Stephanie Ross

Edna Bishop

@whitesnake994755 · Jan 12, 2026 12:43 am

Emotional tension with a coworker in a position of authority is exhausting me

I just need to vent because this situation has been weighing on me for a long time.
Since the very beginning of my job, there has been a strong connection between me and a coworker who is in a higher position than me. Over time, we grew close. There’s obvious chemistry, flirting, sexual jokes, lingering looks. It’s not subtle. You can see it in our eyes. It feels mutual, but also unspoken, like we’re both afraid to cross a line.
I’m in my late 20s and he’s in his late 30s, which sometimes makes the dynamic feel even more complicated.
We’re both rather shy in general when it comes to emotional or romantic situations. He tends to be reserved, and I am too, which I think has contributed to how much remains unspoken between us.
There is also physical closeness between us. Nothing explicit, but frequent touches that feel charged brushing hands, standing very close, small moments of contact that don’t feel accidental. Alongside that, he’s very caring toward me checking in on me, being gentle, attentive, and protective in a way that feels personal, not just professional.
When I first started working there, coworkers told me that before I joined, he had said he didn’t want a relationship a