Hidden Feelings (Quick Bites #1)

Excerpt from Hidden Confessions

“What are you doing here, Spencer?” Finn’s deep voice echoed through the now empty office as his eyes settled on me.

I rolled my eyes at his words while trying to keep my composure in check. I swallowed the lump that had suddenly lodged in my throat.

“Well, I figured I should try to say my goodbye properly after you brushed me off earlier, and I thought I might as well be last given how... preoccupied you were. The office is thankfully going to be a whole lot quieter without you here,” I said, and just like that, I was ready to hang myself. It seemed that when it came to this guy, my tongue didn’t know how to act aside from blurting snarky remarks.

Finn shrugged. He leaned against one of the desks, folding his arms. I couldn’t help but notice the bulge of his biceps fighting against the fabric of his shirt.

I forced my eyes up to see him with his head cocked to the side, staring at me with a curious gaze.

“You could’ve left after you said goodbye hours ago, Spencer. You could’ve been at home doing whatever it is you do at this hour.”

That was true.

I quickly racked my brain for an excuse as to why I was still here. I couldn’t come up with anything, and all that wine I’d consumed earlier was not helping me in the slightest. Liquid courage, my ass.

“I could have. I probably should have, but I decided to be nice for once and...” I gestured around the office awkwardly. “Help you clean this mess up,” I said, grasping onto the first thing that came to mind. Though most of my colleagues were decent enough to clean up after themselves, there was still some tidying left to do. Well, it was a good excuse to buy me more time with him.

He gave me one of his trademark sinister smirks. “Wow, how thoughtful of you. My saving grace.”

“Man, would it kill you to be nice for once?” I said, turning my back to him as I began to collect the remaining plastic plates, putting them all in one pile. “Consider this my goodbye gift. Don’t say I never did anything for you.”

“Don’t tell me you’re already missing me now, Spencer.”

I didn’t dare turn around to face him. I didn’t want him to see me blush. I knew I was, given the way my cheeks were burning.

My mind reeled once more. Should I be the first to say it? Should I let him know? The thought of telling him how I truly felt had been nagging at the back of my mind relentlessly. I’d been debating it the entire evening. It wasn’t like I was expecting anything in return. I just wanted him to leave knowing I didn’t hate him.

“Not to sound cheesy or anything—”

“But you’re definitely going to say something cheesy,” he interrupted right away. When I stalled in my movements, not saying anything, he gave an exaggerated sigh. “All right, spill it all out.”

“Why do you have to make everything so unnecessarily difficult? Can’t you just be quiet for once and listen?” I huffed, turning to face him, now visibly frustrated.

Finn made a zipping motion over his lips. Ugh. He was such an annoying ass.

Fuck. I was really going to miss him.