I watched as Net went off. I couldn't help but lie to him. That kiss, it did ruffle me a bit. Actually, it's a helluva lot. Considering it was from a colleague. I sighed and just grabbed my bag, wanting to head home.
I went out and saw Net standing there forlornly.
"Everything ok, Net?"
He turned to look at me and shook his head, filling me in that his car wasn't starting and he couldn't figure out why. I offered to take a look. He nodded and gave me way. I rolled up my sleeves and took a look at his engine. It seemed like something was stuck. I fiddled a bit but still couldn't start the car. I told Net we needed a mechanic. He nodded and called his regular guy whilst I closed down the hood. I didn't realize, but I had smeared a spot of engine oil and soot on my face. Net turned around and saw it.
'Zee. You got some soot on your face."
"Where?" Net offered to clean for me, and I agreed. He stepped up closer, taking a tissue to clean my face gently for me. He held me by my chin as he cleaned me. He was shorter, so he had to look up at me slightly as he did it. I looked down at him and his fucking jawline was just calling out to me. Against my better judgement, as he was cleaning my face, I reached out to caress his jawline.
Net stopped and looked at me. It was difficult to tear away from each other's eyes. I don't know why. Damm, if I knew. I would stop it. But I just couldn't.
Net finally stepped away, telling me he was done. I took a short breath, having forgotten to breathe in that few seconds.
"I will wait for the mechanic. You can head on home, Zee."
"Why? I can wait for you."
" It's been a long day for us. Go home and rest. I'm ok on my own."
"You don't want me waiting with you?"
"You do that for all of your colleagues?"
I shook my head no.
"Precisely. You will be a very busy man if you did that. And I'm not any special or different from other colleagues. If it's not in front of a camera, there's no reason for us to be close."
I just stared at Net. "Are you for real? Did you just say that?"
Net just looked at me but didn't say anything else. What the flying fuck was wrong with him?
Net just turned away and went to get something from his car. I watched as he drank from his bottle and waited by the car. I walked back to my car but I couldn't find myself leaving. I ended up waiting in my car, watching as the mechanic came by.
He checked the car and spoke to Net and ended up towing it away. Net took out his phone, possibly to call an Uber. I jogged over to him.
"I will send you home."
"It's all rights. I got this. I will text James to see if he can pick me up."
"James? Why him?"
"Why not? He's my friend. And he should be done with work so I will text him."
I stared frustrated at Net.
"Let me send you home. I'm here. And my car is here. Why can't I do it?"
Net looked at me, equally frustrated.
"Because I don't want you to."
"Why the damn hell, no?"
"We are just colleagues, Zee. That's why."
I stared at him as he continued calling James who said he will swing by in 10 minutes. Net went off to the main entrance to wait for him. I went after him, grabbing his hand midway.
"What is this? This whole colleagues thing? You been throwing it in my face since earlier."
"I didn't start it. You did."
"That was over the kiss! What do you want me to say then? That I loved the kiss?! That I found that kiss irresistible and I wanted to continue it for as long as I could so i snatched every little bit of opportunity? We just started as partners this week. We haven't even filmed half the scenes in our show. But I keep catching myself looking at you at every damn minute. And I kept fumbling that kiss because I felt so worried I couldn't stop once you kissed me. And when it happened, it was true. I couldn't stop. Damn it. So I had to say everything I could to make sure I did not cross any lines with you. But it doesn't mean we cannot be friends Net. Can't we?"
Net looked at me for a long bit.
"With all these crazy sexual tension between us? I may just about jump you Zee. And I don't go around doing that often. So maybe, it's better we kept a distance unless it's for filming."
I was stunned by his words. I truly was. I didn't know what to say. I went back to to my own car but I didn't leave till I saw Net leave with James.