3 - NEW BOSS

I opened my eyes when the bright morning sunlight hit my face through the hotel window. My head hurt, and my body felt incredibly sore from the night before.

I blinked a few times because my vision was blurry from sleep. I tried to move my right arm, but a heavy weight held me down against the mattress.

I turned my head to the side, and I saw a man sleeping next to me. His dark hair fell across his forehead, and his chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm.

The memories of last night rushed back into my mind without any warning. I remembered the loud club, and I remembered the silent cab ride to this hotel room.

I remembered the intense heat of his skin pressing against mine in the dark. I stopped breathing for a second because sheer panic flooded my chest.

I had actually slept with a man, and I did not even know his real name. I always dated women, so this situation made no sense to my rational mind.

I had spent years building a quiet and predictable life for myself. I wanted a boring job, and I wanted a boring routine where nothing surprised me.

This man was a stranger, and this night was a massive mistake that I needed to fix. I needed to leave right away before he woke up and asked me questions I could not answer.

I carefully lifted his heavy arm off my waist and placed it on the mattress. I held my breath, and I waited to see if he would wake up.

He shifted on the bed, and he mumbled a word I could not understand. I froze in place until his breathing slowed down again, and his body relaxed into the pillows.

I slipped out of the bed, and my bare feet hit the cold hotel floor. My legs felt weak, so I had to hold onto the nightstand to keep my balance.

I looked around the dim room to find my scattered clothes. My shirt was near the door, and my pants were next to the large window.

I walked across the carpet and picked up my shirt from the floor. The fabric smelled like pine wood, and that scent belonged to the man sleeping in the bed.

I did not want to put the shirt back on, but I had no other choice right now. I pulled it over my head, and I quickly grabbed my pants from the corner.

I buttoned my pants while I walked toward the bathroom to find my shoes. I saw my reflection in the large mirror above the sink, and I paused to look at myself.

My hair stuck up in different directions, and my skin looked flushed. I looked like a person who had lost all control of his life, and I hated that feeling.

I grabbed my shoes and carried them back into the main room. I sat on the edge of the small chair and tied my shoelaces as fast as I could.

I tried to be as quiet as possible because I did not want him to hear me leave. I found my wallet under the chair, and I shoved it into my back pocket.

I stood up and looked at the bed one last time. The man looked peaceful in his sleep, and his broad shoulders rose with every breath.

I felt a strange pull in my chest, and my feet wanted to walk back to the mattress. I wanted to lie down next to him and feel his body heat again.

I shook my head and forced myself to turn away from the bed. I could not stay here because I needed to protect my normal life from this chaos.

I walked to the heavy wooden door and gripped the metal handle. I pulled the door open, and I stepped out into the bright hallway without looking back.

I shut the door behind me and made sure it clicked into the lock. I walked down the long corridor toward the elevators while my heart raced in my chest.

The silence of the hotel felt heavy, and my footsteps echoed against the bare walls. I pressed the down button, and I waited for the metal doors to open.

The elevator arrived, and I stepped inside the empty car. I pressed the button for the lobby, and I leaned against the back wall to support my weight.

I took a deep breath, but the air still smelled like his pine scent. I closed my eyes and waited for the slow ride to end.

The doors opened to the main lobby on the ground floor. The space was bright, and a few people walked around with their luggage and coffee cups.

I kept my head down, and I walked straight toward the main exit. I did not want anyone to look at me or ask me how my night went.

"Excuse me, sir," a voice called out from the front desk.

I stopped walking, and I turned around to face the receptionist. She was a young woman with a polite smile, and she held a small notepad in her hand.

"Are you checking out today?" she asked.

"I am not a guest here," I replied. "I am just leaving for the day."

"Oh, I understand," she said. "Do you need me to call a cab for you?"

"No, thank you," I said. "I will find one outside on the street."

I turned back around and walked through the sliding glass doors. The morning air felt crisp, and the busy city streets were already awake with traffic.

I walked to the edge of the sidewalk and raised my hand to flag down a yellow cab. A car pulled over to the curb, and I climbed into the back seat.

"Where are you going?" the driver asked while he looked at me through the rearview mirror.

I gave him my home address, and I leaned back against the leather seat. "Please take the fastest route."

"Traffic is light right now," the driver said. "We will be there in twenty minutes."

"Thank you," I said.

I looked out the window and watched the tall buildings pass by. I tried to clear my mind, but the memories of the hookup kept returning to me.

I remembered the way he touched me, and I remembered the sound of his deep voice. I felt a sudden ache in my chest, and I despised myself for feeling that way.

I promised myself that I would never see him again. I would go home, and I would take a long shower to wash his scent off my skin.

I would go back to work on Monday, and I would focus on my boring schedules and spreadsheets. I would pretend this night never happened.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and startled me out of my thoughts. I pulled it out and looked at the bright screen.

My coworker Dan was calling me, and I knew he was going to ask me a million questions about last night. I thought about ignoring the call, but Dan would just keep calling until I answered.

I swiped the screen and brought the phone to my ear. "Hello, Dan."

"Where did you go last night?" Dan asked. His voice was loud, and he sounded highly annoyed. "I turned around to buy you another drink, and you were gone."

"I went home," I lied. "I told you I was tired, and I told you I did not want to stay at the club."

"You did not say goodbye to anyone," Dan complained. "Sarah was looking for you all night, and you really missed a good opportunity to talk to her."

"I do not care about Sarah," I said. "I just wanted to sleep in my own bed."

"You are the most boring person I know, Jett," Dan said. "Did you at least sleep well?"

I closed my eyes and took a slow breath. "Yes, Dan. I slept fine."

"Good," Dan said. "Because we have a lot of work to do on Monday. We are getting a new CEO, and the whole office is going to be a mess."