Mingle All the Way Page 4

  Jessica huffs. “Of what?”

  “Let’s see. I’ve been here three and a half years, and you’ve been here five, yet we’re in the same position. You’ve likely had to do unthinkable things to get in good with Eric Voorhees who, the word on the street is, didn’t quit but got fired. And Spencer still doesn’t know who you are…no matter how many muffins and coffees you bring him.”

  Whoa. Shit.

  Jessica taps her toe, sending a light spray dancing in the air.

  “And this?” Riley leans her back against my chest, wrapping my arm over her shoulder and down to her waist so that my hand rests on her stomach. “Spencer already knows about us. In fact, he sounded pretty excited when he personally invited us to come to the holiday party together. So, whatever you’re thinking…don’t. I would tell you to go about your business, but sadly, it seems you have none.”

  As soon as Jessica stalks off like someone just stole her bike, I pick up where we left off.

  “I’m not assuming anything, but if you decide you want to take this thing to the next level, I want you to talk to me just like you did Jessica.” I laugh and flatten my hand on Riley’s stomach. “You can wear one of those naughty Mrs. Claus outfits…or, just a bow. And get a reindeer whip.”

  If we’re blurring lines, might as well erase them.

  Then Riley turns back to me.

  The confident woman who just checked Jessica and put her in her place is gone. Riley’s eyes are wide and round. She’s paralyzed with fear. “Shit. Oh, shit. We’re totally going to get caught lying. Spencer’s going to fire us. We’ll be blackballed. I never should have—”

  “It’ll be fine.”

  “I’m sorry I got you involved. We have to end this now.”

  Chapter Five

  It’s been two days since “the kiss.”

  That’s what I call it when Nina and I talk about it—followed by my immediate cringe. It’s not that Chase Campbell isn’t a ridiculously beautiful male specimen, but what was I thinking going rogue and snapping at Jessica? What possessed me to put my lips on his neck? On his lips? Why was I mentally calculating the logistics of climbing him like Mount Everest?

  Flashes of Chase growling between kisses flood back to me. His hand tangled in my hair as we’d explored each other’s hungry mouths. How hard he’d been for me. Desire flickers back to life in my body, which throbs for him.

  Temporary insanity.

  Stress.

  That’s the only way to explain it—a lapse in judgment brought on by the whole fantastical scene. How many romcoms have I watched and given the requisite swoon when the rain kiss flashes across the screen? Obviously, too many to count. As soon as I got my opportunity to star in one, I snatched it up really quick.

  I technically called it off with Chase two days ago, but have I spilled the beans to Spencer? No.

  Ugh. What am I doing? What am I waiting for?

  I stretch my neck to peek over the top of my cubicle and immediately slump back down in my chair. Shit. He saw me.

  For probably the fifth time today.

  “This is a place of business,” Nina says from her desk directly across from mine. Her tone is dripping with sarcasm as she stabs at her keyboard. “I can’t concentrate with all this sexual tension.”

  Me, either.

  But also, exactly.

  This is a place of business. Which is why I’m staying at my desk like a good girl. Why I redrew the blurred line in bold permanent ink is beyond me. This is a fake relationship, not some cutesy holiday office romance. There’s not supposed to be sex. Or, kissing.

  No matter how much I want to lick him like ice cream.

  I clear my throat and sit up taller, determined to be productive if it kills me. “Can you keep it down over there? Some of us are trying to work.” And failing miserably.

  Nina peeks over the top of her cubicle toward Chase’s desk and shakes her head like we’re both too exhausting to deal with.

  Don’t look at him.

  This is why everything is so confusing now—Frankly, I don’t know what possessed me to put my lips on his wet, hot skin. It’s been a while since I dated anyone, but I didn’t even think I was attracted to white boys. I mean, has he even dated a black girl before? Ugh, why does that even matter? None of this is real. But after he said he’d Googled for me, and the way he looked at me like he wanted to take me up against the wall right there on the side of the building…

  The worst part is, as horny as I am, I would’ve let him.

  “Is that why it’s almost lunch and you’ve done nothing but stare at him from your desk?” Nina asks. “Sitting there all hot and bothered...skin all flushed... Breathe.”

  I don’t even have to turn to know she’s reclined her chair all the way back and is staring at me with the same smug smile from this morning when Chase and I exchanged an awkward hug. You’d think I’d have told Spencer this relationship isn’t real but nope. Still dragging out the ruse.

  “Riley, in all the time we’ve worked together, you have never taken off your blazer. The man has driven you to show your shoulders, for goodness sake. Either go talk to him or meet me in the lunchroom.” Nina says.

  The woman is crazy. And making no sense. I have so taken off my jacket. I think.

  “For what?”

  She doesn’t validate my question with an answer. Cool as a cucumber, she stands and sashays out of her cubicle toward the lunchroom without so much as a side glance my way.

  “Okay…” I heave a sigh, prop my elbows on my desk, and promptly begin massaging my temples.

  My unfinished proposal for additional security features and a choose-your-own pricing-and-match model stares back at me from my screen. I have less than two weeks to finish it along with all my other accounts. I should be buckling down to knock this out so I can enjoy the holiday season.

  My stomach gurgles.

  Fuck it.

  Greatness will not be achieved if I’m starving. I lock my screen, grab my purse, and push back from the desk, taking long, hurried strides to meet Nina. When I reach the lunchroom, I collide with the familiar wall of muscles attached to the man who’s been starring in my “me time” for the past couple of nights.

  Heat crawls from my neck to my cheeks, and my heart gives a little lurch. “Hey…”

  “Riley.” A pink blush grows on his adorable face. His lips part slightly like he wants to say more—or do more. “Thanks for coming.”

  I feel my eyebrows crease, but then Nina pops her head into the doorframe, and I know Chase and I have been set up.

  “Told you. Sexual tension.”

  As she moseys down the hall, I hear her singing “All I Want for Christmas is You.” I remind myself to pay her back for this later.

  And thank her.

  “Listen, I know you said you wanted to dial it back a bit, but I was wondering if you’d like to grab some food with me?” Chase asks. “There’s a little Mexican place not too far from here near Town Center. We can sit and talk.”

  A better woman would tell Chase no and keep things simple—smiles and exchanging silly letters. Maybe I should give my career more than a passing thought, considering I might get blackballed when we get caught lying.

  I’m not a better woman.

  At this moment, with this man looking at me like I’m the reason he breathes, I’m just a woman who would risk everything to see if any part of what I’m feeling could be real.

  Rosita’s is one of those assembly line restaurants where we customize our burritos, tacos, or salad bowls—black beans or refried beans, carne or pollo, extra guac, hold the pico de gallo. None of which I care about at the moment. How can I eat when my heart is in my throat?

  We’re on our third or fourth closed-end question when I flatten my hands on the table.

  “Listen, Riley. I don’t want things to be awkward between us. I asked you to lunch so we can talk.”

  “Yeah, no worries.” She shrugs, but the tension in her shoulders doesn’t eas
e up, so I know she’s in the same place I am.

  “Feliz Navidad” is playing in the background, and the upbeat rhythm is in direct contrast with my current mood.

  “But I am worried because…I like you.” Her eyes snap to mine and my pulse revs up. “I get it. This was supposed to be a ploy so Spencer would give you real consideration for the promotion without focusing on your personal life, but… Tell me you didn’t feel something Tuesday night in the rain, and I’ll drop this right now,” I blurt out.

  Riley swallows, but her lips are parted.

  I can almost hear her heartbeat—a heavy thump jackhammering against her chest to the same rhythm as mine. It’s always the same when something is on the line.

  “The thing is—” she begins.

  “Wait.” The thought of Riley telling me she didn’t feel the magnetic field forcing our bodies together and synchronizing our heartbeats is disheartening.

  Leaning forward, I slide my hands over the table to take hers in mine. With a little squeeze, I search her eyes. Her brown irises are hard with the same apprehension I feel.

  “Before you say anything, I’m not asking you to make this official or to be with me—just yet.” The corners of her mouth gently tug upward. “We sort of bypassed all the ‘getting to know you’ stuff and ended up with our lips attached. Which was amazing, by the way, but I know it’s a little much. All I’m asking is if we can take a couple of steps back. I want to know you. I want you to know me. And if you like what you learn, then maybe we can see what’s here.”

  I hate that I feel like I’m begging, but everything about this moment, the alarm ringing in my mind, the way my stomach knots, the fear twisting my gut, makes it impossible to pretend this is nothing and continue wondering what would have happened. Everything about this moment feels urgent.

  She doesn’t say anything for a few seconds, and I don’t rush her. If she decides to give us a try, it has to be on her terms.

  “Okay. What’s your favorite Christmas movie?” she asks straight-faced, and I chuckle. I can’t deny the hope fluttering inside me. “This all started because of a holiday party, so let’s start there and work our way around to more serious stuff.”

  Okay. That’s not a no…

  “Some people won’t count it. It’s an unpopular opinion, but it is technically Christmastime in the movie…” I stretch my hands to hers, twining our fingers, which is quickly starting to feel like a habit.

  Her delicate hands are warm and soft. The rich brown hue gives off a glow. When held against my complexion, the contrast is even more stark. They fit so seamlessly in my grasp, though, it’s a perfect reflection of us. We’re yin and yang—opposites in every way, connecting to make a whole. Complementary.

  “Don’t laugh, but…it’s Gremlins,” I admit, bracing myself for the usual backlash I get when people hear my favorite is anything other than a classic.

  When Riley gasps, my eyes dart from our hands to her wide eyes.

  Her mouth is wide open. “Shut up.”

  “Gizmo is a Christmas gift. It counts.”

  “No. I know. It’s just… Gremlins is my favorite Christmas movie. My whole family makes fun of me because it’s not This Christmas or Elf or Miracle on 34th Street. At least with Gremlins, there’s no ‘happy tears.’”

  “Couldn’t agree more.” I lift my chin smugly. “See? We already have something in common.”

  She shakes her head in disbelief. “Let’s try again. What song? And you have to be specific about the rendition and the singer.”

  “Easy. ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You.’ Mariah Carey.” I pull my lower lip between my teeth and wait for it.

  “Same. But that’s everyone’s favorite.” She releases her right hand and stacks her fork with beans, cheesy rice, chicken, and lettuce before shoveling it in her mouth. “What about drinks?” she asks over another mouthful.

  I don’t go for the dealbreaker right off the bat. “Don’t tell me you’re a PSL girl.”

  She looks confused. “Why do I feel like I should be offended?”

  “Pumpkin spice latte. If you didn’t immediately know what it was, it’s safe to say you’re good.”

  “Actually, I’m more of a PML, Peppermint Mocha Latte, girl if we’re being specific. It’s like a Christmas mistletoe in a cup. Then again, anything’s better than the crappy lunchroom coffee.”

  If Riley wasn’t convinced we’ve got something that could work, fifteen minutes later, we agree eggnog is the worst beverage ever (holiday or not), Christmas gumdrop nougat is the best candy, and, even though the colors mean nothing, the red and green M&M cookies are the best. If we add in the fact both of us always wait until the last minute to do our gift shopping, there’s no denying we’re a Christmas romance made in heaven at the very least.

  When she relaxes, my whole mood lifts. My appetite returns, but we’re out of time, so I’ll have to eat at my desk. We head back, and I park the car feeling buoyed with a fresh energy as I take Riley’s hand with my right and the to-go bag in my left.

  We walk toward the Lovestruck building in a comfortable silence.

  Every second her hand is in mine, I’m more certain of this easiness and the innocence of just being together. It’s something my parents shared in their relationship. It’s not the whole of it, but it’s definitely a key ingredient in what makes up real love.

  Chapter Six

  Sometime between lunch yesterday and Good Morning Las Vegas blaring on my television this morning, something got screwed up. And by something, I mean me.

  I mean, Chase and I left off on such a good note. He said he had feelings for me, which, let’s face it, melted my heart. It felt like maybe we’d see what could happen between us, but then all the best-case scenarios eventually bled into the worst. Now, I can’t get it out of my head that building a new relationship based on a lie isn’t the best place to start.

  I didn’t plan on real...

  While I throw on a simple black pantsuit and twist my locs up into an easy bun, I keep tossing around what course of action to take—I can’t not do anything. It’s Friday, and I won’t make it through the weekend with this on my chest. It’s now or never. Either I tell Spencer this whole relationship with Chase has been a lie and risk losing him or keep up the charade and never know if we could’ve had something.

  After applying blush and mascara, I lock up and hop in my car with my stomach tied up in knots. Knowing what I have to do weighs on me. My integrity is at stake here. No matter what my heart is telling me, I have to come clean to Spencer now even if it means sabotaging my career—and my only chance with Chase.

  As I veer into the road, I flip on the radio.

  Mistletoe memories of just us two. Baby, no matter the season, I love you.

  Turning up the volume, I let my favorite singer, Bianca, drown out my worries. I crack my neck, singing along as I ease off the gas, pulling to a stop at a red light just as my phone rings on Bluetooth, cutting off my jam.

  “Hey, Ke,” I say to my little sister, Keira. “What’s going on?”

  “Morning. Just checking in to see whether you’re going to the parental units’ on Christmas Eve or the actual day,” she says, sounding way too cheery for…7:50.

  Damn. No time to stop for good coffee.

  I crack my neck and sigh out my frustrations about the coffee. I’m ready for the holiday. I could use more jingle bells and white elephants in my life right now. “Probably Christmas Eve. You know I like to be lazy and watch movies on the day. Why? What were you thinking?”

  “Well…”

  She trails off, and immediately my shoulders tense. That breathy purr coupled with the fact she’s up before noon can only mean one thing.

  “I met a guy!” She squeals into the line like she can barely keep it together long enough to get it out. “Oh my gosh. Riley, when I tell you he is fine, I mean, he is fine.” When she says it, it sounds more like foin. “He’s tall—like basketball player tall—but not scrawny with full lips
, hair faded up, and rich, dark skin. He sounds even better than he looks—I mean, from what I can tell. We haven’t actually met in person yet.”

  I take a deep breath because I want to be happy for her. I really do, but I’ve read so many studies about the risks of modern dating. Reports of rape linked to online dating increase exponentially each year. It’s not just women required to take so many extra precautions in their search for a soul mate, either. It’s exhausting, and frankly, scary.

  “So…”

  “And before you even ask how I met him, don’t. You have got to stop worrying about me and that one time, years ago. I’m okay, and I’m meeting him during the day. It’ll be out in the open, with a bunch of people around. I’ll be completely safe.”

  That gives me zero comfort.

  A billion safety questions pop into my head. Who are you keeping in the loop with all his info and the date plans? Are you driving your own car? How much are you planning to drink? If you do, will you remember not more than two and not to leave your drink unattended? Is there anyone else around for a group date? How about the mace and the pepper spray I gave you? At the very, very least, have you googled him? I know all of that will definitely make her shut down, so I start with the least ominous query.

  “Which app was it?” I ask, aiming for breezy, but it comes out overbearing. As usual.

  In typical Keira form, she heaves a loud sigh. “See? Ugh. I shouldn’t have even brought it up. This is why I didn’t want to tell you—”

  “I’m sorry. I promise, I’m happy for you. You know, I just worry. “

  She sucks her teeth loudly into the line. “Whatever. The point is, I’ll be at Mom and Dad’s on Christmas Eve, too. For our first date, Thomas and I are going to the Snowball Jam at the T-Mobile Arena on the holiday.”

  “Dang. You got tickets?” I ask, genuinely jealous.

  “Yep, and you know Bianca is headlining.”