Rafael

Chapter 16 - ED?

It had been weeks since that unmentionable thing happened in Mr. Montero's office and I could still feel the torrid repercussions.

He had gone from yelling to downright ignoring me unless it was absolutely necessary to talk to me since then and it hurt but at the same time, I was the one who had gone and messed everything up.

Why did I have to kiss him?

I was like a horny teenage boy, the way I couldn't keep it in my pants.

I still remember the coldness in his blue eyes after I had halted the kiss with the most cliche statement ever, "I'm sorry Mr. Montero but I can't do this."

Now he definitely hated me because, in his eyes, I was the tease who had kissed him without consent and then broke it off abruptly.

It all felt very high school, especially what I said afterward.

"I shouldn't have done this, you're my boss, I went out with your best friend. This is wrong on so many levels. What are we doing? Let's just please forget this even happened."

I could've sworn I saw vulnerability in his face but he rearranged his features into a resigned expression so quickly, that I couldn't know for sure if that was what I saw.

"You're right Mia, just get back to work and forget this whole thing ever happened," he stated monotonously, almost robot-like.

I nodded my head and then left as quickly as I could, my mind filled with regrets.

Now, I barely saw my boss, even though I was his executive assistant because he now communicated exclusively via email.

If he needed something done, he'd email me and that was that, and could I blame him?

I would probably do the same if I was in his position.

It was very uncomfortable being at work now because it felt like everyone knew what I did like I had an 'I kissed the boss' sign on the back of my blazer.

Thankfully, outside of work, I was being kept busy because Mel's wedding planning was underway and I was basically her cake-tasting, cutlery-picking partner in crime.

I hadn't even told her, my best friend, what I did yet because I was too ashamed and I also didn't want to bring stories of my work taboos into my safe space which was pretty much anywhere but Montero Industries.

Nevertheless, it was Friday, my working hours were over and my brother, Marcus was supposed to be arriving in New York soon but he had told me that he would take a taxi to my apartment so I shouldn't bother coming all the way out to JFK.

He was probably embarrassed by my old Camry and didn't want to be seen in it but I didn't mind because I hated it very much too.

It sucked.

Unfortunately, it was all I could've afforded at the time.

What my brother didn't know was that I had applied for a car loan with my bank so I could get something newer and less likely to break down than the piece of junk I had been driving ever since I moved to New York.

I sent him the address, just to make sure that he didn't get lost, and he should be here any minute based on the time he'd told me he would arrive at the airport.

All I had to do was wait on his phone call so I could unlock the apartment door and let him in then go straight to bed afterward.

We would have to do the catching up tomorrow because this week in particular had drained me completely.

Between the wedding planning and the awkwardness at the office, I was ready to sleep for a good twenty years, then get back to my amazing life, note the sarcasm.