Chapter 12 : A KISS FULL OF REGRET
1109 Words
Walter didn’t know what came over him.
One second, he was standing by the door, ready to leave.
The next, his lips were on Debbie’s.
She tasted of alcohol and something else—something sweet, intoxicating, and entirely Debbie.
She sighed against his lips, her grip tightening on his wrist, pulling him closer instead of pushing him away.
Her body was warm, soft against him, and for a split second, Walter allowed himself to get lost in the moment.
But then—
Reality hit.
Like a bucket of cold water, the weight of what he was doing crashed down on him.
With a sharp inhale, Walter pulled away.
Debbie’s dazed eyes fluttered open, confusion and longing swimming in their depths.
He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to step back.
What the hell was he thinking?
She was drunk. Vulnerable.
And he had no business kissing her.
He had Annie.
The thought of his fiancée made his stomach twist with guilt.
He scrubbed a hand down his face, exhaling deeply.
“This was a mistake,” he muttered, more to himself than to Debbie.
Debbie blinked, her brows furrowing slightly.
A mistake?
She parted her lips to say something, but before she could, Walter turned on his heels.
“I’ll see you at work on Monday,” he said briskly, striding toward the door without looking back.
The door clicked shut behind him.
And just like that—he was gone.
A Morning of Regret
The next morning, Debbie woke up with a splitting headache.
Her mouth was dry, her body aching, and for a moment, she struggled to remember why she felt this way.
Then—
Flashes of the night before hit her.
The club. The drinks.
Walter.
The kiss.
Her heart plummeted.
Did that really happen?
She groaned, burying her face in her hands.
She had kissed her boss.
Her very engaged boss.
What the hell was she thinking?
Heat rushed to her cheeks as she remembered how it felt—how his lips moved against hers, how his scent surrounded her, how she wanted more.
She groaned louder.
This was bad.
Very bad.
What if he regretted it?
What if he fired her?
Her stomach twisted at the thought.
No. That couldn’t happen.
This job was too important for her to lose over something so stupid.
She needed to act normal at work. Forget it happened.
Meanwhile…
Walter barely slept that night.
He had gone straight home after leaving Debbie’s apartment, but sleep refused to come.
His lips still tingled from the kiss.
And the worst part?
He wanted more.
Cursing under his breath, he ran a frustrated hand through his hair.
What was wrong with him?
He had Annie.
He had been with her for seven years.
She was perfect—elegant, intelligent, sophisticated. The type of woman who fit into his world without question.
So why was Debbie—a woman he barely knew—messing with his head?
Why did she make him feel things he had never felt before?
He groaned, reaching for his phone.
One new message from Annie.
Good morning, my love. Can’t wait to see you tonight.
Walter exhaled slowly, guilt gnawing at his insides.
He needed to fix this.
He needed to stay away from Debbie.
He had to control himself.
Because if he didn’t…
He wasn’t sure if he would be able to stop next time.
By the time Debbie got to the office on Monday, she had mentally prepared herself.
Her plan was simple: act normal, stay professional, and avoid Walter at all costs.
Unfortunately, Walter had the same plan.
The entire day passed without him once acknowledging her.
Not even a glance.
He didn’t call her into his office. Didn’t send her an email. Didn’t even nod at her in passing.
It was as if she didn’t exist.
And that hurt more than it should have.
Debbie should have been relieved.
This was exactly what she wanted, right?
Then why did it feel like rejection?
By the time lunch rolled around, she was agitated.
She barely ate, instead stirring her food absentmindedly while the voices of her colleagues buzzed around her.
“Debbie, you okay?” one of them asked.
She forced a small smile. “Yeah, just tired.”
Lies.
She was anything but fine.
And the worst part?
Walter was acting like nothing happened.
Like the kiss meant nothing.
Her chest tightened at the thought.
Did it really mean nothing to him?
Debbie decided she needed fresh air.
After lunch, she stepped outside the office building, taking deep breaths.
The cool breeze helped clear her head slightly.
But just as she was about to head back inside, a familiar voice called out.
“Debbie.”
She froze.
Slowly, she turned.
Walter stood a few feet away, his hands in his pockets, his expression unreadable.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then—
“We need to talk,” he said.
Debbie’s heart pounded.
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stay calm.
“About what?” she asked, feigning innocence.
Walter’s jaw clenched.
“You know what,” he said, stepping closer.
Debbie took a small step back, shaking her head.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she said quickly. “It was a mistake. Let’s just forget it happened.”
Walter’s eyes darkened.
“Forget?” he repeated, his voice dangerously low.
She lifted her chin. “Yes. It didn’t mean anything, right? We were both caught in the moment. That’s all.”
Walter stiffened.
For some reason, her words bothered him.
More than they should have.
“You really think that?” he asked, his gaze piercing.
Debbie forced herself to nod.
“Yes,” she whispered.
Walter studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked away.
Debbie stood there, heart aching, watching him go.
She should have felt relieved.
Instead, she felt like she had just lost something important.
That Night: The Unwanted Guest
Debbie tried to distract herself that evening.
She cleaned her apartment, watched some TV, even tried reading a book.
But nothing worked.
Her mind kept drifting back to Walter.
His kiss.
His touch.
His absence.
A frustrated sigh left her lips.
She needed to move on.
Forget him.
Her phone suddenly buzzed.
She frowned, picking it up.
Unknown Number.
Hesitantly, she answered.
“Hello?”
A low chuckle came from the other end.
“Hello, Debbie.”
Her heart stopped.
She knew that voice.
It was Annie.
Walter’s fiancée.
“Can we talk?” Annie continued smoothly.
Debbie’s fingers tightened around the phone.
Shit.
- Writer
