Authors: Marilyn Lee
“Fine. You've made your point. I won't keep you any longer.” She pulled open the door and walked out.
He closed the door behind her and leaned against it, closing his eyes. Idiot! A sweet, sexy, beautiful woman tracks you down and you behave like a moron. You want to have sex with her. She wants to have sex with you. What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you creating problems? Why are you allowing her to think that night meant nothing to you when it did?
He took several deep breaths before yanking the door to his office open. “Darbi ...”
She glanced briefly over her shoulder but kept moving across the outer office.
He followed her out of the office and into the hallway. At the bank of elevators, she turned to face him, a wary look in her eyes. “I don’t think we have anything else to say to each other.”
He slipped his hands into his pant pockets. “I'm sorry. I behaved like a jerk just now.”
She shrugged. “You behaved like a man who's not interested.”
“You can't really believe that.”
“You haven't given me any reason not to.”
“I am interested.”
“Sure you are.”
“I am. And I did write a letter.”
“Yeah. I know. You wrote it, but didn’t leave it. Tell me another one, Clay.”
“It’s the damned truth, Darbi!” He pulled out his wallet, removed the folded, crumpled hotel stationery, and gave it to her.
He watched several expressions -- surprise, pleasure, and annoyance chase each other around on her face as she read his note. When she looked up at him, he spoke before she could. “It's been difficult to dismiss thoughts of you since we met.”
“Why didn’t you leave this, Clay?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I intended to, but at the last minute, I didn’t.”
“If our night together was something you wanted to cherish, why make me track you down and why humiliate me in your office?”
“I'm sorry if you felt humiliated. That certainly wasn't my intention, but I'm just not interested in anything other than a strictly sexual relationship at the moment.”
She shrugged and pushed the elevator call button. “What makes you think I want anything more than that from you?”
He considered her in silence for several moments. Why would she be willing to settle for a strictly physical relationship? “You're not interested in anything more permanent?”
“Yes, but I'll be ... blunt. I'm tired of toys. I want the real thing. I’d like to have it with you -- until I meet someone I can fall in love with.”
He narrowed his gaze. “And of course you couldn't fall in love with me?”
She folded his letter and to his surprise, slipped into her shoulder bag. “You're one of the sexiest ... you are the sexiest man I've ever met, let alone slept with, but when I'm ready to get serious, it will be with a man whose tan is permanent.”
What the hell was her problem? She intended to keep the letter he’d written her and she couldn’t spread her legs fast enough for him, but he wasn’t good enough for a serious relationship? “So you just want to use me for my body until then?”
Although annoyed by her attitude, he liked that she didn't blush or look away from him as she nodded. “There's no need to make me sound so ... self-serving. I thought we could use each other.”
He shook his head. “I don't know if I like the idea of being your real life sex toy.”
“It's not as bad as you're making it sound. I wasn't in that hotel room by myself. You were there too. You know how ... good it was between us. It was more than good, Clay.”
He nodded. “That doesn't mean I'm prepared to be used.”
“You’re making too big a deal out of this. You said you weren’t interested in anything but sex with me. Yet when I tell you that’s all I want, you get bent out of shape? What do you want me to do? Pretend it was love at first thrust?”
“It happens.”
“Maybe so, but not in our case.” The elevator door slid open. She stepped in. “I'll give you some time to think about it and then I'll call you to see if you're interested.”
The elevator doors closed and he returned to his office and sank down into his chair. Determined not to spend any more time thinking about her, he turned on his computer and concentrated on work.
Two hours later, his intercom buzzed. He reached over to answer it. “Yes, Jill?”
“Ms. Raymond is on line one.”
“Thank you.” He picked up the receiver and pushed line one. “Darbi?”
“You've had enough time. Are we going to be lovers or do I need to look elsewhere?”
He sat back against his chair. “This is your idea of giving me time to think about it?”
“I want to sleep with you. How much clearer can I make it without totally embarrassing myself?”
“I've already told you there's no need to be embarrassed. I find a sexually unrepressed woman highly interesting.”
“That's easy for you to say. You're not the one doing the chasing and tracking down.”
As he sat with his eyes closed, with a picture of her beautiful face imprinting on his eyelids, he realized that had she not tracked him down, he would have pursued her. “Our seeing each other would not be a good idea.”
“I see. In that case, I won't take up anymore of your valuable--”
“Hey! Wait a minute. It’s not a good idea, but I am interested ... more than interested.”
She released a quick breath. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“How much more than interested?
“A lot more.”
“Good. So let's just lay down a few ground rules and go from there.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Do you always take over like this?”
“No. Of course not. I've never run a man down and I've sure never begged one to be my temporary lover. So let me say what I need to before I lose my nerve.”
“You don't need to be nervous or embarrassed with me, Darbi. I'm finding your sexual candor exhilarating. Go on. Have your say and then we'll talk about dating.”
“Dating? We're not actually going to be dating, are we? We're both adults and I can't see any reason why we shouldn't just admit we want a sexual relationship with no strings or complications attached. I don't have to pretend I don't want to sleep with you and you don't have to pretend I mean anything to you.”
“Damn, you're blunt, aren't you?”
“You'd rather pretend?”
“No, but I'd rather you didn't sound as if you expect me to treat you like a piece of ass.”
“Isn't that what you plan to do?”
“No, it's not. Just because I'm not interested in trying to fall in love with you doesn't mean I'm going to treat you like my personal whore either.”
He heard her catch her breath. “Good, because I'm no one's whore.”
“Now we have that out of the way, can I buy you dinner tonight?”
“You don't have to --”
“Look, Darbi, just because I said I only wanted a sexual relationship doesn't mean the only time you're going to see me is when I want sex.”
“No?”
She sounded surprised, but pleased.
He smiled. “No. I'm looking forward to slow dancing with you and then having sex with you.”
She laughed. “I'd like that.”
“So would I. So then we'll have dinner, slow dance, talk, and then have sex.”
“Yes.”
“We'll have lots of sex.”
“Yes, please. Lots of it.”
Chapter Five
Darbi hung up the phone, closed her eyes, and pumped both fists in the air. “Yes!” She opened her eyes. And now that she'd run him down and they were going to be lovers, it was time to tell Sharde. She sighed, hoping Sharde was completely over him.
She left her office and slowly walked down the hall separating her office from Sharde's. She'd briefly occupied the office when Sharde had left Calder Technologies for several months. When Sharde and Jefferson had reconciled, Darbi had gladly returned to her former job, which included the traveling she enjoyed.
She tapped on the door.
“Come in.”
She took a deep breath and entered.
Sharde looked up from her monitor and smiled. “Hey.”
“Hey. Got a few minutes?”
“Sure.” She gestured towards the two chairs in front of her desk. “Take a load off.”
“Thanks.” Darbi sank into one of the chairs. “We need to talk.”
“Sure. What about?”
“Clayton.”
Sharde sat back against her chair. “Clay? What about him? I take it you met him at the job fair?”
“I ... I did more than meet him, Sharde.”
“You ... oh. Really? Do you mind if I ask when?”
“About a week ago. The night before the job fair. There was a mix up in the rooms and somehow we both ended up in the same room.”
Sharde nodded. “And?”
“Well ... he was in the bathroom, sleeping in the tub when I arrived. I didn't know he was there and I was feeling a little ... tense and sorry I hadn’t maybe had Sarro do a lap dance for me. I had my toys with me so I ... I was lying on the bed with my battery-operated boyfriend when he came out of the bathroom, naked and aroused and ... one thing led to another and ... we ended up in bed.”
Sharde glanced down at her desk before meeting her gaze again. “I am so tempted to ask you how he is in bed, but I won't.”
“He made my toes curl.”
“Really? He sounds as if he's almost in Jeff's league.”
Darbi arched a brow. She doubted Jefferson or any other man could touch Clay in bed. “He's ... he has nothing to be ashamed of.”
“So he's a good lover. Why are you looking so worried?”
“He's our biggest rival.”
Sharde dismissed her concern with a wave of her hand. “So?”
“So do you think I need to tell Jefferson?”
“No. Why would you need to tell him?”
“Because I just got off the phone with Clayton and it's not going to be a one-time thing.”
“You two are dating?”
She nodded. “Does it bother you?”
Sharde’s gaze widened. “No! Why should it? That's what I wanted ... the two of you to get together.” She smiled. “I told him you two would be great together. I knew you'd knock his socks off and I knew once you met him, you'd want to date him even if he's not black.”
She shook her head. “Before you get too happy for us, I think you should know that we're not really dating.”
“What do you mean?”
“He's great in bed, but I still plan to marry a brother.”
Sharde blinked. “Oh, you do?”
“Yes. We've ... he and I have decided to be adult about our mutual attraction. We're going to be friends with benefits.”
“For how long?”
“Until either one of us finds someone we want to get serious with.”
“You think that's going to work?”
“Yes. We've discussed it and neither one of us wants a serious relationship with each other. We've agreed to have a purely sexual relationship that doesn't lead to or require a commitment.”
“But I thought you were going to do the second virginity thing until you met a man you wanted to marry?”
Darbi grimaced. “That waiting until an engagement before having sex again thingy flew out the window when he stepped out of the bathroom so ... gloriously aroused. Sharde, the man is ... hot ... he's packing a whopper and he wields it with lethal-like skill.”
“And you think you're going to be able to keep from falling hard for him while sleeping with him?”
“Yes.”
“Come on, Darbi. Get real, girl. I was head over heels in love with Jeff when I met Clay and I nearly lost my heart to him. I came so close to tumbling into bed with him. And we never got past the kissing and caressing stage. I can't see your not falling for him once you start sleeping with him.”
“I have it all straight in my head. I know what I want. What I need to know is if I should tell Jeff we're seeing each other.”
She shook her head. “It's none of his business. He knows all he needs to know: that you're loyal to the company and won't divulge any company secrets. Not that Clay would ask or expect that of you. But I'll mention it to Jeff in passing so it won't come as such a shock.”
“Okay.” She exhaled deeply and rose. “I'd better get back to work.”
“Darbi, be careful. Okay?”
She turned at the door. “Careful? You think he'll hurt me?”
“Not intentionally, no, but if you start wanting more and he's still satisfied with sex only ... trust me, it's going to start hurting real bad real fast.”
“I don't want a commitment from him. I just want ... sex until my ebony knight comes along.”
“What if you've already met him, but he's white instead of black? Would you really turn down love with Clay just because he's not black?”
“Love?” She shook her head. “What he makes me feel begins with an L all right, but it's lust, not love. Don't worry about me, Sharde. I'll be fine.”
“Darbi ... don't you think the room mix up is like a sign?”
“From who about what?”
“Come on, girl. What are the chances of your both being assigned the same room and ending up in bed? Don't you think the mix up is like a sign you two belong together?”
She shrugged. “Maybe for the short haul, sure. Long term? I don't think so.”
“Fine, but don't expect me not to say I told you so when you find yourself head over heels in love with him.”
She grinned. “I'm head over heels with him all right, but it's lust, girl. Not love. I want him so much I tracked him down and told him I wanted him to be my lover.”
Sharde's eyes widened. “You tracked him down and said all that and you still think this is just lust? Girl, get real! You're in lust and love with him.”
“Lust, Sharde, big time. Not love.”
Sharde shook her head, holding her hands up, palms out. “Fine. Call it what you want, but I know what I call it and it ain't lust. What do you want to do about your present from the girls?”
“My present? What present?”
Sharde lifted the blotter on her desk and held up a red envelope. “Sarro. Remember him?”
“Oh.”
Sharde waved the envelope at her. “Can I interest you in a lap dance given by a sexy hunk?”
Darbi crossed the room, took the envelope, tore it into pieces, and dropped them into the wastebasket near Sharde’s desk. “Nope.”
Sharde nodded, a satisfied look on her face. “I thought not.”
Darbi shrugged. “Never mind him. How are the wedding plans coming along?”