Page 80 of Wild Love
“Yes, I heard that part. Thank you for reiterating it, Rosalie.”
“Oh good, we’re back to Rosalie. Because you don’t want to fuck me, right?”
I click on the unopened emails in my inbox. I’m not reading them, but I can pretend that I am.
“Silent treatment. Very original. Well, in that case, should I set you up in the back? I could scrounge you up an oldPlayboy? I bet West has one kicking around. Or there are websites now where anything you want is at your fingertips.”
Maybe she’ll stop talking if I don’t engage.
From the corner of my eye, I see her lean back in her desk chair. I don’t need a full view of her face to know she’s getting a real kick out of this.
“Did you like my journal entry?”
I point the pen in her direction but say nothing and keep my eyes fixed on my computer. Then I go back to chewing on it and ignoring her entirely.
But Rosie isn’t having it. Her boots click against the floor. She comes all the way around my desk and leans against the edge, facing me.
Today’s Rosie differs from yesterday’s version.
Yesterday, she seemed distraught over me going to an event with a plus one. It was obvious to me that it would be her. Who the hell else would I take? Did she think I’d kiss her and run off with someone else?
Because no, I’d kiss her and get all up in my head over it.
Torment myself. That’s far more on brand for me.
I lean back in my chair, pen in my mouth, and regard her. No, today she seems hell-bent on torturing me.
“You’re being weird,” she says.
“Rich coming from you.”
She crosses her arms and smirks, edging farther over until she’s in front of me and I can’t avoid her gaze.
“Did you ever lose that pesky V-card, Ford?”
I swallow. “I did, Rosalie. I appreciate your concern.”
“To who? You know some of my dating history. Now I want to know about yours.”
“I don’t talk to my employees about my personal life.”
“I’m not asking as your employee.” After the words fly from her lips, we’re left staring at each other once again.
Then she pushes my keyboard back, props her hands on the desk, and slides herself on it like she’s settling in for story time.
She winces again, cheeks twitching in a pained grimace.
“What’s wrong?”
“My body likes to warn me about my impending cycle by giving me the kind of cramps that could keep me in bed all day. Your mom said orgasms can also help with that.”
I chew on my pen and zero in on the hem of her dress, the way it drapes so daintily over her crossed legs. I roll my chair back to create some distance.
“You should go home and rest, then.”
She laughs and waves me off. “I’ll give myself a hand later and see if it helps. But for now, I want to talk about you.”
“Bash is going to walk in and wonder why you’re sitting on my desk.”
