She looked back up at Chris, her desperate eyes pleading with him.
“Can I switch?” Devyn clutched the paper in her hand, hoping she wasn’t speaking too loud.
His brows knitted together and his lips parted as he started to shake his head, but she interrupted him.
“Never mind. It’s okay.”
She swallowed the pride rising in her chest and forced her head down before walking back to her chair, every eye in the room watching her. She closed her fist around the small paper that had just uprooted her entire day. Everyone’s gazes had moved away from her, but the shift of uncomfortable energy hadn’t left her. She couldn’t stop feeling the looks on her coworkers’ faces. The looks of confusion and discomfort for her obvious distaste for the name she had drawn. Unluckily for her, they were probably already putting two and two together. Her cheeks grew hot, the blood rushing to her face.
She knew no one was paying attention to her, but she couldn’t fight the urge to crawl in a hole and hide.
“Who’d you get?” Penelope nudged her shoulder.
She hung her head, passing her the slip. Devyn forced herself to stare straight ahead as everyone else pulled names from the bowl.
She heard Penelope gulp just like she had. Devyn looked back at her, wearing a look of defeat.
“It’s going to be okay,” she said, handing the slip back.
Devyn sighed.
She looked down at the paper in her hand again, staring at the scrawled lettering. The name was unmistakable. She was his Secret Santa.
The paper burned in her fingers. She didn’t want to pick out a gift for someone who went out of his way to insult her and claim she only got her job because she was a woman. She wanted this gift to be simple.
Walk into Bath and Body Works and get the newest holiday scent in lotion and body spray kind of simple.
Chad Weeks was the furthest thing from simple.
She crumpled the paper in her hand.
“I’ve got to get out of here,” she said into Penelope’s ear. “Let me know how the rest of this goes.”
She got out of her chair and left the crowded room.
The office was about to descend into chaos since the meeting had already been running for 30 minutes and the work day was nearing a close. Devyn forced herself to put each foot in front of one another. It was only a short walk from the break room to her office, all she had to do was—
Her shoulder connected with something, sending a stab of pain through her.
She heard, “Oh shit,” as she mumbled her own apology.
Her eyes made contact with his, but before she realized who it was already spitting words at her.
“Why don’t you watch where you’re walking?”
Chad stood 6 foot 2, towering over her small frame. She wanted to smack the smirk off his face, but forced herself to remain professional even if he couldn’t do the same. Then she saw it.
The shoulder she collided with had been the same side he was holding his fresh coffee which stained his white shirt and soaked through exposing his skin. Why couldn’t it be any color but white? His sculpted chest was on complete display. Devyn totally needed to look away. She let her eyes roam for a second before meeting his gaze again.
Judging from his grimace and the steam rolling off his stomach, the coffee was a fresh one.
“Are you okay?” She bit her lip, trying to conceal the look she had been giving him.
He looked at her dumbfounded, his wide eyes crazy with fury. He swung his arms around. “Does it look like I'm okay?”
“Let’s get you a first aid kit.”
“No.” He swatted her hand away as she tried to lead him into the storage room. “I don’t need your help. You’ve done enough.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” She crossed her arms over her chest, leaning onto one foot.
“I think you know what that means.” His gaze cut through her.
“Actually,” she started, “I don’t think I do. Why don’t you enlighten me?”
“You,” his finger jabbed into her collarbone, “don’t deserve what you have. You can’t handle it. You’re such a wreck right now you couldn’t even watch where you were going. You’re the reason i’m soaked with scalding coffee.”
She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to remain quiet.
He laughed, “What? Nothing to say? I wouldn’t say anything either if I knew it was true.”
“In case you forgot, I’m your superior.”
“Oh, how could I possibly forget? This job handed to you,” he spat back at her, leaning in close to her face.
Devyn choked out a laugh, rolling her eyes at him. She bit her tongue, rolling around the possibilities in her head. She could blow her top and finally end this feud between them once and for all, or she could suck it up. The latter would let her keep her job. And despite the hell it was giving her, she didn’t want to give it up.
She couldn't give it up.
“You know that’s a lie.”
“Come on, Kennedy, I know how you got this job.” Chad leaned on his heel, pressing his back against the wall. “How did she taste? The only way you could get where you are would be sleeping your way to the top. Or did you screw her husband too? I bet you enjoyed that.”
Blood pooled in her cheeks and her hands curled into fists.
“Mr. Weeks, I’d love to take this conversation up with Mrs. Girdler,” Devyn said through gritted teeth.
“Oh, and what will she do? There’s no way she would take up for you after the quality time you spend with her.” A shit eating grin spread across his face.
Before Devyn could think, her hand connected with the side of his cheek. The slap echoed through the hallway. She froze in place, the sound echoing in her ears as realization set in.
Rage boiled under Chad’s skin and whatever fury Devyn had felt was deflated. It left the
