Elena had been working at Buck's bar and Grill for about a year now. She was the Barmaid there. She had taken notice of the assistant manager the second they had met. His rugged good looks and charming little boy smile where just the things that she liked in a man. But sadly enough she had read in the employee's handbook the very first night that there was a zero tolerance for fraternization between management and subordinates.
The bar's atmosphere was always sexually charged. And Derek, the assistant manger was always making sexy little jokes and comments to Elena teasing her and shooting her pick up lines. She could tell that he thought she was as cute and interesting as she found him. But those darn rules got in the way. Well, there were no rules saying that they couldn't be friends both inside and outside of work. A lot of the managers and waitresses and cooks would sit around together after closing time and have a few drinks. Swapping stories about their worst customers of the day or talking about crap in their personal lives.
Elena decided to start hanging out after work with the group. Derek must have wanted to see more of her outside of work, because he joined the click as well. Before long they were going out with two or three other employees after work to the pool hall next door and getting together for pizza or a movie on their nights off. But they always made sure there was a least one other person with them so there would be no way that the bosses at headquarters could try to discipline them for dating or anything.
Although in a few stolen moments here or there, usually accompanied by a bit to drink they'd relented to a peck or too or a hug that lasted too long and was a bit to close and tight. They knew they wanted each other—even if only for one time. They wanted to know what a few hours of passionate bliss in each other's arms would be like. But they had to resist the temptation of it with all they had. Neither of them could afford to loose their jobs.
There were a few nights here and there that Elena and Derek were the only ones scheduled to close down the place. They lived for those nights. They'd sit in the downstairs office and talk, drink wine and Derek would massage Elena's tired shoulders. Lifting cases of beer and liquor every night was hard on the back. Elena could feel the electricity shooting between Derek and her every time he caressed her shoulders. Yet still they would allow nothing more than a small kiss, or a small hug to happen between them.
