Patrick

And so he was sitting across from me, and I was trying to think of a believable answer to give. Of course he wouldn't understand my reasonable answer, since when was he a reasonable man?
"I really can't!" I said again. He growled; he really is a bear.
"Stop making excuses and just COME!" He said, a bit louder this time. I looked around the dining room to see if any of the other employees were within earshot.
"I'd really honestly love to. But I just...can't." Go to the beach with him? Drop my work and morals and self control and drive down for a wild weekend at the beach with him? Sounds lovely. But I absolutely would not let it happen, I wouldn't even let myself think of it--oh, too late, I could already see us playing tag on the sand, his huge strides overpowering me in three seconds and sweeping me up-
"No, Patrick, I just can't!" I found myself saying, a bit of a squeak in my voice. He wrinkled his face.
"Fine." He slid off the booth and lumbered into the kitchen, leaving me sitting lonely on the plastic green booth.