Can't Be Friends

Chapter V:

Three weeks went by since the second crazy encounter I had with Rico in my office, after that he'd request unreasonable meetings with the writing team, according to him they were to "check up on deadlines." In part it was also the only way I couldn't avoid seeing him or be in the same room as him without feeling guilty, but during these "meetings" all he would do was stare a hole through my soul while the team was brainstorming. Or he would caress my leg under the table sending my heart into a frenzy. My biggest dream was becoming an episode of Jerry Springer quick. It's not that I didn't want Rico, every beat of my heart wanted to just snatch him away from Denise. I guess I was mostly afraid of giving in, letting go, and mostly betraying my best friend. His words rang inside my head, about Denise not being a good friend.

Why is he still with her if she's not good to either of you? My inner goddess crossed her legs and asked me. My conversation with the inner me was cut short. "Luna, are you listening?" I glanced up from my laptop screen and looked at Rico. "I'm sorry I was in the zone." I lied, stared at his lips and quickly back to my screen. "I was asking if you were available to stay after work and show me the drafts, Breanne and Mike will also stay on different days to review the articles before printing." It was a trap, and worst of all I couldn't say no, I stuttered. "I-I, sure..." I gave up, and agreed, he nodded accomplishing what he wanted. I was convinced that if he didn't get me alone this time he would insist until he did. Rico was a man of persistence, I was a witness of how intense he could get. "Good, this month's issue of Elite is going to be the biggest in its own right." He concluded the meeting but called me back into the room.

"You've been avoiding me Lulu...?" I held my laptop against my chest and nodded. "I have, I'm sorry." I looked down. "Luna, if you didn't feel the same I'd let this go." I shook my head and headed to my office, Rico followed suit and closed my door behind him. "Tell me you don't feel it and I'll work it out with Denise, and you won't have to see me again, I'll even transfer departments for your sake." He looked at me with longing eyes, and I just melted, closing the blinds to my office I walked up to him and kissed him passionately tangling my fingers around his neck, as his snaked around my waist. "Leave the office with me, let's take an early lunch." He proposed kissing my neck, I shook my head and pushed him away in that second, Denise barged into my office. She looked confused, like somehow Rico didn't belong there. "Babe what are you doing in Lulu's office? This is no place for a senior editor." She said hiding the shade behind a sweet tone of voice. "We were just going over deadlines." Rico cleared his throat and smiled. "Oh, your little column is on the rise I see, good job best friend."

She stepped up to me and hugged me awkwardly. "It's more than on the rise, she got a ten page expansion, so she can answer more questions." Her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Well, look at that, we should definitely celebrate." She said in a flat tone.

"I was just mentioning to Lulu we should have an early lunch."

Denise smiled an unmotivated smile and agreed.