first. I’m grateful for the reprieve. Gary might be the only thing that stops Reid and me from ripping each other’s clothes off.
“I come bearing gifts,” Gary announces as he steps through with a tray in his hand, nodding in thanks to Thomas for opening the door for him.
“Gary, you are a god. Place it on the desk for me.”
He does as I ask as I stand and move around the desk toward him. Lifting up on my tiptoes, I place a kiss on his weathered cheek.
“Thank you. Can you rustle up a couple of coffees for my guys outside too, pretty please? I’ve kept them here far longer than I planned tonight,” I admit.
He laughs, shaking his head. “They know what you’re like, we all do. I’ll fetch them a drink, don’t worry. You about done?” he asks, looking over to Reid quickly before looking away.
“Twenty minutes and I’ll be out of here, I swear.” I wink, letting him know I’m good. He squeezes my arm before nodding his head toward Reid in respect and leaving, pulling the door tightly behind him.
I feel Reid’s eyes on me, but I don’t look up, as I sit back down and sip my coffee.
“That one’s for you.” I point at the second cup. “I’m almost done here, then I’ll take you home,” I tell him as he leans forward, making my body tingle with awareness.
“You’ve done well for yourself,” he says quietly, reaching for the remaining cup.
“I’m just doing my job,” I answer vaguely, entering the final figures I was finishing up with into the laptop before shutting it down.
“It’s more than that. I’ve been to all the divisions now, seen most of the division heads in action. All of them are given respect as is their due, but with you, it’s different. I can tell it’s because they truly do respect you, not because it’s expected or forced.”
“Well, yeah. It’s because I show them respect back. It really is as simple as that. You forget I’ve seen some of the other division heads in action too, and most of them have forgotten how they got where they are and look down on the people running for them. Beats me why when it’s where we all started.”
“Money corrupts, it’s an age-old story,” he points out, lifting one of the flakey pastries from the plate and taking a large bite. His eyes flutter closed for a moment before he wolfs down the rest of it in three bites.
“Money only corrupts if you let it. Honestly, it’s just a fucking excuse to be a dick if you ask me.” I reach out and snag the other pastry before Reid can take it.
“Zodiac says you’re doing well, better than he thought you would. In fact, he wants to call a meeting at the planetarium to discuss it with the others so they might implement whatever it is you’re doing.”
I pause, looking up at him sharply. “Excuse me?”
He looks at me with a peculiar look on his face. “What?”
“If you think for one second I’m going to tell a bunch of asshats how I’m making money so they can turn around, stab me in the back, and take it from me you’re out of your damn mind,” I snap.
“Cherry, if Zodiac wants you there, you’ll be there,” he warns, his voice hard.
“I never said I wouldn’t be, but if he’s expecting a step by step guide on how to sell more product, he’ll be bang out of luck. I sell his shit, I make him more money than he dreamed I would, and it’s still not enough. No, that’s not what he wants, Reid, he wants to know what other pies I have my fingers in, and that won’t happen.”
He opens his mouth to argue with me, but I hold up my hand to get him to shut up.
“Just leave it, Reid, I’ll deal with it when and if I need to.”
He sighs but drops it.
I shove my laptop in my bag and slip my feet into my heels.
“Come on, the sooner we leave, the sooner you can get some rest.”
“So you’re staying with me?” he asks, standing up and towering over me.
“Yes, I’ll stay, but Reid, we can’t keep doing this. You and I both know there is no future for you and me.”
“Maybe not, but then there is no future guaranteed for any of us. All I care about is being with you in the here and now. I’m so fucking tired of existing,