Saving Each Other (BWWM Romance) (30 page)

I made my way to the garage. I was just pulling out when a yelling David ran into the garage but I drove past him.

Chapter 7

The next day I called in sick. Earl didn’t question me. He kept his thoughts to himself which at that point was a good thing. I was sitting in the living room in yoga pants and a tank top. I wasn’t really sick but I didn’t feel like facing him today either. I cringed thinking the worst when my doorbell rang. Please tell me that there wasn’t some soliciting person at my door. It wasn’t the day to get a friendly response from me. Heaving a huge sigh, I made my way to the door and almost gave the solicitor a what-for speech.

“Are you Ms. Trina Jefferson?”

“Yes I am.”

“Good. Then this is for you.” The man handed me a huge box. “Please wait a minute. I have more in the car as well.”

“Okay. I will take this in and come back.”

I walked into the house and set the box down on the table before returning to be given three balloons and what looked to be 2 dozen red roses. “Have a good day, ma’am.”

“Oh uh, thank you.” I took the balloons in and set the vase of roses on the table. Opening the huge box, I saw that there were a few containers of hot chicken noodle soup, some Tylenol, crackers, Sprite and a pillow and fleece blanket. On the side of the inside of the box was a card. Opening it, my jaw dropped open.

Dear Trina,

I realize that yesterday was a shock to both of us but I cannot say that I didn’t enjoy it. It was like holding a flower that is blooming. You are amazing and I want more. I need more. I am here for some time and I want to spend that time with you while I am here. I can explain the call but I need you to come in so that I can. I also know that you are probably not sick but I wanted you to see that I do think of the obvious. I need your help in this investigation. Let us enjoy our little bit of time together.

D

He had a lot of nerve saying that to me when he was the reason I wasn’t there. I decided then and there that I wouldn’t allow him to keep me from work. It was too important. I would go in and I would do my job and just ignore him while I did it. That’s it. That’s all I would do and I would keep him far from me.

The thought was a good thought but little did I know it would be as far from the truth as it could get. The next morning I got up and got ready for work. I decided on pants that day knowing that the skirt I had worn the other day was a bad choice after what happened the other day. I held my head up high as I made my way down the hall. Just as I came around the corner I froze. There he was with his ass sitting on the desk. In his chair sat a small little blonde. She looked up at me and smiled.

“You must be Trina. I have heard so much about you. It’s good to finally meet you. I’m Tara.” Tara was beautiful beyond compare. She had long straight hair that was curled on the ends. It laid down her back to almost her waist. Her almond shaped eyes were a dark blue in color and much prettier than my mucky brown ones. She was also petite and had large breasts. She giggled with David and I felt myself become angry.

“Hello. Yes, I"m Trina. I would love to say I have heard about you as well but then you know the boss here…” I looked up at him with a smirk.

“That do I. I’ve been with him for over 6 years now.”

I could feel my blood begin to boil at her words. 6 years? They were together for 6 years and he didn’t even say anything to me? Worse yet I thought of the things he had done to me. My eyes looked at him in shock. He must have known exactly what I was thinking but when he chuckled it pissed me off even more. My eyes narrowed in anger at him.

“Tara, come on. I think Ms. Jefferson needs some time to sort things out and work on the reports I gave her. Tara and I were going to get something to eat. Would you like me to bring you something back? I know you are eager to get on the reports. With you being sick and all yesterday there are some that are backed up now.”

I could have spit on him. I really could have as he put his arm around Tara’s shoulders. She rolled her eyes at him as she took his arm and patted it. That’s when I saw it. The huge ass rock on her ring finger. You know the important finger on her left hand. He was married.

I stood there fuming and watched as Tara looked from me to him and then back to me again. Her voice was stern as she looked at him. “David Andrew Smith, you will not use me like that. I know what this is and it isn’t going to work. My dear Trina, I think David here has led you to believe in some things that are not accurate. I don’t know what is going on between the two of you and I don’t really care because it's none of my business. You see yes, I have been with David for 6 years. But not like you think. I have been his assistant for 6 years and I'm the only one who was trustworthy enough to bring the records. You see not only am I his assistant but I am happily married as well.” She looked pointedly over to him as she spoke the next words. “To his brother Charles. So no matter what he tried to make you believe, know that my heart and soul belong to Charles and always will, not to this rascal. I pity the woman to make him settle down. I will see you in the car.” She gave a glare towards the sheepish look on David’s face before smiling back at me.

“It’s okay. It doesn't matter one way or the other. Although I thank you for telling me to try and spare my feelings, I can comfortably tell you there in nothing going on between us. Not now or in the future. Enjoy your breakfast. As he was so nice to point out, I have a lot of work to do today and I am eager to get started.”

“Okay, dear. Have a good day.”

“You too.” I completely ignored him as I made my way to the desk I was currently working at. I told myself to calm down.

“Trina.”

I made my face calm as I looked up at him. “Yes, Mr. Smith. How can I help you?” I put on a fake smile. He stood there and stared at me for a couple minutes before shaking his head.

“Nothing. Have a good day.”

I poured myself into the reports for the rest of the day. I never saw him that day and I quickly left at five o’clock exactly, just in case he tried to come in later. I needed to remind myself to keep my distance. If I did then I would be fine.

I woke early the next morning and jumped in the shower. Refraining from picking up the phone and calling Earl for another missed day, I looked at it once before stepping to the closet to find what I would wear. I decided on gray dress pants and a black short sleeve shirt that crisscrossed in the front. My hair I twisted up into a French twist and slipped in some pearl pins to hold it in place. With just a touch of lip gloss, I smiled at myself as I made my way to the kitchen. I needed coffee, a huge cup, if I would make it through the day. I took a few deep breaths and gathered my wits as I sat and looked out the huge window in my living room. It was the one good thing I liked about my apartment. The huge window showed the large park across from my apartment building. It was finally time to head out when I looked over at the clock sometime later and I smiled as I thought of how much it was going to kill David when I ignored him.

I walked into what used to be my office with my head held high as I made my way to my desk. I watched as his head raised to watch me. I made sure not to twitch too much or make any intention that I knew he was watching me. I didn’t make any inclination that I noticed he was there at all. That I learned was a mistake, as he quickly rose from his chair. Instead of coming to me like I thought, he made his way to the door of the office. I sat down and jumped as I heard the door slam shut. Looking up and I saw him looking at me with a look of disbelief. Then I saw it. The anger that could easily be read all over his face. He was not happy in the least and I knew I was the culprit.

“Really? Really?”

“What?” I looked at him with wide eyes and tried to feign an innocent look. I knew however at the look of disbelief on his own face that I was failing in my attempt at the emotion. He threw his hands into the air as he made his way to me. I watched him stride over to me and then his hands were palm down on the desk and he was leaning over it staring at me.

“Look. If you want to play coy and childish games then fine but don’t let it interfere with your work. I came here because they said you were the best. I came here to get your help on a matter that could bring not only me down but everyone inside of the company as well. That is thousands of people. Thousands that would lose their jobs and means of survival. I understand you don’t like me and frankly at this point I really don’t give a damn. You don’t have to like me to do your job. If not for me then them. I need your help. If you will not stay here and stick through this then fine I will find someone else.”

“You did this. You should keep your hands to yourself. You broke the rules. You're my boss.”

“Yes, I did break the rules. I felt your body and kissed your lips but I will not jeopardize my company for it. And don’t stand there and act all innocent. You wanted it just as much as I did and I know if I came over there and touched you then you would melt all over again. That doesn’t mean you can just disappear for a day.”

I looked at him and realized he was pissed. Beyond pissed, as he looked at me. The worst part about it was that he was right. Just then his phone rang out loudly.

“Yes, Steph. You have some timing. No, dear, nothing is wrong. I 'm fine. Yes. Yes she is here today. Yes. I think it's good if you meet her. Hey, be a sweetheart and come around lunch. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. Yes, I know I owe you.” He hung up the phone. The smile on his face made me clinch. It was like my insides were clenching together and I felt my hand grip the edge of the desk. He must care about that woman a lot. You could tell by the way he spoke to her and the tenderness that spread across his face. For the second time, the woman I knew as Steph was making me want to curse and spit nails. And I didn’t even know her. I had never met her before. Had never seen her before. I slowly took a deep breath and waited for him to push the button to end the call. Standing, I looked at him slowly.

My head began to nod as I began talking without thinking. “I completely agree. We have work to do and many people depend on us to do it and get it done. I don’t want to be the reason people are let go. Let’s get to it. Secondly, as much as I would like to be immature and roll around on the floor with you naked, I know the consequences of such actions and I would like to keep myself from those if you don’t mind. I like my job.” I watched as the smile spread across his lips and then he glanced at the floor across from us.

“That floor? We could try it out you know.”

“See! That’s what I’m talking about! Don’t you have someone coming to go to lunch with?” I stomped to his desk and grabbed the first stack of papers I saw to start working on from the pile. “I’m surprised someone hasn’t turned you in for sexual harassment.”

I slammed the pile on my desk. I watched and stepped back a step when he came around to stand in front of me. He was no longer wearing a smile but rather a very blank stare as he looked at me. “Let’s get one thing straight, my dear. I want you, yes. I would love to make love to you into next week but I will not jeopardize my company and the livelihood of thousands of people for a fling. That I promise. Now if you would start on this pile, I will start on the next one.” He turned and practically stomped like a sulking child back to his desk to continue the pile he had already begun.

I didn’t know how long I sat there on that pile before I noticed it. “David!” I looked at him with a smile. “I found something. Something big.”

He made his way to my desk quickly. It must have been something in my voice to make him move fast. I felt him come up behind me and then I got a whiff of his smell. It was a smell that only he could pull off. It was also a smell that I would remember for a very long time. It was like sandalwood and spice mixed with a little mint. It was distinct and all his. “What is it?”

“Look. I think I found out what they are doing.”

“Well what, besides stealing from the company?”

“Well that’s it. You see, the company has large companies everywhere in the world, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well if you look at the amounts then you will see that they are programmed. They come from certain accounts at certain times and then the amounts are very little to not cause suspicion.”

“Yeah I knew that.”

“Okay, look at it this way. You know how much is in your bank account, right?”

“Yes, all of them, the first one…”

I waved my hands at him trying to get him back on track and focused on what I was currently saying to him. “I don’t want to know. That’s irrelevant.” He shrugged his shoulders as if it wasn’t anything personal. He acted like it didn’t matter if I knew how many millions were in each of his accounts. “How many accounts do you have anyway?” I could have kicked myself with the smile that came on his face. I showed interest. Something I knew I shouldn’t have done. “Never mind don’t answer. I don’t care. Okay, with the rest of the story. Let’s talk about your first account. The one you use the most. You know how much is in it roughly. So if say 2 million came up missing then you would notice it right away, right?”