Five Minute Read: I’ll Stay

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Reba didn’t bother to knock on the office door. She knew Erik was in there—she’d spied him going inside not five minutes earlier; hell, she’d known where he was all night. It was like radar with her. Scurrying down the service line, she’d taken herself to his door with unconscious delight. Now, her fingers settling over the knob, she pushed it open.

    The office was small, cramped. There was just enough room for a corner desk, two computers, a metal filing cabinet and one chair. Sitting atop the scarred, cheap veneer of the desk sat an adding machine, keyboard, a roll of printer paper, and a few random check presenters.

Turning at the sound of her entrance, Erik glanced up at Reba. She wasn’t sure what to do with her eyes when he looked at her that way—so intently, questioningly. If she avoided his gaze, it would only make her conspicuous. Then again, if she looked at him too long….

    “Hey,” he said. “What’s up?”

    In answer, Reba held out her hand. Gripped inside her fist was a wad of credit card receipts, restaurant coupons, and cash from her customers that evening. “I’ve got my drop ready.” Her voice was even, controlled. For that, she could be proud.

    “Done for the night?” He asked mildly, reaching out to grab the items out of her hand. Reba held her breath as his hand neared. Her thumb jerked a little to the right, careful to keep out of his reach. If he touched her—her fingers trembled a little at the mere thought.

    Erik, however, didn’t appear to have any such reservations. Taking her bank, his hand was gone as quickly as if it’d never been there at all. Turning back to the desk, he laid everything out in organized piles. Pulling the adding machine closer, he moved on autopilot—bending forward slightly, he quickly counted out her check totals.

    Reba stood there uneasily, her back pressed tightly to the door. There was hardly enough space for two people and she was wary of moving any closer. She didn’t want to be any more obvious than she feared she already was.

    Samantha had noticed. The restaurant’s lead bartender, Samantha had copious opportunity to watch the goings-on of the wait staff. And apparently, Reba had brought Erik up into conversation one too many times.

    “…let me guess,” the brunette had asked cheekily only the night before, her voice ruthlessly interrupting Reba’s story about an irascible customer. “And then you got Erik?” It had been the raise of her eyebrows, the suggestive note to her voice which had caught Reba up short. She’d nodded knowingly at Reba’s expression. With a flick of her wrist, she’d poured a shot of whiskey. “Yeah. I thought so.”

    So now, standing in his office, waiting as he tallied up her night’s deposit, Reba wasn’t sure how to behave, what to do with her face. She kept her eyes trained on the filing cabinet just left of him. The second drawer was slightly dented.

    Keep it together.

    Be cool.

    He’s your boss.

    For goodness sakes, he’s your boss!

    “Staying after for a drink?”

    At the question, Reba’s eyes jerked. Erik was glancing over at her again. Finished with the cash count by now, he was leaning back in his chair, that lopsided grin spreading out across his face.

Reba blinked stupidly “Wha-what?”

    But she needn’t have acted so surprised. It was something of a Friday night ritual at the Coppo’s Bar & Grill—after work the staff huddled together at the end of the bar and had a few libations.

    Only Erik didn’t usually work in the evenings. So she’d never had the opportunity to sit beside him outside the normal constraints of work, relieved of the burden of the employer-employee relationship. She’d never had cause to consider the possibility.

    Until now. There had been more than a hint of invitation in that question.

    “After the dinner rush tonight, I probably owe you one anyway,” he offered freely

    She laughed. It sounded a little rushed. “Yeah. It was hectic all right.” Ugh. Terrible conversation.

    “So, what do you say?” He flicked a glance down at his watch. “I’ll be done here in half an hour. You in?”

    His look was expectant yet casual.

    Which was why she should tell him no. Politely decline. It was a disaster in the making. Cocktails made for loose lips; relaxed conversation made for sober regrets. She’d never had the opportunity to be with him outside of work. Which was precisely why she should tell him no.

    “Yeah,” she heard herself saying instead. Although she told herself it wasn’t, anticipation thrummed through her body. “I’ll stay.”

    Who had she been trying to kid, anyway? She’d never had any intention of telling him no. Perhaps she should have, but then that was undoubtedly part of the allure.

    He was off limits.

    Her boss.

    God, she wondered what his lips tasted like?

    He winked. “Good.” With that, he turned back to the computer. “Save me a spot at the bar, huh?”

    “Yeah.” That breathy quality was back in her voice. Her fingers reached blindly for the doorknob. “Okay.”

TO BE CONTINUED….