Boss I Love to Hate: An Office Romance(61)

There were boundaries, and we had broken every single one of them. I tore my hand from his and sat up, surprised that my hangover had quieted to a dull hum in my head.

I decided it was better to not know.

“Well, since that crapfest is over, you’d better get going. It’s Sunday, and we have work tomorrow.”

I moved to the edge of the bed, reaching for an old T-shirt. After putting on my Def Deception band T-shirt, which was thankfully long enough to cover my butt cheeks, I placed one hand on my hip, expectantly looking at Brad. I raised an eyebrow and tapped my foot against my worn carpet. He needed to get out of here ASAP.

Amusement shone in his eyes. “You’re cheapening the moment and everything that happened last night.”

I wanted so badly to wipe the damn smirk off his face.

“Get out.” I pointed to the door and watched as Brad slowly sat up, his hair a disheveled mess but his face still GQ handsome.

He was probably the only male who didn’t have morning breath.

It was a sin to be that good-looking.

“But, Shorts,” he said in jest, “we had so much fun last night.” He walked toward me and reached for my waist. He was playing and eating up every little second of it.

I pushed his hand off me. “Get out. And Shorts? Where did that come from?”

“Your new nickname.”

He kissed the tender part of my neck, and I flinched.

“Stop it. Charade over. Out. Out. Out.” I pushed him out of my room, and panic seized my chest when I spotted my dartboard of his face. “Close your eyes.”

His laugh rumbled, echoing through my small apartment. “I’ve seen it already. Your shrine to me.”

“Shut up,” I groaned. Could this guy get any more annoying?

He walked over and picked up a dart, noting the tiny holes that marred his face. “Using me for dart practice?”

“No,” I said, eyes wide and blinking. I schooled my features and lifted a finger. “Actually, how can you be sure that’s even you? There are a lot of people who look like you.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.” I plucked the dart from his hand. “The pizza boy, for example.”

He nodded, still way too amused. “That must’ve been one really good-looking guy.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Nope. But it was really, really, really good pizza.”

I pointed to the door again, and he laughed.

He slipped on his shoes, and I opened the door to escort him out. When he turned to give me one final good-bye, a scary thought filtered through my head. Last night changed everything between us. Our exchanged kisses and a make-out session I didn’t remember.

After everything that had happened, I needed to confirm one thing.

“Brad …” For once, I turned sheepish, digging my toe into my carpet. “Thanks for being my pretend boyfriend.” I couldn’t look him in the eye for obvious reasons. Things had shifted between us, but I needed things back to normal. “But everything on Monday morning will be the same, right?” I twisted my hands in my shirt, needing him to agree. He’d said I still had a job, but I needed him to confirm this last request.

He was silent, and then his smile slipped. His eyes studied me for far too long. “Yeah, Sonia. It’ll be the same as before.” There was a heavy disappointment in his voice, which confused the heck out of me.

I rushed into him then, throwing my arms around his neck, hugging him as relief flooded me. “Thank you.”

His arms wrapped around my waist, tighter than my grip around his neck, and then loosened. His head dropped to the hollow between my shoulder and neck, and for a brief second, I thought he’d sniffed me.

After a few long seconds, my hands moved to his chest, and I was the first to pull away. “Thanks again.”

All the awkwardness was back.

“You’re welcome.”

Then, we were in some weird eye-lock action that made my stomach clench, and a dizzying current rushed through me, causing me to sway, so I slowly shut the door.

Hangover central. I blamed it on my consumption of way too much liquor last night, which would never happen again.





Brad

I stared at her condo door and the numbers 323. It must have been at least five minutes of me standing like a stalker outside her apartment. I’d been on this side of the door before, but I’d never hesitated walking away. Now, I waited. For a few more seconds, just to see if she would open the door again. Maybe she’d remember last night and how amazing it had been, how great we were together, and she’d let me taste her sweet lips again.

Fuck … I am screwed.

I’d promised her normalcy on Monday, and right now, I didn’t know if I could give her that. I rubbed at the back of my neck, feeling the tension rise to my shoulders. I headed toward the elevator with my tail between my legs.

There was an absence in the car that was undeniable. I could still smell the faint scent of her perfume that lingered in the air as though the universe were tricking me, and if I looked over to the passenger seat, I’d see Sonia smiling or asleep, cuddled into herself.

An unnatural tightening in my chest occurred, a feeling that I hadn’t ever experienced before, and that was when I knew Monday could not be normal because the feeling could only be described in one word—longing. I missed my annoying, sexy little secretary.