"Oh my goodness Rissa. Why didn't you call me? You didn't have to go alone."
"It's something I wanted to do on my own. I can't describe to you the sense of acceptance and love that my grandparents have given me. It's like coming home."
"Did you tell your parents?"
"I will, eventually. I just want to enjoy the moment. I now understand how adoptees feel. The yearning to know about where you come from. My grandparents were apart of all momentous events in my life, and I didn't even know of their existence. They attended all of my graduations, and they even keep a scrapbook with newspaper clippings and pictures. Clarissa becomes teary eyed as Alison blotted her face trying to keep her tears from ruining her makeup.
Their food finally arrived, and Clarissa feels that a change of the topic is in order. "On a lighter note, how are the wedding plans?" Clarissa laughed when Alison crossed her eyes.
"Actually hearing about your grandparents is more engrossing and less taxing on my nerves. My mother and future mother-in-law are driving me crazy, and Jonesy thinks the whole situation is hilarious."
Clarissa chuckled at Alison's exasperation. "Well is there anything you need me to do?"
Alison shakes her head in the negative; she didn't want anything to trigger unpleasant memories of Clarissa's broken engagement. "All I need for you to do is show up. The last thing I want to do is trouble you with plans for my wedding."
Clarissa gave her a rueful look. "You're my best friend there's nothing I wouldn't do for you. When I planned for my wedding you were my girl Friday."
"Enough about my wedding plans tell me about Julian and his son Micah. The last time we talked, you were going to Julian's house warming party."
Clarissa gets a far-away look in her eyes as tries to come up with the words to describe her relationship with Julian."I more than like Julian, I think I may even be in love with him. It could be a fluke; my track record isn't the greatest when it comes to love. Micah is a terrific kid, and he totally loved my playroom."
"Well what kid wouldn't like you playroom; you have every video game system and gadget available. Let's get back to Julian, what do you mean you think you love him?"
"There's more between us than just sex. I certainly didn't go to Chicago searching for a new love. I figured that Julian and I could have a straightforward relationship based on sex. Boy did Julian throw me for a loop when he started making more than sexual demands. He's wants me to move in with him and Micah. He's has even mentioned marriage."
"Are you ready to become a wife and mother?"
Clarissa takes a sip of water before responding, "Ali I like my role in Julian and Micah's lives. I want to be a wife and mother, embracing the part of me that's been missing. I lied to myself about Lawrence, and that led to a failed engagement. I would have married Lawrence if the whole cheating situation didn't arise. When I think of how miserable I would have been, I thank God for Julian's intervention."
"What about your job? Your relationship with Julian could put a damper on things with your co-workers. You know, people thinking you acquired your job working on your back. Haters in the workplace always make for a hostile work environment."
"Well I don't work for Julian; I sort of work for the government as an investigator."
"I'm confused. Didn't Julian hire you to work for Rosscom?"
"He did hire me, but not for Rosscom. His ex-partner Harland Bankert is my manager."
"So what do you do for the government?"
"So far I've been investigating employees who have gone off the rails. This case I'm working on now is different. A scientist died in a car wreck after she stumbled on to something in her department. I'm investigating the people in her department. My main goal is to find out what's going on in her department if anything, who's involved, and what is so crucial that the scientist's had to die. While reading her diary Saturday night, I think I may have found the problem. I emailed my findings to my contact in Washington D.C., but I think I'll keep digging."
"You don't need to keep digging, it's the husband."
"She's not married; however, she did have a fiancé. Uhmm, I'll have to see what I can find out about her fiancé."
Wow Rissa! Your life is one gigantic roller coaster ride. From the sound of things, your move to Chicago has been a good move."
Clarissa agreed with Alison assessment. "Leaving Orlando under a cloud had me down, but finding the sun in Chicago makes all the suffering worthwhile."
"I'm happy for you Rissa. If Julian is the one, jump on him with two feet and never let him go. I know this isn't the time to tell you this, but Lawrence contacted me last week wanting your phone number. I guess he already tried to get your number from your parents, so he decided to give me a try."
Clarissa sighed. Lawrence has to realize that it's over between them. "Junior mentioned something about speaking with him. It's been almost seven months he should realize by now that there's no way I would take him back."
Their food arrived, and Clarissa let the discussion of Lawrence drop. "How are things going for Jonesy at Lariat?"
"According to him things are better than okay, there's been some discussion about building an addition. The employees are excited."
Clarissa feels a tiny pang of seller's remorse. "I'm glad that Rosscom is taking Lariat to the next level. With the proper management, Lariat can become the number one company in the gamers' market."
Alison could tell that Clarissa had mixed feelings about Lariat. "Are you regretting selling Lariat?"
"Not so much the selling of Lariat. I'm feeling as if have given my child away for someone else to raise, and he's doing a better job."
"Isn't that what you wanted?"
"Yeah I guess, anyway it's too late to cry about what could have been. Did I tell you that I created another game? It's an adventure game, and Julian is the model for the evil wizard."
"Uhmm, a sexy evil wizard, huh. You must have created the game earlier in your relationship when you still were thinking with your head and not your vagina."
"I always think with my head, thank you very much, but Julian certainly has a lot of alpha in him. Did I forget to tell you about the weekend he played nursemaid? Also, we screwed like swinging monkeys in my office."
Alison dropped her fork. "Wow! Are you crazy? Perhaps I didn't hear correctly, but did you say that you and Julian screwed like swinging monkeys"
Clarissa gives a nervous laugh. "Believe me, I didn't plan on having freaky sex in my office." Clarissa thought about the heat in Julian's eyes the first time they made love. "A couple of days later we did it in his personal washroom."
Alison bowed her head with worry, what's happening to her friend. "I sure hope the room is sound proof. That's the type of behavior that gives women a blasphemous name at the office."
"Oh hush Ali you're just jealous."
Alison gives Clarissa the high five. "Of course I'm jealous; the only adventurous thing that ever happened to me is my first date with Jonesy."
Jonesy is the most straight lace non-adventurous person she knows. "Really, what did Jonesy do, hold your hand in public, kiss you in the car before the date, it couldn't have been that serious. Jonesy's not the demonstrative type."
Alison licked her lips before taking a sip of water. "We were in a crowded moving theater, and Jonesy had his hands in my panties before the opening credits completed. Popcorn flew into the air and by the time he finished my panties were soaking wet."
Clarissa's eyes become as large as saucers. "Oh my god! I don't believe Jonesy did that, he seems so quiet."
"Girl it's the quiet ones that rock your world." Alison pulled a cell phone out of her purse and placed a call.
"Who are you calling?"
Alison ignored her and proceeded with her call. "Hey baby, I'm just thinking about you. Do you have any meetings planned for this afternoon? Good I'm going to drop by; I have a surprise for you."
"What is that all about?"
Alison fanned herself with her hand
. "Girl all this talk about sex has got me hot and bothered. I'm going to Jonesy's office, and he's going to bend me over his desk and work all of the kinks out of my backside."
Clarissa laughed harder than she has all weekend. "Be careful, Jonesy's secretary is a charming lady, but extremely nosey. Also, Jonesy doesn't have a lock on his office door, so you're going to have to be creative or get caught with your naked ass up in the air."
Alison plowed into her food without a care in the world. "I'm a woman on a mission I can figure something out."
"I have faith in your abilities for strategy."
***
After her lunch with Alison, Clarissa plans to go straight to bed. She needed a little nap before helping her mother with dinner. She decided that instead of going to some of her old haunts she would spend a quiet evening with her family. She gets out of the car and nearly screams when someone touches her from behind. "Lawrence!"
"I'm sorry Clarissa I didn't mean to scare you."
Clarissa looked at her ex-fiancé dispassionately. He seemed a little leaner, probably a more somber, but he still has his good looks. "What do you want Lawrence?"
"I just wanted to see you. I've been seeing you around town, and I figured I'd never get another opportunity to talk to you face to face."
"Lawrence I don't think that's a good idea."
"Please Clarissa. Let's go to Pete's just for old time's sake."
Pete's is a neighborhood bar not too far from her old condo. She and Lawrence would go there after work just to shoot the breeze and talk about their day. "I'll meet you there Lawrence."
Lawrence frowned. "Do you hate me so much that you can't even ride in my car?"
"I don't hate you Lawrence, but sitting in your car is a little closer to you than I'd like. I'll listen to what you have to say and then I'll leave." Lawrence didn't say another word. He gets into his car, and she followed him to their old hangout. Twenty minutes later, she parked on the street in front of Pete's bar. Lawrence waits for her and holds the door open as she passes by, just like old times. Clarissa plopped down in the first available seat closest to the door.
Lawrence ordered a beer, and she ordered a Coke. Neither Clarissa nor Lawrence said a word until the drinks arrived. Clarissa isn't nervous, matter a fact she didn't feel anything at all. How do you sit across from someone who cause you a lot of pain and not feel anything? "Well."
Lawrence couldn't get over how marvelous Clarissa looked. It's as if he has never been in her life at all. It rather angered him that she continued with her life as if he didn't exist. How could she be so distant, especially since his life is all turned upside down? "Clarissa these months since our break-up has been the hardest months of my life. I keep wishing that you would forgive me, and take me back into your life. I guess I didn't realize how important you are until you moved to Chicago."
Clarissa couldn't contain the smirk on her face. "Most men don't realize what they have until they're no longer getting their way."
Lawrence touched her hand only to have her move it out of reach. "Please hear me out Rissa. When you love someone, that love doesn't just die. I'm certain that you still love me and that's the only thing that keeping me sane. I have suffered immensely for my misdoings. Mother even threatened to have me institutionalized unless I could get myself under control. I miss you baby. I can't sleep at night because dreams of making love to you haunt me."
Clarissa had the tiniest urge to laugh in his face until she realizes that he's sincere. "Lawrence I really don't know what to say."
"I'm sorry Clarissa. I'm sorry I abused your trust and friendship. I hoped that you would forgive me and put me out of my misery."
The break-up has been good for Lawrence; he didn't seem so cocky anymore. If receiving her forgiveness is that beneficial to him, who is she to deny him. "I've already forgiven you Lawrence. Actually, I'm happier than I've ever been; somehow, a marriage between us never would have worked. You were comfortable like an old blanket, but now I see that we didn't want the same things from a committed relationship."
Lawrence could feel the last nail in his coffin. Nothing he could say would change her mind. "Are you seeing anyone in Chicago?"
Clarissa smiled. "I am."
"Do you love him?"
Her smile turned into a full grin. "Yes. I do."
Lawrence gives her a wry smile. "You may not believe me Clarissa, but I hope he makes you happy."
Clarissa stands up, but before she leaves the bar, she bent down and kissed Lawrence on the cheek. "I wish you the best of luck Lawrence, there's woman waiting out there for you, I hope you treat her right." She walked out of the bar without a backward glance."
***
After a day of meetings, Julian finally gets the opportunity to relax in his hotel suite. He decided that now is a good a time as any to catch up on his e-mail. He received an intriguing video from the men watching over Clarissa. Looks as though she had a busy day having lunch with her friend Alison and drinks with her ex-fiancé. He gets a feeling in the pit of his stomach that he's never experienced before, jealousy. He calls Clarissa, hell bent and determined to find out what is going on between her and Lawrence Tate.
Not surprising that she picked up on the first ring, she always did when he called. "Hey baby! How's your trip?"
He could hear the happiness in her voice, and he suddenly becomes disgruntled. Is she happy to hear from him or is she still on a cloud from her meeting with Lawrence. "I've concluded my business here; I head out to San Diego tomorrow."
"When will you be back in town?"
"If I'm lucky I'll be back in town Thursday evening at the latest. How's your day?" He watched the video again. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but it makes him happy to see Clarissa having lunch with her friend laughing and carefree. It reminded him of the night he and Micah shared dinner over her place. They were a like a family that night. He didn't realize how much he wanted an addition to his family until Clarissa entered his life.
"I had a busy day. I ate lunch with my best friend Alison. Then I ran a bunch of errands, nothing important."
Julian waited for Clarissa to tell him about her meeting with Lawrence Tate; he must fall under the category of an errand of little importance. He continued watching the video and his gut clenched as he watched Clarissa kiss Lawrence good-bye. He gives a sigh of relief; she didn't meet him for a secret rendezvous. He closed his eyes thanking whatever god brought Clarissa into his life.
Then his possessiveness reared its ugly head. While he may be happy that nothing transpired between Clarissa and her ex-fiancé, she has no business hanging out with an ex-lover. "Clarissa I miss you baby, I didn't know how hard this trip would be without you. I think the next time you visit your family in Orlando, Micah, and I are coming with you."
"I miss you and Micah too. There's nothing I like better than to show off the two new men in my life to my family."
"I'm a possessive man Clarissa. I take care of what belongs to me, and you certainly fit that category. I'm sorry that I didn't clarify our relationship. You're mine. When I get back into town, we'll have an in depth conversation about what that means."
Clarissa couldn't believe her ears, what in the hell is Julian's problem. "I can't wait for that discussion. Obviously, I neglected to give you my rules for our relationship. I agreed to be in your life, but I didn't agree to become a possession like your car. Now I don't know what put you in a foul mood, and I don't care. I'm going to enjoy what is left of my visit with my family, and I guess I'll see you when you get back into town."
Before Julian could get a word in edgewise, he didn't hear anything except the dial tone. "Brat!" "He contemplated calling her back but changed his mind. Suddenly, he laughed out loud. The one thing he loved about Clarissa is her unwillingness to be a doormat. His woman is sexy and sassy, and he wouldn't change a thing about her. He assuredly would spell out the boundaries of their relationship, and if she gives him any sass, he's going to paddle her ass.
Chapter 15
Randle feels as if he were wasting his time wallowing in Chicago on the chance that Clarissa Marks may have unmasked his and Gaylan's duplicitous actions against the EPA. The police questioned him regarding Lacey's death, but as the fiancé, questioning him is a natural course of action for the police to take. They didn't find any evidence of Lacey's murder, so he is already in the clear. Why in the hell did he let Gaylan convince him that they were in danger of discovery?
He should have disappeared as soon as the heat died down about Lacey. Gaylan's his lover, but she's certainly not the love of his life. At this point in the game, she's more at risk than he is, he's a wealthy man and could retire on an island and enjoy the spoils of his ill-gotten gains.
The one thing he hasn't planned on is this attraction to Clarissa. She definitely isn't the little virginal bookworm from high school. She has grown into a sexy woman, and he would welcome the opportunity to fuck the boss's woman. He's been watching Clarissa's work patterns, and she has a tendency to work late, much later than the other employees. Her lover is out of town this week, and he's willing to bet that sweet Clarissa would be working late tonight.
***
Before leaving the hotel, Julian called Clarissa. He planned to hole up with her for the next couple of days; they weren't going to leave the bedroom until he gets his fill of her. Micah is being spoiled rotten by his aunt and uncle. Good thing he's coming home soon he missed his son, and this is the last business trip for a long while. He makes it to the gate to catch his plane back to Chicago when his phone rings. He looks down at the caller ID, its Harland calling.
"Is there a reason for this call, Harland?"
"Great news Julian! Clarissa is like a bloodhound. She gathered the information needed to clear up the investigation of Lacey Hamilton's team. Based on the information Clarissa emailed me, we identified the lab technician who falsified test results for a couple of manufacturing companies in Missouri. The emissions and runoffs from these companies did a lot of damage to several of the smaller communities in Missouri.
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