Page 27 of Wicked Dares
She shuffles against the sofa cushions and glares at me in disbelief.
I’ve just told her about Levi Vale.
Everythingabout him.
I called her quickly during my lunch break just to check in, but I couldn’t talk about what happened over the phone. Of course, she was eager to know and begged me to tell her, but I managed to hold back. We planned to see each other anyway for dinner at my apartment. I told her she had to wait until then.
It was a long wait, and it’s felt like an even longer day. I ran into Levi this morning at eleven and left work at six-thirty. It’s now eight at night. I don’t know how I managed to get through the entire day in one piece.
Every time I heard footsteps near my desk or heard a deep male voice, my stomach tightened into a ball of nerves.
“Did you go back with more coffee?” Alexis beams at me, her hands gripping the edge of the cushion like she’s watching a thriller.
I shake my head. “That was my one saving grace. The girl who was supposed to make it came by and took over. My manager needed me back in the training room.”
If that girl had entered the breakroom two minutes earlier, she would have seen me with Levi. Then I don’t know what would have happened. I’ve forgotten her name, but she seems to be the office gossip and Helen, the manager’s, sidekick. Day one, and neither of them like me. It’s to do with my credentials. I’m better than both of them combined. My plan to impress the hell out of the manager went to hell from the moment Helen met me and rolled her eyes with distaste. Some women can sense competence like it personally offends them. She was definitely one of them.
“So, you didn’t see him again for the rest of the day?”
“No. And thank God.” Because I honestly don’t know what would’ve happened if he cornered me again. My nerves would have probably ended me.
“Piper—”
“No. Whatever you’re going to say is a no from me.” I hold my hand up and wave it frantically.
Alexis laughs. Typical of her. She always manages to find the humor in pretty much everything.
“Relax.”
“Relax?” I shoot her an incredulous glare.
“Are you kidding me? I was so relaxed I had a one-night stand with a stranger who turned out to be my boss.”
I was right about that part, too. Levi is a Vale, but guess who leads the marketing and PR divisions?
Alexis laughs again.
“It’s not funny. None of it is funny.”
“Girl, please. You’re acting like the world is ending.”
Easy for her to say. She didn’t sleep with her boss.
“It kind of is though. This situation I’m having wasn’t supposed to happen. I’m not even sure how it happened. I’m normally so careful, especially with my work.” My breath comes out ragged. “I keep thinking, should I have done more research. Perhaps look up the owners of the company. But who does that? Of course, if you have a senior-level job, you would, but other than that, I don’t think anyone would do that.” I’m rambling, and I can’t catch my breath.
“I agree. I can’t think of anyone who would check out the owners, especially for a temp job.”
“Exactly.” I flick my palms over, as if that’s supposed to give our assessment weight. “So, I didn’t go wrong.”
“No, ma’am, you did not.”
“But I still…”
“For the love of God, please do not say you regret the one-night stand.”
My chest caves. I stare back at her, wanting to say that I do regret it, except I don’t. Even after the grand discovery, I don’t.
I don’t regret it at all. And that can’t be good.
