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Adorable. Abso-fucking-lutely adorable. She was so cute when she was mad.
“Everything okay?” I asked, trying my best to hold back the smile that threatened to curl the corners of my mouth up.
“Yes,” Dee barked with frustration. “Okay, maybe not.” She glanced my way before blowing out a frustrated breath as if accepting defeat. “Nothing is okay because I can’t figure out how to work this new piece-of-crap coffee maker.” She pointed to the new fancy single brew system that had been installed just yesterday after the old brew system went kaput.
“I have one like this at home. Here, let me show you.”
Without asking further permission, I walked over and took charge. Dee was holding a used coffee pod in her hand and looked utterly lost. After taking it from her and tossing it into the trash, I fished a new one from the box and began to show her the process of brewing a single cup.
“Why can’t they just have a regular coffee maker like before?” she grumbled but never took her eyes off of what I was doing. “What’s wrong with grounds and filters and a water reservoir?”
“I don’t know. This seems like it wouldn’t be the most cost-effective option, but I’m not the one that makes those decisions.”
“You know, when you’re not annoying the shit out of me, you can be somewhat of a nice guy. And by nice guy, I mean knows how to use a coffee maker when someone can’t figure it out.” Despite the unhappy grimace marring her soft-pillowed mouth, I didn’t need to look at her to see that her giving me somewhat of a compliment was the last thing she wanted to do.
“Whereas you’re completely wonderful to everyone, except me.”
“That’s because youirritateme, Travis,” she grumbled. "If you didn’t go out of your way to get on my nerves, I might be nicer.”
“Why?” I asked as I positioned the pod, closed the lid, pressed the brew button, and waited for the magic to happen. “Why do I get under your skin?”
Dee sighed, resigned. “If I knew the answer to that, maybe I could get past it, but I don’t.”
“Have you ever considered being nice to me? I know I’ve certainly tried with you.”
“Haveyouever tried not pissing me off?” she bit back and began tapping her foot.
“All the time, but you just don’t seem to believe me when I genuinely try to be nice.”
“You could start by calling me Dee instead of Deandra,” she stated boldly. Judging by the flash in her eyes, we were veering into argument territory and that was the last place I wanted to be. So, instead of letting this discussion breakdown, I redirected.
“Do you think it’s possible to maybe call a truce when we’re in the office? I won’t call you Deandra and maybe you could try not to bite my head off every time we’re around one another?”
“And why would I do that?” Dee said, albeit curiously.
“I’m not sure you’re aware, but Marcy Collins in accounting is spreading rumors about us sleeping together. She said no two people fight like we do without bonking each other’s brains out.”
“SHE WHAT?” Dee’s screech echoed out the door and into the work area, causing several heads to pop up over their cubicles and at least one to peek out through their office door.
“Before you go hunting her down, just know I already dealt with it. I confronted her and threatened to report her to HR if she continues to blabber such nonsense.”
“I can’t believe that bitch would say something like that!” It was no secret that Marcy Collins was the biggest gossip within the company. The only reason why she hadn’t been fired yet was because she was usually careful with her gossip so it didn’t reach the higher-ups, and she was incredibly good at her job.
“I can. The woman’s jealous because she asked me out and I turned her down,” I snorted out a laugh. “I’m also serious about that truce.”
Dee locked eyes with me before spitting out, “Fine. We’ll have a temporary truce while at the office, even though Iknowyou’re going to do something to break it.”
Holding up the boy scout sign, I swore, “I will do my best tonotget under your skin and fray your nerves. Just as long as you do the same.”
“Do you swear it?”
“I give you my most solemn vow. 'That we’ll be right back after these messages.'”
My jokefinallygot her to crack a smidgeon of a smile.
“Stupid,” she said as she tried to hide her grin. All I could do was grin in return, hoping she’d let me hug her. To feel her against me even if for a moment. But nope. Not my girl. She wasn’t about to do that. Instead, Dee surprised me by offering me her hand. I was not prepared for the sizzle that ran up my arm the second her palm touched mine. A sizzle that left me breathless and seriously contemplating saying, “Fuck it,” and kissing the shit out of her. I couldn’t though. Dee would flay me alive with that sharp tongue of hers, not to mention the high possibility of a sexual assault charge that might come with it. Instead of acting on my more basic instincts, I shook her hand and reluctantly let go.
“And I promise totryto tone it down,” she offered, but honestly, I didn’t want her to. Ilovedhow she took the bait every single time. The flash of anger that brightened her light blue eyes. The way her lips clenched together as if they were a damn trying to hold back her words. An annoyed Dee was the most potent aphrodisiac and I couldn’t get enough.
