Chapter Eleven
Candace
“Girl, don’t tell me you’re working late on Friday,” Patty warned as she passed by my cubicle at five o’clock. I couldn’t tell her the truth.
Yeah, Patty, I am, because I’ve been secretly humping the maintenance man and when we’re not pleasuring each other, I’m daydreaming about it. So I’m just making sure my work doesn’t fall behind.
“I’m just knocking out a couple things so Monday won’t be so hectic. I’ll be right behind you out the door. Believe me.” I sighed and waved to her.
“Monday will be hectic no matter what you do. Believe me. The bosses make sure of it.” She twirled her finger around like a mini tornado in the air and rolled her eyes. “So have a nice weekend.”
“Thanks, Patty. You, too.”
Truthfully, I liked being in the office when no one was around. Loni, the guy on the other side of my cubicle, was constantly telling me to turn down the music I piped through my computer. So, with him gone I could get my jam on.
“Oh, yes. A little of Puccini’s “La Boheme.”” I turned the sound up to hear Pavarotti belting out my favorite opera music while I opened up the spreadsheet that kept track of some kind of mailing, which had to be merged with another spreadsheet to track the results.
I lost track of time as the opera music added a romantic ambiance to my gray cubicle. The walls weren’t as bland as they had been when I first started. Over the past couple of weeks, I’d brought in some personal touches. Tacked on the wall was a black and white picture of my future English bulldog, a picture of the starship Enterprise, and a picture of Sophia Loren. She was told that she’d need to get plastic surgery on her nose in order to ever make it in Hollywood. Needless to say, she never did it and was now considered one of the most beautiful women in the world.
So far, most of the work Etta gave me was tedious, time-consuming, boring data entry or spreadsheets of some kind. It was just to get my feet wet. I knew that. I really didn’t mind it. My mind would drift off to things I needed to do at home like laundry or groceries, and there was also the matter of James that liked to take up residence in my head.
I couldn’t think of him now. He was probably already gone for the day anyway. If he wasn’t, I couldn’t let him see me here or else I’d never get my work done.
The thought of his hands on me tickled the space in the middle of my chest. I hadn’t agreed to go on a date with him. Every time I saw him, he winked or waved or shrugged his shoulders and pointed at his watch. And every time, I smirked and shrugged back.
It wasn’t as easy as just saying yes. I had quite a colorful past that was still fairly recent. I’d only given him the surface details so far. Those days of dancing for money were over, but a guy like him might see it as a deal breaker.
“Why set me up for the heartache?” I shook my head. “Not enough time has passed. Maybe in a couple more months. Years. Who knows.”
“Candace, I’m glad you’re hear.”
I spun around in my chair. There was Larry again. The guy slunk around the office like a vapor. I never heard him and he always came across like he was blocking my exit.
“Oh, hi, Larry.” I stood up, grabbing the stapler from my desk.
“Would you mind talking with me for just a second?” He looked me in the face. There was no ogling. This was strange.
I’ll bet he got a stern talking-to by someone who saw him acting inappropriately. In order to save his job, he’s probably been instructed to apologize.
I was not the kind of girl to hold a grudge. That required too much effort and energy.
“Sure. Will it take long? I’m getting ready to wrap it up for the weekend.”
He smiled and shook his head as he looked down.
I wasn’t really thinking about what to expect from Larry. I followed him to his office but suddenly something in my head clicked and screamed not to go in. I stopped short outside in the hallway.
Larry frowned when he saw I hadn’t followed him in.
The office was dimly lit with just Larry’s desk lamp and a floor lamp across the room. It didn’t look like his office anymore. There was an ice bucket on the small round conference table with a bottle sticking out of it. Next to that was a manila envelope.
“What is this, Larry?” I sighed.
“Come in. Just come in for a minute.” He smiled. I got the feeling he thought he looked charming and not deviant.
“I’d be more comfortable staying right here. Do you want to tell me what this is all about?”
He chewed his bottom lip. I saw a sheen of sweat start to shine on his forehead.
“I’m trying to talk to you and you’re making it very difficult. Very difficult.”
“I certainly don’t mean to do that but if you have something to say, can’t you just flat-out tell me?”
Larry clenched and unclenched his hands.
“Just come inside. Come inside and close the door.”
Against my better judgment, I stepped into the office and shut the door halfway. I stood in front of it, ready to bolt if I had to.
“Here.” Larry handed me the envelope. “Would you like a drink?”
“No. What is this, Larry?”
“Just take a look.”
I knew what it was. As soon as my fingers touched it, I knew exactly what it was. He had a photo. Sure enough, when I peeked inside I saw the familiar lights of the stage I had danced on over a million times. This just happened to be my last night there. The girls had strung ribbons across the bar. I could see them in the photo. If only I had just quit when I’d gotten hired at ABF, instead of giving notice and agreeing to work one more night.
“You can’t see it that way,” Larry laughed. He snatched the envelope out of my hand and pulled the picture out. It was me on the stage. I looked good. Of course, I did. “There. Now you can see everything.”
The thought of what this man had probably done with this picture before handing it over to me made my stomach sour.
“How did you get a picture off in that place? The bouncers usually break arms when they find out someone is trying to pull a fast one.”
“You should know, Candace. Money, money.” He scratched his thumb and forefinger together.
“So what do you want from me?”
“Do I really need to spell it out for you? Just come in and have a drink with me.” He poured a glass full of champagne and held it out to me.
“I don’t want a drink, Larry. I’m going to get going now.” My shoulders slumped. “I’ll take this with me.” I waved the photo but before I could tuck it underneath my arm, Larry snatched it from my grasp.
“Are you crazy?” he chuckled. “Look, you haven’t even heard me out. I’ve got a proposition for you. I’ll bet you’ve heard that quite a few times.”
As I took a step closer, I was sure there was the faint smell of marijuana in the office. That would explain Larry’s eyes and probably the sweat on his forehead.
“I’m not a bad guy,” he insisted.
“I didn’t say you were.” I acted disinterested. If I made a huge issue out of this, if I acted as nervous as I was or went off in a rage, I might set him off. I didn’t know what he was capable of.
“I’ve got a few friends in the office that I’ve worked out a deal with.”
“What?”
“Look, I’m not asking you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.”
“Then what are you asking, Larry?”
“I’m asking for a private dance. I know you’ve done them. I’ve seen you disappear behind that black curtain with the words V.I.P. Clubhouse over the door.”
“I’m not doing that.”
“Do you like working here?”
I held my breath.
“Somehow you pulled the wool over the eyes of the people in HR. Not hard to do, I’m sure. But I’ll bet the things you put on your résumé were not altogether true. That’s enough for them to fire you. What will you do then?”
I couldn’t speak. I was in shock.
“I know exactly what you’ll do. You’ll go back to the club. I’ll become one of their most enthusiastic patrons. You’ll dance for me all night long if I say so. I have the money to do that. But is that what you want?”
I stood still. Everything around me came into sharp focus. A sense of surrealism took hold like I was watching a movie on one of those super sharp television screens.
“I can pay you.” Larry took a step closer. “I’m not asking for you to give me anything for free. I really want to help you, Candace. I want to help make sure you don’t have to go back to that vile, disgusting career.”
“Really?” I had tears in my eyes.
“Oh, don’t do that.” He stared at me and there was no feeling of compassion or regret there. Instead, Larry looked like he was enjoying it. The fact that I was humiliated, embarrassed, and furious at the same time but unable to do anything about it was turning him on. I could tell. He reached up and wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. I automatically flinched back.
That was when I saw the shadow cross Larry’s face. He grabbed hold of my wrist and squeezed.
“That wasn’t nice,” he whispered, pulling me dangerously close to his face.
“Let go of me,” I hissed through clenched teeth.
“I’m making you a real offer, Candace. You’ve spread your legs to enough guys. What’s one more?”
“You’re crazy.”
“I’m crazy about you, Candace.” He pulled me to him but I tried to push him back with my free hand. His shirt was damp beneath my hand. “Since you started working here, I can’t focus. I keep thinking of how your ass looked on that stage.”
He reached around and grabbed hold of me, squeezing hard.
“Stop it!” I barked.
“No one will hear you. There isn’t another person in the entire office.” He pulled me into him. I could smell liquor on his breath. “It’s okay, Candace. It is. You’ll like it, I promise.”
“Let me go, Larry. I won’t tell anyone about this. Just let me go.”
There were no bouncers to come along and teach Larry Potter any manners. No one who would step in and show him the door or bar him from ever setting foot in this office again. This was his playground.
“I know you won’t tell anyone.” He gripped my ass and pushed it into his crotch. I could feel his erection against my leg, making me recoil in disgust. I was sure he didn’t care if he filled his own pants in the process. He probably already had a couple times today, if he had that picture of me just lying around. “No one will believe you.” He let go of my wrist and like a magnet, his hand found my breast, kneading it painfully.
“Larry stop!” I yelled while I tried to push him away.
For every grip I managed to wiggle out of, he seemed to grow another arm that held firm.
“Don’t fight me, Candace. I just want to be nice to you. I can be nice.”
Just as he tried to get his wet lips on mine, there was a knock on the door.
Larry practically threw me to the floor. I stumbled, catching myself on the corner of his desk.
“Be quiet! Quiet!” Larry hissed. “Uh, yeah.”
The door slowly swung open and I nearly burst into tears.
“Sorry to bother you, Larry.” James looked at the floor. If he’d seen anything, he didn’t act like it. “I’ve got to spray for ants.”
“Hi, James.” Larry smoothed his hair over and tugged at his jacket. “I don’t have ants in my office.”
“Not now, you don’t. But one of the secretaries left some cookies on her desk. The whole area was swarming with them. I’ve got to spray.”
Finally, he looked at me. The expression on his face broke my heart.
Chapter Twelve
James
It took every ounce of strength I had not to rush Larry Potter. Everything about him was offensive. He’d had his hands on my girl. There was no question about it, except for what exactly he’d tried to do to her. I didn’t dare look at Candace and embarrass her even further. But I had to get her out of there.
“Can you give us a few minutes?” Larry demanded.
“Uh, I’m already behind, Larry. I can’t really wait. Look, if you come back after about forty-five minutes the chemicals will be gone. I mean, they’ll be here, but they’ll have dissipated in the air. It’ll be totally safe to return.”
I watched Larry work his jaw in frustration. There was a bottle of champagne on the table. One glass was full. The lights in the office were too low for any work to be done.
“Fine. I’ll walk you out, Candace.”
“Uhm, actually, Candace, I’ve got to talk to you about your cubicle,” I answered quickly. “Can I show you something? There’s a problem with the way one of the walls is installed so the paneling is starting to warp. Would you take a look with me?”
I watched her eyes widen as she nodded her head. With lightning speed, she grabbed an envelope, clutched it to her chest, and stomped out the door in front of me.
“Larry, I’ll start spraying in ten.”
“Tell Candace I’ll meet her at the elevator,” Larry called out after me.
Candace had disappeared around the corner. She was nearly hyperventilating when I caught up to her at her desk.
“Are you all right?” I whispered.
“I’ve got to get out of here,” she muttered, her bottom lip trembling. She spun around from her desk and stared at me while clutching the envelope to her chest. “Will you just walk me out? I’m so sorry.” She swallowed hard. “Just make sure I get in a cab. I can’t risk being along with that pig.”
The last thing I wanted was for Candace to leave. Not just because I couldn’t imagine not seeing her during the day or having the chance to feel her body against mine, but because I thought we could help each other out. I just needed her to trust me.
You’re taking a big risk, James. She’s got a history. Those words skated through my head at record speed.
She’d been around people who knew how to keep a secret. She’d be a better ally than Rodriguez, who was currently tailing the CFO who was meeting his girlfriend for drinks.
“Leave your purse here,” I whispered.
“What? No.”
“Just trust me,” I urged. “Leave your purse here.”
She rubbed her forehead. I could see the tears in her eyes but she quickly blinked them back.
“You ready to go, Candace?” Larry interrupted.
“I’ll ride along with you guys. I’ve got to go to the maintenance office on the first floor.” I turned to Candace. “So, I’ll put in a maintenance order to fix that warping.”
“Okay, James.”
She left her purse in her desk drawer.
Larry walked ahead of us. It was obvious from his stomping that he was pissed. I’d interrupted his sexual harassment session and he wasn’t going to forget this. I wouldn’t be surprised if I came in tomorrow to be called into Bob’s office and was told I’d been insubordinate with someone. I almost hoped it would happen so I could blab what I had seen. But, I knew that wasn’t an option. Mostly, I didn’t want to embarrass Candace. But I also couldn’t blow my cover yet.
Whatever came my way, I had to just absorb it. But I couldn’t focus on tomorrow right now, while the three of us were waiting for the elevator.
Candace put me between herself and Larry. The elevator finally arrived with a ping and the doors yawned open. As we piled in and the doors shut, I just opened my mouth and took a chance with what came out.
“Did you get your work done?” I asked Candace politely.
“No. Not really.” She looked at Potter, whose eyes didn’t deviate from the blinking numbers indicating what floor we were passing up. He had a smirk on his lips.
“Are you going out after work?” I asked her, keeping an eye on Potter as I did so.
“No.” She glared at me. “I’m catching a cab and going home.” She let out a nervous smile.
“Oh, darn! I left it upstairs.”
Larry’s head snapped in Candace’s direction. His eyes narrowed and I saw his jaws clench, the muscles moving up and down like he was chewing gum.
“I’ll take you back up there since the floor is locked.”
“You won’t get in trouble?” she asked.
“No. Do you mind stopping in the maintenance room with me first, though? It’s kind of a gross place. There are spider webs.”
“I’m not scared,” she muttered. I watched as she looked at Larry. “You’ll be able to manage on your own, right, Larry?”
“Yeah. Of course,” he grumbled as he resumed staring at the numbers going down over the door.
Not another word was said for the remaining twenty floors. When the doors slid open, Larry bolted out without looking back.
Candace let out a deep breath and looked at me.
“Thanks.” She had tears in her eyes and they shifted to the left as she spoke. “I don’t know how much you heard but …”
“Candace, let’s go back upstairs. I need to talk to you about something.”
She didn’t say anything as I slipped my arm around her shoulders and led her back upstairs. We didn’t talk in the elevator. I unlocked the lobby door and we stepped in.
“This place is creepy now,” she said.
“Yeah, I bet it feels that way.” I kept my arm around her.
“Did you hear what Potter was saying?”
“I heard most of it.”
Candace’s back straightened and she took a deep breath. Her bottom lip trembled as she stared straight ahead. Then she yanked her drawer open and grabbed her purse. “Larry has pictures of me.
“What?”
Without hesitating, she snatched the envelope from her desk and slapped it into my chest. Uncertainly, I looked inside and got an eyeful. Good God, the woman was beautiful, whatever she was or wasn’t wearing.
“I’m sure he’s got copies. They’ll probably be all over the office come Monday. I might as well just clean out my desk now and forget about all this.” Her hands trembled as she pulled down the little pictures she had tacked up to add her own personality to her cubicle. “I can go back to stripping. It doesn’t bother me. The money would be better anyway.”
Virgin's Passion Page 7