Page 33 of Fair Trade

She isn’t going to respond to that tonight. Or at all. Knowing Luisa, she’s cursing me out as she stares at her screen.

Would love to see the look on her face, though.

I enter my room and go straight to my ensuite bathroom. I drop my sweatpants, along with my underwear, and stand in the shower, turning it on with high pressure before the cascading water has a second to warm. I’m telling myself it’s not a cold shower. Just a quick refresh before bed.

I don’t let my hands linger. I wash and rinse and am out of there before I allow my thoughts to drift back to my smart and snarky employee.

God, I try hard not to think about the forbidden aspect of it all, because surely that would be my undoing.

I put on a fresh pair of boxers and slip into bed without incident.

I grab my phone from the nightstand and go to plug it in when a thought occurs to me.

I never set up my Monarchs email to my push notifications.

It didn’t seem necessary before, but now I wonder.

Before I can give it too much thought, I log into it and turn on my notifications.

Must be divine intervention. Or the universe’s cruel joke.

Because staring back at me is Luisa’s response.

Short and to the point.

I smile as I shut off the screen and rest the phone against my chest.

Jokes on her, though. Because in my dreams is exactly where I’ll find her tonight.

fifteen

I’m back at theoffice, and my head is on a swivel.

I haven’t heard anything from Nick in the last few days, which is only adding to my paranoia. After he sent those not safe for work emails, he went radio silent.

I should be glad and shake it off. But instead, he feels like the bogeyman. Like he’s about to jump out from every corner I turn.

“Morning, Luisa!” Daisy chirps.

“Ay, coño.” I curse as I slap my hand across my heaving chest.

Daisy startles as she looks around us. “Um, is everything okay?”

I nod repeatedly as I try to get my breathing under control. “Sorry about that. I’m a bit jumpy today.” I raise my empty to-go cup. “Must be all the caffeine,” I lie.

Daisy smiles gently. “Maybe you could swap it out for decaffeinated tea. I can bring you some from home if you’d like. Maybe something more calming to start your mornings? I have a couple of blends you could try out, and if you don’t like those,I’m sure I can head to a tea shop and find something,” she says eagerly.

I’m not a tea drinker. I actually can’t stand the taste of it, but I’d sooner kick a puppy than turn down a nice offer from sweet Daisy. “That is so kind of you to offer. Thank you so much.” I give her arm a squeeze right as the phone in her hand lights up and her fiancé’s name flashes on the screen.

Her smile dims a fraction before she settles it back into place. She lifts her phone as she raises her finger at me. “Hold on a sec! I need to take this and then we should be all good for lunch. I’ll be quick. Promise,” she finishes as she steps into her office and closes the door.

I’ve noticed her do that before. Shy away from speaking about her relationship or directing the conversation to me when I ask too many nosey questions, especially since she walks around with a rock the size of a golf ball on her ring finger.

But just like she’s learned to accept that I’ll never give her a straight answer as to why her brother and I aren’t the best of friends, I’ve learned to respect her boundaries and allow her to keep her relationship to herself. For now.

I’m still staring at her door when a deep voice almost has me shooting out of my heels. “Hey, Luisa.”

“¡La puta madre!” I gasp before I cover my mouth in embarrassment.