Boss Me

by Claire Adams

  He was breathing heavily enough that I could see the cold air around his mouth and nostrils. He stomped off, slipping slightly as he got out of the snow.

  I stumbled back toward my apartment, shaken. I was crying icy tears as I walked up the stairs to the second floor.

  I entered my apartment, getting hit by a nice wave of warm air. I wondered if it was the heat, but I knew it couldn’t just be that. The heat in my building was mediocre and could barely keep up with Wisconsin winters.

  It was then that it occurred to me: the shower was running. I looked toward the bathroom door, seeing steam coming through the cracks by the floor. My conversation with Jared was driven out of my mind as I wondered what Sawyer was doing in there at that particular moment…

  Chapter Four

  Sawyer

  It felt good to wash the work day off of my body. I heard the front door close, and that meant Hannah was finally home from work. I became excited, not just because of the prospects that waited for me outside the bathroom door, but because I was getting ready for the fun part. The part where she would gaze upon my body in wonder.

  I didn’t care how arrogant it sounded in my head; I worked hard for my body, and I loved seeing women enjoy it. I never failed to impress.

  I didn’t just have a need to impress for my own ego’s gratification. My search for a new home was not going so well. The places that were cheap were cheap for a reason; any place that was a step in the right direction cost way too much money. I didn’t mind the idea of moving outside of Madison, but I didn’t want to be too far from Lightning Fast.

  I was going to use my body to try and finagle a few more nights at Hotel Hannah. She was sweet, and she seemed single, so I was going to use whatever powers I had at my disposal. I also withdrew a few hundred dollars from my checking account after work that I was going to physically make her accept in exchange for letting me crash there. The idea was to turn her on, not just by my demanding chivalry, but also by me giving her the money with a towel wrapped around my willing body.

  The warm water felt incredible, but since I had adequately psyched myself up, I decided to turn the shower off and step out. I wrapped my towel around my lower half and looked at my reflection in the foggy mirror. I realized this would be the first time that Hannah saw my tattoos: The emblazoned moon on my right pec, my arrow tattoo that went up along my right forearm, and a set of tiger stripes that were inked along my left leg. I wasn’t sure if the tattoos were going to be an issue for her, but I didn’t expect it to be a deal-breaker.

  I dried off a bit, but not entirely. I wanted to be a little wet when Hannah saw me. I opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

  I walked out into the living room where Hannah was sitting on the couch watching TV. Once she knew I was there, she turned her head and looked at me. Her eyes widened briefly, and her wide frown had slowly morphed into a grin. Her eyes appeared to be going everywhere, but never lingering too long on any one place in particular.

  “Hey,” I muttered.

  “Hey yourself,” she replied.

  “How was work?” I asked her.

  “Boring. How was work for you?”

  “Boring. Had to work on a transmission all day.”

  “Oh. That’s boring to you?”

  “Well, it can take all day, and it can get repetitive. Plus, it sucks when it gets too cold to hold onto a damn wrench.”

  “Oh, okay.” She smiled and turned her attention back to the TV. It looked like she was looking at me in her peripheral vision, but it was hard to tell for sure.

  “So, what about you?” I began. “Do you have any tattoos, or am I alone here?”

  “I’m afraid you’re alone on that,” she said. “No tattoos. Unless you count the Mickey and Minnie tattoo I got at a fair once.”

  “Doesn’t count unless you got the needle in your skin, baby,” I said.

  She rolled her eyes. “How was your shower?”

  “Amazing. Hot. Refreshing.”

  We both looked at the TV, although we weren’t really paying attention to it.

  “You have a really good body,” said Hannah.

  I smirked. “Thank you.”

  “But how about you go put a shirt on if you want to continue our conversation.”

  That was new for me. Before then, I could not remember a single time when any woman had ever asked me to put clothes on.

  “You sure that’s what you want?” I asked suggestively.

  “I’m positive,” she said sternly. “Plus, you’re getting my floor all wet.”

  “I’m mostly dry…”

  “Even so, we should talk, and I would prefer it if you weren’t naked while we did.”

  I nodded and meandered out of the room back into the guest room. While her words and logic were sound, I was pretty sure I could sense some palpable lust in the air. I knew she wasn’t going to act on it, but I could sense it. She felt something for me even if she didn’t want to admit it. And thus, I began to brainstorm.

  I stepped out eventually in a tight long-sleeved shirt that left little to the imagination and a pair of gym shorts that did the same. I joined Hannah on the couch.

  “Sorry if I made you uncomfortable or anything,” I said to her playfully.

  “It would be very hard to make me any more uncomfortable than I was about a half hour ago,” said Hannah.

  I thought about asking questions and continuing that conversation, but it felt like something private. I decided to mind my own business and not press the issue.

  “As for living arrangements,” she said while playing with her hair. “I was wondering how that was coming along for you.”

  I explained to her my situation and my trouble deciding on a new home that I could afford.

  “Well… Friday is fast approaching,” she said after I was done.

  “I was thinking about that,” I said. “Do you think it’d be possible if you could extend me?”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Extend my stay, rather,” I added. “Just through the weekend. I don’t have work on Friday or this weekend. I could use the three days off to really find the perfect place. I won’t just use my spare time to parade around your place naked. Promise.”

  She chuckled. I reached into my shorts pocket and pulled out $300 in cash.

  “And I’ll pay you if you let me stay through Sunday.”

  “Sawyer, no,” she said. “I told you, you didn’t need to do that.”

  I took her hand, which she allowed, and I put the wad of hundreds into her hand and closed her soft fingers around the money. It was only for a few seconds, but I loved how her hand felt in mine. I wished I had more money so I could have grabbed her hand again. And again.

  “Then, accept that as payment for the days you will give me.”

  She looked like she was going to make a show about rejecting my offer, but she relented quicker than anticipated.

  “Thank you,” said Hannah.

  “No problem.”

  There were a few moments of silence as our eyes returned to the TV. My mind was definitely going to an interesting place. Normally I could read a girl easily, but I was learning quickly that Hannah was not just any girl. I suspected that her thoughts weren’t dissimilar from mine, but I couldn’t be sure.

  “So, you liked what you saw, did you?” I asked her.

  She rolled her eyes again. It was then that I noticed their color: blue. Against her dark hair, it made them stand out to me. I was becoming more attracted to her with each passing minute.

  “What? That thing I said about your body?” she asked.

  “Right, you liked what you saw. It’s okay. You’re hot; I’m hot. It’s only natural.”

  She laughed. At first, I thought it was another unusual response and that it was a dismissive laugh. Then, she crossed her arms below her chest and continued to chuckle as she kept those blue eyes locked on my face.

  “What?” I asked with real curiosity.

  “Nothing
. It’s just… I don’t know. I’m not usually classified as ‘hot.’ I’ve gotten ‘cute,’ ‘beautiful,’ ‘sexy.’ I don’t get ‘hot’ all that often.”

  “Well, that’s a real shame because you’re hot as hell.”

  She laughed again. That time, I knew it was a dismissive laugh.

  “I’ll give you until Monday, but then you have to be out,” she said. “I’m serious. It’s nothing against you; it’s just—”

  “No, I get it,” I interjected.

  “It’s just… you know, if I’m not careful, I might end up with a roommate that I didn’t sign up for.”

  “What would be so bad about having me for a roommate?”

  “Nothing… It… it’s the principle. It’s weird, right? ‘How’d you and your roommate meet?’ ‘Oh, he got kicked out of his apartment and even though he said he’d be out the following morning—’”

  I chuckled to myself, slightly embarrassed.

  “—he stayed around until one day, he just didn’t leave!’ That’s a really weird story to tell people, isn’t it?”

  “Who gives a shit what other people think?” I threw out.

  Even though it was intended to merely be a statement, it seemed like she was actually considering my words.

  She nodded. “Good point. But still… you know what I mean. You did say you were only going to be here until you found a place. That was the agreement, right?”

  “Who says we can’t make a new agreement?” I threw out.

  “Like?”

  “I earn my stay with my body. If you’re really opposed to accepting my money, I could pay my rent with a more… carnal currency.”

  She laughed. I think she realized that laugh in particular was like a knife cutting at my pride because it seemed like she was using it as a weapon as often as she could.

  “And this is why you need to be out by Monday,” she said. “Men. How the fuck can all of you be so arrogant?”

  “Arrogant? Or charming?”

  “Oh, definitely arrogant; don’t wonder about that. If this is your ‘method’ or whatever to pick up women, then I have to question what kind of woman you think I am. Because whatever you’re going for here is not working. In fact, all you’re doing is disgusting me.”

  I was surprised by how straightforward she was. I was not used to that from girls, either. I licked my lips, attempting to not be thrown by this turbulent conversation.

  “I’ll buy that you think I’m an arrogant ass,” I said. “But you can’t tell me this isn’t working for you. Come on, if you really didn’t want me here, you could have thrown my stuff off the second floor by now.”

  “Well… I wouldn’t do that.”

  “I’m kind of surprised,” I said. “Usually the girls want me to stay. They don’t send me away. I don’t think you realize what a waste it would be if I really did leave.”

  “Oh, what, to not have sex with you? Somehow, I think I’ll find a way to resist you, Sawyer.” Sarcasm was wrapped around her every word.

  I didn’t want too many periods of silence, and the more she rejected me, the feistier she became. She was making me feistier, too.

  “How about we make a bet?” I said.

  “A bet? What kind of bet…?”

  “I need a place to stay, and you need…”

  “What do I need, Sawyer?” she asked defensively.

  “Let’s say… ‘fun.’ However you define fun.”

  “I don’t consider sleeping with strangers fun,” she said.

  “But I’m not a stranger, remember? I’m a temporary roommate. I will pay you whatever you’re paying for rent with interest, I’ll do whatever kind of chores you would ordinarily do by yourself, and I won’t invite anybody over. I’m not going to throw parties and get you kicked out, I swear.”

  “I’m still not clear on what the bet is.”

  “I’ll bet I can get you to sleep with me.”

  She laughed again, but I didn’t allow for her to craft a suitable jab.

  “If I can get you to sleep with me within thirty days, then you have to let me stay here as a permanent roommate. If you don’t sleep with me in thirty days, I’ll throw my shit off the second floor myself, and you’ll never see me again.”

  “Aw, how sweet,” she said sarcastically.

  “Unless you want to see me again,” I said, winking. “Come on, I’m paying you no matter what for the thirty days, and you’re not obligated to do anything. I’m not looking for anything serious at all. I hate relationships, to be totally honest.”

  “Is this conversation really happening right now?” she said. “Be serious.”

  “I am serious. I bet you’ll sleep with me before the thirty days are over.”

  “You seem way too confident for a guy who was just told no several times.”

  I shrugged. “Do we have a bet?”

  She paused, pondering my offer. The silence lingered for so long that I wondered if she was even going to give me answer. To my surprise, she extended her hand and accepted my unorthodox idea.

  “Fuck it, why not?” she said. We shook hands. “I’m in. Your chances aren’t good, but it’ll be fun to watch your attempts at seduction.”

  “But if you think it would be too much added pressure—worrying about a bet—we could just go ahead and have sex right now. My roommate is really fucking hot; it’d be wrong not to ask at least one more time.”

  She laughed and got off of the couch. She tried to hide her face from me, but I could see her blushing. I didn’t want to appear desperate with such a weak last-ditch attempt, but admittedly, I was a bit horny for her. And getting more so by the second.

  “Good luck, Sawyer.”

  She went into her bedroom and shut the door. It was amazing to me how, in a matter of seconds, my ludicrous notion, meant more as a taunt than a serious idea, was now going to be my major project for the next month. As I sat on the couch, I wondered about which day it would be when she would finally give in to me (I initially predicted a week). I was curious if she was wondering about the same thing back in her room.

  Chapter Five

  Hannah

  The next day came, and with it, the usual batch of dull, repetitive Thursday meetings at work. We discussed hitting our quarterly sales targets, as well as ways we could expand our business online. We also broke down our last quarter and speculated why certain sales methods had worked and others hadn’t. There was a lot more discussed that day, but my mind was not in the Omicron Office Supplies conference room.

  I was still shocked that I’d accepted Sawyer’s baffling bet. Forgetting that the bet in itself felt inappropriate and strange, I was surprised by my own acceptance of said strange bet. I didn’t even want to linger on the fact that I barely knew him. I couldn’t imagine myself going along with an idea like his even with a friend I trusted, let alone with a man that I barely knew.

  Sawyer had thirty days until the seduction deadline. While he was certainly confident in his abilities, he was also dealing with a woman who didn’t just sleep with every hot guy who came along. I was curious if he had any real tricks up his sleeve or if his attempts were going to merely be walking around naked in a towel. It wasn’t that I didn’t like his body. I did… but, it takes more than a great body to weaken my steadfast resolve.

  I hated how hot he was. He was definitely one of the most attractive men that had ever come on to me before. I was sure that his hotness had a significant part to play in my willingness to accept his sex bet. I was strong, but I was also human, and I did like the attention.

  There was a good period of time during my meetings when I finally crossed a threshold and began to imagine what sex with Sawyer would be like. I heard the soundtrack of his sexcapades through the walls many times, and it usually sounded good. He was in spectacular shape, so I imagined that he probably had some real skills in that department, too. I briefly thought back to him in the towel, with his glistening muscles and interesting tattoos. I had also caught a glimpse of a bulg
e from underneath his towel and in his gym shorts. I hated myself for looking, but I was curious.

  Whenever my thoughts returned to Sawyer’s body, I would try and refocus on the meetings. I would see that I had lost several important pieces of information because of my daydreaming and so I would force my mind back to reality. It never worked. After a while, thoughts of Sawyer pulled me back in.

  I hadn’t even tried to look “hot” for him and yet, he kept saying that I was. I wondered how he might react if I actually tried to look sexy. I thought about what might happen if he invited me out for drinks—I suspected the “get her drunk and out of her mind” tactic might be an approach he’d use. I didn’t want to refuse nights out with him just based on things that he might do. For all intents and purposes, he was my roommate, and I didn’t want to prevent the possibility of a friendship. Considering he was living with me, I thought it made sense that we at least like each other, and not just in the physical sense. Then, I wondered what would happen if we actually became friends. While he was a bit conceited, I still believed that he had a kind heart.

  I continued to think about Sawyer until the final meeting was over.

  Once 4:59 hit, everyone began to file out the door. I was one of the last to leave, considering I daydreamt during the time that I usually spent collecting my things.

  Waiting by the door were my friends and coworkers, Amy and Lisa. Amy was blunt, but she always meant well. She was our receptionist at Omicron. Lisa was a supplies salesperson like me, and she tended to use her body to score sales that many others might otherwise struggle with. Since she was making the company money, no one complained. We were all friends, but there were the occasional bouts of subtle jealousy you could pick up in the group. I knew there were times when I felt like they were much prettier than I was. I was jealous of Amy’s perfect, straight brown hair and chill personality, and at times, I would get jealous of Lisa, too. Lisa had amazing hair, a free spirit, and a great chest, and there were days when I felt like I had none of that.