13. Chloe
13
Chloe
“I’m toast.”
“Yup.”
“Do you think he’ll sue me or something?”
“No, that’s too easy for a bully like him. He’ll probably haunt your dreams. You’ll see his face everywhere you turn and hear his voice echoing in the walls. It’ll be like living in a nightmare you can’t escape.”
I shudder at the very graphic mental image of Amber’s words forming in my head and take a swig of my drink. “Can’t we just, I dunno…call the Men in Black and sneak over to his place to wipe his memory clean with a zapper thingy…or something…anything?”
“I wish, girl. But it’s not that simple. There's no escaping his hook once Daniel sinks his claws into you.”
I swallow hard. “I should have left while I still had the chance. I should have listened to you...What am I saying? I can still quit!”
“It was nice knowing you, Chloe. I’ll miss you so much.”
Amber reaches out to pull me into an embrace when someone laughs behind us. We turn at the same time to see Alex, who I invited to spend Saturday with us.
“Finally! Alex, Amber. Amber, Alex.”
The two know of each other because I talk about them all the time, but they haven’t met in person.
“Nice to meet you, Amber,” Alex says, leaning in for a hug.
She giggles. “I know, right. I feel like I’ve known you forever already.”
“You two are being so dramatic, by the way,” he shakes his head, taking a seat. “It’s probably not as serious as you’re making it out to be.”
“You don’t understand. I talked back at him. I raised my voice. I poked his chest and flipped my hair!”
Amber nods, “She’s right. It’s pretty serious.”
“Alright, that’s it,” Alex calls, taking our drinks from us. “You’ve both had enough to drink.”
He beckons to the bartender and closes our tabs before leading us away from the bar. “We should do something, hang out.”
“Uhh. It’s 5:30 P.M.” Amber drawls. “We are doing something. We’re drinking at a bar. What else did you have in mind?”
“I dunno, bowling, a pool hall, TopGolf?”
“Later. Right now, I need to drown out my fears,” I jump in.
Soon, we’re nestled away in a booth on the corner of the bar, simply…hanging out. The dimly lit bar is pulsating with energy. We’re far from the fun yet close enough to soak in the atmosphere. Since it’s their first meet-up, Amber and Alex seem to have a lot to talk about, and in no time, I become a spectator between them as they laugh at weird facts about themselves.
Their chemistry flows so well, and for a moment, the thought of playing matchmaker dances through my mind. I quickly dismiss it, though. Amber’s love life is as fleeting as a shooting star, bright and intense but gone before you know it. She hops like a bee from flower to flower, never lingering to taste if the nectar's truly sweet. Instead, she offers baseless excuses: "he chews too loudly," "he still plays video games," "he leaves the toilet seat up," "bad hairline," and the list goes on. She’s convinced she’s just protecting her future kids.
My thoughts snap back to the present when Amber leans in and whispers, “What a perfect, hot, tall, gorgeous way to forget your week’s troubles.”
“What?”
“That guy over there has been stealing glances at you all night. He’s cute, and he looks like a good one-night-stand material. You should totally give him a chance.”
I can’t help but be excited and apprehensive. The idea of meeting someone new is both thrilling and nerve-wracking. So, trusting Amber’s open-mindedness, I agree to take the plunge. Just in time, too, because the handsome stranger saunters over when he notices me looking at him.
“Hey there,” he says smoothly, his voice cutting through the loud music. “I’m Antonio.”
I manage a polite smile, trying to keep my unease hidden. “Oh, hi,” I reply, my voice barely audible over the music.
Antonio leans in closer, his breath warm against my ear. “You look even more stunning up close,” he compliments, his tone dripping with charm.
"Thank you," I respond, unsure how to navigate the situation.
Undeterred, Antonio takes a step closer, his hand lightly brushing my arm. "Care to dance?" he asks, his voice low and persuasive.
Against my better judgment, I nod hesitantly. "Sure, why not," I agree, allowing Antonio to lead me onto the dance floor.
As we move together in rhythm with the music, Antonio keeps the conversation light and engaging. I try to relax, enjoying the upbeat tempo and the distraction from my earlier nerves.
Antonio quickly reminds me of Daniel. They’re both arrogant representations of why looks aren’t everything, although Daniel is hotter. I keep looking back at our table anxiously, but Amber is deep in conversation with Alex, and they’d only send a thumbs-up my way occasionally. I can’t help but feel guilty that they’d be disappointed when they realize there won’t be any casual hookups.
But as the dance progresses, I notice a shift in Antonio's demeanor. His touches linger too long, his compliments become more possessive, and his gaze grows increasingly intense.
He pulls me in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "You know, we could have a lot of fun together," he suggests, his hand sliding down my back.
Alarm bells ring in my head. This isn't what I signed up for. I take a step back, creating space between us. "I think I'm gonna grab a drink," I say, attempting to diffuse the situation.
Antonio's expression darkens for a moment before he masks it with a smile. "Come on, don't be like that," he urges, trying to bring me closer.
I shake my head slightly, my discomfort growing. "I think I've had enough dancing for now," I say firmly, my voice tinged with resolve.
Antonio's frustration is palpable, and he releases me abruptly. "Fine," he snaps, his charm slipping for a moment. "Do what you want,” Antonio hisses and walks away.
Relieved to be free of his grasp, I quickly retreat from the dance floor, making a beeline back to Amber and Alex. They both look up with concern as I approach.
“That’s it! I’ve had it up to here with men treating me like crap!” I throw my hands up in the air. “I’ll quit my job. Daniel can shove his attitude where the sun doesn’t shine! I don’t care how hot he looks!”
“Hold on, what happened?” Amber asks.
“I assume the dude was a jerk, but…what does Daniel have to do with this?”
I open my mouth to answer, but my mouth just hangs open. Antonio should be the one to blame, but I’m directing it to Daniel, who’s probably reading his daughter a bedtime story. Amber and Alex exchange a strange look before Amber leans forward and clears her throat. “Um, Chloe? It sounds like Daniel has done a little more than getting under your skin.”
“Whatever it is you’re insinuating, it’s wrong! I don’t like Daniel. He’s a horrible man.”
“Darling, nobody said you did,” Alex points out, and I immediately feel stupid.
“Chloe, we’re just worried about you–”
I cut in. “I’m fine. It’s just…it’s just been a rough couple of months. Let’s get outta here.”
We grab our things, but Amber hesitates at the back door. I realize by how her eyes dart between me and Alex that she’s about to shock me.
“Um, Chloe, I’m…I’m actually heading back with Alex,” she confesses with a sheepish grin.
My jaw drops. “Can we talk for a second?” But I don’t wait for an answer before I pull her aside.
“You’re going to sleep with Alex?!” I half-scream, half-whisper.
“Why not? He’s funny and cute.”
“That’s not the point. He’s sweet, Amber. Sweet is not your type.”
“Yeah, but I believe he has other…things that are my type,” Amber says, glancing at Alex with a hungry look on her face.
“Okay, that’s gross,” I groan. “Just be…have fun. Oh, great. Now I’ll never look at Alex the same way again. Go on.”
Amber chuckles, gives me a quick hug, and struts off to meet Alex. As I watch them go, I feel a pang of envy. Amber has it so easy.
When I get home, I turn the shower on immediately with the hopes of washing off Antonio’s scent. But things don’t go exactly as planned.
I step into the warm embrace of the shower, letting the hot water cascade over me. As I reach for the soap, my mind starts to wander, unbidden thoughts invading my consciousness.
Daniel's face flashes into my mind…his chiseled jawline, those piercing eyes that seem to see right through me. I try to push the image away, but it lingers, stubbornly refusing to fade.
I tell myself it's just curiosity. After all, he's my boss, and he's obviously attractive. It's natural for thoughts to stray occasionally, right? I focus on washing my hair, trying to distract myself, but the image of him shirtless slips in. I let my mind wander a bit longer than I should, imagining what it would be like to run my fingers over those defined muscles, to feel his warmth against me.
I stop abruptly, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. This is so ridiculous. I'm not attracted to Daniel. I'm just curious about how someone like him could have such an effect on me. It's purely an intellectual exercise, nothing more.
But what if I indulge this curiosity? Just this once. It could be a harmless way to satisfy my mind's wandering. After all, it's just fantasy. I'm not actually going to act on it.
I force myself to refocus on the task at hand, scrubbing away any lingering thoughts. I need to stop this before it goes any further. Having these kinds of thoughts about my boss is definitely not appropriate. It's just a passing fancy, a fleeting moment of temptation.
With a determined sigh, I finish my shower quickly, willing myself to put these thoughts behind me.