She grabbed her bag and flung it over her shoulder. As we passed by the window in my office, I noticed our reflection. How opposite we appeared. Morgana was short, with thick, long red hair, and an hourglass figure times ten. Her clothes, while defined as office wear, were so tight I could sometimes make out the lace pattern of her panties.
I was tall and thin. No shape. I didn’t even think a flag pole would be jealous of my figure. My clothes, well, they were office wear too. But I liked to be comfortable, have things loose on me. Always buying my clothes one size larger. The last thing I was here to do was attract men, so why would I wear something that could even risk that?
I am beginning to realize why I was almost invisible to Edgar.
Once we passed the elevators and arrived at Morgana’s desk, I pointed at the clock. “It’s ten forty-five, almost time for the Brooks Bomb. I told Payne on Friday that this would be your first day back but he had meetings out of the office all morning.”
I turned to head back to my office but stopped as Morgana yelled out for me. “Maybe I’ll take an early lunch. You up for it?”
I was about to tell her no, that I had some work that needed to get done when the elevator doors opened and out walked the last person I wanted to see, ever, Edgar.
Then I would be forced to talk to him about the new hire for his department. Something easily done via email. Instead of face-to-face where I would have to try desperately to control my hormones. It was hard to not turn into a giggling mess with his deep voice acting like a Siren song. I always tried to be aloof, but I had a feeling he didn’t care anyway.
Before he saw me, I turned back toward Morgana and nodded my head. “Sounds great.”
“Okay, let’s go. Oh wait, is that Edgar? Hey, Edgar.”
I was surprised by how fast Morgana could move considering her height. She was like a red blur blazing past me and before I knew it, she had Edgar deep in conversation. His perfectly sculpted blond hair just brushed the tops of his ears as he ran his fingers through them.
He had long hair when I first started to work here, but last year he cut it. I appreciated both styles, but I missed his long hair. Something about it made me want to run my fingers through it, fist it in my fingers, and scream “mine” to anyone who passed.
I sounded barbaric. And sad. Mostly sad.
Holding my ground, I refused to move closer, not on principle because what was I arguing about? Lunch? No, I was hungry, but I lacked the strength to resist Edgar’s charm. Especially when he smiled and those dimples appeared.
Dimples of sin I called them. I wanted to lick them so much.
“Hey, Evaleen, Edgar is going to join us for lunch.” Morgana waved me over with happiness radiating out of her pores. I wish I could glow with happiness. The only time I glowed was after I had danced a few songs at a club. Also, my makeup usually melted by then, and my pit stains were large enough by that point that tadpoles had been known to form, even when I wore a tank top.
What I’m saying was I got swamp pits but, hey, I glowed.
Edgar’s dimples were on full debauchery mode. That was, until he saw me. I guess Morgana left that part out when she invited him to lunch. He probably would have declined the offer if he knew I would be there.
“Dreary Evaleen Bechmann? No, thank you,” he’d say. I was always surprised when he knew my name considering how unhappy he appeared around me.
It wasn’t just his dwindling smile but how his eyes gazed at anything but me. Like he was trying to find an escape from the worst thing ever, me.
“Great.” I said through gritted teeth.
It wasn’t great. It especially wasn’t wonderful when Morgana conveniently stood by the elevator buttons when we were moving down to the bottom floor, forcing Edgar and me to stand next to each other. I could smell his cologne.
His mouthwatering, manly man scent.
I took deep breaths, not because I was about to hyperventilate (but that was an idea to get out of this lunch), but because I wanted to inhale all of him.
My mouth watered and I knew my neck was red without even glancing into the reflection of the metal elevator doors.
I turned my head to face the wall and tried to fill my lungs with non-sex god air, but it wasn’t working. Perhaps if I scooted toward the wall, inching farther away from him, I wouldn’t want to lick him so much?
Thankfully, I didn’t have to make that decision as the elevator dinged and opened on the ground floor. Cool, platonic air breezed around me and I began to feel human again.
That was until he placed his hand on the small of my back to guide me out of the elevator, causing my lady parts to spasm uncontrollably. I think they were having a seizure from too much hotness.
I coughed. Actually, I tried to suppress an eruption of humiliating giggles that would have embarrassed twelve-year-old girls, with a cough.
It worked. He dropped his hand and the lower half of my body went into a deep depression. The top half of my body felt relief tinged with bitterness.
The chill of the Chicago air solidified me. What if I’m not sexy or beautiful enough for him to notice like he did every other woman he came in contact with? He slept around anyway. Even if he did seduce me, I would just end up heartbroken anyway.
“Here we are. Chuck’s Sausage Shack. I am so thankful I can get a good sausage right next door anytime I want.” Morgana smiled as she held the door for us.
“I sure do love to suck on tubular meat during my breaks at work,” I said without hesitation.
That time I coughed for real. I hadn’t meant for that to come out of my mouth. It was there in my head and then my mouth decided it was the perfect time to give it a voice. I blame Morgana. Who says they are thankful to get good sausage? She was practically begging me to embarrass myself like that.
“Let’s hope,” Edgar said. My eyes narrowed at him but he had turned from me.
Cool as always. Nothing fazed him, not even a frumpy coworker making blatant and not very good penis jokes.
He was just casually glancing around the place scoping out a table.
“Crap. Looks like I got to head back to work. I just got a text from Mr. Payne telling me he needs to meet with me since it’s my first day back. Sorry.” Morgana frowned, shoving her phone back into her purse and pushing out the door.
After watching the door close, I turned to Edgar. He was staring at me, grimacing.
“Look, if you have something to do we can just order food to go,” I said, trying to offer him a way out. It was obvious back at the office he was only agreeing to lunch because he thought it would be him and Morgana. I’m not blind. Morgana was gorgeous and sexy and exactly what a player like Edgar would be into. I think it’s a little shitty that he would go after someone his best friend, Payne, was obviously into, but that was none of my business.
Now we can order food for lunch since we are already here and then go our separate ways.
Edgar smirked. His dimples deepening as his gaze drifted languidly to my lips. “Now why would I miss out on the chance of watching you suck on some tubular meat?”
My lady parts were seizing again.
TEN
Edgar
I was staring at pictures of different types of sausage but my mind couldn’t stop thinking of Evaleen’s mouth. The menu, like a shield to prevent my flirting from going any further.
Why did I have to comment about watching her suck on sausage? Oh, that’s right, I couldn’t help but think of sex whenever I’m around her.
It’s her lips that did me in. Maybe her eyes too. Okay, if I was being honest, I couldn’t help but wonder what body was hiding under those drab clothes of hers.
“Hmm.” Evaleen’s deep soothing tone made me think of sex again.
I pondered if she would hum if she ever gave me a blow job.
“Of course.”
My eyes widened at her response, and I wondered if I said the comment about a hummer out loud.
I lowered my menu to find her
glaring at me.
“Do you know what you want?” I think my voice cracked when I said that.
“I haven’t decided yet. If the waiter shows up you order first to give me some time.”
I nodded and melted back in my seat. Relieved that she didn’t have the power to read minds.
“Have you decided what you would like to eat today?”
I turned my head to find a man in a plaid flannel shirt standing beside our table, placing glasses of water in front of us. He stared at Evaleen.
He was almost drooling over her. What a pig. This guy didn’t even glance my way once.
“I’ll have the Polish sausage with a side of chi fries.” I spoke a little louder than normal to get his attention.
He waved his hand at me still staring at Evaleen, not writing anything I said down. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. And for the lady?”
“I couldn’t decide between the Chicago dog with tatter tots or the turtwurst. What do you recommend?” She raised her eyes to him but quickly narrowed them.
“Definitely the turtwurst. They are my favorite. Short little sausages that burst with flavor. We put raisins in them to give it a hint of sweetness.”
The look on Evaleen’s face said it all.
“Well, that sounds like an abomination. I’ll take the Chicago dog and don’t skimp on the pickle spear.” She pushed the menu at him as did I, and in that moment, I wanted to kiss her.
Not in a seductive way, though I always wanted to do that, but in a “that’s my girl” sort of way. Only Evaleen wasn’t my girl. She wasn’t my woman. And I wondered if I could even call her my friend.
When the waiter left, a bit dejected, Evaleen began to laugh.
“Can you believe that guy?” Evaleen shook her head.
“‘My favorite, ‘It has raisins in them for a hint of sweetness,’” she mimicked him waving her hands in the air. “I mean, come on, raisins in sausage? What’s next, marshmallows?”
She shook her head and a few strands of golden locks slipped out of her bun. It brushed her cheek and I had to sit on my hand so I wouldn’t reach over to tuck it behind her ear.
“Obviously, he is not good at his job.” I found him at another table and glared at him. Unfortunately, he hadn’t noticed.
“I think he has an eye problem. He kept staring at me.” Evaleen reached for her glass and took a sip.
“No, he can see all right. He was just some pervert who had to stare.”
I know Evaleen didn’t see me in that way, but it didn’t stop me from wanting to keep men away from her. There haven’t been any men in her life that I knew of yet, but I figured one day I would encounter that. I just hoped I didn’t lose it when it happened.
Based on how I wanted to rip that waiter to shreds for just giving her the creep eye, I would say my chances weren’t good for keeping it together.
“What? Oh, ha, yeah. He must be a pervert then.”
Bringing my attention back to Evaleen, she was frowning and shrinking. Her hand grasped at her jacket, closing the gap of what little skin her chest exposed while sliding down in her chair. My heart picked up in concern.
I reacted too strongly to the waiter and must have scared her.
“You know what, Edgar? I just remembered I have to get back for a meeting I forgot about. Here is some cash for the food.”
She reached into her jacket pocket and took out a folded-up bill but I waved it away. “No, Evaleen. I’ll put some money down and walk you back. I forgot I’m supposed to eat lunch with Henrik today.”
Henrik had texted me that he was coming to my office to discuss something important right after Morgana left the restaurant. I ignored it because I wanted to be with Evaleen. But now, it looked like I said something to upset her.
I didn’t understand. I was great with women. Always knew what to say, but with Evaleen, it seemed anything that came out of my mouth made her hate me even more.
I took out my wallet and threw some money down. Evaleen was already heading toward the door.
I managed to catch up to her just as she stepped onto the sidewalk. Her head was down, which I assumed was due to the wind. We made it back into the lobby in no time.
As we walked side by side to the elevators, my hand accidentally brushed hers and I felt a shiver run up my arm. Evaleen jerked hers away, rubbing her hand.
Static was a problem in Chicago during the winter. Yeah, static.
A few people were waiting for the elevator and we joined them.
“Do you want me to go back and have the waiter wrap up your food?” I threw my thumb over my shoulder gazing at Evaleen.
She still had her head down.
My heart picked up. Something was very wrong and I had no idea how to fix it.
“Evaleen, did I say something wrong?”
Her head jerked and her eyes flickered up at me for a moment. “I don’t know what you are talking about, Edgar. I have a meeting.”
Despite her reassurance, I felt like this was all my fault.
The doors opened to the elevator and we pushed our way inside. It was crowded, and Evaleen was pressed to the back with me facing her. I thought the doors would close but more people kept getting on.
With Evaleen’s height and her in heels, we were just about eye level. I tried to look at the wall behind her but my eyes kept drifting back to her face. The blushing cheeks, the silky path from her ear to just under her jacket, and finally, those lips.
Her head had lifted a little but turned away from me. She was so beautiful I couldn’t help but stare at her. And she smelled so good. Like, I wanted to push-every-article-of-clothing-away-and-savor-her good.
“Evaleen.” It slipped out so deep but soft that I wondered if I had said anything.
Her eyes darkened when they found mine. I braced my hands on either side of her as her chest moved rapidly.
The heat from the elevator was stifling, but that didn’t stop me from easing closer to Evaleen until we touched. I felt every soft edge she hid under all that wool.
Her lips parted but that’s not what made me do it. Evaleen’s eyes moved to my mouth, and I knew in that moment they were begging for me.
Maybe that’s what I told myself because I dipped my head and brushed those sweet lips. That mouth that had filled my fantasies for so many years. I didn’t even care that I was in an elevator full of people at work.
Then the elevator doors opened and some people stepped out.
“Edgar. There you are.”
I stilled at the sound of my best friend’s voice.
Evaleen turned enough to give me her shoulder. I had her in those seconds. She didn’t hate me. Maybe she had a fantasy about elevators or momentarily forgot who I was, but I didn’t care. I would have taken that kiss from her any way I could get it.
That was until Henrik “the cock blocker” Payne showed up. Now I was nothing to her again.
Damn it.
“Hey, Henrik.” I turned and exited the elevator to my waiting friend, refusing to look back at Evaleen.
I didn’t want to see regret on her face. I could handle the cold shoulder but nothing more.
“Did you want to go grab a bite? After meeting with Morgana earlier I realize it’s best if I steer clear of her for the rest of today. She’s wearing her glasses, and I feel like she wore them on purpose.”
I nodded but my thoughts were on the remaining people in that elevator. One person in particular.
“Maybe we can order in and eat in my office. I don’t feel like going out today,” I said.
We entered my office and I sat at my desk, while Henrik took a seat on the brown leather chair on the other side.
“I think I have come up with a plan to deal with Morgana.”
Henrik and his plans or rules or whatever he tells himself to make it so he won’t ever be hurt. I relaxed back in my chair, placing my hands behind my head, and only half-listening to my friend. Thoughts of spring flowers and succulent lips filled my imagination.
�
�I avoid her. Like, whenever Morgana is somewhere, in a room or at her desk, I am elsewhere. It may be a little hard as she is my assistant, but with email and messaging, I don’t think it’s too hard.”
I shook my head. “Oh, Henrik, that doesn’t work. Trust me, I know.”
ELEVEN
Evaleen
“Hi Ms. Bechmann, I’m Detective Hardy from CPD and this is my partner, Detective Mackeson. We are here just to ask you a few questions.”
My eyes blinked at the woman in a blue button-up shirt with shoulder-length red hair. Her partner, Mackeson, was equally well dressed with short brown hair. Both attractive like they belonged modeling for a catalogue, not walking the streets catching criminals.
But what did I know, I was just a silly girl who made up stories trying to get attention. At least, that’s what a cop told me many years ago.
“Of course. What would the police be interested in with an HR manager?”
Right then the door to the conference room opened and Grace appeared, holding two cups of coffee. She walked over, handing them off to the detectives. They nodded and smiled at her. As slow as she entered, Grace double-timed it out of the room.
“Man, this is better coffee than we get at the station.” Mackeson glanced at his partner before taking another gulp.
Hardy clasped her hands around the paper cup. “Oh yeah. I should use my badge to gain access to the building during the week just for the coffee.”
My eyes narrowed and I cleared my throat.
They turned their heads and laughed.
“Sorry, I got lost in the coffee. Forgot you were in here, Ms. Bechmann.”
I gritted my teeth. “I can just tell you the brand of the coffee we use. No need to abuse your authority every day just for coffee.”
Mackeson’s eyes slid sideways toward his partner. “Oh, she was just joking. A little cop humor. You understand. I am sure you have lots of HR jokes.”
“Nothing is funny about human resources, detectives. Nothing.” I folded my hands in front of me.
The Attraction File (Cake Love Book 2) Page 5