by Ferraro, W
Choosing to ignore her rant, Reed hung his trench coat on the coat tree by the office door, walked across his office, deposited his briefcase at its usual place next to his desk, and went about making a cup of coffee from the perfectly fine and tasteful coffeemaker in which this woman just abolished.
When his cup was ready, he brought the steaming cup to his lips and let the scalding bitter brew slide down his throat.
Only after the third such swallow did he allow himself to converse with the woman who seemed to be quite at home in his chair.
Refusing on principle to sit anywhere else in his office, he leaned against the wall of windows so that his shoulder and arm flush with the cold glass demanded another sip of coffee to regulate the different body temperatures.
Waiting for her to tell him her reason for this early morning meeting, he continued to sip from his cup.
“Well, I will cut to the chase. Here is your speech for tomorrow’s announcement. There is to be no going off what is written on those cards, other than your charming smile and gratitude for the chance to run and serve the citizens of New Hampshire. This will be a well-rehearsed and speedy press conference. Are we clear?” She handed him the small pile of index cards before turning back to her laptop and typing rapidly.
Reed placed his cup down on the sill and quickly read his speech. No wonder she made a point to tell him not to ad-lib because this announcement read like a curriculum vitae—highlighting his education, the statistics of his record as district attorney, and a thorough list of his biggest and most newsworthy victories inside a courtroom.
Throwing the cards back on his desk, where they skidded into disarray, he picked up his cup again and responded, “Rather than have a press conference, you should just make copies of my resume. It would be the same amount of information.”
Still looking at her screen, she didn’t seem to react to his cynicism. “Thank you for your input, but it is neither wanted nor required. Let me make myself very clear. If you don’t articulate it as written, I can guarantee a miraculous audio equipment malfunction, resulting in your announcement being only in print rather than televised on every news source in the state. We all know that is not how you get into the hearts of all those female voters if they can’t put a sultry voice with your good looks.” Finally pulling her gaze from the small screen, turning so she barely faced him, she cocked her head so her gaze met his before finally adding, “What a horrid shame that would be, wouldn’t it?”
Regardless of how early the clock read, Reed had had enough. “When do we get to the point of what I want my campaign to be about? Tell me that, Lacey!”
Quickly breaking the distance from his place by the window to his desk, he slammed her laptop closed demanding her attention.
Lacey’s only reaction to his outburst was to lean back in his chair and let her navy blue suit coat sleeves relax against the armrests as she considered him.
Only a mere foot separated them, his towering form looming over her seated one, and when Reed thought he would actually scream from the frustration of this woman, Lacey finally changed her demeanor; she slowly rose from her seat, standing practically chest to chest with him, and smiled.
Reed noticed this was not her usual I’m-getting-my-way-smile but rather an actually, honest-to-god sincere smile. It did wonders for her face.
“There it is! Finally! I was starting to think I was wasting my time,” Lacey exclaimed.
“What, my temper?”
“No! Your passion! Of all the research and observations I’ve done on you, you always had this driving passion that came across as come hell or high water, you were determined to win. Your meekness, I have to say, was starting to be a major turn-off, Dennison,” she stated animatedly before absolving her claim to his chair. She walked over to the sofa and took a seat there.
Reed watched her as she sat down and crossed her legs, showing an indecent amount of thigh with the highness of her skirt hem before he pulled his eyes upward, locking them on her face.
“So you pissing me off has been a test of some kind?” he fumed.
“Precisely. I was starting to think your dick had shriveled up and you were on the rag, to be honest.”
This sentiment had Reed smiling and letting the tension unwind from his body as he sat down in his comfortable chair and gave Lacey his attention.
“I assure you; all my extremities are accounted for and in fine working condition.”
Reed watched as she raised an eyebrow and smiled genuinely once more.
“The only time I saw you take a stand was the argument we had here regarding the Boston event.”
Reed interrupted. “And what a lot of good that did me. You shut me down firmly by coercing a judge to call a continuance. Something that I adamantly do not want to have any knowledge of the dynamics in which such a thing could and would occur.”
“Well, that was necessary. You were being extremely difficult. After all, your attendance in Boston wielded immense success and got the appropriate amount of buzz we needed to make a splash with our official run announcement.” Her crossed leg bounced up and down causing the shoe on the foot to come off her heel and wiggle on her toes in time with its moving counterpart.
Reed had always found that move vastly attractive.
Demanding his eyes stay above her shoulders, Reed leaned to one side of his chair. Leaning an elbow on the armrest, his raised hand’s index finger rubbed against his clean-shaven chin.
“Let me get this straight. As long as I fall in line and let you call the shots and abide by your rules, I’ll be rewarded down the road by becoming a participant in my own campaign. Am I seeing this clearly?”
Whether by accident or design, Lacey’s shoe fell to the floor, confirming she wore no stockings under her suit. As she leaned forward, crossing her forearms over her thigh and allowing a hint of her cleavage in his direct eye line, she affirmed, “Exactly! If you are a good boy and let me paint the picture, the public will see my way. Then and only then, when I deem it permissible, will you be able to vocalize your intentions and plans without my say so; but that comes after I have you marketed the way I see fit.”
Pondering what she was saying, Reed accepted he would go along with this plan without an argument, as long as when it was time to discuss the issues and his plan to rectify them he would have the uncensored openings.
His affirmation came in the form of his promise. “You will have no argument from me.”
With a look that rivaled any cat face to face with a canary’s cage, Lacey stood, slipped her naked foot back into its stiletto, and walked sensuously with the appropriate amount of sway to her hips over to his desk on the opposite side of where he sat. Once there, she leaned over and gave him another clear view down her shirt, as she stacked all her skewed papers and pulled her laptop toward her.
Knowing the angle she was now playing, Reed reacted by cocking his eyebrow upward.
Lacey stood back up and slipped everything into her own briefcase before stating as plain as if they were discussing the weather, “See, easy, Dennison. Give me what I want, and you will get what you want.”
She turned on her four-inch heels and left his office without another word.
Colby awoke to an empty bed. Not that she was surprised that she was alone, but regardless, she still felt disappointment flood her. Knowing it was cliché, she reached over, pulled the other pillow closer to her, and smiled in confirmation when she took a large lungful and allowed his intoxicating scent to surround her. Bringing the pillow even closer, so it was now flush against her, she buried her face into its softness and continued to take deep breaths. She permitted her mind to wander foolishly, as she imagined the inexpensive cotton blend pillow was, in fact, a strong hard body—a specific person’s body.
With eyes closed, his amazing scent filling her lungs as she nuzzled her body in closer. Her mind continued to wander to what it would be like to wake up and have Reed’s hypnotizing blue eyes staring back at her. The feeling
of security and admiration that she would feel when their eyes met; she also continued to delude herself with thoughts of his powerful, corded arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her close to him as if she was truly cherished.
Such imagery was more than wonderful.
However, before she went completely off the deep end of fictitious realities, she pulled herself back and rolled over. With a swing of her legs over the side of the bed, she sat up and felt the first twinge of discomfort. Rather than cringe at the feeling, she smiled as she remembered all the ways he took her last night, and how each time, he surpassed the previous round.
Standing up, she stretched hoping some of the achiness would subside. Deciding on a hot cup of coffee, she reached over, grabbed her turquoise satin robe from the nearby hook, and slipped it on. Just in time, too, as she heard the quick jiggling sound of her door unlock and then her front door slid open. In walked Paige, still in uniform, brandishing her key.
At least he remembered to lock the door.
The tall brunette looked exhausted and somewhat annoyed. With the belt on her robe firmly cinched, Colby looked at the other woman and said sarcastically, “Sure, Paige why don’t you just come on over and let yourself in.”
Unfazed by Colby’s tone and continuing on her path to the counter, Paige responded crassly, “Well, perhaps if you answered your damn phone, I wouldn’t have to use my damn key to make sure you aren’t dead on the damn floor or something.”
Yup, she is overtired.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Colby padded barefoot over to the counter where Paige was unpacking a brown grocery bag with a pink pastry box tied with twine and a carafe of what Colby hoped was her new favorite chocolate cappuccino coffee from the local bakery. Ignoring the muttering woman, Colby removed her phone from her bag, noticing it was still on vibrate and that she did, in fact, have countless text messages as well as multiple missed calls.
Oops.
Hoping to defuse the potentially hostile situation, Colby opted for middle ground. With a quick twist of the carafe’s cap, she confirmed it was indeed the decadent coffee and it had already been lightened with cream. Colby reached over, pulled two freshly washed mismatched mugs from the dish strainer, and filled them both before passing one to the disgruntled woman a few feet away from her.
Without a word, Paige took the cup, still quietly mumbling to herself. She brought the cup to her lips and took a small sip. Colby watched the transformation right before her eyes. After about the third sip, Paige’s body relaxed, and she no longer wore the fuming expression. Colby knew now was the time to offer the apology.
“Sorry.”
With one more long sip taken, Paige finally looked at Colby and gave a curt nod before opening the bakery box and offering its contents to the fresh from sleep woman.
Colby leaned forward and perused the offered goodies as her mouth watered from the divine aromas wafting out of the box. However, just as she was about to reach in and select one, the box was ripped away from her, tossed haphazardly on the counter, and Paige was standing at attention.
Not knowing at all what was wrong, Colby stood up and began to look around. Nothing seeming too out of place, she looked back at Paige and found her older cousin looking at her strangely.
“What?” Colby asked as she looked down at herself to make sure nothing was askew.
But out of the ordinary, Paige remained silent and just continued to stare.
Colby ran her hands through her hair knowing it was definitely standing on end in all directions and looked around where she stood to make sure nothing was wrong. Coming up with nothing, she asked again, louder and a bit more annoyed, “What the hell, Paige?”
Paige walked around the corner of the counter so she was a mere foot away from Colby, making Colby feel the height difference and knowing Paige did it on purpose.
Unable to wait any longer, knowing it was childish but feeling it was only proper, Colby stomped her foot.
It seemed to work. Paige extended one leg out the side as she cocked the opposite hip out and crossed her arms over her overly ample chest, before accusing, “It smells like sex in here.”
Shit.
Knowing it was wrong and not going to stop the impending inquisition, Colby backpedaled. “You are off your rocker, Paige; take a nap then maybe you will think clearly.”
Paige just smirked.
Double shit.
“No, I don’t think I am, Col,” Paige pointed with her thumb over her shoulder toward the door, “the trail starts there and makes its way conveniently over to where your bed is. Add that to the phone left on vibrate! In your bag! Across the apartment! Is my second indicator that I’m on to something. The fact that you are as red as a tomato and panic is written all over your face confirms it.”
Shit. Shit. Shit and an extra shit!
Knowing this would be futile, Colby still had to try, so she let out a pathetic sound that was supposed to be a “Pfft,” and took a leisurely sip of her own coffee as she copied Paige’s stance.
Paige leaned forward from the waist so that she could have sipped from the same coffee cup if she wanted as she held Colby’s eyes with her own twinkling with mischief ones and a megawatt smile. “Who is it, Colby?”
“Nobody, Paige! Now, come on, different subject!” Colby claimed as she walked around Paige and took a seat on the counter stool to look through the bakery box once more.
Paige turned around and leaned against the refrigerator with arms crossed over her chest and smiled like a Cheshire cat.
“Ha! Right there, you dirty girl! You said nobody meaning it was somebody! If it, in fact, was nobody, you would have said, ‘I didn’t have sex’ or something to that effect.”
With her head hiding behind the upward flap of the pastry box, Colby begged, “You are insane. Can we please talk about something else?”
“No way!”
Considering making a run for it and hoping Paige would either fall asleep after her overnight shift or give up badgering her, Colby tried to imagine her chances making it to the locked bathroom before Paige’s much longer strides could catch her.
“Just give me the name and then we can talk about any other pointless and less important subject you want.”
“I’m not doing this!”
Maybe if she sees how angry I am, she will have mercy.
”Well, I know it isn’t Dustin because he was at the station with me all shift.”
No such luck.
“So who is it?”
Maybe if I just ignore her, she will take the hint.
“Come on, you’ve been in this town a couple of weeks, and you are already knocking boots with someone! I need details, girl!”
She is worse than a dog with a bone.
“Tell me! You know I can keep a secret.”
That I broke my mom’s favorite flower vase when we were kids and my sporadic navel piercing when we were sixteen without my mom’s permission are not the same kind of secrets as this one, my dear cousin! Do you not get that!?!
“Paige, stop! Please, I’m begging you!”
“Come on, tell me!”
“Paige, I’m serious. Leave it alone!” Colby warned as she emptied her cup before filling it again.
Suddenly, Paige’s face changed to astonishment, followed by fury, before quickly being masked by something in the middle.
“Wait a minute you didn’t, did you . . .” Paige whispered.
“Didn’t what?”
If you could speak in an extremely high octave and still be a harsh whisper, Paige nailed it. “You didn’t screw Mason, did you?”
“No!”
“Really?” Fearful panic was evident on her face at this moment.
Suddenly, Colby knew this wasn’t just about finding out who Colby was with. This specific line of questioning was about something else.
Colby tried to be firm yet clear. “Paige, if Mason Dennison was in my bed, I think I would know, wouldn’t I?”
Now, Co
lby wanted to start up her own inquisition.
“You aren’t going to tell me who you were with last night, are you?”
And just like that, she covers up. Oh Paige, what secret are you holding?
“Look, Paige, regardless of your need to know, I am in fact an adult, and if I chose to have sex with someone, it is no one’s business but my own.”
They continued to stare at each other for a few moments longer before Paige asked, “But it is someone, though, right?”
“Well, obviously!” Colby rolled her eyes.
With a huff, Paige walked to the opposite side of the counter and sat as she rotated the still untouched box around so she could pick something. “Fine, if you want to keep your secrets, then be a bitch like that.”
I love her!
“Takes one to know one.”
Forgetting the box again, Paige refilled her cup and took the seat next to Colby.
“So is there anything you want to confess this morning?” Colby asked.
“What are you on about?” Paige quips taking a sip of her steaming mug.
“I just think it is interesting that the minute Mason was brought up, suddenly it was no longer fun to harass me.”
Looking anywhere but at Colby, Paige announces, “Why should I care if you sleep with Mason? I just wanted to make sure you had better taste.”
This statement had Colby smiling widely.
“So you are saying that you didn’t feel the least bit jealous when you accused me of sleeping with him?”
Paige stood up, bringing her cup with her as she walked aimlessly around the room.
Like a caged animal.
“Well?”
“Are you asking me if I was jealous over the thought of you and Mason? You are out of your mind.”
Colby no longer thought it; she knew it. “Oh my God, you really do like him!”
With an unusual squeak to her voice, Paige yelled, “No, I don’t! Don’t say that!”