That Man 2 (15 page)

“That’s too bad. You missed Mel Weiner’s show. He topped last year’s performance. This year he got drunk and humped the dessert table.”

“Sorry I missed that.”
Thank God, I did.

“How did you get home? Chaz and I looked all over for you.”

“Lip Service.” Lip Service was a relatively new alternate cab service that was becoming all the rage because it was reasonable and trustworthy—even more so than popular Uber. The fleet consisted of black Nissan Cubes that bore huge red felt Mick Jagger-like lips on the front fender. All the drivers were carefully screened. By opening an account with your credit card, you could readily book a car online.

Libby folded her newspaper and placed it down on the counter. “Are you excited about going home tomorrow and seeing your parents?”

“Yes.”
More than you know.

She chugged her coffee. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’m going to miss you too.

Poor Libby was staying in town. She’d planned to travel east to see her boyfriend Everett, but at last minute, he’d been invited by one of his Oxford professors to give a lecture. I seriously didn’t know how the two of them maintained their long distance relationship. But somehow it worked. Instead of getting laid, she was going to spend Christmas with her brother Chaz and a bunch of his gay friends. At least it would be fun. Tomorrow before I left, we would exchange our Christmas presents.

Rising, my bestie put her mug into the dishwasher and then grabbed her large canvas bag in which she kept everything. “Maybe I’ll see you later at the office. I have to head in early. I volunteered to help with the Department Christmas breakfast. While my boss distributes bonuses to everyone, I’m handing out gifts.”

Office gifts. Suddenly, I remembered I had one for Blake. Yesterday, I looked forward to giving him the little snow globe. Today, I dreaded it.

*

The mood in the office was upbeat and festive. Exchanges of “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays” were met everywhere. Although some looked a little shitfaced from last night’s party, most of my co-workers wore big smiles on their faces. The office was going to be closed for a week. Except for those with technical jobs who would be well compensated for overtime, everyone had a paid week of vacation.

I headed straight to my office and locked my door. If Blake wanted to see me, he was going to have to knock.

To my relief, he left me alone. I busied myself with a few things I wanted to wrap up before I took off. I spent a little time on the PowerPoint that I was presenting to Gloria’s Secret in January and sent “Season Greetings” e-cards to the authors I was hoping to work with in the coming year. I also watered the cactus plant that Blake had given me. I’d grown very attached to it and named it Lucky. Sitting on my credenza where it bathed in sunlight, it gave my still sterile office some life. And it brought back fond memories I wished now I could erase.

I tried hard not to think about Blake and our encounter last night. The relentless throbbing between my legs made it impossible. My eyes darted back and forth between my computer screen and the close by snow globe. In addition to wrapping it, I’d put it into a cute little holiday gift bag with “Ho Ho Ho!” printed on it. At some point, I was going to have to give it to him.

And then my phone rang. My heart jumped. I picked it up on the first ring.

“Jennifer.”

That sultry voice. It was him. Blake. My heartbeat sped up.

“I’d like you to come to my office before you leave for the day.”

“I’ll come now.”

Come
now? The double entendre sent a flurry of tingles to my core
. Get a grip,
Jennifer. Stop it with all this sexual innuendo stuff. Get him out of your mind.

“Good.” He hung up the phone.

With trembling fingers, I collected his gift—better to give it to him now than having to make another trip to his office. With the bag in one hand, I smoothed my hair with the other before heading to his office. My heart was racing and so was my mind. What was I going to say to him?

That was the best sex I ever had in my life?

Thank you for the mind-blowing
orgasms?

Was it as good for you as it was for me?

Shit. Shit. Shit. I had no idea. My heart was beating like a hummingbird’s wings, and my stomach bubbled with nerves.

He was sitting at his desk when I traipsed into his open-door office, gazing at his computer screen. At the sound of my footsteps, he looked up at me.

“Jennifer.”

“Yes?” My voice was meek.

“Have a seat.”

He gestured to one of the armchairs facing his desk. He was acting like nothing had transpired between us last night. While this should have had a calming effect on me, it didn’t. Angst filled my lungs like air in a balloon. And tingles pricked my body like needles. While it was “casual Friday” and I was dressed in jeans, he was impeccably dressed in one of his elegant dark suits. His smoldering blue eyes connected with mine, and he quirked one of his sexy crooked smiles. I couldn’t control my reaction to him. I became acutely aware of the throbbing between my legs as my already rapid heartbeat accelerated.
Stop it, Jen. He’s your boss. A player.
It was futile. He was just too, too beautiful.

Anxiously without smiling back, I ambled toward the chair. I stumbled but luckily caught my balance before I tumbled. I silently said a Hail Mary, thankful that I didn’t embarrass myself. It wasn’t easy being Calamity Jen.

I lowered myself to the seat cushion as he reached for an envelope on his desk. “This is your Christmas bonus, Jennifer.”

Shocked, thinking I’d not be eligible for one given that I’d worked for SIN-TV for less than a month, I took the envelope from him. My hand shook.

“Thank you,” I stuttered.

He winked at me. Actually, it was more like a twitch, “Your performance has been outstanding.”

My performance?
My job performance or my performance last night? I dared not ask.

Nervously, I thanked him again. He was having an unnerving effect on me. My heart was pounding, and every nerve was cackling, especially the ones between my thighs. I crossed one leg over the other to contain the fiery sensations. The sooner I got out of here the better.

“What’s that in your hand?” he asked, eyeing the little bag dangling from it.

I’d almost forgotten and stammered, “This is just a little something for you. Merry Christmas.” I set the bag on his desk, and he instantly reached for it. My eyes stayed locked on his fingers as he took the little box out of the bag and unwrapped it. Those beautiful deft fingers that had been all over my body. Groping. Squeezing. Circling. Caressing.

That dazzling dimpled smile curled on his lips at the sight of the snow globe. He held it in his hand and admired it. The gold ball glistened.

“Thank you. I collect these.” He held his eyes fierce on mine, burning a hole right through them. My raging hormones mixed with my nerves. I wanted to jump out of my skin.

I uncrossed my legs. “Well, I should be going. I’ve got a few last minute things to wrap up before I take off.”

“Are you doing anything special over the holidays, Ms. McCoy?” His seductive tone made it sound as if he was about to proposition me.

“I’m going home to Boise to see my parents.”

He nodded with approval. “Good. Sometimes getting away puts things in perspective. Makes you see things more clearly.”

What was he implying? He was insinuating something in his tone.

“What about you?”

“I’m going skiing in Sun Valley. It’s not too far from Boise.”

I gulped. He was practically going to be in my backyard.

“Would you like to come up for a day and ski?”

I was visibly shaking. “Mr. Burns, I don’t ski, and furthermore think it would be best if we don’t have any contact over the break unless it’s a work-related emergency.”

He pressed his lips into a thin, pensive line. “I see.”

Sun Valley was a playground for the rich, the beautiful, and the famous. Without warning, the thought of him spending the twelve days of Christmas with a different blond bimbo every night invaded my brain and threw my emotions into a tailspin. My breath hitched painfully in my throat.

“Are you okay, Ms. McCoy?

I nodded wordlessly and forced myself to stand up. My legs felt like Jell-O. It took all my effort to get past the Christmas ball-sized lump in my throat and say, “Have a nice holiday, Mr. Burns.” Slipping my bonus check into a skirt pocket, I turned toward the door to his office. I should have been excited about opening the envelope, but I wasn’t. Unexpected sadness filled me. An emptiness that I did not want to understand.

I hadn’t taken three steps when he called out to me. “Wait, Ms. McCoy. I have something for you too.” I stopped dead in my tracks and pivoted around. My eyes stayed fixed on him as he lowered his head under his desk. Every muscle in my body clenched. Was he zipping down his fly? Was I about to see his colossal cock and fuck him over his desk?
Oh yes!

Instead—and admittedly to my disappointment—he pulled out a box from under his desk. It was enormous and extravagantly wrapped with metallic green paper and an extravagant red bow.

“Come here,” he said, placing it flat on his desk. I slowly made my way back to him, feeling mortified that I’d gotten him something so small and fantasized something so big in a different way.

“I don’t think I should accept a gift from you,” I protested meekly.

“Just open it,” he ordered.

With jittery fingers, I carefully undid the exquisite wrapping. “Did you wrap this yourself?” I asked fumbling for conversation.

He rolled his eyes at me. “Are you kidding? I can’t even cut a straight line. I had it professionally wrapped.”

I twitched a nervous little smile as I tore off the paper. “Well, it’s beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you.”

My heart skipped a beat. It was best not to respond to him.

Whatever was inside the box was rather heavy; I couldn’t begin to manage what it could be. Finally unwrapping it, I lifted off the lid and peeled away a thick layer of emerald green tissue paper. My mouth fell open and my heart leapt into my throat. A loud gasp escaped.

Oh my God. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the painting I’d admired so much at Jaime Zander’s art gallery gala. His late father’s erotic painting that had reduced me to tears.
The Kiss.

“I can’t take this from you,” I stammered.

He smiled. “It’s not returnable. Final Sale.”

“Please—”

“No, I want you to have it. You need a piece of artwork to liven up that office of yours.”

I stared in awe at the breathtaking abstract portrait of the artist in a passionate embrace with his wife—his muse and lover. Tears welled up in my eyes again. I brushed them away before they fell onto the canvas.

Blake’s eyes met mine. I flushed with emotion. “Why are you crying, Jennifer? You should be happy. It’s Christmas.”

“I’m just overwhelmed,” I sniffed. To say I was overwhelmed was an understatement. The memory of
his
kiss assaulted every one of my senses. Ate away at my heart. Consumed every fiber of my being. The tears kept falling.

“This is the most amazing gift I’ve ever gotten.”

“Then enjoy it.” He handed me a hankie and I dabbed my eyes with it.

“Thank you,” I whispered, resisting the burning urge to throw my arms around his neck and hug him. How I longed to feel the warmth and hardness of his beautiful body. Have his delicious mouth on mine. Feel his hot cock against my belly. He nodded as if reading my mind. A long moment of silence transpired between us. The air was thick with tension and electricity.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get you something bigger.” My small trembling voice broke the awkward silence.

He smiled at me wistfully. “Your present is perfect. I love it.” He picked up the snow globe and shook it. My eyes blinked back tears as I watched the delicate glittering flakes of snow dance in the water around the gold ball. A painful longing tugged at my heart.

“Then I should be going.” I gathered up the box. “Enjoy your holiday, Mr. Burns.”

He shot me a sexy little wink.

“You too, tiger.”

With a heavy heart, I slumped out his office, not looking back or knowing what lay ahead of me.

*