Chapter 18
Troy
I was still reeling from my conversation with Kathy, that my mind was still unpacking that before it could process Veronica standing in my office in a ridiculously short dress that was probably meant to be a shirt. After Monica had excused herself to go to the bathroom, probably just to get away from the sticky situation we had almost been caught in, Kathy had tiptoed around an accusation that we were sleeping together.
“Did I just walk in on something?” she had asked, her hands on her hips as she looked around the room for some sort of clue.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said as I folded my hands on my desk casually, but in a way that told her I was the boss around here.
“You two seemed out of sorts when I walked in.”
“We were just preparing those reports you mentioned.” I shrugged.
“Mhmm.” She sounded unconvinced.
“Also, in the future, please wait until I grant you access to my office before you barge in. It’s entirely distracting, not to mention impolite.”
She let out a bark of a laugh. “I’m able to roam this firm as I please.”
“I think you’re forgetting who your boss is here.” My voice started to rise at her entitlement.
“I know exactly who my boss is, and it’s not who I’m looking at right now.” Her eyes were cold.
“I think my father and I need to have a little chat about what your role is here at my firm.”
“And I think I should have a little chat with him about what role your personal assistant is playing. Again.” A slight smirk spread across her lips.
I tried not to let her threat get to me, but internally it knocked the air out of me. I caught my bearings quickly, though.
“Go ahead,” I said nonchalantly. She looked taken aback by my cool demeanor. “But know that if I lose this firm, you’ll be out of a job. So that’s your decision.”
I watched as the smirk quickly disappeared from her lips and her throat bobbed as she swallowed my words. I leaned back in my chair, satisfied that I had gotten to her. That was when I heard a knock outside my open office door.
“Am I interrupting anything?” asked Veronica in a sing-song voice as she leaned her gazelle-like figure against the door frame.
What the hell? Could this morning get any worse?
“Yes,” I said sharply.
“No,” said Kathy at the same time.
Damn it.
Kathy gave Veronica a curt nod as she walked past her with little to no acknowledgment. There was probably one thing Kathy and I agreed on, and it was our mutual disdain for my ex-wife. If I had any sign of arousal still lingering from the taste of Monica’s mouth on mine, it quickly deflated.
Veronica closed the door behind her with the high heel of her boot, and the last thing I saw was Monica shoot me a worried glance just as the door shut on her beautiful face. My stomach sank. I hadn’t told her about Veronica. We hadn’t delved into much of our personal lives because our mouths were always too busy doing other things.
I hadn’t told her a lot of things. Like how I would lose my job if we were found out. I took a deep breath.
One thing at a time.
“Veronica, what are you doing here?” I asked.
“Hello to you, too, Troy,” she said, pushing off the door and stalking toward me like I was her prey. Gazelle turned lion.
I rolled my eyes.
She pushed papers aside on my desk, making room for her to sit on the edge of it. She crossed her legs and leaned back on her hands, arching her back so her breasts peeked out a little further against the light blue cashmere.
“By all means, make yourself at home,” I said sarcastically, trying to re-organize the papers she had haphazardly pushed aside.
“Why, thank you,” she said.
“Again, what are you doing here?” I asked.
“I just wanted to see you.”
“I saw you last night.”
“And I had such a wonderful time with you then.”
She swung her legs over my desk so her thigh-high boots and long legs were now grazing against me as I sat in my office chair.
“Didn’t you?” she asked.
“I enjoyed seeing my aunt and celebrating her, yes.”
“Was there anything else you enjoyed seeing?” she asked coyly as she leaned down closer. I could feel her minty breath against my face.
I knew what she was referring to, and the image of her standing topless in my sister’s childhood bedroom flashed through my head quickly before I stomped it out. Supermodel or not, she was still a bitch and her perky breasts wouldn’t take away from that. I had shut the door on this years ago. Mostly.
“Veronica,” I said tiredly. “I thought you got the hint last night.”
She pouted at me with her glossy, baby pink lips.
“When did you become such a party pooper?” she asked.
I sighed, knowing this was my own fault. Even after our divorce we still had our fun together. If we ran into each other at events, she would end up at my place or me at hers. It didn’t mean anything other than just needing to fuck and release. I thought it was the same for her.
It had been months since anything had happened between us anyhow. Last night was the first time I had seen her in a while. I wondered why now she had decided to be so persistent in entering my life again.
“I’m just stressed with work,” I replied, running a hand through my hair.
“Well, I can help with that,” she said, as if jumping at an opportunity.
She parted her legs, placing one on either side of me on the glossy surface of my desk. My eyes darted down to the darkness between her open thighs.
“Jesus Christ, Veronica,” I groaned loudly when I realized she had nothing underneath her dress.
She laughed out loud, thoroughly enjoying herself. She lowered herself onto my lap, straddling me. Then she placed her hands against my chair, on either side of my head. I felt myself twitch slightly against her bareness. I was a man, after all.
“You need to go,” I said firmly, looking toward the door.
She leaned in and grazed her teeth against my earlobe. “Do I?” she whispered.
The words sent a shiver down my spine.
I wasn’t doing this. I wasn’t even entertaining this. I gripped her hips and lifted her off me suddenly. She let out a little gasp as she tried to find her footing. I stood up from my desk chair.
I crossed my arms and nodded toward the door. “Go.”
She sat down in my desk chair and put her feet up on my desk. She had no plans to leave. I needed someone to rescue me.
I slid my phone from my jacket pocket and texted Monica.
SOS. Come in here and make up some important meeting. I need this woman out of my office.
A moment later, there was a knock on my door. Veronica quickly pulled her feet down from the surface of my desk so not to expose herself to the rest of the office. Monica peeped her head in and I watched as she quickly glanced at Monica sitting comfortably behind my desk. I noticed the hurt that flashed in her eyes before it disappeared. Shit.
“Um, sorry to interrupt…” she said softly.
“You’re not interrupting anything,” I said reassuringly.
Veronica huffed behind me.
“We have that meeting now.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you, Monica.”
Monica gave Veronica one more look, who had barely even acknowledged her existence as she picked at her fingernails before walking out the door. Thankfully, she left it open. Whether to save me or to keep an eye on things, I wasn’t sure. Either way, I was grateful.
“Who is that?” asked Veronica, looking through the open door where Monica was gathering things to look as if she were getting ready for our imaginary meeting. Veronica’s voice dripped with disgust.
“Her name is Monica. She is my personal assistant,” I answered.
I saw a flicker of jealousy in Veronica’s gaze as it fixated on Monica. I wondered if she had heard the rumors, or if the curve-hugging black dress on a beautiful woman made her insecure.
“I really have to go,” I said, walking toward the door.
Veronica stood up from my desk quickly and strode past me, making it a point to rub up against me as she did so.
“I’ll see you soon, Troy baby,” she called over her shoulder as she sauntered away.
I caught Monica looking between us before she quickly went back to stacking what looked to be blank papers on her desk. I knew she probably had so many questions, and the hurt look on her face made my stomach sink. I just didn’t know how to tell her everything, and this wasn’t the place.
“Thanks for that,” I said with a smile as I leaned against her desk.
“Mhmm,” she said, barely looking at me.
“Monica…” I said softly.
“Look, I’m really busy…” she said.
I felt like she wanted nothing to do with me in that moment. Why would she? Even though we weren’t in a relationship or had established any sort of boundaries, there were still feelings there. I realized that now as I took on her hurt. This was new territory for me. I would probably feel the same way if I found her locked up in an office with another man. I would go seething mad.
“What? Stacking blank printer paper?” I joked, trying to make light of the situation and the thoughts in my head.
The joke didn’t land and Monica frowned. I glanced quickly around the office before grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze. I needed her attention. I needed to reassure her. She stilled. I quickly released her hand before anyone saw.
She sighed as she set the papers down on her desk, willing herself to look up at me. The look in her eyes was enough to break me down and tell her everything right there. But it was too risky. Especially after we were almost caught this morning and Kathy brought up her suspicions. Her threat.
“Why don’t we get out of here?” I suggested.
“What are you talking about?”
“Let’s go. Call it a day.”
She checked her watch and jerked her head back slightly before looking at me. “It’s not even 10 AM,” she said in surprise.
“And somehow I’ve had enough work for the day.”
It was true. I didn’t want to spend another minute in this office after this hellish morning.
“That was work?” she asked, eyeing my office as if Veronica were still perched comfortably in my chair.
“Come on. Let’s get an early start on the weekend,” I said, avoiding her question.
She twisted her mouth as she debated it, looking around the office at everyone who was busy working at their computers. I didn’t know if she would go for it.
She never missed a day. Never came in late, despite me trying to keep her in my bed with a swipe of my tongue or the flick of my fingers against her. She always left. She was so professional, to a fault.
But I couldn’t stand being in here another minute, hearing the click-clack of keyboards and feeling the watchful eye of Kathy on my every move. Probably even now. I just wanted to leave and forget the whole shitty morning, and I needed Monica with me. To escape it all.
An idea popped in my head, but I didn’t know if she would go for it.