"It's last call, Red." Austin commented as he cleared the booth next to her.

Reagan pressed the home button on her phone, checking the time one more time. The disappointment settled deep in her stomach as she lost any remaining hope that Ethan was going to be able to get done with his work and have enough time to meet her for a drink. It wasn't like he had broken any promises to her but still for some reason she felt betrayed. Perhaps she only felt betrayed by the fact that she had gotten her hopes up.

"What's with the long face? You're fancy boyfriend stand you up?"

She gave Austin a dirty look as she scooted across the booth, smoothing out the wrinkles of her dress as she stood, "First, it's really none of your business. Second, I've never been stood up in my entire life." Reagan flipped her hair over her shoulder, "And third, he is not my boyfriend...he is my boss." Even though she hoped that with a little bit of time he would be both and maybe more.

He scoffed, grabbing the bin of dirty glasses and plate in both hands, "Did anyone ever teach you not to dip your pen in the company ink? There is a reason they have no fraternizing rules, Red."

Reagan found herself surprised by his response, following behind him as he walked away "I'm sensing some very judgy vibes, which coming from you is real rich. The guy who takes home a different girl every night to top himself of."

"First, I don't take home a different girl every night. Some nights I enjoy being alone and letting my freak flag fly. Second, I wasn't judging you. I was counseling you on how very not smart it would be to go down that road." She pulled up short as he stopped at another table, gathering up the dirty plates that customers had left behind.

"You're saying that you have never hooked up with a co-worker?"

Austin cast a look in her direction, grinning, "Look at me, Red. I know I seem perfect." She couldn't help but snort at his remark, "But yeah, I've fucked one of my co-workers. Which then turned into two of my co-workers...it wasn't pretty what happened as a result. So trust me when I say it is not the way to go." He twisted away, gathering the bin in his arms. Reagan continued to follow after him, not sure of why she was continuing the conversation. She didn't care to take advice from this guy but it felt like she needed to prove that her situation was different, if not to him than to herself.

"Well I don't plan to be slutting it up with all of my co-workers just one."

He set his bin of dirty dishes at the end of the bar, turning to face Reagan, "Right. You plan on slutting it up with your boss which is worse." Her face burned at his blunt words. She found herself speechless, not sure what to say in response.

"You all good to handle this, Angie?" He questioned the blonde behind the bar. She gave him a thumbs up as she dealt with the remaining people, "Awesome." He drummed his palms on the hardwood, turning to Reagan once more.

"How come she doesn't have a nickname?" She decided to deflect the question away from their previous conversation. Austin gave a quick look in Angie's direction before meeting Reagan gaze again.

"Because she is my co-worker, Red. Nicknames are reserved only for females I have or plan to fuck at some point." He winked as he pushed away from the bar, moving around her as if he had not just blatantly told her that he planned to have sex with her. Her blood heated in anger but her stomach flutter in anticipation. Reagan spun on her heels, stalking after him as he made his way to door at the side of the large room.

"That's a bit presumptuous of you, don't you think?"

Austin pulled the door open, revealing a staircase, "Maybe a little, but I'm a hopeful thinker. Not unlike yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He started to climb the stairs, "It means you think that your situation with your boss is special and different, but it isn't."

Reagan stomped up the stairs after him, "You don't know that! It could be different. We could be happy together and who knows get married and have a family.I'll never know if I let some stupid rule or whatever stop me."

Austin let out a bark of laughter as he pulled keys from his back pocket and unlocked the door at the top of the stairs, "That's the attitude, Red...like I said you're a hopeful thinker." He pushed the door open, stepping inside and flipping on the lightswitch. She hesitated in the doorway, watching as he disappeared into the apartment. He had left the door wide open, a silent invitation for her enter and finish the conversation if she wanted.

Her cellphone pinged in her hand, She glanced down to a text message from Ethan.

Sorry about tonight, Reagan. Let me make it up to you at dinner tomorrow night. Wear something nice.

Was this a bad idea to continue pursuing her boss? Her phone pinged again.

Don't overthink it like I know you are. Just say yes.

Reagan smiled softly, unlocking her phone as another message came in.

And no I won't tell you where I am taking you. It's a surprise.

The sound of floorboards creaking had her lifting her face to see Austin leaning his shoulder into the wall, arms crossed over his chest. There was his ever present smirk, "Let me guess who's got you smiling like that? The boss."

Reagan rolled her eyes, tucking her phone into her pocket. She would let Ethan sweat her response for a little while, "I told you it's different with us."

"No it isn't." His amusement seemed to dissipate as he pushed away from the wall, "A man that truly deserves to be with you wouldn't have kept you waiting around. He would have showed up tonight." Austin words had her pulling up short. They seemed completely out of sync with his character. Reagan watched him as he disappeared again from view and without thought she followed after him.

"Hey! You don't get to judge other people and then walk away without letting them respond." She followed him through the apartment and into his bedroom, "Do you enjoy poking fun at me, is that it?"

"Enough talking, Red." He turned to her quickly, grabbing her face in his large hands as he planted a hungry kiss to her mouth. Reagan found herself kissing him back just as hungry, hands reaching up to claw at his chest as he pulled her closer. She was completely compliant in his arms even though she couldn't stand half the things he said and thought. Even though she had someone Austin broke the kiss, both of them breathing heavy, "Just so we're clear my bed isn't for sleeping. If you want to leave, you should go now or you can stay and we can not sleep together." These were the words that should have had her running from his apartment.

He was absolutely not the man for her but still she moved closer to him, "As if I would ever want to sleep in the same bed as you." He gave her an amused smirk before he brought their mouths together again. She found herself falling back onto the bed Austin's body pressing into hers in a delightful way. They were both groping and grabbing at each other, trying to bring themselves into a perfect union with one another. Reagan knew tomorrow that she would probably look at this as a mistake, which is definitely was. The problem was she really hadn't wanted to go home alone tonight. If she was being honest with herself about what lead her into his bed, It was simply that she was damn tired of being alone and Austin had been willing chase the loneliness away for the night.