CHAPTER 8
Dee
A loud pounding sounded at the front door. It was nothing compared to the pounding in my head. Slowly, I peeled my eyes open, one at a time. It was as if they were super-glued shut.
The pounding at the door persisted. And then the doorbell rang again and again. The banging and chiming were making my headache feel worse, if worse was possible.
Slowly, I sat up and took in my surroundings. I was home, but I had no recollection of how I got here. The blinding sunlight that was filtering through the window was my only clue that it was early morning. I rubbed my throbbing temples and, after swallowing, discovered how parched my throat was. In a word, I felt like shit.
“Dee-Dee, open up,” shouted a familiar voice. “I can’t find my key.” It was my sister, Lulu.
Draping the afghan over my shoulders, I made it to my feet and staggered to the front door. At the sight of my sister still dressed in a halter-top and skin-tight jeans with her mane of hair in just fucked mode, the fog that clouded my mind began to lift. Panic set in.
“Brock was amazing!” she spewed as she made her way into the house we shared. “We fucked all night long. You wouldn’t believe all the insane positions. And you should see his apartment. It’s a penthouse on the Wilshire Corridor. I think he’s loaded in more ways than one.” Tossing her bag on the couch, she asked, “Did you get laid?”
Her question made my blood run cold. Oh God! Did I? I didn’t know. My mouth couldn’t form words.
“Brock’s friend Drake was really into you. That kiss must have made the Guinness Book of Records. The longest kiss ever!”
“We kissed?” My voice quivered.
“Twice,” replied my sister with a big grin.
Oh, Geez! How many margaritas had I drunk? What else had I done?
“How did I get home?”
“Drake gave you a ride in his car. You were pretty snockered.” She sauntered in the direction of the kitchen. “I’m going to make a pot of coffee, okay?”
“Yeah, that would be great,” I mumbled as I futilely searched my fuzzy mind for any clue of what had happened after Drake drove me home. Though I was still fully clothed, that didn’t prove anything. A shudder rippled through me as Lulu returned with two mugs of much needed coffee.
“So, did you get laid?” my persistent sister asked again, handing me one of the steaming mugs.
The tantalizing aroma of the strong brew awakened my senses and just one caffeinated sip erased the stale taste in my mouth. It did not, however, restore my memory of last night.
“I don’t know,” I murmured as she plopped down on the couch where I’d slept. And fucked Drake?
Lulu rolled her eyes. “Well, I sure hope you did. He’s hot as shit. Are you going to see him again?”
Fortifying myself with a deep breath, I just blurted it out. “Lulu, he’s my new boss.”
About to take a sip of her coffee, Lulu froze. “Whoa!”
“Yeah…whoa. How am I going to face him?”
Pensively, Lulu sipped her coffee and then looked up at me. “You’re just going to be yourself. Trust me, he really liked you. And if he did screw you, he’s going to like you more.”
I processed her words. So much of me wanted to crawl into bed and stay under the covers for the rest of my life. But I couldn’t afford to lose my job. I needed the money and temporary jobs were hard to come by.
“What time is it?” I asked with resignation.
My eyes stayed on her as she pulled her cell phone out from her jeans pocket.
“It’s five after nine.”
“Oh shit! I’m late for work. And I need a ride.” Wait! Maybe I should just call in sick. The thought of having to face my gorgeous boss after all that might have transpired last night sent a shiver down my spine. Dread filled every crevice of my body.
“Did you tell him about Tyson?” asked my sister as I trudged to the bathroom to shower.
Tyson…my true love. At her words, a heart-wrenching thought stabbed me. I hadn’t called last night to say I love you. And now it was too late.
As late as I was, I stopped at the coffee station before I headed to my desk. My mind was in a frenzy. What was I going to say to him? Thank you for kissing me, and by the way, did you fuck me? How was I going to look him in the face, oh that sinfully beautiful face, without imagining his lips on my mine as his tongue swept through my mouth and sent me orbiting? Anxiously, I slogged down the hall to my desk, pondering answers to these questions and more. The coffee wasn’t giving me any clarity.
His office door was closed when I got there. As I sat down at my desk and booted up my computer, I remembered he had a meeting this morning with some animation director. Maybe it would last all day.
I hadn’t even taken off my sunglasses when I heard his door click open. I felt my shoulders stiffen and my stomach tighten.
“Well, good-morning.” His voice was business-like.
“I thought you had a meeting out of the office,” I spluttered, not looking away from my computer screen.
“It got canceled.” From the corner of my eye, I watched as he rounded my desk. He was now facing me, seductively posing, with his strong, muscular arms folded across his broad chest. He was wearing his basic sexy uniform—a yummy T-shirt, low slung jeans, and Nikes. An unnerving smirk curved his lips. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.” I’m dying here. I chewed on my lip. “About last night, I’m sorry—”
He cut me off. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. We’ve all gotten a little plastered.”
“N-no, really I’m sorry if I did anything out of line. I’d totally understand if you want to fire me.”
To my surprise, he laughed. “Trust me, you didn’t do anything too drastic. You’re actually quite a funny drunk and I have no intention of firing you.”
“Really?” I squeaked, still not knowing how far I’d gone with him.
“Really,” he smiled back and then winked. “I hope I convinced you that I’m not gay.”
What was he implying? I let him fuck me? Before I could get my mouth to move, my cell phone rang. “Excuse me. I hope you don’t mind, but I need to take this.” The phone kept ringing.
“Go ahead…by the way, nice shades.”
Fumbling, I reached into my purse and found my phone. Upon seeing the caller ID, my heartbeat quickened as I put the phone to my ear. As I listened to the voice on the other end, my thudding heart leapt into my throat and every muscle in my body clenched.
“Oh my God! I’ll get there as soon as I can.” Every nerve in my body was crackling with fear and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I met my boss’s concerned gaze as a few escaped.
“What’s the matter?”
“Oh my God. It’s Tyson!”
His brows furrowed. “Your boyfriend?”
“No, my daughter. She’s in the emergency room!”
A look of shock washed over Drake’s face. His brows shot up. “What happened?”
“She was stung by a bee during recess and had a seizure.”
“Jesus.”
“I-I’ve got to get to the hospital. I need to call for an Uber.”
“Don’t bother. C’mon, I’ll take you.”