Talkin after midnight

04 - work place romance

"Good evening listeners and it's that time again isn't it wow it seems like everyday just sort of sneaks up on you doesn't it? 1 minute you're glaring into your coffee cup at 7:00 a.m. wondering how you're going to suffer through the day and the next year flopping down on your couch or lazy boy or bed listening to my dulcet voice Lul you to sleep. or maybe I keep things up?

Who knows what I do know is that we have a new letter tonight. I posted a question on my website asking to hear stories about your workplace romance. Now I know that the concept of work pays romance can seem a bit taboo for some, but let's be real in this economy when are you going to have time to go out and meet someone new?

But I digress tonight's story comes from Flora in Chicago."

Dear Freya,

I hope this letter finds you in great spirits. I’m writing to you today not just as a fan, but as someone woven into the very fabric of a workplace romance that has left me both dizzy with love and tangled in complexity.

Let me introduce myself: my name is Flora, and I recently found myself in an unexpected relationship with Thomas, my colleague from the design department. What began as casual greetings over the communal coffee machine quickly escalated into something much deeper, and I find myself caught up in a whirlwind of emotions I never anticipated.

Thomas is everything I thought I never wanted. He’s messy, with tousled chestnut hair that seems perpetually ruffled as if he’s just stepped off a surfboard. He laughs loudly, often breaking the serious hum of our office atmosphere. And herein lies my dilemma—civility and professionalism blur the lines with every stolen glance and every accidental brush of his hand against mine.

I mean, there are rules, right? A strict no-dating policy here at Sterling Innovations. But what can one do when your heart feels less like a regulated entity and more like a defiant rebel?One evening, as the setting sun cast a golden hue over the office, Thomas and I found ourselves sharing a moment that sent shivers down my spine.

We were both working late, hunched over blueprints that spoke in a language only we understood. He stretched, casually leaning against my desk, the warmth of his body a mere breath away.

“You know,” he said, a playful spark in his eyes, “if we get this project done, maybe we should celebrate. You could use a drink after all that number-crunching.”

I laughed, suddenly acutely aware of how ridiculous I must have appeared—lost in my work yet very much absorbed in him.. I could feel a blush creeping onto my cheeks.

“Celebrating doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” I replied, my voice sounding almost foreign to me.

It was agreed, and just like that, we were plunged into a world of exhilarating ‘what-ifs.’ Maybe it was the late hour, the dim glow of our desk lamp, or perhaps the undeniable chemistry crackling in the air, but before I knew it, we were onto deeper questions, personal stories, and, without my consent, our barriers began to lower.

The night ended with us wandering to a small bar nearby, our conversation flowing freely over cocktails. It felt as if we were carving out our own universe, exclusively ours to inhabit.But as intoxicating as that night was, reality set in the following morning when I walked into the office.

Anxiety crashed over me like a chilly wave. We had crossed a line, and the thrill of it suddenly felt like a dangerous game. Would the whispers start? Would the office politics ruin what was blooming between us? It was all too confusing. And yet, the memory of his laughter, the way his eyes sparkled when he spoke, made my heart beat in a rhythm only he could orchestrate.

Days turned into a week, and life continued as usual at Sterling Innovations.

I kept my distance from Thomas, afraid to pull him into the chaos inside my head. Each time we crossed paths, I caught myself stealing glances at him, noting the way he bit his lower lip when he was concentrating, and how his smile could light up a room. My heart ached with longing, but I had promised myself I would muster the courage to direct my own narrative.

Then, one afternoon while sifting through emails and reports, someone knocked lightly on my office door. I looked up to see it was Thomas, his disheveled hair even messier than the last time I saw him.

“Hey, do you have a minute?” he asked, his voice a smooth melody that sent shivers straight through my core.

“Uh, yeah, of course!” I managed to say, tilting my head slightly to invite him in.

I shut my laptop, trying to mask the swell of panic that surged when he entered my small sanctuary.

He shifted from one foot to the other, an amusing contrast to his confident demeanor just the week before. “I—uh, I was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch? Just the two of us.”

My heart raced at the invitation, the duality of excitement and anxiety raging within me. “Yeah, I’d love that,” I replied, channeling a bravery I didn’t quite feel.

As we made our way out of the office, I stole a glance at his profile, the way the afternoon light kissed his jawline. It was time to face my fears, whatever the outcome. At that moment, I realized that love, in its most delicious form, often blossomed on the precipice of peril, and perhaps stepping into the unknown was the riskiest yet most rewarding dance of all.

"Well listeners I have to say I am rooting for Flora and her new romance. Sometimes love sneaks up on us much like the way the day gets away from us. never let those chances pass you by until next time faithful listeners this was your girl Freya with talking after midnight"