Finding Her Way
Authors: Riley Jefferson
Tags: #Gay & Lesbian, #Contemporary, #Fiction, #Romance, #Genre Fiction, #Lesbian, #Lesbian Romance, #Literature & Fiction
Back of the Book
Is it love or just great sex?
After ending an abusive marriage, Jerrica Kerrison is finally alive and she’s apologizing for nothing! She has a job with a financial firm in Boston, a townhouse in Newburyport, and a sports car she drives way too fast. Jerrica has everything except that indefinable emotion called love.
Madison Jeffrey is a lost soul. A PR job in the south has always protected Madison from the pressures of her family. But one day, fate brings her back to New England, forcing Madison to face her long buried demons, and a sister who despises her.
When a chance meeting brings Jerrica and Madison’s separate worlds crashing together, the attraction is instantaneous. After one passionate night together, Jerrica retreats into the safety of her world, leaving Madison to figure out what happened.
Will Jerrica open up her heart to the idea of love? Can Madison finally believe that she is worthy of unconditional love? Or will a devil hiding in the shadows tear them apart?
Finding Her Way
© 2014 by Riley Jefferson
Affinity E-Book Press NZ LTD
Canterbury, New Zealand
ISBN:
ePUB:
978-1-927282-76-2
ISBN:
PDF:
978-1-927282-77-9
ISBN:
PRC:
978-1-927282-78-6
1
st
Edition
All rights reserved.
No part of this may be reproduced in any form without the express permission of the author and publisher. Please note that piracy of copyrighted materials violate the author's rights and is illegal.
This is a work of fiction. Names, character, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Editor: Nat Burns
Cover Design: Irish Dragon Designs
Acknowledgments
As a writer, I have a supportive team working behind the scenes. Without these people, I would never have put words on the paper. I would like to thank some of them now…
I would like to thank the woman who stole my heart nine years ago. Michele my love, thank you for helping me fulfill my dream of being a published author. I couldn't have made this journey without you. You have been my light in the darkness.
I would also like to recognize Mary, Richard, Kathleen, and Roger for their unwavering support of my talents. Without the support of loving, encouraging parents I wouldn't have made it this far. I would also like to express gratitude to the small group of cheerleaders that sit in the back, applauding my success.
Thank you Syd, you know what for…
Last but not least, I would like to show my appreciation to the wonderful people of Affinity E-book Press, Julie, Mel, and Nancy. You guys are awesome!
Dedication
For Darlene—
The lost love of a sister
Table of Contents
“Thanks for escorting me up here. You really didn’t have to,” Jerrica Kerrison commented as she inserted her key into the lock on her office door.
“Oh, it’s my pleasure,” her companion answered.
The door opened with ease and they entered the darkened office. Using the starlight as a guide, Jerrica strolled to her desk, clicking on the small lamp. Walking around the corner of the desk, she slid out the top drawer. Snatching up the reason she had returned to the office, she turned to her escort.
“I told you I had left it here.” She smiled broadly, holding up her wallet with satisfaction.
Jerrica suddenly stood still, inhaling deeply at the sight of the gorgeous blonde who had accompanied her. Standing in front of the windows, her companion’s soft features were bathed in moonlight. Jerrica let the wallet drop onto the desktop in a load thump.
God, she’s so beautiful, she thought.
“You have a nice view of the city. I never noticed it before.”
Jerrica walked up behind her lover. “The view doesn’t compare to your penthouse,” she stated, sliding her arms around the woman’s waist. “Tell me what you’re thinking, Devin.”
Devin turned to face Jerrica. “I’m thinking how much I enjoy our time together.”
Jerrica pulled the taller woman closer, kissing her on the neck. Her smile widened as Devin tilted her head back, revealing more skin to caress. She growled into the soft skin, nipping it gently with her teeth. The tip of her tongue made a path to the delicate spot just below the left ear. Devin moaned as she sucked that sensitive spot. Jerrica knew she was driving Devin crazy.
Devin placed her hands on Jerrica’s shoulders. With a tender push Devin made Jerrica step back, breaking the contact. A smirking Devin looked into confused eyes. “Who said you could do that to me?”
Jerrica grinned. “You didn’t tell me I couldn’t, nor did you tell me to stop.”
“You think you know me so well.”
“I wouldn’t say I know you well, but I have learned what you like.”
Sidestepping past Jerrica, Devin strolled to the office door, closing it. Gliding behind Jerrica’s desk, Devin pointed a finger at her victim then curled it in, directing Jerrica to come to her.
Jerrica gulped hard watching the seductive woman beckon her. She tried to resist, but her feet had other plans. Not remembering taking the steps but suddenly finding herself standing right in front of Devin, she felt Devin’s arm reach around her, the sensation making her eyes flutter closed. Jerrica gasped when the unexpected push landed her in a sitting position in her office chair.
“You think you know what I want.” Devin leaned over a surprised Jerrica. “You have a lot to learn, Ms. Kerrison.”
Devin took Jerrica’s lips savagely, taking total control. Her captive groaned and freely opened her mouth. Jerrica arched toward her as their tongues engaged in sensual battle. Placing a stabilizing hand on Jerrica’s arm, Devin pulled away, quickly returning to a standing position.
With eyes completely focused on her every move, Devin took full advantage of her audience. “Oh, honey, you think you know me,” she purred, reaching down to the button on her pants and releasing the clasp.
Jerrica licked her dry lips as she watched her lover’s pants cascade to the floor. She watched the sexy woman kick her pants aside. Her eyes slowly swept across the black heels, to shapely legs, to the lacy garter belt holding up her thigh-high nylons, and she gasped when she noticed Devin wasn’t wearing panties. Staring as Devin slowly removed her top, she unconsciously tugged at her lower lip with her teeth.
Devin smiled at the frustration developing in the younger women’s eyes. Almost totally exposed, she took the few steps forward to stand directly in front of Jerrica. With eyes locked on her lover’s eyes, Devin straddled Jerrica’s lap.
Beautiful naked breasts were inches from Jerrica’s face. She reached up to touch the inviting nipples, but Devin slapped her hands away.
“Oh no, no, no…you don’t get to touch until I tell you.”
“You’re a tease.”
“Honey, I’m far from a tease. A tease works you up then sends you home unsatisfied. I, on the other hand, will make sure we are both satisfied…just on my terms.” She grinned into desire filled eyes. “Now, let’s continue your education….”
Jerrica nestled into a seat far away from most of the passengers that had already gathered in the train car, knowing the train would get more crowded the closer they were to Boston. She liked the quiet moments when she wasn’t amid the chaos of the corporate world just yet. It made her sad to look at all the defeated expressions on the preoccupied passengers around her. At each train stop, Jerrica realized with exasperation that they were getting closer to where she worked. After six years at the same job, every day seemed an effort just to go in to work. Taking a deep breath, Jerrica mentally prepared herself for the day.
As the train reached North Station, its final destination, the passengers became restless with anticipation for the doors to open so they could exit the train. Jerrica knew that if she tried to enter the stampede of people, she would be in the midst of the madness that was the morning commute, the pushing and shoving that every passenger goes through, so she waited until the crowd thinned.
The walk from the station to the office wasn’t too long and a couple blocks seemed easy, though in the winter the freezing temperatures could chill you to the bone. Fortunately, today was a sunny, mild spring day and it was enjoyable to saunter a few blocks. Jerrica walked at a steady pace, often looking up toward the sky, enjoying the sunshine warming her face.
Consumed in thoughts about the impending day, she almost walked past the entrance to work. Stopping abruptly, she glanced at the building.
“Damn! I didn’t expect to get here so quickly,” she mumbled.
Walking across the decorative steel and glass lobby, she looked for an available elevator, but they all seemed filled. When impatience started getting the best of her, she squeezed herself into the next available one. Stuffed into an elevator like a sardine, she suddenly couldn’t wait to get to her office. Not only did she not enjoy being in elevators, she disliked being in a crowded one even more. She could feel the warm breath from the tall man standing behind her. If her office weren’t on the seventeenth floor, she would have taken the stairs. Jerrica practically jumped out of the confined space when the doors opened, startling the people still on the elevator. She politely smiled back at them as the door closed. Straightening her blazer, she exhaled in relief.
Three departments of Morrill, Hartford, and Donahue shared the seventeenth floor— accounting, public relations, and the overseas division. All the managers’ offices hugged the outer wall, while the rest of the staff occupied cubicles in the middle.
Jerrica’s loyal, bright, and intuitive personal assistant and friend, Lauren, rushed up to her. “Mr. Bisset has been waiting for you,” she said.
“Good morning to you, too,” replied Jerrica, walking toward her office, relinquishing her briefcase to her assistant.
“He’s been here for ten minutes. He’s in your office,” Lauren stated nervously.
“I get the impression you don’t like Mr. Bisset?”
Lauren placed the briefcase next to her desk. “He makes me uncomfortable. I feel he’s looking down his nose at me.”
Jerrica stopped briefly at her door, with her hand on the doorknob. She glanced back at her assistant with a wink. “He’s not looking down at you, Lauren, he’s probably undressing you with his eyes.”
Jerrica quickly stepped into her office. When she latched the door closed, she heard a thump from the other side, which she assumed was a magazine tossed at her. A smile crossed her face.
She noticed Mr. Bisset standing near the windows looking at the street below. “Good morning, Mr. Bisset. What can I do for you this morning,” she said, walking around her desk.
“Jak, why do you persist on being so formal when we greet one another?” Mr. Bisset commented, walking to the front of her desk.
Jak was a nickname from her youth that had followed her through school and now most of her male colleagues called her that as well. “It’s a show of respect, Mr. Bisset, but if you prefer me to call you John, I will.”
“I would prefer you call me John.”
“So John, what can I do for you?”
“Well…I need to hire another PR person. I need you to look at yearly revenues for the past two years and compare them to this year’s revenues up until today. I have to justify spending a huge chunk of money to bring in a well-established public relations representative,” he said, not looking at her directly.
“That shouldn’t be a problem. I can have Lauren pull—”
“I would prefer you to do all the numbers for me. If the brass or anyone else gets an idea of who I’m trying to bring in, they will say no and our competition will scoop her up.”
“I trust Lauren to be discreet, but if you prefer, I will handle the project. I’ll pull account reports today and I will have figures for you by lunchtime tomorrow. I hope the person you’re trying to grab is worth all this trouble,” she commented while jotting information on her notepad.
John stood and walked to the door. Turning to look at Jerrica, he grinned. “Thanks, Jak, and she is well worth it, trust me.”
A puzzled look crossed her face as he left her office.
What is he up to
? she wondered as she paged Lauren.
Lauren entered with the briefcase in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She handed Jerrica the coffee, dropping the case on the desk. “So, what did that…I mean, Mr. Bisset, want?”
Jerrica looked up from her notepad. “He needs comparative figures.”
“I can get those for you. What dates is he looking for?”
“Thanks, Lauren, but he has asked me to find the numbers for him. He wants to keep his request on the down low,” Jerrica explained.
Lauren started to object, but it seemed as if she decided she didn’t have anything nice to say about the situation. Faking a smile, Lauren turned and headed for the door. “If you need anything else, I’ll be at my desk,” she said, shutting the door loudly behind her.
Jerrica knew by Lauren’s tone and quick exit that she wasn’t happy about not being included in this big, secret project. Jerrica didn’t even know why she hadn’t told her more about it because she trusted Lauren not to gossip. Maybe the cryptic way John had asked had piqued her curiosity and she needed to see this through. She would work on his request later. She needed to go to the filing department, a couple floors down, to get physical copies of the past couple years’ financial reports. She was already working on this month’s figures, so almost one-third of the project would be easy.
There was a faint knock on her door. “Come in,” she said loudly.
The door opened slowly and a tiny young woman stepped in. “Good morning, Ms. Kerrison. I have your messages from this morning and some new documents sent from Daniel & Daniel, Inc. for you,” Jaime, her secretary, whispered.
Jerrica held her hand out to take the stack of paper. “Jaime, how long have you been working here?” she asked in a low voice.
“I’ve been here a little more than a year, Ms. Kerrison,” Jaime replied quietly.
“How many times have I told you, that when you are in my office, to please call me Jerrica,” she scolded while smiling at Jaime.
“Every time I’m in your office, Ms. Kerrison. I mean Jerrica,” Jaime answered with a twinkle in her eye.
Changing the subject and being a little mischievous, Jerrica questioned her further. “Did Justin, our favorite delivery boy, drop these off this morning?”
Jaime’s face flushed a bright pink as she looked down at her feet, shuffling them in embarrassment.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Jerrica said and smiled at the innocence of Jaime’s reactions.
As if not knowing what to say or do, Jaime tried to make a respectable exist before she totally embarrassed herself.
Jerrica opened the new files from Daniel & Daniel, Inc. Daniel Antiquities had started out as a small shop in Nantucket and they had been in business for twenty years and had made lucrative progress during those years. Then their daughter, their only child, had graduated from college and decided to take the little shop global. Devin Daniel, at twenty-five, had a talent for buying just what their patrons desired. She would travel the world, buying items and having them shipped back to the U.S. As the one shop grew, so did their reputation, which in turn started to attract wealthier clientele. After three years at the helm of her parents’ company, Devin had opened another nine stores worldwide. When the company opened their ninth store, they started looking into an accounting firm to handle most of their enormous financial requirements. That is how the young and inexperienced Jerrica Kerrison met the beautiful, sophisticated, worldly Devin Daniel.
To Jerrica’s surprise, on top of the papers was a note addressed to her.
Darling,
Have dinner with me tonight.
D.
Jerrica stared at the note. From Devin. This was a situation she was not ready to deal with at this moment. Crumpling the note, Jerrica tried shooting a basketball two pointer at her wastebasket. The small paper hit the rim and tumbled into the trash. She smiled with satisfaction. Inhaling deeply, she tried to get back to the other folders on her desk. Considering her next move she paged Lauren.
Sauntering in, Lauren took forever to cross the room.
With an elbow on her desk, chin on her hand, Jerrica waiting patiently for Lauren to reach her. “Are you taking your time on purpose or have you hurt yourself? Do I need to get you a walker or something,” Jerrica asked.
“Funny,” Lauren retorted.
“Ok, out with it Lauren. I know something is bothering you.”
“I have a feeling we are going to be discussing the note from the wretched she-bitch that was just delivered to you,” she said, plopping into the chair across from her boss.
“How did you know about the note,” Jerrica asked, examining Lauren’s expression. “Never mind,” she said, rethinking the question.
Trying to stretch time so she could think, Jerrica picked up her pencil and doodled on her note pad.
“You’re going to say no, right?”
Jerrica tilted her head up. “Yes,” she tried to sound confident. “That is why I called you in here. I need you to call her office to decline the invitation.”
“How’s this sound for a message? Please tell Ms. Daniel to take her request and stuff it—” Lauren stopped mid-sentence, as if startled to see the obvious hurt in Jerrica’s eyes.
Lauren’s heart suddenly ached for her friend. Neither of them spoke as Lauren made her way to the door. Before she reached the door she turned. “Can I ask one question?” she asked, then not waiting for a reply. “How long did it take you to make that decision?”
She couldn’t lie to Lauren. “I would like to tell you it was an instant decision, but I did ponder saying yes. Nevertheless, you have my answer. Please make the call.”
Lauren didn’t respond as she left the room.
Jerrica heard the door click but didn’t really see Lauren leave. She was now staring at the tapping pencil in her hand.
I need to get back to work
, thought Jerrica. She would look at messages first, then e-mails and then spend the rest of the day working on reports.
Jerrica’s morning became a blur of people coming in and out of her office and phone calls she effortlessly fielded to her staff. Just another day crunching numbers for clients, preparing accounts for auditing, or setting up new clients with accounts. It was the same routine every day. Jerrica focused on her numbers. Most time balance sheets and account records matched and the outcome was predictable, fitting into her no surprises lifestyle. On occasion, when Jerrica interacted with clients, she had a calming way that made them trust her from the start. She always adjusted who she was to whatever the client needed. The drawback was that no one got close enough to see the real Jerrica.
As she was clicking on the computer keyboard, there was another soft knock on the door. Jerrica wasn’t sure she had heard it until it sounded again. Without looking up from her computer screen, Jerrica said, “Come in, Jaime.”
The door cracked open and Jaime poked her head in. “How did you know it was me?”
“Well, let’s see…Lauren usually pages before she comes in or she just comes in, and everyone else here knows to see Lauren to be announced. You are the only one I can think of who knocks.”
Jaime’ smiled as Jerrica noticed the large stack of papers she was holding.
“Please tell me all those papers aren’t for me?”
Jaime stopped in front of her desk “Just the top file is for you, and the rest of them I’m taking down to the archive department.”
“Phew…I thought for a minute you were trying to load up my desk,” she said letting out a breath.
Sometimes her workload would be a comfortable steady stream of paperwork going across her desk, but on more occasions then she liked to remember, the work was like a tidal wave. Ever since the business world started to downsize, her job had become busier. Clients wanted to know their financial bottom line and ways to cut their expenses. She tried not to think of all the people who might have lost their jobs because of the numbers she presented. She had to remind herself often that she was just an accountant analyst. Reaching up, she removed the folder from the stack.
Without a word, Jaime turned and, resembling a small child, skipped out of her office.