I could end hisinappropriate behavior without escalating this into something that could reallydamage his standing in this company.
“Please don’t touchme again,” I told him, barely meeting his eyes.God, this was awkward. And awful. And I needed it to be over STAT.
“I told you it wasan accident,” he huffed. “I’d appreciate it if you would be more careful in thefuture.”
And I’d appreciateit if you’d keep your filthy hands to yourself.
I shook off thelingering scummy feelings and stepped farther away from him. “Then it’ssettled. You won’t touch me again on accident or otherwise and I won’tunintentionally put my boob in your hand.”
“That’s all I ask.”He gave me a tight-lipped glare before he turned back to his desk, effectivelydismissing me.
He didn’t have totell me to leave; I was more than ready to escape. I all but ran back to mydesk, needing to get away from Henry as quickly as possible. God, I felt likesuch an idiot! I hated that had happened. And I hated even more that I couldn’tdecide how to feel about it.
Two partsmortified, two parts furious, all I wanted to do was burst into tears. And takea hot shower. A hot, scalding shower was definitely in order.
It wasn’t like Iwas this giant prude, but I had never been touched inappropriately beforewithout my consent. Maybe it had been an accident, but instinct burned throughme, whispering that it hadn’t been. But what was there to do about it?
I pushed my laptopout of the way and contemplated banging my head against the desk. See? This wasthe problem with confrontation. I’d been afraid to talk to Henry for weeksabout his inappropriate touching and yet the second I was forced into it, Iwanted to give up or puke or move to Tahiti.Real smooth, Molly. Real fucking smooth.
“Are you okay?”Emily asked when she returned from the break room with a fresh cup of coffee. “Howdid the meeting go?”
“Fine,” I told herquickly. “Terrible. I don’t know. Ask me later.”
“What happened?”
The words werethere, on the tip of my tongue. I wanted to tell her.Henry grabbed my boob.But it sounded ridiculous in my head. Wouldshe laugh about it and make a joke?
It wasn’t funny tome. Because it wasn’t a joke.
And yet if I toldher, then I would have to make a formal complaint. I loved Emily, but shewasn’t going to keep something like that a secret. It would get around thewhole office. Without a formal complaint I would look like a liar or like Iwanted to ruin him out of spite.
“He hated mygiveaway idea.” I heard myself say the words, but I felt detached from theconversation, like I was outside of my body watching myself cover up forsomeone I couldn’t stand. My mind spun and spun and spun with the memory ofwhat had happened, trying to remember every single detail so I could make senseof it.
So I could figureout the unbiased truth of it.
“That sucks.” Emilyfrowned in sympathy. “But are you surprised? He’s not exactly on the cuttingedge of trends.”
“Y-you’re right. Ishouldn’t be surprised. I guess I’m more disappointed.”
She reached out topat my hand, but I pulled it back quickly. My personal bubble had just tripledin size and I wasn’t ready to touch another human yet. Even if it was one of myfriends.
Her head cockedback. “Are you sure you’re okay, Molly?”
“I have aheadache,” I told her. “I think it’s becoming a migraine.” Truth. “And it’sjust been a really rough morning.” Noticing my hands had started to shake Iballed them into fists and tucked them beneath my desk.
“Can I get yousomething? Coffee? Water?”
Whiskey. Neat.“W-water would begreat. Thank you.”
Her expressionstayed concerned, but she got up and headed for the kitchen. I took a shakybreath and tried to convince myself that it wasn’t the end of the world. I wasjust jostled. I hadn’t been expecting to face this today. Or any day. Or ever.
I closed my eyesand his hand was on my breast again. His fingers had stretched around the fullcircumference, his palm pressed firmly against my nipple.
Okay, so maybe Ididn’t want to relive every second of that altercation.
A shudder slitheredover me and I felt abruptly nauseous. Nervous energy rushed through me andbefore I totally grasped what I was doing, I had started a casual lap aroundthe office. I probably wasn’t going to talk to HR, but it wouldn’t hurt tocheck out who was here today.
Nobody it turnedout.
