by Afton Locke
Thinking of his male parts made her thighs clench under her desk. Saturday wouldn’t arrive soon enough. Maybe they’d celebrate vanquishing the oyster pirates.
Mrs. Tucker knocked on the door. With her gray wig and glasses, she resembled a grandmother more than an employee. But looks were deceiving. The old witch made it clear she didn’t approve of Henry hiring another secretary, especially a colored one.
“Sadie, there’s a buy-boat at the dock,” she said. “Did Mr. Rockfield leave any instructions with you about the purchase?”
“Instructions?”
He’d been in such a hurry, he hadn’t left anything specific. Instead, he’d put her in charge. Hadn’t he? But if she admitted that to Mrs. Battle-Ax, the woman would give birth to a whale. She might even run to the Klan to complain. After getting an invitation to Henry’s bed, Sadie wasn’t about to displease him.
Yet, if she didn’t purchase the oysters, the shuckers might run out. And the sellers wouldn’t be pleased if they were stuck with too many oysters, which spoiled quickly. Once burned, they might not be a reliable supplier in the future. Not to mention the trend of price increases she’d noticed. Henry wasn’t very good at negotiating a lower cost per bushel.
Luckily, she remembered everything he’d taught her about the oyster business during their after-hours work sessions.
“Yes, he did, Mrs. Tucker.” Sadie picked up a folder at random. “I’ll take care of it.”
The woman frowned. “Are you sure?”
“Don’t you worry yourself now, Miz Tucker. You know what that cold, damp air does to your rheumatism.”
“Oh, yes.” The woman gripped her wrist. “Thank you, Sadie.”
After the woman left, she took a blank purchase order for oysters, filled in a higher unit price, and—using a business letter in one of her files as a guide—signed Henry’s name at the bottom. The quantity and total value would get filled in during the transaction. She slipped it into the folder and walked downstairs to the dock.
The concerned mammy act had worked like a charm. She was glad she’d worn the faded calico dress she often used to shuck in. Even though she wanted to skip across the floor of the main shucking room, the more she played her role, the further she could go. Bowing her head and hunching her shoulders, she walked as if invisible.
It worked. No one noticed her, except Mama. Seeing her laboring so hard with bent, thin shoulders clutched Sadie’s heart. She had to keep this job going to give her mother a better life.
“You decided to come down to the steerage section, I see.”
Her sympathy faded into the damp air. “Not now, Mama.”
“I’m surprised you don’t have a crown, sittin’ on your throne up there.”
Without replying, Sadie stepped away. She faced an important business transaction. One that would determine her future here. No way would she let Mama mess it up.
“Where are you going, anyway?”
Sadie paused. “Get back to work, Mama.” I’m in charge. For once.
Emotion coursed through her as she scurried away, and she almost collided with a wheelbarrow full of oysters. Had she really given her mother an order? Mama glared at her, looking as if she wanted to throw her oyster knife at her. But Sadie kept walking.
When she stepped onto the dock and headed toward the buy-boat, her heart sped up. She’d handled Mrs. Tucker and Mama, but these were businessmen. Could she stand up to them? If she did this transaction strictly for her own gain, she’d tell these men to return tomorrow. Taking her charade this far had been a bigger thrill than kissing Henry.
But he needed her.
She approached the oyster boat. Its engine throbbed as it bobbed in the water. Two men stood on the dock in front of it. Henry looked so delicious in watermen’s clothes, but these two were downright motley.
The skinny one stared past her as if she weren’t even there. “Hey, gal. Fetch Mr. Rockfield.”
“He ain’t here right now, but I’m his secretary.” She waved the folder in the air. “He left the purchasin’ instructions with me.”
The back of her neck burned from putting on the act, but she had to admit she was pretty good at it. The two men looked at each other and then at the baskets of oysters on the boat.
For added effect, she waved her hand in front of her nose. “Oysters sure do smell, don’t they?”
A seagull arced over their heads, seeking the tasty feast she advertised.
“You implying our goods aren’t fresh?” the heavier one asked.
“Oh, no, sir. They look mighty fine. How many bushels you got?”
“Forty.”
According to the purchase records she’d practically memorized, that sounded right. At least they agreed so far.
“Forty bushels at two dollars and fifty cents a bushel comes to one hundred dollars.”
“Oh.” She opened the folder and frowned. “On this here purchase order, Mr. Rockfield wrote two dollars a bushel. Don’t say nothin’ about no fifty cent.”
“Let me see that.”
She handed it to the skinny man and drummed her fingers against the outside of her thigh. The men passed the purchase order back and forth.
“It sure does,” Skinny said to Heavy. “He must have made a mistake.”
“Or he’s trying to gouge us.” Heavy spit out a stream of tobacco juice into the water.
“Dang,” Skinny added. “And he’s not here to discuss it with us.”
“Done that on purpose, I’m sure,” Heavy said. “The fellow is smarter than he looks.”
“Does you still want to sell them to us or not?” She wrinkled her nose. “They sure do smell ripe.”
“Guess we’ve got no choice. But you tell Mr. Rockfield he’s not getting this price again,” Heavy said, shaking a fist at her.
We’ll see about that.
He yanked the purchase order out of Skinny’s hand, filled in the blanks, ripped off the top copy, and handed the other back to her. She scanned the numbers to make sure they were right. To keep up the act, she squinted and moved her lips like someone who barely knew how to read.
She pointed to the plant entrance. “Take it to Miz Tucker and she’ll pay you.”
“We know,” Skinny grumbled before stalking away.
Sadie waved to one of the floormen, signaling him to dump the purchased oysters onto the conveyor, which would transport them into the building through the roof. Before the watermen could see her face-splitting grin, she turned and hurried inside.
She’d saved Henry twenty dollars! Because she’d set a precedent, sticking to the lower price for future orders would be easy. She’d handled things, all right. He’d probably be so thrilled, he’d kiss her—a nice appetizer for Saturday night.
I’m running this place!
She was so satisfied with her success, she’d almost forgotten about their date to make love.
* * *
Sadie turned to glance out her tiny office window that evening. It was getting dark. If Henry didn’t return soon, she’d have to go home without seeing him. She’d rather stay and witness the expression on his face when he found out how much money she’d saved him, though.
When his boots clumped up the hallway, her stomach somersaulted. Because when he found out what she’d done, he’d be really happy or really angry, but probably nowhere in between.
“How did it go out there?” she asked.
“The losses were more than I expected. I mapped out the damage and talked to everyone I could find. No one seems to know who’s doing it.”
“I’m sorry.” And she truly was. Henry was such a nice man. He deserved life to go well.
“Someone needs to stake out the area to catch them in the act. Then several beds need to be reseeded.” He took off his fishing cap. “Of course, it’ll take years for the oysters to grow large enough to harvest.”
“Sounds like a big job.” For someone besides her. She’d rather st
ay with numbers than be seasick every day.
“I gather everything went well here, though.” He closed the door behind him. “I see the oyster shipment came in. I’m sorry, I forgot all about it.”
“Not a problem.” She handed him the purchase order copy.
He glanced at it and blinked. “They lowered the price?”
“No, I did.”
“You? How?”
She raised her hand to her mouth. “I told them you’d written it up that way.”
“Hold on.” He held the paper closer. “Did you forge my signature?”
“Yes. I also saved you twenty dollars.”
The purchase order slipped out of his fingers and fell to the desk. He tugged at the collar of his flannel shirt hard enough to rip it off.
“Where did you find the guts to do something so risky?”
“Are you angry with me?” she asked.
“I trusted you to do no more than your job while I was gone,” he said, pacing, “not take over the place.”
She stood, put her hands on her hips, and crossed to the front of the desk.
“No. You told me to handle things, and you didn’t stick around long enough to explain the details.”
“Well, did you have to be so damn good at it?”
“Would you feel better if I’d failed?” she asked.
“Damn you.” He grabbed her shoulders and shook them.
Up close, the scent of salt, boat engine grease, and working man hit her full force. His placid blue eyes were dark and stormy. And fixed on her mouth. Even though it was her time of the month, her womb still clenched with arousal.
“You are angry,” she managed to utter, right before he claimed her mouth.
“Damn you, Sadie! Damn you for being so smart. So perfect. So everything I’m not.”
With each sentence, he shook her. Not hard, physically. But the emotion behind each movement hit her with the force of a hurricane gust. How could he be envious of her? She’d been envious of others her entire life, not the other way around.
Before she could turn it over in her mind, he devoured her lips, pouring his frustration into her. As if he’d slit the muscles in her jaws, she opened her mouth, surrendering. The force of his attack drove her backward until she was pressed against the desk. He moved his grip from her shoulders to her heavy breasts, squeezing and possessing every inch of them.
Throbbing boat engines and pounding surf poured from each of his strong, punishing fingers. Tiny whimpers spilled from her throat as he clamped her bottom lip between his teeth. Caught up in the maelstrom, she breathed faster and harder until she panted.
What had gotten into him? Usually, he was so mild-mannered. Too mild-mannered. He needed balls. Today, he had them. Big ones. He buried his open mouth against her neck, seemingly driven by a frenzy he couldn’t control. Her jugular pulsed against his tongue, wild and fast.
“Why, Henry?” she gasped. “Why are you doing this to me?”
“I don’t know,” he said before claiming her with his slick, hot tongue. Even his usually soft, sensuous lips were harder today.
She made the mistake of pulling his hair, which drove him against her harder. His steely erection bit into her belly as deeply as his fingertips on her arms and breasts. Excitement rushed through her on electrified feet, followed by something else.
Fear.
“For God’s sake, Henry,” she cried. “What’s gotten into you?”
She squirmed against him. Softly, at first, then harder. When fear took over, her fist darted to his jaw. The next thing she knew, he was on the floor.
“You were starting to scare me,” she admitted, rubbing her sore fist.
Blinking, he sat up. “I’m sorry, Sadie. I don’t know what came over me.”
But she did. He’d needed to show her who was in charge.
She rubbed the front of her bodice to soothe her breasts. They were more swollen than usual, from arousal and Henry’s manhandling.
“B-being on the water obviously turns you into a madman.” She paused, struggling to steady her voice. “If you can’t tolerate leaving me in charge, then don’t.”
He rose to his feet and gazed at her with wonder in his eyes. “No, you’re the one who should be in charge.”
She clutched the back of the desk. “What?”
“You have more talent for running this business in your little toe than I have in my whole body. And you enjoyed it. Didn’t you?”
Still eying him warily, she nodded.
“Sadie, something snapped in me today.”
“Obviously.”
He grasped her shoulders, gently this time. “I need to be on the water, not here.”
“What are you saying?”
“Hiring someone else to take care of Rockfield’s oyster beds would kill me. I have to do it, but I can’t let Caleb down, either. Someone needs to fill my place here.”
She let him continue, uninterrupted.
“And since you filled my shoes so well today, making decisions on the fly, I can’t think of anyone more qualified.”
“Are you sure?”
Maybe he’d fallen overboard and hit his head on one of those oyster beds today.
“Yes. You’ll have to be discreet, of course, while pretending to be my secretary.”
“Of course,” she replied. “I also expect a pay increase for the increased responsibility.”
He grinned. “You do have a talent for negotiating. I’ll check on you every day to help you steer the ship, so to speak.”
Another thrill darted through her blood. She’d been thrilled so many times today, she’d lost count. Luckily, she was young, with a strong heart. The risky business deal and Henry’s attack had given it a workout.
“I’ll give it everything I have,” she promised.
She couldn’t wait until Saturday night, and she’d have plenty of joy running the company in the meantime. Poor, unfortunate Sadie was finally somebody. If only she could shout it across the river and back.
Chapter Nine
On Saturday night, Henry’s heart jumped into his throat when Sadie knocked on his cottage door promptly at eight.
“Good evening, Henry.”
He helped her out of her cardigan sweater and hung it up. “Good evening, Sadie.”
Her soft, tan dress draped across her breasts below the wide collar. It looked nice enough to go to church in. She’d even pinned her hair into some sort of twist. What a beautiful woman.
Tonight would be a lot more than a quick grope at the office. Were they really going to do this?
“The place looks wonderful.” She glanced around the room. “The candles are nice.”
He’d spent the whole day cleaning. He wanted the night to be extra special to thank her for running his company all week.
“Thank you. I-I’ve never done anything like this before.”
Her eyes widened. “You’ve never been with a woman?”
“Of course I have. But not…planned…like this.”
The ghost of Natalie seemed to hover over him. Blaming him for what he’d done to her.
Go away!
“What?”
“Not you.” He clasped Sadie’s shoulder to steady himself. “Let’s drink some wine.”
“Wine?” She shot him a smile as she followed him to the kitchen area. “You sure know how to court a girl.”
Hot sweat popped out over his breastbone and between his shoulder blades.
“I hope you like red.”
“I’ll take any color you’ve got.”
The double meaning glimmered in her keen eyes, heavy as a stroke to his cock. He accidentally knocked one of the glasses over. Luckily, it happened before he’d filled it with wine. He wished he hadn’t bothered with the candles. Their twitchy shadows on the walls made him want to leap out of his skin.
When her fingers covered his and righted the glass, his knees almost buckled.
“Why are you so nervous?” she asked. “No one saw me come in.”
“Good.” Little did she know, the fear of getting caught was furthest from his mind. “Will you pour the wine, Sadie? You seem to have steadier hands tonight.”
After she filled the glasses halfway, he raised his in a toast.
“I really appreciate everything you’re doing at the office,” he said. “Thanks to you, the oyster pirates have been caught.”
Last week was the best he’d experienced since Caleb had put him in charge. He’d staked out the oyster beds, seen the pirates—even chased them—and reported them to the authorities. Spending his days on the water again made life worth living. Trusting her so much made him a little nervous, but she worked hard and conscientiously every day.
He intended to show Sadie in bed how happy she’d made him.
“It was a good week for me, too.” She clinked his glass with hers. “I thought I was doomed to be an oyster shucker the rest of my life. I never dreamed I’d get to run a company.”
He gulped his wine. “You’re damn good at it, too. Better than I ever was.”
When she set her glass down, nearly untouched, he stared at it.
“You don’t care for the wine?”
“I’m not used to it. We don’t drink at home since we can’t afford it.”
Henry’s stomach somersaulted up to his chest. He’d hoped the drinking part would last longer because next came…bed. As he pulled the glass from her fingers and set it down, he bowed his head toward hers. Inhaled her rich, womanly scent.
He gazed into her expressive eyes. He liked them when they were intelligent or angry. But, tonight, they looked so trusting. So expectant. What if he let her down? She kissed him so tenderly, it almost made him forget everything—Rockfield’s, the Klan, and even Natalie. Almost.
Framing her breasts with his hands, he slipped his tongue into her mouth. He’d enter her this way first. Testing the waters before he dived in with his cock. Her breasts pressed against him as she took a deep breath—of surrender? His erection brushed against her soft belly. Stroking her jaw with trembling fingers, he kissed her neck. When she leaned her head back, exposing her throat, his groin tightened.