Lucien (30 page)
"A sister?"
Jake shrugged.
"What
do
you know about her?"
Jake had to fix a drink for a regular customer before he could answer Nick's question. "Not much. She lives in the same building as me. She drives a Jaguar. She has—"
"What color is the Jaguar?"
"Silver."
Alex nodded thoughtfully. "The interior?"
"Tan and leather."
Nick whistled. "New model or—"
"Old and in mint condition."
"She's got money," Alex announced. "What kind of job?"
"Not sure. Some sort of office job. She looks like the executive type."
"How old," Nick asked.
"Twenty-something."
"Twenty-something," Alex muttered to himself. "What kind of twenty-something? Slightly older than jail bait or… on the verge of sexual peak twenty-something?"
"When does that sexual peak thing start?"
Jake rubbed his jaw. "On the verge."
"That ought to be fun. Late twenties, Nicki."
Nick shook his head. "I thought it happened later than that. Early thirties."
"After much studying and countless hours of deliberation on the subject, I have concluded that the majority of women begin their journey to peakdom in the late twenties. They also can reach the peak at any age with my helpful instigation." Alex's smile was smug. "I have the power to—"
Nick fished a cube of ice out of his glass and hurled it at his brother. "Jake, you gonna ask her out?"
"I'd have to get a night off before I could ask her out."
"Why don't you invite her down here on Friday. I'll only need your help when we get slammed and, after Nicki closes the kitchen, you can sit back and find out if she's got any friends."
Jake looked from Alex to Nick. "You sure?"
Nick waved aside the question. "Yep. It's not like I've got a life outside of this place. It might be kind of nice to ponder… silk or—"
"Cotton," Jake and Alex said in unison.
Alex touched his heart. "Cotton panties."
"The fabric of choice," Jake murmured.
Nick chuckled. "I guess that means I'll be stuck behind the bar with Sir Drop-A-Lot."
Jake grinned. "Yeah, I'll ask her."
"Soufflé boy."
Nick pointed a warning finger at his brother. "Don't bring up my soufflé."
Alex chuckled. "Nothing could bring up your soufflé now, pancake boy."
"Keep it up and you can just eat Spaghetti-O's out of the can for dinner."
Alex held up his hands defensively. "Just kidding."
Jake laughed. "What's for dinner, Nick?"
"Broccoli and cheese quiche for you." Nick got up from his bar stool. "Canned pasta for him."
"Aw, Nicki, I really didn't mean it. The pancake was good. A bit flat, but— Ow!" A pretzel hit Alex between the eyes.
It was Thursday night and nearly a week later when Jake returned to his place to get the business account checkbook. On his way back to the truck, he swung by the mailroom to check his box and saw Emily entering the building. Her hair was piled on top of her head and secured with a clip which begged to be released. Her skirt was short and the exact shade of blue he remembered her eyes being.
In one hand, Emily held a dark brown leather briefcase while the other held a phone up to her ear.
Jake shamelessly eavesdropped on her conversation.
"No. Reschedule the Peters meeting for Wednesday. I've got to deal with the board on Monday. If he doesn't like it then tell him he can—" Emily chuckled. It was a soft, husky, blood stirring sound. "I like that one. Do me a favor and jot it down for me. I may have to use it when I go up against Stuart. Did the fax from my broker arrive? What did it say? The gist." She nodded several times then dropped the briefcase into a chair. She arched her back and massaged the back of her neck. "Call his office and leave him a message. Yeah, he has voicemail there. The number is— Good. Tell him to call me at ten and we'll discuss the portfolio." Emily smiled at Jake and gave him a slow wink.
Jake couldn't help himself. He walked around her, set the notebook-sized checkbook next to her briefcase, then settled his hands on her slender shoulders.
Emily followed him with hooded eyes, but let him massage her shoulders. "Marilyn. Tell Booker to put a rush job on his project. I have a feeling…
ooh
, yeah, right there. What? No. Ah, yes. It's exactly like I told you the other night. No. Voice… mail. Oh, that feels too good. What? Sure, just a second." She lifted the phone away from her ear and held it up for him. "It's for you."
Jake pulled her back against him and, keeping one hand moving on her shoulder, took the phone. "Hello?"
"What are you doing to Lee," an amused female asked.
"Massaging her shoulders. She's very tight."
Emily moved and guided his thumb to the spot between her shoulder blades. "Yes.
Ooh, yes
. Right there."
"Where are you?"
"In the lobby."
"Oh," Emily moaned, "a little lower. Mmm,
yes
."
"Who are you?"
"Jake."
"Why are you massaging her tight shoulders?"
"Honestly?"
"Oh God, don't stop," Emily whispered.
"Preferably."
"Because she needs to loosen up some."
The female laughed. "Ain't that the truth. Do me a favor, Jake."
"Sure."
"Take her out and show her a nice time. The girl works too hard. Correction. She works me too hard."
Emily shivered and slumped against him.
Jake laughed softly. "I was just getting around to that. How about Friday night?"
Paper rustled in the background. "She's got a meeting at five. Should be done with it by seven. Where are you taking her?"
"Are you her keeper?"
"Close enough. If I don't pencil it in the appointment book, she never makes it."
"In that case, the place is called The Brigade and the time is… whenever she gets there."
"Directions?"
Jake gave her the directions then said, "You're welcome to join her. The drinks are on me."
"In that case, we'll be there at eight."
"Great." Jake pressed the phone into Emily's hand. "Here you go, sweetheart."
"Hmm?" Emily pulled the phone up to her ear. "Hello, Marilyn. Hmm? Yes."
Jake leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I'll see you tomorrow, sweetheart."
Emily tilted her head to the side. "Did you get what you came for?"
Jake reached around her and picked up the checkbook. "What do you think?" He caught her free hand and, keeping his eyes on hers, raised her palm to his lips. "Until tomorrow."
"Until tomorrow," she murmured with a half smile gracing those lips which he needed to kiss. "Be good," she said into the phone.
Jake reluctantly released her hand and, mindful of ol' Johnny who was once again straining at the buttons, walked towards the door. He pushed open the glass door and heard her say behind him, "No, Marilyn. Booker is most definitely not invited."
If Jake had stayed a minute longer, he might have seen Emily drop like a dead weight into an overstuffed, beige armchair and whisper into the phone, "It happened again. And it was much, much bigger. I need a cigarette. I know I don't, but… Lord Almighty, he's gonna drive me to it. Do you think you can get Booker to come over and carry me up to my place? I don't think my legs are going to work for another hour or so."
* * *
I hope you enjoyed this peek into Emily’s Affair!
Emily’s Affair
is now available for purchase at Amazon.
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