and scooped up
the frame.
A bright-eyed little girl smiled up at the camera from
inside her pink Barbie pedal car. The child bubbled over with happiness. Eris
ran a hand over the picture and smiled back.
“That’s Kayla Carmouche, my goddaughter.”
The sudden broken silence startled her, causing the picture
to slip from her hands. She grabbed the frame only inches from the floor. She
felt heat engulf her face as she stood. “I’m sorry for snooping, but did you
say ‘goddaughter’?”
Rob handed her a glass of iced tea. “Yes, and don’t look so
shocked. I hav e actually entered a church once or twice in my life and,
on more than one occasion, I put money into the offering plate instead of
taking from it.”
“It’s not that, but knowing some of your background, I’d
think it would be hard to be around kids. Doesn’t it bring back memories?”
Rob perched on the corner of the desk and sipped his drink.
He was silent for a few moments and then spoke softly. “I never had birthday
parties as a child. So going to Kayla’s gives me a chance to be a part of
something I missed out on.”
Rob’s face was in profile to her as he studied the picture
of the little girl. Her gut twisted and tears sprang to her eyes for the man
who never got to be a boy. Then black anger took hold toward the woman who
couldn’t even offer her child a Ding Dong with a candle stuck in it on his
birthday. She didn’t grow up in the lap of luxury, with there being five
children to clothe and feed, but there was always money for a new toy on their
birthdays.
“I found those files you wanted and picked up your faxes,
darling.”
With her emotions still rolling over Rob’s statement, Eris
watched in detached astonishment as a medium-height, slim woman entered the
office and walked directly to Rob.
“Thanks, sweet’ems, you’re efficient as always.”
The woman scooted onto the desk next to Rob and as she did,
her skirt rode up her legs. As she crossed them, a good four inches of her
thighs showed.
“Anything, anytime, anyplace.” The woman batted her lashes
and swung a foot.
Eris watched as the foot wearing a five-inch stiletto moved
back and forth. How did she walk in those? More importantly, how did she keep
the shoe on her foot? The last time Eris had tried that seductive move, the
stupid shoe slipped off her foot and she’d spent the remainder of the meal
trying to locate the darn thing.
“Remember that the next time I wake you up in the middle of
the night,” Rob responded as he leaned into the young woman.
Eris narrowed her eyes at the pair. There wasn’t a doubt in
her mind Rob was an accomplished player, but she didn’t need a front row view
of the man in action.
“Excuse me.” Eris watched as the two turned their attention
to her. “Are we going to be here all day? I thought we still needed to make a
few more stops?”
“Sorry.” The woman slid off the desk and extended her hand.
“I’m Tammie Bernard, the company’s ‘girl Friday’.”
Eris shook the woman’s hand, but honestly, she’d rather have
tossed a cream pie in her perfectly made-up face. “Eris DuBose.”
“Nice to meet you,” Tammie stated as she walked seductively
toward the office door. “Until next time, darling.”
Rob mumbled an incoherent response as he moved around the desk
and studied the information he was holding.
Eris paced the office a number of times as she gave him a
chance to read over the material. She was elated to see him flip to the last
page. Soon they would be able to leave. She retrieved her satchel from beside
the chair in anticipation of their departure. She was in no mood to watch
another of Tammie’s performances. The girl had to be a good fifteen years
younger than Rob. He wasn’t the type of man who needed an immature woman.
Eris perked up as he turned back to the first page—and then
the feeling plummeted just as fast when he picked up a highlighter and opened
it. “Please don’t tell me
the frame.
A bright-eyed little girl smiled up at the camera from
inside her pink Barbie pedal car. The child bubbled over with happiness. Eris
ran a hand over the picture and smiled back.
“That’s Kayla Carmouche, my goddaughter.”
The sudden broken silence startled her, causing the picture
to slip from her hands. She grabbed the frame only inches from the floor. She
felt heat engulf her face as she stood. “I’m sorry for snooping, but did you
say ‘goddaughter’?”
Rob handed her a glass of iced tea. “Yes, and don’t look so
shocked. I hav e actually entered a church once or twice in my life and,
on more than one occasion, I put money into the offering plate instead of
taking from it.”
“It’s not that, but knowing some of your background, I’d
think it would be hard to be around kids. Doesn’t it bring back memories?”
Rob perched on the corner of the desk and sipped his drink.
He was silent for a few moments and then spoke softly. “I never had birthday
parties as a child. So going to Kayla’s gives me a chance to be a part of
something I missed out on.”
Rob’s face was in profile to her as he studied the picture
of the little girl. Her gut twisted and tears sprang to her eyes for the man
who never got to be a boy. Then black anger took hold toward the woman who
couldn’t even offer her child a Ding Dong with a candle stuck in it on his
birthday. She didn’t grow up in the lap of luxury, with there being five
children to clothe and feed, but there was always money for a new toy on their
birthdays.
“I found those files you wanted and picked up your faxes,
darling.”
With her emotions still rolling over Rob’s statement, Eris
watched in detached astonishment as a medium-height, slim woman entered the
office and walked directly to Rob.
“Thanks, sweet’ems, you’re efficient as always.”
The woman scooted onto the desk next to Rob and as she did,
her skirt rode up her legs. As she crossed them, a good four inches of her
thighs showed.
“Anything, anytime, anyplace.” The woman batted her lashes
and swung a foot.
Eris watched as the foot wearing a five-inch stiletto moved
back and forth. How did she walk in those? More importantly, how did she keep
the shoe on her foot? The last time Eris had tried that seductive move, the
stupid shoe slipped off her foot and she’d spent the remainder of the meal
trying to locate the darn thing.
“Remember that the next time I wake you up in the middle of
the night,” Rob responded as he leaned into the young woman.
Eris narrowed her eyes at the pair. There wasn’t a doubt in
her mind Rob was an accomplished player, but she didn’t need a front row view
of the man in action.
“Excuse me.” Eris watched as the two turned their attention
to her. “Are we going to be here all day? I thought we still needed to make a
few more stops?”
“Sorry.” The woman slid off the desk and extended her hand.
“I’m Tammie Bernard, the company’s ‘girl Friday’.”
Eris shook the woman’s hand, but honestly, she’d rather have
tossed a cream pie in her perfectly made-up face. “Eris DuBose.”
“Nice to meet you,” Tammie stated as she walked seductively
toward the office door. “Until next time, darling.”
Rob mumbled an incoherent response as he moved around the desk
and studied the information he was holding.
Eris paced the office a number of times as she gave him a
chance to read over the material. She was elated to see him flip to the last
page. Soon they would be able to leave. She retrieved her satchel from beside
the chair in anticipation of their departure. She was in no mood to watch
another of Tammie’s performances. The girl had to be a good fifteen years
younger than Rob. He wasn’t the type of man who needed an immature woman.
Eris perked up as he turned back to the first page—and then
the feeling plummeted just as fast when he picked up a highlighter and opened
it. “Please don’t tell me
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