Boss I Love to Hate An Office Romance - Mia Kayla Page 0,104

and now that it was here, it felt all wrong. Because why the hell did it have to take him to be with someone else to realize that it had been me all along? I had never doubted us. When I’d been with him, I’d never wanted to be with someone else.

“I’ve missed you so much.”

He cupped the side of my face, and I flinched.

And, for the second time tonight, he shocked me as he bent down and met my lips with his.

Brad

I’d had to go to the restroom, but any urge besides the urge to get far away from here disappeared.

I stood there, in the hallway, so very still, and it took all my effort not to storm down the dark hall, punch Jeff in the face, and throw Sonia over my shoulder. I tore away my gaze and about-faced. I felt like I’d been sucker-punched in the gut. If I’d wanted to know my answer, I’d just seen it with my own two eyes.

I marched back to the table where I’d left Jean. My shoulders slumped, and my mind was reeling. Why him? What the hell could he give her that I couldn’t?

“That was the fastest restroom break ever,” Jean mused as I approached.

I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to leave, go to the bar, get a drink, anything but stay here, but I couldn’t exactly leave Sonia here. Is she going to go home with him? Were they going to ask me to drive Jean home?

The thought enraged me. If it came to that, I’d refuse. Shit, I’d go postal.

I dropped to the bland red booth and closed my eyes, rubbing at my temple.

“Is everything okay?” Jean’s high-pitched tone grated on my nerves.

“Yeah, fine,” I growled. Pretend time was over and done.

She was up, rubbing my back in the next second. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” I snapped. I raised my head and held a hand up. “Don’t. Touch. Me. All right? I said I’m fine.”

I was far from fine.

Whatever I had done, how hard I had tried, was all for nothing. How could I claim a girl who belonged to someone else?

Shit, because I wanted to claim her, make her mine, follow her like a lovesick puppy, knowing it would be me looking like a pussy. But who cared? I wouldn’t even be able to do that now.

An overwhelming loss draped over me. The old Brad, before falling for Sonia, would have left her to fend for herself, to find her own ride.

This pathetic Brad sat there, waiting and wishing this was over. Hopeless. That was the only word that I could think of.

Sonia

With force, I pushed Jeff off of me and immediately swiped at my lips with my sleeve. “What the hell, Jeff?” I spat out.

To think his kisses once were how I’d wanted to start and end my day. Now, it felt as though acid had burned my lips.

When he took a step forward, I ducked under his arm to move away.

“Sonia, tell me you don’t feel the same.” His face turned incredulous. “Tell me you didn’t feel that kiss.”

He was on drugs. He had to be.

I scoffed. When did I give him any indication that it was okay to even do that?

“I don’t, and I didn’t.” My response was quick, automatic, honest.

And the truth would set me free. That kiss was like kissing a piece of furniture, no feelings attached. What I had felt was an overwhelming sorrow of what could’ve been.

“I don’t believe you.” His voice was emotionally choked, his eyes feverish. Then, he kissed me again, his body flush against me, his arms gripping me with more force.

“Get off of me!” I shoved him off and was about to knee him in the balls, but he backed away with his hands up.

I couldn’t believe it was this easy, but that one kiss had told it all. I was over him. Truly and utterly over him.

Who is this guy? Where was the Jeff I had known? Or maybe I hadn’t known him at all.

I flung a finger in the direction of the dining room. “Your girlfriend is out there. I’m not doing this.”

When I turned to leave, he gripped my hand, and I jerked it back.

“And, even if she wasn’t out there, I’m still not doing this.” I motioned between both of us.

“I still love you, Sonia.”

I inhaled deeply and squared my shoulders. “I’m no longer in love with you, sorry.” But I wasn’t sorry that I didn’t feel the same