Page 18 of Hit Me With Your Best Shot

“Riot,” I blurt out then, the napkin completely shredded now.

And screw up once again.

Usually I call him Mr. Rivera, as I should, since he’s my boss and signs my paychecks. Well, he Venmos me but still. And I should’ve stuck to that because the moment I said his name, his light brown eyes with flecks of honey in them darkened, and those high and broad cheekbones of his twitched like he hated me calling him that.

So much so that he had to return the favor and call me bymyfirst name when he normally doesn’t even address me by my last; actually he doesn’t call me anything whatsoever.

“Meadow.”

It’s laced with venom like I expected.

But I react to it like it’s coated in candy and I want to lick it up.

“May I have a word with you, please, Mr. Rivera?”

If anything, my attempt at correctly addressing him makes him even angrier.

Now along with darkened eyes and tight cheekbones, his jaw is clenched as well. Then, after a few seconds of uncomfortable staring, “May I ask about what?”

Damn it.

“About work,” I manage to say.

“Work.”

“Yes. Can we —”

“It’s your day off, however.”

“I —”

“Isn’t it?”

I blush at the challenge in his words. “But —”

“But I bet it’s important.”

I blush harder. “It is.”

“And I’m sure it can’t wait.”

“No, it can’t.”

“Definitely not until Monday.”

Now along with blushing, I grit my teeth. I can’t believe he’s throwing my earlier words back at me. Yes, I understand I’m in the wrong here. I invaded his privacy and he has every right to be mad at me. But God, can we not do this in front of these people?

In any case, I keep my voice mild as much as I can. “Can you just please come with me?”

Somehow I think his gaze turns even more penetrating. “Lead the way.”

I spring up from my seat, avoiding everyone’s eyes as I head toward the back, where the little hallway is that leads to the restrooms. It’s probably a journey of maybe twenty seconds or so but every bit of me seems stretched out and too slow to be contained within the limits of time.

I feel like I’ve been walking for much, much longer with him at my back.

Because he is there.

At my back.

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