Routine Breaks Down

This week felt like an endless cycle of meetings and emails. Nothing out of the ordinary until Tuesday afternoon when I found myself daydreaming about a former colleague from another department, let's call her Rachel. She used to work here a few years back before moving on to greener pastures, but there was always something intriguing about her professional demeanor mixed with hints of playful naughtiness beneath the surface. On Tuesday night, I decided to send a casual message checking in and found out she lived nearby. Before long, we were exchanging messages late into the evening, reminiscing and flirting softly without any real intention behind it, or so I convinced myself at first. By Friday morning, things had taken an unexpected turn when we agreed to meet up for coffee during lunch hour. The encounter was brief but intense; there's no denying the chemistry between us still sizzles despite time apart. We kept it friendly and professional, making sure our conversation stayed light and innocent, though I could see in her eyes that neither of us were entirely satisfied with leaving things at just coffee. Back at home now, trying to put these thoughts behind me seems harder than ever. It's not something I can or will share with my spouse; it was a harmless flirtation fueled by boredom and old sparks rekindling.