by Ramona Gray
Kate had nodded. “Sure, but you owe me a lunch, Doug.”
“No problem. Monday’s lunch is on me,” Doug had said happily. He had cocked his head at her. “Actually, why don’t you just take the file home and work on it there? We won’t need it until Monday so as long as you’re in the office before eight, it’ll be fine.”
Deciding that was a much better idea then coming back to the office, she had packed up the Yang file and her laptop and brought them home.
“I’m a very dedicated employee, Chicky-Chick Chicken,” Kate said as the old cat wandered into the living room and sat on top of her computer bag. “Taking work home when my boss isn’t even working this weekend. In fact, at this very moment he’s probably banging a disgustingly cute woman named Tory.”
She lifted the shot glass and stared at the amber liquid that glowed in the faint light from the kitchen as Chicken leaped on to the arm of the chair beside her.
“To you, Chicken.” Kate solemnly tipped the glass toward the old cat before downing the drink in one quick gulp. She gasped and wheezed as the fiery liquid burned its way down her throat.
“That? Tasted like another,” she said and headed towards the kitchen for the bottle, determined to drink away the memory of Edward and his kisses.
* * *
Edward hurried up the sidewalk to Kate’s house. He rang the doorbell and waited patiently. After dropping Tory at her hotel, he had returned to the office to pick up the Yang file. He had planned on working on the file over the weekend and he had searched his entire office and Kate’s desk before finally texting Doug.
Doug had called him immediately, nervously confessing both his mistake and his suggestion that Kate take the file home to work on over the weekend. At Edward’s sigh of frustration, Doug had quickly offered to go to Kate’s and pick up the file. He had declined Doug’s help, partly because the thought of another man in Kate’s house, even a happily married one, made his stomach twist and partly because he would take any excuse to see Kate.
He rang the doorbell again, frowning when he didn’t hear her footsteps. It was only nine thirty and the house glowed softly with lights so he was confident that she wasn’t in bed. Maybe she was in the tub?
His cock reacted instantly to the thought of her naked and wet and he rearranged himself with a grimace. Before he could ring the doorbell again, the door swung open and Kate, weaving slightly, stared up at him.
“Hello, Kate,” he said.
Kate stared blearily at Edward. She was drunker than she thought - she was having Edward visions. The Edward vision took a step forward and spoke again. “Are you okay?”
“What are you doing here?” She asked rudely. Before he could answer, she decided she didn’t care what he was doing at her house. She had more important things to take care of - like finishing off that bottle of tequila. Leaving Edward standing in the doorway, she turned and staggered her way down the hallway toward the kitchen.
Edward stared in disbelief as Kate wandered away from him, holding on to the wall for support as she walked. He closed the door and followed her into the kitchen. She was wearing her bunny pajama bottoms and tank top and he tried not to stare at her breasts.
“Kate, are you sick?” He asked.
“Nope,” she said happily as she lifted a bottle from the counter. “I am a-okay.”
She took another swig of the amber liquid from the bottle in her hand.
“Hoowah!” She said loudly and slammed her hand down on the counter. Chicken, who had darted into the kitchen to greet Edward, hissed and fled the room.
“Are you drunk?” Edward asked.
“I dare say you are no gentleman, sir!” Kate said indignantly. She weaved her way toward him and took a deep breath. It pushed her full breasts out and Edward groaned to himself before forcing his gaze to her face.
“That is not a question you ask a proper lady,” she said before tapping him lightly on the chest. “And despite the rumour to the contrary, sir, I am a proper lady and should be treated as such.”
She staggered back a step, smiling happily to herself, and would have fallen if he hadn’t reached out and caught her about the waist.
“A thousand pardons, m’lady,” he said dryly as she giggled and relaxed against him.
“S’no problem, Edward, Ed…Eddie.” She snickered and tipped the bottle to her mouth.
“Whoa, I think you’ve had enough, Katie.” Edward pulled the bottle from her hand and placed it on the kitchen table behind him. “It’s time for bed.”
“I’m not tired,” she pouted.
“Are you sure?” He asked. “You look pretty tired to me.”
“Nope, I’m good. I could go dancing,” she said and wrapped her arms around his waist, before leaning her head on his chest. “Dancing all night.”
Edward stroked her long hair, pressing a kiss against the top of her head as she melted against him like a boneless kitten. Just as he decided he would have to carry her to her bed she jerked and pulled away from him. “How did you get into my house? Did you find the key under the flower pot out front?”
She lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Olivia says that’s the worse place in the world to keep a hidden house key. She says that every thief in the world will look there first. She says I’m going to come home one day and find all my stuff gone. Just poof! Out the front door. La-dee-da. I say I’m going to come home one day and find a would-be thief torn and bleeding from multiple claw wounds courtesy of my Chicken.”
She giggled quietly at the thought before giving him a scowl. “Of course, it’s not a problem for you. Chicken likes you. You apparently can just walk right in the front door.”
She scoffed lightly. “Dumb cat. Doesn’t even like me.”
She quieted for a moment before staring at him again with narrowed eyes. “What are you doing here, Edward? It’s Friday night and I’m in my pajamas. I may be a little tipsy but that doesn’t seem professional to me.”
“I came to pick up the Yang file that you took home. I need to work on it this weekend.”
Kate squinted at him. “Really? Or did you drop by to take advantage of me in my inebriated state? Because I don’t know what kind of girl you think I am, but I’m not the type who just goes around all willy-nilly boinking her boss.”
She paused. “Oh wait, I totally am.”
She burst into laughter, leaning against him once more for support as a small smile crossed his face.
She stared slyly at him. “Be honest with me, Eddie. Are you trying to take advantage of me in my inebriated state?”
“No. I had no idea you were drunk,” Edward said. “And I did try texting you first.”
“I turned off my cell phone,” she said. “I waited all week, checked the stupid thing every hour because I was secretly hoping you would text me, secretly hoping you might ask to come over again so we could have sex but I knew that tonight you wouldn’t. Why would you call me for a quick fuck when you had that super cute Tory chick to bang?”
“I’m not sleeping with Tory,” Edward said quickly. “She’s Tabitha’s sister.”
“Oh.” She gave him a look of shame. “I’m sorry, that was a horrible thing for me to say.”
“It’s fine.”
“Fuck, I’m a mean drunk,” Kate said.
Edward laughed. “You’re not. And I should have told you who Tory was when I introduced you.”
“It was none of my business. Besides, I’ve had a great Friday night. Chicken and I have been partying all night.” She abruptly pushed away from him.
“I forgot to feed Chicken! Here Chicky-Chick Chicken! Come to mama.”
She staggered her way to the cupboard as Edward followed her, steadying her from behind.
“Kate, honey, you did feed her. I can see food in her dish,” he said. “I really think you should just go to bed. C’mon, Katie-did.”
Before she could protest he scooped her up in his arms and carried her toward the bedroom. She stiffened for a moment befo
re relaxing against him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pressing her face into his neck.
“I am tired all of a sudden,” she whispered.
The feel of her lips moving against his throat, her warm breath tickling his skin, gave Edward an immediate erection. He grunted softly in response and gently sat her down on the bed. She sat quietly for a moment and he was about to coax her into lying down so he could tuck the covers over her when she stood up suddenly, almost hitting her head against his.
“Katie, honey, you need to go to sleep,” he said.
“Katie honey doesn’t sleep in pajamas,” she replied indignantly. “Only weenies sleep in pajamas.”
She grabbed the bottom of her tank top, pulled it up over her head and tossed it at the bottom of the bed. Edward looked away immediately. He was aching to cup her breasts in his hands and run his tongue over them. He clenched his hands into fists as Kate hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her pajamas and pushed them down. She was wearing a pair of white cotton panties with small yellow daisies on them and she laughed a little self-consciously
“If I had known you were coming over I would have worn a silk thong. Much sexier,” she said as he jerked his gaze away from her perfect body and looked over her shoulder at the far wall. He didn’t dare tell her the sight of her in the cotton panties turned him on as much as the idea of her in silk did.
He groaned harshly when she leaned against him and whispered, “Help me with my pajama bottoms, Edward.”
She lifted her feet one at a time and he steadied her with a hand at her hip while using the other to pull off her pajamas. He could feel her breasts pushing against him, the nipples hard points against his chest, and he grimly ignored her warm hands that were currently sliding up and down his back. She snuggled up against him and placed soft kisses on his neck. He moaned low in this throat when she stood on her tip-toes and let her small pink tongue flick lightly up his neck and trace the outline of his ear.
“I like you, Edward,” she breathed softly into his ear
“I like you too, Katie,” he replied unsteadily.
“I can tell.” She laughed and cupped his erection in her hand. “This part of you particularly likes me.”
He gasped when she squeezed lightly for a moment and then began to rub him slowly and firmly. She tilted her head and kissed him, pushing her tongue into his mouth so she could explore the warmth and stroke his tongue lightly. Edward groaned and pulled her against him, cupping her ass through her panties, before kissing her deeply. He slid his tongue into her mouth and tasted tequila. He tore his mouth from hers, forcing a whimper of need from her throat.
“Not a good idea, Katie,” he rasped.
She wiggled her eyebrows at him. “I think it’s a great idea. In fact, it’s the best idea I’ve had all week.” She leaned in to kiss him again but he shook his head.
“I know, Katie, but the best idea is you going to sleep.”
“Fine,” she sighed softly and turned away from him, crawling into bed but not bothering to pull up the quilt. He tucked the sheet and quilt around her and pulled the clip from her hair as she curled up on to her side and tucked her hand under her pillow. He sat on the bed beside her as Chicken leaped silently onto the bed and draped herself across Kate’s hip. She stared sleepily at him and he couldn’t resist smoothing her hair from her face or leaning down to place a soft kiss on her forehead.
“Sleep sweet, Edward,” she murmured softly.
“Sleep sweet, Katie-did.”
Chapter 10
Kate woke late Saturday morning to a pounding headache and a bad taste in her mouth. She sat up in her bed, groaning softly and holding her aching head in her hands. Chicken sat next to her purring loudly and Kate frowned in irritation.
“Please stop purring, Chicken. It sounds like a truck is being driven through the bedroom.”
She stumbled her way to the bathroom and stared into the mirror. Her hair was a ratty looking mess and her eyes were rimmed red and bloodshot. Moving slowly, she brushed her teeth and started the shower. While the water warmed she quickly took some Advil and then stepped into the shower. The hot spray of water felt good and she stood there for nearly ten minutes, letting the water ease away her aches and pains before washing and conditioning her hair and soaping her body. By the time she stepped out of the shower, the Advil had started to kick in and she felt semi-normal. She would have some dry toast, she decided, and then type up the work from the Yang file and have the rest of the day to relax. If she felt better in the afternoon she might even do some gard –“
She broke off in mid-thought, staring uneasily at herself in the bathroom mirror.
The Yang File. Oh God. Everything that had happened last night came back in one big rush and she sat down on the side of the tub and slumped over, her head in her hands. Edward had come by to pick up the file and she had been a complete idiot. She had called him Eddie. Even worse she had stripped in front of him and then tried to drunkenly seduce him. She groaned and walked naked into the bedroom, running a comb through her hair before pulling out a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt from the closet. He had come over on a work-related issue and she had thrown herself at him, forcing him to kindly, but firmly rebuke her. She sighed miserably as she pulled on her clothes. She would never be able to look him in the eye again.
Her headache reduced to a dull throb, Kate made some toast and fed Chicken. A piece of paper was stuck to the fridge and she squinted at Edward’s handwriting.
Kate, I’ve taken the Yang file but left the notes to be typed for my Monday meeting in your laptop bag. Please type them asap on Saturday and email them to me.
Thanks,
Edward
She left the note on the table as she headed to the living room to grab the computer bag. An hour later, she had attached the typed document to an email and was nervously trying to compose a short message to Edward.
“Do I mention last night, Chicken or don’t I?” She stared blankly at the cat before sighing and typing a quick note.
Edward,
Please find attached the documents you requested. As well, please accept my sincerest apologies for last night.
Enjoy your weekend.
Kate
It would have to do. It was better to keep it short and simple and hope for the best. She emptied the dishwasher, swept the kitchen floor and made herself a cup of tea before checking her email again. There was an email from Edward and she clicked it open.
Kate,
Thanks for the document. No worries about last night.
E.
She let her breath out in a whoosh and rubbed absently at her temples as she re-read his brief email.
“Well, at least I’m not going to be fired, Chicken.” She drank her tea and stared moodily out the window. She needed to get out of the house and do something or she would spend the entire weekend thinking about Edward.
* * *
“Thanks again for working on the weekend, Kate,” Doug said as he opened the office door for her.
“You’re welcome. Thanks for lunch,” she replied.
He followed her into reception and she smiled at him. They had spent the entire lunch talking about Doug’s wife, Anne, who was pregnant with their first child. Doug’s enthusiasm for the upcoming birth had cheered her up considerably.
“Doug,” Rose said as they walked by her, “Edward was looking for you when he got back from his meeting, I told him you were out for lunch with Kate and he said to have you come to his office when you were back.”
“Thanks, Rose,” Doug said.
He followed Kate to Edward’s office and knocked on the open door.
“Come in and close the door,” Edward said curtly.
Twenty minutes later, an ashen-faced Doug left Edward’s office.
“Doug, what’s wrong?” Kate asked.
“Nothing,” he said and headed towards his own office. Kate left her desk and chased after him.
“Doug? What happened? Di
d something go wrong with the Yang file?”
“Sort of. I made a mistake, not a really big one, but Edward ripped me a new one for it. He’s in a terrible mood.”
He paused and gave her an odd look. “He seemed kind of angry that we went for lunch together.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know,” Doug said. “He just seemed pissed about it. Reminded me that there were no romantic relationships allowed between coworkers. Frankly it was a bit insulting since he knows I’m married.”
“Sorry, Doug,” Kate said. “I, uh, I think Edward is just really strict about the rules.”
“Sure, that’s it,” Doug said. “Although it came across more like jealousy.”
Kate’s stomach dropped and she kept a polite smile plastered on her face as Doug stared thoughtfully at her. “Sleeping with your boss will get you fired, Kate.”
“I’m not sleeping with Edward,” Kate said shortly.
Doug studied her for a moment longer. “Sorry, that was rude of me. It’s just – he was pretty upset that we went for lunch.”
“I’ll speak to him about it,” Kate said. “He was probably angry because I haven’t finished my work on the Henderson file and he wanted me to work through lunch.”
She left Doug’s office. Her good mood had dissipated and her stomach was churning with anger and anxiety. She wasn’t entirely certain that Doug had believed her and if he said anything to anyone…
She took a deep breath as Edward barked her name and walked into his office.
“Yes?”
“I need you to make the changes to this letter, have Sheila run this document to the courthouse immediately, and call Mrs. Yang and set up a meeting for Thursday here at the office,” he snapped.
Without replying she held out her hands for the file. He handed it to her and gave her an angry look. “Enjoy your lunch?”
“Yes,” she said briefly.
