AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“All good, Boss. She’s in bed.”
“Thanks for the last-minute sitting, Andrea.”
“No problem at all. Camilla’s the best.” She patted my arm. “Good to see you out and about, Doc.”
She left before I could say anything else, and I laughed to myself as I shut the door. Yeah, I guess I had been kind of a recluse for a while. It did feel good to be out, doing things, and not thinking about work or parenting or dealing with my exes.
In fact, I hadn’t been thinking about anything else but Cassie for the last few hours, and that felt really, really good. Since Camilla was in bed, I went to the liquor cabinet and poured myself a whiskey.
I stood at the window, watching the nightscape, thinking about how my evening had gone. It had not turned out at all like I’d thought. I had hoped to flirt, to apologize to her, to show her that I wasn’t just a jerk who liked taking over everything. It was something I really wanted to prove to myself, I guess, and I had. But I’d never in a million years expected her to ask me to go home with her. To give me the best sex I’d ever had.
Itwasthe best. Her body was like completely unexplored territory that I knew I would never fully understand. Everything about her enticed me. When she spoke, laughed, ate, drank, came, all of it was equally mesmerizing. It drew me in, and I couldn’t look away. Even right then, I was seeing her in my mind’s eye as she cried out with me inside her.
Being inside her had made me feel whole again, even if just for a few minutes. When I realized that, I finished off my whiskey and went straight for the shower. That was a dangerous feeling. Whatever had happened with Cassie was still precarious. I couldn’t afford to get too attached in case something went wrong.
After I showered, I went to bed, and I fell asleep quickly, my body fatigued from the crazy day I’d had. The next day, while at work, I got a message from Jason, asking to meet up. I was busy all morning and hadn’t seen Cassie at all yet, and I felt guilty. I didn’t want her to think I was avoiding her. But I had to do this lunch.
When it was time, I left, driving off to meet Jason at a nearby café. When I got inside, he was already sitting there waiting for me.
“Hey pal,” I said, shaking his hand. “Thanks for the call.”
“Hey.” Jason waved down the waiter. “Thanks for the meeting last minute.”
He looked good. It was weird to see one’s own child grow older, but he now looked completely and totally mature. A man. A grownup. Naturally, I was proud of him, even if we’d not really known each other for years.
“How are things? How’s your mom today?”
“Same. But I did want to meet up to give you an update.”
“Cool.”
The waiter came by, and we ordered our lunch. Strangely, I did not feel guilty about what happened with Cassie when sitting in front of her ex. Although, that didn’t mean that I would be telling him either. But I was still dying to know what happened.
But what about making things up to Jason?My conscience asked.You’re going to start off by lying?
“So, how’s Cassie?” Jason asked suddenly, pulling his drink closer to him, and casting me a furtive glance. “Is there something going on between you guys? I thought I saw something when I came into your office. Sorry about bursting in, by the way.”
I was an idiot. Of course, it had looked suspicious. I mean, what boss meets with his employees with the door closed while they’re standing close together, their hands touching? The words were right on the tip of my tongue. I needed to be truthful with my son if he was ever going to trust me again. But nope. I decided to head down a different path. The opposite one.
“She’s fine, and no, nothing’s going on between us. You know I don’t date my employees.”
* * *
CASSIE
I’d gone to bed feeling blissfully sated, but I woke up the next morning, wondering if I’d made a terrible decision. The wine and the heightened excitement had both worn off, and I was left standing in my kitchen, waiting for the coffee machine to finish, curious as to the state of my mental health.
“This is so not you, Cassie,” I whispered to myself as I leaned over the counter, staring into space.
I made rash decisions, sure, but they weren’t as rash as they might look from the outside. I hooked up with people I didn’t know, and who had nothing to do with my circle. That way, I could end things or leave, and I would never be affected. But with Brad, I’d broken like what felt like ten rules in one fell swoop.
I poured my coffee and sat on my own for a little, looking at the living room. When I’d brought him to my apartment last night, I’d barely thought about the steps from the door to the bedroom. It had all been like a blur. But that’s what it was like when he touched me. It was as if all thought left my head, and I couldn’t do anything logical or reasonable.
I wished it had been Friday when it’d happened, but today was Friday. That meant I had to go into work and see him. What was I going to say?
“Oh, hi Boss. You know, those orgasms you gave me last night really were something.”
There was nothing to say. It wasn’t as if we were going to date or anything, or that the restaurant had been like a real date. Right? I wasn’t sure anymore. After I showered and dressed, I left for work still not really knowing what I was going to say. I put in on a true crime podcast as I drove, hoping to distract myself, but it didn’t quite work.
