Lust (13 page)

Purposely placing my hand on the small of his back, I politely
motioned for him to let us through. “Excuse me. I’m sorry
we have reserve—Mr. Mason? I…I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize
you from behind…I mean, I didn’t know it was you. Having
scotch, I see. Rough day at work, I take it?”

Sarcasm. Yes! I’m back.

I felt my confidence soar. What little apprehension I had
around him was gone. I am woman. Hear me roar.

He seemed stunned to see me, out and sporting glowing
perfection from head to toe. “Ms. Chase, it is you who surprises
me. So I’m gathering by your dash to the restroom today
that you were either faking sick or you rebound tremendously
fast. I’d be interested to know which. You know, for future
reference.”

Wrong again, jackass. I ran to the ladies room because your closeness
and hot body were making me horny and wet.

Feeling a bit flushed, I tried to regain my wit. “Well, I’m
shocked that you would have so little trust in me, that you
would even allude to the idea that I would fake sick. My body is
resilient, as is all of me, I can assure you. Oh, and I don’t know
how to ‘fake it.’”

Holy shit. He’s your boss. OK, that felt so damn good, but you do
have to see him in the office. Cut the shit. I had to pace my aggressions
and sarcasm before I got myself fired.

“Well, I must say, from what I can see, not only is your
body resilient, but you’ve found your voice as well. Lovely to
hear the sarcasm in it—rather amusing. Oh, and Ms. Chase,
I would never allude to you ‘faking it’ professionally. I don’t
doubt your integrity. On a personal level, well, I don’t know
you from a hole in the wall, excuse my expression.”

I was stimulated by this battle. We were going head to
head, tit for tat. And it was obvious that there was no anger,
no real words, just tension, lots and lots of sexually charged
tension!

“Umm, if you two are done…One, I would have been on
my third drink by now, and, two, there is a very handsome man
smiling at me from behind you, and I really would love to be
introduced.” Samantha was always the one to break the ice, but
this battle had no ice, just heat. And damn her for throwing the
water on my flames.

“Miss, why don’t you slide over this way. The view of them
ready to slice each other’s throats is so much better over here,
standing next to me,” the gentlemen interceded.

Alexander turned to him strangely. “Marcus,
these are employees of PHI…or, two of the top employees,
I should say. Ms. Chase is our director of operations and
new business, and this lovely young woman who also has found
her voice tonight is Ms. Samantha Carlo, PA to Ms. Chase and
long-time valued employee of PHI.”

Alexander was eloquent as he spoke, but it bothered me
that he never made our professional exchanges more personal,
even a little. He had introduced Samantha as Samantha Carlo,
yet he always introduced me as Ms. Chase. Perhaps he didn’t
know my name? Of course he did. He had said it plenty of
times as he pinned me to his town car.

I couldn’t understand why he disliked me personally, but it
bothered me. Sure, professionally he needed me; I was an asset
to the company. But personally, yeah, he made it clearer every
minute that he just didn’t know, or want to know, me personally
and that he was going to make my life a living hell.

“Ladies, the pleasure is truly mine. I have yet to see such
beauty in a lifetime. All bullshit aside, I am taken aback by you
both, in appearance and in successes on the PHI front. I look
forward to working with both of you.”

Alexander’s eyes dashed to Marcus angrily. “I hadn’t told
them yet,” Alexander mumbled to Marcus with both anxiety
and anger toward him.

My nerves were emerging again. “Tell us what? What’s this
about? I’m just about all newsed out, so please just spill it so I
can drink it out of my memory.”

Yup! I went there, I just told my boss to get on with it so that
I could move on and get hammered. Bye-bye, professionalism.

“I apologize for the happenings in the last few days, Ms.

Chase. And though you have no reason to believe me, I am
not here of my own accord. I didn’t cause what you’ve been
through.” He was angry at me, and he made sure I felt it in
every word. “Regardless of what you think or think you know,
I am here to do good, to help a friend. Marcus is a good friend
of mine and Pat’s. We are waiting to be seated for dinner. He’s
here is in town to sign contracts. He will be the CEO of PHI
in a few weeks.”

Fuck, and there it was: another fucked-up surprise.

Alexander wasn’t staying on as the CEO, and this new guy was
in a few weeks. Just so shady. But, Marcus seemed nice enough.

Perhaps if I got close to Marcus, I could throw Mr. Mason over
the edge. Yup, plan approved!

“Well, that is a pleasant turn of events, Marcus.” Reaching
over and taking his hand, I looked at him intently. “May I call
you Marcus? I am very much looking forward to working closely
with someone as personable and just delightful as yourself.

Welcome aboard. Call on me for anything you may need or
want to know about. Oh, and please call me Eva.”

Marcus stood there, blush red. There he was flirting with
my friend, and I was coming on to him? His smile spoke: Oh
this is going to be an interesting new job.

“Mr. Mason, your table is ready, sir. Right this way.” The
hostess showed them the way, but before they turned to leave,
Marcus lifted our right hands, first Samantha’s and then mine,
and kissed them both ever so gently.

“I am blessed to have met you and look forward to seeing
you both soon. Oh, and by the way…” Marcus inched in closer
to my ear. “I think he’s met his match in you.” Winking his
eye, and before I could utter a word, they left, walking toward
the back of the lounge to their table.

“What the fuck was that? Who are you?” Samantha looked
at me in awe; I could feel the glow, standing tall and, well,
statuesque. “Eva? What was that all about? Are you sure you’re
not fucking him? I swear I won’t tell. I think it’s awes—”

I interrupted her before I could process the thought of
“fucking Alexander.” I knew that if I did, I would end up wet
and in the bathroom stall again. “Samantha, calm down. It was
playful; I need to learn to work with him, so he is going to have
to deal with my sarcasm and multiple personalities. Though, I
do think that flirting with Marcus really got under him.”

“Got under him? Eva, you pissed him off big time, and me
as well. I want Marcus. I mean, I’d like to get to know him. I
got this tingly thing goin’ on in my belly, and he’s amazingly
gorgeous. Come on. And honestly, maybe you should show
Mason your kinky side and truly ‘get under him,’ This way you
can both cut the crap.”

“Sam, cut the shit. You can have Marcus. I don’t want him;
I just need to borrow him for some friendly games, that’s all.

Come on, be a friend. I swear I’m not interested. And honestly,
Mr. Mason couldn’t handle my kinky side; he’s too stuffed up
and buttoned to appreciate the dark side.” I rolled my eyes as I
moved myself closer to the bar.

“OK, as long as we have that straight, don’t push the limits,
missy! And just one more thing. Why? Why are you trying
to…you know what! The color of your cheeks says it all.

I know why, and we are not going to argue about it tonight.”

Samantha thankfully moved past the conversation.

“There are my lovely, lovely ladies. What took you so
long?” Michael finally spotted us, and with shots in hand, he
came to greet us.

“Thanks, love. Hold on, hold on. There’s Chrissy. Chris, over
here!” I jumped off the stool to hug her. “Hi! Aw, I’ve missed you.

How are you, babe? You feeling OK? We would have come to
you; you didn’t have to come out,” I added. My tone had changed
from sarcastic, sneaky bitch to sweet, caring, and endearing friend.

“No, no. I’m glad to be out. I’ve missed you both so much!

Listen, I am allowed a few drinks. I have to go for the next
treatment, and I am dying anyway, so please, get me some fluids
of the alcoholic kind!”

Samantha and I grabbed onto Chrissy for dear life. Chrissy
was the kindest, most enjoyable soul on earth, and she was dying
of cancer. She tried to joke about her ultimate fate, but we
cringed at the thought.

Sensing the sadness, Chrissy cut in again, “Enough, bitches!

Where’s my shot?”

Taking the shots and handing one to each of us, Michael
stood and smiled. He had known the three of us for years, and
he always admired the friendship we had. It was true and real.

Working at the bar for fifteen years, he had seen a lot of comings
and goings, and true friendship was rare.

I said, “Lift your shot glasses, please, and toast to friendship
that lasts forever. To lust that consumes us and—”

As I paused, Chrissy, who had her arm wrapped around
Samantha at this point, finished the speech. “And to love
that happens by chance and makes everything else in life seem
petty. To the love that will find you when it’s time, and to
the strength and courage you’ll need to accept it with an
open mind and open heart. Life is given by chance and taken
away by chance., Don’t miss it or lose it when it comes. I love
you both always.”

All our eyes had swelled with tears, and no one had words,
nor did we need any. But I knew…Samantha had filled Chrissy
in on the latest happenings.

Raising our glasses—clink, clink, clink—we all shouted in
sweet harmony, “Cheeeeerrrss!” And we took our shots.

Leaving Alexander and Marcus at their table, the waitress
walked back toward the bar to order refills for the gentlemen.

“Michael, may I have two more of the scotch, and could you
please bring it over to them?”

Standing at the bar, we couldn’t help noticing the
young girl, who looked so sad and annoyed as she spoke to
Michael.

“Are you OK? Were they nasty to you?” I asked politely,
not intending to intrude but hoping to get a little dirt.

The hostess must not have realized that her emotions were
written on her face, as she seemed surprised by my question.

“Oh, no. Thank you for asking, Ms. Chase,” she responded, respectful
as always.

Placing my hand on the girl’s forearm, I said, “It’s Eva,
please. And no worries. We’re all friends here, and he is an asshole,
so feel at home.” I winked at the girl. Hoping my attempts
at pretending to hate Alexander weren’t obvious, I noticed
Samantha shaking her head. Samantha knew the games
would only get worse the more I drank.

“Oh, you all know Mr. Mason? He doesn’t sound like a
friend. Do you work together?”

I giggled devilishly; Samantha and Chrissy looked at each
other, dying to hear what I was going to come up with next.

“Frienemy is more like it. No, I’m kidding. He’s our…

boss. Do you know him…personally?” I tried to pose the question
without sounding as if it mattered to me. So I kept my
eyes still and breathed deeply, very cool and collected.

“No, but damn it, wouldn’t I like to. He’s just not interested;
I’ve done just about everything but stripped down and
sat on top of him. And so has every other woman in Manhattan.

Who knows, maybe he’s gay!” Smiling, she turned from us and
walked back toward her podium, as more patrons were waiting
to be seated. Her words, though, lingered with me.

Samantha, noticing that I was about to dissect everything
the girl had just said, interjected, and not a moment too soon,
“Michael, two more shots each, please. Patron this time, and
quick.” She gave her most brilliant, flirty smile.