The Boss

I sit at work typing names and taking calls, like the good little receptionist I'm paid to be. I'm smiling, being polite, and doing everything I should as the first point of contact for the psychology business my boss, Mason, is running here. Deep down, however, I'm scowling. I hate my job. I used to enjoy the work, but I've been glancing around the same spacious, sterile waiting room for the last two years and I'm over it. I should quit and find something more fulfilling, but I'm put off by the thought of Mason's negative reaction to my resignation.

I hope one day I can do something different with my life, like writing love stories or children's books. Of course, my mother doesn't consider writing an actual career, neither does Blade. When I brought it up with him, he snorted and said, "Reading sucks."

Since when does reading suck? If I ran the world, people who didn't read would be the first to go. Boom. Put them out of their misery.

I pick up an entered patient information form and turn in my seat. Humming, I put it through the ancient shredder and watch as the old cogs slowly devour the paper, slicing it into skinny pieces. For some reason, my mind slips to Seth Marc and thrill drips down my spine. It's crazy. I can still feel his hands on my skin, his lips on my knuckles.

The last of the paper is churned through the shredder and I turn back to my desk. I click around on the computer, trying hard to focus on the tasks at hand, but I can't stop thinking about Seth...

...or his body.

Or his black hair.

Or the way his lips felt on my hand.

Or his dark eyes.

I squeeze my thighs together and swallow hard. Underneath my strange and abrupt desire for Seth, the hot stranger at the gym, there's a guilty feeling swirling around my stomach, like I've done something wrong. I should be angrier Seth openly flirted with me...but the way he looked at me with that unapologetic stare makes me dizzy. Caught in my moment of weakness, I forgot his girlfriend was there and I wanted Seth to be mine. I frown. Is that how Blade makes other women feel? Does he make them dizzy with desire? Does he turn their own bodies against them with the flash of a smile? Or does he depend on alcohol to get women into bed? I shake my head. It doesn't matter. I'm not thinking about Blade today. I shouldn't be thinking about any man today. I need time to get it together and relearn how to love myself. Then, and only then, can I entertain the idea of letting men back into my life.

But Seth...I sigh. I know better than to linger on a man like him. He's bad news and it's painfully obvious. He's the kind of guy moms warn their daughters about, the kind who breaks hearts, leaving a long, jagged line of them in his wake. I should avoid him, but he has an addictive aura. It seeps into your pores and takes root in your nervous system.

A woman in front of my desk clears her throat, demanding my attention. I know she's there, but my eyes refuse to focus. I continue to look through her, imagining all the sick, sexy things I'd let Seth-

"Excuse me," she snaps, her tone raspy and thick with attitude.

I shiver and the sharp lines of reality return. The woman pouts her wrinkled, cherry-colored lips and twists her mature face into an ugly scowl.

"Sorry." I ready my fingers on my worn-out keyboard. "Name, please?"

"Miriam Matthews."

I type as she speaks, tick the 'attended' box beside her name, and tell her to take a seat. Then, I click aimlessly through the desktop folders before moving onto a game of Solitaire.

"Hi!"

I jump, slapping one hand against the surface of my desk, and the other to my chest, as my best friend, Selena, stands proudly in front of me, her long blonde hair swaying around her slender shoulders.

"Selena," I whisper harshly, switching off my computer screen. I glance over my shoulder at Mason's office door. "You scared the hell out of me."

Selena laughs, drawing annoyed scowls from Mason's patients, and pulls her giant sunglasses off her face. "I'd like to make an appointment to discuss my infatuation with men who are the same age as my father, please."

I choke on a laugh and press my index finger to my lips as surprised gazes flicker in our direction.

"What are you doing here?" I whisper, leaning forward.

"I told you. I'm here to discuss my daddy issues." She pauses and glances over her shoulder at a younger woman who hangs off the arm of an older gentleman as they read an outdated magazine. The woman regards Selena with pursed lips and a raised eyebrow. Grinning, Selena flicks her soft, blonde waves off her shoulder and leans toward her. "You know what I'm talking about, right?"

The woman balks, insulted by Selena's insinuation, and I shoot out of my seat with a nervous laugh.

"I am so sorry. She gets like this when she doesn't take the medication prescribed to her." I reach over the counter and snatch Selena's tiny bicep. She winces as I pull her along, moving toward the hall that leads to the treatment rooms.

"What are you doing here?" I demand in a harsh whisper, sparing another nervous glance toward room one. "If Mason sees you-"

"What's he going to do? Scowl at me some more?" She scoffs. "Please. I'm not scared of him."

I shake my head. If Mason finds her here-again-he'll be furious. He's already lost point-five of a star off his Facebook rating because of her, and don't get me started on the overall Google rating for this place.

Opening her bag, Selena retrieves a tiny tube of lip gloss and applies it to her plump, lower lip. "You didn't respond to any of my messages."

"Oh." After I ran into Seth-literally-texting her back slipped my mind. "I'm fine."

"I can see that now, but I was worried." She drops the lip gloss into her bag and smiles at me, flashing her white teeth. "You really broke up with Blade?"

I nod, flicking my gaze to the patients in the waiting room and back. None of them are paying us any attention. "Yes."

"And there's no getting back with him?"

"No. Not this time."

She cuts her eyes suspiciously. "Really?"

"Really."

Ignoring that we're in a quiet, medical place, Selena squeals like a pre-teen who's won backstage tickets to a Justin Bieber concert. I scrunch my face and clasp my hands over my ears as she bounces on the spot and throws her hands in the air. This girl...God help me. For once-just once-I'd love to be as carefree as Selena. There are no rules in her world, no order. She wakes up late in the morning and does whatever the hell she wants. I wish I had a rich father, a gigantic trust fund, and zero responsibility.

The door to room one is yanked open and my stomach churns. Shit. I lift my palms, declaring my innocence as Mason Peterson storms from the room to meet us in the hall. He stops two feet short of us and angrily folds his arms over his chest, his gray suit jacket clinging to his biceps. Though he's far from my type, I still appreciate the fact he's in good shape for someone his age-mid-forties, maybe. His hair is golden in hue, like baked bread, and his eyes are a striking, ocean blue.

"What's going on?" he quietly demands, cutting his eyes at Selena. "I thought I told you you're not welcome here."

Smiling sweetly, Selena flashes Mason her perfect white teeth. "This is an important visit, I promise."

"Did someone die?" he asks, not convinced.

"Yes," she lies, her expression falling. "There was a death."

"Oh." Mason's face falls and I lower my hands.

Clearing his throat, he drops his arms and straightens his posture, looking to me for answers. I glance at him and shrug, then I look at Selena. What is she talking about?

"The mood," she says, smirking at him. "The mood is dead. You killed it."

Cringing, I sink my teeth into my lower lip to hold back a spontaneous giggle. Mason groans deep and low in his chest, and pinches the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut.

Laughing under her breath, Selena nudges him. "Come on. That was funny."

"How many times do I have to tell you, Olivia?" Mason asks, opening his azure eyes only to narrow them at me. "I don't pay you to hang out with your friends."

"I had no idea she was-"

I stop before I can finish my sentence, distracted by Selena pulling a mini wine cooler out of her Birkin handbag. Is she serious? Cursing, Mason snags the small bottle out of her grasp and stuffs it into his jacket pocket. "You cannot drink in here."

"But there's a good reason for the wine, I promise," she argues.

"Book an appointment, pay me, and then I'll pretend to care." Mason turns his back. "Get her out of here, Olivia. Or it's your ass."

"Olivia broke up with Blade last night."

I open my mouth as Mason freezes where he stands, his broad shoulders pulling tight. My heart stutters and heat seeps into my cheeks. I shoot Selena a glare. How dare she use my breakup to justify her day drinking. She shrugs at me, awkwardly baring her teeth.

"Sorry..." she mutters, and I roll my eyes.

I'm not surprised. Selena has a habit of running her mouth without thought. I didn't want Mason to know I've broken it off with Blade because I was saving myself the added stress. Mason is a good boss, a great boss, but he's also pushy and persistent. I've lost count of how many times he's asked me to dinner-and that was when I was dating Blade. I can only imagine how adamant he's going to be about it now.

With calculated grace, Mason slowly turns on his heel and saunters back, his hopeful attention on me. Only me.

"Really?" he asks, his eyebrows high on his forehead.

I nod, uncomfortable. Extremely uncomfortable.

"It's about time," he says on exhale. "That guy was an asshole. How're you holding up?"

"Fine." I glance at Selena and tilt my head, hoping she knows I'm mentally cussing her out. "I'm fine."

It's not a lie. I'm doing better than I thought I would. Six years is a long time to throw away, but I've been mentally preparing myself for it for a while now. I think I'll be okay.

"Good." Mason pulls his flashy cellphone from his back pocket and taps his finger against the screen. I frown, confused as he presses it to his ear and turns away. "Sally? Hi, it's Mason. Yeah. Can you come in today? Olivia isn't feeling well. Okay, great. Thank you. See you soon."

I glance at Selena who looks between Mason and me, wide-eyed, excitement slowly building behind her bright irises.

"I'm giving you time to relax and clear your head," Mason says, slipping his phone into his jacket's breast pocket. "You can come back in two days."

Clapping, Selena bounces on her toes beside me, but I don't share her excitement. I cross my arms over my chest, dubious. It's not that I'm not grateful for time off to focus on myself-God knows I need it-it's just...I don't like people doing favors for me, especially people who'll expect things in return.

"I appreciate your concern and the time off, but it isn't necessary."

"It's happening," Mason replies. "I can handle the phone until Sally arrives, now get out of here before your friend costs me any more money, patients, or Facebook stars."

"Mason-"

Selena snatches my bicep and yanks me back toward reception. I resist-for performance sake-but let her tug me to the exit with little effort. Before we leave, I look back at Mason who positions himself behind my desk. Clearing his throat, he switches on the monitor and frowns. Shooting me an annoyed glance, he tilts his head. Oops. I guess I forgot to close my game of Solitaire. Smiling, I mouth my sorry to him, then flee before he changes his mind about letting me go.