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Shaking her head, Cherish decided just to order something and returned to her desk.
It was ridiculous that a mere decline to have lunch should shake her up so much. Had she crossed a line talking to Haylee about passion and using sex as a way to show her?
With food in her stomach and her mind back in the flow of work, it had been easier for Cherish to convince herself that nothing was connected. Nothing had changed. They were colleagues who could enjoy each other’s time—and bodies. Cherish squeezed her legs together as memories flooded into her.
Reaching for her coffee cup, Cherish found it empty and stained on the inside. How long had she been sitting there obsessing over Haylee’s distracting body?
No wonder she didn’t want to fall into the trap of love. Not only was it incapable of lasting, but it had the potential to ruin everything else in one’s life while its claws dug in.
The office was quiet and the small kitchenette empty as Cherish made herself another coffee.
“Haylee, I’ll be out for the rest of the afternoon.” Febe’s voice was clear and precise as the click of her heels told Cherish exactly where in the office the two women were.
“All right, Ms. Aarts. I’ll let Cherish know.” Haylee’s voice sounded confident in reply to Febe’s, but Cherish knew her better than others. Didn’t she? There was something nervous in her words, something unsure and wavering.
Cherish waited, sipping her freshly made coffee as she followed Febe’s exit from the office. The clicks of heels ended with the whoosh and snick of the door opening and closing.
Taking another fortifying sip, Cherish headed back to her desk.
“Hey, Haylee. You’re back. Is everything okay with your brother?” Cherish slid into her seat and placed her coffee on the coaster.
“Yes.” Haylee didn’t even look up from her screen as she responded. “Ms. Aarts is gone for the rest of the day.”
“Excellent.” Cherish added a little purr into her voice, hoping to get some kind of reaction from Haylee. “Have you thought more about what she needs to see in your presentation?”
“You mean passion?” Haylee looked up, and Cherish suddenly wished she hadn’t. Those eyes were the eyes of a stranger. The dancing light within had glazed over into something hard and impenetrable.
“Yes.” Cherish cleared her throat. “Your passion for the project.”
“I’ve figured out what I need to do. Thank you.” Haylee returned to her work, and Cherish stared at her for another moment or two wondering what exactly had happened.
The rest of the week followed as such, and Cherish, despite her determination not to let Haylee, or any woman for that matter, preoccupy her into distraction, was absolutely distracted by Haylee. Friday morning came, and with it the proof that Cherish had failed to keep her brain on task.
“Cherish, in my office please.” Febe strode in earlier than normal, though Cherish noticed Haylee already had their boss’s coffee waiting.
Cherish picked up her notebook and pen and scurried after Febe.
Closing the door behind her, Cherish turned to see Febe leaning against the side of her desk. Her ass perched on the edge, with her legs out straight and crossed at the ankles. Cherish’s eyes moved up Febe’s legs, taking in the black pinstripe pencil skirt and the white blouse with soft collar. Febe’s hands were on either side of her hips, fingers curled around the edge.
All of the moisture disappeared from Cherish’s mouth as she remembered having a wild fantasy about Febe that started much like this. But that had been a long time ago, and the idea, while speeding up Cherish’s heart rate, filled her with discomfort rather than arousal.
“What’s wrong?” Febe asked directly, not bothering to hedge.
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve been distracted all week. I wasn’t going to say anything, but when I came in today, you looked at me like I was a ghost.”
“You’re early,” Cherish replied in defense. Yes, she had been distracted, but that was hardly a crime.
“And you should have known that.” Febe raised her eyebrows as she tucked her chin in slightly, eyes now looking at Cherish as if she was being studied.
“I’m fine.”
“Good.” Febe pushed herself off from the desk. “But as a friend, I’m always here to talk if you’d like to.”
“Everything’s fine, Ms. Aarts. I apologize for being distracted. It won’t happen again.”
“Cherry.” Febe’s voice softened. “I really thought we had discuss—”
