Friend-Zoned (Friend-Zoned 1)

Tina doesn’t know it but I’m very serious when I say that.

She sounds anxious when she asks, “Who do you need protection from, Nik?”

I vow, “I’ll explain it to you one day, babe. I promise. ” Tina doesn’t look any less guarded but she nods.

Good girl. Pick your battles.

I ask, “Did you need something, teeny Tina?” I pull on a lock of her dark silky hair.

Her face brightens when she remembers what she came for. She says, “Yes! I wanted to get a turkey sub for lunch from Silvio’s so I came to see if you wanted one, too. ”

My stomach rumbles and I respond, “That’d be great. I’ve got a ton of work to get through with a 1pm deadline so that’s perfect. ”

As soon as I reach for my wallet, the naughty girl actually runs out the door and yells, “It’s on me!”

I’m up and around my desk in a second with a twenty dollar bill in hand. I see her trying to open the heavy security door quickly but nothing happens. It has a one second time lock. The more she jiggles the more the time lock starts over. She turns her head and sees me coming towards her. Her eyes widen to the size of saucers. She looks left then right trying to find an escape route, her eyebrows lift even further and I see an idea form in her head. She bolts down to the elevator and presses the button over and over. I laugh internally.

You keep doin’ that, sweetheart.

The elevator doesn’t work without a swipe card. She’s pressing the button a mile a minute saying “c’mon, c’mon!” Nothing happens.

I’m a few feet away from her when she decides to try and run past me in the narrow hallway.

What a freakin’ nut!

Her eyes are wide and her cheeks are the color of cotton candy. Still, she tries her hardest to slip by me. My arm shoots out and wraps around her waist.

Tina lets out a yelp. I pull her back to my chest and whisper in her ear, “That was a very bad idea, sweetheart. ”

Her body stills immediately and she whispers back, “What are you going to do to me?”

Oh shit. Don’t tempt me, baby.

I think she’s still scared about seeing my gun. She’s adorable. I smile cruelly even though she can’t see it. I loosen my arm around her waist and move it to her hip. Then I move my free hand to her other hip.

Commence tickle-fest three thousand.

Tina starts howling with laughter, then giggles so high-pitched she sounds like a little dog yapping away. She struggles against me, it’s so cute I can’t help but laugh with her.

She begs, “NIK! STOP! PLEASE STOP!”

But I don’t stop. She needs to be taught a lesson. I continue tickling her hips and ribs.

Then come the snorts.

It’s only then I hear other people laughing. I look over to the doorway of the ‘chill out’ room. Max, Trick, and Ghost are all chuckling clearly enjoying the show.

Tina squeals, “NIK I’M GOING TO PEE!” At this point she’s laughing as well as crying and pee sounds like pee-hee-hee.

My body shakes with laughter as I finally let up. I let go of her and she steps away from me huffing and puffing.

I take her in. Her hair is a mess, her makeup has slightly smudged under her eyes and she’s beautifully flushed.

I wonder if this is how she looks after she comes.

“Well,” Huff

“I’ll just,” Puff