ELLA: No, thank God.
STEPH: Strange. I would have thought he'd make a point of dropping by to let you know he'd read your story.
ELLA: Believe me, I am just as happy that he hasn't. I don't need any drama.
STEPH: You wait and see. I know I'm right about this. He'll say or do something to acknowledge it.
ELLA: I just want it all to go away.
STEPH: Text me as soon as he does something. This time tomorrow, I'll bet he's asked you out for dinner or drinks. Maybe you'll be boinking him in the executive bathroom after he confronts you with the story.
ELLA: I don't want to boink him in the executive bathroom!
STEPH: Where do you want to boink him?
ELLA: In my story, we were at the Ritz-Carlton. The room had a view of Central Park.
STEPH: Maybe you'll boink him there. It's possible. Wherever he wants to boink you, take it!
ELLA: You are so bad...
STEPH: You love me.
ELLA: You know it.
I woke up the next morning, a sense of dread filling me at having to face Josh at work the next day. I had to return his cell, and would see if there was any way to do so when he wasn't there. Maybe I could leave the cell at the front desk to give to Josh when he arrived for the day.
That was my plan, at least.
I went through my usual routine and made it to the office in record time. I was even able to stop and pick up my coffee, having time to spare. Once I was there, I entered the building, showed my ID and dropped the cell off with the security guard on the front desk, asking if he could return it to Josh when he came to the desk to sign in.
"If you want, I can have it delivered to his office," the guard said. "We take the packages that arrive up each day and I could do it then."
"Thanks," I said and reached into my bag to remove five-dollar bill. "Let me give you something for your troubles."
The guard waved it away "No charge," he said. "Next time you're out, bring me a coffee with two sugar and say we're square."
"Oh, thank you," I gushed. "You're so sweet."
"That's what my wife says," he replied with a grin.
I left the front desk and I took the elevator up to my office, wondering about Josh and what he really thought about my story. I liked it. It was a fantasy of mine -- meeting a strange but gorgeous man for hot sex in the middle of the day at a ritzy hotel. No words spoken -- just enter the room, and go at it. Of course, the man would be totally alpha, a hunk, and know precisely what to do to make my heart beat faster, my body respond and my orgasm -- or three -- be mind-blowing.
My body warmed to the thought of Josh waiting at a hotel room for me and I had to take in a deep breath and try to shove the thoughts out of my mind.
When the elevator arrived, I was almost ready for my day. I stopped to say hello to Sharon on my way inside.
"How are you doing?" she asked, glancing up from a pile of files on her desk. "Everything okay on the financial front?"
"Yes," I said and nodded. "I picked up my keys on Monday. My old place was so small so my new place feels like a mansion by comparison. It's be nice to have my own bathroom and a real kitchen."
"Good, good," she said. "There's a new box of manuscripts in your office."
Before I could respond, her phone rang, so she gave me a smile and mouthed I have to take this, so I left her to her phone call, walking down the hallway, feeling eager to get started.
I went into my office and plopped myself down behind my desk, tucking my bag into the bottom drawer and placing my coffee cup on the desktop beside my laptop.
It was then that I saw the small black plastic hotel room keycard. It was unmistakable.