I arrived at work on Friday morning the way I usually did, but when I walked into the office, everything was different. I knew that gossip traveled fast on my floor but when it wasn’t about me, I didn’t mind it so much.

This morning, I had the feeling it was all about me. When I walked past groups of people, greeting them, they fell quiet as if they’d been talking about me. When I passed, far enough not to be able to hear what they were saying, they started talking again. How the fuck did they know what was going on with me and Liam? Or maybe they didn’t, and my paranoia was getting to me.

My stomach turned. Was this about last night at the restaurant? I knew we shouldn’t have done anything. It had been such a mistake. It had to be about that. I couldn’t imagine what else they could be talking about. The few people that returned my greetings did so stiffly.

I walked to the little kitchen just after eleven to make myself some coffee.

“Did you hear about Harper?” I heard someone say just before I walked into the kitchen and I stopped, listening.

“Yeah, it’s a disgrace. Why should she get away with fucking the CEO and the rest of us have to work our asses off with promotions that aren’t even guaranteed?”

“It’s because she’s willing to put out. If you’re loose like that it opens up a lot of doors for you.”

“Yeah, with the wrong people. No wonder she’d been doing so well here, despite Lisa being fired.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I suddenly couldn’t breathe. How had I gone from being a virgin to being rumored to be the office slut in such a short time? I swallowed hard. I had to speak to Liam about this.

When I went to his office, Liam was on the phone. He looked up when I opened the door and waved me in.

“Let me call you back, Arthur,” he said before he hung up. I closed the door behind me.

I didn’t know what showed on my face but Liam’s smile faded and he frowned. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

I couldn’t hold it back. I suddenly felt like I was coming undone at the seams. Fat tears rolled over my cheeks.

“They know,” I said through my tears. “They know about us.”

Liam pulled me closer to him and I let him hold me.

“Calm down, baby,” he said. “Who knows what?”

“Everyone. They know about us sleeping together. They were talking about it in the kitchen today when I went to make coffee. They called me a slut who sleeps with you to excel in my career.”

Liam’s eyes widened.

“What?” he asked and he let me go. Yeah, it was serious.

“This is going to do so much damage, Liam,” I said. “Not only to my reputation, but to yours, too. And what about Kenna?”

“Don’t worry about Kenna right now, babe, let’s talk about you and me.”

I shook my head. “I will worry about her. And you. This is a reputation I’m worried you won’t be able to shake. What if she grows up and she hears from someone that her dad slept with his assistant?”

“You weren’t my assistant when I met you,” he said. “I didn’t even know you worked here.”

I shook my head. “They don’t know that. They don’t care.”

“We’ll figure this out, babe,” Liam said, taking my hand.

“Don’t call me that,” I said, pulling my hand out of his. “I can’t do this.”

“What do you mean, you can’t do this?” Liam asked and he looked worried.

I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. I should have done this a long time ago, it would have saved me a lot of pain and heartache.

“I can’t carry on doing this with you when it’s going to affect both our professional lives so much. This was a mistake, Liam. I’m so sorry. I quit.”

I turned around and walked out of his office before he had a chance to say anything. I couldn’t wait for him to speak. I couldn’t wait for him to use his charming words and convince me, again, because I would fall for it. He knew just how to get to me and today, I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to be persuaded, to be won over.

My heart was breaking. It hurt like a bitch – I should have known that giving up my virginity would come with this kind of pain when it finally ended. Of course, I’d never dreamed I would be the one to walk away, the one to end it all. I’d been sure I was more attached to Liam than he was to me, that I’d just been a piece of ass. I’d been thrilled every time he’d wanted to see me again.

And now? Now it was over and I had been the one to call it off. But it was better this way, for both of us.