Michael was greatly insulted by the very existence of anyone powerful enough to end a career with a word and voiced his vehement rage for a few minutes regarding the whole situation.
There was nothing he could do but I watched as he blustered about the place. The watching sparked a physical desire for him. Whether it was due to the muscles I could see under his shirt that were engorged due to the rage he was working to release, or his set jaw, or his gripping and re-gripping fingers, or of course, his thunder cloud eyes wild with passion and righteousness, whatever the reason, I could no more hold myself back than a single beaver could halt the mighty Mississippi.
After launching myself at Michael and gaining his attention by whispering in his ear that since we were going to have to part again soon that we should say our good byes in my room, on my bed.
Adrenaline still cursing through his veins, it took no effort to carry me from the garden to my room. If I could have, I’d have made the sweetest love with Michael but I settled for rocking his world with the machinations of the wave many times over as my good-bye.
When I returned from my errands Michael was gone. I’d hold on to the comfort he gave me for as long as it would last.
What About Rick
Before the grayness was upon me, I went to see Rick. I got to his office just about twelve thirty in the afternoon. He made a fuss to his secretary over seeing me right away and then sent her off in a dysfunctional manner to ‘get us some coffee, or scotch and right away’.
His office was too big to be cozy so the move I had planned was iffy with so much space possible between us. I tried it anyway.
“Rick,” I started and made eye contact.
“How long will she be gone?”
I lowered my voice to an intimate whisper never taking my eyes from his.
Dressed in a fine-cut business suit Rick looked quite handsome and desirable so his behavior just didn’t add up.
“She’ll be back in just a minute, you’ll see.”
It seemed to me that he would use his secretary as a shield if necessary.
“Oh pooh, I was just thinking that the scotch you mentioned sounded good and I hoped she’d bring some of that. Or maybe we could go out to lunch; I’m hungry, my treat.”
Poor Rick, he stood there with indecision written all over him. That was a man who made billion dollar deals on a weekly basis and instant business decisions hourly, yet he was completely thrown as to what he should do about me.
Seizing that moment of indecision, I moved in closer to him as he reached to close the door behind me. I slipped my hand into his and while squeezing ever so slightly I asked.
“Wouldn’t lunch be lovely about now?”
“Can we go somewhere and do the nasty?”
He asked with just a touch of menace in his eyes and his voice.
“I was thinking of something much sweeter. That soft kiss, you know what I’m talking about. I left you with it but, lo and behold you left me with it, too. So, I’ve given it some thought, how about you?”
“What do you mean?”
Crikey, did I confuse everyone?
“Did you give it some thought?”
I delivered those words as a gift from my sister who could coo a man into submission. I actually didn’t understand why such behavior would have any affect at all but that’s why my dance card was usually empty and guys had to wait in line to get a waltz with her. She knew what she was doing.
Rick was still bent on being crude.
“I exhausted my right hand to the memory of it.”
“I guess we didn’t see it the same; too bad. I was hoping for a repeat and a little comparison.”
“What do you need comparisons for?”
“A little something we have in common, experiments. I love to experiment with just about everything, even human behavior. Anyway, I read, just recently that you, too, are an avid experimenter.”
“What do you have in mind?”
Rick’s interest was peaked.
“Well,” I started slowly. “I was thinking of the number of times we’ve gone out and each time we’ve been out we end up with a conflict. Maybe we could put our heads together and figure out why we keep having issues.”
“Of course.” I continued.
“Experimenting will require impartiality on both of our parts. Can you be impartial?”
“Do you have a list of experiments?”
I was pleased that he seemed willing.
“Each experiment will have to be talked about and chronicled and agreed upon by both of us. Do you agree to that stipulation?”
A knock on the door stopped our conversation long enough for the secretary to bring the coffee and the scotch into the room on a tray. Rick said nothing while she was still in the room. When she left, he closed the door behind her. As an after thought Rick went to his desk and pressed the buzzer to summon the secretary.
“Hold all calls. I don’t want to be disturbed.”
I’m not sure if he was exhibiting his power for my benefit but I ignored his other exchanges all together.
He walked to a door that I thought was a closet on the opposite end of the office. Holding the door open for me, I walked to him and past his desk. I looked for a steno pad to take notes on and didn’t see one. I asked if we could get a pencil and a tablet to chronicle our experiments.
Rick went back to his desk and pushed the button again. “Bring me a couple of steno pads and a couple of good pens. Right now!”
After barking his orders, he went to the door to the office and waited, looking at his watch the whole time.
When she brought the supplies requested he took them from her, gave her a dirty look, and closed the door in her face.
It was pretty obvious that Rick didn’t know how to treat people. I was thinking that maybe I could help him with that.
Again he held the door for me to enter the room first. I went inside and was surprised to see a small apartment type room. The place wasn’t even as big as his office. Rick walked over to the table and chairs that were just off the kitchen and pulled out a chair for me to sit on.
Not sure what we were going to do at the table and chairs but I followed his lead and sat down on the chair indicated. He placed a steno pad in front of me and set one of the pens on top of the pad.
When he stepped into the kitchen I got up and went back into his office, retrieved the tray with coffee and scotch and brought it into the little
