“It looks like a string of diamonds,” she said, admiring the bridge.
“I’d like to see you with a string of diamonds around your neck,” he murmured, lifting her hair to kiss below her ear. “Wearing nothing else.”
Something deep inside her tingled. She tightened her thighs and fought it.
“I’m more a cubic zirconium kind of woman,” she insisted, struggling to be light.
“My woman.” He pressed her against the railing with his whole body. She could feel his desire as he strained closer against her.
“Oh, you don’t play fair,” she sighed. She fought her body’s urge to relax into his.
“I’m not playing. I want you.” The words were tautly whispered.
She couldn’t help restlessly rubbing against him, even as she tried to deny the logical conclusion to their mutual desire.
“Don’t move,” he growled. “Tell me yes or no.”
She closed her eyes and took a quivering breath. Then she made herself say, “No. Not tonight.” She turned in his arms. Her breasts ached.
Michael pulled her closer, crushing her against him. She wanted to scream as her breasts flattened against his chest and she found some relief. She groaned.
“I like that,” he smiled. “I like that you’re suffering, too.”
“You make me feel so good,” she sighed.
The ferry ride was soon over. Michael had held her in his arms the entire time. Their passion had cooled from the fever pitch of earlier, but it was still there, the embers merely banked.
Michael acknowledged her feeling that they were going too fast. “I was out of line before. We need more time before we take this any further.”
She sighed. “Thank you.”
He inclined his head in acceptance. “I’m going to hate myself later tonight. I’ll take you home now.”
The ferry was docking. Susan sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. It felt right. She turned and kissed his chest through his shirt.
His amused voice whispered, “You’re cheating.”
***
After their Staten Island Ferry date, Susan was afraid to push her luck with Michael. They needed to talk, but it was hard to keep their heads even in public. He was having as much trouble as she was. They were too hot for each other. Should she succumb to his constant invitations and spend a night in his apartment? They’d make love, no question. They would have time to say what they needed to say. Or would they? If they finally let go of their self-control completely, they would be utterly consumed by making love. A mere night together wasn’t the answer. It didn’t provide enough time. She wasn’t so bold that she was ready to spend the weekend at his place.
Michael seemed to understand, but he wasn’t content to let Susan slow them down any longer. The next day, he called with an invitation.
“Why don’t we take advantage of your summer half-day work hours tomorrow? Cut out and go to Long Island for the weekend. I know a secluded inn you’ll love.”
“Oh.” Had he gone to the inn with some other woman?
“Friends say it’s special.”
He must be psychic. How could he know that jealousy had suddenly attacked her?
“How about it? We can spend the weekend communing with nature, away from the hot, bustling city.”
“It sounds tempting,” she replied. Here would be their opportunity to talk intimately for hours. “I don’t know if—”
“As for any other unfinished business between us, we can deal with it as it comes up. Or ignore it.” He offered, making it clear he did not expect her to sleep with him this weekend.
“I don’t want to ignore what is between us,” she said, a catch in her voice despite herself.
She could hear Michael’s satisfaction through the line. “Neither do I.”
After she had hung up, she wondered if they had been talking at cross-purposes. Was the unfinished business between them more explanations of who they were today and what they wanted for tomorrow? Or was it the unrequited desire that they both were suffering from? Which would they end up ignoring?
She was all packed the next morning, and she brought her small rolling suitcase to the office. By ill luck, Linda saw it. “Planning on heading out early and leaving all the editors in the lurch? You’d better not.”
Her heart sank. What was wrong with the woman? Susan had always offered to do extra work and been rejected. Now, she was willing to bet that Linda would think up some rotten reason to keep her at the office all afternoon. She hoped Linda didn’t act down to expectations, because she was leaving on time no matter what jobs Linda heaped on her desk at exactly five minutes to closing. Linda wouldn’t be here to notice or complain, since she herself always left at exactly one p.m.
Linda fulfilled Susan’s low expectations, arriving with a stack of papers at twelve-fifty-five. Susan refused to give her the satisfaction of looking downhearted. Of course what Linda did not know was that Susan always worked until two on Fridays to accommodate the editors who turned over manuscripts as they left. She’d cleared her desk and was ready for more when Linda made her vindictive move.
“Input all these right away. They’re all urgent. They have to be done today, or you’ll be sorry,” Linda said with a nasty smile.
“Of course, Linda. I’m happy to help. Have a nice weekend,” she replied calmly, killing the woman with kindness.
Linda hung around openmouthed for a second, then harrumphed and walked back to her office. Within a minute, Susan heard the sounds of Linda leaving for the week.
She glanced at the terribly urgent papers Linda had given her. There on the first page was the name of the suspect company, the one that she had found linked to the bogus advertising costs. Linda was right in the middle of the embezzlement, perhaps even the perpetrator.
She called Michael right away. “I’ve been given some extra work and won’t be able to leave exactly on schedule. I need to make some copies. May I call you when I’m nearly done?”
Michael picked up on something in her voice. “Could it be related to the topic we discussed a while back?”
“Yes, indeed.” That was all she allowed herself to say.
“Call me if you have any trouble. Promise.”
His imperative tone reminded her of the potential danger surrounding her investigation. He had warned her. She hoped it wouldn’t come to that. She promised.
She dove into the evidence Linda had given her. Linda had such a low opinion of her competence that the actual assigned tasks were mundane and easily accomplished with a minimum of computer skills. Only the photocopies she made took real time. She was careful to stand over the copier while her batch ran, although only a few people were still in the offices. As usual, she hid her files on her computer after taking a copy onto her personal flash drive. Now she had definite evidence that Linda played a part in the scam. Somebody in the company had to sign off on the invoices or else they wouldn’t be paid. Linda was signing them, as the copies showed. Every company had some basic checks and balances and required some signatures. The question was, was Linda a willing accomplice, a dupe, or the architect of the embezzlement?
Of course Elizabeth was long gone, incommunicado at some writers’ conference. There was plenty of time to stew about this new information.
She left the office only an hour late. Michael was waiting with a rental car at the curb. He discreetly handed her into the car, then drove them away. At the first red light, he grabbed a swift kiss. “Been hoist in corporate intrigue?”
“You guessed it,” she said, overcoming her desire to simply rest her head on his shoulder. She explained what had happened at the office.
“You found the trail.”
“Proof that she’s involved, though how, I don’t know.”
“Or with whom,” he warned. “Don’t discount the possibility that someone much higher up is in charge, and your boss simply does the dirty work.”
“You’re right. She could be a dupe herself.” She si
ghed. “That’s the problem with people you dislike. It’s so easy to think ill of them.”
“You’re being careful?”
“Yes. I’ve got all today’s evidence in my suitcase. I’ve been keeping files on a thumb drive.”
“Good. You’ve done all you can for now, so let’s forget all about publishing for the next couple of days.”
“I’ll be glad to. This business is not what I thought it was.”
“Poor baby. Have your illusions been dashed?” She heard the smile in his voice.
“I came to the city with stardust in my eyes. Now it’s all gone.” As she looked at the bustling city streets, she continued, “Honestly, this is the most boring office I have ever worked in. Only the possibility of embezzlement is perking me up.” She laughed at herself.
“That’s funny. Sad, but funny.”
“Publishing is not my future career, that’s for sure.”
“How about computer forensics? You seem to have a knack for it already. Probably with a couple of IT courses under your belt, you could hang out a shingle as a consultant.”
“If I had enough training to recognize discrepancies, then with my computer know-how, I could find the evidence for a CPA to analyze.”
“That’s the spirit. I’m sure I could give you some leads for jobs, too.”
That was pushing her too fast. She wasn’t sure she was staying in New York. She hastened to change the subject. “Where are we going? When do we get there?”
Michael obligingly detailed his plan to take them to a couple of historical sites that afternoon for a quick look. The inn they would stay at was opposite an historical park with a picturesque hiking trail open till dusk. They would still have daylight for many hours. She relaxed and let Michael carry her away from the complexities of her summer in the city.
***
Edward phoned Rona and apologized. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what I did but won’t you forgive me?”
Typical man, she thought. “Of course I forgive you. I love you, even though you drive me nuts.”
“My darling, I miss you. I miss making love to you. I can’t get enough of you,” he said.
“I miss you, too. Especially the sex part. I want you desperately. Maybe you need to work out a few things in your head before we see each other again.”
Edward sighed. “Perhaps I do. I’ve got an appointment with my priest today, and that should help.”
After they said goodbye, she wondered at his idea of a good advisor. What if the priest was against second marriages? Or sex out of wedlock? She didn’t like the idea that her future with Edward could be influenced by some celibate man she’d never met. She shivered. Despite the flood of sudden hope, and the obvious path of marrying and sharing the rest of their lives together, she wasn’t at all sure that was what Edward had in mind. Despite their great love, and the great sex they’d been having recently, maybe they were only reliving their past. Maybe their social, spiritual, and personal differences would cause them to part for a last time and go their separate ways. Edward had spent an entire lifetime in one world, and she in another. Maybe they had little common ground except a bed.
She looked at the newspaper she’d been reading before Edward called. There was an interesting article in it, but she wasn’t up to perusing it carefully at this moment. She would save it for another day. She looked around for a place to keep it. Maybe a chair seat would do for now.
***
Susan and Michael beat only some of the weekend traffic as they drove far out on Long Island, but she didn’t mind. After so many weeks in the heart of Manhattan, it was tremendously refreshing to see unlimited greenery flash by.
“Now I can breathe again,” she sighed in pleasure.
“I thought you liked the city?”
“I do. I always dream of going there. But the parks aren’t enough. Soon enough, I become starved for greenery.”
“I’ll try to make sure you get your fill.”
At his tone of voice, Susan gave him an inquiring look. Michael finished the thought, “Of whatever pleases you.”
She felt her cheeks heat up. There was to be no pretending. They were a man and a woman who were sexually attracted. This little jaunt was merely the social excuse to spend all of their time together this weekend. Possibly, both day and night. She still wasn’t sure.
They gave short shrift to visiting the historical sites he’d suggested and then drove to the inn. It was a typical B&B, a large, century-old home with a gracious design. The lobby was carefully furnished with antiques, but the innkeeper assured them that everything had been updated. When they were alone in their beautiful suite, she stared at the dark mahogany of the king-size bed.
“There’s a day bed that opens to a single in the other room,” Michael said, “Where would you prefer to start?”
“To start?” she asked bemused, thinking about the two of them on the big bed. Then she looked at Michael and realized so was he.
He said, “We’re going to use this bed. We can pretend that one of us will be sleeping in the other room, if that makes you more comfortable initially.” There was a hint of wickedness in his eyes.
“Hmm…what happened to the no pressure promise?” she looked at him in mock sternness.
“I lied,” he said baldly.
“What?” She was more amused than worried.
“I’m going to help you give in to your feelings,” he said, and then took her in his arms. “We’ll start right now.” His kiss wasn’t tentative, but it was gentle despite the demand she felt emanating from him.
She reacted as if he’d lit a fire inside her. She kissed him back without reserve, molding her body to his tightly, feeling every feminine curve fit up against his taut masculine form. Michael deepened his kiss, pushing her up against the bed. Then he drew back slightly, and pulled up the hem of her blouse, laying his cool fingers against the soft flesh below her breasts. She shivered. More. She wanted more. He raised the blouse over her head and tossed it away.
“What a pretty bra. Did you wear this for me?” he murmured, admiring the extravagant lace. Her answer was strangled as his tongue found a nipple through the peekaboo fabric. Then he sucked.
She groaned with helpless pleasure. Then she raised a hand to hold him off. Michael went no further. He straightened, frowning at her staying hand. “I’m sure I heard a yes.”
She shook her head, fighting everything inside her.
Michael breathed heavily, his expression hard with concentration. “Or do we need to take a wildlife walk and have an elegant dinner? Then do yes?”
His one hand stroked a line from her chin to her waist desirously. “Because I can wait, darling. Can you?”
She shuddered from the pleasure of his touch. She met his eyes and nodded. “Walk,” she got out. She needed a little time, time in which to admit to herself that she had made her decision. Michael hugged her close for an instant, then took a long breath and released her.
“Walk it is,” he agreed, although she saw that he was disappointed.
Michael crowded her even then, insisting that they might as well both change their clothes in the same bedroom. “We’ve seen each other naked before. Last one dressed has to carry the binoculars,” he declared.
She shook off her lust-induced lethargy and rummaged in her suitcase for her jeans and sneakers. “I’m not carrying them. I’ll look like a bird watcher.”
As she stripped off her office slacks, he slowed down to watch. “Your panties match your bra. Sexy.”
She flushed a little. It was one thing to buy dainty underwear while thinking of a man. It was another for the man to admire it out loud.
On the other hand, she could use an advantage in the race. She turned and slowly, very slowly, bent down to put her foot into her jeans. First one, then the other. Behind her, Michael made a choked noise.
She straightened up and looked back at him. His hand was paused in the act of unbuttoning his dress shirt. His desire for her was plain
to see.
“Looks like you’re not making much progress,” she said, one eyebrow raised.
His face flushed a dark red.
She won.
***
The walk along the lake was solitary and sunny only in patches, on a well-defined path entirely on the inn property. The lake was too small for boating other than the occasional rowboat or canoe. In places, the ground was marshy and the path turned into a boardwalk. Birds abounded, and they also spotted fish and turtles. They kept hearing frogs plop into the water ahead of them.
Michael wore the binoculars and made phony bird sightings of completely unlikely birds.
“A round-breasted Midwestern tit?” Susan questioned, unbelieving.
“I swear I saw one,” he said, solemnly.
“Give me the glasses. I’ll see if I can spot an Eastern dickey bird,” she said, trying to keep a straight face.
Then he got serious. He seated them on a rustic bench at the far end of the lake. There was no one around, although they could still see the inn across the water.
“I’m probably crazy to ask this and remind you of anything that might make you back off. Has something changed?”
She sighed, and played with the binoculars, folding the strap nervously. Michael was right on the mark. His ability to know where she was emotionally was impressive. “How do you guess these things?”
“You’ve been fighting us. Now, you’re not.”
She looked up, sighing. “You’re right.” Tears glistened in her eyes, but did not fall. “It’s kind of ironic. It was because of Bev. She’s been going through a tough time with Todd, yet she keeps wanting to reunite with him. I have realized that I don’t have that impulse with Rick. I haven’t had it since Kyle died. I honestly do not believe I will ever get it back. Our marriage is over.” She found it hard to get out the words.
She held up a hand to stay any response he might make.
Summer in the City Page 24
