by Vicki Keener
Mona laughed and sank to the leather sofa in his office. “I never considered you a damsel in distress. If memory serves, damsels are female. Now that you mention it though, you were a Prince Charming at the mercy of a barracuda who wanted to sink her fangs in you.”
“Is there such a thing as a vampire barracuda?” Cray asked laughing.
Mona said, “They're rare, but you had a knack for finding them. Thank God you've come to your senses.”
“Is that my cue to say thank you?” Angelica said smiling.
“No, I'm the one who needs to thank you,” Mona said.
“Let's discuss reptiles and vipers,” Cray said. “In other words, the snakes you hook-up with on an ongoing basis.” Cray turned to Angel. “Mona has a revolving door policy with so many men it's pitiful. The pitiful part is that they're all past their sell by date.”
“Witty, Cray, but I'm not laughing,” Mona said.
“That's because the truth hurts,” Cray said.
Angelica shook her head and said, “Has it always been like this between you two?”
Mona laughed and said, “Pretty much. We love each other and are very close.”
“We go in the meeting in ten minutes,” Cray said. “What's the consensus, Mona?”
“They understand that you want Grayson Mills, I saw to that in the email I sent. As I walked around the different departments this morning, they had their heads bent to the task.”
“What's your opinion? Am I being foolish and hard-headed?”
“You needn't ask,” Mona said, “I'm with you one hundred percent, so if you're foolish, I am, too.”
“I'm introducing Angelica as a consultant. That's what she suggested and I agree. You handle the meeting and we'll sit back and observe. If our people present a viable solution, go for it. You know I'll back you. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to kiss my consultant a couple of times in the next few minutes.”
Mona rose, smiled and said, “Angelica, he can be a pain in the ass, but you'll never find a more loyal and trustworthy advocate. See ya in a few.”
Cray introduced Angelica to the assembled group when they entered the conference room and led her to a chair on one side of the large table. He sat beside her as Mona took her place at the head of the table.
Angelica, surprised and pleased at the informal atmosphere, she marveled at the warmth and esteem the employees held for Cray and Mona. Each department head gave his or her adjusted report as to how they could purchase Grayson Mills.
Stephanie, who headed the investigating acquisitions department said, “I spent the morning on the phone putting out feelers. Some of Grayson's suppliers of raw materials assured me if their accounts receivables were caught up to date, they will stick with us. Mona and Cray, it's you who need to seal the deal, but the guy I talked to indicated that prices were negotiable. That's not why I called because that's not my job. I called to see if any of them were for sale. I got one bite and the rest of the information came while we chatted about the industry in general.”
Sam, the CFO, spoke last. “Here's the bottom line, Mona and Cray. We can go higher on the per share offering. If we do that, we won't be profitable as fast as we thought, but the best I can figure is it keeps us in the red for only an additional quarter. That's doable and if we get lucky it won't take that long.”
Cray leaned forward and said, “Mona if I may make a few comments?” She nodded. “I commend every one of you for your hard work and willingness to put forth the extra effort to make this happen. I, too, spent part of the morning on the phone with Zachary Grayson. After beating the subject to death, I asked him what he wanted that will make him sell.”
Cray laughed. “I should have done that weeks ago. He wants two things. He doesn't mind being a subsidiary of Phillips Enterprises, but he wants the business to keep the name of Grayson Mills.”
The group laughed with Cray and he said, “Yeah, I know. Hell, I assured him we'd be honored to keep the revered name. Second, he wants to be on the board of directors for another three years when he'll step down and retire. Done and done. Folks, we're going into the textile business.”
Mona said, “This meeting is adjourned.”
Back in Cray's office, he turned to Angelica and said, “Well, honey, that's the way we do it here. What's your impression?”
She walked into his embrace and said, “They love you and Mona and it's obvious why that's true. They admire and respect you as their leader, but you remain approachable and that works to your benefit. Your employees want to do well on your behalf. I'm so impressed. You didn't tell Mona you had it in the bag because of your talk with Mr. Grayson.”
“No, I wanted to surprise her and teach her a lesson.” Angel cocked her head in interest. “Mona tends to admit defeat before she's explored every available option. I've called her on it numerous times, so now she keeps her defeatist attitude to herself, but it's there and knowing her as well as I do I recognize when she's given up, but goes through the motions on my behalf.”
“She didn't believe the deal would go through because of the obstacles,” Angelica said.
“Right or she feared we'd pay too much for Grayson.”
“You had an ace up your sleeve. You decided to contact Mr. Grayson on a one to one basis,” Angel said.
“Yes. Our previous meetings were with an entourage of his people and ours. He's a courtly, southern gentleman and since his company has been in the family for generations he wants to leave a legacy. I respect that. He's old enough to be my father. This morning on the phone I treated him with the courtesy he deserves and he responded with openness and honesty. Our team is tough and heavy-handed. That's what it takes most of the time. This time we needed to use a gentler approach and it worked.”
“You're leaving him his dignity.”
“Yes and we'll benefit from his knowledge with him on the board.”
“Win win,” she said smiling.
He returned her smile. “Yes. It's best that way.” He glanced at his wristwatch. “We can go downstairs to the attorney offices anytime. It will get rowdy. They're a drinking crowd. The partners mandate that employees staying for the party take a cab to work. The partners pay the cab fare so no one will be driving drunk.”
“Explain why you use this law firm when your family is loaded with lawyers.”
“My family's firm is in White Plains and when I first ventured into this business I didn't want them aware of my company's financial and business dealings. It's cleaner this way and Dad understands.”
“How large is the firm?”
“Eleven partners, twice as many junior associates, paralegals, secretaries. It's big and they bill in the millions of dollars every year.”
“How rowdy will it get?”
“A Roman orgy has nothing on them by the time they stumble for home long after we'll be gone.”
She grinned. “Sounds like fun. Suppose I want to stay until the bitter end.”
Cray chuckled. “We can do that.”
“Would you stay if not for me?”
“I did that once years ago. Spent the night on the couch in one of the employee lounges. Not my finest hour.”
“Were you alone?”
“You ask too many questions.”
“You had a woman with you. Was she pretty? Does she still work there? Did you continue to see her after your night of debauchery?”
“Make yourself comfortable, sweetheart. This story will take a while,” he said grasping her elbow to lead her to the sofa in his office.
Her eyes widened and she said, “Are you going to tell me the sordid details?”
“In explicit language that leaves nothing to your imagination. I want complete honesty between us, honey.”
“I don't want to listen to how you made love to another woman.” She turned
her back to him.
A huge grin creased his face that she didn't see. He expected her to respond that way. He sobered, turned her to face him, kissed her and said, “My life began last Friday night when I honed in on your infectious laugh and found a gorgeous woman with an extraordinary body, an intellect to match her beauty and a personality that keeps me wanting more.”
“This thing between us is strange, darling, but I'm not the least bit concerned that we just met and we're talking about a life together. My affection, my love for you is strong and I sense that won't waver. I expect it to increase in intensity and I find it a wondrous emotion.”
“Oh, Angel,” he said, embracing her and kissing her with every atom of passion in his body.
On the way to the party in the elevator, Cray said, “Expect some of the partners to hit on you. I assume that is not uncommon and you handle unwanted advances with finesse. I won't insult you by intervening unless you give me a sign. I won't be jealous nor need you be.”
“In other words, women will make a play for you.”
“It's been known to happen. I'm not interested.”
“We're facing our first test,” Angel said.
He chuckled. “To the victor belongs the spoils. I intend to be victorious.”
“I'm not sure I like being considered the spoils.”
“A figure of speech, sweetheart.”
Cray spent the first twenty minutes at the party mingling and introducing Angelica to the partners and the associates he knew by name. The senior partner and founder of the firm in his early seventies approached Angelica, held his arthritic hands up mere inches from her breasts and said, “These gnarled hands still remember how to please a beautiful woman.”
He gave her a lascivious grin and his alcohol-laden breath accosted her as he leaned closer. She smiled and said, “Mr. Parker if you move your hands one centimeter closer to my breasts, I will be forced to render your hands useless.”
He dropped his hands to his side, pecked her on the cheek and said, “It would be worth the pain to touch a vibrant woman like you again.” He bowed and moved away from her.
Cray chuckled. “Handled like a pro, darling, and you didn't break a sweat.”
“Cray, darling,” a statuesque, dark-haired, dark-eyed beauty said as she insinuated herself against his body. “I didn't notice your arrival.”
“Phyllis, we arrived less than a half hour ago and circulated so I could introduce Angelica to your associates. Angelica, this is Phyllis, one of the newer partners.”
“It's nice to meet you, Phyllis, and congratulations on your promotion. It's wonderful to see women rise to a position of power within a firm. Tell me, do you make a habit of rubbing your body against another woman's man?”
“Cray doesn't mind, do you, Cray? Cray doesn't commit to one woman. He believes in equal opportunity.”
Cray disentangled himself from her clutches and reached for Angelica, pulling her next to him. “That's no longer true, Phyllis. Angelica and I will be married in May.”
“Since when?” Phyllis said. “I keep tabs on you and I'd know if you settled on one woman. The most recent news about you is that you haven't been seeing anyone.”
“It seems your informants aren't up-to-date,” Angel said. “We're so in love and can't wait to say our vows before God and the world.”
Phyllis placed her hand on her hip and said, “Is this a joke? If it is, it isn't funny. You told me you'd never marry.”
Cray shrugged. “I changed my mind when I met Angelica.”
Phyllis' face crumbled. “Cray, I'm in love with you. We're meant to be together. I didn't mind waiting because I realized you'd see the truth eventually.”
“Phyllis, I never gave you cause to think that.”
“My powers of persuasion are amazing.”
Angelica said in a soft voice. “Phyllis, you don't want someone who doesn't share the same feelings as you. You're beautiful. You'll find someone who loves you as much as you love him. A man like that is worth the wait.”
“You don't need to be so Goddamned nice about it,” Phyllis said to Angel, spun on her heel and raced away from them.
Chapter 8
Angel faced Cray and said, “Did she accuse me of being too nice?”
“Who?” Mona asked approaching them.
“Phyllis,” Cray answered.
Mona faced Angelica, astonishment pasted on her face. “You treated that creepy crawler nice? Hell, she's after your man.”
Angel smiled. “Yes, Mona, she made that quite clear, but I'm the one who has him. I can afford to be nice.”
Cray laughed and said, “You might want to take a page from Angel's book, Mona.”
“She won't stop trying to get you Cray. She'll use stealth and every weapon at her disposal,” Mona said.
Angelica took Mona's hand and said, “A wise woman once told me that old flames are never a threat if a man has rejected her. It's the ones he hasn't yet met that can pose a problem.”
Mona laughed and said, “In that case, Angelica, don't allow Cray to leave the city because he's dated all of them, so you're safe.”
Cray laughed and so did Angelica. She said, “I'll keep that in mind.”
“Oh,” Mona said, “that includes White Plains, too, unless there's been an influx of new women since Cray went to school there.”
“It's time for you to leave,” Cray said, “unless you want me to expose your lurid history, Miss One-Night-Stand.”
“That won't be necessary and if you're trying to make me feel ashamed or guilty, it ain't gonna' happen. Toodle-oo. I'm off to find a bed partner for tonight.”
As Angel and Cray rode the elevator to the lobby, Angel asked, “Is Mona that promiscuous?”
“No, not really. She talks a good line and she's had many lovers, but they're few and far between.”
The days leading to Christmas Eve went by in a flash. Each morning Angelica and Cray woke early, made love and he showered, dressed and went to the office. Angelica showered and dressed after he left and then took a cab to shop for gifts for his family. Never meeting any of them except Mona she chose safe gifts, sure to please, not in any way personal. She searched in out-of-the-way places for Cray's gifts, knowing precisely what she wanted to buy for him, but having trouble locating the items.
Cray called her the first day he worked and she spent the day shopping. He said,
“Honey, where are you?”
“I'm in a cab heading to your place. I should be there in ten minutes. Are you waiting for me?”
“No, but I'm in the limo on my way to our place. Will you meet me outside, please? I need your help for an errand I'm running. We should arrive at the same time.”
She entered the limo, slid to his arms and said, “What's this about, honey?”
“First things first,” he said kissing her with so much passion it left her breathless. “This is the first of decades of Christmases together. We need to establish traditions. You're going to help me choose a live Christmas tree and we'll decorate it together tonight.”
“Oh, Cray, that's a wonderful idea. Do you own ornaments?”
“Yes, my mother insisted when I first bought my condo. They're new in the box in the storage room. I never bothered with them before, but this year marks the beginning of a new era and it seems fitting that we start building our future now.”
She leaned against him and spoke in a whisper. “Will you make love to me in the living room with only the tiny lights to cast a glow?”
They hauled a large tree to his condo and while he set the tree up and dug in the storage room for the decorations, Angelica prepared a light supper for them. They laughed and kissed and teased and touched throughout the decorating process. Hand in hand they stepped back to admire their work. Angel said, “This is th
e first time since I've been an adult that I truly have the Christmas spirit and it's because of you. I love you so much.”
“Those are my sentiments, too, sweetheart. There's one more promise to keep. Look what I found in storage.” He pulled a thick, fluffy comforter from behind a chair, spread it in front of the tree, pulled a few pillows from the sofa and tossed them to the comforter. He smiled at her extending his hand and said, “Join me?”
Christmas carols played in the background at low volume while almost for an hour they pleasured each other with their lips and tongues. As if on cue, the song, All I Want For Christmas Is You began to play. Cray echoed the words as he penetrated her. The music disappeared as they lost themselves in the magic happening between them and as the song ended they reached a simultaneous orgasm.
In the afterglow, as she rested in his arms, her hand flat on his chest, she said, “Can it get any better than this?”
His hand caressed her cheek in a loving stroke and ended on her breast. “I never dreamed it could be this good, honey, and I suspect it can get better. It's more than making love, so much more.”
“Yes, there's an emotional connection with us that I can't describe.” She took his hand and placed it over her heart. “It's in here. It's here when I look at you, when we laugh together, when we talk. Everything we do when we're together, we're real. You're a part of me and when we celebrate our love by joining our bodies, my heart soars to the heavens.”
“I understand. You express it so much better than I could, but your words resonate in me and I recognize the truth of them.”
“Why did it happen so fast? Did fate intervene the night we met? What force made me laugh and catch your attention from across the room?”
“I trust your questions are rhetorical because I have no answers. I'm grateful to whatever caused us to meet.”
Angelica leaned on her elbow and gazed in his eyes. “Cray, I want to tell you something and I'm not sure how you'll react.”
“You can tell me anything, honey.”
“It's about us having or adopting children when we're married.”