Page 36 of Misadventures of a Biker

“If he walked in here right now and said, ‘Bend over that desk. I want to fuck you from behind,’ or whatever, you’d do it.”

“I would not,” I said adamantly. “One, I wouldn’t have sex in my office. Two, he couldn’t just order me around like that.”

“Yes, he could.”

“Maybe a little, but not in here. My office is my sanctuary. This place is off-limits.”

“Well, my point was that you two are perfect for each other. I hate to admit it, but that’s the reason I hired him. Not the entire reason, but it was a big part of it.”

I was flattered and pissed off all at the same time. “Are you kidding me?” I asked, my tone laced with aggravation. “You hired him because you thought—”

“I hired him because I’m tired of seeing you in pain. You deserve so much better than you’ve received. I hired him because he was willing, qualified, and because he said he’d stay long-term. My hope was that you two would hit it off. After I figured out who he was and what he stood for, I decided I had to put you two together.”

“What does he stand for?” I asked.

“He’s a good man, and he stands up for women at any and all costs.”

“I wish he wanted me as much as I want him.”

“Let me see if I can fix this,” she said.

“Leave it alone,” I insisted. “I only want him if he wants me. If he’s doing you a favor, it’s just not the same.”

She stood and gestured toward my purse. “Put your sunglasses on, dear. You look like hell.”

My eyes were swollen, my heart hurt, and the only man who came within inches of wanting me in the past year was a disastrous setup from a friend and coworker who felt sorry for me.

I not only looked like hell, I felt like it, too.

“I’ll leave them off,” I said. “I deserve this.”

“You do not,” she insisted. “You deserve the best.”

I might have deserved it, but I had my doubts I’d ever receive it.

Chapter Eleven

Devin

Kate and I were seated at a coffee shop having a caffeinated beverage and a light dinner to celebrate my two-week anniversary with the company.

“I like this place a latte,” she said.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Me too.”

Kate was exactly what I needed in a friend. She kept conversations interesting, didn’t muddy up our friendship waters with drama, and always wore a smile. In the past, my friends had been limited to men who were constantly in a state of competition with one another. Trying to go faster, outdrink, or earn more money than the man next to them. It was a breath of fresh air to have someone who wanted nothing more than to enjoy my company.

“So, do you have any idea what’s wrong with Teddi lately?” She sipped her latte. “Every time I’ve seen her this week, she’s been really short with me.”

Since I denied her sexual requests, Teddi hadn’t spoken more than two words to me. I didn’t know her well enough to decide if her patterns of coming and going were normal, but short of a few silent trips past me to get something from her desk, she’d avoided me like the plague.

I hated that things had changed between us. Teddi didn’t know it, but I was saving her from a mountain of grief. She could be pissed off all she wanted, but I wasn’t going to be a selfish prick and ruin her image of me all for a few nights of sex.

“Probably stressed out about the house,” I replied.

“I suppose that could be it,” she said, seeming far from convinced.

I decided to change the subject. “The house should be done by the end of next week, by the way.”