"Oh no, he’s not just my coworker. He's the new sports marketing consultant Amelia hired. The one she put on all of my big accounts so now I have to interact with him on a daily basis, oh and he’s in Dan’s old office right next to mine."
"Holy shit," Lily whispers. "That's—"
"A rom-com waiting to happen!" Emily interjects, practically bouncing on her stool.
"It's a nightmare," I correct her. "A complete professional nightmare."
"Wait, wait, wait." Emily holds up her hands. "Walk us through this. How did it happen? What did he say? What did YOU say?"
I sigh, grabbing the entire wine bottle and refilling my glass. "Amelia brought him into my office this morning for introductions. I nearly swallowed my tongue when I saw him. We both played it cool. Well, he played it cool. I probably looked like someone had hit me with a truck."
"And then?" Lily prompts.
"And then nothing. We said our pleasantries, I showed him his office, and sent him the project files."
"That's it?" Emily looks disappointed. "No dramatic confrontation? No thrown staplers?"
"It's a workplace, Em, not an episode of Rock of Love."
"Did he try to talk to you about... you know?" Lily asks, making a vague gesture that I assume represents our night together.
"He tried. I shut it down, multiple times. I told him we're keeping things strictly professional."
"And how'd he take that?" Emily leans forward, invested now.
"He seemed...frustrated." I remember the hurt in his eyes when I cut him off. "But he respected it. Mostly."
"Mostly?"
"He caught me in the elevator after work. He tried to make small talk."
Emily smirks. "And?"
"And nothing. I kept it professional. End of story."
Emily studies me for a moment, then narrows her eyes. "You're angry."
"I'm not—"
"Yes, you are. You're doing that thing with your jaw." She points accusingly at my face. "You're furious."
"Of course I'm angry," I snap, the emotion suddenly bubbling to the surface. "He slept with me, snuck out before dawn like I had bed bugs or something, and now he shows up at my workplace expecting... what? A warm welcome? A second chance? For me to be okay with having to see his stupid face every day?"
"And you're sure it's just anger?" Emily raises an eyebrow.
"What else would it be?"
"Hurt," Lily offers softly. "Embarrassment. Attraction you don't want to feel."
"I am not attracted to him," I say too quickly.
Emily snorts. "Right. And Lil's the Queen of England."
"I'm serious! Whatever chemistry we had died the moment he walked out that door without so much as a 'thanks for the orgasms' because I gave as much as I received."
"But you can't deny it was good chemistry," Emily presses. "Like, face-melting, toe-curling chemistry. You literally texted me that it was the best sex of your life."
My cheeks burn. "That was the tequila talking."
