by Eve Vaughn
Her body shook as if she was unable to stop, signaling her orgasm.
Their climax was swift and hard, leaving them both breathless. After several moments of panting and holding each other, Julie unlocked her legs and slid down the length of his body until her feet hit the floor.
Clutching a fistful of his shirt, she rested her head against his chest. “Wow.”
Gabe kissed the top of her head. “Wow is right. That was…intense.” No one had ever made him feel quite this way before, made him lose control like that. He prided himself on his professionalism, yet one touch from her and he was instantly driven insane. “I didn't mean for that to happen in the office like that, but I have no regrets.”
“Me neither. I didn't think I had it in me to be quite so honest. You bring out something in me, Gabe.”
He dropped another kiss on top of her head. “Perhaps it's been there all along just waiting for the right time to come out. God help us all when you gain all your confidence, because you'll certainly be a force to be reckoned with.”
She tilted her head to meet his gaze. “You think so?”
“Oh, I know so.” He held her for a few minutes more, reluctant to let her go. And then he remembered to tell her about canceling their plans. Gabe groaned. “Oh, I know this is bad timing, but I have to cancel on you tonight. There are several requisitions I've neglected that I need to go over tonight before I leave.”
Julie pouted. “That's too bad. But we have the weekend.”
Gabe gave her a lingering kiss. “We do, at that.” Now was as good a time as any to bring up Jeff's invite. He mentioned the conversation he'd had with Jeff earlier. “So, what do you think?”
“Well…I don't know. If—I mean, what will people say? You and I will be out in the open.”
“You can't be concerned about what others say. We're two consenting adults. They'll find out about us sooner or later. Besides, we've been nothing but professional.”
She arched a brow at him. “Except for the time you screwed me senseless in your arms. You were so horny, you were standing the entire time.”
“Hmm, maybe I wouldn't have lost control if a certain someone didn't have her hands on my dick.”
She giggled. “Ouch.” Just as quickly as her mirth came, it disappeared. “Are you sure you're ready for us to go public with our relationship?”
“We have nothing to be ashamed of. I don't want this to be just a sexual thing. I care for you, and I don't want you to get the impression that I only want us to be together behind closed doors.”
She slowly licked her lips. “I guess I'm a bit worried that people will cry favoritism if you're nice to me. Or if you tell me I've done a good job. I take pride in my work, and I'm damn good at it. I just don't want anyone to think I'm slacking because of us.”
“And no one would dare, because you are good at what you do.”
“I'm sure Doris will have something to say.”
“Doris is an asshole. But you can't let every asshole in the world dictate your actions. We're in this together. What do you say, babe?”
She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. “I say yes!”
* * * * *
“I'm really happy for you, girl. Gabe sounds like a real winner, unlike some of the duds I've been out with lately.” Sheridan lamented on the phone later that night.
Since Gabe had to work late, Julie decided to have a relaxing night by taking a long, hot bath followed by a romantic comedy on cable with Rufus curled up on her lap. As she was dozing, Sheridan had given her a ring. “Oh no! What happened to Larry? Things were getting pretty hot and heavy with the two of you.”
“Yeah, but he was getting on my nerves.”
“What did he do?”
“He wouldn't stop talking about himself, and he wasn't interested in any conversation that didn't center around him. It got pretty boring after a while.”
“Or maybe you were just bored with him.”
“What's that supposed to mean?”
“Let's be honest here; you're always finding fault with the men you date, no matter how insignificant.”
“So you think I should be with an inconsiderate jerk?”
Julie sighed. “I'm not saying that. But you are kind of picky. What happened to that really nice guy, Michael?”
“Mama's boy.”
“Keith?”
“His laugh was like nails on a chalkboard.”
“Doug?”
“Don't remember.”
“Uh, the guy you dated before Keith.”
“Oh yeah. Him. Well…I can't really remember what it was about him. But I'm sure it was something annoying.”
Julie chuckled. “Like I said before…you're picky.”
Sheridan snorted. “No. I'm just someone who won't settle for just any man. But enough about my string of bad luck. Tell me more about Gabe. Do you think this guy is the one?”
Julie hadn't thought that far ahead. She wanted to be with him, and her feelings for him were deep, but she still had to work on herself before she could take the plunge into a serious commitment, to be the woman Gabe would be proud of and she herself deserved to be. “I don't know yet, but I do know I've never felt this way about anyone before. He makes me happy, and he sees me as the strong woman I'd like to be.”
“Honey, you've always been strong; you just haven't figured it out yet. Julie, you are very special, and I'm glad this Gabe fellow sees it too. And hopefully one day you will as well.”
“Actually, I intend to sign up for counseling. Maybe if I can iron my issues out with a professional, I can grow emotionally.”
“That sounds like a terrific idea. I'm so proud of you, sweetie. Wow, so being with Gabe has brought these changes in you. I hope things work out for the two of you. Besides being rather yummy, if I do say so myself, any guy who makes you realize your worth, is okay by me.”
“Everything is still so new right now, and I don't want to jinx it, nor do I want to rush things.”
“That's a wise decision. Sounds like things are looking up for you.”
Julie smiled. “Yes. You could say, I've decided to turn over a whole new leaf.”
Chapter Nine
“Uh, Can—I mean, Julie, I thought you might want these to fill up your jar.” A hesitant voice spoke from behind her.
Julie finished typing the last line of the marketing strategy for a new project she was working on before turning around to see who had entered her cube. She silently congratulated herself for not immediately dropping what she was doing as she'd done in the past. Had it only been five months—since her life had been so thoroughly flipped upside down?
She was shocked to see Rob Danford holding a bag full of peanut butter cups. Ever since she'd blown up at him, he'd avoided her like the plague, but it made her realize she needed to make some changes in her life. With encouragement from Gabe and Sheridan, she'd signed up for counseling. She'd learned a lot about herself and how she could express herself in a healthy way without going too far.
Her coworkers were slowly changing the way they treated and viewed her. At first there had been a few of them who still called her Candy Girl, the name she now only allowed a certain someone to use. She'd had to set them straight. No longer would she let them relegate her to an unfeeling entity. There were still a couple of people who tried to get under her skin by calling her the forbidden name, but she usually ignored them, and if they wanted something badly enough, they called her Julie.
If she was busy, she told them so, and if she didn't have the time to help them with their work, she was firm in her assertion. It hadn't been easy in the beginning, and there were a couple of people who no longer spoke to her, Doris being one of them, but her days ran so much more smoothly.
Some habits were hard to break, however. Julie still kept her candy dish filled, but no longer took requests. If someone didn't like the sweets she provided, then it was up to them to get it themselves. Surprisingly a handful of people did. For the past
couple of weeks she hadn't needed to buy any, because her dish was constantly being refilled. Word must have spread, and people realized Candy Girl was no longer taking anyone's shit.
“Rob, what a surprise. Thank you.” She took the offered candy and put it in her desk, as her dish was already full.
He rubbed the back of his head, shifting on his feet and looking embarrassed. “Well, uh…I just wanted to apologize.”
She raised a brow. “For what?”
“You know, for unloading all my problems on you and calling you Candy Girl. I didn't mean any harm by it. You were so nice and all—I mean, you still are, but I realize now that I took advantage of your good nature.”
Who was the pod person, and what had he done to the real Rob? “Umm, apology accepted. Think nothing of it.”
When he didn't leave, she wondered what he wanted, and she guessed it was to unload more of his issues on her. Glancing at her watch with a sigh, she saw that it was five minutes to lunch, at which time she'd be meeting Sheridan downtown. “If you need something, you'll have to make it quick. I'm leaving for lunch soon.”
“Actually, I wanted to say thank you.”
“For?”
“Well, you indirectly saved my marriage.”
“Oh?” She turned to log off her computer, only half listening.
“Vivian was going to leave me and take the kids with her. She said the only way she'd stay is if we went to counseling. She said I was inconsiderate of her feelings. And the day you blew up at me, I was pissed, but it got me to thinking. Maybe I have been taking advantage of you. If someone as laid-back as you could lose patience with me, maybe there was something to what my wife was saying. I decided to give the therapy a shot, and well…Viv and I still have a long way to go, but things are getting better. And I just wanted to say thanks, Julie.”
“Wow, thank you.” This wasn't a confession she'd expected. Rob was known as the office slacker, but he was basically a good guy. She was happy to see him and his wife working out their issues. “I'm glad to hear that, and I appreciate your apology, and I owe you one of my own. I shouldn't have yelled at you the way I did.”
“Thanks. Well, uh, I'll let you go. Enjoy your lunch.” He ducked out of her cube in a hurry. It was obvious he wasn't used to apologizing, but at least he made the effort, and a little went a long way. As she walked toward the exit, she walked past Doris, who was standing at the reception desk and giving her the most ferocious frown.
Out of all her coworkers, Julie had considered Doris to be the closest thing to a friend she had in the office, but her true colors had come out once Julie started speaking up for herself. It didn't help matters that she and Gabe didn't hide their close relationship. They kept it professional during office hours, but often the two of them would go to lunch together when they could. And there were the times he'd stop by her cubicle to chat for a few minutes. They weren't blatant about their relationship, but it soon became obvious to some that they were on close terms. It seemed to drive Doris insane.
“Hi, Doris,” Julie greeted, for the sake of being polite.
“Hmm. Enjoy your two-hour lunch,” the redhead muttered sarcastically.
Julie halted midstep. “What's that supposed to mean?”
“Well, the boss is out today, and you'll do as you please since you're sleeping with him, right?”
Before she'd started counseling, Julie probably would have laughed off a comment like that or rushed off in embarrassment, but instead she looked Doris dead in the eye with a smile. “I take an hour lunch just like everyone else. As for the sleeping with the boss, I do far more than sleep with him. Jealous?” With a wink, she turned on her heel and walked out the door with her head held high. As she made it to her car, she pumped her fist in the air.
Yes!
* * * * *
“I can't believe you said that, girl!” Sheridan threw her head back and laughed.
“She's been acting like a real pain in the ass lately, and why should I be ashamed of my relationship with Gabe? There's no rule against fraternizing at our company, and everything is kept very professional during office hours.”
“Well, if it were me, I would trip that bitch when she was walking by.” Sheridan shoved a forkful of salad in her mouth.
“Violence isn't the answer to everything. Besides, your legs are too short to stretch that far.”
“Ha-ha, smart aleck. It's not like you're that much taller than me. And you're right, violence isn't the answer, but decking someone is a stress reliever. You should try it sometime.”
“Uh, I think I'll pass. I'm going to try using my words instead. They've seemed to work for me so far.”
“Hmm.” Sheridan continued chewing with no real reply.
Julie could only shake her head. She often called Sheridan, Napoleon because of her short fuse and even shorter stature. Despite her propensity for violence, Sheridan's heart was in the right place, and she was loyal to a fault. She was the sister Julie had always wanted. “Things have been working out for me in therapy lately; maybe you should go.”
Sheridan slung a braid over her shoulder. “No, thanks. I'm a woman of action. Not really a talker.”
Her friend had a lot of anger issues stemming from the abandonment by her parents. And unlike Julie's foster care experience, Sheridan had had a rougher time. Being barely five feet tall, Sheridan scrapped quite a bit when they were younger, just to prove she was just as tough as anyone else. Even as an adult now, her friend was still a bit of a hothead, but Julie knew there was no point continuing this line of conversation. Sheridan would seek help when she was ready. Julie tactfully changed the subject. “Corinne still hasn't come back. I guess I've seen the last of her.”
“And good riddance. She was a mooch anyway. I told you not to let her move in with you, but lesson learned, right?”
“Definitely.” It still bothered the hell out of her that Corinne had disappeared the way she had, without so much as a word. She had obviously found another sucker to be with. Out of sight, out of mind. Someone else she hadn't heard from was Henry. He'd made a half-assed attempt to call and apologize, saying he was sorry for the way things had turned out and that he and Corinne were in love. Julie doubted that very much, because the only person Corinne loved was Corinne. Henry, on the other hand, was in the middle of an infatuation and would probably find out soon enough what his new “ladylove” was actually like.
“Sounds like things are going well for you. I'm glad one of us is enjoying life right now. My boss is a mega-asshole, and wouldn't you know it, I have to go away on a trip with him for two weeks next month.”
“It won't be so bad, I'm sure.”
“I'd rather swallow broken glass.”
Julie stifled a giggle. Sheridan referred to her boss only as “the asshole” and always had the most amusing stories about how she'd kill him and dispose of the body. “Are things really that bad?”
Her friend shrugged. “He's just been on my case lately. I don't know what the hell his problem is, but I think it's probably time I start looking for another job. Hopefully something will pop up before I have to go on this stinking trip.”
“Maybe he has a crush on you and doesn't know how to express himself. I remember when you first started your job and you gushed on and on about how sexy and fine he was.”
Sheridan snorted. “That was until I found out he has a new girlfriend every other day. He goes through them like normal folks do with underwear. He probably has hep C or something.” She scrunched up her nose. “No, thanks, girlfriend. And anyway, I didn't know then that he was such a fucking prick to work for. And if that bastard crowds my space one more damn time, I swear I'm going to knee him square in the balls. I don't give a shit if he'd built like a damn Viking. It's absolutely obscene how large that guy is.”
Julie grinned. The way her friend went on about her boss, the more she suspected Sheridan wasn't so averse to his charm after all. “Hmm, maybe he keeps crowding your space, as you put it, because
he'd like to get closer to you.”
“Eww. Are you really trying to make me throw up here? I've seen the type of woman he dates: tall, blonde supermodel types. I haven't seen him with a short, curvy black woman before, and thank goodness for that. But enough about me and the asshole. How are things with you and Gabe? Sounds like things are heating up between the two of you.”
Julie couldn't keep the grin off her face. “Gabe is wonderful. Perfect. I have to keep pinching myself to make sure this is real. The sex is off the charts, but it isn't just the sex. He's considerate, passionate, and just an all-around great guy. He wants me to meet his parents the next time they're in town.”
“Are you nervous?”
“Of course. He's assured me they already know I'm black and they don't mind. He says they are just happy he's finally found someone nice—at least I hope they think I am. I talked to his mother on the phone once when she called Gabe while I was visiting. She seemed very sweet. But you never know”—Julie shrugged—“it could be a different story when I actually meet them face-to-face.”
“I'm sure everything will work out just fine, and you and Gabe's parents will get along fine. Ooh. You know what that means, don't you? He's ready to take that next step.”
“But it's only been a few months.”
“So. Do you really need to spend a year with someone to know they're the one?”
Her heart certainly couldn't argue with this point, but her head was full of doubt. Things were going so well for her right now, she was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. “I'm just scared. I've never felt like this about anyone before.”
“Not even Henry?” Sheridan teased.
“Henry wasn't very exciting, and I never loved him. As far as I'm concerned, Corinne did me a favor on that front. That last phone conversation we had made me realize how lucky I truly am.”
“Oh yeah? What's the little weasel up to?”
