The Other C-Word (16 page)

Chapter Seven

I thought of the following week as the ultimate test of willpower. It was my week of agony and expected ecstasy. It was the week of anguishing distress and indulgent excess. It was the week of suffering sorrow and promising passionate pleasure. It was the week of bitter and sweet. Okay…I was being overly dramatic, but I felt all of those things in every cell of my body during that week.

Monday

I hadn’t known what Rick meant when he’d said we’d both know if the other had cheated, but by Monday morning, I had a clear idea. I slammed his coffee mug down, sloshing some of the hot liquid on his desk. I didn’t even care.

“I don’t have to bring you your coffee, you know. It’s not my job,” I grumbled.

“No one asked you to, Marley,” he replied curtly, not looking at me. It made me smile that he was irritated too.

“Fine, I won’t.”

“Fine by me. What the hell is in your perfume? Pheromones?”

“What’s going on with your face?” I asked, resisting the urge to take his chin in my hand. He had stubble, and it was turning me on something fierce.

“I didn’t have time to shave this morning. I take it you don’t like it?”

“I like it. That’s the problem.”

He arched his eyebrow. “I’ll shave then.”

I brought my face close to his, peering over him in the chair. “Listen up, buddy. You shave tonight and the rest of this week, but not Friday. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am, but tell me, why do you like stubble?” His voice was playful, but his grin was enticingly wicked.

I stood and backed away from him, forcing the same teasing tone into my voice. It came out a raspy whisper instead. “It tickles.”

His grin widened. “And where exactly would you like me to tickle you with my face, Marley?”

“Stop it, you’re tempting me, and we promised,” I warned.

He held up his hands in defeat, but the smirk remained. “Sorry, just one question. Will the parts I’m tickling be shaved or unshaved?”

I crossed my arms, tapping my feet. “Which would you prefer?”

He leant back in his chair, placing his hands behind his head. “It’s completely optional, but my preference is smooth.”

“That’s good.”

“Why is that, Marley?”

“I am smooth.”

His eyes took on a new intensity, causing me to feel somewhat victorious in this exchange. I knew he was painting a mental picture in his head. He bit his lower lip, and his hands actually shook when he pointed to me. “Get the hell out of my office. Don’t come in here unless you need something. Got it?”

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

I slammed the door on my way out.

* * * *

Tuesday

“Do you see how I’m dressed?” I gestured to my over-sized polo shirt and baggy pants.

“What’s your point, Marley?” Rick asked, barely glancing at me.

“I look awful.”

“Are you saying you’re trying to dress unappealing? How is that helping you?” He sat back in his chair, tapping his fingers against his desk, studying me.

“It’s not helping me, you jerk! It’s to help you because that’s the kind of person I am. I care about you and don’t want to torture you. You could return the favour, you know.”

He chuckled. I couldn’t blame him—I was hysterical. “Marley, let’s get one thing straight. I’ve seen you in a short skirt. I’ve seen your bare legs and have imagined them wrapped around me. I’ve felt the curves of your body with my hands and the way it responds to me. I’ve tasted the sweetness of your mouth. There is nothing you can do to erase those images from my mind. So understand this, you could wear a Middle-eastern burka and it wouldn’t help me right now.”

I had no idea how words could make me pant, but his did. He shifted his gaze back down to his computer monitor. “But for the record, what can I do for you, Marley?” his voice cracked when he spoke.

I didn’t think too hard. I blurted out the answer. “Your eyes are distracting.”

He grinned. “I kind of need them.”

“Yes, but maybe you could wear sunglasses or something.”

“You want me to wear sunglasses indoors? Don’t you think I’d look ridiculous?”

I crossed my arms. “I guess you’re right, but you should do something. Do your suits have to be so crisp? Can’t you make you tie crooked or something?”

“Like this?” he asked, adjusting his tie with those long fingers. God help me! It made me want to jump him.

“Stop! Just never mind,” I replied, holding my hands out.

He leant back in his chair with an amused smirk. “I’ll wear sunglasses when you’re around.”

“Thank you. Is there anything else I can do for you since the clothes don’t matter?”

He was thoughtful for a moment. “Maybe, you could wear your hair up. It’s distracting to me.”

I gathered my locks in my hands and placed them on top of my head. “Like this?”

“Fuck, don’t do it in front of me. Get the hell out of my office, Marley!”

I dropped my tresses. My hair fluttered back down my shoulders. I didn’t see Rick’s reaction, but his sharp intake of breath made it quite clear he was observing me closely.

“Fine,” I said, before he could kick me out again.

“Fine.”

I slammed the door on the way out.

* * * *

Wednesday

The most amazing thing about the week was how much we were accomplishing. It was like we coveted the work to keep ourselves distracted. I didn’t even need to stay late because I was completing an inexplicable amount of tasks during the normal day. It helped because he didn’t have to walk me down, and I didn’t think either of us would be able to control ourselves in the elevator.

I hadn’t brought him coffee since Monday. I hadn’t seen him today, except when he’d left for the gym. He had gone every day this week. It surprised me when Rick walked into the cafeteria to grab a sandwich. He rarely ate the cafeteria food, opting to pick up something at the gym. I was sitting at the far end of a table with Dillon. Rick scanned the room and his eyes rested on me. He nodded at me and I nodded back. He continued to steal glances while he was waiting in line, but he did put on sunglasses. I wasn’t sure if they were for my benefit or his.

My mother had packed my lunch today and, of course, everything was extremely healthy. Among the vegan pasta salad, almonds and bottled green smoothie was a bright orange carrot. The carrot wasn’t the smooth, perfect carrot that most people sought, but natural and organic. It was long and imperfect and even had the green leaf at the end, sticking out like a fine plume. I bit into it, relishing the crispy, crunchy deliciousness, while I stared at Rick.

God help me, the sunglasses made him look even hotter. I thought of Tom Cruise in
Top Gun
. In spite of his shades, it was obvious Rick was watching me too, as evidenced by his gaping mouth. In a dramatic gesture, he removed the glasses, narrowing his eyes at me and biting his lip. My pulse quickened at his intense gaze. It took me a second to figure out why he resembled a lion analysing its prey. I wasn’t eating the carrot. I was sucking on it, unconsciously. I shot him a toothy smile and crunched loudly, breaking our contact. Rick shook his head and turned away.

“What the hell was that?” Dillon asked, breaking me out of my trance.

“Nothing, did you take your pills yet? I was distracted.”

Dillon had placed the contents of our lunch in a straight line from the tallest to the shortest item. “I’ll say you were distracted. I think what you did to that carrot is illegal.” He slid his pudding over to me. “Dish, Marley.”

“Dish what, Dillon?”

“What the hell is going on with you and Rick the Dick? It looked like he was fucking you with his eyes.”

I shook my head. “Dillon, please don’t ask me to dish. It’s complicated.”

“Marley, are you fucking him?” I should have known Dillon would see through any façade—he was forthright and intuitive. Two qualities I typically admired. Today though, I thought of them as annoying.

I turned and looked at Dillon. “Nope.” It was true after all. I wasn’t…yet.

“Well maybe you should and stop taking your frustrations out on innocent vegetables.”

I laughed and moved Dillon’s pills in front of him. “Maybe you’re right for once.”

When I got back to my desk, Rick stormed out of his office and confronted me. He placed both hands on my chair and spun me towards him. “You broke your promise, Marley.” I noticed his knuckles were white.

“I was eating my lunch,” I murmured innocently.

“No more carrots—I mean it—or bananas, or popsicles, or anything like that. I don’t even want you sipping from a straw. Do you understand?” Rick commanded.

“You’re dictating what I can eat now?”

“Yes, at least in front of me. Do you think I’m enjoying this? It’s torture for me.” He brought his face very close to mine and for a moment, I thought he might kiss me, but he restrained himself.

“Good, we both feel the same way then.”

“Do you promise to behave yourself or do I really need to spank you?” The question sounded playful, but his tone was completely serious.

I wanted him to spank me, but we were so close. The goal that had seemed ridiculous and impossible was within reach. I wanted Rick to touch me without any obstacles for either of us. “I promise, no more phallic food.”

He nodded and pushed my chair away. “Email me if you need me. Don’t come into my office.”

He walked away, slamming his door. I didn’t mean to torment him, but part of me was happy he was as miserable as I was.

* * * *

Thursday

“You’re killing your plant,” I proclaimed irately, gesturing to the yellowing hedge.

“You said you’d water it,” Rick replied briskly.

“How can I water it when you kick me out of here and tell me not to come back?” I picked up the large planter somewhat awkwardly.

“What the hell are you doing?” Rick stalked over to take it from me.

“I’m confiscating it. You don’t deserve to keep it. I need the extra oxygen too.”

He brushed against my arm and I moved my body away from him, managing to hold onto the plant.

“Don’t touch me!” I shrieked.

“It’s too heavy for you,” he replied, holding out his hands.

“Just open the door.”

He ran to the door and opened it. I put the obnoxious brass planter down on the floor, next to the window on his office door. “I’m going to take care of it because this plant doesn’t deserve to suffer over your inattention.”

He stared at the plant then back at me. “I’m very attentive, Marley. I want to give it all of the resources at my disposal so it will thrive and flourish. I want to watch while it grows under my nurturing hands.”

My eyes widened. “Fuck, you’re not talking about the plant, are you?”