by Carrie Carr
"Because I like you, Bianca. I've always liked you."
"How sweet?" Bianca said with a straight face, as she was not buying a word of it. Something else was going on here, and it was Bianca's mission to find out exactly what. "Okay, Michelle, what's this all about?"
"Camina is jealous of you. Did you know that?"
"Jealous? Why?"
"Everyone likes you, Bianca, and Camina is threatened by that, and when you bleached your hair and started dressing and behaving differently, it didn't rest well with her, and it still bothers her to this day."
"I don't see the big deal. So what, I bleached my hair, changed a few outfits. Big deal. I don't know why she's jealous of me. She is the one fucking the finest man in the firm. What more does she want?"
"I can't believe you just said that."
"Said what?"
"You said fuck. I've never heard you say fuck before."
"Well, get used to it, because I might be using it a whole lot more." Bianca paused. "That reminds me. You were going to tell me about this animosity between you and Bruce."
"It's really nothing."
Bianca pushed her hair behind her left ear, smiling. "Does that mean you're not going to tell me?"
While Bianca waited for Michelle to answer, it seemed Michelle was at least thinking about it.
"I'll tell you if you tell me something," Michelle said.
"What do you want to know?" Bianca asked, intrigued.
"Are you a virgin?"
"Michelle, I'm thirty years old." This conversation was getting odder by the moment.
"So. Are you?"
Bianca didn't know whether to be flattered or insulted. "No, I'm not. Would you like for me to share the details of my past sexual encounters with you?"
"Only if you want to."
A shocked look raced over Bianca's face. Was Michelle serious? "I didn't know you had so much freak in you."
Michelle smiled and didn't say a word.
"Your turn," Bianca said. "Tell me about Bruce."
Michelle hesitated for a moment, then sat forward and crossed her legs. "Okay, this goes no further than this room."
"Of course," Bianca stated with baited breath.
"I mean it, Bianca. This is for your ears only."
"Okay already, now will you tell me already? I know this is going to be good."
"I slept with Bruce, but only once. Just one time."
"Nooooo. Really?" This was as good as gossip got.
Michelle nodded her head yes. "Bruce and I used to play tennis and we used to work out at the gym together. This was when I thought he was separated from his wife."
"But he wasn't?"
"No, he wasn't, but when I learned of it, I had already gone to bed with him. He's a smart man, Bianca. He knows exactly what to say to get exactly what he wants."
Bianca reeked of wonder and enthusiasm and rubbed her hands together. "Don't keep me in suspense. How was it, or should I say, how was he?"
"Honestly?"
"Yes, please."
"I'll put it to you like this. If I could buy what I experienced with Bruce, I would have no money left."
"That good, huh?"
"The best sex ever, never experienced anything like it before."
"Why? What was it?"
"The man has talent." Michelle smiled, seemingly titillated by the conversation. "He has this technique, if you will, of using his tongue and fingers, at the same time, if you know what I mean."
"I do know what you mean." Bianca paused. "They say the freak is usually in the quiet ones."
Michelle smiled and didn't respond to Bianca's comment.
Michelle's sexy story left her very curious about this special technique of Bruce's. She could only wonder and imagine.
"Does Camina know?" Bianca asked. "About your one-time affair with Bruce?"
"No way. I'll tell you something else that you didn't know."
Bianca didn't know what could possibly top what Michelle had just revealed to her.
"Camina likes you," Michelle said.
"Huh?"
"You heard me. Deep down Camina likes you. I mean she really likes you."
What sort of game was Michelle playing, and who exactly was she talking about?
Camina or herself?
Michelle's words sunk deeper and deeper inside Bianca's head as Bianca peered across the counter at Michelle's blonde hair. In one breath Michelle expressed her feelings of like, then in the very next sentence, she expressed similar feelings held in Camina's heart.
Which one was it?
Who liked whom?
A tiny piece of the riddle was amiss, and Bianca knew exactly how to unravel it. The ringing phone on the kitchen counter soon interrupted Bianca's intense examination into Michelle's motives. Bianca was immobilized. This conversation with Michelle was much too intense to stop for a ringing phone. While the phone continued to ring, Michelle cleared herself of her coat and sauntered into the next room. When Michelle returned, she held in her hand a picture of Bianca and Bianca's sister.
"I never saw this picture before," Michelle said. "I didn't know you resembled each other so much."
"You really think that that picture is supposed to make me forget about what we were just talking about?"
"No, I just never noticed this picture before. You were very close to her, weren't you?"
Bianca nodded her head. Michelle was good. She had managed to change the subject by talking about something very dear to Bianca's heart. "My sister was smart, taught me a lot, much more than I ever could have learned from a teacher or my parents."
Michelle opened her mouth to speak, but then nothing came out.
"What?" Bianca asked.
"Why did he do it? Why did he kill her?"
"As smart as my sister was, she was no innocent. She had an affair, her husband found out and the rest, as they say, is history."
"Her husband caught her with another guy?" Michelle questioned.
"And you'll never guess who that guy was."
"Who?"
"Lee Travis," Bianca said.
"Lee Travis? Isn't that your little friend?"
"He's not little."
"Whatever." Michelle paused for thought, seemingly confused. "I thought Lee was engaged to marry your sister."
"He was."
"But your sister was already married?" Michelle stated.
"Exactly. Are the bells starting to ring yet? My sister was married, promising to marry someone else."
"You're kidding?"
Bianca nodded her head, knowing that her sister was some kind of woman.
"You were right about your sister," Michelle said. "She definitely knew how to have fun."
It didn't take Bianca long to return the conversation back to what was still on her mind. "Back to what you were saying about Camina. You say she likes me?"
"Forget I said anything."
Bianca was not going to let up that easily. She was determined to make Michelle talk. "So, are you saying Camina likes me the way that a man would like me?"
"Something like that," Michelle said, "But I don't want to talk about it."
"Why don't you want to talk about it? You brought it up."
It was quite evident who possessed these feeling for her, and the person was sitting right across from her. Michelle was projecting her own feelings onto someone else. Finally, the light bulb clicked inside Bianca's head, and everything appeared unmistakably clear. Her suspicions of Michelle's feelings for her were true all along, and this time Bianca was absolutely certain of it. Still, Bianca was somewhat dumbfounded. Apparently, Mr. Bruce Colby had put a real loving on Michelle, but still the same, Michelle was interested in her. What was it? Did Michelle like men, or did she like women? Or, did she like both?
Michelle dipped her finger in the remnants in the bowl from the cake batter, licked her finger and casually changed the subject. "So, what's for dinner?"
Bianca pointed to the cake in the oven. "My di
nner is in the oven."
"What? A cake? That's dinner?"
Bianca elegantly sipped her Chardonnay. "And this, of course."
Michelle stood up, placed the top back onto the wine bottle, then stored it into the refrigerator.
"What do you want to eat?" Michelle asked. "You want pizza?"
Not answering, Bianca studied Michelle, her hairy arms, connecting eyebrows, and rosy cheeks. After putting all the pieces together, Bianca found herself excruciatingly flattered by Michelle's indirect come on.
"I'll order something for you," Michelle said.
Michelle picked up the phone on the kitchen counter and ordered pizza while Bianca seized the Chardonnay from the refrigerator and poured herself another glass. Bianca then resigned to the bedroom, flopped down on the unmade bed, almost dropping the glass of wine. Bianca moved back upon the bed, her back against the headboard.
Soon Michelle made her way into Bianca's room. "Why are you in here?" Michelle questioned.
"I thought we might be more comfortable in here."
On the edge of the bed, Michelle slouched, sitting unusually close to Bianca. As Bianca monitored the equal breaths of air exhaling from Michelle's mouth, for the first time, she understood what Michelle Moore was all about. Patiently, Bianca eagerly waited for Michelle to make her move, but to her disappointment, there was just silence. Lots and lots of silence.
"Did you hear anything about us possibly merging with Kirkland & Ellis?" Michelle asked.
"I heard something about it," Bianca said. "But I doubt you came over here to talk about a possible merger."
"Maybe I did," Michelle said.
"Are you warm at all, or is it just me?" Bianca asked Michelle, as she fanned herself, pretending, of course.
"What are you talking about?" Michelle answered, in an unusual defensive tone.
"Well, it's warm to me." Bianca unbuttoned her blouse, witnessing the mystified expression on Michelle's face before Michelle looked away.
"Would you like to see my tattoo?" Bianca asked her.
Michelle was slow to answer, then, "Sure."
Bianca opened her blouse and ran her fingers over her still tender and swollen breast.
"When did you get that?"
"A couple of days ago. You can touch it if you like."
"No. That's okay."
Bianca knew otherwise. She grasped Michelle's hand into hers and warmly placed it over the tattoo. Purposely, she then lowered Michelle's hand down onto her erect nipple. "You like it?"
"Yes," Michelle uttered in a whisper.
Bianca's curt smile seemed to make Michelle nervous which was evident when Michelle abruptly removed her hand from Bianca's breast. Bianca soon buttoned her blouse and smiled at Michelle.
"Blonde hair looks pretty on you," Michelle said.
"Thank you, but it's not as pretty as yours."
Michelle blushed, and leaned towards Bianca. "I should probably go."
"Why?"
Michelle's eyes moved towards the corner of her head as if searching for the answer.
"What did you come here for, Michelle?"
"I told you," Michelle said. "I wanted to apologize for Camina."
"Sorry, but I don't believe you."
"Well, it's the truth," Michelle stood up, seemingly a tad hostile, then stepped away from the bed.
"Why are you standing over there? Sit down next to me."
"I have to go," Michelle stated firmly.
"Could you sit down for a minute? Please. I want to tell you something."
Michelle hesitated for a moment, then returned to the bed near Bianca. "What do you want to tell me?"
"I know you're frustrated, Michelle." Bianca so enjoyed toying with Michelle.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm not stupid. We both know what's really going on here. Camina doesn't like me, and you know it."
Michelle opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Bianca moved in towards Michelle and made like she was going to kiss her, but she didn't. "Camina doesn't like me, but you do."
Before Michelle could even respond, Bianca moved her lips to Michelle's and kissed her, long and hard. Bianca kept her eyes open the entire time, witnessing the intense and helpless expression on Michelle's face. When Bianca attempted to pull away, Michelle resisted. Finally, Bianca managed to pry Michelle's lips from hers. Though this experience was nothing more than innocent curiosity, Bianca enjoyed kissing Michelle, probably as much as Michelle enjoyed kissing her.
Though Bianca had never kissed a woman before, it was one of those things that just happened. The opportunity presented itself, and Bianca didn't turn the other way. As nice as it may have been, Bianca liked men and always would. Still, what harm could there be in a little mild experimentation?
Michelle leaned towards Bianca and tried to kiss her again, but Bianca casually turned away. "I think you should probably go now."
The embarrassment on Michelle's face wreaked more of sadness than anything else. But Bianca was done. She experienced her fun, and that was the end of that.
"What if I don't want to leave?" Michelle asked.
Bianca smiled and touched Michelle's moist hand, not able to resist toying with her some more. "You want to stay here tonight?"
"Only if you want me to," Michelle said to her.
Michelle was just so easy, and this was just so much fun. Bianca moved her lips to Michelle's, was about to kiss her, but then instead, she whispered. "I don't want you to."
Shock swept across Michelle's face, and she tugged her hand away from Bianca. "Okay." Michelle stood up, wearing disappointment like a suit and made way for the door in a huff. She was almost out of the room when Bianca called to her. "Michelle?"
Michelle stopped in her tracks, turned to face Bianca, anticipation in her eyes.
"Could you cancel that pizza before you leave?" Bianca asked.
Michelle flashed her eyes at Bianca, turned and stormed out of the room. While Bianca sat perfectly still, a victorious energy graced her face as she listened to the door slam shut of a woman in heat.
Her sister would have been so proud.
Chapter 11
STILL WEARING HER CLOTHES AND makeup from the day before, Bianca awakened with a dreadful headache. It was like little gremlins stomping inside her head. On the edge of the bed, she sat, her eyes barely open. She contemplated whether to call off work or not. Since she forgot to set her alarm clock, she would be at least thirty minutes late. Already having been reprimanded several times by her boss, calling in might be pushing it.
It was 9:15 when Bianca strutted into the office forty-five minutes late. She wore her recently purchased floor-length red skirt and a ruffled white blouse. Her coworkers were not speaking to her like they used to. It was as if maybe they heard things about her and were afraid to. She really didn't know why her coworkers had become less friendly to her, but still, it bothered her. She somehow built a wall around herself and felt more like an outsider than one of the family.
Bianca reached her desk, and relief washed over her when she didn't see anything from her boss left in her chair or in her in-box. She headed towards her boss' office and found the light in Lillian's office out. That brought an even greater sigh of relief, as Lillian had not come in yet. Bianca knew she could be a real screw-up at times, but that was her gift to the world. Not just the good things about her but everything that wasn't so good. It was one of the many things she learned from her sister.
On her way back to her desk, she saw Michelle in the hall. Bianca dashed in her direction fast, but before Bianca could reach her, Michelle headed in another direction. It was obviously no accident. Michelle was definitely avoiding her. Soon, the guilt crept into Bianca's heart, which was soon replaced with regret. Michelle was her only real friend at the firm, the only person she could talk to, and because of her actions the night before, she had unintentionally damaged that relationship, and Bianca didn't like herself for it. Michelle was a good person, al
ways stood up for her, and seemed to always be on her side. Now Bianca may have severed that relationship with her childish and selfish games. If only for the sake of a harmonious work relationship, Bianca simply needed to apologize and there was no way around it.
Bianca left Michelle a voicemail message informing her that she wanted to talk. Patiently, Bianca waited for Michelle's call. But the call never came. Two hours later and still no word from Michelle. Bianca forced herself to head over to Michelle's desk. She hoped to confront Michelle but to her dismay, Michelle's desk was unoccupied.
Because Bianca remembered seeing her earlier that morning, she was sure that Michelle was in the office. She was just nowhere in sight. Bianca took an early lunch, grabbed a sandwich from Au Bon Pain, then headed over to the art store where Lee worked. Though she hoped to see Lee, he was in a meeting, unable to see her. This was a first. Bianca found it weird that no one seemed available for her today.
Was it a coincidence, or was she just paranoid?
Upon Bianca's return to her office, she saw Michelle, two other secretaries and Camina coming from the lunchroom. Michelle's eyes barely shifted in her direction. Coincidentally, Camina was wearing the same full-length red skirt as Bianca.
"Hello," Bianca said, speaking to everyone.
Everyone returned her greeting except for Michelle, who strolled ahead of everyone else.
After everyone left, Bianca headed into the lunchroom and stood at the coffee machine, about to pour herself a cup of coffee. Soon she heard clacking high heels coming in her direction. Her first thought was that it was Michelle, but when she turned around, she saw Camina staring at her with her arms folded.
Camina's eye's scrolled up and down Bianca's skirt. "So, you're dressing like me now?"
Bianca ignored Camina's accusation, poured herself some coffee and added two creamers.
"I don't know what kind of game you're playing," Camina said. "But you are playing with the wrong one, and I know you don't know much, but you should know that."
A nonchalant expression covered Bianca's face. "Lighten up, honey. It's just clothes."