.

I read each paragraph again, scrupulously, and she does the same, although by now I think she has memorized, line by line, the entire contents of the file. Tiredness starts to hit and I look up from the papers for a few minutes. I fill two glasses with fresh water, one for me and one for Serena. But she's so focused on what she's doing, that she doesn't even notice it. She has tied her hair up in a ponytail and is holding the top end of the pencil between her lips. Seen like this, she looks like a little girl again. A smile escapes me and I go back to what I had left. My concentration, however, is no longer the same.

Without realizing it, I get lost in the memory of this night...

[Clara is in my arms and she finally stopped crying. We remained embraced, in silence, for at least fifteen minutes. I take her with me to the couch and try to catch her gaze, which she instead wants to avoid. She's so stubborn she won't even let me see her cry.

Then she wipes her eyes and decides to look at me. Her beautiful green eyes are filled with tiny red veins and I feel guilty, but I try not to show it. I want to prevent her from shutting down again, forbidding me to show her affection. I'm looking for the right words to open the speech, but at the moment I'm out of ideas. I'm afraid of making a mistake.

Fortunately, she does. "I know I told you I only wanted sex and then I insinuated myself more and more into your life. I'm sorry. But I only date you. You could have told me there was someone else."

"What? Clara, there's no one else. What are you saying? Serena is my best friend's wife. She hired me with a legal issue. I mean, her company hired me." I feel like I'm in front of a jury that has the ability to read my mind. Clara stares into my eyes and fear grows in me more and more.

"Are you telling me that you look at all women like that?" She crosses her arms and furrows her forehead.

Ok, now I feel judged. "Excuse me, how?"

"Are you kidding me? I could easily imagine what would have happened if I hadn't come. Does your friend know?"

My jaw clicks and I feel the nerves in my face twitch. "There's nothing to know."

"You can deny it, but she wanted it as much as you do." She points her finger at my chest and looks at me with the satisfaction of someone who has just made the discovery of the year.]

I think about it again and all I can do is wonder if she's right. I shake my head to clear my mind of these absurd thoughts and return to my work.

Serena looks at me, then lowers her gaze.

The temperature in the room suddenly seems a few degrees higher.

I stand up and take off my jacket, rolling up the sleeves of my white shirt, which still smells like fresh laundry mixed with a few sprinklings of Eau d'Issey. Immediately after I loosen the tie knot and open the first collar button. I adjust my wristwatch and run a hand through my hair before taking a seat. I arrange the papers I'm holding in my hands by tapping them slowly on the desk and I get comfortable.

All right, I did it to get her attention, but Clara's words in my head are like a woodworm that won't stop digging. I need to know if she's right.

I look up suddenly and I realize that she has taken the bait. She smiles at me embarrassed because she got caught. She didn't understand that I did it on purpose.

She rubs her neck and stammers some words. «I'm going to... get something to eat.» She's awkward, she gets up and takes the bag «we have lost track of time and my stomach is rebelling.»

I get up after her and approach. «Do you want me to come with you?» I feel a slight stirring, starting to build inside her as I step forward.

«No, there's no need.» She grips the handle of her Prada bag in her fists, keeping a rigid pose.

«At least take this», I reach over her body to the desk behind her, ending up within inches of her face. She swallows, when my eyes lock with hers. She's too close for me not to notice that she's holding her breath. I take a step back and she follows my movement, almost as if she's drawn to my body, mesmerized by my gaze. Without losing eye contact, I hand her the card I just grabbed from my desk. «We all have one here. The restaurant below will give you a discount if you use it. Take it.»

«Thanks, but there's no need.»

«I insist.»

«Daniele...» she tries to counter again.

Hearing my name come out of her mouth makes my stomach feel hollow and I don't remember ever feeling like this with her. The little voice in my head comes back. Kiss her.

And God only knows how much I want to, but Serena's cell phone rings and breaks the spell.

She takes it out, looks at it, then looks at me. «It's Claudio. Excuse me, I have to answer.» She runs out of my office.

Once again we get interrupted. If there is a destiny, maybe it's time for me to start asking myself some questions. I drop resignedly into my leather chair and rub my forehead. I wait two minutes, then decide to call my secretary and she arrives in an instant.

«Federica, call the restaurant downstairs and tell Paolo that a beautiful blonde lady with a Prada is about to arrive to get something to eat. Tell him she can take what she wants and put it on my account.»

«Yes, sir.»

«Thank you.»

«You're welcome. Do you need anything else?» She, with her stylish glasses and her professional attitude, awaits further instructions.

«No thank you. You can go.» She smiles and leaves the office. I get up and go to the window. Serena is crossing the street to get to the restaurant. Her bold walk has always fascinated me. Looking at her like this, proud and enterprising, she doesn't seem like the same uncertain woman I was facing a few minutes ago. I get a smile.

I wish I could expose myself more, but there's too much at stake and I don't feel like taking the risk. If I kissed her and she was in it, I'd lose my best friend, but I'd have her. On the contrary, if she refuses me, I will lose both. Or worse, if she accepted me, but she stayed with Claudio. In that case I would have to give up on her and I would still have my friendship with Claudio, but I would no longer be able to look him in the eyes, ruining everything. I would lose anyway.

Maybe Clara is right.

Once again I think back to last night...

[Clara has cuddled up next to me on the sofa. We are silent and I can hear her breath catch; small droplets of water wet my thigh.

Even if she's not sobbing visibly this time, I still sense she's crying, but I ignore it and wait for her to tell me about it. Because whatever it is, I've got nothing to do with it.

I brush my fingers over a strand of hair and she takes a deep breath.

«Dany?»

«Mh?»

«Would you go out with me?» she asks me in a broken voice.

«Sorry, I thought you were the one I've been with lately.» I smile.

Clara straightens up and looks into my eyes, almost on the verge of starting to cry again. «Do you think it's time for a joke?»

I'm serious again. «I was just trying to make you smile.» I tuck her hair behind her ear and stroke her cheek. «Of course I would.» This time my smile is genuine, but I get the same reaction. A tear runs down her face, only to end up absorbed in the folds of the sofa. «I'm sorry. It seems like I can't do anything but make you cry», I run my hands over my face and lean back on the sofa, then look towards the far corner of the room.

«Not your fault.» She pulls up on her nose and wipes away her tears. «He said he loved me, but one day, without giving any explanation, he left me for his neighbor, the one he always denied doing anything with. I was so angry.» She bit her lip, suppressing tears. «He Said I was annoying, that I no longer attracted him. He made me lose faith in men, but the worst thing is that I also lost faith in myself.»

I turned to look at her, but she stared into space, sucked into those painful memories. I had always believed her self-confident, even with a touch of exhibitionism and now I was discovering what that attitude of hers had always hidden. I don't want to interrupt her, not now that she's finally bringing out everything that hurt her.

I look at her, her eyes are dry again and her expression has changed from hurt to anger. Now she seems to be the same as always. «That was why I only asked for sex. Then I met you. Maybe this thing between us could help us clean up the mess inside.»

«What if we hurt each other even worse?»

She looks at me and smiles. «You made me feel desired, more than anyone else. This is more than enough for me to understand that what we have could only do me good. Thanks to you, I believe in myself again.»

I know that look, that mischievous light in her eyes, and my body knows only one way to react to it. I try to hide it. «And what would be the benefit to me?»

She puts a finger to her chin and pretends to think about it. «Let's see... sex, for starters. Then you might make her jealous so you can figure out if she has feelings for you. And last, who knows, you might find that you have real feelings for me.» She bares her teeth, in a vain attempt to make me think she only said it in jest.

What a character. «You seem to have thought about it quite a bit.»

«Of course I did. But if you don't like this...» she unbuttons her blouse a bit, showing off her generous breasts.

«I don't want to hurt you», I tell her, as I keep thinking about sex with her, triggered by that vision.

«You won't. It's me who wants it.»

She pulls off her blouse and I'm completely gone. Fuck it all! I want her and I want her right now. I feel my stomach tightening in pain and I can't hold back anymore. I take possession of her lips that she eagerly tightens around my tongue, in a slow sucking movement. A shiver runs down my spine and my hands move along her body, helping her to free herself from clothes. I feel her warm juices wet my underwear.

I devote myself to her turgid breasts while she looks down on me. She slides her fingers through my hair, accompanying me in my movements.

Her moans make me even more excited and I can't wait any longer. I want more and she understands that.

Her warm hands creep into my underwear and she lets me slide into her warm folds, starting to move her hips. I grip her butt firmly with both hands to guide her, making her moan against my lips. «Yes, Danny, like this...» She lifts her arms behind her neck to lift the hair off it and her breasts bounce free, so full.

Oh God, I'm almost at the edge. I get up, with her clinging to my waist with her legs and I place her on the large glass table in the living room. She's so aroused that she has no reaction to the coldness of the glass. «You're gorgeous», I let out, and she smiles between her moans, reaching the arms above her head to be admired in all her beauty. How is it possible that someone like this, at some point she doesn't attract you anymore? Her ex must have been an asshole. I look at her and everything about her makes me want to have sex with her every minute.

The moment becomes hotter and the thrusts more vigorous. Her moans echo throughout the house. Music to my ears. «I only want you, Dany.» She becomes more and more cooperative and we reach the climax together. We kiss while we still moan.]

Federica hands me a package and I come to my senses. I'm so shocked by the memory of the sex with Clara that I notice an inopportune gift in my lower parts.

Damn it. I put on my jacket and leave the office. «Federica, I just remembered that I have an appointment. When Mrs. Lerti arrives, give her this.»

«Of course.»

I leave my note for Serena and sneak off like a thief. In these conditions, the last thing I need is to be alone with her.

I have to work hard to avoid running into her, but I finally get to my car and zoom off like I've just robbed a bank.