Page 15 of The Bonus

I wonder could I take two?

No, don’t be an animal.

“Grace,” I hear someone call. I turn to see Geoffrey and some of the others from our floor.

“Hi.” I make my way over.

“Wow, you look gorgeous.” Geoffrey smiles as he looks me up and down. “Like, really, really good.”

“She does, doesn’t she,” says Paul.

“Who knew you were so hot, Porter.”

I smile as I take a sip of my champagne.

Awkward…

Fuck it.

Don’t tell me this dress is going to bait the wrong one. I try to act casual as I look around. “Where is everyone?”

And by everyone, I mean your boss.

“The girls are at the cocktail bar and accounting is dancing. Marlene from level three flashed her tits on stage.”

I giggle as I scan the room, and then I stop still as my eyes meet Gabriel’s.

He’s wearing a dark gray suit, white shirt, Santa hat and my heart on the bottom of his shoe. He gives me a slow, sexy smile and raises his glass.

I smile and raise my glass right back.

He goes back to talking to the people he’s standing with, and I watch him, waiting for him to glance back over at me.

He doesn’t.

My heart free-falls from my chest at his totally unaffected demeanor, it’s not going to happen…is it?

I don’t know who I was kidding.

“Tell us about your new house.” Geoffrey smiles excitedly. “I can’t believe you’re actually doing this.”

“Me neither,” chimes in Paul.

I smile, grateful to the people who actually do give a crap about what I’m doing.

I drain my glass. I need to forget about my asshole boss and just enjoy the night.

It’s 11:30 p.m. and Gabriel left hours ago, he didn’t even say goodbye.

Wow.

More than wow, fucking wow.

What a prick!

I’m going to get going, my eyes linger on the elevator and I just…I want to see my office one last time. I don’t know why, but I do. I take the elevator to the top floor and make my way to my desk.

I look out over the view, it’s so different at night up here, the lights of New York light up the entire skyline.

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