G-Men: The Series

by ANDREA SMITH

  “When I called in yesterday, I was given the information by you that my schedule was clear all afternoon. As it turns out, it wasn’t. I missed a meeting with Nelson Pratt at 4:15. He called me last evening to re-schedule.”

  The butterflies were back, doing nervous somersaults in my stomach.

  “Oh, really?” I asked, feigning self-disappointment with a sprinkle of surprise.”You know, I bet I had the wrong day pulled up on your calendar.” I looked down at the floor, trying to appear repentant for making a mistake. “I’m so sorry, Easton.”

  He quirked an eyebrow at me, trying to decide whether he believed me or not and remained silent as I squirmed in my seat.

  He’s giving me the rope to hang myself. Bastard!

  The silence and his perusal of me lingered until I couldn’t stand it another second.

  I broke. “Okay! So, I told you that your afternoon was clear yesterday when you called. I told Nelson you’d forgotten; I admit it. Happy? You can stop giving me the hairy eyeball now.”

  “Why would you do that?” he asked, studying me carefully.

  I paused for a couple of moments, not because I didn’t know the answer, but because I didn’t want him to know.

  “It’s complicated,” I replied, those words evidently becoming my own personal mantra these days. “I’d prefer if we could simply drop the subject. I apologize. I was wrong and it was extremely immature of me.”

  “I still want to know why.”

  If I was a woman of prayer—this is totally where I’d use it.

  “Okay, fine. I thought Nelson was meeting with you to discuss what type of disciplinary action you intended to take against…me.”

  “And,” he said, waiting for me to continue, his eyes boring into me. “There has to be more to it.”

  I breathed a heavy sigh. “And because I thought you and Lacee were having a…nooner.”

  “A what?”

  “Hooking up during your lunch hour,” I snapped.

  I saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes as he stood up, placing his knuckles on the desk and leaning forward so that he was gazing down at me beneath those thick, sooty lashes.

  “And would that bother you?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Truthfully? Yes, it bothered me yesterday. It doesn’t today.”

  He cocked his eyebrow, which apparently was becoming his own personal non-verbal slogan with me. “I see,” he replied, “So, you’ve had time to come to terms with the fact you’ve no claim on me, and I’m perfectly free to hook-up with whomever I choose? Glad to see we’re on the same page, love.”

  “Well…,” I stammered, “that’s not exactly the case, but you know, whatever gets you through the night, Easton. I mean, we’re both free to hook-up with whomever we want; that’s always been the rule. It’s just that you and I—well, we won’t be hooking up…anymore.” I saw him freeze momentarily. He was usually so good at hiding his emotions, but this had clearly caught him off-guard.

  “I’m not certain that’s your decision to make,” he replied casually.

  Fuck me! He DID not just say that?

  I stood up now, and placed my knuckles on his desk, leaning forward in a show of defiance, giving him a glare that I’d mastered in third grade.

  “It most certainly is my decision to make and I’ve made it, Mr. Matthews,” I spat. “Unless you plan on forcing yourself on me. Cuff anyone to a bed lately?”

  She shoots and…Scores!

  He gazed down at me with shuttered eyes, making a show of studying his hands and using his fingers to rub his palm. “Trust me, love, you take to my cock like a fish takes to water. If ever I force myself on you, it’ll be because you begged me for it that way.”

  I felt my cheeks flush with color at the confidence with which he made the statement.

  “Are we through here?” I asked.

  “For now,” he replied, not taking his eyes off of mine.

  I made a hasty retreat back to my office, slamming his door behind me. I didn’t want to see him, hear him, or smell his masculine scent at the moment. His fucking audacity was boundless. All of a sudden, Darin Murphy was looking better and better.

  I got through my morning routine without having to lay eyes on Easton again. His office had a door that led into mine and another one that led to the main hallway, so thankfully he was using that one and staying out of my way.

  Right before lunch, my phone rang. It was Betty at reception telling me I had a delivery in the lobby.

  “What is it?” I asked, puzzled.

  “Come and see for yourself,” she said mischievously.

  When I got to the reception lobby, Betty nodded to the table behind her desk. There was a gorgeous bouquet of two dozen red roses in a beautiful crystal vase sitting there.

  “For me?” I felt my eyes widen to the size of planets. Easton wouldn’t be raising the white flag this soon, surely?

  “Umm hmm,” she said, her eyes twinkling. “Looks like someone’s captured a heart,” she teased.

  I blushed, lifting the heavy vase of roses and headed back to my office. I placed the vase on the credenza behind my desk, taking the small envelope from the placard anxious to see what it said. I pulled the card out to read and as I did, my heart thudded; my butterflies crashed and burned:

  Darcy,

  Unbreak my heart, baby. I love and miss you so much. Please forgive me.

  Darin

  I tucked the card underneath the vase, and was rearranging some of the baby’s breath when I heard a loud whistle from behind me. I whirled around, knowing it was Eli by the whistle.

  “Awww, you remembered to call him ‘Sir,’ didn’t you?” he teased.

  “Bite me, bitch,” I replied with a smirk. “This is from old wood.”

  “Huh?”

  “Darin.”

  “Ah,” he said. “Well, hey, you can’t blame a dude for knowing when he fucked up a good thing, right?”

  “I guess,” I replied, wistfully.

  “Wanna do lunch?” he asked.

  “Sure,” I replied, grabbing my handbag from my desk drawer. “I need to get outta here for a bit. Let’s do it. I’ll drive.”

  “Hey, tell me something,” Eli said, as we passed some cubicles on our way out.

  “Okay, what?” I asked.

  “This old wood of yours…,” he smiled as he continued, “was it hard?”

  I snorted as he laughed at his own cheezer joke.

  We were chatting about even fresher office gossip he’d heard earlier relative to Rollins the Retch and his work squeeze Leanne Harshman. They’d apparently gotten into a shouting match behind the closed door of his office. He was trying to break things off with her and she was threatening a sexual harassment lawsuit. I was so engaged in the conversation I didn’t notice until I was near my car in the lot that Darin was standing next to it.

  Crap!

  I stopped in my tracks as our eyes met. Eli continued walking, failing to notice I wasn’t next to him any longer. He finally noticed Darin, and then turned back to me with a questioning look in his eyes.

  “Darin,” I stammered, “what are you doing here?”

  “Did you get the roses?”

  “Yeah, I did, but I’m not sure what to think about that.”

  “Hey, Darce,” Eli said, “we can do lunch another time.”

  “Gimme just a sec, Eli.” I turned to Darin. “Thank you for the roses, and we can certainly talk, but not now. I’m meeting Lindsey and Jill this evening at Busbee’s. You’re welcome to stop by if you want. Maybe I can break away for a bit and we can talk then.”

  “Yeah, that sounds awesome,” Darin said, smiling.

  “No promises, just a talk,” I replied. He nodded.

  Eli got into the car and was unusually quiet as we pulled out of the lot. I finally couldn’t stand it anymore, feeling the judgment he was passing silently.

  “What?” I hissed.

&nbs
p; “I didn’t say a thing.”

  “Yeah, but you’re thinking real loud, I can tell. So, let’s hear it.”

  “There’s a Chinese proverb that comes to mind,” he said. “Don’t build a new ship out of old wood or you’re destined to sink.”

  I shot him a look. “So, you think I’m a hot mess for simply listening to what Darin has to say?”

  “You tell me, sweetie. It seems to me you didn’t give Darin a second thought when Easton Matthews came into your life. What’s changed?”

  “Easton Matthews isn’t capable of love, commitment, or even being a nice person. I can’t deal with that.”

  “Hmmm—he sounds perfect for you, doll.”

  chapter 35

  ~ Easton ~

  A feeling of uneasiness had seeped in after my morning spat with Darcy. Her dismissive attitude rankled me to no end. The little minx was fooling herself if she truly believed we wouldn’t be fucking anymore. That wasn’t her decision to make and she knew it. Already I’d gone too long without pussy and it didn’t sit well at all. I’d be sinking my cock into her sweetness soon and she’d want it. I’d make sure of that.

  I smiled to myself, knowing just how much she enjoyed this little game of cat and mouse, hide and seek, hot and cold. It was time to crank it up a notch as in ‘Me Tarzan—You Jane’ and it’s time to spread your legs, love. My mobile rang, interrupting my thoughts and forcing me to put my twitching cock on hold for the moment.

  “Matthews,” I barked.

  “Bad time?”

  “No, Colin, it’s fine. What’ve you got?”

  “I had a call from Mark in R & D about some…uhm…jewelry, for lack of a better word I suppose. I’m confused, Easton.”

  “No need for confusion,” I laughed. “I’m gifting Darcy with some titanium clit jewelry with polished onyx beads. Is there anything abnormal about that?”

  “When you say it like that, I guess not,” he replied chuckling. “But why have the R & D lab make this? I thought pierced clit jewelry was commercially available.”

  “True, however this is special. So, what’d Mark say about it?”

  “Oh—yes, he has it finished and it’s being couriered over to your attention. You should have it tomorrow.”

  “Brilliant,” I replied, smiling once again. “Is that it?”

  “Well, uh,” he stammered, “your mother stopped in the office in Leeds, specifically to grill me on your whereabouts. She threw a fit about your estrangement and demanded to be put in touch with you.”

  “You told her to go to hell, I’m hoping.”

  “You know me, mate. I told her I’d let you know. She claims she has some important news for you. I gave her your e-mail address. I didn’t know what else to do.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Sorry, mate. She can be quite insistent.”

  “Yeah, tell me about it. Well, I’ve not received anything from her yet. Was it my business or personal e-mail?”

  “Personal,” he replied.

  “Okay. No worries. I’ll handle whatever she dishes out. How are things in Leeds?”

  “Everything’s running great. I think it was a brilliant solution having Devon working half days in the office and half days at home. She’s extremely productive and I suspect feeling guilt-free now that she’s able to spend more time with her baby. The staff is rallying round her as well, so the numbers are good. I probably won’t need to stay more than a couple of weeks since the transition has been nearly seamless. I’m sure you’re ready for me to take the wheel once again at Baronton-Sheridan so you can return to London, eh?”

  “I’ll let you know when it’s time, Colin,” I chuckled. “Cheers.”

  I ended the call and decided to saunter on out to Darcy’s office to see what the little chit was doing. I opened the door she’d slammed earlier, noticing immediately she was not at her desk.

  Hmmm…must be out to lunch.

  As I turned to return to my office, the large bouquet of red roses on her credenza caught my attention.

  What have we here?

  I went over to the vase, spying the card underneath it.

  My blood ran cold when I read the scripted words on the card from the sender. That knob-head was going to be at the receiving end of my wrath if he thought for one minute he’d be getting into her skivvies again.

  I hurried back into my office, twisting the wand for the mini blinds so I could see the parking lot. Her car was gone. Maybe she’d met him for lunch. She’d been dressed differently today, as if she had plans or was trying to impress someone. Someone other than me, it appeared.

  I got Ryan Dobbs on the phone immediately.

  “Dobbs,” he said picking up.

  “Ryan, I need you to transfer the latitude/longitude feeds from Darcy’s vehicle directly into the GPS system in my computer. That way I won’t need to receive updates. I’ll have the data live.”

  “Certainly. Not a problem. For how long?”

  “Until further notice,” I replied, ending the call.

  That pussy jewelry couldn’t get here soon enough to suit me.

  I picked up my mobile, and found the name I needed quickly on my contact list. An assistant picked up, telling me the bureau chief was out to lunch. She promised to have him call me as soon as he was back.

  He damn well better…

  I watched the digital clock on my desk, periodically checking the parking lot to make sure when Darcy returned. Finally, I was relieved to see that she’d gone to lunch with her roommate, as I saw them walking towards the entrance from her parking space, which was right next to mine. At least I knew she hadn’t pulled a ‘nooner’ with Darin Murphy.

  That’s right, I know his last name. I also know where his next assignment’s going to take him…

  chapter 36

  I was rattled after lunch. Eli and I’d discussed it, naturally, and I knew how he felt about it. “Once a cheater, always a cheater,” he’d repeated several times.

  “Oh, for Chrissake! I’m just going to hear him out. He’s probably the only guy that I’ve ever had a half-way healthy relationship with and, right now, that seems the better choice than walking this fucking tight-rope with Easton.”

  “Honey, it doesn’t have to come down to one or the other, hello? You’re gorgeous, wear couture better than any other chick I know, and you like taking risks. It’s what you’re about. You like walking a tight-rope because it’s living on the edge and you crave that, whether you want to admit it or not.”

  “So, what does that mean?”

  “It means find someone who likes walking that tight-rope with you and who’ll adore you in spite of your flaws.”

  “Flaws?” I asked, my eyes flashing.

  “Baby doll, you’ve got ‘em and you know it, so deal with it.”

  “Like what?”

  “Where do I start? Let’s see: spoiled, self-centered, sarcastic, sneaky, stubborn—and those are only the ones that begin with an “S.”

  “Wow, how do you tolerate me?” I rolled my eyes, but still sported the easy grin that everyone pretty much got whenever they were in the same vicinity as Eli.

  He threw me a mock-scowl. “Because you’re also: smart, sexy, sophisticated, social, sympathetic and self-assured—except where matters of your heart are concerned. I can’t figure out why that is, maybe you’re not even sure of it, but honey, it’s time you come to terms with it.”

  I knew what he was getting at and he was right. I’d avoided dwelling on it for the one “S” flaw Eli had failed to mention: scared. I was scared of the effect Easton had on me. I was afraid of the physical response I had to him as well. I’d been turned-on totally with the leather and the crop. He hadn’t used those props since our first weekend together, and I wondered if perhaps I hadn’t responded favorably to the play in his eyes. I was certainly a novice with that flavor of sex, but it didn’t mean I wanted to remain vanilla forever…

  “Darc
y—”

  I jumped, hearing Easton’s voice; that’s how deeply I was in thought.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you like that,” he said, offering me a file he had in his hand.

  “Oh, just day-dreaming, I guess,” I replied softly, taking the file from him.

  How is anyone with ovaries supposed pretend to be at war with a guy who looks like him?

  “I wanted to pass this potential new customer assessment over to you for input into the system. I’ll need for you to do the proper screening: Dun & Brad, credit references, annual reports, stock performance graphed out for the last eight quarters, as well as any press releases over the past five years. I need this fairly quickly if a site visit is to be scheduled next week.”

  “Okay,” I replied, looking over the summary sheet in the file. “I see this company is located in San Francisco,” I commented.

  “Yes,” he replied. “Baronton’s looking to expand more in the private sector of security software and hardware in the U.S. This company may be ripe for acquisition. Can you stay late to get as much information as possible, since a lot of the banking references will be on the west coast?”

  “Oh, well, actually I’ve got to be somewhere by six this evening, but I’ll get as much done as possible before then,” I said, starting to enter the available data into my computer.

  “I see,” he replied, studying me. “Nice flowers,” he commented, glancing past me to the credenza. “Is today a special occasion?”

  “Nope,” I replied, enjoying the fact that Easton was obviously curious as to why they were sent and who sent them. “I’ll get started on this right away. Is there anything else?”

  “No,” he replied a bit testily. “You can provide an update later.”

  I busied myself the rest of the afternoon getting all of the screening information started on the potential new client. I’d made quite a dent in it when I looked at the time and saw it was almost five. I went to the restroom to freshen up my make-up, and re-did my ponytail. I changed from my sensible shoes to the fuck-me heels I’d put in my bag, and surveyed myself one final time in the mirror. I knew I’d pass Darin’s inspection. He’d always been generous with his praise anyway.