Cake Love: All Things Payne (31 page)

Chapter 20 - THE Leave ...

"I seduced him." I sit with my back straight, hands placed neatly on my knees staring straight into Evaleen's eyes. She smiles and shakes her head letting out a little laugh.

"I don't believe you."

"I did. I ... uh ... I knew you would be looking for me to go out for lunch and I did my sexy thing and you know how it goes. So there you are. Fire me." My explanation is not going over well with Evaleen despite the complete logic of it. I sense my Brain pacing back and forth, screaming
"NO"
at me.

"Sounds good, Drake, but the thing is I know you and you like Payne. I don't understand WHY you like him, but you do. You aren't some money grubbing woman or cutthroat she-beast who will do anything to get to the top. I like you, Drake, because you are a hard worker and an honest person. The only thing I can't understand is why you are lying right now?"

"I'm not lying."

I'm lying. I'm crazy-tell-everyone-your-kid-is-stuck-in-a-weather-balloon-for-fame lying. I didn't know Evaleen would walk in on us. Actually I had totally forgotten about our lunch date. I wasn't exactly thinking of food at that moment.

But watching Henrik throw everything he has worked over a decade for away, and knowing how truly valuable he is to this company I just couldn't have him losing his job over this. Oh, and also my stupid heart thought it was romantic or something.
"Books are written about such things, Morgana,"
my Heart moans, looking starry eyed out the window.
"Yeah, but I haven't written a book, Heart, so where are the royalties to support me through this?"
She shrugs her shoulder,
"I don't know. Personal finance isn't my problem."
Figures.

Evaleen mumbles something under her breath and turns to her computer to start typing. After a minute I hear the printer perk up behind her and she walks over to grab the paper coming out. Finally she places the print out in front of me.

"This is a statement of what you and Payne have told me about the incident. Please sign the bottom if you agree that it is accurate and true. Upon signing you, as well as Payne, will be put on leave without pay until an investigation can prove what you say is true."

She is holding a pen out in front of me and my hand shakes as I grab it. My eyes glance over the type on the page but I can't make out the words as my eyes blur from unshed tears and my head begins to throb. Nervously I sign and hand everything back to Evaleen.

"Well, I guess this means no lunch then." I try to joke but my voice is shaky.

"No, I have too much work to do now and I have to talk to the Mimir brothers about this. Mr. Payne has already left the building, so you can go and grab your things. Unfortunately you will need to leave immediately. Do you want me to walk out with you, Morgana?"

Oh god she used my first name ... this is bad. Evaleen must really feel sorry for me.

"No. I'm okay. I'll just grab the few things I have. My picture of my family, my porcelain cake statues and assorted dessert sprinkles. I think that's it."

I rise, not as a twenty-nine-year-old woman who takes the challenges of life and seeks to conquer them, but as a defeated female slowly crashing and burning while feeling like she is living in a ninety-year-old body. Tottering out of her office, I make my way down the hall and notice Mr. Payne's door is open. Gathering my courage, what minuscule crumbs are left of it, I peek inside. It's like stepping back in time to that Friday over a week ago. The chairs are overturned and that poor plant, who never asked to be in Mr. Payne's office, is lying on its side, gasping its last ... whatever the opposite of "breath" is in photosynthesis.

Walking over I lovingly try to put it straight. Regrettably it has taken so much abuse, the leaves are bent or broken off. The plant is a shell of its former self, so I sit beside it and hold its palm as it passes from this world.

"Shh, little Planty. No need to cry, I'm here. I won't hurt you."

My eyes begin to burn again as my cheeks prickle and before I know it a long sob takes over. By sob I mean ugly, snotty, wet cry. The word moist grosses me out, but it's in the English language for a reason. To describe my face at this moment; it is moist, red and puffy. I'm sure my mascara has added to the facial fail.

I don't stop crying for quite a long time and I'm surprised security hasn't shown up to have me removed.

"Morgana, what did you do now?" I hear Aria's voice coming from the door as I look up to see her moving toward me. She comes to sit beside me at my impromptu wake honoring the passing of both Planty and my career.

"I fucked up, Aria. Like stupid fucked up. I'm on leave without pay and will most likely be fired after the investigation. Also, Mr. Payne hates me. Hates me!"

She is shaking her head in disbelief.

"Wait? What? Investigation? Oh my God, Morgana, what happened? Evaleen called me to come get you, but she didn't say why."

I sigh and tell her the whole story, even the spanking. She giggles at that and crinkles her nose. Methinks the lady hath not been spanked before. By the end she gives me a lopsided smile and shakes her head.

"Oh Morgana ... do you know what the record is for most orgasms in an hour?"

I shake my head, feeling my voice go hoarse after the day's events.

"One hundred thirty-four orgasms in an hour by a woman. I think for a man it was sixteen."

I keep staring off into the distance giving her no reaction to her data. Aria sighs and gets up, holding her hand out to me.

"Come on let's go get some lunch, head home, and have a Coen Brother movie marathon."

She helps me to my feet and we make our way to the door.

"We can't forget the cake, Aria. I need it to be dark like my mood, maybe chocolate ganache frosting."

After gathering my things and heading out, we stop to get Chinese food -- and of course, cake -- on the way home. Once in our apartment I sit at the black granite breakfast bar, grab a fork and dig into the confection. No slices, just straight eat out of the box because emotionally that's where I am right now. I don't even want to think about how tomorrow I have to look for a job.

Aria is sitting beside me observing me consume the chocolate frosted cake that says "Hippy Birthday Carl." in red icing. She opens her Chinese food container and digs her chopsticks inside, pulling out some lo mein.

"You know what might help you, Morgana? Dating a guy."

I stop with my fork in the air while chocolate crumbs fall off and turn to look at her.

"I'm done with men, Aria. I just want to get some low level job where no one has to interact with me and I can start my life as a hermit."

"I think in a few days or a few weeks you might like to go out with a guy who isn't your boss. Have a one-night stand to get over him."

Ugg! I have no desire to sleep with some player just to get some.

"No thanks, Aria. That's you, not me."

Aria is fiddling with her cell phone while eating out of her carton. She pushes the phone toward me.

"What about him? You may not want to fuck him but maybe we could all hang out, you see if you like him. How about it?"

I grab her phone and take a better look at the picture. Holy crap the man is gorgeous. I can't quite tell from the photo how tall he is but he does have a lean athletic body as if he runs a lot. He is smiling in the photograph and his light brown hair shines while his slight beard gives him an edge. Wow, that man has a stunning smile.

"Is he real?" I ask her wondering if she took a picture of an advertisement in a catalog.

Aria laughs and nods, grabbing the phone she swipes at it before placing it back on the counter.

"Of course he is. Look this is us at work. He's the owner of the club. I would have hooked up with him but he's my boss so you know." She cringes right after she speaks, realizing what has come out of her mouth.

"Yeah, I am all too aware of how bad it is to hook up with a boss."

"Sorry, I didn't mean you or what happened. I, just ... oh well, you know how I am, Morgana. I never want to see the guy again so it would be weird if I had to work with him every day. Ahh, this isn't coming out right. I'll just go back to eating." She shoves some noodles in her mouth staring at the carton.

"It's fine, Aria. Even if I would be up for a date with him, who's to say he would be interested in me?"

Shoving her hand into the air and pointing up she mumbles with the food still in her mouth.

"One, he is single. Two, he is straight. Three, he's not blind. Look I'm working Friday night; stop on by for a few drinks. You can meet him. If you don't hit it off then no big deal, all right?"

I shrug my shoulders and take a few more bites of cake to ease my nerves about possibly meeting another man so soon after the Payne incident. No, you know what? I am not calling anything "incidents" anymore. I have far too many of them. Maybe if I trick my brain with a different word I will be less likely to have them. From here on out it will be known as the Payne Munting or the YouTube Munting or the Lap Face Plant Munting. If you don't know what munting is, I suggest you look it up, but be warned it isn't pretty. In fact you might vomit in your mouth, so maybe don't look it up.

"Sure there is no harm in meeting your boss. I'll do it! Screw Mr. Payne and all the craziness that comes along with him. I deserve a hot guy who owns a bar or someone equally as good."

And with that, my Brain quits her pacing and gets to work thinking about outfits. Heart limps back to the window and sighs, staring out into an inky and starless night, wordlessly mumbling that nothing could be worse, not even Tiffany.

Chapter 21 - THE Club ...

It is Friday night and I don't feel that much better than I did three days ago when the Payne Munting occurred. The loud thumping techno music and flashing lights in the dark room add to my apprehension. Never having been to this club where Aria has worked for a year I look around nervously until I spot her waving at me from behind the bar.

I saddle up to a stool. Oh, I always wanted to write that. Like I live in nineteenth century Oklahoma and it's a dusty hot day. When the barkeep yells, "What's your poison?" I give my worn cowboy hat a flick, wiping my brow with my kerchief (old school) and in a raspy but firm voice call out, "Sarsaparilla."

Of course this place is the exact opposite of an old western bar but I choose to walk with a wide gait and hook my thumbs in my belt loops anyway. I ease onto the stool and give Aria a knowing nod. She creases her brow while wiping down a glass.

"Did you hurt yourself, Morgana?"

"No just trying out a new walk."

Aria shakes her head while putting the glass down to grab something from under the bar. She places a beer bottle in front of me.

"Here this is the lightest beer we have, should last you the night."

"Hey, bar lady. I'll have what she's having."

A male voice slurs from a few feet away. We both turn our attention to see a man about six feet tall with dark blonde hair and an average build trying to glance my way. I say trying because his body seems to have other ideas. It's like watching a toddler first learn to walk with a lot of wobbling and gripping of the bar. I think he is attempting to hit on me as he keeps giving me a very cartoonish eye wink.

Before either of us can respond I see a hand grip his shoulder and a tall man come out from behind him. It's Aria's boss, the one I saw the picture of and I have to admit he is even hotter in person. His hair is doing that messy just out of bed thing mixed with the faint beard all of which is doing things to me. Sexy things.

"I think you have had enough, Trainer."

Trainer? The drunk is named Trainer. That is the title of a job not a name. No wonder he's drunk.

"Oh come on, Jackson. Me and the lady were just hitting it off. It's not cool to cock-block, man."

Jackson turns to look at me, but he doesn't just glance at me he skims my body with his eyes and I swear it felt like it was his hands moving around me. I suddenly feel hot, like I have to get naked immediately or I will disintegrate.

When his eyes leave me the warmth goes and there is coldness once again.

"Nah, Trainer. A woman like that, I'm sure she's taken. You must be mistaken, here let John find you a cab."

A very large man with a shaved head, tattoos from his skull curving down his neck steps in front of Trainer and helps him away.

I can hear Trainer calling out from the distance, "I will always churish our brief time too gesser, my lady."

My head drops in slight embarrassment and I smile shaking my head. I see two black leather shoes come into view and I glance up to Jackson standing right in front of me. His intensely dark brown eyes are radiating heat despite the soft expression on his face.

"I hope he didn't bother you, miss. Trainer is a regular. Though he can get quite inebriated he is mostly harmless."

The heat crawls up my neck to flush my cheeks. The way he's looking at me makes me falter.

"I'm ... uh ... I ... am ... fine. Thhhank you."

"Jackson, this is Morgana, my roommate. Remember I said she would be stopping by tonight." Aria adds to our conversation, though I don't think Jackson nor I really care that she is there. We seem to be too focused on each other.

"Oh, Morgana, right. Well, it is lovely to meet you, Morgana. Please, anything you want is on the house. In fact we have private VIP booths on the second floor, why don't I escort you to one."

My eyes flip between Aria and Jackson unsure of what to do.

"I ... um came alone. Really only to see Aria, so I would feel weird being in a booth all by myself."

I give him a quick smile to let him know I appreciate the gesture. His eyes darken and I notice something flash across his face but it's gone before I have time to read it. For some reason whatever it was doesn't sit well with me. He steps closer and grabs my hand pulling me toward him.

"You won't be alone. You will be with me. Now come, I insist," is all he says before I am tugged away from Aria and the bar, compelled to follow him toward the back stairs and past another large man who gives Jackson a nod.

"Jackson, I really don't feel comfortable with all this. I was hoping to just gossip with Aria at the bar tonight. I appreciate what you are doing, but it's really not necessary."

He ignores me but his grip firms making it too painful to pull away. I am getting really nervous now and quickly scan the area to try to find someone to help, but we are walking down a dark hallway of doors. We enter the door at the back. One wall of glass lines the room overlooking the dance floor below while the rest of the walls are black, covered by immense modern paintings. There is a large couch opposite the window and two club chairs on either side of a black metal coffee table in the middle. It's clean, dark and modern. Normally I would love the rich exclusiveness of the place, but right now I just want to leave.

Jackson finally lets go of my hand but blocks the door so I walk over to the window to notice if anyone can see me. The people are too focused on dancing to detect anything amiss. My gaze flicks to the back to try and find the bar, but it's too far away.

Jackson's body suddenly presses against me and, yes, he has an erection. God I just met him and he already wants to fuck me. I have a very bad feeling about all this.

"I would like to leave, Jackson."

"No." He whispers in my ear before his lips are on my neck and his hands have found my hips keeping me from moving away.

"Okaaay. What if I told you I have crabs, oh and gonorrhea. It's all very inflamed right now."

My neck begins to vibrate from his laughter.

"Aria told me you are feisty but she never mentioned how funny and fucking sexy you are. This is going to be fun."

"Uh no, not fun. Nothing is going to happen, Jackson. Remember, no means no and I am saying no, no, noey-no, no, no right now. Can't get anymore no than that."

He flips me around effortlessly so I am facing him. I push my hands to his chest but damn him and his strong arms. His eyes are flashing wildly at me. He is loving this. God, he's getting off by my struggle.

"Keep it up, Morgana, I really like feisty. Really like it a lot."

He pushes me against the glass and nuzzles into my neck again. Perhaps if I go limp he might not want me anymore. I relax all my muscles so he is pretty much holding me up with his body but he uses this opportunity to wrap his arms around my waist and grind into me. I can hear him groan as he paws at my breast. Crap, well that didn't work. I start to pull away again and manage to break from his grasp but he is between me and the door.

"Jackson, you are acting really rapey right now."

"Rapey is not a word, Morgana."

We banter back and forth while he tracks my movements as I try to figure out a way around him.

"It is a word. You plus rape equals rapey. You are rapey."

Jackson shakes his head and laughs a deep sinister laugh. Ugh, he's like a freaking stereotype.

"It's not rape if you want it and I know you want it, Morgana."

"What did I just say earlier, no means no. It doesn't mean yes or maybe or I kinda do but I am saying no because I am a stupid tease. It means no." I stop for a moment and put my hands on my hips in irritation. He makes a break for it and grabs me. Why did I let my guard down?

We fall to the couch and his hand pins my arms over my head while his other hand tries to unclasp my jeans. Thank God I wore pants tonight and not a skirt.

At that moment I hear the door knob jiggling. Shit he locked it, clever dickhead. But then there is a loud thump at the door as if something large was thrown at it. Then another and still another. Finally I hear something splinter. Jackson's head looks up and I can finally move mine to see the door fly open. A very angry Mr. Payne walks in. What is he doing here?

"Get the fuck off her now!" Mr. Payne yells.