Page 59 of Hate You Up Close

When he doesn't stop walking, I start to shuffle after him.

“Hey!Wait,” I rush out, blowing a strand of hair from my face. “I wanted to thank you for the coffee–”

“Sorry, I have a meeting in two minutes on the executivefloor,” he bellows over his shoulder. “You can thank me later, Ms. Taylor.”

At least I know he’s not lying about the executive meeting. I put it on his calendar last week.

You can thank me later, Ms. Taylor.

I can practically hear the sexy smirk in his tone. He’ll deny it until he’s blue in the face, but he’s flirting with me. Out in the open. In our workplace.

I bring the cup to my lips, hoping the coffee will wake me up from my delusion.

God, I hate how much I like his quick glances and not-so-nonchalant gestures. Not just like…But I shamelesslyloveevery ounce of attention I get from Elliot.

I fuckingcraveit.

Which is why I immediately text Zach and ask him what our plans are for next week.

For the first time in my entire life, I feel like I have the power to create my own future. Dallas is starting to feel like a real home to me. And I’m not going to let my stupid heart or Elliot Thompson take that away from me.

I don’t care if Elliot has a problem with me dating Zach. Maybe it would be a good thing if he gets pissed. It would at least force us to confront and put an end to the tension simmering between us.

Elliot is my manager. The man who signs my paychecks. And that’s all he’s ever going to be.

FOURTEEN

Elliot

All I think about during my meeting is her.

Thank God I didn’t have to give a presentation or contribute much to the conversation because I can’t stop thinking about Roxanne and the tight little skirt she’s prancing around in this morning.

And the smile on her face when she realized I memorized her coffee order. I need to see that smile every day for the rest of my life.

I’ve wanted to bring her a coffee since we had breakfast together, so I finally grew the balls to do it.

Is it pathetic that I couldn't fucking wait to see the look on her face when she arrived this morning? All weekend, I practically paced back and forth in my apartment, hoping it would make the time go quicker. And for once, I wasn't thinking about work.

The anticipation of seeing Roxanne after just two days ofbeing away from her was like a kid on Christmas morning. I could barely fucking sleep the night before.

Christ. I have to get a grip on myself. I’m like a fucking teenager who’s experiencing their first crush. I don’t do sweet shit like bringing a woman a coffee just to see her smile.

Hell, I don’t remember the last time I even crushed on a girl. I just think they’re hot, fuck them, and move on with my life.

Roxanne is just…different, and not in the clicheyou’re not like other girlskind of way. She just seems to get me in a way that no one else does. She doesn't tip-toe around me or care about pissing me off, which oddly turns me on. She makes me feel like I can be myself around her, like I can let go of some of my control and take a breath for once in my damn life.

She’s the first person to make me feel a sense of peace, which is a feeling I haven't had in years.

Either way, she’s completely off-limits. I should have never drunk-texted her last Friday night.

Bad fucking idea, Elliot.

But I also want to hunt down the motherfucker she went out with over the weekend. She said she was out with Evie, but I know there were more people there. I’d be stupid to think there wasn't. Evie is a sweet girl and phenomenal at her job, but she’s always chasing after the next guy, flirting it up with someone new in the office. She’d probably even admit it herself. It’s not like she tries to hide it.

So if Evie was there, I’m ninety-nine percent sure other men were there too. Men that would drool and fall to their knees over Roxanne Taylor.

My jaw clenches at the thought.