one night stand with my boss

CHAPTER-TWO

Ella.

"Come on, you stupid machine!" I mutter to the coffee maker as I hear the front door open.

I've been standing in my kitchen for 20 minutes, repeatedly hitting the top of the machine in an attempt to make it work. After inserting the pod, I press the button only to receive nothing.

Getting frustrated, I shout, "All I want is a coffee!"

I’m still upset about what happened with Mr. Jones, and rightfully so. I lost my job for no good reason; after two years of loyalty, he fired me all because he couldn’t believe a word I was saying.

Good riddance! At least I won’t have to run all over town for him all day, and I won’t have to wear those stupid heels. Well, not yet anyway, unless Kenny succeeds in his plan to ruin my life.

As Jess walks into the kitchen, she asks, "Wow. Wow. What’s going on here, then?" with her hands on her hips.

I give the machine one more smack and say, "Ask this stupid thing."

"Okay, calm down and move out of the way," she replies, looking at the back of the machine. "El, is there any chance you haven't plugged it in?"

With my hands on my hips, I assure her, "It's plugged in. Jess, I'm not stupid. Plus, I never unplug it."

"Well, it's not." Picking up the plug from the side, she carefully inserts it into the outlet.

“You i***t it was the toaster that was plugged in!" She starts to laugh so hard that her belly aches, doubling over in pain.

Her laughter has always been contagious to me, so I can't help but start laughing too, with tears streaming down my cheeks.

"It's your fault you made me laugh, and now I'm having a mental breakdown."

She holds her belly and replies, "Hey, don't blame me; blame your ex-jackass of a boss. He fired you, not me."

"Okay, okay," I say after a moment.

We both take deep breaths, looking away from each other, and just when I think it’s over, she looks at me again and snorts another laugh. I smile wide, waiting for her to calm down.

“How about going to the Legacy tonight? I really need a night out after this crappy day. I believe tonight calls for it."

"Yeah, sure, why not? Maybe we’ll meet the men of our dreams."

"Yeah! That's a no from me. I don't want a relationship. You know what happened last time, right? If you hadn't found me, I wouldn't be here right now."

Jess looks at me with pained eyes. Damn, why did I just say that? She had such a hard time finding me like that, and for weeks, she felt terrible about what happened even though it wasn't her fault.

When I was 24, I had a relationship with a coworker in the IT department I worked at in Chicago. It was wonderful for a few months, but then it began to go downhill very quickly. If the house wasn't clean or dinner wasn't ready, he would lose it. If I went out without telling him, he would call me nonstop to ensure I wasn't with other men, and when I got home, I would face the consequences.

One night, he beat me so badly that I ended up in the hospital for three weeks with a fractured skull and four broken ribs. I couldn't eat normally because my face was extremely swollen, so I had to rely on a feeding tube. It wasn't fun for me. I have scars on my body, some on my face, which I do my best to cover up, but concealer can only do so much.

I grab her hand and say, "Sorry, Jess. I shouldn't have reminded you. Come on, let's get ready”

Leading her to my room, we stand by the closet to look through the clothes. "So, what do you want to wear?" I ask her.

"A dress," she replies without hesitation.

I roll my eyes. I should have known.

She picks a black mini dress that barely covers her. If she bent over, you would see everything. I wish I had as much confidence as she does.

I let out a laugh and say, "Make sure you wear underwear."

She looks at me with wide eyes. "What do you take me for, a slut?"

With a smirk, I answer, "No, don't be silly. You're a tramp."

With a glare, she shouts, "You b***h!" as she throws a pillow at me.

Before she can throw another, I get up and press play on the music.

With a clap of my hands, I say, "Enough, women. Get ready."

She does as she's told, taking off her clothes and slipping into the dress.

I make my own choice, opting for a knee-length dress in a soft baby blue shade and pairing it with matching heels.

We dance, sing, drink, and get ready. Within two hours, we are jumping straight into the cab waiting outside for us.

"Can you please turn this up?" Jess asks the cab driver when her favorite song comes on.

He complies, and we sing along, happily buzzed already. I haven't had alcohol in a couple of months, so I will probably be drunk by 10 PM.

It doesn't take us long to reach the club. It's dimly lit and pulsating with music. Colorful strobe lights dance across the floor and walls while the bass makes my body feel like it's shaking.

As we make our way toward the bar, sweaty bodies grind against one another on the dance floor. Men and women look like they’re having the time of their lives, and it seems a few are indulging in more than just drinks.

Taking a seat on one of the bar stools, we wait 15 minutes before a bartender is free. When I see her, I raise my hand.

She smiles widely. "What can I get you, honey?"

I return her gesture, saying, "Can I get six shots of tequila and two vodka cokes, please?"

She gives me a nod. "Coming right up."

Even though the place is crowded, the service is quick; within five minutes, we have our drinks. Smiling, I lift my shot glass and toast, "To a good night."

She mirrors my gesture, clinking her glass with mine. "To a good night."

I down the shot, feeling a slight burn in my throat, and quickly follow with two more.

Sipping my vodka and coke, I scan the club, my eyes landing on a couple in a booth. The man has his hand up the woman's skirt, and my eyes widen as I look away, my cheeks flushing. Why would they choose to do that in public? Alcohol really brings out the craziest behaviours in people.

Turning back to the bar, I catch a glimpse of two men in suits from the corner of my eye. One of them stands out: an attractive man with black curly hair neatly styled on top of his head. His suit fits his slim, muscular body perfectly. I notice the corners of his mouth turned up, as if he's searching for something—and has found it. Following his gaze, I realize he's looking directly at Jess.

Then I glance at the second man, and my breath catches. He’s incredibly attractive, exuding confidence and power. With brown hair, green eyes, and perfectly sculpted muscles, he’s completely irresistible. His suit fits him flawlessly, accentuating his physique, and the white dress shirt clings to his stomach, highlighting his chiseled abs. his tall figure would tower over me easily, I can't help but feel captivated by him—he's undeniably sexy.

I jump when I hear someone say, "Someone’s having fun," from beside me.

Feeling like I've been caught with my hand in the cookie jar, I reply, "What? I wasn't doing anything."

"Oh no, you were just eye-f*****g that guy over there."

My cheeks heat up. "Hey, a girl can look! He’s hot; you’d be crazy not to ogle him."

"I haven't seen this side of you in two years. Are you feeling okay?"

"Perfect," I say, smiling. "Maybe I’m fixed," or maybe it’s just that sexy man over there—who knows? But I keep that part to myself.

"Why don't you go say 'hi'?"

I nod toward the man with curly hair. "Why don’t you say hi to his friend? He was staring at you. I saw the smile on his lips."

She swats my arm, her cheeks turning pink. "No, you didn't—shut up." Jess never blushes. The only time I ever witnessed it was with her high school crush, and I’ve never seen it happen again until now.

"Speak to him. Maybe he’s the love of your life," I suggest, placing my hands on my heart dramatically.

"Shut up," she replies, giving my arm another smack.

Pointing at me, she says, "Okay, I will go over, but you have to come with me."

"Fine by me." We walk over to the two men, while hoping that the one I like isn’t a jackass.