by Lauren Wood
That was one problem, but another was my lack of a job in New York. Ashlyn was going to meet me for lunch. She knew that I was looking and told me that she had a solution to my problem. I told her that she had done enough for me, but she insisted. I didn’t know what she had in mind, but Ashlyn was good at taking my mind off of problems and that was all I had going on right now. There was too many to count and I needed a short break from my life.
The restaurant I was meeting her in was as far from reality as I could get. It reminded me of the hotel I had stayed in Thailand with Sam and a wave of emotions came back to me when I walked into the opulent building.
I told the host that I was waiting for Ashlyn and it wasn’t but a few minutes before I was taken to a table in the back. Ashlyn was there with someone else. It was a man, his back to me and I hadn’t even gotten to the table and I already knew who it was. Why was Sam here? I felt like Ashlyn had betrayed me, even though she knew nothing about my woes.
“Meri, glad you could make it.”
Her voice caught me off guard because I was busy looking at Sam and trying to ignore the feelings that welled up in me. It was impossible to do so when our eyes met. It had been a couple of weeks since I had laid eyes on him. So much for us never meeting again. When I met his gaze, I knew that I would have been better off not coming at all. A surprise indeed! What was this all about?
“Hey Ashlyn. What is going on here?”
“I told you that I had a surprise for you Meri. I thought the two of you might want to catch up.”
I did want to catch up with him, but not in a way that was advisable in a room full of people. I wanted him as soon as I realized that it was Sam sitting there at the table. My body missed him greatly.
“Sit down Meri. I haven’t seen you in a while. This city really is too big sometimes.
Chapter 12
Sam
God she looked beautiful as she sat down. Her long hair was down and flowing around her shoulders. It reminded me of when I had first met her and her hair had been down, but in bedraggled strings. Now she was perfect and I could tell that I wasn’t going to have a hard time ignoring the throbbing that was radiating from in between my legs. Damn I missed her.
When Ashlyn called me up to see if I had any openings in my accounting department, I couldn’t think of a better way to get Meri back in my life. What I had thought would happen when I came back was right on the money, but my feelings and reaction to it all had changed drastically. I was no longer worried about other girls when I was still so focused on the one in front of me. No one else compared and I was sure of that because I had tried so many, so many times before. I knew that there was no one else like Meri. All of the temptation in the world had meant nothing to me, a strange revelation in itself.
“It is good to see you again Sam.”
I stood up and moved to give her a hug. There was a moment of panic in her eyes that I wasn’t exactly sure about, but I had to touch her and have her in my arms again. The hardest part was not kissing her when I pulled back. It wasn’t the time and Ashlyn was looking at me curiously when I finally sat down. I felt like my face was hot. I was just that happy to see her.
“I see you two got close while you were in Thailand.”
The question wasn’t really a question, but more of a statement and I didn’t like the way Ashlyn sounded about it. If I would have looked up and met her gaze, instead of looking at the menu like it was the last written word I was going to read, I knew that Ashlyn would have been giving me a dirty look. I don’t know why I felt so guilty about what I had done, but there was nothing that I could do about it now. Now all I could do was try to play it off.
“She was my favorite client. I don’t think I have too many that I represent that are actually innocent. I was glad to help.”
“Uh huh.”
Ashlyn looked at me like she didn’t believe a word coming out of my mouth and in her defense, she was completely right. I wasn’t telling the truth, not at all really. I had definitely gotten close to Meri while we were away and I would be lying as well if I didn’t admit to myself that I was dying to get Meri back where I needed her most.
“Well I don’t know how I feel about all of this now.”
“All of what Ash?”
“I know that you are looking for a job Meri, since the other one fell through and Sam was telling me that he had some openings. But if this is too weird for you Meri, I understand.”
“No, it’s not too weird. I really need a job. I haven’t been able to find anything since I got back because I don’t have any experience. I don’t know how they expect a person to get experience if no one will hire them first.”
She was getting worked up and I assured her that I had something for her. I would have done anything to get Meri back around me and this seemed like the perfect way. It was a win-win situation if I ever saw one.
Meri smiled at me and there was a moment that I wished that Ashlyn wasn’t there. She could already see that there was something between us, but that didn’t mean that I wanted her to know. I had fallen for Meri and I hadn’t even really admitted it to myself yet, let alone to anyone else. All I could think about was having Meri around me. I knew it wouldn’t be long until I had her in my bed again. We were destined to be together, I just knew it.
The rest of the meal was spent telling Ashlyn about Thailand and then we talked about stocks a little bit. Meri wasn’t as interested in the conversation and she went to the restroom. As soon as she was gone, Ashlyn’s whole demeanor changed and I could tell that the woman wanted answers.
“What happened between the two of you Sam?”
“What do you mean?” I was really trying to look like I was innocent, but I had a feeling that I was failing miserably with it. I wanted to be truthful and tell her that I don’t know what the hell happened. I shouldn’t feel what I felt for Meri, but I did. I still didn’t know what it meant for the future or if Meri felt the same, but I was grateful for the opportunity to find out. I would have tracked her down eventually, but this way I got to keep my pride a little longer.
“Don’t play coy with me Sam. I know exactly how you are. Meri is pretty and young.”
“Yeah.”
“And she isn’t used to our world and men like you.”
I knew where she was going with it, but I wasn’t going to make it any easier for her. While she figured out how to ask me such a thing delicately, I was already trying to formulate an answer in my head.
“Look Sam, I don’t want Meri getting hurt. I know how you are with women, but this one is different.”
She was different. I couldn’t agree with her more, but that didn’t mean that I wanted to have this conversation either. I didn’t want to discuss what was still so unknown.
“Look, Meri is great and yes, she is very different, but that is a good thing.”
“Is it a mistake that I arranged this?”
“Not at all. You are helping me out. You know that I always need people for the accounting team and I am glad to give her the foot in the door that she needs. Meri has been through enough recently.”
“Well I can’t argue with you there. She is very important to me. Meri is a special person and I don’t want her to end up with a man like you that is going to destroy that part of her.”
She was getting a bit dramatic as far as I was concerned, but then again I had to wonder if she knew that Meri was a virgin. The two women seemed close enough that it was a possibility. But it was clear that she didn’t know if anything had happened or not, which was good. Ashlyn was a great person to be around, funny and entertaining, beautiful as all get out, but I didn’t want to be on her bad side. She knew a lot of very powerful people that owed her in some way or another. It was not an enemy that I wanted to gain.
I put my hands up like she had a gun. I really didn’t know what to say that was truthful. I was just going to have to avoid and deny it all. I knew that I was going to regret lying to Ashlyn, but giving up on what
ever was going on with me and Meri was worth it. I think.
“I wouldn’t do anything to destroy anyone.”
“You know what I mean Sam. You are a likeable guy, maybe even lovable under the right circumstances. You are ridiculously charming and I think you know that. There was a time that me and you almost…”
“Yes I know. You were the one that stopped it.”
“Because even when I had just met you, I knew what kind of a man you were and I knew I had to protect my heart.”
“What kind of a man is that Ashlyn?”
She smiled and straightened up when she saw Meri coming our way. “You Sam, are the dangerous kind of man that women should stay far away from.”
I wasn’t going to argue with her because I knew what she meant. I was feeling a little dangerous and I had only one thing on my mind. I wanted to be alone with Meri and get back to where we had left off. It had been a couple of weeks without any woman in my bed and I knew it was because of this one right here.
“What are you guys talking about? You look so intense right now that I am not sure if I should give you more time.”
I smiled at her and told her that we were just catching up on some stocks.
Meri rolled her eyes and said that she was glad she was gone for that. “I don’t know how people can talk about money so much. There has to be more to life than that. Don’t you guys have enough?”
I told her that it wasn’t possible. I don’t think I would ever have enough. I already had more than I would ever be able to spend in several life times, let alone for just one. But that was what got me up in the morning and had for a very long time. It wasn’t the money per say, it was more the idea that I would someday not have any that kept me going.
“Well I have no problem accounting for other people’s money, but I am certainly not going to worry about it that much. Isn’t the stock market just like gambling anyways?”
“I guess you could see it that way.”
“I have never been much of a gambler. I don’t like to take risks.”
Meri was looking at me when she said it and I had to wonder if that was her way of telling me that I was a risk. I didn’t think I was. I knew what I wanted and I would have her, but that wasn’t risky. It was just the way it was. I had never had a woman that wasn’t glad that she met me. I already knew I could pleasure Meri. Hell, I was the only man that had ever lain with her, so I knew her body better than anyone else that was alive. Damn I really liked to say that.
Fuck, I couldn’t get her off of my mind and the ladies were ready to leave and I wasn’t given a moment of alone time with her.
“Well I will see you in the morning Meri, bright and early.”
She looked back at me and giggled. “I don’t think I have ever seen you get up bright and early.”
I grinned and I liked the moment of familiarity, but I didn’t miss the daggers that were being sent my way from Ashlyn. It was becoming harder to control what had happened between us and I didn’t want to. It was a fine line I was leading.
“This is true, but all of my lemmings have to be there early.”
Meri made a face and then waved to me as she left. Ashlyn thanked me again, but her eyes weren’t as generous as her words. She wasn’t worried about what I had done. She was worried about what I was going to do. I was going to make Meri mine in all ways for good. I had tried a taste and I was hooked. It didn’t matter how many women were in New York, I only had eyes for one.
I watched the two women leave and I was frozen in place for quite some time. The more I thought about everything, the more I was sure that it was all happening for a reason. I had the same feeling when I was in Thailand with Meri. It was no different here. Now I was going to have her working underneath me and I would be able to see her whenever I wanted. It was perfect and I knew that it wouldn’t be long until I had her back under my spell. If Ashlyn would have given me a few moments with Meri alone, I wouldn’t be going home alone tonight.
But I did, ignoring the calls from past lovers. I was a man on a mission and I wasn’t going to let anything derail me from what I wanted and needed most. What I needed was going to be at the office in the morning. It was a damn good reason for me to get there a little earlier than noon.
Chapter 13
Meri
It was a lot to take in. I had been so worried about having a job and what I was going to do about rent, that I hadn’t saw that offer coming. I was glad for it, ecstatic even, but it was hard to not see where the complications were going to come from. Sam didn’t know how to just be friends. He was looking at me during lunch like I was what was on his plate. Now I knew what he had in mind and my body responded.
So what did that mean for me? For us? He had been the one that said that there wasn’t going to be a future for us. I didn’t like the sound of that, but at the end of the day, I was okay with it too. I knew that it was going to happen. As soon as I saw him again, I knew it was the inevitable. All I could do was try to hold back my heart, but I feared that it was gone as well. It had been lost on the other side of the world and I still hadn’t gotten it back yet.
I got up early and went to my new job. I was early and it was quiet in there. My eyes were looking for Sam, even though I knew that he wasn’t a morning person. I had always been up early at the hotel and there had been several times that I had marveled at how deeply he could sleep in the late morning hours. It was clear that he hadn’t had to get up for a job in a very long time.
I made myself a cup of coffee and found the accounting wing on the third floor. There were already several people in the office and I was introduced to Sheila and Grant, both were going to be working with me. I was excited to get started and it didn’t take long to figure out what I was doing. The more I thought about it all, the more I was convinced that this was the perfect place for me, sans the devil of a boss.
Grant was extra helpful and we spent most of the morning talking and he showed me around. It was a big place, six floors and the accountants had to pick up reports daily from several people. I was the one that was going to be running around, so I had to get to know the place as well as I could.
“So how did you hear about the job? I didn’t even know that we were hiring when I heard that they were adding another person to the staff.”
“Oh really? I found out about it yesterday. A friend of mine knows the owner and he told me that he would find a place for me.”
“Oh.”
I didn’t like the way he said that. “What?”
“I didn’t know that you knew Sam.”
“Does it matter?”
“No, not really, but it just means you aren’t going to be looking to go out with anyone huh?”
Grant was sweet and even though he was my age, he felt like he was younger. There was a naivety in his eyes that I had seen a few times before. I don’t know if I had ever been that way. He was a sweet guy and though he wasn’t really my type, I certainly didn’t want anyone thinking that there was anything going on with me and Sam. There really wasn’t as far as I was concerned. There had been in Thailand, but that ended when we got back home. Even before we got on the plane, I knew what it was going to be when we got back, no matter how badly I wanted it to be something else.
“Why would you say that Grant?”
He started to get a little red in the face when he realized what he was assuming. “I mean, it’s just that the boss has a bit of a reputation around here. All of the women want him and since he was the one that hired you instead of HR, I guess I just figured that you were one of his.”
I didn’t like the sound of that at all, but I couldn’t ask anymore. It might make him wonder and I didn’t want that. I waved him off. “No, I think he did it more as a favor to my friend than anything else. I am just thankful to have a job. I am definitely not his.”
“Oh, well that is good to hear.”
He was red in the face and his bushy hair seemed to be even bigger as he smiled back at me. I didn’
t say that I would go out with him, but I was starting to realize that is what he had heard from our conversation.
We got back to talking about work and it was almost lunch time before I saw Sam come in. Grant said something about him never coming in to the part of the building unless something was wrong. I almost wished that something was wrong, instead of him bee-lining it towards me, right after I had told Grant that there was nothing going on between us. I couldn’t be that lucky though.
“Meri, there you are. How do you like your first day so far?”
Sam was looking at me, but I could see that he was eying the man next to me as well. Grant took the hint and mumbled something under his breath about having to go check on some quarterly reports that were supposed to be turned in today. After trying to explain how I wasn’t Sam’s girl, it didn’t help for him to pop up and act like I was. We had a history, but I didn’t want anyone there to know anything about it. It was embarrassing and what had come after he saved me from a dirty jail was even worse. What I had allowed to happen.
As I looked at Sam, I hated to think it, but I was going to allow it to happen again. “It has been good so far Sir. Are you just getting in?”
He smiled at me and I knew that he had just gotten up and managed to finally get to work. He really wasn’t too worried about getting in on time. It was his company after all. Sam could take as much time as he wanted. Everyone that was here was here mainly because of him in one way or another. That was hard to deny and I was certainly here because of Sam. He was a lifesaver in more ways than one.
“I have been here a little while.”
I nodded my head and agreed with him, though I didn’t believe it. I had a feeling that his little while was actually about fifteen minutes. I knew Sam too well. I knew things about him that a woman like me shouldn’t know. It was hard to forget them now as I was looking at him, so close to where he was standing.
