back the covers and climbed out of bed. Walking into the bathroom, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Her face was flushed and her eyes were puffy and underscored with dark circles. "I can't believe you're letting a man do this to you." She grimaced. "Not only do you look terrible, but you've started talking to yourself on a regular basis." She shook her head and turned on the shower. "I must be going insane."
After her shower she was cleaner, but didn't really look any better. Of course few at work were tactful enough not to mention it. "Wow, you look terrible." Or "Rough night?" followed by winks and smirks were the most common statements she endured all morning. After she barked at enough of them they decided she'd had enough and left her alone. It was the longest day she remembered ever having since starting at Denetech. It wasn't simply the comments and questions, or even the fact she was dead tired. It was the fear Drake could come by at any minute and she would have to face him. By lunch time she almost wished he would come by and get it over with so she could stop worrying about it. Her entire shift passed, however, with no sign of him.
Relieved to be home where she was safe she finally relaxed. She was hungry, but decided she needed a nap more than food. She woke an hour later feeling somewhat groggy. After a long stretch and a yawn it was definitely time to eat.
As she left her bedroom familiar voices drifted down the hall along with a welcomed aroma. "I smell pizza, I hope there's some left," she said as she entered the room trying to rub the gritty feeling from her eyes. "I'm starved." Kate walked to the cupboard beside the stove, stretching up on tiptoe to retrieve a box of tea bags from the top shelf. "What kind is it?" She filled the teakettle with water and set it on the stove.
Suddenly she realized it was much too quiet. An uneasy feeling crept up her spine. The friends she knew were never quiet. Slowly she turned and looked toward the table. There sat Sue, Missy, Kelsie, and Drake. Her eyes locked with his. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard you had a rough day so I brought pizza. There's also chips and soda."
"He was thoughtful enough to bring extra in case we were here," said Sue. "Isn't he a nice guy?"
Kate knew Sue was trying to get a rise out of her. "Yes, isn't he," she agreed sarcastically. Kate opened another cupboard and started to reach for a cup.
"You might want to rethink stretching for another top shelf," Kelsie said.
Kate turned, "Why?" Kelsie looked slightly embarrassed, Missy giggled, and Sue had a Cheshire cat grin on her face. It wasn't until she caught Drake's look and comment, however, understanding dawned on her.
She stood immobile as his gaze traveled the length of her, then returned to lock with hers. With a soft voice and inviting grin, he said, "I don't mind if she gets herself a cup."
Kate looked down remembering she had changed into a nightshirt before her nap. It wasn't bad enough her bottom half was only covered to about mid thigh, the shirt she had picked was missing a button that left a very deep V of her top half exposed as well. Kate had blushed many times in her life, but this was the first time it was so severe her ears burned and her temples throbbed. She turned without a word and walked back to her room. She closed the door and leaned against it a moment hoping to calm her rattled nerves. When the solitude of her room helped ease her tension, she stepped over and dropped down on the bed. She was still sitting there when she heard a soft knock on the door. She didn't respond, hoping whoever it was would go away, but seconds later the door slowly opened. Drake walked over and offered her a cup of tea. Kate took it without looking up as he sat beside her on the bed. She sipped the hot liquid while he arranged her nightstand to accommodate the tray he'd also brought with him. He cut a bite of pizza and held the fork to her mouth.
"Here, I know
After her shower she was cleaner, but didn't really look any better. Of course few at work were tactful enough not to mention it. "Wow, you look terrible." Or "Rough night?" followed by winks and smirks were the most common statements she endured all morning. After she barked at enough of them they decided she'd had enough and left her alone. It was the longest day she remembered ever having since starting at Denetech. It wasn't simply the comments and questions, or even the fact she was dead tired. It was the fear Drake could come by at any minute and she would have to face him. By lunch time she almost wished he would come by and get it over with so she could stop worrying about it. Her entire shift passed, however, with no sign of him.
Relieved to be home where she was safe she finally relaxed. She was hungry, but decided she needed a nap more than food. She woke an hour later feeling somewhat groggy. After a long stretch and a yawn it was definitely time to eat.
As she left her bedroom familiar voices drifted down the hall along with a welcomed aroma. "I smell pizza, I hope there's some left," she said as she entered the room trying to rub the gritty feeling from her eyes. "I'm starved." Kate walked to the cupboard beside the stove, stretching up on tiptoe to retrieve a box of tea bags from the top shelf. "What kind is it?" She filled the teakettle with water and set it on the stove.
Suddenly she realized it was much too quiet. An uneasy feeling crept up her spine. The friends she knew were never quiet. Slowly she turned and looked toward the table. There sat Sue, Missy, Kelsie, and Drake. Her eyes locked with his. "What are you doing here?"
"I heard you had a rough day so I brought pizza. There's also chips and soda."
"He was thoughtful enough to bring extra in case we were here," said Sue. "Isn't he a nice guy?"
Kate knew Sue was trying to get a rise out of her. "Yes, isn't he," she agreed sarcastically. Kate opened another cupboard and started to reach for a cup.
"You might want to rethink stretching for another top shelf," Kelsie said.
Kate turned, "Why?" Kelsie looked slightly embarrassed, Missy giggled, and Sue had a Cheshire cat grin on her face. It wasn't until she caught Drake's look and comment, however, understanding dawned on her.
She stood immobile as his gaze traveled the length of her, then returned to lock with hers. With a soft voice and inviting grin, he said, "I don't mind if she gets herself a cup."
Kate looked down remembering she had changed into a nightshirt before her nap. It wasn't bad enough her bottom half was only covered to about mid thigh, the shirt she had picked was missing a button that left a very deep V of her top half exposed as well. Kate had blushed many times in her life, but this was the first time it was so severe her ears burned and her temples throbbed. She turned without a word and walked back to her room. She closed the door and leaned against it a moment hoping to calm her rattled nerves. When the solitude of her room helped ease her tension, she stepped over and dropped down on the bed. She was still sitting there when she heard a soft knock on the door. She didn't respond, hoping whoever it was would go away, but seconds later the door slowly opened. Drake walked over and offered her a cup of tea. Kate took it without looking up as he sat beside her on the bed. She sipped the hot liquid while he arranged her nightstand to accommodate the tray he'd also brought with him. He cut a bite of pizza and held the fork to her mouth.
"Here, I know
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