to wear tomorrow.”
And I’ve got to think about this, she told herself. Because this is more than I expected. This is more than I ever dreamed of.
But when they reached the street and he hailed a cab, he got in beside her and gave the driver his address.
In the back seat of the cab, he couldn’t seem to stop touching her, not to arouse her but almost as if he had to prove she was there beside him. He looked at her as if she was a miracle, touching her cheek, her hair, holding her hand. The smile in his eyes was more than just heat and lust. She felt loved and desired and claimed.
The claimed part bothered her.
“Richard...” she began.
“I want to make love to you all night.” He kissed her sweetly. She felt dizzy every time his mouth touched her.
“No, listen,” she said, and he laughed and kissed her again.
He was a great kisser.
He was a terrible listener.
When Richard got out at his apartment, he turned to help her out, but Emily pulled the door shut in his face and told the driver to go on. I want him again, she thought, but on my terms this time. Because if I don’t establish some kind of equality in our relationship pretty soon, I’m going to spend the rest of my life being ignored, humored, dictated to and put on hold.
Even to be with Richard, that’s too big a sacrifice.
Richard.
Oh, my God, Richard.
She leaned back in the cab and thought about him again and the way he’d moved against her, inside her. She closed her eyes and savored the memory. It was going to be a lot of work to get him to take her seriously, but he was worth it. He was worth everything.
* * *
“YOU’RE LOOKING VERY chipper this morning,” Jane said.
“Thank you.” Emily smiled smugly.
“Your underpants are on your desk.”
“What?”
“The cleaners found them in the conference room and put them on the lost-and-found bulletin board. Real clowns, those cleaners.”
“Does anybody know?”
“Absolutely not. I was the first one here. And I only knew they were yours because I bought them for you.”
“You get a raise.”
“Thank you. I deserve one. So who was the lucky man?”
“What man?” Emily said brightly, and went into her office.
An hour later, Jane buzzed her on the intercom. “The Hun would like to see you in his office. ASAP.”
I bet he does, Emily thought. He snaps his fingers, and I scurry up the stairs, and then he makes love to me on his office desk until I lose my mind. Well, actually, that last part sounds great, but I’m not going to his office. It’s time to make Richard start listening to me right now, because once we’re married, it’ll be too late.
Married? Emily swallowed, sandbagged by her own subconscious. Well, yes. Married. But on my terms, not his.
“Tell him I’m busy,” she said.
“Okay,” Jane said.
Emily spread the gem photographs that advertising had sent her across her desk. There really isn’t any choice, she thought, as she compared the paste to the gems. The fake stones were pale and dull, refusing to catch the light, while the rubies sparkled from inside and pulsed with color. She scribbled notes for a memo to Richard. Even he’s got to see the difference here, she thought. Even he should be able to spot the sizzle of the real thing.
The door opened, and without looking up, she said, “Jane, I’ve got a memo for Richard the Hun here.”
“Good,” Richard said. “I’ll take it.”
She looked at him over the top of her glasses. “Didn’t it occur to you to have my secretary announce you?”
He closed the door behind him and walked to the desk. “Your secretary is gone. And I need your memo on the stones now. I’ve got a report to make, you know.” He smiled down at her. “My reports go in on time.”
You are one arrogant SOB, she thought.
As if he’d read her mind, his smile widened, and her heart leaped to her throat. He leaned over and put his hands on the desk, and she remembered the last time he’d leaned over her, remembered where his hands and lips had gone. Her heart beat faster, and her breath came a little quicker.
Oh, no, you don’t, she told herself.
She forced herself to lean back in her chair and look up at him calmly. “I’ll have Jane send the memo right up,” she said, trying to keep the huskiness out of her voice. “It has my recommendations and the estimates.”
“What do I have to do to get it now?” he asked softly. I haven’t fooled him, she thought. Damn him. I’ve got to take control.
Jane’s voice came over the intercom. “George on line two.”
“I’ve got it.” Emily slid her chair back slightly to pick up the phone.
“Emily,” Richard said, trying to be stern. “The memo.”
Richard the Hun in action.
Emily suddenly found herself enjoying the situation. She covered the mouthpiece with her hand and grinned at him. “I’m busy. Get on your knees and grovel.” Then she turned back to the phone. “George! How wonderful to talk to you. You know, I was just saying to Jane, George and I don’t talk enough.”
“Emily?” George said.
“That’s me,” Emily said, batting her eyes at Richard. “What’s up?”
“Well...” George sounded confused. “I was just wondering how it was going with Richard? Everything all right?”
“Just great, George.” She stuck out her tongue at Richard. “Couldn’t have asked for a nicer guy to work with. Always asks, never orders. Great listener. Considerate, undemanding, a real liberated kind of guy.”
Richard raised his eyebrows at her. “You want to play games?” he asked. Then he walked around to her side of the desk and got down on his knees.
“What are you doing?” Emily said.
“Going over the last project totals,” George said.
“Cooperating,” Richard said. His hands slid over her knees and up to her waist, taking her skirt with them. Emily tried to put her knees together, but he thrust his body between them, spreading her legs farther apart and pulling her hips toward him.
“Stop it.” Emily tried to shove him back with her free hand.
“Now, Emily,” George said. “Relax. I’m not interfering with your project.”
“Relax.” Richard put his mouth against the softness of her inner thigh.
Emily moved her hand to his head and tried to push him away. Great day I picked to stop wearing panty hose and start wearing stockings, she thought wildly. Oh, God, what is he doing? We’re in my office, for heaven’s sake.
“Emily?” George said. “Emily, don’t be difficult about this.”
She twined her fingers in Richard’s hair and jerked his head up. He winced and pulled her hand away. “The garters are a good idea,” he said. “Don’t ever wear anything else.” And then he lowered his head again, clamping her hand at her side.
“Emily, will you please listen to me about this?” George said.
“I’m listening, George.” She tried