Head of the Class

by Cyndi Weatherhead

  “I will. Goodnight Michael.” Then before she clicked the phone off. “Will I see you tomorrow?”

  “Anytime you want.”

  His words set off a warm glow somewhere in the region of her heart. Fearing she’d say something stupid she just got off the phone as quickly as possible. “Goodnight.”

  * * * * *

  The next couple of weeks continued in that fashion as Caja spent her days going back and forth between the gym and Prema’s office. The interrogatories seemed to go on forever. The opposing counsel had interviewed her entire staff and returned with even more questions. She adamantly refused to allow questioning of her clients, and they finally backed down, though the threat of subpoena still lingered. Caja was sure it was only a matter of time before they literally asked for blood and stool samples. It was the most frustrating process she’d ever endured.

  Fortunately, Michael came over nearly every night. Most evenings they sat at opposite ends of the sofa, surrounded by their respective paperwork. She worked on all the business that accumulated from her long absences from the office as he graded papers, sharing tidbits of some of his student’s work. Some of them were absolutely hilarious. She could understand why he enjoyed being a teacher so much. It was very much like coaching or training , only with far more impact. After they emptied their respective briefcases, they’d eat dinner together and sometimes play a video game or just veg out watching TV . The domesticity of the situation wasn’t lost on her, she was simply too shell-shocked to even think about it aside for being grateful for his support. He almost always spent the night. Though there was nothing more than a goodnight kiss, and she was really too drained to even try to initiate anything more, just the comfort of spooning with him was positively addictive. Plus she got the satisfaction of knowing that he wasn’t totally immune to her charms. Sometimes that goodnight kiss got a little intense and she could tell by the lingering touch that he definitely wanted more. And then there was his morning wood. Always a delight. At least for her. For him? Not so much. It let her know that despite their chaste relationship , he wasn’t totally immune to her charms. This situation was as difficult for him as it was for her. Once this whole legal thing was over they were going to have to work something out. Right now her libido was nonexistent for the most part, but it was bound to return once her life got back to normal. If that ever happened.

  Today, thankfully , the discovery meetings had been rescheduled and she was in her office trying to catch up on still more paperwork. Quarterly taxes were coming due and while Kit had the process streamlined to the nth degree, she still had to review it before sending it over to the accountant. It took a moment for the mild disturbance in the foyer to penetrate her number-crunching fog. Just as she looked up in annoyance, Kit opened the door to Caja’s office, she stepped inside then closed it firmly behind her.

  “Mrs. Spraggins is here to see you.”

  Caja rose to her feet, sure she’d misunderstood. Why the hell would Madeline Spraggins be here? Before she could ask that question the door opened again. Kit stretched out an arm to bar the other woman from entering the room so she poked her head through the opening and began speaking.

  “I’m so sorry, Caja. But I had to come see you right away.” Caja stared at Madeline in exasperation. She recognized her from television and huge billboards around town advertising their church, but didn’t recall having seen her at the gym before. Madeline was sleek and polished in the way of the wealthy and well bred. Her discreet slate blue St. John suit indicated that she had money, but not in an ostentatious way. Her carefully coiffed blonde bob was softly highlighted to camouflage any gray that dared peek through. Though the woman had to be in her early fifties , discreet plastic surgery gave her the look of a much younger woman.

  Caja stared at her, realizing at once that despite Kit’s best efforts the Madeline wasn’t leaving. She nodded for her to come into the office and gave Kit a pointed look. Kit nodded and exited the room , leaving the door open. Caja gestured for Madeline to have a seat in the visitor’s chair before resuming her own seat behind her desk. She studied the other woman waiting for to speak. With greater proximity Caja noted that Madeline’s eyes were a bit red and she looked tired. Of course, it was spring in Huntsville. Pollen allergies could account for both, but somehow Caja doubted it.

  When the other woman didn’t start talking Caja felt compelled to do so. It wasn’t like she had all day, besides she didn’t need Prema to tell her that having her accuser in her office alone was bad news. “Mrs. Spraggins I’m not sure what you’re doing here, especially without your attorney.”

  “I had to talk to you. I’ve done an awful thing.”

  No shit. Caja almost rolled her eyes but halted the impulse just in time. Responding instead with a drawn-out, “Okay... but I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t choose to speak to you without my lawyer.”

  Madeline nodded. “Of course. Of course.”

  Kit buzzed in just then. “I’ve gotten in touch with Prema. She can be up here in a few minutes. She was working out downstairs.”

  “Well thank goodness. She’ll probably be thirsty,” Caja said knowing that Kit would bring refreshments. She stood and walked over to conference room which was adjacent to her office. “Ms. Spraggins, why don’t we go in here? My attorney should be here in a few minutes.”

  Madeline followed her into the conference room. They took seats across from one another at the table. Neither said anything and Caja looked up in relief when Kit, followed closely by Prema entered the room. Kit brought coffee and bottled water and Prema grabbed one before taking the seat at the head of the conference table. She looked a little winded, but otherwise her usual cool self. Madeline Spraggins took a cup of coffee, black Caja noted. Caja accepted a bottle of water mainly to have something to do with her hands, and gestured for Kit to join them, which she did , taking the seat at the other end of the table.

  Prema looked at Madeline. “Mrs. Spraggins, I have to advise you that coming here without your attorney is a very bad idea.”

  “I don’t have lawyers anymore, or at least I won’t once I tell you what happened. They belong to Bill, and well once we get the divorce -- ”

  Caja interrupted. “Divorce? Wait, you two are separating?” She didn’t know much about the couple, but she’d heard they’d been married for a couple of decades having met in Bible C ollege down in Birmingham.

  Madeline nodded. “I don’t want to , that’s why I did all this.”

  “Okay, can we start at the beginning?”

  “Of course. See, it all started when I started working out here and met Delby.”

  Caja and Prema exchanged a look. The way the woman said Delby’s name was telling.

  “Go on,” Prema prompted.

  “I thought he was really attractive, so I signed up for his class. Then it started.”

  “It?” Prema said. “What exactly is ‘it’?” Prema asked.

  “He would flirt with me. Tell me how beautiful I was. I mean, I know it was just flattery, but, well , it felt good. Before long we were lovers,” Madeline said.

  Caja watched as Madeline talked , wondering if she’d come close to losing her company because Jensen was stupid enough to scorn this woman.

  Apparently Madeline was pretty intuitive. “Oh, I know what you’re thinking. I’m a vain woman, but I knew Delby was just having a good time. He was with me for what he could get. Money, gifts, that type of thing, but I’m not some naïve girl. I knew the score. It wasn’t a love thing . W e were just having a good time. We were friends, see, but Bill found out. I didn’t know it then, but now I know he’s always had people watching me.”

  Prema frowned and took a swallow of water. “Why would he do that? Have you had affairs before?”

  “No. No.” Madeline said with a firm shake of her head. “But he has. Lots of them.”

  Caja understood that. She knew from experience that cheaters were some of the most paranoid people on earth. Shoe Boy had all b
ut had her on Lojack while he played free willy with every woman in town.

  “Anyway, he told me we could stay together. That he wouldn’t divorce me, if I would just help him out on this anti-yoga thing.” Her bright hazel eyes filled with tears. “I didn’t want to do it, but, I don’t have anything. I mean when I met Bill I was so young, I don’t have a career or a way to support myself.”

  “So the two of you have an agreement. What happened to change your mind?” Prema asked as Kit offered the woman a box of tissues.

  Madeline dabbed at her eyes with a tissue before continuing. “I overheard Bill talking to one of the men who works for him. He said that as soon as the trial was over and he’d gotten all the publicity he could, he was going to divorce me. He would use all this crazy yoga hypnotism stuff to convince a judge I was mentally unstable so he could take my children away!” she said with a wail.

  Wow! Caja had to struggle to keep her mouth closed. Even Prema looked a bit disconcerted.

  “I want to tell the judge that none of this ever happened. I slept with Delby because I wanted to. Yoga had nothing to do with it. He’s a nice guy who flirted with an older woman, everything else was my doing. I pursued him because it made me feel good and sexy. I’m so sorry.”

  “Okay. You still need a lawyer. I think I’ve got some friends who can help you out,” Prema said.

  “But I don’t have any money.”

  Prema took the other woman’s hand and her smile was positively feral. “Oh , I don’t think money will be any problem. Nope, not at all.”

  * * * * *

  After Prema left her office with Madeline Spraggins , Caja reclined back in her office chair scarcely believing that this nightmare might soon be over. Kit sat in the visitor’s seat scrolling through the appointments on Caja’s phone.

  “I made an appointment for you to get your hair cut ,” Kit said .

  “Well it’s about time somebody did,” Caja said. Thinking about her appearance reminded her of the day all this craziness had begun. She never had gotten around to finding out what was going on with her assistant. “Kit, do you remember the first day Prema came to the office to tell me about the lawsuit?”

  Kit looked up with a frown. “Of course I do. What about it?”

  “I was just wondering, you looked a little...well out of it. And, well you ’re still on your game, but for the past few weeks you’ve seemed a bit...distracted. Is there something you want to talk to me about? I’m sorry I’ve been so busy -- ” Caja stopped talking , astonished as suddenly Kit dropped her face down to her hands. She’d never seen Kit cry before. The other woman’s slender shoulders shook briefly and Caja stood prepared to offer a tissue when she raised her head again.

  Kit licked her lips, then started talking in a tone barely louder than a whisper. “You know Julie , right?”

  “My client who’s madly in love with you? The one who talks about you constantly? Yeah. I know Julie.”

  “Stop. Okay. Well, that day she was in here and well, things got a little crazy.”

  Caja sank back into her seat. “Crazy? You mean as in horizontal crazy, or bunny boiling crazy ?”

  Kit gave her an irritated glare. “Of course not . Neither one. B ut she came on pretty strong, and, well, I didn’t say no. ”

  “Okay. So what’s the problem?”

  “What’s the problem? I have a live-in lover. Or have you forgotten about Lyn?”

  “The question is, have you?” When Kit didn’t answer Caja continued. “I think this comes down to a simple question of who you want to be with. ”

  “It’s not that simple. I made a commitment to Lyn.”

  “But are you going to stay with her because of your commitment, or are you staying out of love?”

  Kit closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the chair. “I have no idea. Caja, what am I going to do?”

  Caja smiled and shook her head. “I think this is the first time you’ve ever asked me for relationship advice.”

  “Yeah, and that alone let s you know just how desperate I am. I love Lyn. I really do, but Julie, well, she makes me feel things. Things I’ve never felt before.”

  Thinking about Michael , Caja nodded. “Yeah, we ’ve all been there, my friend. We’ve all been there. Something tells me you already know what you want to do.”

  “I don’t want to hurt Lyn, she’s a good person.”

  “I think breaking up with her will hurt less than having you fall in love with someone else while in a relationship with her. Don ’t you think?”

  “Yeah. I know. You’re right, but this truly sucks.”

  Caja raised her brows at Kit’s coarse language. Wow, things really were in a bad way. “I think you’ll work it out. You’re smart enough to know when something is wrong for you, besides, how are you going to bitch me out if your love life is in worse shape than mine ? ”

  Kit raised her head and stared at Caja with dawning horror. “ For the love of God . That would be awful. I’ve got to take care of this situation right away. ”

  Caja smiled. “ And that’s why I’m such a good motivator.”

  CHAPTER

  10

  THE client Caja had scheduled immediately after her meeting with Madeline Spraggins cancelled which was a good thing because Caja’s mind was completely blown by that morning’s revelations. She took the time to work through employee evaluations and projected revenue data for her possible expansion into the Birmingham market. The numbers didn’t look nearly as rosy as they had before the lawsuit became front-page news, but the situation wasn’t as she had thought it would be. She’d just closed the spreadsheet when she looked up to see Michael come through the door of her office carrying a large potted orchid in one hand. The little leap of joy in her chest was more than a bit disturbing, but she was unbelievably happy to see him and she even knew what she was doing she was out of her chair and in his arms.

  Michael returned her hug with enthusiasm and followed it with a toe-curling kiss that shook Caja down to her Nike-clad toes. God, she had missed this so much. A delicious shiver made its way out from her spine as their tongues mated in a silken dance. Just when it was getting interesting he pulled away.

  “Well, if I’d known that would be my greeting I would’ve come by to take you out to lunch before now,” he said with a grin. School was out for the summer. She knew Michael picked up extra income tutorin g at one of the local learning labs and his schedule was pretty much his own.

  “You know I’m always glad to see you. Besides, I’ve had great news this morning.”

  “Really?”

  “Come on in,” she said pulling him to the other side of the room. He sat down in the visitor’s chair, while she perched on the corner of her desk. Barely a foot separated them, but the way her body craved his touch it might as well have been ten. “You’re not going to believe what happened. ” And she quickly updated him on Madeline Spraggins’s disclosures.

  “I’ll be damned,” he said with an awed expression.

  “No, it’s been a while since I attended Sunday school, but I’m pretty sure it’s Bill Spraggins who will be damned,” Caja said.

  “Does your lawyer think she can get rid of the case now?”

  Caja nodded. “Yes, and it’s such a relief. That poor woman. I feel so badly for her . She is married to such an ass.”

  “That “poor woman” sent an innocent man to jail and almost cost you a business you’ve worked nearly ten years to build,” Michael said with a wry twist of his lips.

  Caja smiled then leaned down to give him another kiss. “I can always count on you to keep things in perspective.”

  “You bet your sweet ass,” he said giving her thigh a lusty squeeze . Caja kissed him again, taking up from where they’d left off earlier. She expected him to stop her at any moment so she moved in closer, entwining his tongue with hers. Again and again she traced the contours of his mouth with her tongue , building the intensity higher with each stroke. She felt the shudder that ripp
ed through him, and then another before with a groan he pulled her into his lap. Caja settled in, pulling him even closer as he assaulted her mouth. She could feel his heavy erection against her bottom and she began to grind against him.

  “God, I’ve missed you so much,” he muttered against her mouth as he pushed her shirt up with one hand.

  “Well , this was your idea.”

  “Don’t remind me. I have to admit it wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had.”

  “I tried to tell you that at the time,” she said just before she sank her teeth into the side of his neck.

  “Clearly I’d lost my mind. Just let me have...” he said. Before she knew it, Caja found herself naked to the waist and straddling his lap. He leaned forward and took her nipple into his mouth pulling gently. The sucking sensation drove her into a frenzy of desire . She pushed harder with her hips , trying to get closer to what she so desperately needed. His touch seared through her , making her crave even more. It had been forever since she’d had him and she was determined to end her drought. Now. She bit him again, wanting to make him as crazy as he was making her, wanting to inflame him to the point of insanity. The salty taste of his skin lingered on her tongue and she inhaled deeply aroused by his masculine aroma. Then she remembered.

  “Kit. Where’s Kit?” she asked barely able to think through the haze of lust.

  “Who?” Michael asked with a groan as he switched to the other breast.

  “My assistant. Remember her, Kit?”

  “She wasn’t out there when I came in.”

  Caja frowned, but just then he slipped a hand down the waistband of her pants and suddenly she didn’t care anymore. It had been too damned long.

  “Here , baby,” he said lifting her up by the waist until she was standing between his widespread legs. She was on her feet for less than a second before he shucked her pants and underwear over her hips. She tried to step out of them only to have them caught on her shoes. With a groan of frustration Michael knelt at her feet to unlace her shoes and pull the offending garments off.