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Desire built as we quietly finished one beer, and then he cracked open the other. I never knew something so innocent could seem so much like foreplay. There goes my theory of getting him out of my system this morning.
“We’re off the clock now, aren’t we?” He passed me the bottle.
“Hmmm…not sure how weekends work. It’s technically not a workday, yet we did work today. Still, I’d have to say even if Saturday counts as part of the workweek, we’re off the clock by now.”
“So I’m not your boss right now, then?”
“Suppose not.” I grinned and took a long sip from our beer.
“Well, then…it wouldn’t be inappropriate to tell you that while I was in the shower this morning, I closed my eyes and thought of you as I took care of myself.”
I was mid-swallow when what he’d said registered.
I choked, sputtering and spraying beer all over the place. Coughing, my voice was hoarse. “You what?”
“From your reaction, I’d say you heard me correctly.” He took the beer from my hand.
“Why would you tell me that?”
“Because it’s true. And I figured I’d lay all my cards on the table. You’re not having sex. I’m not having sex. Thought maybe we could work through our problem together.”
“I don’t have a problem.”
“So why aren’t you having sex, then?”
“Why aren’t you?”
“Because I’d like to have it with you, and you haven’t given in to me. Yet.” He brought the beer to his lips and watched me as he drank.
“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation. You know I’m seeing someone.”
“I do. That’s why we’re having this conversation. If you weren’t seeing someone, I’d have you up on that kitchen island showing you what I want to do to you, rather than telling you.”
“Is that so?”
He moved closer. “It is.”
“What if I’m not into you in that way?”
Chase looked down, his eyes lingering on my nipples. My very erect nipples. “Your body says otherwise.”
“Maybe I’m just cold.”
He inched closer. “Is that it? Are you cold, Reese? Because you actually look a little warm. Flushed, even.”
“You’re my boss.”
“Not now. You just said so yourself.”
“But...even if I wasn’t dating Brice—”
“Bryant,” Chase corrected me with a smirk.
Oh my God. “Bryant. Even if I wasn’t dating Bryant. And even if I was attracted to you—”
“You are.”
“Quit interrupting. You’re trying to confuse me. Like I was saying, even without Bryant in the picture and me being slightly attracted to you, it still can’t happen. I really like this job, and I don’t want to screw things up.”
“What if I fired you?”
“That probably wouldn’t be the best way to get into my pants.”
“Tell me what is.”
I chuckled. “You sound pretty desperate.”
Although we’d been teasing, his response was serious. “I feel pretty damn desperate right about now.”
So did I, but I wanted him to truly understand where my head was. “Can I be honest with you?”
“I’d be upset if you weren’t.”
“I sort of…had an office relationship…Well…it wasn’t really a relationship. It was more like a momentary lapse in judgment caused by excessive imbibing in holiday cheer. Anyway, you get the picture.”
“Yes. Unfortunately, I do. You slept with someone from work. Hang on. I should get another beer. I’m taking it this story isn’t going to bode well for me.”
Chase got up and grabbed two more beers. This time, he opened both and handed me one.
“I get my own?”
“Story sounds like you might need it.”
I smiled gratefully. “Thank you. You’re right. I do.” Taking a deep breath, I continued. “Anyway, I loved my old job. It was pretty much my life for the last seven years. I worked my way up from intern to director. I dated, but hadn’t had a serious relationship for the last five years. Make a long story short, I accidentally slept with a co-worker.”
“Accidentally?”
“Peppermint Schnapps martinis at the office Christmas party. Don’t judge.”
Chase looked entertained, his eyes sparkling. He held up his hands. “No judgment here. Tough night and you let loose. Been there.”
“The guy turned out to be a total dirtbag. Two days later he announced he’d gotten engaged over Christmas to his long-time girlfriend. He’d told me he was single.”
“Sounds like an asshole.”
“He was. And that’s not the worst part. I told him what I thought of him and went out of my way to be an asshole to the jerk. A few months later, he was promoted to being my boss.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. And to make it even worse, he knows nothing about marketing.”
“How did he get the job?”
“He’s the owner’s son.”
Chase’s face was glum, but he nodded. “I get it. I’m not gonna lie and say I’m not disappointed, but I get it.”
“You do?”
“Of course. You don’t want to screw up your career for a night of physical gratification.”
“Exactly.”
“Even though that physical gratification would begin with me starting at your toes and working my way up. Slowly. Over hours.”
