AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Need me to help you up?”
“Not yet.”
I swallow hard, confused. “How about a drink?”
“I’d like that.”
“Glass of pinot for the road?”
“Sure.”
Pouring two glasses, I stifle my nerves. No reason for me to be this nervous around her. We’re just two adults, enjoying some wine to unwind after a nice day. Honestly, her injury aside, it’s been the nicest day I’ve had in months.
I bring the wine and sit with her on the couch. Not too close. I don’t want to confuse her or make her uncomfortable. But I’m dying for the closeness. It’s an ache in my chest that never goes away. “How do you like it?”
“Pretty good,” she says between sips. “Not too sweet.”
I nod, not really sure what else to say. That moment on the beach had sent me spiraling, and now I’m more confused than ever about me and Lily. Not that there’s a me and Lily to—
“Cormac?”
“Yes, Lily?”
She worries her bottom lip as she stares intently at my face. “I like it here.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear that.”
“Working here, I mean. It’s nice. The kids are great…”
“Right.Workinghere.”Is that all you like?
“The boss is kind of an asshole,” she teases.
I laugh. “Oh, is he? You should tell him all about it.”
Smiling, she plays along. “Well, the thing is, he’s really nice and cute and tries to be involved with his kids—
“I’m not hearing the asshole part.”
“The asshole thing is, he and I hooked up once before I came to work for him, and now I can’t stop thinking about his lips on me.”
My mouth goes dry, and I nearly drop my wine. Setting it onto the coffee table, I tell her, “What an asshole.”
She giggles and leans closer. “Yeah. Makes it really hard to concentrate at work. I keep thinking, if we kissed, then maybe I could be better at my job.”
I fight a smirk and softly tell her, “For the sake of your job, then…” Leaning to her, I breathe her in. The sweet scent of raspberries hits me, and I’m drunk on Lily before I even touch her. I brush my lips against hers, letting her warmth set my heart at ease. She opens to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. The moment she slips a moan, I’m brought on by it. Hard and ready, just waiting for the go ahead.
But then she stiffens up, and my bliss comes crashing down around me. I break the kiss and pull back. “What is it?”
Her lips are pink from our kiss, as is her chin from my stubble. But she blinks away, sitting up. “Um…”
I’ve done something wrong. She’s my employee. This was inappropriate. Apologize! But I can’t. I don’t regret kissing her. Besides, it’s better to hear her thoughts first.
“I know I initiated that and everything,” Lily speaks with regret in her voice, and it kills me, “but I think I shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry, Cormac. If I—
“Don’t worry about it. Call it a fluke.” I don’t want to call it a fluke. “We don’t need to discuss it any further.” But I want to.
“It’s just…” The way she sighs makes me think it’s not the kiss she regrets. It’s telling herselfno more kissesthat she regrets. “I really need this job. I can’t always just do whatever I want now. Sometimes, I have to make the smart decisions, and that means doing the right things, which do not include pursuing my boss. But I haven’t had a boss in so long that the dynamics of it get muddled in my head. Does that make any sense at all?”
