Chapter 8: The Remote

On Tuesday, at lunch, Drake put a tape measure case on my desk and said, "Fabric samples."

It was one of those chunky yellow tape measures, the kind a contractor wears on a belt.

I looked at it.

I looked at him.

He was leaning on the edge of my doorframe with his hands in his pockets and his face perfectly bland.

"Which fabric?"

"Open it."

I opened it in the privacy of my own lap.

Inside, wrapped in a square of tissue, was a small silver bullet the size of my thumb, with a tiny black remote on a cord.

My face went hot from the collar up.

"I ordered it Saturday night," he said, so low that only I could hear. "It came this morning. Facilities thinks it's a gauge."

"This is a workplace."

"It's my day."

"The status meeting is at two."

"I know," said Drake. "That's why it's today."

I should have said no.

I want that on the record.

I looked up at him, with the silver bullet cold in my palm.

And what came out of my mouth was, "Where do you want me to put it?"

His eyes closed for half a second.

"Ladies' room," he said. "Third stall. Come back and sit where I can see you."

I did it.

I stood in the third stall with my skirt around my waist and my heart going like a drum.

Feeling like a woman in a very stupid, very good movie.

It was smooth and small and warm from my hand.

When I slid it into place and pulled my underwear up.

I felt it nestle against me, a hard little pressure that did nothing at all.

Yet.

At two o'clock I took my seat at the long table in 4B, across from Drake.

Kip sat at the head with a pad of paper.

Two product managers and a fabric buyer sat along the side.

Drake put his phone on the table next to his pen.

I knew, without looking, that the remote lay in his right pocket.

"Roz," Kip said, with a smile. "Why don't you walk us through the fabric spec for the Ridgeline fly?"

"Of course."

I stood and went to the board and picked up the marker.

Drake's hand moved in his pocket.

The bullet came on, low.

Keep reading free with an account. Start My Office Rival Swore I'd Beg First, and I Took the Bet from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.