Stipulation

by Sawyer Bennett

Page 5

  Logging off my computer, I pack my briefcase up and head out. I stop by Lorraine’s office before I leave, because she expects me to… just to make sure she doesn’t have any other orders to parcel out. I stick my head in and say, “I’m heading out, Lorraine. Do you need anything?”

  And I will punch you if you ask me to get you some coffee.

  She looks up and gives me a cougar of a smile. “No. I’m just waiting on Matt to finish up with a mediation. He’s taking me out to dinner tonight. ”

  I truly hope it’s not that apparent, but I know my face turns an angry red because I can feel it heat up like someone had stuck a hot iron on it.

  The motherfucker lets me blow him and can’t be bothered to buy me a meal, but he takes Lorraine “Skank” Cummings out for dinner?

  I take a deep breath and hope my voice comes out in a neutrally calm way. “Dinner?”

  “Yes,” she gushes, reaching into her purse and swiping on some lipstick. I notice she gets a chunk on her right front tooth, but I don’t point it out to her. Hope Matt finds that attractive. “He buzzed me this morning and asked if I had time for dinner tonight at seven. I knew it was just a matter of time. ”

  My head is buzzing and I think I actually may take a step toward her to strangle her, but then I realize my anger is more for Matt than her. Though it’s probably in everyone’s best interest if I just call it a night and head home. In fact, I think it would behoove me to call in sick for a few days, because I really don’t think I can handle this right now.

  Turning around so she doesn’t see the look on my face, I manage to grit out, “Well, have a nice time tonight. ”

  She actually has the lame temerity to say, “Toodles. ”

  I’m pissed, hurt, and really pissed. I stomp down the hall and, as I round the corner to the lobby, I’m brought up short by the surreal visage of seeing Matt standing with two other lawyers, talking quietly. And not just any lawyers… one of them is Cal Carson.

  The conversation looks to be heated, even though they are talking quietly. Cal is holding onto a briefcase, and Matt has his arms crossed over his chest. The two men are glaring daggers at each other.

  I start up my walk toward the lobby doors when I hear Cal say in surprise, “McKayla!”

  Turning, I briefly take in his happy smile, and notice Matt’s frown turning deeper. Because I’m pissed at Matt, I give my most radiant smile to Cal as he walks over to me, and I don’t spare Matt another glance. “Hey, Cal. What are you doing here?”

  Cal and I had actually had a great time over coffee. He read my Memorandum, gave me a few pointers, but overall pronounced it worthy of Lorraine’s scrutiny. Then we spent another thirty minutes just chatting about our lives. We got along extremely well, and I almost thought he was going to ask me out on a date. But he didn’t. Instead, he suggested we swap business cards, promising to call me for lunch one day. I wasn’t sure if that would be considered a date, or we were just doing a business type of meal.

  Regardless, I really hadn’t given much thought to Cal since then because I had been so mired in my dark thoughts over Matt.

  “I just finished a mediation with Matt. As usual, he kicked my ass today. ”

  “Well, you can’t win them all,” I tell him in commiseration. I don’t dare look over at Matt, but I can see in my peripheral vision that he is standing there watching us.

  “So… I was going to send you an email tonight to see if you wanted to get lunch one day this week. Are you free?”

  It’s time to make Matt pay the price of using me as his sex toy and taking Lorraine out to a nice dinner. I know Matt heard Cal ask me to lunch because I could tell his posture became more defensive. I make sure I’m just loud enough when I tell Cal, “I’d love to. After all, we had such a good time on Saturday. ”

  Cal’s smile becomes even bigger but, before he can even respond, Matt stalks over to both of us and says, “If you’ll excuse us, Carson, I need to talk to McKayla about an urgent matter on a case. ”

  Matt doesn’t even wait for Cal to respond, but takes my elbow and starts ushering me back to his office.

  When Matt opens his office door and pushes me inside, I finally tear my elbow away, spinning around to confront him. “What is your problem? Pulling me out of the lobby and manhandling me to your office like you own me?”

  Glaring at me, Matt says, “What the f**k are you doing with Carson? You were with him Saturday?”

  Part of me wants to give him enough innuendo about Cal that he’ll think I screwed him, but I really don’t have that in me. I hope a bit of honesty on my part may get Matt to open up to me. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I met him in the law library and we had coffee. He helped me out with a Memorandum of Law. ”

  I can see Matt visibly relax, and I know without a doubt that he thought I had slept with him. Pressing the advantage, I ask, “Where were you this weekend since we’re… you know… all sharing and shit?”

  His eyes cloud over, and his face becomes a mask of steel. “None of your business. ”

  “What? You demand to know what I was doing, but you don’t share what you were up to?”

  “That’s right. I’m twisted that way,” he sneers, taking two steps to bring himself flush with me. “Stay away from Carson. He’s bad news. ”

  I start to step back from Matt but his hand snakes out and slides around my waist, pulling me up against him. My hands come up and slap flat against his chest, trying to push him away. I’m tired of his caveman routine, and I’m furious he won’t tell me where he went this weekend. I know it won’t do any good to press the issue, but I’m not going to let him try to seduce me with hot touches. My body is a complete traitor when it comes to Matt.

  Pushing hard, I finally break free from his grip, only because he chooses to let me go. The fight, though, is far from over. “You can’t tell me what I can and can’t do. It’s a two-way street. I have no say so in your plans, then you have no say so in mine. ”

  “I do when it comes to Cal Carson. He’s off limits. ”

  “Off limits?” I start to screech, and then lower my voice so we aren’t heard outside of his office. “You want to talk about off limits, how about you taking Lorraine out to dinner tonight? She’s in her office right now getting all dolled up for your date with her. Let me make the same proclamation you’re making about Cal. She’s off limits. Stay away from her. ”

  Matt’s eyebrows rise up, and a devious grin slides across his face. “Are you jealous?”

  “Doesn’t matter if I am or not. You say I can’t see Cal, well, I say you can’t see Lorraine. Cancel with her. ”

  The grin fades from Matt’s face, and he’s deadly calm when he says, “Not going to happen. ”

  “What? You won’t even consider my feelings?”

  “Not where this is concerned. It’s none of your business. ”

  “Then Cal is none of your business. We’re even. ” I want to punctuate my statement with my patented ‘neener’ move, but I know that would be too childish.

  Matt lunges at me, and I’m caught off guard. I try to take a step back to avoid his clutches, but he seizes me nonetheless, grabbing onto my shoulders and pulling me close. “You’re trying my patience, Mac. Words don’t seem to work on you. Let me try something else. ”

  I know it’s coming, and I’m powerless to stop it. Matt’s mouth is hot and wet as it covers mine and I open willingly to him, my body going pliant and melting into his. I can feel his erection burning through both layers of our clothes as he grinds it into me. He commandeers my mouth, makes it his slave. I fall deeper and deeper until my fingers are curled tightly into his clothes to keep from falling.

  Matt has complete and utter control over me in this way, and there’s something niggling at the back of my head, trying to surface. I try to forget the sensations of his tongue swiping against mine, and the feel of his hardness against me. What is it?

  Oh y
eah, it comes ringing through loud and clear.

  You are a doormat, and he’s walking all over you!

  With all the mental and physical strength I can muster, I tear myself away from his kiss. He’s so surprised that he releases me. He’s breathing hard, his eyes dark and fevered. I know I look the same, and it takes every bit of strength I possess not to leap back into his arms.

  “Enough,” I pant. “Stop doing that to me. I’m not your puppet. ”

  “You are if I tell you to be,” he taunts with silky smoothness.

  Taking a deep breath, I let his last comment pass, trying to reason with him one more time. “Listen… I won’t see Cal if that is what you want, but I want the same thing with Lorraine. I don’t want you taking her to dinner tonight. Are we agreed?”

  Matt is shaking his head in the negative, and he confirms his position with words. “I’m taking Lorraine out to dinner tonight. I can’t cancel. But then I’ll be over to your apartment after. ”

  My heart sinks. I’m not asking for much—I know I’m not. I’m even willing to let go the fact he won’t tell me what he did this weekend. I’m just asking he cancel one measly dinner date, and he can’t do that for me. The only thing he cares about is getting in my pants tonight after God only knows what he’s going to do with Lorraine.

  With a clarity that is as crystal as it gets, I know that my time with Matt is at an end. My feelings are too involved, and it can’t just be sex for me. Squaring my shoulders, I give him a sad smile… but my resolve is firm. “Then I’m sorry, Matt. This freak of a f**k show is over. ”

  “What?” he asks in disbelief, his brow furrowing.

  “You heard me. I can’t do this anymore. If you want my resignation, you have it. Just let me know. If not, I’ll show up and do my job well. But as far as you and I are concerned… we’re done. ”

  I walk past him, half expecting him to reach out and stop me.

  He doesn’t though. He just stays quiet as I walk out of his office.