He answered as if he had read her mind. “I’m not surprised you’re kicking me to the curb, Taylor. This is what Mario wanted you to do all along. He has won your heart—you are off the market for any man.”
“You’re wrong. This is not what he wanted. He wanted you to know about us so there would be no sneaking or whispering of rumors. I was the one that didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t think you could handle it; I was right.”
“It’s cool, Taylor. When I go home tonight, Kelly will be waiting on me with a hot meal and comforting arms. You will be one less person on my mind when I go to sleep tonight.”
“Why are you being hateful? I am not hurting you with words or trying to hurt you at all. I’m being honest and upfront.”
“Honesty is the best policy. I’ve received your message, Taylor.” He dug through his pockets to remove a set of silver-plated keys. Fumbling them in his hand, he tossed them on her desk. “Here are your keys. You probably want to give them to Mario.”
Taylor looked at the keys dangling on the side of her desk. She sensed the pain in Dillon’s eyes as she started to choke up. “Dillon, I want to know how it feels to go home to someone that loves me. I have never been close to having that type of relationship. Who knows, Mario may not be the man I marry down the line, but he is the man I want in my life right now. I need to make this relationship work.”
He snatched open the door to leave. “Yeah, well good luck with that, Taylor. Because that glowing happiness you’re feeling when he is around; won’t be there every damn night,” he said leaving her office.
Taylor waited ten minutes to make sure Dillon had left the floor. Turning off her computer, she left her office and walked down the hall, making a sharp right past the copy room. The majority of the offices were dark. Not many attorneys burned the midnight oil anymore and went home during normal hours.
She came to a stop in front of Mario’s office. Tapping on the door first, she entered. “Hey.”
Mario took his feet off the desk and walked over to her, closing the office door. Taking her in his arms, he kissed her without saying a word. Taylor heart pounded against the walls of her chest. His lips were soft, warm and tender. His roaming tongue filled her mouth as she parted her lips to give him access.
Her arms crossed over his broad shoulders to caress the back of his head as the kiss intensified and deepened. Their soft muddled moans broke through the quietness of the office.
Mario broke the kiss. “Now that is how we are supposed to greet each other.”
Taylor did not release him from the embrace. He belonged in her arms and she wanted to savor the moment for as long as possible. “I wish we could greet this way every day, but prying eyes are always lurking around corners.”
He pulled away from her. “Why don’t we just tell everyone we are a couple?”
“Baby, we’ve been over this. Anderson doesn’t appreciate attorneys engaging in personal relationships. He believes it will cause strife in the workplace if the romance fails.”
Mario walked over to his desk. “When we open our firm, we can do as we please.”
Taylor wrinkled her nose. “I want that so bad.”
“It will happen eventually; we have to be patient. I saw Dillon pass my office a while ago; did you talk to him.”
“I did. I told him about us. Mario, he swears he doesn’t have an attraction for me, but is only looking out for me. I believe him. He even gave me back the keys to my house.”
“Mi coranzon, a man knows when his woman is being yearned for by another man,” he said lifting an eyebrow.
She smiled shyly. “I enjoy hearing you saying I’m your woman.”
“Yes, amor, and he’d better realize that once the reality of it sinks fully into his head.”
“He does. What he said to me ended our twenty-year friendship for good.”
He sat in the oversized leather chair watching as Taylor crossed the room to sit across the desk from him in one of the black cherry-wood winged-backed chairs. He tapped the tips of his fingers together.
Taylor smoothed her skirt over her crossed knee. “What is on your mind?”
“You are hurting. Taylor, my plan, was not for you to end your friendship with Dillon.”
She held off the rush of tears building to spill from her eyes. “That was not my intention either. He ended everything between us. He said I will be one less person for him to worry about.”
“I don’t want to overstep my bounds and make trouble since we’ve made up, but what happened at breakfast?”
“Breakfast was a disaster. Dillon and Kelly were fighting. I didn’t want to be in the middle of it so I left. Good enough answer for you?”
“Not quiet sufficient enough. How did you get home?”
“I had a choice to walk or call Sabrina since you left me stranded. I didn’t have the energy to walk and I knew Sabrina wasn’t out of bed that early in the morning. Thankfully my neighbor was shopping in the area and offered me a ride home.”
Mario sat back in the chair rocking back and forth with his index finger and thumb perched on his face. “I see and I’m sorry I left you there. I had no idea would be a disaster. So Dillon took the news of us dating badly and tried to debase you in the process.”
Taylor removed the hairpins holding her French roll together, from her hair. Shaking her head, her hair tumbled around her shoulders. “He was upset we hid it. He’ll get over it and make Kelly the center of his world now.”
“No he won’t, Taylor. He is playing the ‘I’m okay with it’ game because he is pissed off.”
“He’s been pissed off for the last eight months, Mario. On top of that, he believes you are in charge and I am doing what you tell me to do. He called you a testosterone-filled bully.”
He laughed aloud. “If you ask me, he could use a little testosterone. He might not be in the position he’s in if he had the balls to stand up for himself.”
“Dillon is really a sweet person. He has a tendency to let the smallest problems turn him into a nervous wreck. When Kelly accused him of having an affair at breakfast, He almost died on the spot. She said it right in front of me to get him riled. All hell broke loose after that.”
The chair squeaked as his body weight shifted. “His office is two doors over. I hear him on the phone with his beloved and there are times he doesn’t act like a man in love.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Couples argue, Mario. We just had a major blow up over nothing.”
“It was for something—your friend putting his nose when it doesn’t belong.”
“Oh God,” Taylor groaned.
“I’m not going to hamper on it anymore. All I know is if you had been pregnant with my baby, and miscarried, I would not talk to you the way he talks to Kelly. I would ease all your fears and let you know I am there for you.”
Taylor ran her hand through her hair pulling the longs tangles free. Licking her lips she said, “Funny that you mentioned that. Kelly was rather emotional and condescending of him. I was surprised she spilled her guts to me. If she believes I am messing around with Dillon, why would she ask me to be bridesmaid? What is her motive?”
“There is something seriously wrong in their relationship and it centers on you.”
“Mario, how? I only know Kelly by way of Dillon. I made sure she was included in whatever we did together.”
“If Dillon didn’t start acting iffy until you came around again, she senses the attraction he has for you. She needs to have you close to keep an eye on you.”
“Baby, does he talk about the good ole days you two had when Kelly is around?”
“Yes he does and I hate that. He makes it sound as if we were joined together at the hip in school. I had my friends and he had his. We rarely hung together in school.”
“He is not happy, and she is not happy. Combine that with his being unhappy about me being with you. I only see more trouble brewing for the both of them and you being part of it.”
Sh
e winced rolling her eyes upward. “Baby, I don’t even want to think about that. What can I do to convince her I don’t want to take Dillon from her?”
“Talk to Kelly. You have to get her to listen to you.”
“Then Dillon will be upset with me because he wants to end his relationship with her and will think I am trying to keep them together.”
“If you are friends with other family members of his, you might want to contact them. It is something wrong with Dillon. I don’t know the guy but he is hiding something and acting irrationally.”
“I’ve noticed that but what would I say to them, Mario? I’m supposed to inform them their son may be suicidal and should be on 24-hour watch. They will want something to go on and I have nothing to give them. Hell, I’m sure they know Kelly and have been around her longer than me.”
“You have a point.” He leaned forward in his chair. “Have you noticed he does not speak to me unless you are present?”
“My office is on the other side of the floor. He seriously never stops to talk. Not even work related exchanges?”
He shook his head. “We do not speak at all. When I speak he chooses to ignore me.”
A shiver rippled over her. She rubbed her arms to warm herself. “I had no idea he was shunning you professionally.”
Mario’s sultry black eyes penetrated hers. “I’m a big boy with thick skin so his silence doesn’t bother me. He will lose his mind conjuring different schemes to break us apart.”
Taylor tore her eyes away from him and got up from the chair to pace the perimeter of the office. The lower C- or B-offices were not luxurious or posh as the attorneys with A-offices who had the choice to decorate to their liking.
Mario chose to have his office decorated in dark cherry wood, with leather chairs and beige carpeting. The walls, decorated with framed photos of Puerto Rican landmarks hung next to the many diplomas, and countless accolades highlighting his distinguished law career. At forty years of age, he had made it to the top of his field and strived to go higher.
Taylor stood at the window. The lowering sunshine skipped across the greenish-blue water casting a calm and peaceful scene. Mario came up behind her kissing her neck. Her head tilted to give him better access. His large hands moved down the length of her arms sending tingles down her spine.
His accent dominated when he spoke. “Do you see yourself being happy with me?”
She closed her eyes. Mario was the most exciting and masculine man she’d ever met in her life. The sparks flew between them the moment they set eyes upon one another in the elevator. The way he romanced her with kisses that levitated her from the floor set her heart aflutter. And once they had finally consummated their relationship, her stupidity had almost ripped him away from her forever.
She turned around placing his head between her hands to caress his handsome face. Taylor James for the first time in her life realized she could commit to loving a man.
“I see myself very happy with you. One day I want to fall madly in love with you.”
“Then let’s tell everyone the truth. I want everything out in the open. Your family knows we are together. Our friends and colleagues should also know.”
Her thumbs caressed his high-cheekbones. “If you are sure, then we should do it. You should be aware we might get canned.”
“So what; it will give us time to work on our dream. Taylor, I’m tired of attending dinner parties with women I have no interest in dating. I want to be with you. I want to take you to the Mayor’s ball.”
She peppered light kisses upon his delicious lips. “I want the same, Mario. I’m tired of being the pathetic third-wheel and showing up alone or with men I have no interest in dating.”
The scent of her perfume made him moan close to her ear. “I want to marry you and have babies.”
She raised a shapely arched eyebrow. “Not tonight, right?”
“Not tonight but maybe tomorrow,” he said.
Kissing her deeply, he picked her up and carried her to the sofa and sitting next to her. Taylor lay back allowing him to pull her blouse from the waist of her skirt pushing it up to admire the lacy black bra underneath. Lowering his head, he kissed the swells of her full breasts and used his thumbs to caress her nipples, bringing them alive.
Taylor chest heaved upward. Her fingers weaved through his silky black hair urging him to feast on her taut, but sore nipple. When his lips closed around her nipple, she gasped. The wetness spreading through her loins happened each time he came close to her. She let his hand on her thigh crawl under her skirt. Her legs slackened giving him the freedom he needed to explore.
His fingers hooked the rim of her pantyhose and underwear and tugged them down enough to slide his hand inside to feel her bare skin. The warm moisture greeting his fingers was one he had grown familiar with and loved to taste on his lips. Finding her spot he began a sensual teasing with his finger while gently sucking her nipple.
Taylor’s body squirmed on the sofa. The heels from her shoes caught the fabric of her nylons, ripping them as she erupted in an orgasm. Mario released her nipple from his mouth to kiss her lips as her body settled.
“Did you enjoy the pleasure?” He asked licking his fingers dripping with her essence.
Taylor could barely speak but caressed the bulge stretching against the zipper of his pants. “We should go to my place to continue this.”
Smiling, Mario covered her breasts with his hands massaging the soft flesh. “I would love too, but I want you. Now.”
The waves of ecstasy rumbled through her at the notion of them making love in his office. Mario was Latino folklore. Once they got started it was a marathon until both collapsed.
She moved him out of the way to tug off the torn pantyhose. Kicking off her heels, she balled the material in her hand tossing it across the room. “Do as you please counselor.” She lay back on the sofa spreading her arms open.
He removed his tie from round his neck and unbuttoned his shirt. “You are a bad influence on me.”
Her eyes twinkled when she winked. “Mr. Infante, you are definitely a bad influence on me, and have been since the day I met you. I would not be brave enough to ever have sex in my office but you are enticing me and I’m doing it.”
He took her fingers and placed them on his lips letting his tongue trace each one seductively. “To be honest, I would not either. We are wasting time talking,” he said lowering his body on top of hers. Gliding his hand down her neck, kissing and lingering on the spot between her neck and shoulder, Taylor shuddered.
He moaned as she rolled her hips against him and placed her hand on his growing member, squeezing gently to release weightier moans from deep inside him.
Done teasing him, she rolled the tip of her tongue across his earlobe whispering, “Make love to me.”
He lifted his head from her shoulder saying, “Mi placer.”
*****
Dillon entered his office closing the door gently. He didn’t want to alert the couple having sex he was still in the office. He sat behind his desk closing his eyes imaging himself with Taylor. He was just as skilled as Mario Infante when it came to lovemaking.
Crossing his arm over his forehead, he could hear the faint thumping coming through the thin walls. The reality hitting him Taylor was making love to Mario gave him an upset stomach. It was too much for him to bear knowing Mario was getting what should rightfully be his.
He sat up in the chair up abruptly swiping papers and supplies on his desk onto the floor. The gold picture frame of him and Kelly was included. His respirations rocked hard and rapid as he got up to pace his office.
Dillon’s office was basic. He chose not to decorate the stark white walls or order any particular style of furniture. Kelly took it upon herself to hang colorful drapes to add contrast to the bland walls, but he refused to let her style or have the tables flooded with pictures of them smiling and pretending to be the happy couple the firm forced married attorneys to portray.
He hated
the idea of being married to any woman other than Taylor. The day Kelly told him about the pregnancy, he knew she plotted it on purpose. He specifically demanded she get on birth control because he did not want kids. She refused since her Catholic faith forbid birth control of any kind. He counteracted by using condoms or withheld from having sex with her at all. The only way he could actually achieve sexual pleasure with her was when he let his mind drift to Taylor. He’d replace Kelly with Taylor in order to reach an orgasm.
His temples throbbed and his head pounded from the headache screeching across his forehead. He grabbed his head, an attempt to stop the lights from flashing behind his eyes, and the room from spinning. Gritting his teeth, he waited for it to end. These spells had been occurring more often lately. At first the headaches were happening when he stressed about his upcoming wedding but now he was getting them more frequently and sometimes during sleep.
Dillon loosened the tie around his neck. Sweat poured down his face as he walked over to the table getting a bottle of warm water. He opened the bottle drinking the entire content without stopping to take a breath. Removing his suit jacket to cool down, he turned off the lights and stretched out on the cloth sofa. Instantly, he fell asleep.
Dillon woke up when a member of the cleaning staff came in his office to pull the trashcan. “I’m sorry,” the woman said turning on the lights. “I didn’t know anyone was here.”
Several hours had passed since he fallen asleep because the cleaning crew didn’t start until 9:00 in the evening. He sat up feeling dazed but the headache was gone. He rolled his neck to ease the pain from lying on the hard uncomfortable sofa. “Do what you have to do; I’m leaving,” he said staggering to his feet. He looked at the mess on the floor in front of his desk, and sighed. “Um, don’t throw any papers away, just throw them on my desk,” he said grabbing his brief bag and suit jacket.
OBSESSED WITH TAYLOR JAMES Page 13