I gave a sigh of surrender and flopped down on the couch with her. "I like here, too. I just like doing new things as well," I said reasonably.
"We can do new things, sometimes," Lisa said.
I glanced at her. "When?"
She laughed, "When I get that promotion and can stop being so stressed out."
"I think your default setting is stressed out, darling," I said with a laugh back at her.
Lisa gave me a light kiss. "You can help me unwind," she said with that sultry tone in her voice. She gave me a wink, and I giggled as she brushed another kiss across my lips.
"Nope," I said and hopped up off the couch. "I have to go work on my project house this afternoon. I want to catch the afternoon sunlight in the conservatory and let it fuel my imagination," I grandly said as I walked back to my closet.
Lisa sat up. "Are you kidding me?"
I threw over my shoulder, "No. I am not kidding you. I'm an artist, Lisa, remember? We do wacky things like that. Why don't you watch that new season of whatever show that was you have been going on about?" I made the suggestion to pacify the woman, but I heard her get up off the couch anyway.
I grabbed a comfortable blouse that I did not mind paint getting on and some well-worn jeans out of the closet. As I deposited the clothes on the bed, Lisa came into the bedroom and gave me a pout. "What?" I asked her in amusement.
"You are just going to leave me here?" Lisa asked sulkily. The woman was used to getting her way and often became pouty until I gave in.
I gave her a shake of my head as I said, "I told you I had to work this afternoon. Don't you pay attention to me?"
"Sometimes," Lisa admitted with a grin. "Come on, Kate. It is Saturday. You do not have to work today."
"If I want to finish my project on time and as well as I can then I do, indeed, have to work this afternoon," I said as I turned toward the stubborn woman. Lisa was wearing her yoga pants and a tank top that made up her usual weekend look. I sighed, "Look we'll go out this evening, okay?" I turned around and began to undress. I slipped off my pajama pants and threw then onto the bed.
Lisa's arm went around my waist. "You could stay for just a bit," Lisa said coaxingly. Her hand slipped down my hip, along my thigh. I bit my lip and knew I was going to give in.
"Lisa, that just isn't fair," I complained as I felt her fingers slip into my panties. I bit down on my lip as she slipped her fingers into me. She liked to go straight in for the kill, as she called it and I had to admit that the method worked most the time on me. I put my hands on her arms in a vain attempt at stopping her. It was a lost cause already, and I knew it. She slid my panties off, but I refused to give in fully yet.
I laughed and said, "You know I'm going just to ignore you."
"Go ahead," Lisa said as she slipped my panties out of her way. Her fingers slipped out of me, and I reached for my jeans. As I bent over to grab my jeans, I felt Lisa's fingers slip into me from behind, and her arm slipped around my waist to pull me back against her fingers. She slipped her finger in and out of me roughly. I gasped as I bent over the bed.
Lisa guided me up onto the bed but I stayed on my knees, and Lia was soon behind me with her fingers thrust into me again. I liked it when she became aggressive. She liked getting her way, and if she did not get it, she tended to be a bit aggressive which was fine by me. Honestly, sometimes I held out so that she would be a bit more assertive.
When it was Lisa's turn for pleasure, I laid down, and she crawled over the top of me so I could give her oral. She made sure she got every ounce of pleasure she could before she finally let me go to my work for the afternoon. I regarded the woman with something akin to indulgence for her spoiled ways. The light was fading by the time I got to my project site which made me sigh sadly.
***
"That's too bad that you girls can't go. Hey, maybe I can stay with Lisa, and you can go with Megan," Danny said the last part with a boyish enthusiasm that made me laugh.
"Somehow, I don't think your girlfriend would agree to that," I said to him and patted his arm. "Nice try, though."
He nodded. "Thanks," he said with an air of defeat. "Still working on your portfolio masterpiece?"
"Yeah," I said as I thumbed through a paint catalog. "I've finished a couple of rooms, but I'm still working on getting the color scheme right for the conservatory."
"Can't go wrong with greens," Danny said as he held up paint sample of green with golden flecks. "I'm using this on my outdoor arbor," he said.
I admired the color. "It is nice," I said, and then I sighed. "I cannot concentrate on colors," I admitted.
"Uh Oh," Danny said. "Is there trouble in paradise?"
"I'm not sure paradise describes Lisa and myself," I said with a laugh. "I'm just worried that she's a little too complacent."
Danny said firmly, "There is nothing wrong with being happy with what you have."
"Agreed," I said while putting my hands on top of the paint catalog. "But at what point does it become too complacent?"
Danny said, "I know this one. If she refuses to put on pants and then eats all the candy at Halloween."
"Are we talking about your Dad now?" I asked him seriously. We stared at each other for a moment then burst out laughing. "I have got to get new friends," I said emphatically.
"That you do," Danny said in agreement. "If you are concerned about then you should talk to her."
I assured him, "I've tried. Lisa just acts like I'm silly."
"Do you think you are silly?" Danny asked as he jotted some notes down in his planner. We were sitting in my office with the afternoon sunshine coming in through the windows.
I shook my head. "No. I don't think I am," I said softly. "I like her, Danny."
"Never said you didn't," Danny said as he held the cap to his pen in his mouth. I grimaced at him a bit. He was oblivious as he jotted down some more notes and smiled happily at his planner. Danny was a good designer, but he preferred to do outdoor spaces. When Danny was in his element, he was, in all honesty, better than me at bringing it all together. He has a whimsical touch that I envied.
"Looks like it will be time to go before long," I said as I looked around at the clock.
Danny sighed, "Where does the time go?"
I gave him a smile as we tidied up the worktable we were standing over. "Don't forget that you and Megan are invited over for dinner tomorrow," I reminded him.
Danny gave me a salute and assured me, "I would never forget."
Chapter 5
Monday dawned like all the ones before it in the last couple months. I woke up with a sense of purpose. The project with the 1920s house was coming along. I just had to get the right touches to go in the dining hall. It seemed odd that the dining room would give me so much trouble, yet it was.
As I walked into the office, there was a bit of a hum in the air that had been absent before. I looked around trying to place what was different, but I could not. Rounding the corner, I caught sight of blond hair and my breath caught in my throat. Tori was standing in the director's office with Deon. I quickly pulled my eyes away. My infatuation with the woman had clearly not gone away as quickly as I had thought it would. "Damn it," I muttered to myself.
"I said that when I saw her too," Danny whispered beside me causing me to startle.
I put my hand over my heart. "Gah, Danny, don't do that," I said with feeling.
"Sorry," Danny said apologetically. "I wasn't exactly stealthy, though. Are you okay?"
I nodded. "Of course, I am," I said a bit defensively.
Danny raised his eyebrow, and I saw his smile. "Oh, is that right?"
"Oh, do not even go there, Danny," I warned him in a low voice.
Danny chuckled and said as he waved his planner around like a school girl. "Got a crush, still?"
"How has Megan refrained from smothering you in your sleep?" I asked him sincerely.
He just shrugged and said, "Because I'm adorable."
I laughed despite myself.
"Okay, Mr. Adorable, it's time to get to work now. I have to run over to the site and see if I can grab some photos of the morning light on the molding in the dining hall. I just can't get the right tone in that room."
Danny checked his watch and sighed. "I gotta go meet a client. Talk to you later?" He asked as we parted.
"Yep," I assured him as I ran to grab my camera from my office. When I came back out, I almost ran into Tori coming down the hall. "Oh, sorry," I said as I slipped the camera strap around my neck. My eyes absentmindedly went to the curve of her breast in the soft shirt she wore before I pulled them away.
"I was just coming to see you," Tori said, "But it appears you are on your way out."
I said, "Yeah, I'm trying to get some inspiration for a project, and I need the morning sun."
Tori nodded. "Better get to it then," she said matter of fact.
I nodded and then said, "Uh, welcome back."
"Thanks," Tori said before she dipped her head and was off down the hall as if she had somewhere important to be.
***
I sat on the floor of the dining hall staring at the afternoon light and the pictures that I had taken that morning. I started a bit when there was a knock on the door. Dumbfounded as to who would be calling on an unoccupied house, I made my way to the door. I cracked it open a bit, and to my surprise, I saw Tori outside.
"Oh, I didn't know you made site calls," I said. Tori had never visited my properties before.
Tori said, "I don't normally visit the senior designers unless asked to specifically. I just wanted to come see what you were working on so hard that has kept you out of the office."
I nodded, "Of course. We've done a few rooms, but at present, I'm working on the dining hall. Honestly, it's giving me a bit of trouble."
"Oh?" Tori asked absentmindedly.
I led the way to the room. It was an expansive room with large ceilings and this gorgeous trim that just seemed so bland with the tone it was painted in. We stood in the space for a bit. "I'm trying to keep it in the spirit of the 1920s," I said softly.
"The roaring twenties," Tori said softly. "Why not gold?"
"Gold?" I asked in confusion.
Tori pointed at the molding. "Why not paint it gold? There is a reason it was called the Gilded Age," Tori said, and then she gave me a smile. It was the first time I had seen such a genuine expression on her since the night of the robbery, and for a moment it dazzled me.
I shook myself out of my thoughts and said, "That's not a bad idea."
"I have them ever so often," Tori said simply.
We laughed for a bit. "Now that I have the molding down, it'll be a lot easier to tie the room together. It could be an echo of a 1920's dance hall," I said with a grin as I liked the idea more and more.
Tori nodded. "I'll see you back in the office then?" The woman said as she took her leave.
"Sure," I said as I watched the woman go. I did not know what to think of her.
***
With the creative dam of the dining hall broken, the renovation surged forward, and I was soon back on schedule. As I wrapped up for the day at work, I gathered up my things and headed off down the hall.
"Hey you," Lisa called as I rounded the corner into the main lobby.
I gave her a smile. "I didn't know you were coming to meet me," I said in confusion. "I'm glad to see you, though."
"I wanted to surprise you, and I got off work at a normal time," Lisa said as if she was very pleased with herself. I gave the woman an indulgent smile. Lisa said, "Come on, let's go get some sushi from that little place you like so much."
It never did take much coaxing to talk me into sushi. "You twisted my arm," I said in surrender.
Lisa leaned in and gave me a peck of a kiss that I smiled at. "You look so tired. Your house still giving you woes?"
"Nah, I'm just tired because I'm happily doing my job," I assured her. "Quit stalling and let's go eat."
As we left, I got the feeling that someone was watching me and I looked back to see Tori watching us from her office. I had not thought about her office having a perfect view of the lobby. I blushed a bit. I should not care what Tori saw or did not see, but it still bothered me. The blond had a look on her face that I would attribute to jealousy if it had been anyone else. I was not sure Tori could be jealous or would be over a woman anyway.
***
The next morning when I came in, Tori waved me into her office. I felt my stomach knot up in nervousness. "Did you need something?" I asked hesitantly as I slipped into Tori's office.
"It's none of my business, but was that your girlfriend yesterday?" Tori asked as she looked up at me from her desk.
I was not sure if this was appropriate for work, but I saw no reason to lie. "Yes, it was. Is that a problem?" I asked defensively. I assumed Tori was not gay, but I had no idea if the woman was homophobic. I grimaced imagining how much harder that would make my work life.
"No, other than she's not good enough for you," Tori said simply.
I blinked at her a couple of times before I could form sentences. I was so stunned that it took me a moment to process what the woman had said. "What?" I asked because clearly there had to be some confusion. I had perhaps misunderstood what she had said.
"I said that she isn't good enough for you. Why are you wasting your time with her?" Tori asked the question so matter of the fact that it was as if she was critiquing a work assignment of mine.
I shook my head. "I don't believe it," I muttered. "Did you run out of things to berate me about at work?"
"I've never berated you," Tori said simply. "I've made suggestions to help your productivity, but you are a fine designer who does not need my counsel."
"I'm also a grown woman who does not need your counsel on who she should and should not date," I said furiously. I turned to leave then stopped myself. I took a deep breath and turned back toward the blond who was sitting impassively behind her desk. "You have the right to say what you want about my work, but my personal life is off limits to you. Do you understand?"
Tori nodded. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to upset you," she said apologetically. "I was merely trying to tell you that I think you are worth more than what she is offering."
I forced myself to take a deep breath and respond neutrally unless I betray my feelings toward the blond. "Thank you for your concern, but Lisa and I are just fine together. Unless you have something work related to discuss with me, I'd appreciate it if you kept your opinions to yourself," I said with controlled anger.
"Again, I'm sorry that I upset you. I don't have anything work-related to add," Tori said, and I envied the control the woman had on her emotions because I felt like I was about to start crying. I quickly excused myself and went to my office to compose myself.
Danny popped his head in the door. "Are you okay?" He asked the question with evident concern.
"Of course, why?" I asked as I quickly schooled myself to a calmer state.
Danny said, "I think everyone in the building heard you and Tori, Kate."
I covered my face with my hands. "Great. She's ruined my work life for me now. Mission accomplished," I said dramatically.
"Oh, it wasn't that bad. It was entertaining, and I think nice for people to hear Tori have a bit of an emotional response to something," Danny said. "Bright side, maybe the boss does like girls."
"I don't think so," I said firmly. "And it wouldn't matter anyway. She left without so much as a word. She can't do that then come back in here, and swagger through like I should give a rat's ass what she thinks about anything."
Danny said, "I agree with you there."
***
Despite what I had told Danny, I did care about what Tori had said. It bothered me a lot more than I wanted to let on. The reason it bothered me so much was that I thought she was right. Why did the woman always have to be right? Of course, I had already known that Lisa and I had our flaws. I had already questioned it to Danny, but by Tori echoing the sentiment it mad
e the cracks look so much more visible in the sunlight. I tried to ignore them, but they just seemed to keep growing.
I even dreamed about her which made working with her all the more trying. During the day, I tried to be aloof, but at night my dreams brought Tori to my rescue as she saved me from my nightmares or myself.
My eyes blinked open, and I glanced around my bedroom. To my surprise, a figure moved in the room, and I screamed. I ran down the hallway. I knew instinctively that someone was after me. The corner flew by me, and I slammed into a body causing myself and the other person to tumble down onto the floor. The room when I looked up did not resemble my apartment.
Double Grades Page 68