Boss I Love to Hate: An Office Romance(86)

“That was the fastest restroom break ever,” Jean mused as I approached.

I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to leave, go to the bar, get a drink, anything but stay here, but I couldn’t exactly leave Sonia here. Is she going to go home with him? Were they going to ask me to drive Jean home?

The thought enraged me. If it came to that, I’d refuse. Shit, I’d go postal.

I dropped to the bland red booth and closed my eyes, rubbing at my temple.

“Is everything okay?” Jean’s high-pitched tone grated on my nerves.

“Yeah, fine,” I growled. Pretend time was over and done.

She was up, rubbing my back in the next second. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” I snapped. I raised my head and held a hand up. “Don’t. Touch. Me. All right? I said I’m fine.”

I was far from fine.

Whatever I had done, how hard I had tried, was all for nothing. How could I claim a girl who belonged to someone else?

Shit, because I wanted to claim her, make her mine, follow her like a lovesick puppy, knowing it would be me looking like a pussy. But who cared? I wouldn’t even be able to do that now.

An overwhelming loss draped over me. The old Brad, before falling for Sonia, would have left her to fend for herself, to find her own ride.

This pathetic Brad sat there, waiting and wishing this was over. Hopeless. That was the only word that I could think of.





Sonia

With force, I pushed Jeff off of me and immediately swiped at my lips with my sleeve. “What the hell, Jeff?” I spat out.

To think his kisses once were how I’d wanted to start and end my day. Now, it felt as though acid had burned my lips.

When he took a step forward, I ducked under his arm to move away.

“Sonia, tell me you don’t feel the same.” His face turned incredulous. “Tell me you didn’t feel that kiss.”

He was on drugs. He had to be.

I scoffed. When did I give him any indication that it was okay to even do that?

“I don’t, and I didn’t.” My response was quick, automatic, honest.

And the truth would set me free. That kiss was like kissing a piece of furniture, no feelings attached. What I had felt was an overwhelming sorrow of what could’ve been.

“I don’t believe you.” His voice was emotionally choked, his eyes feverish. Then, he kissed me again, his body flush against me, his arms gripping me with more force.

“Get off of me!” I shoved him off and was about to knee him in the balls, but he backed away with his hands up.

I couldn’t believe it was this easy, but that one kiss had told it all. I was over him. Truly and utterly over him.

Who is this guy? Where was the Jeff I had known? Or maybe I hadn’t known him at all.

I flung a finger in the direction of the dining room. “Your girlfriend is out there. I’m not doing this.”

When I turned to leave, he gripped my hand, and I jerked it back.

“And, even if she wasn’t out there, I’m still not doing this.” I motioned between both of us.

“I still love you, Sonia.”

I inhaled deeply and squared my shoulders. “I’m no longer in love with you, sorry.” But I wasn’t sorry that I didn’t feel the same way anymore. I was sorry that he’d lost a damn good girl because he’d wanted to see if there was someone better out there for him. It was a choice he’d made, a risk he’d taken, but now, it had backfired.

He opened his mouth to speak, but I didn’t hear a word as I stormed back to our table. Brad was slouched over his chair, sitting with his elbows on his thighs, head down, staring at the floor.

When I approached, he looked up. He looked … defeated. I’d analyze that later. Right now, I needed out of here, far from Jeff and Jean and a past I never wanted to revisit.

“Let’s go. I want to get out of here. Where’s Jean?”

Because she wasn’t at the table anymore.

“No idea.”

“I don’t care. I just want to leave.”

“Sure.” His voice was soft and resigned when he stood to face me. “You don’t have to do this, you know? Pretend and spare my feelings. I’m a big boy.”

I reeled back. “What the hell are you talking about?”

His eyes focused behind me, and he tipped his chin toward the restroom. “I was back there. I saw—”

“Him kissing me against my will,” I cut him off, pissed off and annoyed. Now wasn’t the time for me to console the wounded soldier. Later maybe, but not now. “And then trying it again.”

“What?” Brad growled, his demeanor changing like a light switch. “You didn’t let him kiss you?”

I rapidly blinked, wanting to pull my hair out. Am I on an episode of The Twilight Zone?

“Um, no. He’s in a relationship, and even if he weren’t, I still wouldn’t let that asshole touch me.” I shook my head. “Let’s just get out of here. I need to leave before I go crazy and tell Jean she can do better than his cheating, lying ass.”

When Brad moved past me, his focus toward the restrooms, I gripped his wrist. “He’s not worth it. Let’s go.”

“I’m not letting this go.” Brad’s body was tight as a rope, his eyes promising revenge. “I just need to set him straight.”