Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 102781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
I looked away, because I couldn’t look into her eyes and lie. “Because I like being single. I like my freedom and not having to answer to anyone or have any responsibilities. You want candles and flowers on Valentine’s Day, and you deserve to get what you want.”
She swallowed and nodded her head. I decided it was about time I answered nature’s call. “I’m going to go to the bathroom and get something to drink. You want something?”
“No, thank you,” she whispered sadly.
Unfortunately, I hadn’t been wrong. By the time my feet hit the ground, my feeling of contentment was long gone.
***
She avoided me for days after that.
And I let her. We weren’t fighting or pissed off at each other. When we passed in the hall, we put on fake smiles, and she made up some excuse about an appointment she had to run to that I knew from stalking her calendar she didn’t have. Yet I didn’t call her out on it. There was no point.
It was starting to feel like our relationship had run its natural course, and the best night of sex of my life had turned out to be our swan song. It was probably for the best—put a little space between us, and it would make things easier. Our presentations to Star were next week, and Pet Supplies was scheduled for the beginning of the week after that. What was the point of keeping things going?
Yet I couldn’t stop myself.
Her door was shut, but I knew she was still in there. We were the only two left in the office at almost nine o’clock on Thursday night. I was also fucking starving.
I knocked on her office door after rummaging through the refrigerator.
“Come in.”
I held up a tin-foiled sandwich in my hand. “You hungry? I’ll split with you.”
She sighed. “Starving, actually.”
I walked to her desk and handed her half a PB&J.
Annalise licked her lips and took it, though she stopped with it halfway to her mouth. “Wait…this is yours, right?”
I grinned. “Just eat it. I’ll come in early in the morning and replace it.”
She glanced longingly down at the sandwich and back to me. “This is Marina’s, isn’t it?”
I bit half of my half off in one gigantic bite and spoke with my mouth full. “Mmmmm. It’s so fucking good.”
The corners of her lips twitched, but she bit into her half anyway. “You’re corrupting me.”
“I thought you were enjoying me corrupting you.” I tilted my head. “But you seem to have been too busy for that the last few days.”
Annalise’s smile fell. “Oh. Sorry. I’ve been…swamped.”
I glanced over her desk. Her laptop was shut, and a stack of files had been neatly piled up.
“Looks like you’re just finishing up.” I caught her gaze. “So does that mean you’re free tonight?”
She stared at me for a few heartbeats and then raised one hand to cover her mouth while she opened it for an obvious pretend yawn. “I’m really wiped out. Maybe another night.”
I knew she’d lied even before her skin started to blush, yet I let her off the hook anyway.
I nodded. “Yeah. Sure. I’m tired, too.”
***
I hadn’t been lying. I was tired.
Yet I didn’t go home.
Instead, I hit up the shithole bar closest to the office and ordered a double scotch. And then another one. And then another. Until the bartender told me he’d give me one last drink only if I handed him my cell phone.
I tossed it on the bar and slurred my words. “That’s an expensive drink. But go ahead…keep it. Just give me the damn thing.”
The bartender took my phone in one hand and poured me a drink with the other. He raised a brow. “What’s her name?”
“Annalise.” I laughed maniacally. “Or Sophia. Take your pick.” I tipped my glass toward him, and half of it sloshed onto the bar. “And she looks fucking great in a cowboy hat.”
“Which one we talking about? Annalise or Sophia?”
“Annalise. Beautiful, man. Just beautiful.” I swallowed a big gulp of my drink.
“I’m sure she is. I’m calling you an Uber. Where you heading after that drink?”
“She thinks I’m a dick.”
The stoic bartender sighed. “Pretty sure she might be right about that. What address you going to, buddy?”
“I don’t deserve her.”
“I’m sure you don’t. What about that address?”
I knocked back the contents of my glass. “Are you married?”
He held up his left hand. “Sixteen years.”
“How’d you know you loved her?”
“If you give me an address to call this damn Uber, I’ll tell you how I knew.”
I rattled off the address. He typed into my phone and then slid it across the bar to me. “You know that saying if you love something, set it free, and it will come back to you?”
“Yeah.”
He shook his head. “Well, that’s a crock of shit. If you love someone and you set her free, she might come back with herpes. So get over yourself and lock that shit down before you get an STD.” He paused. “Your Uber will be here in four minutes, so you should start walking your drunk ass to the curb right about now.”