Page 55 of Hate You Up Close

If Elliot continues to act how he’s been the past couple of weeks, then I could see myself at Ace Financial for a while. I really enjoy the company and the people that I work with. Overall, it truly is a great place to work.

Even though my job is more enjoyable now, I can’t ignore the growing tension between me and Elliot. Especially after he straight-up admitted to wanting to fuck me. I keep tellingmyself that he still had alcohol in his system, altering his state of mind, when he said it. He didn't mean it.

But the look on his face every time his eyes trail down my body says otherwise.

And the worst part of it all? He knows that I want him too. He also catches me staring. I think he secretly loves it because his lips turn up in a devious smirk each time he finds me gazing a little too long.

I can’t help it. The man is fucking hot. Besides, it’s not like I’m the only woman in the office who looks at him like that. Hell, even men stare at him like he’s the second coming.

But what gets me is that I haven't once seen him return anyone’s heated gaze…except for mine. Sometimes it feels like he only has eyes for me, which makes my heart skip a few beats at the thought.

“Roxy…” Zach chuckles nervously, “You all good?”

Zach, a traditionally handsome guy, who works at Ace Financial, distracts me from my thoughts. I just met him for the first time tonight, but we’ve been hitting it off for the past hour.

It's finally the night Evie has been waiting for, Friday night at the club.

She’s been talking about it for weeks and even showed up at my apartment hours early so we could get ready together. We blasted throwback pop music, tried on ten different outfits, and took a few shots before heading out for the night.

We started the evening with dinner at a downtown steakhouse, and my little red dress caught Zach’s attention immediately. He sat across the table from me and asked me all kinds of questions about my life, which was sweet but also a little too much. I wanted to have conversations with the rest of the table, but he seemed to only be fixated on me.

Now we’re at The Phoenix, a swanky nightclub with two levels and neon strobe lights bouncing around the expansivebar. Zach and I are on the second level, standing near the railing and looking down at the sweaty bodies entangled and packed together like sardines.

Evie is on the dance floor with her new fling, the guy she hasn't been able to stop gushing about. That girl is already head over heels, and I love that for her. She deserves all the happiness in the world.

I return my gaze to Zach to find him staring at me through furrowed brows, confusion swirling in his blue eyes. His dark hair is slicked back, styled to perfection, and his suit fits him like a glove. He screams corporate businessman, which usually doesn't do it for me.

Unless the man in the suit is named Elliot Thompson…

“Is um…Is everything okay?” Zach asks. “You seem kind of zoned out.”

“Yeah, sorry,” I shake my head. “I was just uh…I was thinking about a big meeting I have coming up on Monday.”

Lie.I was thinking about my boss. I was thinking of my sexy-as-hell boss who may or may not want to fuck me.

“It’s Friday night,” he clicks his tongue. “You’re not supposed to worry about that until Sunday. That’s why they call it the Sunday Scaries, right?”

Ugh.I hate corny, corporate lingo.

“Right,” I nod awkwardly.

“So…” he trails off, tugging his bottom lip between his teeth. “I wanted to ask you…”

Oh, God. I feel like I already know what he’s going to ask.

“I have a business trip next week in New York, but I’m free the following weekend,” he pauses, smiling nervously. “Would you want to go out to dinner? Just me and you?”

I knew it.I just knew he was going to pop the date question.

I should be excited. I mean, Iamexcited.

But I also feel weird about the fact that I can’t stop daydreaming about Elliot. How can I try to start a new relationship when my head is somewhere else?

But then again, I’ve been desperately wanting to meet new people. If I want to build a life in Dallas, creating new relationships is where I need to start. And besides, no matter how attracted I am to Elliot, it can absolutely never happen. I’m his employee, and fraternizing with a direct report is strictly against company policy.

Nothing can happen between me and Elliot, which is why I decide to say yes.

“Sure,” I smile softly. “That would be great.”