4. Sal
Chapter Four
SAL
Ugh, Mondays.
I looked down at my phone, unable to suppress a smile.
It's Thursday.
Ah, yes. I just haven't been getting much sleep lately. Wonder why.
Yeah, I wonder.
I was grinning now because the extra-large coffee on my desk said it all. We'd stayed up nearly all night talking again. That made three nights in a row.
I now knew pretty much everything about Cityboy , except of course what he looked like.
He was in his late twenties, had grown up in the suburbs, had an addiction to the mochas from Cafe Boheme, which happened to be just down the street. Single for two years but was taking a break after the “incident” with the scaley green alien with the fangs in unfamiliar places.
I chuckled remembering the story even though I shouldn't.
I was late again today but I don't think anyone important noticed.
You have a really good excuse if anyone asks.
What? That I stayed up late talking to a mysterious alien about the pros and cons of sex on a first date?
Yes, exactly.
Cityboy was fun. He was snarky but sweet. He always wanted to know more about me and every now and then would surprise me with a comment that let me know he was thinking about me even when we weren't talking.
Like last night, the conversation that started it all. I scrolled back to reread it…
I would have been friends with you in high school. I kind of made it my mission to be friends with everyone.
Everyone?
Uhuh. No soldiers left behind. I got bullied a lot inmiddle school. By the time I got over it and got into my own, I had no fucks left to give to anyone who wanted to judge me. But the idea of anyone feeling lonely really bothered me, so I spoke to everyone, tried to remember everyone's names, etc.
That sounds exhausting... but really nice of you.
Honestly, it wasn't. It turns out most people are pretty awesome once you get to know them. Even if they're self-conscious about something, say, for example, some horns...
I chuckled and shook my head, coming back to the present. That had led into the sex and dating conversation somehow, but that was after an hour of talking about other things. Next thing I knew, it had been nearly two am and I still didn't want to say goodnight.
How was it that in a matter of days, someone I had never even met made me smile more than I had in years?
He even somehow made me feel more confident in myself which was ridiculous really. Yes, I was green and had a forked tongue and tail to go with it. Yes, I had horns, but Cityboy had been right the first day. I didn't consider myself ugly. I knew that people were often drawn to the dangerous appeal that I naturally possessed.
But still, talking to him soothed something inside me. The only thing that could make it better would be to hear the tone of his voice while he said it all.
I shook the thought away. I wasn't doing this for an IRL friend, or partner. I just wanted to fill some time and feel more complete.
The only downside was that the more we spoke, the more my curiosity grew.
My phone dinged with the Alien Mates notification sound and I picked it up at once, eager to see what he had to say now.
So, how set are you on not meeting?
Or at least seeing pics...
Hm. And I was supposed to be the mind reader.
Aren't you supposed to be working?
Aren't you?
Caught, I looked up and realized that my computer had been untouched for so long that it had gone to sleep.
No pressure, but, you should probably know that my curiosity is killing me.
...and I like you more than any of the randos I dated over the last two years.
Just saying.
I sat there for a minute, wondering what to say. I wasn't even sure what I thought of that. Why did it feel like breaking the invisible wall between us would ruin everything? Then this would be gone and I didn't want to let it go yet.
Or it could be amazing.
Here, I'll break the ice if it makes you feel better.
Before I could react, a picture came through.
My breath caught in my throat even though his face wasn't included.
The picture said everything I needed to know about where he wanted this relationship to go. And it would be a lie to say my interest wasn't immediately piqued.
Cityboy had taken the picture from above, holding his arm up in the air while he laid in bed. His orange tank top was ruffled and hiked up, exposing a pierced belly button and golden treasure trail. The edge of his blue boxers were pushed down but the blankets were rumpled up on top of anything else suggestive I could see. The edge of a smooth chin was all I saw of his face, but his narrow throat and lean body, soft pale skin, made my entire body flood with heat.
Sweet and sexy, just like his personality. He probably had a cute face to match.
I shook my head, staring until my phone dinged again.
Are you going to say something? Or do I need to go hide my head in the sand?
Sorry. Busy staring.
May as well admit it, I decided.
You're gorgeous.
You know I'm at work though. Bad timing sending me a sexy picture.
There was a brief pause, then another message popped through.
Thank god I didn't start with a dick pic.
My blood rushed at the thought even though I knew he was joking... or actually, maybe not. He probably had a folder of hot pictures ready to go on his phone.
I bit my lip, shifting to take the pressure off of the erection quickly tightening my pants.
My short fangs cut a little too hard into my lip and that brought me back to reality.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad meeting up...
So, what do you think? Do I deserve a picture for that?
I might need the dick pic first.
I was just joking, but he responded as though I wasn't.
Omg, okay, just wait until I'm on break. Don't want to send one from my desk. With my luck someone from HR will pass by and fire me on the spot.
I chuckled and shook my head.
I knew he worked downtown near me since Cafe Boheme was nearby and he always stopped there on his way to work. Wherever it was, it seemed like the place was pretty strict based on his constant concern that he was going to get fired at every wrong move.
What do you do, anyway?
I couldn't help asking. Our conversations hadn't veered into our current lives so much.
Accounting.
Ya, I know. It's surprising. I just did what my dad told me to do when it was time to pick acareer. I didn't know what I wanted. Now I've been working in this hellhole for over a year and cursing my indecisive eighteen-year-old ass.
I tilted my head, thinking of our accounting department. If it wasn't already full, I could give him a job here instead.
I would hire you here if I could but we're fully staffed.
It was for the best, it would be stupid to hire someone that I wanted to date.
Wait. Was that my answer? I guessed it was undeniable. I liked him and that was before seeing his body looking so warm and welcoming in his bed.
Heat flooded my face and I clicked back onto his picture, wondering what he looked like everywhere I couldn't see. I could imagine my arms wrapped around him.
Oooh, you have the power to hire people? Didn't realize that I was talking to a hotshot.
If only he knew. I had a feeling he would be impressed with me being a CEO of a pretty big company.
I can hire whoever I want. It is my company.
Holy.
He reacted with a fire emoji and I laughed outright.
I would happily take you as my boss over the current one, swap one alien with another.
I paused, surprised. A frown slowly drew my brows together.
Your boss is an alien?
An admittedly sexy one. But with the personality equivalent of scraping nails on a chalkboard.
For the first time since we'd started messaging days ago, an image shot into my mind. It happened sometimes when someone was particularly emotional, especially if they were angry, that I would read their minds through the electronic connection. It was exceptionally rare, but suddenly, I was looking at myself as I walked by. My gaze darted down to meet his in a dismissive way and just like that, I was sitting at my desk again, trembling.
“No way,” I whispered and before thinking, I was on my feet moving across the office to throw my door open.
My secretary squealed in surprise but I ignored her, marching into the main room, my gaze fixed on one particular employee who always got under my skin with his loud thoughts and barely concealed glares.
Clay was sitting in front of his black computer screen, head down, typing on his phone.
His curly blond hair obscured most of his face but when I stopped near him, he suddenly gasped and jolted upright as though sensing me there before seeing me.
His wide blue eyes fixed on mine and for a moment, he was like a deer in headlights.
After a moment, his parted lips snapped shut and he bashfully set his phone down.
“Sorry,” he muttered.
It took me far too long to collect myself enough to answer.
“You're not being paid to be on your phone all day.”
He nodded, his cheeks flooding with red.
“It won’t happen again,” he promised.
I nodded, forcing myself to keep walking. I did, going straight to the elevator and taking it down automatically.
It wasn't until I was outside in the open air that I felt like I could breathe again. How was this possible? The guy I had spent the last few days talking to was my own employee. And one who didn't particularly like me. I hadn't thought that Clay was the type of person he showed me in our messages. I'd thought he was much more vapid than that.
One thing I'd been right about at least—he did have a face to match that body. It was borderline angelic. So sweet with soft pink lips and freckles and round, almost innocent eyes that I normally only saw filled with disdain.
I had to stop this now before it went any further.
It was the right thing to do, but the thought made me ache.
My phone dinged and I looked down, already dreading the incoming message.
I got caught texting by my boss. Please kill me.
He's such an asshole.
My heart sank.
For a minute, I didn't even want to respond.
What would Clay say if he found out that his asshole boss was his mystery alien?
There was one way to find out. I stared at my phone, wondering if I should just rip off the band aid now and tell him.
Honestly, I think you're the only thing keeping me sane right now... I hope you change your mind about meeting or sending a pic...
Then again...
Maybe I should try to make amends first. Who knew, maybe we would get along in person too if it wasn't just a boss/employee relationship.
My heart started to beat fast as I realized the choice had been made for me.
Clay wanted to meet. We already had.
He guessed that MoreThanTheHorns was attractive. I knew he already thought his boss was sexy.
If I played this right, maybe he would give me a chance IRL too.