present

"I need to work late tonight."

I don't know what I'm waiting for, which words, but she sighs dramatically.

"Ah, I'll miss you so much…I was looking forward to date night, babe."

I'm babe again. I don't know what I hate more: her going back to adoring me, or her hating me. Yeah, sure Bree was looking forward to date night. It's always the s ame restaurant, same wine, and three-course meal. Then it's followed by lights out and scented candles on, and me being denied that blowjob she promised me months ago. Of course, I kiss her back when she plants a kiss on my lips, but it's shallow and boring, and right when my lips make a path down the column of her throat, trying to make my way down her body, she denies me again.

Bree doesn't feel okay with oral. Not even receiving it. And apparently, what Bree wants, she gets since I spend the next seven minutes in between her legs, the proper way, until she comes, or pretends to in silence. I don't even care at this point.

I act like I climax, getting rid of the condom before she can even see it, and take a scalding hot shower to cleanse my monstrous, perverted thoughts.

"There's always next week," I tell her. A pager goes off in the locker room. It isn't mine, but I act like it is. "Gotta go, see you in the morning."

I end the call before I have to evade the usual 'I love you'.

"Hey, Cullen, are you coming for drinks with us?" I shake my head at Tanya's offer. It's always the same group of them that go out for drinks on Friday nights after their shifts. While I adore my colleagues, and they're all more than great people, I don't really care about that kind of happy hour.

"Sorry, I already made plans tonight," I tell her.

"Well, if those plans fail, you'll know where to find us!" She throws me a smile, and I know she's into me, was a little sad to hear I had a girlfriend, and although she's beautiful with her rose gold hair and crystal blue eyes, I'm not going to mess up the healthy relationship I have with my co-workers. The less personal shit they know, the better.

"Sure do," I smile. "You guys have fun, see you Monday!"

I zip up my jacket over the burgundy button-down I'm wearing and throw on a beanie to shield me from the icy wind. Finally done working for the next forty-eight hours.

Ordering myself an Uber, I walk around the block, waiting for the car on the next corner by the McDonalds. It arrives three minutes later, and I sigh once I sink back into the leather seat of the black car.

"Seventy and River, please," I tell the driver.