Chapter 5
Ellie
I had sex with my new boss is the only thought running through my mind as I am sitting in his office. What am I going to do? I never thought I’d see Cole again, and now I am going to have to see him every day at work. I am so screwed.
“So, Ellie …” He starts speaking, and I zone out, thinking about how everything happened the other night with him.
My cheeks heat, and I feel flutters in my stomach.
I am snapped back to reality when he clears his throat.
I shake my head to untangle my thoughts and look at him. He is smirking at me again.
“I’m sorry,” I say meaningfully. “What were you saying?”
He stares at me for a moment. “No wonder you needed to find a new place, I assumed it had something to do with the breakup you mentioned. I guess that wasn’t the only reason.
” The smile that was just there is now gone, turned into hurt.
“Why did you leave so quickly? Why didn’t you tell me your name?
You are all I have thought about all weekend, and I can’t believe you are now sitting in front of me. ”
“I just broke up with my fiancé. The day I agreed to come here, it is the reason I took this job. I am not ready for any type of commitment again. We were together for six years, and we just got engaged six months ago. He hurt me, and I cannot let that happen again. I told you I only wanted it to be one night, that’s why I didn’t give you my name.
I just moved here, and I need to focus on this job.
I’m sure you can agree that I need to be focused?
” I’m still picturing Friday night as I ramble on.
I still regret leaving him the way I did, but I need to concentrate on work now.
His face still showing the hurt expression, he says, “Right,” then shakes his head like he needed to clear his thoughts.
“Yes. So, what would you like for me to get started on, Mr. Simmons?”
“Here is a list. I apologize in advance, but you may need to stay late a few nights to get caught up. I’ve tried to keep up best I could, but it was a lot, so things started falling behind quickly.”
“Yes, that’s fine. I’m ready to do what is needed to help get caught up here. I’ll get started right away.” I leave and walk to my office.
Once there, I sit at my desk and take a moment to collect my thoughts.
I still cannot believe I slept with my boss.
I don’t know how to handle all this. I cannot keep thinking about this, I say to myself as I shake the thoughts from my head.
I make a list of things I need to get done, starting with the higher-priority items. And to think, I was worried about the view in my office being a distraction.
That’s the least of my worries now that I know he is going to be right down the hall every day.
Cole
For a few hours after Ellie leaves my office, I can’t stop thinking about the fact that I found her again.
She’s here and right down the hallway. I cannot get any work done because all I can think about is her being here.
I’m mentally kicking myself for not at least getting her name the other night.
I never would have moved forward with her if I had known she was going to be my employee come Monday morning, but I don’t know if I would have made the connection about who she was that night anyway.
I didn’t look at her paperwork that closely after being told she was coming.
I was just glad to know we’d have help soon.
After too long of not being able to get my mind off her, I decide to go out and get some fresh air to try to clear my head.
On my way down the hall to the elevator, I’m walking past the break room, and I see her.
She’s reaching up in the tall cabinet to grab one of the coffee mugs from the top shelf.
Her shirt has ridden up on her back due to how high she is trying to reach, revealing her beautiful tanned skin.
Her legs look incredible in the skirt she’s wearing.
Fuck, I need to walk away. Just walk away, I repeat to myself.
I go to turn away, but I realize she is going to knock herself out with the damn mug if she doesn’t stop.
Next thing I know, I am stepping up behind her, my front grazing her back as I grab the mug for her.
She smells so good I resist the urge to stuff my face into her hair to get a better whiff.
She tenses when she realizes what is happening.
She turns around, and I hand her the mug, both of us staring into each other’s eyes.
I go to cup her face in my hand, and a door down the hall slams, causing her to gasp and me to drop my hand and jump away.
“Thank you,” she says through a breath, reminding me of the other night. Images of her writhing on the bed in front of me pop into my head, and I feel my cock twitch.
“I need to get out of here.” I practically run out of the break room in a rush to leave the building as fast as possible.
What the fuck am I going to do? I cannot feel this way about my employee. I need to take care of this, now. I do the only thing I can think of and call my friend Jordan to see if he is free to hang out tonight. Maybe I can find someone else to help me get my mind off her.
After a quick text to Jordan, who says he is free, we agree to meet at MD’s later tonight.
I almost ask him to meet somewhere else but decide I can’t avoid my favorite bar just because that’s where I met her.
I go back to my office and try to work but still can’t get my mind off her, so I go home until it’s time to meet Jordan.
A couple hours later, I’m walking to MD’s when I get a text from him.
Jordan: You need to hurry. There’s a chick here perfect for you. Added bonus, her friend is perfect for me. How much longer are you going to be?
Cole: I’m almost there. Can’t wait to see who you have for me man. I need this more than you even know.
Jordan: Damn dude. You must really have had one hell of a day.
I laugh as I read his text. Jordan and I have always been alike when it comes to women. We’ve both never wanted anything serious, and we make the perfect wingmen for each other. I reply as I come around the corner leading up to MD’s.
Cole: You have no idea. I’m about to walk in the door.
I walk in. Jordan shouldn’t be hard to find given how tall he is. So I look around, finally spotting his dark hair towering above most of the people around him. I look to check out the girls he has picked out for us, and I stop in my tracks.
She’s here, again, and Jordan is flirting with her while her friend Bri is on the other side of her, leaning against the bar, drinking her beer and looking around the room.
She looks bored out of her mind. That’s when it clicks that Jordan wants Ellie for himself.
Bri notices me, and her eyes go wide when she sees me, and then she starts grinning ear to ear and glances at Jordan and Ellie and then back to me.
I’m seeing red as I walk up to Jordan and grab Ellie’s arm and drag her outside.
I know I am acting insane, but I needed to get her away from him.
She doesn’t need to be with a player like him.
I know, I’m being hypocritical, but I can’t stand the thought of her with him.
If she’s going to be with anyone, I want it to be me.
“What is your problem?” Ellie yells at me once we get outside.
Bri and Jordan finally make it out the door. “Bro, what are you doing?” Jordan says to me.
“What are you doing here, Ellie?” I ask, anger in my tone, but I don’t care. I came here to get her off my mind and instead find her flirting with my best friend. It’s like I can’t escape her.
“You two know each other?” Jordan asks, trying to piece together how.
“Oh, this is so good,” Bri says, laughing.
“Ellie is one of my employees as of this morning,” I say to Jordan.
“Okaaayyy … So why did you drag her out here like this? She’s not allowed to hang out because she’s your employee?” Jordan asks.
“Yeah, why did you drag her out here, Mr. Simmons?” Bri says, still laughing.
“Bri, stop. Let’s just go pay our tab and leave. It was nice meeting you, Jordan,” Ellie says as she starts to walk off.
“Hey, don’t let him ruin a good time. Come hang out in a booth with me, maybe Bri can get Cole here to calm down and we can all chill at his place once he realizes how ridiculous he is being. He lives close by,” Jordan says to Ellie.
“I don’t think that is a good idea,” Ellie and I say in unison.
Jordan is staring at the three of us, obviously confused. I haven’t seen him since everything that happened last weekend, so I haven’t told him about Friday night or why I wanted to go out tonight. “What is going on?” he asks.
“I’ll explain later, let’s go pay your tab and go to my place. I don’t feel like hanging out here anymore,” I say to Jordan, then I turn to Ellie and Bri. “We will cover your drinks as well.”