Something Like This (Secrets) (15 page)

“Everything.”

Slowly, he slid the bar soap down my chest and stomach.

Arching my back, I moaned and pushed his hand down between my thighs.

The warm water from the shower intensified my desire for him, I needed to feel his lips on mine.

Almost as if he could read my thoughts, he parted his luscious lips and placed them on my mine, tugging and ever so softly biting as his hands continued tantalizing the space between my legs.

“Tell me what you want,” he whispered into my ear.

“I want you inside of me.”

“And if I don’t comply?”

“I’ll faint. I’ll die.” Yes, at that moment, he had all the power over me. And I didn’t care. His lips and touch made me quiver and moan as if I had never before in my life had sex. This was a new experience for me, having sex with someone I loved, someone I wanted more than anything.

“In that case,” he lifted my leg and hiked it high around his back, “I can’t have you dying on me.” He thrust into me.

He kissed my nipples, gently and with one purpose: to make me beg for more. “Promise me you’ll never break up with me again.”

“I’ll never break up with you.”

“Swear it.” He groaned, rocking me harder.

“I swear it.”

We stayed in that shower for a long time. And I felt like I could start a new life, one with Reece by my side.

We’d get through everything together because we were a couple hopelessly and madly in love.

––––––––

I
arrived at work the next morning earlier than usual. I didn’t see my father and had no way of knowing if he was even in the same spot anymore. I had decided to get off the Metro one stop before my usual stop and walk the extra blocks.

I was determined to focus on my job today. I’d have to push my father to the back of my mind.

Inhaling a cup of coffee, I fired up my computer
.

“Morning, missed you yesterday.”

Really, I couldn’t have had even a few minutes to myself this morning? Nope, there was Tom, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to go.

“I had some personal things to take care of.”

“Did your boyfriend find you?”

“Yep.” That’s was all he was getting from me. One word. That was it.

“Good, because he seemed worried.”

“Do you need anything from me?” I asked, quite curt.

“Okay, I get it. You don’t want to talk about it.”

“So...again, do you need anything from me? If not, I really must get to work.”

“Touchy subject. Your boyfriend that is. What’s his name, again?”

You’ve got to be kidding me!

“Reece. He’s Mr. Walker’s nephew.”

“Ah, now I get it. Trying to get in good with the boss, huh?”

“Tom.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t like you. Not because I think you’re necessarily a bad person. I don’t know you well enough to know what kind of person you really are. I just don’t like you. You annoy me.”

“Ouch. Be honest, don’t hold back, why don’t you.”

I let out a big yawn. Big, ole, yawn.

“And apparently I’m also boring.”

“You’re just kind of a jerk.”

“As long as I’m not boring.”

“And you don’t mind being called a jerk?”

“Nah, I’ve always been called a jerk. Kind of deserve it. I’m just that way, I guess.”

“What way?”

“Jerky and annoying.”

“Okay, well, this convo was great and all, but I do have work to do so if you don’t mind...”

“All right, all right. But, I couldn’t tell you yesterday seeing as you weren’t here.”

“Tell me what?”

“There’s a new writer coming in today. She’s coming in at noon.”

“To meet with Mr. Walker?”

“And me. Remember that writer I told you about? The one whose book I loved?”

“But was unfinished?”

“Yeah, that one. Anyway, I convinced Mr. Walker to meet with her. He read some sample chapters and loved them.”

“Is he offering to rep her?”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“What’s her name?”

“Grace. She sounded real cute on the phone.”

I almost fell out of my chair.

“Did you say Grace?”

“Yeah, why? You know her?”

“Maybe. What’s her last name?”

“Smith.”

“Yeah, I know her. She’s my roommate.”

“Oh wow, small world.”

“
Very
small world.”

“She know you work here?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And she didn’t mention this to you?”

“Nope.”

“Surprise! She’s coming in at noon.”

“Perfect.”

“You’re not going to be mean or anything when she comes in, right?”

“Of course not. I’m a professional.”

“Great. Let’s catch up on other stuff later.”

“Can’t wait.”

The second he left, I called Grace.

“This is Grace.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Hi, Jadie.”

“Don’t hi me. Why didn’t you tell me you had submitted your book to my agency and that they want to rep you?”

“First off, I didn’t know it was
your
agency? When did you acquire it?”

“Ha ha, funny.”

“And second of all, I sent them sample chapters a while ago, before you even started working there. It just took them this long to get back to me. I actually forgot all about it until they called me yesterday.”

“And when were you going to tell me?’

“I didn’t tell you yesterday because you were upset and then Reece came over and we didn’t see you again because the two of you stayed locked in your room for the rest of the night. And when I woke up, you had already left for work.”

“You could have called me on my cell or texted me this morning.”

“I don’t know why you’re so mad. I decided to surprise you. You should be happy for me.”

Of course I was happy for Grace. But the All Write Literary Agency was my place. It’s where I worked and where I was trying to make a name for myself. And now worlds were colliding. I wasn’t comfortable with it. I didn’t want to share my space with Grace or Lisa. And, yeah, maybe I was also a little jealous of Grace. She hadn’t even finished her novel, but here she was about to have a meeting with a literary agent who wanted to represent her just the same.

“I’m happy for you, really I am. I wish you would have given me a heads up.”

“Fair enough. I should have told you. I’m sorry. Do you forgive me?”

“You’re forgiven.”

“Good. Now, crazy isn’t it? Do they really want to rep me?”

“They wouldn’t be meeting with you if they didn’t want to rep you.”

“Gah, this is all so exciting. I’m nervous.”

“Don’t be, you’re going to do great.”

“So any intel on Tom you can give me? What’s he like? What should I expect? I’m meeting with Mr. Walker, too, but Tom is the one who called me. I’m not sure what kind of vibe I got from him on the phone. We didn’t talk for very long.”

He’s a jerk. There, done.
I couldn’t tell Grace that, of course, because that wouldn’t be fair to her or Tom. As much as Tom irked me, I had to act like a professional.

“He’s really into your writing.”

“I feel I need to pinch myself, I’m so excited. I really didn’t expect this.”

“When do you think you’ll finish writing the novel?”

“Promise you won’t tell them?”

“Never mind, don’t tell me. I’m walking a fine line here.”

“Okay, I understand. But I’m going to tell you anyway. I’m kind of stuck. Nothing is coming to me.”

“I’m sure it will come. Look, I need to get some things done. I’ll see you at noon, okay?”

“Yeah, okay. Gah, bye!”

Today was going to be an interesting day, for sure.

I got a text. I looked at my phone and smiled. It was from Reece.

I texted back:
Miss you, too. Love u so much!

His last text released a gazillion crazy thoughts in my head.

What would I wear? What if I forgot how to talk? What if his mom asked me about my parents? What if I forgot how to use a fork, a knife, a spoon?

I dropped my phone in my purse and ran my fingers through my hair. I’d not let my demons get the best of me today. I knew they weren’t gone. I knew I’d have to deal with them sooner or later, but at that moment I wanted to feel like a regular person. I was at constant war with myself.

I had not forgotten about my father. I was worried about him. I wanted to see how he was doing, talk to him again, ask him more questions, and to force him to let me help him. But not today. Today, I would be selfish and focus on my work, focus on my future, my well-being and my life with Reece.

With my empty coffee mug in hand, I got up and headed for the break room. One of the other agent’s assistant was standing by the coffee machine.

“It’s almost finished brewing,” she said.

“Great, I’m in desperate need of a second cup.”

“You work for Mr. Walker, right?” she asked.

“Yep, I’m Jadie.”

“I’m Celeste. I work for Ms. Brown.”

I had never interacted with Ms. Brown. I’d once smiled at Ms. Brown as I passed her in the hall, but she didn’t smile back, or acknowledge my existence. I didn’t take it personally, just figured she was busy and had zero time for smiling.

“Nice to meet you,” I said to Celeste.

She had the blackest hair I had ever seen in my entire life. I wondered if she dyed it.

“Yeah, nice to meet you, too. Kind of sad that we work in the same office, but we’ve never really met. I’ve seen you around, of course. And everyone knows about your new computer and tablet.”

“For the record, I didn’t ask for a new computer, much less a tablet.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m messing with you. We’re all a little jealous, is all.”

I thought of Vicki and Rose. “Guess I would be, too.”

“Nah, you don’t look like the jealous type. You look like a normal person.”

Ha, if only she knew.

The coffee machine beeped, announcing it was done brewing.

Celeste pulled out the coffee pot. “Ready?”

“Yes, thank you.” I held my mug in front of her.

Then she poured herself a cup. “So, you also work with Tom, right?”

“He’s the new hire.”

Not that I wasn’t also a new hire, but hell, I’d been there longer than Tom.

“He’s kind of cute,” she said.

“Hadn’t noticed.”

“Really?”

“Really. Besides, I have a boyfriend.”

“You still have eyes.”

“He’s okay.”

“So, you admit he’s cute?” she asked, with a big ole grin.

I wasn’t about to engage in a conversation about Tom’s looks so I very sternly said, “I need to get back to work. Thanks for the coffee.”

“Yeah, guess I better get to it, too. Ms. Brown is in no mood today. Some writer turned down her rep offer.”

“Ouch, sorry to hear that.”

“It happens, and if I’m being honest, she really should soften her bedside manners. I think she scares writers on first contact. Comes on way too strong and pushy as all heck.”

“Maybe she’ll have better luck with the next writer.”

“Doubt it. She’s kind of crazy, but don’t tell her I said that,” she said, letting out a hefty laugh.

This conversation was going downhill. I had only just met Celeste and she was acting as if we were best friends. I had to get out of there fast.

“Okay, well, back to work it is,” I said and practically skipped my way out.

“Maybe we can have lunch some time,” she yelled after me.

I didn’t respond. I was not interested in office gossip in the least bit. And clearly Celeste was.

When I got back to my desk, I noticed it was already 11:45 and Grace would be making her entrance soon.

She had a way about her. Her platinum blonde hair, perfect face, curvy body, and petite stature made her stand out. No way she could enter a room without people noticing her.

And boom, just like that, little Miss Bombshell appeared at the door. She practically hopped over to me, a huge smile on her face.

“I’m so nervous. I didn’t want to be late. Do you think they’ll mind that I’m a few minutes early? Or should I leave and come back?” She bit her nails. “I don’t know, what do you think I should do?”

“First off, stop biting your nails and second, calm down. Take a deep breath.”

She inhaled and exhaled rapidly.

“Am I going to have to slap you?” I asked.

She giggled. “Do it and I swear I’ll take you down.”

“Okay, well, sit on the couch and relax. I’ll tell Tom you’re here.”

“What about Mr. Walker?” she asked, sinking into the couch.

“Tom first and then Mr. Walker. He’s the one who called you, remember?”

“I told you I’m nervous.”

“Why don’t you go to the bathroom and gather yourself? You have time.”

Jumping up, she said, “Good idea. I’ll do that.” She disappeared into the hall.

I picked up the phone and called Tom.

“This is Tom.”

“Grace is here.”

“Great, I’ll come get her.”

“She stepped out for a second.”

“I’ll come anyway and wait for her.”

“Suit yourself.”

Thirty seconds later, he was standing in front of me. “Did she say where she was going?”

“She’ll be back in a minute.”

He glanced at the clock on the wall. “She’s early.”

“And here she is,” I said, pointing at a bubbly and smiling Grace.

Tom went right up to her. “I’m Tom.”

“I’m so happy to be here. I’m Grace. I was a little nervous so I stepped out for a second. I’m fine now.”

Tom laughed. “We’re happy you agreed to meet with us.” He then turned to me. “Jadie, can you see if Mr. Walker is ready for us?”

“Sure thing,” I said.