Page 51 of After Hours

I leaned against his desk, crossing my legs in a way that could not go unnoticed. “For a walk in the city.”

“How was it?”

“Really nice, did you need something?”

He chuckled and looked up at me. “No, I just wanted to see you.”

“I’m flattered.”

“Do you have plans tonight?”

“Why?”

“I wanted us to get ice cream.”

I don’t think I can handle this cuteness. Where is the Mr. Dillon Xander I met a month ago? This one is making me smile way too much.

“We’ll see.”

With that, he drew me nearer, and our lips met once again, reigniting a fiery connection that we both knew was impossible to quench. We were locked in a passionate embrace, the undeniable chemistry between us driving us into a realm of desire and longing. The world beyond his office door ceased to exist, and I found myself captivated by whatever this was.

“We will.”

I left his office and couldn’t stop smiling. Everything about this felt so wrong but so right at the same time.

Getting back to my desk, I started arranging the files and putting meetings on his calendar. He had about twenty back to back meetings this week going into Monday.

The chime of a notification on my phone interrupted my concentration. I reached for my phone and saw a message informing me that my pay had been deposited into my account.

Perfect timing.

I started to allocate money for various expenses, starting with the most important ones. Some money was set aside for my car payment, another portion was set down for the loan bureau, and a small amount went into my gym membership debt. I could manage to survive on my savings for personal well being, but I just wanted to make sure that those were done.

I immediately sent a text to my mom, letting her know that I got paid and I’d be sorting out some of the finances.

Before I started this ‘job’, I was a full time student and had no time for work. I’m talking classes from 8:00 in the morning to 9:00 at night, with little to no breaks. As such, my mom picked up two jobs just to help me pay back my loans and help with expenses.

Her response arrived almost instantly, and to my surprise, she told me that she had scheduled a therapy session for me the following day.

Maybe this was all for a good cause.

Maybe everything was happening the way it’s supposed to.

Maybe I’d finally be happy.

As the workday came to an end, I made my way to Mr. Xander’s office once more, a sense of excitement building within me. He looked up from his desk as I entered, and a playful smile crossed his lips.

“Are we on for ice cream tonight?” he asked.

I grinned, feigning uncertainty. “I don’t know, Mr. Xander. I might have to pass this time.”

He nodded with a hint of disappointment. “Alright, maybe next time.”

Unable to keep up the charade any longer, I chuckled and leaned closer. “I was just joking, of course, we’re on for ice cream.”

His face lit up with a warm smile as he grabbed a notepad from his desk. “Great! Meet me at the Flower Garden on 5th Avenue at 7:30. I’ll be waiting.”

I nodded in agreement, a sense of anticipation growing inside me. “Sounds good. I’ll see you there.”

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