Page 22 of Strictly Business
“You don’t have to be sorry,” I say with a shrug. “Shit happens.”
He turns his head and frowns at me, and I laugh softly.
“What? You think I haven’t had a one-night stand before?” I ask.
I can’t possibly let him think I did this because I thought he liked me too and that maybe it was going to be the start of something special. I can’t let him think that I am some daft kid who still has that crush on him that I had when I actually was a daft kid. I can play this off as something I just wanted in the moment too.
In truth, I am still that daft kid as it turns out. And I have only ever had two one-night stands, and this is one of them. The other one was less embarrassing because we both knew going into it that it was only going to be a one-night stand, but the sex was awful. You can’t have it all ways, I guess.
“That’s the thing Serena. I’ve never thought about whether or not you’ve had a one-night stand before, because I’ve never thought of you in that light before, nor should I. You’re my best friend’s brother’s daughter,” Wyatt says.
“But I am also an adult who can make my own decisions,” I counter. “Honestly you’re acting like you’ve taken advantage of me or something.”
“I kind of feel like I have. You’re so young,” Wyatt says.
I snort out a laugh.
“I’m twenty-four,” I say. “And if it wasn’t for you knowing my dad, you would consider that an adult age. It’s not like I’m seventeen or something.”
Wyatt nods along to my words because he can’t argue something he essentially knows is true.
“And if anyone took advantage of anyone tonight, I was the one who came in here and did a strip tease,” I say.
“Fuck, that was hot,” Wyatt says, and we both laugh a little bit and some of the awkwardness goes out of the room. “Ok, I think I probably overreacted a little bit there, but seriously Serena, you know this can’t happen again, right? It’s not just about your dad, although I admit that’s a big part of it. There’s also the fact we work together now.”
“Ok, work I understand,” I say, and I do. “But I really don’t get the big deal with my dad. Do you think I’m going to call him and tell him what we’ve done, because newsflash, telling my dad about my sex life isn’t a thing.”
“No, of course not. I just … I feel like I am somehow breaking his trust. Like if I had a daughter, I would expect her to be around Craig and Martin and be safe, not be like practically violated.”
I laugh. I can’t help it. He’s so dramatic.
“Sorry,” I say. “Look I get what you mean, but I think you’re making it a bigger deal than it has to be. If you did have a daughter and she had sex with Uncle Craig, you wouldn’t think he had taken advantage of her, would you?”
“Of course, I would,” he says without a moment of hesitation.
“Then I hope when you have children you have boys,” I reply.
“I can’t see me ever having children, but if I do, yeah I think you’re right,” Wyatt says. “Boys I think will make me less grey less quickly.”
“Why don’t you ever see yourself having children?” I ask, curious about this despite everything else he’s saying. “You would be a good dad.”
“To boys?” he says with a smile.
“To boys,” I clarify.
“There was a time when I was around your age, I thought I would meet Miss Right, get married, have a couple of kids. I feel like I kind of missed my chance now,” Wyatt says. “I don’t see me ever finding someone now; I only have time for working.”
“Well then you’d better change your no sex with employees rule then,” I laugh.
Wyatt laughs too and then he takes my hand beneath the covers and squeezes it.
“I really am sorry Serena,” he says. “And I want you to know that I’m not saying this can’t happen again, because I didn’t enjoy it or because I don’t want it to.”
“It’s fine,” I say. “Seriously, I didn’t expect it to happen again. I hadn’t even thought about that. I just wanted you in the moment and I acted on it. That’s it. You’re massively over thinking this.”
I know what I have to do to convince him that I am not in the least bit into him. I give his hand a quick squeeze back then I free my hand from his, push the covers back and get up. I saunter to where my robe dropped, letting him have a quick view of what he’s turning down, and then I pick the robe up and put it on.
“Where are you going?” Wyatt asks, propping himself up on his elbows.