A Workplace Affair (5 page)

Chapter 11

The door to my office bursts open and I am treated to the radiant glow of anger flying off of Victoria as she rushes in yelling at me and shaking a manila folder at me. At first, her words are just a jumble, but finally she starts making sense and I swallow my chuckle.

“How dare you! Who the hell do you think you are? No, just who the hell do you think I am?” She’s reached me at this point and I am thankful for the desk that stands between us. “Do you really think that I am going to just sit around and spend company money? Seriously?” It takes me a moment to realize what she’s referring to and another minute more to realize that she’s waiting for an answer.

“I guess you’ve been down to accounting.” I turn away to hide my smile. “Victoria, as my secretary you will be running a lot of errands, and there may be times when I need you to entertain people, clients for example, by taking them to lunch. There may be dinners that I need you to attend, and judging by the suit you wore yesterday, you’ll need to buy appropriate attire.” The shade of red she turns at that comment can only be described as tomato. “I would never ask you to spend your own money on that when your job with me is temporary.” She seems to calm at that reasoning.

“Fine, but don’t expect me to be happy about it.” She departs as quickly as she had burst in. Damn women are crazy. Something about her just sets me abuzz. After witnessing her mad, I am more convinced that I need to know more about her. My first stop is calling human resources for a copy of her personnel file; you’d be surprised how much you can learn about a person from background checks.

Chapter 12

Did I really just do that? Did I really just yell at my boss? I laugh at myself slightly; damn lucky he didn’t fire me. I take a moment to file away the paperwork from accounting before slipping the sleek black American Express card into my wallet and heading out the door to finish my to do list.

Leland’s errands take me all over the city, dry cleaning, Godiva chocolates from Lenox Mall, VIP passes to the Georgia Aquarium. As if that wasn’t enough, he called halfway through my list and told me to “go by that bakery and pick up a dozen assorted cupcakes”. Well at least that gave me an excuse to see Sage and catch her up on my new boss. Now, as we sit enjoying a glass of wine, I am thankful for the company credit card. If I’m required to spend at least $1,000 a month then at least I could treat my oldest friend to lunch.

“So you slept in his bed and didn’t sleep with him?” Sage just couldn’t grasp this, “but you said he was gorgeous right? I mean, he is, I Googled him.” Sage and Google were best friends.

“No I didn’t sleep with him, and I went to sleep on the sofa and woke up in the bed. It’s not like I slept in the bed with him.”

“Do you remember him moving you to the bed?”

“No.” I could see where she was going with this.

“You said you were drinking, right?”

“Right.” Don’t go there Sage, I plead silently.

“So, you could have slept with him and just don’t remember it.” Crap, she went there.

“No. Well, I don’t think so anyway.”

“How do you know?” Good point.

“Because I’m not sore. He definitely seems like the type of man that would leave you sore after sex with him.” It seems plausible to me.

“Hmm, I’m not sure I buy it, but if you say so.” The waiter returned with my shiny new credit card and I signed the slip.

“Time to go do some research. I’m glad we could have lunch together Sage.” Lately Sage has pretty much been missing in action, I see her during our monthly karaoke dates, but beyond that she’s never really around anymore. I think the only way I got her to come out today was because I was paying for both lunch and the cupcakes Leland had requested.

“Me too Vie. I miss you.” She places the cupcakes on the table and gathers her purse, “thanks for lunch.” I have a feeling that whatever is making her go MIA has to do with money.

“Anytime sweetie.” I hug her tightly before picking up the bakery box and heading for the door.

Back at the office, I knock on Leland’s office door and wait for an answer, receiving none; I slowly open the door and take a peek. No Leland. I cross quickly to the desk and leave the cupcakes there, minus one. Feeling like I’m trespassing, I rush quickly out the door and back to my own desk. Once there, I settle in for what promises to be a long day of research. I start looking at a few businesses that I’ve heard are struggling. They are all either looking to sell or to add an investor. The first one I look at is Sawyer’s Bar and Grill. Sawyer’s is in a free-standing building on the edge of the area known as Little Five Points, and has been struggling for a number of years.

Four hours, and twenty businesses later, I have about eight good leads for Leland. Sitting back, I stretch my arms and roll my neck just as he comes walking up from his lunch date. They must have gone back to the hotel for a conjugal visit. The smug smile on his faces says as much.

Chapter 13

Coming around the corner I see Victoria leaning back in her chair stretching and working out the kinks in her muscles. I stop, not wanting to disturb her and enjoying the chance to once again observe her without her knowing. As she leans back, her breasts pull at the buttons on her blouse straining the material and threatening to burst free any moment. She leans slightly forward and starts rolling her head around in circles, about the third rotation some hair falls over her shoulder and into her face. Involuntarily, I make a move as if to sweep it back. About that time Robert walks up and notices where I am looking.

“You weren’t joking about the eye candy stuff, huh?” Slapping me on the back he laughs. I step around the corner before she sees us standing here watching her.

“I don’t think I know what you’re talking about, Robert, she is my employee, nothing more.” For now.

“Sure buddy, you keep telling yourself that, but that look in your eyes screams danger.” Look, what look? “Just be careful is all I’m saying. You live 800 miles away, wouldn’t be smart to start anything here.” He gives me a knowing look before turning and walking away. Robert has always been able to read me; sometimes it sucks. I peek around the corner again, just as she starts rolling her shoulders and my smile instantly returns. Who cares what Robert says, I’m a big boy, and if I want to sleep with someone that doesn’t mean I want to marry her.

“Look at you slacking off.” At my jab, she looks around the small reception area and then back at me.

“Who are you talking to? Certainly not me, as I’ve just spent the last four hours glued to my computer screen; while you were entertaining God knows who at lunch all day.” Her serious tone catches me off guard, was she really pissed off that I had an extended lunch with my mother?

“That’s the beauty of being the boss, Victoria. I do what I want.”

“Must be nice. The beauty of being the secretary is that it’s six o’clock and I’m going home for the day.” She turns and shuts off her computer before grabbing her purse to leave. “Your cupcakes are on your desk. I hope you don’t mind that I went in there. You weren’t here, and if they stayed on my desk they’d be gone by now.” Her snippy attitude was turning me on.

“Would you like to go to dinner with me?” I don’t know where that came from, but I’m going with it.

“No thank you. I’m sure you’re exhausted from your busy day. Besides, I have plans.” What she meant to say was that she has a date. Lucky bastard.

“Oh, well, have fun on your date.” She pauses as if to say something, starts to and then changes her mind. With a smile, she brushes by me on her way to the elevators.

“Mind if I walk with you?” She stops and turns to look at me.

“I guess not.” I lock my office and walk with her to the elevator; once inside we ride in relative silence except for the music that’s pumped into the small car. The elevator stops three times on the way down picking up passengers each time. On the third stop, the car is already pretty full, so we all move closer together to make room for the boarding passengers. As we stand close, I can smell her. She smells of honey and lavender. The longer we stand close, our bodies slightly pressed against each other; I can feel heat begin to radiate from her skin. Pretty soon, my whole body is aching to feel her warm, naked body against mine, and I decide that it will happen. I’ll be damned if I’m going to let her brush me off so easily. When the elevator arrives on the first floor, a little too quickly for me; everyone files off and I feel the absence of her heat. Promising myself that I will see her skin glow pink from the heat of her own orgasm, I follow her off the elevator and onto the streets of busy Atlanta. Instead of heading for the parking garage to left she moves to the right, there she greets a man and embraces him in a quick hug. Damn. They turn together and head past me towards the garage and her car.

“Goodnight, Victoria.”

“Goodnight, Leland.” She doesn’t stop, but tosses the reply quickly over her shoulder, walking arm in arm with the man toward her car.

Back at the hotel, I’m feeling restless and decide to go down to the bar for a bite to eat and a couple drinks. Sitting down I order a Jack on the rocks and take a look at the menu. Finding nothing that appeals to me on the limited menu, I call the bartender over.

“Tell Connor that Leland is at your bar and wants him to get creative.” The young woman picks up the phone from the wall behind the bar and after a brief conversation hangs up and returns to me.

“Mr. Reed said his creativity comes at a price.” I nod, not surprised by his response. Connor Reed and I met about six years ago at a party my dad insisted I attend. Connor was hired to cater the party, and I hid in the kitchen from the boring party guests that all wanted to know why I had left my father’s oh so successful company. Connor found me and my stolen bottle of liquor and offered me a try of assorted hors d’oeuvres for a couple shots. Apparently, the party planner had OCD and kept micromanaging Connor and his team. We shared the whole bottle and two trays of food and came away as friends. When we started hiring staff for the hotel two years ago, I knew I had to have Connor as our executive chef. It took six months and a divorce for him to agree to move from New York to Atlanta. Despite all that, he seems to be doing well being in a new city. Sammy, as I was informed was the bartender’s name, brought my plate over and set it in front of me along with silverware and a napkin. Eating my dinner, I know I made the right decision in bringing Connor here.

As I slide my empty plate across the bar, a woman slides next to me. She’s wearing a bright red, skin tight dress that’s cut low in both the front and the back. Her surgically enhanced breasts are barely tucked into the neckline and her bleach blonde hair is falling in curls to her shoulders. Looking at her, all I can think is how much I enjoyed watching Victoria’s breasts stretch against her blouse.

“What brings a handsome man like you alone to a hotel bar?” Knowing where this is headed and snatching up any excuse I have to contact Victoria. I pull out my phone and text her.

“
HELP! I have a woman who won’t take no for an answer, please come give me an excuse to leave.”
It takes thirty seconds for her to respond.

“Where are you?”

“Hotel bar.”
Full minute this time.

“Be there in 10.”
Success!

Turning my attention back to the blonde waiting expectantly, I decide how to play it. I send a few more texts before responding to her. “I’m waiting on my girlfriend; you know how women are when it comes to getting ready. It’s been two hours already.” She plasters on a fake smile.

“Well sugar, I’ll keep you company while you wait. Who knows, maybe we can have some fun a little later.”

“Actually, here she comes now.” Victoria is standing in the doorway looking just the way she had only a few hours earlier, beautiful. I resist the urge to get up and touch her; instead I wait for her to make her way to us at the bar. Although she’s more than two feet away, I can smell her. She still smells of honey and lavender but with a hint of whiskey mingling in. I wonder how her date felt when she told him she was leaving to see me. At the thought, my night gets a little better.

Chapter 14

Sitting at the table, I am satisfied with my day, not only did have lunch with Sage, but now I was having dinner with Nick. Both of my best friends in the same day, and to see Nick smiling was priceless.

“He’s attracted to you, Victoria, you know that right?” He’s smiling smugly to himself.

“You’re being ridiculous.” Ever since Nick and I got into my car he’d been talking about Leland and his “attraction” to me. I really think he was just avoiding talking about everything that was going on with him, but two hours into dinner the subject was the same.

“You didn’t see the way he was looking at me when you hugged me. He wanted to kill me.” He laughs out loud, a sound that is so good to hear.

“Now you’re imagining things.” Maybe it was the alcohol, but I was excited that Leland might have been jealous. My phone lights up on the table between us, reading the screen I see that it’s Leland. Nick smiles knowingly.

“
HELP! I have a woman who won’t take no for an answer, please come give me an excuse to leave.”
I respond right away.

“Where are you?”
His response seems to come through as soon as I hit send.

“Hotel bar.”

“Well, what does he want?” Nick would know he wanted something.

“He wants me to help him get rid of a clinger.”

“I’ll get the check.”

“Be there in 10.”
Nerves flutter in my stomach as I hit send. I pay the bill and finish my drink before we leave. Nick and I share a cab to the hotel; when we arrive I pay the driver enough to get Nick home.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“I don’t want to hear about your sex life, Victoria.” He laughs and gives me kiss on the cheek before I slide out the door. The hotel bar is to the left of the front desk, I walk to the doors and stand there for a moment watching Leland talking to the overly done up blonde next to him. I’m considering leaving when he spots me.