My knuckles rap three times on the dark stained door. I hear a deep voice tell me to come in and before I turn the knob, there’s a moment of panic where I wonder what I’ll find on the other side – I’m nervous, like I’m about to enter the lion’s den.
It’s now or never.
Once I push the door open, I breathe a sigh of relief when I find an average-looking man sitting behind a huge desk.
He stands and walks out from behind the wooden monstrosity, “I’m Edwin Morrison, Vice President of Morrison & Sons Advertising. You must be Janny Moore.” His demeanor is professional and flat enough it borders on stern.
I nod my head, taking in his immensely tall frame while he walks toward me. He looks like he could be a professional basketball player. When he stops in front of me he shakes my hand. I tip my head way back to meet his gaze. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Morrison.”
“Have a seat, Janny and please, call me Edwin.”
I sit in one of the chairs directly in front of his desk and wait for him to begin. He shuffles some papers around before stacking them in a neat pile.
“Congratulations on being chosen for the internship. There was a lot of stiff competition, but the ad mock-up you submitted was what separated you from the rest of the pack. It was creative and original.” He picks up a pen and jots down some words on a yellow sticky note before looking at me. “I was very impressed with what you were able to come up with. It’s my hope that you’ll bring that same fresh perspective to this position for the duration of your stay. At the end of your six months, if I’m satisfied with your performance, you’ll be offered a permanent position here.”
I nod my head while I think about the possibility of remaining in New York City long term. It’s not something I’ve ever imagined doing, but maybe I’ll want to stay when all of this is over. Maybe this fresh start will be the best thing to happen to me.
Edwin sent me to Human Resources to fill out the appropriate paperwork and told me to return to his office when I was done. It’s now an hour later. I raise my hand to knock on his door and I can hear the deep rumble of male voices in conversation. I hesitate, wondering if I should wait until he’s alone. I stand there frozen in indecision and the door opens startling me, setting me off balance. My feet quickly shuffle backwards and the flat soles of my shoes slide along the marble floor. I can feel myself about to topple over when large firm hands grip my upper arms, keeping me from falling. He releases his hold on me once I have my balance back.
I giggle, embarrassed at my own clumsiness. “Thank you for saving me and my dignity.” My eyes travel up his light gray dress shirt, the first two buttons are undone. I wonder if he removed his tie. His neck is tan against the white t-shirt peeking out the top, his jawline is clean-shaven and chiseled. His lips aren’t full or thin but fall somewhere in the middle and his lean, straight nose looks almost too perfect to be on a man’s face. When my gaze reaches his eyes I nearly gasp out loud. They’re a stunning light blue and filled with humor while they stare into mine. His lips part in an infectious smile and I can’t help the one I return.
“I make it my duty to save at least one damsel in distress daily.” He leans forward and bows. “My work here is done.” His voice is deep and the tone is teasing.
“Thanks again. I don’t even want to think of what would have happened if you hadn’t caught me.” I tuck my hair behind my ear and wonder who he is.
“I’m Zachary Weston, but my friends call me Zack, and you are?” He leans in like he’s waiting for me to tell him a secret.
“I’m Janny Moore. I’m starting an internship here today.” I clasp the paperwork I have from Human Resources against my chest like a shield and take a step backward, needing some space from him. He doesn’t give me a bad vibe, but ever since the kidnapping I don’t like to be around men I don’t know.
He must notice the unease in my eyes or the change in my demeanor. “Hey, I’m sorry if I came on too strong. I didn’t mean anything by it. You’ll get used to me and my joking in no time.”
“Zack, leave the poor girl alone and get back to work,” Edwin’s voice booms through the open door of his office.
“I guess that’s my cue to get going. I hope you enjoy your time here and I look forward to working with you.” He winks at me and walks in the direction of the reception area.
“It was nice meeting you,” I call out to his retreating form.
* * *
“Hey, Josh.” I hold the phone to my ear. I’m standing in the long narrow space of my new kitchen making spaghetti and meatballs for my dinner. “Hey, let me put you on speakerphone so I can use both my hands.”
“Damn, can I watch too?” he jokes.
I snort at him and shake my head while I continue to form the hamburger mixture into meatballs. “Haven’t you been there and done that already?” I tease back.
He laughs. “Yeah, but I’m a guy. I’d never turn that opportunity down.”
“Get your mind out of the gutter. I’m only cooking myself something to eat in my kitchen – in my brand-new apartment – in kickass New York City.”
He doesn’t answer and there’s a long pause. I tap the screen of my phone to make sure we haven’t been disconnected. “Josh. Are you still here?”
“Yeah, I think I must be hearing things though. Did you say that you’re cooking dinner?”
I giggle. “Ha-ha, very funny. Sharon emailed me a few recipes she swears are foolproof. I can’t be ordering take out every night. The prices here are astronomical.”
“I’m coming to visit soon and I want to sample some of this cooking. I think I got shafted. You never cooked for me when we were together.”
“Yeah and you’re still alive so you should be thankful for that.”
“You may have a point. So how was your first day at the new job?”
I stir the sauce and think about my first day at Morrison & Sons. “It was uneventful for the most part.” Almost falling was about the most exciting thing to happen to me. It kind of reminded me of how I met Kyle at Quake, but it seems like everything reminds me of him these days. “My boss is very serious, but he seems nice. I met a few other people, but today was mostly filling out paperwork. Tomorrow will hopefully be more exciting.”
* * *
I unlock the door and let myself in, silently easing the door shut behind me. The darkness of her apartment surrounds me. I don’t need any light to guide me – I know where she is.
My steps are silent; I slowly move in the direction of her bedroom. My desire to see her is battling with my need to proceed with caution. One misstep could alert her I’m here. That would ruin everything – everything I have planned for her.
The door to her bedroom is open – how considerate of her. I pause just shy of the doorway and wait until I hear the even sounds of her breathing. I move inside, pausing at the side of the bed while my eyes leisurely travel over her sleeping form. She’s bathed in the golden glow of the moonlight filtering through her windows. One of her long, lean legs is cast on top of the covers and the other is hidden from my view.
I smile to myself. It’s only a matter of time before I’ll know what every single inch of her looks like, feels like and tastes like. My fingers twitch with the need to touch her – just one small caress.
My heart pounds with excitement while I lean forward. I lower my hand until it makes contact with her long golden tresses. I trail my fingers through their silky length on her pillow.
Soon there will be no secrets between us.
* * *
My second day at M&S, as everyone here calls it, is a fucking circus. I jinxed myself when I told Josh I hoped today would be more exciting. There’s no other explanation for it because everything that could possibly go wrong, has, and now I’m not sure I made the right choice coming here. My experience is so inferior and all that we’re working on are things I’ve never done before. I’m in over my head. I’m drowning in my lack of knowledge and it’s not a fun way to feel. I’m not
used to being the weak link. I was always one of the best students in my class and I prided myself on that. I’m going to have to find a way to get myself up to par on all the projects my team is working on so I don’t embarrass myself.
The interns that work at M&S have their own office space, but it’s really set up more like a boardroom. There’s a large rectangular table in the middle of the room, surrounded by ten chairs and there are also individual work spaces with computers around the perimeter. I’m sitting at one of these right now, studying the ad mock-up I’ve been working on all day. There’s something off about it, but I can’t put my finger on what’s missing. I’ve been leaning on my elbows with both of my hands clenched in my hair wracking my brain for answers, but I don’t think it’s going to happen today. I glance over at the clock and realize it’s almost six and most of the employees left an hour ago. After I shutdown my computer I grab my leather messenger bag from the floor and slide the strap onto my shoulder. I push my hair back off my face and leave the office, my steps unhurried.
While I stand in front of the bank of elevators waiting for the doors to open, my thoughts wander to Kyle. I hope he’s doing well in the rehab facility they sent him to. I spoke with Kenna the week following our breakup and she filled me in on what’s next for him. I told her about the internship here and although she was sad about the way things had ended with Kyle and I, she’s excited for me and this great opportunity. I’m still so angry and hurt about the way he handled everything, but I’m always going to love him. I’ll always want the best for him. Maybe someday he’ll remember what we were to each other and he’ll feel a sense of melancholy over what might have been. Maybe he’ll never remember me. Maybe he’ll never realize what he’s missing out on. Thinking about him has my eyes welling with tears and I don’t want to be crying here at work.
I duck my chin and carefully wipe under my eyes as the elevator doors silently open in front of me. When I raise my head, I notice Zack Weston standing inside, intently observing me with both hands in his pockets. His red tie is undone and slung around the back of his neck. His relaxed posture is comforting when I step inside and stand next to him.
“Hi, Janny. How’s my buddy Edwin treating you?” He quirks one side of his lips up, looking at me.
I’m impressed that he remembered my unusual name. “Hi, Zack. Edwin’s been very nice.” I look straight ahead at my reflection in the steel door. My tan dress pants are wrinkled from sitting for so long and my black blouse is half untucked. I’m a mess.
“Want to tell me what has you upset on your second day here? Are you sure it’s not Edwin? Because I’m not opposed to kicking his ass if he needs it.” He lifts his eyebrow, waiting for my answer. I chew on my bottom lip, stare back at him and wish he wasn’t in here with me. I don’t want to be emotional in front of someone else, especially one of my bosses. I take a deep breath and look at the stories counting down on the display. Twenty-five more floors to go. Great.
“I’m not upset about anything work related. It’s just something personal and it’s something I shouldn’t even be thinking about.” I tuck my hair behind my ear and clasp my hands in front of me. I can feel the heat of his stare on the side of my face while he studies me. It’s burning my skin like his eyes are lasers and I’m tempted to ask him to stop.
“The things we shouldn’t think about are always the ones that occupy our thoughts the most.” His voice has a deep, husky sound to it.
I can’t tell if he’s being flirtatious or astute. God, why do I suck so much at this? Talking to men, acting like a normal twenty-two-year-old woman; this stuff should be a walk in the park – a piece of cake. Why does it have to feel like pulling teeth?
“Why are you shaking your head? What’s wrong with what I said?” He turns to face me and takes a step closer. He’s not smiling now.
“I was shaking my head at myself. I’m not good at talking to other people, especially handsome men.”
He reaches out and plays with a lock of my hair resting on my shoulder. He leans in. “You think I’m handsome?” he says with a smile.
I cover my face with my hands, embarrassed at my words. “I didn’t say you specifically, but I’m sure you know you are.” When I lower my hands, he winks at me.
The elevator doors open and I hurry out. My eyes stare at the glass doors of the front entrance while I move closer and closer. FREEDOM. When the double doors automatically open he’s right beside me and when I move to go down the street toward my apartment he stops me with a gentle hand on my arm.
“What’s the rush? Why don’t you have dinner with me so I don’t have to eat alone?” His offer is sweet, but I would be horrible company tonight. I want to go home and feel sorry for myself. I want to revel in my misery and get it all out of my system. Tomorrow is a new day and hopefully it will go much better than this one has.
“Thanks for asking me, but I don’t think I’d be very good company. I’m going to go home and catch up on some sleep. Have a good night.” I force my lips into a smile, before I walk in the opposite direction.
I’m thankful for how close my apartment is to Morrison & Sons, especially tonight when my emotions are all over the place.
When I exit the elevator, I notice someone leaving my apartment. “Hey.” I yell, as I walk toward him. He pauses and as I move closer I can see by his uniform, he’s a maintenance man for this building. “Why were you in my apartment?” I ask, stopping a few feet away from him. I don’t know who this guy is and if I’ve learned anything from the past it’s to be prepared for any situation. I move the keys in my hand to a better position. I’ll gouge his eyes out if I must. Kyle taught me to work with whatever I have. Keys are a good weapon and so are the heels I’m wearing. I don’t take my eyes off him.
“I had to check your thermostat. It’s standard maintenance. We’re checking everyone’s.” His eyes look me over from head to toe. He pushes his greasy hair back and I shiver. There’s something about him that doesn’t sit right with me.
“Thank you for checking it. Will you be needing to get into my apartment again?”
He licks his lips and the smile he gives me makes my stomach turn with unease.
“No, not right now.”
Chapter Eight
Kyle
Home at last.
I sink down onto my large black leather couch, rest my feet on the coffee table and exhale with a large sigh. I lie my head on the back edge of the cushion and close my eyes. God, it feels good to be home in my own space; surrounded by my own things.
“What do you want to do for dinner?” Kenna walks into the living room and stands there waiting for my answer.
“Shh.” I raise my finger to my lips. “Do you hear that?” I cock my head to the side.
She stands there looking at me skeptically. “What are you talking about? I don’t hear anything.” Her hands go to her hips.
“Exactly. There’s nothing but silence. Beautiful silence all around me. No beeping machines, no nurse alerts, no blood pressure checks and best of all – no more hospital food. Do you know how great it feels to be sitting on my own couch with my feet on my coffee table?” When she opens her mouth to answer my question I interrupt. “Pretty fucking great.” I smile, glancing around the living room of my condo. I have a whole new appreciation for my seventy-inch flat-screen television and my top of the line satellite package. I can’t wait to catch up on all the shows I’ve missed.
“You never answered me about what you want for dinner. Do you want to order some pizza or do you want me to run to the store for you?” She rambles on, not giving me a chance to choose. “You know what? I think I’ll run to the grocery store and get your fridge stocked up since you can’t drive yet. You can order takeout some other night when I’m not here to cook for you.”
I don’t bother answering her. I know she’s going to do whatever the hell she wants no matter what I say. Kenna’s an emergency room nurse and her take-charge manner sometimes carries over into her personal
life. She has her keys in her hand and is out the door thirty seconds later. I pity the dude who ends up married to Kenna. She’s so bullheaded. When her mind is made up, she won’t listen to reason. She’s the opposite of Janny in that respect. Janny always takes other people’s feelings and opinions into consideration.
Holy shit, I just remembered something about her.
This is the first time that’s happened. I close my eyes to focus within my own thoughts. I search for any other piece of Janny lurking in the recesses of my mind, but there’s nothing. There’s not a hint or a tiny flicker of memory to be found. My fists clench in frustration. I want to regain access to all the memories of us. Especially now that I started to remember her, I need to know how much she meant to me.
* * *
My tongue furiously rubs against hers while our lips clash against each other. My fingers pinch her nipple and my other hand clenches in her long, soft hair, tugging her head back. She gasps into my mouth while my fingers move to tug on her other nipple. Her hips thrust up toward mine, she wants my cock inside her just as much as I do and she’s going to get it. I’m going to give her every single thick, hard inch, over and over. I’m going to pound her sweet pussy so hard she begs me to stop. My lips slide to her jaw, trailing kisses down her neck and along the delicate line of her collarbone. Both of my hands caress her breasts, my thumbs teasingly brush back and forth over her nipples while I place sucking, biting kisses down the soft skin of her taught stomach. Her muscles quiver in reply and I imagine how wet her pussy will be when I place my mouth on her. I can’t wait to find out, my fingers move as if they have a mind of their own, sliding down over her thin dark blonde strip of hair – that soft strip of hair is like a road map leading me to the most decadent paradise. My middle finger slides along the length of her slit sinking inside her soaked pussy and I groan when I feel how wet she is. I can’t wait to feel her squeezing me inside her tight walls. My mouth trails down further, I suck her clit between my lips and gently roll my tongue around it. Her breath exhales on a moan.
The Complete Quake Series Page 14