The Cowboy's Temptation (2 page)

Jim smiled his best smile. “Well, how about just a one night stand, sort of a celebration on having such a good day? I think we could be very good together.” He leaned towards her, his eyes taking on an intense look.

Elissa shook her head, carefully saying, “Jim, I’m flattered, but I don’t think tonight is a very good idea.” She stood up and walked across her office, wanting to put some distance between the two of them, not wanting to repeat the incident earlier in the day with Darrel.

He followed her but, thankfully, didn’t trap her into a corner. “Why not? You’re here, I’m here. We don’t have anyone waiting for us. It has been a long day,” he said, and his hand slid down her arm in a caress that sent shivers of revulsion down Elissa’s spine. “Why don’t we take care of each other?”

Elissa didn’t know how to get out of the situation and thankfully, her phone rang just at that moment. “Excuse me,” she said and held up a finger indicating that he should wait just a moment.

“Elissa Stone,” She said to the receiver.

 

“Lissy?” a familiar voice at the other end of the line said. As soon as Elissa heard the nickname, a new kind of panic entered her system.

“Ronny?” Elissa said and walked back around her desk, moving to avoid Jim who had moved to stand directly behind her. “Are you okay? How are the babies? What’s wrong?”

The joyous laughter on the other end of the phone line instantly filled Elissa with relief. “Lissy, nothing’s wrong except a huge amount of heartburn that’s keeping me awake. I was afraid I would catch you still at the office. Do you have any idea what time it is?” her friend asked.

Veronica Williams had been Elissa’s roommate in college and they had remained best friends ever since. Veronica was expecting twins after years of trying to conceive. Elissa glanced at her computer screen and sighed. “Yes. So what are you doing up at midnight? Shouldn’t you be sleeping and taking care of those babies? What aren’t you telling me?” Elissa demanded.

Jim shook his head and raised his hand to his ear with his thumb sticking up, a sign for her to call him when she was done with her phone call. Elissa breathed a sigh of relief when he walked out of her office and headed back to his own office at the other end of the building.

Veronica continued, unaware of the tension she’d banished with her phone call. “I promise Lissy, nothing is wrong. I just wanted to talk to you. You haven’t been yourself lately and I wanted to see what is going on.”

Elissa fell back into her chair and put her forehead into the palm of her hand. “Oh, Ronny. Things are just too complicated,” She said, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out over her tightly clenched eyes.

“Talk to me, Lissy,” Veronica said through the phone, the worry coming through the night. “What’s going on.”

 

“It’s a long story,” Elissa said and sniffed back her tears.

 

“Then tell me why you are still working at three o’clock in the morning. How many nights have you worked until this time during the week?”

 

“I was working with a client,” she explained, not bothering to count how many times that excuse was applicable over the past week or month.

Veronica sighed heavily. “Lissy, you need a break. I’m not going to put any more demands on you. It sounds like you have enough already. But I just got high speed internet service installed in the cabin Jake is lending me while you’re here for the babies’ delivery. The cabin is right next to our house and I’ve been getting it ready for you for the past several months. It is ready whenever you can make it.”

Elissa squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. “Thanks,” she whispered, deeply touched that her friend was trying to make a space cozy for her. They talked about the babies in-utero development and some of the sillier names Veronica and her husband Rick had tossed around. Veronica described the latest additions to the nursery and the antics of her kids at school who were all eager to get out for the summer break.

By the end of the conversation, Elissa was laughing and offering suggestions, feeling like her old self again. Veronica always seemed to know when to call, Elissa thought as she opened the door to her apartment that night. She didn’t bother to turn on any lights. The small rooms were minimally filled with furniture and there was no food in the refrigerator. Elissa barely spent any time in her apartment, needing it only to sleep, shower and change clothes before heading off to work six or seven days a week. Getting ready for bed that night, she considered her life, or lack of it. Working eighteen to twenty hour days was really getting to be an awful drag, she thought as she pulled the sheet up over her and drifted off into a restless sleep.

The next day was just as chaotic. But it was compounded by several messages from Jim asking her to see him as soon as she could.

 

And then Darrel came to her office. “Hey gorgeous,” he said and dropped into one of the visitors chairs facing her desk. “How about if we kiss and make up?”

 

Elissa didn’t even bother to glance away from her computer. “No thank you,” she said and typed in a few more numbers.

 

“Ah, come on Elissa. Don’t be harsh. It was just a lover’s quarrel. Let’s get over this and move on,” he said coaxingly.

There wasn’t even irritation anymore. She was just too tired and too busy for that emotion now. “First of all, we aren’t lovers,” she said, writing something down on her notepad.

“That’s just one of the things I wanted to discuss. I think sex is getting in the way. We should just do it so we don’t fight over it anymore.”

Elissa’s hands stilled on her keys only momentarily, but she still didn’t look at him. “We aren’t fighting over it anymore, Darrel. We aren’t fighting over anything anymore.”

“Come on, Elissa. We look great together,” he said.

Elissa was disgusted. She stopped typing and gave him her full attention. “Are you telling me that you want to get back together simply because we make an attractive couple? Are you really that superficial?” she asked, stunned that she hadn’t seen this side of him before.

“Well, you have to admit that it makes the dinner parties easier,” he laughed.

 

Elissa was done with the conversation. She turned back to her computer and continued her research. “Goodbye Darrel.”

 

“Come on Elissa. Let’s at least talk about this,” he pleaded.

 

The phone rang and Elissa picked it up. It was Jim. “Elissa, get into my office immediately.”

Elissa picked up her notebook and a pen and walked around her desk, ignoring Darrel who was still sitting in the chair. “That’s it? No goodbye kiss or anything?” he exclaimed, grabbing her arm and stopping her.

Elissa stopped only because she was so shocked. “Let go of me. Jim is waiting,” she said, flinging the director’s name in his face.

 

Derrel instantly let go of her arm but called out to her retreating back, “Come to dinner with me tonight and we’ll finish this discussion.”

Elissa ignored him and continued down the mauve colored carpeting to Jim’s office. It was a long walk and she had plenty of time to worry about his proposition from the night before.

Dianna, Jim’s secretary smiled tightly at Elissa when she walked through the doors to Jim’s inner sanctum.

“Thank you for seeing me, Jim.” Elise walked into the director’s office with a brisk, business-like attitude, acting as if the previous night had simply not happened. “I wanted to discuss that extended vacation we talked about several months ago. My friend’s doctor is concerned so I was hoping to start that period sooner rather than later.” She sat down in one of the dark leather chairs in front of Jim’s desk and looked directly back at him, daring him to deny her request.

Jim watched her for a long moment, tapping his Mont Blanc pen on his nose as his mind worked through her statement. Finally, he leaned forward and said, “What’s going on with your friend? I thought your vacation wasn’t going to start for another two weeks.”

“I was under that impression as well. But she’s pregnant with twins so it is more difficult to pin down a due date. It was always a high risk pregnancy. I’m just hoping she is able to deliver two healthy babies and I’m going to do anything I can to help her accomplish that.”

Jim nodded with a sophisticated twist. “That’s very noble of you. And very loyal. I’ll allow you to go under two conditions,” he started, staring at her carefully.

 

“Understood. What are they?” she asked, holding her breath in anxiety over what he might ask of her.

“First, you have to check in with e-mail every day. I don’t want your clients to worry about their projects although I know you’re leaving most of them almost finished as of last night.”

“That’s fair,” she said, angling her head to the side in a mock agreement which was the typical fashion in their world. It was a sort of acknowledgment without an outright agreement. “And the other condition?” she asked, but she already knew. He didn’t disappoint her.

“I want you to consider my proposition from last night,” he said, smiling as if he was some sort of Prince Charming. “Like I said, I think we could provide valuable services to each other,” he continued.

Elise considered his words and tried to shake the feeling that there might be a type of quid pro quo involved. She hated the idea, wanting to be rewarded only for her professional services and not anything she did in the bedroom.

Subduing the need to shiver in revulsion, she pasted a small smile on her face, hoping he would think that was agreement. “Thank you Jim,” she said, and stood up quickly, wanting to leave the man’s office as if it were on fire. She was disgusted! Both with the men and the profession.

What was she doing? Was all this political idiocy and sexual wrangling worth the effort? She knew her bank account was healthy but surely no amount of money could be worth sacrificing one’s sense of self worth and identity.

Rushing back to her office on feet that could not move quickly enough, she only took time to grab her purse and her laptop before leaving the building. Once she was out on the streets of New York, she breathed in the air, only to cough as a large delivery truck drove by, spewing combustion in every direction.

With her shoulders drooping, she pulled her cell phone out and called Veronica, letting her know that she would be on the next plane out of New York and would give her more details as soon as she had a plane reservation.

Hanging up, Elissa smiled at her friend’s enthusiasm. At least some things in this world were genuine, she told herself.

 

Chapter 2

Jake Callahan heard his name come through on the walkie-talkie and responded quickly while keeping his eyes on the road in front of him, maneuvering the truck through the intersection. “Callahan here. What’s up?”

“Jake, it’s Rick. I need to get Ronny to the doctor’s office. Can you pick up her friend at the airport?”

 

“Sure can. What’s wrong with Ronny?” he asked, his concern coming through in is voice.

 

“Nothing really. The doctor just wants to see her since she’s been having so many contractions lately.”

 

Jake nodded even though Rick couldn’t see it through the phone. “I’m almost to town now. What time is this woman’s flight?” he asked.

 

Rick gave him the flight information and Jake memorized it. “Got it,” he replied.

 

“One more thing, Jake,” Rick called back. “What’s that?”

 

“Be nice. This is Ronny’s best friend and from what I understand she’s pretty upset about something.”

 

“Aren’t I always nice?” Jake replied sarcastically.

 

Rick chuckled. “Like I said, be nice just once. Be polite too,” he continued. “Remember your momma’s lessons on being a gentleman.”

 

Jake didn’t respond to his friend’s admonition. “Get Ronny to the doctor. Don’t worry about her friend.”

 

“Thanks, Jake. I’ll see you back at the ranch.”

 

“Don’t rush. Hey wait…” he called back.

 

“What’s up?” Rick came back on the radio.

 

“What’s this woman’s name again? I don’t think you’ve ever told me,” he said.

 

“Elissa. Elissa Stone.”

 

“Got it.”

 

Jake turned the truck to the right instead of the left, heading towards Amarillo and the airport instead of Main Street in Dumas to pick up supplies.

Once at the airport, Jake parked the SUV and went into the terminal. Amarillo International was a small airport, not able to handle the jumbo jets but several planes from four different airlines came and went during the week. Jake arrived just in time. The passengers of the smaller jet were disembarking. There was already a small group of townspeople there to pick up their relatives. Jake smiled a greeting to several he knew from town and the neighboring ranches.

There was one woman who got off and looked around, but Jake was sure this wasn’t the woman Veronica was waiting for. She was too perfectly made up to be Ronnie’s friend. Her eyes were beautiful, he could tell they were a crystal blue even from this distance. She had perfectly coiffed hair that curled softly around her shoulders, framing her face and showing off high cheekbones a model would love. She was short, maybe only five feet four inches tall, but her heels got her up to about five feet seven inches. Still petite in his book.

Overall, the woman was stunning, but definitely too skinny for his taste. He liked a woman he could hold and not get poked by her bones. Nice breasts, though, he thought to himself. He couldn’t help but notice them, he justified. She was wearing blue and white striped slacks with a tight, white, sleeveless sweater which showed off her figure perfectly. Besides, the rest of her was so thin, her breasts seemed to be larger.

Jake turned his mind away from the tiny woman’s breasts and scanned the rest of the airport terminal looking for a woman that Veronica might befriend. Most of her friends were down home women. They were strong and vibrant, just like Ronny.

His eyes kept coming back to the tiny woman standing amid the small crowd of people in the airport. She seemed sad. He wasn’t sure why he thought that except that there was something in her eyes. Her eyes really were quite spectacular, he thought. If only the dark circles weren’t there to detract from their crystal blue color, she might not seem so sad. That had to be it, he thought. The circles made her look like she was nervous and anxious about something or someone.