Say Please

The Office

The next morning came and I found myself extra eager getting ready. I opted for a more tailored look, pairing a black a-line skirt that hit me just above the knee with a low cut, purple top. I pinned my hair half up and slid on simple black flats. After judging myself for a solid ten minutes in front of my mirror, I left.

"Girl," Bri snapped at me as I walked into work, "you literally went dark this weekend. I thought Chan kidnapped you or some shit. At least text me a thumbs up next time."

"I know," I responded, forcing her into a deep hug, "I have good reason, though, if you must know."

"Oh? I must know, then."

Bri and I wandered to the espresso bar a couple floors above us and sat at a table next to the windows. She eyed me with an eyebrow raised.

"Um, I really don't even know where to begin." I shrugged, suddenly shy.

"Drop a bomb first. That's always how I like to start." I certainly had bombs to drop.

"Chan and I fucked." I grinned as her eyes widened and her face twisted into a way-too-excited smile. "More than once," I added.

"Bitch. Are you serious? And you didn't text me?"

"Too busy getting to know him," I winked. I sighed, remembering each moment spent with him. I thought about the way his lips looked first thing in the morning, the way his eyes creased whenever he smiled at me, the way his hands felt on me.

"Are you guys like a thing now? Officially?" She questioned.

"I literally have no idea," I cringed. "I fucked up and told him I fucking loved him after we had sex. I'm so embarrassed. That was so stupid. We haven't really addressed it. But he doesn't seem to care. It didn't affect him at all. Which makes me feel like he brushed it off."

Bri eyed me intently. "Did you mean it?"

My expression told her everything she needed to know. I bit down on my lower lip in an attempt to stop the tears that pooled in my eyes.

"Oh, babe." She reached out and put her hand over mine, a gesture that sent a tear dripping onto her skin. "You should talk to him about it."

"And ruin the mind-blowing sex that he's offering me? The time he's spending with me?" I couldn't. Maybe it was selfish of me, but I intended to keep whatever attention and dynamic Chan was offering. Getting all lovey wasn't going to help that.

"You don't know if he feels the same or not. It doesn't hurt to ask where he stands."

She was right—that I knew. At the least, some clarity would help. I hated how deep I was in in such a short period of time. Chan was so easy to be around, so easy to love. I'm surprised this didn't happen to him more often. Or—maybe it did—and that's why he was so casual about it.

Bri shook me from the road my thoughts threatened to go down. "Anyway, let's go back to work. You look hot as fuck and Chan needs to see. Well, everyone needs to see." I nodded and stood. As I turned, Bri playfully patted my ass.

——

I took a deep breath as I sat at my desk. You've got this.

I pulled up my email and found that I had five missed instant messages. Shit. Coffee had taken longer than expected. I opened the message thread. Thankfully, it wasn't Voss. However, the name still made my heart skip a beat.

Chan: Can we talk when you get here?

Chan: I'm officially adding that poet to my list and want to run over some marketing ideas with you.