Page 41 of The Naughty List

I wish the floor of this elevator car would open up and the shaft would swallow me whole. My friends are going to die laughing when I tell them about this. I already know what they’re going to say…if it were going to happen to anyone, it would be me.

I feel my face growing warm as I remember the way he looked down at me when I was on the floor of his bedroom. The way the towel barely clung to his hips, the deep V that led my eyes straight to his crotch.

“Oh god,” I groan, wondering how I’ll ever manage to face him in the office again after seeing his very, very large— ahem…

Then again, it’s not like I ever see him in the office. He’s several floors above me and has always been a bit of a recluse at work.

Relief washes over me when the doors finally open, and I sprint through the lobby and out the doors, then make my way down the street to catch the train back to the office. When I get back, I bury myself in work. After the courier comes to pick up the contract, I send Beth a text to let her know the task is complete.

I wrap up the rest of my day, and I’m gathering my things when my phone chirps with a text from my best friend, Karlie.

Karlie: Hey, you down to hang out tonight? Caleb said he’s in dire need of cocktails.

I spin around in my chair, debating whether I should go. Truthfully, I just want to stay in tonight. Between the bomb Tim dropped on me a few weeks ago and walking in on Mr. Snow earlier, I think tonight calls for a bubble bath and a glass of Prosecco.

Me: Wish I could, ugh, need to finish up some stuff tonight. Work has been crazy lately. I promise we will soon though. Have fun without me!

I feel a tinge of guilt about somewhat lying about being too busy. The reality is I haven’t told my friends about me and Tim yet. I know what they’re going to say, and I don’t know if I’m ready to hear it. I know if they start telling me all the reasons—valid or not—that I should just end things for good, it will make me feel the need to defend him. I hate being pulled in opposite directions, my friends on one side, boyfriend on the other. I hate that they can’t just get along for my sake.

My phone dings again, pulling me from my thoughts.

Karlie: You better not bail on the annual holiday pub crawl this weekend.

Shit, completely forgot about that. Every year, we go to a local pub where they have all sorts of silly holiday games and giveaways.

Me: Of course not! I’ll be there.

I put my phone away, then grab my things and head out to take the train back to my apartment, where I fill the tub to the brim with lavender bubbles and pop the cork on a single serving bottle of Prosecco.

* * *

The next morning, I smile at our head of security, Todd, as I make my way through the lobby toward the elevators.

There’s hardly anybody working since Christmas is right around the corner. I’d originally planned to take the whole week off so Tim and I would be able to spend time with both our families, but that plan went out the window when he put our relationship on pause. I canceled my time off though, figuring staying busy would keep my mind off things. I’m secretly relieved I don’t have to spend time with his pompous family this year.

I tried to like them, and I will absolutely continue trying if things work out between us, but damn do they make it hard! The worst part is that I thought his mom and sister loved me for the longest time. We laughed, joked, and got along great; but then his sister, Alice, accidentally sent me a screenshot of something I’d sent her along with a nasty message about how happy she’d be when Tim dumped the little peasant girl.

I get it. I’m not wealthy by any means. In fact, my family is barely even middle-class. We’ve always had to work hard for everything, and even then, we still lived paycheck to paycheck on occasion. Tim made sure I was aware of my lower status in life. It was often a source of contention between us during the holidays. He hated being around my loud and crass family. He never admitted to being embarrassed to be seen with my family, but I know he felt it.

“I just don’t understand why we have to ride with your mother to the Christmas parade. Her car smells weird, and why won’t she get the exhaust fixed already?”

I remember faking a smile and fighting back tears as I told my mom we would ride separately, struggling to come up with a believable excuse, but she knew the truth.

She laughs, giving me a big hug. “No worries, sweetheart. I’ll just crank the holiday tunes that much louder in the car.”

Stepping onto the elevator, I glance to my right and see an older portly man with his nose buried in a newspaper. I didn’t realize people still read physical newspapers anymore.

“Hold the door!” someone shouts as the doors begin to close. I dart my hand out just in time and they bounce back open.

“Thanks, Sadie.” Alex winks as he comes to stand next to me.

“Good m—morning sir,” I stutter, shock probably all over my face.

“I know, I remembered pants this time.” He laughs and my head whips to my right at the man behind the newspaper. “Don’t worry about him. That’s Paul, our CFO.”

I look back at the man who is still unbothered, completely engrossed in his newspaper.

“You could tell him your head fell off last night and you sewed it on this morning with dental floss, and he wouldn’t flinch.”

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