Without Apology

by Aubrey Bondurant

  “Definitely the latter, as I’d love to see you again. I should be free by Friday, at the latest. I only wish my team wasn’t coming in tomorrow.” As it was, I’d be up to my eyeballs in paperwork.

  Her face lit up, and I realized the chemistry was mutual.

  “Are you asking me out on a second date?”

  “I am, but in all fairness, there’s a chance that in a few days I could be on a flight back to New York. On the other hand, I could be here another few weeks. In case you’d rather not invest your time with someone who won’t be staying.”

  She laughed. “Oh, I don’t know. The longer you’re here, the higher the likelihood you’ll uncover all of my flaws. So perhaps this is the best strategy for keeping you from finding out all of the crazy.”

  I found myself wanting to get to know her well enough to find some flaws. “I somehow doubt that, but since it sounds like a yes to another date, I’ll take it.”

  After we finished dinner, I drove her home, parked in front of her house and went around to open her door. Taking her hand, I assisted her out of the car. Not that she needed the help, but I used the excuse to touch her, keeping her hand in mine as we walked up to her porch.

  “Thank you for dinner. I can’t remember having such an enjoyable night in a very long time.”

  Her sincerity caught me off guard. Stepping into her once we’d reached her front door, I cupped my hand around the side of her face. “Tell me, Peyton. Are you the type who likes a man to ask permission to kiss her, or do you prefer when he simply goes for it?”

  “What do you think?”

  Not needing any more encouragement, I ducked my head down, meeting her lips. Warm, soft, with the hint of chocolate from our shared dessert, it wasn’t long before what started out a gentle kiss good night morphed into something more powerful. My tongue swept into her mouth and when hers met mine, everything ignited, threatening to undo me. From a simple kiss that had nothing simple about it.

  My free hand wound in her hair while her arms came up around my neck, and she pressed her body into mine. I moved my hands down her back, skimming her curves with my fingers, down to her ass, gripping there and pulling her tighter against me even as I deepened the kiss. I lost all sense that we were standing on her front porch and visible to anyone watching.

  Suddenly, we both jumped back when a loud woof came with a bang on the other side of the front door.

  She was the first to speak as I hadn’t quite recovered the ability. “I forgot to mention Cooper is armed with an uncanny ability to be a cock block.”

  I couldn’t help it; I started laughing. Her humor was so unrehearsed and unfiltered. When she started giggling, we both went into hysterics. Finally recovering, I stepped forward and kissed her once more, this time only a peck to keep my equilibrium intact.

  “I’ll talk to you this week. Maybe via text? Then we’ll plan on Friday, yes?”

  “Yes. Good luck on your acquisition.”

  “Good luck with the promotion.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Peyton

  The kiss from Simon left me floored. As I got ready for work on Monday morning, I replayed the entire date. He’d been formal at first, but I’d noticed him relaxing throughout dinner. Although the bit about wondering why I wasn’t in a relationship was momentarily bothersome, I was certainly used to the question by now. I was turning the big 3-0 later this year, and even my sister was starting to encourage me to “settle down.”

  All I focused on in that statement, however, was the word settle. I’d meant what I said about not understanding why an age should dictate what you do. Sure, I’d love to have someone to spend my life with. Someone to have kids with and who’d plan a future together with me. But I hadn’t found the right match yet. And I’d never subscribed to the theory a man was needed in order to feel complete. Not even when I was turning thirty.

  After taking Cooper for his morning walk and gulping down a cup of much-needed coffee, I drove into the office on a typical Monday morning commute.

  As urban sprawl grew, the roads were progressively getting worse traveling in and out of Dallas to the north. Although there were some train options or the bus, I was much more of a get-in-my-own-car, listen-to-my-own-music-and-not-have-to-smell-anyone-else-in-the-morning kind of girl.

  My sister’s number showed up on the console of my Tahoe over Bluetooth. I was sure she couldn’t wait for me to dish on my weekend with Simon by evidence of her early phone call. I was shocked she hadn’t called yesterday until I’d remembered they’d had a day planned with my nieces which had probably prevented her from doing so.

  “Good morning.”

  “Well, good morning to you. I don’t have much time as I need to get the girls off to school, but how was your date?”

  “Great.”

  “Great as in penetration great?”

  I rolled my eyes, looking around at gridlock as if to say to the other drivers, you see what I have to put up with? Part mom, part older sister, and a lot of friend, my sister took on all hats for me. “Good grief, Jen. The word penetration sounds so crude.”

  “Fine, did he stick his noodle in your doodle?”

  I burst out laughing. “No. We had a nice dinner, then a kiss good night on my porch.”

  “Probably for the best. You probably don’t want to go putting out on a first date.”

  “Noted.” Although if given the opportunity, I’m not sure I’d make it past the second.

  “I wonder if he’s uncircumcised. I’ve heard most Europeans are.”

  Only my sister would voice this type of question. “That’s a really personal question.”

  “Translation: you didn’t suck his dick, either.”

  “On my front porch. No. I didn’t.” What part of one kiss didn’t she understand? I then laughed when I heard my brother-in-law, Kevin, in the background.

  “Who’s sucking whose dick?”

  “Not yours, honey. But if you want to do the girl’s hair this morning, I bet there will be one in it for you tonight.”

  I groaned. “La, la, la la. I do not need to hear your blow job bribery at seven o’clock in the morning.”

  “You scoff, but you should be taking notes. Blow jobs are the very best currency in marriage. And it’s a win-win for both of us.”

  “Got it. But I’m about to pull into the parking garage, so I’m gonna let you go.” In truth, I had fifteen more minutes on the road, but this conversation had deteriorated into the gutter, and there was little hope of a rescue.

  “If you say so. But at least tell me if you plan to see him again.”

  I smiled in remembrance of his text yesterday telling me how much he’d enjoyed our date. “I am. Probably Friday as he has to work late nights this week.”

  “Damn, I can hear your blush through the phone. I certainly hope he’s in town awhile then.”

  She wasn’t the only one.

  I was running a bit late. Then again, this was the perk to being an exempt employee who put in ten-hour days. Although I typically was at the office by seven, today I was pushing half past.

  After parking in the garage, I walked the short distance over to the fourteen-story glass building and took the elevator up to the sixth floor. While strolling in, I called good morning to the people who were already here in the head-height cubicles throughout the space. Only those with the status of directors and above had offices lining the walls.

  My office wasn’t especially big, but it had a window and room for at least two other people to come and sit in front of my desk. It wasn’t as neat and clean as it probably should be, but then, who had time for filing? I enjoyed my quiet mornings because I could look at my calendar and sip my coffee while trying to figure out my day.

  But Megan wasted no time coming in and shutting the door behind her. “Well, did you make a decision?”

  “Yes. I applied for the CFO position on Saturday.”

  She practically squealed before fist pumping the air and doing what could
only be described as a poorly constructed, pregnant woman’s version of a jig. “Thank God. It was in time, right?”

  “I’m assuming so since the job was still posted. But I’m hoping to talk to George about it while he’s here today, in any case. If he can’t make an exception to the long-distance travel, then it’s a moot point to go through the interview process.”

  Only a few people, including Megan, knew about my petrifying fear of flying and the circumstances behind it.

  She frowned. “That would be a really stupid reason not to give the most qualified candidate the job. If he gives CFO to that fucking fuck, Jeff, I’ll lose all faith in karma.”

  I laughed at her colorful language until my cell phone buzzed with a text flashing up on the screen. I grabbed it quickly off the desk and, seeing Simon’s number, broke out in a grin.

  “Counting the days until Friday.”

  “Holy shit. I’ve never seen that kind of expression on your face. Who is he?”

  I looked up, blinking twice at Megan, having completely forgotten she was here and observing my reaction. “Um, someone I met on Friday. Then we had a date Saturday.”

  “It must’ve been some date, judging from the look on your face.”

  “Yeah. It was nice.” It had been so effortless to be with him, especially for a first date. Not only was he interesting, but he also seemed to get my sense of humor.

  “The sparkle phase is always the best. No worries, no fighting—just getting to know one another.”

  “Are you saying it doesn’t get any better?” She’d been married for ten years to her college sweetheart.

  “It does get better, but it gets harder, too.” She patted her baby belly. “But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Anyhow, I was hoping you’d have the scoop on the owner being here today. You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear you applied for the CFO position. Gives me hope I might not have to look for a new job.”

  It was the last thing I wanted her to worry about; she had enough anxiety regarding her baby. They’d tried for years without success, making this truly a miracle pregnancy. That’s why I’d ultimately done it. In the CFO role, I’d be able to protect my staff from a horrible manager like Jeff.

  After Megan left my office, I responded to Simon’s text, writing that I was also excited for Friday.

  Not getting the dots back right away on my phone screen, I figured he was already into his busy day. Meanwhile, I needed to get to mine. I perused my email and thought it strange that George hadn’t scheduled anything with me for today. Or even let me know he’d be in. Normally, he did. If Jeff was already selected for CFO, Megan wasn’t the only one who’d need to start looking for another job.

  However, given my inheritance from my parents was still sitting in the bank, I could take some time off if I wanted to. I’d always been frugal about the money. Now it sounded quite good, actually, to sleep in, take Cooper to the park every day, and finally get to those various projects I’d always wanted to do around my cute, little house.

  When I saw George come through my door, I snapped out of my fantasy of early retirement and smiled.

  “Good morning, Peyton. Looking lovely as ever. How are you, my dear?”

  I loved that, despite wearing a suit, the man always wore cowboy boots. The bolo tie completed his ensemble.

  I stood up, taking his offered hand. “I’m great, George. I’d heard you might be in today.”

  “I didn’t want a fuss, so I only told HR I was coming in as I need to sign some things.”

  If Jeff was sleeping with the new HR girl, that would explain how he’d known on Friday that the owner would be here.

  George seemed tired, with less energy than he normally portrayed.

  “How are you? How are Carol and your grandkids?” I asked.

  He shut my door, which gave me pause. Then he took a seat in my guest chair. “Wonderful. Matter of fact, I’m taking the whole family to Hawaii in a few months.”

  “That sounds great.” I had to fight a shiver over the idea of flying in an airplane, let alone doing it over a large body of water. “So what brings you in to the office today? Everything okay?”

  He sighed, causing my stomach to drop. If he was about to tell me Jeff was getting the promotion, maybe I wasn’t as anxious to quit my job as I’d thought.

  “One reason I’m here is I’m hoping you’ll reconsider and apply for the CFO position.”

  It meant a lot that he’d encouraged me for weeks to do so. “I did. On Saturday, as a matter of fact.”

  He appeared pleased. But before I could bring up my concern over the travel, we were interrupted with a knock at the door.

  I fought the urge to shout go away, so I could find out the second reason he was here, but of course, I couldn’t. “Come in.”

  In walked a handsome gentleman I didn’t recognize, someone who gave me a smile which lacked sincerity and warmth before he turned to George. “Hello, George. Reception told me I’d find you here. We’re ready for you upstairs.”

  “Okay. Peyton, this is Tom Sanders. Tom, this is Peyton Waters, my accounting director. Why don’t we grab Jeff, and all head upstairs, and I’ll finish explaining what’s happening?”

  It appeared I was the only one in the dark. I looked over at Tom in his expensive-looking suit, Rolex watch, and slicked-back hair and got a foreboding feeling in my stomach. But nothing could’ve prepared me for what happened next. We got off the elevator two floors up and walked into a space I’d never been in before. Once there, my gaze zeroed in on the one person that I wouldn’t have expected to see in a million years.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Simon

  We’d decided, as we often did with possible acquisitions, to requisition space in the same building as the company we could be buying. In this case, that was two floors up from where Maddox Consulting had their offices. After arriving there this Monday morning, I’d frowned at our fishbowl space and the thin walls between the three rooms, but it would have to do for now.

  Being on a separate floor from Maddox would allow us to do all of the audits, interviews, and meetings with key players while at the same time maintaining a space to talk freely amongst ourselves. Once the rumors started about people potentially losing jobs, the last thing you wanted was to run into a tenured employee in the loo, someone who hated your fucking guts because you were the outsider coming in to mess up their lives. During my early years of doing this, such had unfortunately happened.

  I’d been here since six this morning, feeling like something was a tad off about this deal but not knowing what. I normally trusted my gut instinct, but until I could put a finger on why I was concerned, I wouldn’t make any rash decisions. Not that I ever did.

  As expected, my assistant, Emma, came in with a huff. “I can’t believe you left me to ride with Tom this morning.”

  I glanced up from the list of assets I’d been reviewing. Although I couldn’t stand Tom, Emma absolutely loathed the man. “I was gone by half past five and didn’t think you’d appreciate the wake-up call so early.”

  Her green eyes narrowed. “No, I probably would’ve murdered you.”

  There weren’t many people who felt comfortable enough to be candid with me. But I thought of Emma as a little sister, and we were often open with our conversations when it was only the two of us.

  “If you killed me off, you’d be left to work with Tom alone. Where is he, by the way, if he came with you?”

  “In the queue at Starbucks. He actually had the nerve to imply I should get him coffee, to which I told him to fuck right off for.”

  It reminded me of the guy Peyton had to work with who treated her similarly. It was my hope I could get a free night this week to see her. Deciding now would be the only time I might get a chance to send a text, I sent one quickly, telling her that I couldn’t wait for Friday.

  “Are you texting someone?” Emma asked.

  “I’ve been known to do that from time to time.”

  She le
veled her look on me as if assessing. “Yes, but normally I’m the only one you text. And you abhor having to.”

  She was right. I preferred email as texting was too chit chatty for my taste. “I, uh, met someone.”

  “Here in Kansas—I mean Texas?”

  “Yes. On Friday night in the market.”

  Her face showed nothing but shock. “What, was she in the produce aisle picking out a melon? That’s so weird.”

  I chuckled. “At the checkout counter, but agreed. It was unexpected. We went out on Saturday and have another date Friday.”

  Normally, Emma and I didn’t share many details of our dating lives; however, I could use her advice.

  “If I were to send roses, what color should I send?” I brought up a browser on my laptop, perusing the florist’s website. I had limited time before the morning would start, and I wouldn’t have a chance to get back to this task.

  She gave a little hm before answering. “It’s premature for red. Yellow feels too mum-ish. White too much like a funeral. I’d go for pink.”

  I glanced up to see her studying me. “What?”

  “Nothing. Just never seen you like this.”

  Emma and I were cut from the same cloth. Not only because we were both British but also because we had to be somewhat detached to travel around the world and buy companies, turning the people’s lives upside down. She’d had a rougher go of it in childhood, but as adults, we both struggled to develop personal relationships.

  “I’m certain I’ve sent flowers to a woman before.” I wasn’t completely inept at the art of romance.

  “No, you had me send them. Big difference.”

  I didn’t give her words much thought, simply shrugging. “Somehow, I feel Peyton would care if I’d told my assistant to send flowers on my behalf instead of expending the effort myself.”

  Emma grinned. “I think I like her already. You tell her why you’re here?”

  “She knows I’m evaluating a business but not which one. Certainly nothing about the details. And I’d rather keep it that way.”

  I didn’t exactly see a woman like Peyton, who cared so much for her team, understand a man like me, whom they sometimes referred to as the ice man. Yes, I was the one who terminated employees. I often sat there while grown women and men cried about losing their livelihoods, and I felt nothing. Not because I actually didn’t. I wasn’t that much of a cold bastard. But because I’d mastered the art of shutting myself off from that part of my brain while doing a job. I had to. I stayed professional and passed the Kleenex. At the end of the day, I wasn’t the one selling the company or buying it. I was simply the one delivering the message. At least with this company, if we did go through with it, there wouldn’t be too many terminations.