Lust by T. C. Anthony Page A

Alexander, so she never motioned or mentioned it to me as we proceeded.
    Purposely placing my hand on the small of his back, I politely motioned for him to let us through. “Excuse me. I’m sorry we have reserve—Mr. Mason? I…I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize you from behind…I mean, I didn’t know it was you. Having scotch, I see. Rough day at work, I take it?”
    Sarcasm. Yes! I’m back.
    I felt my confidence soar. What little apprehension I had around him was gone. I am woman. Hear me roar.
    He seemed stunned to see me, out and sporting glowing perfection from head to toe. “Ms. Chase, it is you who surprises me. So I’m gathering by your dash to the restroom today that you were either faking sick or you rebound tremendously fast. I’d be interested to know which. You know, for future reference.”
    Wrong again, jackass. I ran to the ladies room because your closeness and hot body were making me horny and wet.
    Feeling a bit flushed, I tried to regain my wit. “Well, I’m shocked that you would have so little trust in me, that you would even allude to the idea that I would fake sick. My body is resilient, as is all of me, I can assure you. Oh, and I don’t know how to ‘fake it.’”
    Holy shit. He’s your boss. OK, that felt so damn good, but you do have to see him in the office. Cut the shit. I had to pace my aggressions and sarcasm before I got myself fired.
    “Well, I must say, from what I can see, not only is your body resilient, but you’ve found your voice as well. Lovely to hear the sarcasm in it—rather amusing. Oh, and Ms. Chase, I would never allude to you ‘faking it’ professionally. I don’t doubt your integrity. On a personal level, well, I don’t know you from a hole in the wall, excuse my expression.”
    I was stimulated by this battle. We were going head to head, tit for tat. And it was obvious that there was no anger, no real words, just tension, lots and lots of sexually charged tension!
    “Umm, if you two are done…One, I would have been on my third drink by now, and, two, there is a very handsome man smiling at me from behind you, and I really would love to be introduced.” Samantha was always the one to break the ice, but this battle had no ice, just heat. And damn her for throwing the water on my flames.
    “Miss, why don’t you slide over this way. The view of them ready to slice each other’s throats is so much better over here, standing next to me,” the gentlemen interceded.
    Alexander turned to him strangely. “Marcus, these are employees of PHI…or, two of the top employees, I should say. Ms. Chase is our director of operations and new business, and this lovely young woman who also has found her voice tonight is Ms. Samantha Carlo, PA to Ms. Chase and long-time valued employee of PHI.”
    Alexander was eloquent as he spoke, but it bothered me that he never made our professional exchanges more personal, even a little. He had introduced Samantha as Samantha Carlo, yet he always introduced me as Ms. Chase. Perhaps he didn’t know my name? Of course he did. He had said it plenty of times as he pinned me to his town car.
    I couldn’t understand why he disliked me personally, but it bothered me. Sure, professionally he needed me; I was an asset to the company. But personally, yeah, he made it clearer every minute that he just didn’t know, or want to know, me personally and that he was going to make my life a living hell.
    “Ladies, the pleasure is truly mine. I have yet to see such beauty in a lifetime. All bullshit aside, I am taken aback by you both, in appearance and in successes on the PHI front. I look forward to working with both of you.”
    Alexander’s eyes dashed to Marcus angrily. “I hadn’t told them yet,” Alexander mumbled to Marcus with both anxiety and anger toward him.
    My nerves were emerging again. “Tell us what? What’s this about? I’m just about all newsed out, so please just spill it so I can drink it out of my memory.”
    Yup! I