Jamie answered the phone nearly right away. “You’re back! I can’t believe it. You were gone longer than you said you were going to be. I’m glad you’re home. Now, tell me all of the details! How was the island? What was it like?”
Eva smiled and thought back to it. “It was amazing. It was like I’d stepped into a postcard… a picture perfect postcard, and the rest of the whole world didn’t even exist anymore. I felt like I was awake in a dream.”
“I’m jealous. I’ll admit it. I’m jealous. I’m happy for you, though! So, tell me everything!” Jamie gushed excitedly.
With a sigh, Eva began. “Well, you know I told you how my boss Derrick and I were flirting? Like… a lot?”
“Oh, no you didn’t…” Jamie began, her tone growing serious before she squealed. “Did you?!” she exclaimed in disbelief. “With your boss?”
“Girl… he’s beautiful! If you saw him, if you saw how he is… you would have done exactly the same thing. He’s just… damn girl. He is one fine man.” She chuckled a little. “So… yeah, it happened. It happened on the very first night there, and it was so good that it didn’t stop.”
“Nooo….” Jamie giggled wickedly.
“Oh yeah. It was all the time… just about everywhere we went. On the beach, in the ocean, in the shower, in the bed, in the rain, at the club… everywhere. We just couldn’t keep our hands off of each other. I kept wondering what it would be like, and I can just tell you, there’s no way I could have imagined how incredible it was. He is so good, I might never be okay again.” She laughed softly as memories of their time on the island flooded her mind and happiness filled her.
“That’s unbelievable. So, now what… are you guys a couple and you’re working for him still or what?” Jamie asked, bringing reality back into it.
Eva pursed her lips. “No,” she said quietly. “It’s not like that. We just had a good time, you know. That’s all. Just a good time while we were away out of the city. We both have lives here. He is my boss here, and I work for him, and he still signs my paychecks, and he’s got his world and I have mine, and the two of them don’t really… blend. It’s all back to business now. Mostly.” She thought of that afternoon and the way he had needed her, the way that they had both needed each other so desperately, right there on his leather couch in his office. They had almost set fire to each other the passion was so sweet and so hot. Even the thought of him and what he did with her made h
er close her eyes and draw in a long slow breath to calm herself.
“Wait… what? You went crazy with him in the Bahamas, and now you’re back here and things are supposed to just go back to the way they were before? That’s not okay, Eva. That’s him using you for a piece of ass.” Jamie grew defensive.
“No, Jamie, it’s really not. I used him too… we both wanted it. We both agreed to it, and it happened. We both agreed to things going back to normal here, too. So that’s what has to happen.” Eva hoped she sounded convincing because she wasn’t entirely convinced herself.
“That’s just… wrong. Are you sad? How are you doing? Are you feeling down about it at all?” Jamie asked curiously with a worried tone.
Eva shook her head. “No, not really. I mean, I really like him, and I’ll admit I’m still crushing on him, but at least I got to go to a tropical island with him, and we got to have all the fun we had, and now it’s just done. We had a hot time. I get to keep my job, and my paycheck, and my great apartment, and I had a hell of a good time. It’s not really like there’s a downside to this.”
“If you say so.” Jamie sounded unconvinced, and Eva decided it was high time to change the subject.
“Well, we’re going to have to have coffee or lunch soon because I did manage to get a little shopping done while I was down there, and I bought some really cool things for you.” She smiled, thinking of the little bag of gifts that she had brought back for Jamie.
“You did? Honey, you didn’t have to do that! Now I can’t wait to find out what they are!” she replied. Jamie and Eva talked about the gifts and lunch or coffee, and then the conversation took a turn to what she was doing in school. Eva was relieved that they weren’t talking about her and Derrick any longer. She was glad that she had gotten to share her secrets about what had happened, but she didn’t want to drag it out into a long conversation because there was no way that it was going to end well. There was nothing to move forward to. It was over. They had had a great time, and they were done.
Now she needed to focus on work and find a way to stop wanting her boss as much as she did. It had been a fling, and nothing more. They could work past it.
***
Derrick was sitting at their spot at the bar when Garrett walked in the door and waved at him. They shared a hug and a shoulder pat, and Garrett waved at the bartender for a beer.
“Hey, nice to have you back in town! Did you bring me a bottle of rum or something?” Garrett asked in a joking tone.
“Yeah, actually, I did. Here you go.” Derrick reached down at his side and picked up a small brown bag with handles. Garrett’s eyes grew wide as he took it.
“Really? I was kidding! That’s awesome, dude!” He looked inside it and grinned at what he knew was a very expensive bottle of island rum. “That’s the best! I’m going to save this for a special occasion.”
He tucked into his beer and then wiped the foam from his upper lip as he turned to look at Derrick. “So, how was the trip? Did you find your business deal guy and get it all finished up?”
“Yeah, I did,” Derrick said, looking down at his beer and feeling his cheeks turn pink.
Garrett frowned at him slightly. “What’s this look? What is this? Are you… are you blushing? What are you hiding from me? What else happened down there on that island?”
Derrick took a deep breath and looked over at his best friend. “Things got a little… hot… with my secretary.”
Garrett’s mouth fell full open. “You mean that lady at your front desk… what’s her name…” he tried to think, and Derrick beat him to the punch.
“Eva,” he answered quietly.