by Piper Rayne
“Then I guess you’ll be picking me up one next week after I win?”
“I thought we were doing lunch?”
“Do they not serve sandwiches on bagels?” Both her eyebrows raise.
I jump down from her desk. “You’ll be buying mine.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Just as I’m about to leave her alone because I’m probably really looking needy right now, Mr. Copeland stops in front of her cubicle with his morning cup of coffee in hand.
“Glad to see you guys are getting along.”
I’m sure he means that more like, ‘I’m glad to see you get along with someone, anyone, Ethan.’ He’s the biggest “rah-rah co-workers are second family” in the office.
“Good morning, Mr. Copeland.”
“Please Blanca, call me Phil.”
She smiles but doesn’t repeat it.
“I got both your proposals for the mid-month issue and I have to ask, did you plan it together?” Neither of us have a chance to respond before he speaks again. “Post lunch meeting in the conference room. Say one o’clock?”
“I’ll be there,” I say.
“Sounds good,” Blanca says.
“Great. You’re both so amenable this morning.” His stare lingers on me. I tend to swim against the current, but I’m behind this opposing-articles idea Blanca came up with. He steps away but doesn’t leave, sipping his coffee for a moment. “Get a rough sketch of your article together. I want to see where they’re going.”
“Sure thing.” Blanca’s face is all smiles. I wonder if she ever goes against the grain.
Phil walks down the hall, stopping at a cubicle farther down to wish them a good morning.
“You should get to work,” Blanca says, swiveling her chair to face her computer.
“Yeah, I’m going to make a list of my favorite lunch places.”
I tear myself away because I’m fairly sure I could stay and watch her the entire day. Sitting at my desk, I put in my AirPods so I can concentrate on something other than the fact that she’s right next to me.
I may have been late today, but I use my time wisely, researching stories of co-workers who dated and digging to find real life people who had a horrible experience after dating a co-worker.
After scanning article after article and one Reddit story after another, I’ve determined that most work romances are all about secret sex in the copy room or inappropriate touches under the conference table. It’s then that I nail down the direction I’m going with my article. Work romances are a taboo thing that people get a high on just like a drug. It’s the thrill of possibly being caught.
By the time one o’clock arrives, and I pass Blanca in the hall talking to Tina from proofreading, I know I’m gonna be the winner.
“Hey Ethan,” Blanca says, waving to me.
“Blanca.” I nod. “Tina.”
“Ethan,” Tina says with zero excitement in her tone.
I sit in the chair next to where Phil will sit. He’s a creature of habit and believes his chair is the one at the head of the table. Blanca arrives minutes later and slides into the chair across from me.
“Tina’s nice.”
I nod.
“What is with you? Why are you so against socialization at work?”
“I get paid to work, not find out that one of Tina’s lizards is constipated again.”
Blanca laughs, one of her curls falling in front of her face. She’s so beautiful that it’s almost a physical ache that I can’t have her. Especially after the dreams of her under me, riding me, stripping for me. I’m almost scared to close my eyes. “How on Earth did you…”
“I might not speak but I have ears.”
She steadies her gaze on me like she’s searching for something. “You are one mysterious man, Ethan Ryland.”
“Why do you say that?”
I’ll be damned if I give her any personal information but at the same time I fear she has the capability of getting it out of me without me even knowing.
“Because you don’t want to get close to anyone here, yet you listen to their woes…”
“Since I have functioning ear drums I can’t stop from hearing their complaining.” I raise an eyebrow in challenge.
“You’re not closed off with me. You even got me a bagel this morning.”
The reason I became a writer is because I need time to think about what I want to say. I’m not good on the spot, so I take a brief moment to consider my response. But before I can say anything, Phil and Cassie walk in. I’m saved.
Blanca gives me a challenging smirk that says she’s thinking the same thing as I am.
“Okay you two. Blanca, this is my assistant, my niece, Cassie.” He holds out his hand toward the young woman at the end of the table who’s pulling out her phone.
“Hi, Cassie,” Blanca says with a genuine smile.
Cassie returns the smile and pops a bubble from her gum, positioning her phone in her hands with both thumbs armed to take notes. I roll my eyes and see Phil release a breath.
“Ladies first,” Phil says, leaning back and swiveling his chair to face Blanca.
It’s the first time I’ve seen her ill at ease. She’s smiling, but it’s not the casual one that suggests she’s in control. Her teeth are biting down on one side of her lip and then she clears her throat. “I took the position of co-worker relationships being a positive thing.”
Phil nods and waits silently.
“I have a list of five reasons why dating a co-worker is healthy.” Her gaze flicks to me.
“Okay, I’m not sure I want you to list them yet.” He swivels his chair my way like he’s Dr. Phil. “Ethan?”
“I’ve got six reasons why you should never date a co-worker with a great final argument.” I glance at Blanca who’s back straightens.
“More doesn’t necessarily mean better,” she says.
I swear my dick perks up when she fights back.
“Maybe not, but it’s more of an argument than your five.”
“How do you figure? Your reasons might not hold as much weight as mine.”
“Oh, they do.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Okay you two.” Phil stutters out a laugh holding his hands up in the air. “I never would’ve predicted this dynamic between you two when I hired Blanca.” He concentrates his attention on her. “I thought you were a school fish.”
“School fish?” she asks, eyeing me like I can fill her in.
I have no idea what the hell he’s talking about.
“That you’d swim with everyone—but I like this shark attitude. Ethan needs someone to keep him on his toes.” He stands up and signals to Cassie that he’s done here. She blows another bubble and has to take the gum out of her mouth to get the residue off her lips.
We all watch her until she’s done, Phil’s eyes closing briefly.
“I just wanted to see the dynamic of the two of you talking about the articles. I can’t wait to see what I get. Articles are due Friday.”
He leaves the room and Blanca stands.
“School fish?” she says more to herself I think. Her disappointment of being classified that way bothers her, I can tell.
“You do have a goody two-shoes vibe.”
She scoffs.
I laugh at her pouty lip.
“But after today I’m thinking you might have a big bite when you get cornered.”
She smiles wider. “Just ask my brothers.”
Yeah, Phil definitely underestimated this girl who grew up with three older brothers. I guess I did it too, which only turns me on more.
I wish that was a good thing.
Chapter Ten
Blanca
*
Friday afternoon at three o’clock, I click send an email to Mr. Copeland, which contains my very first article that will be published in a magazine. Exhilaration spreads through my veins. I finally accomplished what I wanted. I am going to have something published in print.
Sliding out of my chair, I peek over the partition to find Ethan wearing his AirPods, his back to me, typing away. I use the moment to savor the glimpse of his back muscles flexing as he raises his shoulders up and down for relief. If we were girlfriend and boyfriend, I’d be able to give him a massage and relieve some of that tension.
Breezing by him, I head to the break room to celebrate by myself, wishing there was a bottle of champagne around. Instead of popping the bubbly, I pull out my phone and message Sierra that I’ve submitted my article and how excited I am.
Sierra: Party on the rooftop tonight!
Me: Rooftop?
*
Sierra: It’s been too hot out to show you, but tonight we’re gonna show you what’s so great about our building.
A second later, a group text comes through with a bunch of numbers I don’t have in my phone.
Group Message: Blanca finished her article. Party tonight on the rooftop.
Seconds later a stream of messages ping my phone.
Unknown: I got the beer.
Rian: I’ll bake a cake.
*
Unknown: Chocolate?
*
Rian: Yes, Dylan, I can do chocolate.
*
Unknown: I’ll put in an order for wings.
*
Unknown: Blanca, do you like wings? Are you a spicy girl?
*
Unknown: Or a sweet girl?
*
Unknown: Or a combination of both?
*
Sierra: Slow down there Seth. Let her answer you.
*
Me: Um… whatever is fine. Maybe medium? And thanks Rian for the cake idea but it’s not necessary.
*
Dylan: Blanca, don’t speak for all of us.
*
Unknown: I’ll grab champagne too.
As the messages keep vibrating my phone in my pocket, I crack open the Diet Coke I brought back from lunch yesterday. Ethan walks in and leans his shoulder against the doorframe.
“Celebrating?” His arms are crossed, and I really like the way it makes his biceps bunch. So much so that I have to clench my thighs a little tighter to relieve the ache between my legs.
I raise my Diet Coke in the air. “Yep.”
“It feels good, right?”
I sit down at the table and a long stream of air flows out of me. “It feels amazing.”
“I see you’re the type who gets the high.” He grins and gestures to me.
“I do feel like I could conquer just about anything right now.”
He chuckles, grabbing a water he had marked with his name on it. His forearms constrict while he loosens the cap and I watch his Adam’s apple bob like I did that night on the train.
“Are you going to your parents this weekend?” The question falls out of me before I can take it back. I probably look really needy right now.
He smiles over the rim of his bottle. Maybe he likes where my mind is headed. After he gulps down another sip, he secures the cap. “Every Sunday. You?”
I nod.
“Maybe we’ll catch each other.” He shrugs.
Disappointment jabs at me like a stick when it shouldn’t. He owes me nothing. I guess I just thought he might say we can head into the city together and catch the last train back.
I shake my head. What am I thinking? He doesn’t want a work relationship. He may flirt a bit here and there and yeah, he brought me a bagel, but that doesn’t mean he wants to pursue anything. He’s been clear on that.
“Yeah. Maybe.”
Mr. Copeland walks by and stops at the break room door. “Got ’em guys, take the rest of the afternoon off.”
Ethan pushes off the counter and walks toward the door. “Great. Thanks.”
“I’ll send edits back this weekend. Get me the final on Monday before noon. We go to print Tuesday and I heard Tina saying something about her cat having to go to the vet.”
“Sounds great. Have a great weekend, Phil.” Ethan nods and leaves the room without so much as a goodbye or backward glance.
“Come on Blanca, I just told you to leave early on a Friday. Get out of here.” Mr. Copeland smiles, his coffee mug nestled in the palm of his hand. I have no idea how he drinks so much coffee and doesn’t seem wired for sound. Maybe it’s decaf.
“Thanks, Mr. Copeland.”
I leave the break room and ignore the pull that wants me to ask Mr. Copeland if he’s looked over my article yet. Did he see anything glaring that needs to be changed? Dom told me not to let my insecurity shine. “Have a great weekend.” I smile and wave, turning down the hall.
“You too, Blanca.”
I duck into my cubicle, shutting down my computer and packing up all my stuff. When I’m ready to leave I look over the partition to say goodbye to Ethan, but his cubicle is empty. My shoulders slump and I hate the disappointment I feel.
Walking down the hall, I pull my phone out to read the texts in the group chat that’s now turned into Dylan and Knox arguing about some game that’s going to be on while Sierra tells them that there is no way they are bringing an iPad up on the roof to watch the game. Rian is asking Dylan what type of frosting he’d like, and I want to mention that it’s supposed to be my cake, so stop catering to the guy. But it’s none of my business.
I reach the reception area to find Ethan there, standing at Mandy’s desk, chatting with her. She laughs at something he said.
“Have a great weekend, Blanca,” Mandy says over her infectious laughter and waves at me.
“You too. Bye.” I wave to both of them.
Ethan glances at me briefly but continues his conversation with Mandy. Walking out of our glass doors, I press the elevator button, my gaze flickering to the two of them. Of course he’s all smiles and Mr. personality with Mandy—she’s twenty-three with an incredible rack.
Shit. I can’t do that. It’s not her fault he has an interest in her.
The elevator doors open and thankfully there’s no one else in there.
I press the number one on the elevator panel and lean back on the metal wall, eyes closed while the doors close.
I hear something and when I open my eyes, the doors are parting, and Ethan joins me in the elevator.
“Hey,” he says all casual and suave like he hasn’t been giving me whiplash with his attitude toward me all day.
“Hi.”
The doors shut and all I hear is a thud as his bag hits the floor right before my back is pressed harder to the cool metal and Ethan’s hands cup my cheeks. He presses his lips to mine and his tongue slides into my mouth. I make a sound of surprise and easily give into the kiss as his body presses to mine and the feel of his hard length hits my stomach. Too soon he pulls away.
“I’m sorry. I just… I was trying so hard to not do this,” he murmurs before his lips capture mine again in a frenzy. He slows his rhythm, his tongue now sliding effortlessly along mine, his fingers sliding into my hair. My nipples pebble in my bra and I push my chest into his, demanding more friction.
I feel him pulling away before he fully steps back, his lips the last part of him to leave my body. He runs a hand through his hair and adjusts his length while I catch my breath.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that. It’s the high.”
“High?” I’m still flustered, and I can’t make sense of his words.
“The high from turning in an article.” He steps backward until he’s on the opposite side of the elevator from me. “Shit. I should’ve asked you first.”
I shake my head. “No. I liked it.”
The elevator reaches the first floor with a bounce and I can feel the energy shift in the small space before he even opens his mouth to speak. The doors open with a ding.
“I’m sorry, Blanca. I never should’ve done that. You know my rule,” he mumbles and bolts from the elevator without another word.
By the time I’m in the lobby of our building there’s no sign of him anywhere. I put on my sunglasses w
ith the hope that they disguise how upset I am.
Why does he have to be such a good kisser? If he’d been bad, at least I wouldn’t still want him.
Sierra leads me up the stairway that will take us to the roof while Rian carries the cake behind us.
We push through the door that says ‘Roof Access’ and there sits Dylan and Seth on a set of lawn chairs with a table between them. Sierra plugs a cord into the wall and a string of lights come to life around us. A view of Cliffton Heights at twilight spreads out around us and the sunset in the far distance that paints the sky in shades of orange, yellow, and amber steals my breath.
Despite a confusing end to my workday, a feeling of bliss and rightness wraps around me. I’m where I’m supposed to be.
“Congratulations!” Seth and Dylan say in unison, standing from their chairs and deserting their beers on the table.
They each come and give me a tight hug. I’m grateful that they’ve enveloped me in their friends group so easily. I needed this with the crossroads I’m at in my life right now. Good friends, new job, and new town.
“Thank you all so much,” I say.
Rian puts the cake down and Dylan swipes his finger along the frosting.
“Dylan,” Rian says without any fight in her voice. She really needs to stop putting him up on some pedestal like he’s too good for her.
Seth sits down and kicks a chair out. “Take a load off.”
I sit down and Seth puts a wine glass in front of me, pouring a glass of rosé that he got from the cooler at his feet.
“Do you guys always hang out up here?” I ask.
“When the weather’s nice. Fall and spring nights are the best,” Seth says.
“It can get really hot up here in the summer during the afternoon, but this time of day is nice,” Sierra says, holding her glass out for Seth. He finishes pouring mine and then pours hers.
“Always with the glass half empty.” Seth rolls his eyes at her.
“Whatever, bagel boy.” Sierra takes the seat across from me, leaving the one next to me open for Rian to take since it’s the closest to Dylan. Seth can say what he wants, but Sierra’s always been a good friend.