Violets are not Blue

by Melissa Toppen

  I close my eyes and let the feeling sink in, my earlier thoughts starting to creep back in.

  This is a game. A game he’s playing very well. Perhaps it’s my turn to play back.

  “Then do it,” I dare him, my eyes opening to lock with his surprised expression. He didn’t expect that. Put a check mark in my column.

  There’s no way he’s winning his bet. But, if he plays his cards right, I might help him lose my bet.

  The thought has my lower belly tightening as sweat forms at the nape of my neck.

  He hesitates for only a moment before his lips softly brush against mine. My breath hitches and a nervous shiver runs through my body, but I don’t pull away. Instead, I angle my face to give him better access and he wastes no time taking complete advantage.

  He kisses me harder, testing, tasting. It’s slow and sensual and honestly, makes me feel a way I shouldn’t feel in a stadium full of thousands of other people. My pulse quickens. My body aches. And every single thought I had about hating Harris Avery flies right out the window.

  “Get a room.” The voice yelling at us from behind snaps me out of my fog and I quickly pull away, heat rushing to my cheeks.

  “You’re a goner,” Harris tells me, reading my expression.

  “Am I?” I quip, pulling my mask back into place, determined not to let him see just how much that kiss affected me. “Because from where I’m sitting, I think you’re the one in trouble.”

  “I guess it’s all about perspective.” He grins the same boyish grin as before and my hard exterior melts a little at the sight.

  God, I’m so back and forth with this man. I have spent a total of a few hours with him, and yet I’m already questioning everything I thought I knew. Maybe he isn’t such a bad guy after all.

  Or maybe he’s baiting you because he’s trying to win a bet.

  Yeah, that’s definitely not going to happen...

  Chapter Nine

  Blue

  “So, are you going to invite me up?” Harris glances at my apartment building as he pulls up to the curb and slides the car into park.

  “You wish,” I mutter under my breath but loudly enough that he can hear.

  “Actually, I do wish. But alas, even if you invited me up I’m afraid I’d have to decline.”

  “Is that so?” Amusement dances through my words.

  “Yep. Some girl I know bet me I couldn’t keep it in my pants for four weeks.” He shrugs.

  “What an evil person.” I crinkle my nose.

  “She’s the worst.” He smiles, leaning toward me.

  “Oh no you don’t.” I hold my hand up, pressing my fingers to his lips to stop his pursuit. “If you plan on kissing me again, you’re going to have to earn it.”

  He lays a soft kiss to the tip of each finger before pulling my hand away.

  “You let me kiss you earlier,” he reminds me, not releasing my hand.

  “A lapse in judgement. I blame the beer.”

  “Bullshit.” He laughs. “But okay, I’ll play along.” He lifts my hand and kisses the back of it before letting go. “Thank you for an incredible evening, Blue.”

  “I had a lot of fun. Thank you for taking me to my first baseball game.”

  “It was my absolute pleasure.”

  I hesitate, not sure what to do. On one hand, I’m trying really hard to play the same game he his. On the other, my resolve is starting to slip and I don’t want to put myself in a position to regret what happens between us.

  It’s easy to throw caution to the wind and let my body lead the charge, but the repercussions of doing so will most definitely not be worth it. I have to work with this guy every single day. As much as I want to beat him at his own game, I’m not sure the risk outweighs the reward.

  This is only a bet. A stupid little bet made between two co-workers after too much to drink. And as fun as yesterday and today have been, I need to remember that this is not real life. Harris is trying to win a bet, and so am I. It’s nothing more than that.

  It can’t be.

  “Well, I guess I’ll see you Monday,” I say, popping the handle before pushing the door open.

  “Hey Blue.” Harris waits until I climb out of the car before speaking.

  “Yeah?” I turn around and lean into the open doorway so I can see him.

  “Try not to dream about me tonight,” he teases, the smile on his face hot enough to melt a polar ice cap.

  “Why would I try not to dream about you when I’m at no risk of dreaming about you in the first place?” I shoot back, trying to knock some of the wind out of his sails.

  By the look in his eyes I can tell that it has the opposite effect. If nothing else he looks even more determined.

  “Keep telling yourself that.” He smirks.

  “Goodnight Harris.” I straighten upright.

  “Goodnight Blue.” He chuckles as I close the door.

  ——

  “So wait, you went to a baseball game with him?” Hannah asks, not trying to mask her excitement.

  We’re on our way to pick up my car and I’ve been trying to catch her up on everything that has happened since I spoke to her yesterday morning, but she keeps interrupting me before I can really get into it.

  “Yes. He took me to a Red Sox game. He even bought a t-shirt for me to wear.”

  “Shut up! Harris Avery, a closet sweetheart. Who knew?” She giggles.

  “He actually is pretty sweet.” I can’t help but admit, even though it nearly kills me to do so.

  “I told you there was more to him but you were never willing to listen.”

  “Please. He’s exactly the person I’ve always thought he was. He’s only trying to win a bet.”

  “Keep telling yourself that, B.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?” I give her the side eye.

  “Have you ever entertained the idea that maybe Harris actually likes you?”

  “Yeah right.” I snort.

  “I’m serious.” She swats at my arm. “Think about it. Why else would he be doing all this?”

  “Because he can.”

  “Yeah, but he can have pretty much any woman he wants. You’ve said so yourself. So why go through the trouble?”

  “Maybe he’s bored. Maybe because I’m a challenge? Maybe because he likes to play games.”

  “If you truly believed that, you wouldn’t have agreed.”

  “That’s exactly why I agreed. What better way to stick it to someone you don’t like than to beat them at their own game?”

  “You’re so blind sometimes. I swear I just want to slap you upside that pretty head of yours.” She shakes her head as she turns into the office lot. “He’s into you, Blue. He’s been into you for a while. Honestly I’m surprised it took him this long to make a move.”

  “He is not into me,” I disagree, trying to fight the smile the thought brings to my lips.

  “There.” She catches me out of the corner of her eye. “See! You do like him.”

  “I don’t,” I argue, going with complete denial rather than admitting to myself that she might be right.

  I can’t like Harris Avery. Can I?

  “He kissed me,” I whisper as she pulls the car to a stop next to my small black Prius.

  “What?” She nearly jumps right out of her seat. “Why didn’t you lead with that?”

  “Because it wasn’t a big deal.”

  “Shut up! Tell me everything!” She slides the car into park and gives me her full attention.

  “It was at the game. I don’t even really remember how it happened. I had a handful of beers and was feeling really good. He said he wanted to kiss me and I told him to do it.” I smile sheepishly.

  “And you’re sitting there trying to tell me you don’t like him. You’re so full of shit.” She laughs.

  “It was a mistake. I got the idea in my head that it would be fun to beat him at his own game. It was stupid.”

  “Wait, what do you mean beat him at his own game?”<
br />
  “Nothing.” I shake my head.

  “Oh no you don’t! Don’t you clam up on me now. Tell me what you mean.”

  “It’s just...well, I had considered seducing him so that he would lose my bet. I figured if I won, he kind of would too, and we could call this thing off and move on with our lives.”

  “That’s actually not a bad idea,” Hannah admits, her smile twisting the way it always does when she’s got her plotting hat on. “The prize for his bet was you, but if he’s already had you...”

  “Exactly.” I nod.

  “But what if you go through with it and he still wants to see his bet through?”

  “Why would he?” I ask, leaving out the part of the bet he clarified last night.

  I don’t just get you in my bed. I get you...

  That one statement has swirled through my head on repeat since he said it. But then again, I’m not going to fall in love with him, so why does it matter?

  “Because maybe he actually does really like you. Have you not been listening to a thing I’ve said?”

  “Oh I’m listening. I just don’t agree.”

  “So then do it. Sleep with him. Call him on his bluff. You get a night of great sex with a gorgeous man, he gets what he wants. Then you both can put this whole bet business behind you.”

  “But we work together.”

  “So?”

  “So, don’t you think it will be weird afterward?” I ask, having never done anything remotely close to this with anyone I’ve worked with. I usually maintain a strict, no mixing work and personal rule, at least where men are concerned.

  “No. I hooked up with Steve last year and there is zero weirdness at work.”

  “I seem to remember a few weeks of weirdness following the event.”

  “Fine. It was weird for a few days, but look at us.” She holds her arms out. “We got through it just fine.”

  Am I really considering this?

  “I don’t know, Hannah. I feel like I’m playing with fire here.”

  “It’s about time,” she snips.

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “I’m just saying, ever since James you’ve been a different person. This whole no love thing and only sleeping with a guy for a couple weeks before ending things. It’s not you.”

  “But it is.”

  “No, it’s a byproduct of having your heart broken. But people have their hearts broken every single day and guess what? They pick themselves back up and they try again.”

  “The risk is greater than the reward. Love is...”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Love is just a chemical reaction in the brain.” She rolls her eyes. “No one actually believes that bullshit. Besides, what is life without a little risk? Boring and predictable. That’s what.”

  “Are you trying to say I’m boring?”

  “No, I’m saying your life is boring. Think about it. You do the same thing every day. You go to work, you go to the gym, you get takeout, and you go home alone. Every few months you’ll meet a guy, sleep with him a couple of times, and then you’re back to the same boring routine. Even the guys you pick are boring. There’s zero excitement in your life.”

  “I like my life.”

  “I think that’s the reason why you pretend to dislike Harris so much.” She keeps going like I didn’t even speak. “I don’t think it has anything to do with him and everything to do with you. He’s a wildcard—unpredictable—you never really know where you stand with him. So, what do you do? You make him public enemy number one and blame it on the fact that he gets a lot of attention from women. I mean, hello. Look at the guy. Of course he does. I’m not saying to marry him. I’m saying, let go of the control you cling so tightly to and see what happens. Who knows, maybe it’ll be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”

  “Not likely.”

  “And that’s okay, too. But at least you’ll have some fun while it lasts. You say you’re at no risk of falling in love, well then what’s stopping you?”

  “You’re a shit friend.” Humor laces my voice.

  “Or I’m a really good one.” She winks, a bright smile pulling up her pretty face.

  “Whatever, I’m getting out of the car now,” I say, pushing open the passenger side door.

  “Just think about what I said,” she calls after me.

  “Yeah, yeah.” I wave her off. “Thanks for the ride.”

  “Anytime.”

  “I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”

  “See you then.” She blows me a kiss as the door closes between us. And even though my first instinct is to flip her off, because now my head is spinning even worse than before, I blow one back before unlocking my car and climbing inside.

  Chapter Ten

  Harris

  “So I was thinking.” I prop my shoulder against the door frame of the break room where Blue has her back to me, making herself a cup of coffee.

  The sound of my voice causes her to jump. She spins around, her hand pressed flatly against her chest.

  “Shit, Harris. You scared the crap out of me.”

  “Sorry.” I grin, crossing the room toward her. “As I was saying, I was thinking maybe we could hang out tonight.”

  “Hang out.” She plays the words on her lips like she’s speaking a different language.

  “Yeah you know, spend some time together, maybe grab a bite to eat. Hang out.”

  “Tonight doesn’t work for me,” she says, tearing open a packet of sweetener before emptying the white powdery substance into her coffee.

  “Got a hot date or something?” I tease.

  “Well,” she starts and my expression immediately falls. “Oh my god, I’m just messing with you.” She shoves my shoulder. “No, I don’t have a hot date. Unless you count the treadmill at the gym. In which case, yes, I have a very hot and sweaty date.”

  “You’re blowing me off to work out?” I give her a questioning look.

  “I’m not blowing you off. I work out every day after work. Well, as much as I can. Sometimes I have to skip, but I don’t do that unless I have no other choice.”

  “Has anyone ever told you that you need to get a life?” I tease.

  “I have a life.” She huffs, stirring her coffee before tossing the plastic spoon in the recycling bin. “I like my routines. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “Fine. I’ll join you.”

  “Huh?” She seems confused.

  “At the gym. I’ll come with you.”

  “No, that’s okay.”

  “I wasn’t really giving you an option, Blue.” I knock my shoulder into hers. “I didn’t make it to the gym this morning. It’ll give me an excuse.”

  “I won’t be productive if you’re there staring over my shoulder the entire time.” She lifts her cup to her lips and takes a tentative sip.

  “I won’t stare over your shoulder.” I lean in and whisper, “I’ll be too busy staring at other parts of you.” I run my nose up the curl of her ear, feeling her shutter.

  Satisfied that I’ve gotten the reaction I want, I straighten and turn, heading toward the door. “I’ll see you tonight,” I tell her without turning around, exiting the room before she has a chance to protest.

  ——

  The day seems to drag on forever. Most of my afternoon is spent in meetings, none of which Blue was a part of, much to my disappointment. And every time I made an excuse to walk by her desk, she wasn’t there.

  I have the sneaking suspicion she’s been avoiding me since this morning. That suspicion is only confirmed when I find out she left for the day without telling me.

  Deciding I’m not going to let her get away that easy, I make my way to the parking lot and grab my duffle bag out of the car before making the short walk to the gym. When I step inside it’s busier than usual. Then again, other than last Friday, I’ve only been here a couple times and that was really early in the morning. As much as I miss the convenience of the gym where I live, I kind of like having
an excuse to watch Blue, half naked and sweaty, as she runs.

  I do a quick sweep of the room but don’t see her anywhere. Deciding to get changed, I step into the locker room and quickly swap out my button down and dark jeans for black gym shorts and a sleeveless blue shirt, which will likely come off less than halfway through my workout. I hate the feeling of my clothes sticking to me once I start to sweat.

  When I emerge from the locker room, I make my way toward the treadmills, spotting Blue going to town on an elliptical. She has her earbuds in but that doesn’t stop her from hearing me when I step up and take the machine next to her.

  “There you are,” I say, watching her face, red with sweat, turn in my direction. “Thought you could sneak out on me?”

  She pulls an earbud out.

  “Sorry. You were in a meeting and I didn’t want to wait.” She pushes a piece of hair that’s fallen from her ponytail away from her face.

  Like Friday, she’s wearing tight athletic pants and a sports bra, giving me an amazing view of her incredible body. She’s thin, but not too thin, with just the right amount of definition in her arms and abs that you can tell she visits the gym regularly. Add on her curvy hips, nice ass, and what I would estimate as C cup breasts, and she’s enough to make even the most committed man stop and stare.

  But the best part about Blue; she’s completely oblivious to how beautiful she is. This only makes her more attractive. Most girls that look like her are conceded and self-absorbed. But not Blue. She’s special in a way I’m only now realizing.

  “Uh huh. I’m sure that’s all it was.” I won’t lie, I’m purposely give her shit. Selecting one of the pre-set workouts on the machine, it instantly beeps to life and begins to move. “I think maybe you were hoping if you left me behind I wouldn’t show.”

  “Maybe a little.” She smiles.

  “You wound me, Ms. Daniels.”

  “And yet you keep coming back for more.” She slows her stride on the elliptical.

  “I must be a glutton for punishment.”

  “You must be.” She presses a button on her machine which immediately slows to a stop.