She snorts. "Great answer. I'll say that to any of your questions."
"I don't know why I wanted to work with you," I repeat myself, slightly raising my voice to make her understand that it wasn't the complete answer. "You weren't the most experienced or talented candidate, to be honest."
"More compliments, huh?" she says sarcastically, reaching for a piece of bread and putting butter on it.
I hate when she's like that: when she builds a massive wall between us, not letting me closer. I always want to grab her and put my tongue into her mouth so hard that she won't be able to breathe, let alone speak, as I suck her into me.
"But you were the most perceptive and..." I stop, unable to find the right words, for the first time in my life, by the way, "and I felt like I simply could not let you go."
She keeps putting butter on her bread without even looking at me.
"And then I realized that I can't live without you anymore," spills out without me thinking about it, and Michelle's hand freezes in the air on the way to her mouth.
Chapter Nine
Michelle
What did he just say?
And then I realized that I can't live without you anymore...
Is he serious?
"How many women have been seduced by this?" I ask and continue eating, showing him that I'm not buying it. I'm not stupid like his fake Barbies. I don't believe a word he says, even though when I look at him, I could swear he's being honest with me. But maybe I just don't know him that well.
It simply cannot be true. And what does that even mean: can't live without me? I've seen him with dozens of women; it was a new one every Friday night. Who does that when you like someone, right? Or maybe he can't live without all of them, too? I huff loudly.
"You may think whatever you want, Michelle, but I'm telling the truth," he says sternly, obviously irritated with my reaction. "I always liked you, but after a couple of months together, I simply didn't want to let you go.”
He takes a glass of wine and drinks it to the bottom again. I've never seen him drink this much.
"You want to fuck me, I get it," I say, unable to believe I’m saying it aloud. "You couldn't do this before because we worked together, but now since we don't anymore, you’ve started your game."
"It's not a game, and you're drunk," he says irritatedly, punching holes in me with his gaze.
"I'm not drunk, just tipsy," I say, and it's true. Yes, I get drunk quickly, but not from one glass of wine. I'm simply relaxed now, so I add, "I agree."
"Agree to what?" He raises an eyebrow, looking at me, obviously not getting what I mean.
"Agree to your proposal," I say, trying to sound at ease, reaching for an olive, "to sleep with you."
I can't believe I just offered a one-night stand to a man as gorgeous as Christopher. This is the first time in my life I’ve talked to a man like this. I've never had a one-night stand before. I only dated two men before Michael. And both of them weren't even close to being as good-looking as my boss. But we have already finished our work, so what do I have to lose?
"I think it's enough for you." He reaches out to take my wine glass away, but I stop him, placing my hand onto his. He stops but doesn't pull his hand away. We stare at each other, almost holding hands.
"The only reason I didn't tell you that I liked you was because you were engaged, Michelle," he says, and this time I'm entirely sure that he's being honest.
"Engaged, right..." I say and let his hand go, lowering my gaze. I’ve instantly remembered all the shame I experienced when I found out the truth about Michael.
Christopher doesn't try to take my glass away anymore, probably realizing that I'm not that tipsy. I wanted him to think that so it would be easier for me to offer him a one-night stand.
"My 'fiancé' is gay," I say and look up at my boss again, feeling humiliation spreading all over my body.
Christopher's face changes in a second, especially when he realizes that I'm not joking.
"Yeah, buddy, he's been sleeping with his secretary all of this time." I reach for a glass of wine and take another sip. Did I just call my boss 'buddy'? "How stupid am I?" I feel absolutely pathetic.
"It's not your fault that this guy is a piece of shit," Christopher finally says, his face expressing fury, his eyes glittering with anger.