Velma was on her way to the restaurant where she was meeting her friend, Wendy for lunch when she spotted them–Tadeas and a young woman. They were hugging. Red, hot jealousy ripped through her and her fingers gripped the steering wheel. She shot through the intersection as soon as the light turned to green.
Who was the girl? What was he doing with her? Had he been seeing her on the side? Damn him! Had he been playing her? She had been so thrilled when he told her that he was madly in love with her and now there he was in the arms of another woman.
Tears pricked the backs of her eyes. How she longed to scratch his eyes out, throw things at and slap that handsome face of his. It served her right for falling for a guy eleven years her junior.
The next morning as soon as she went into her office, she called him on his extension. “I need to see you right now.” Before he could say anything, she hung up.
He frowned as he replaced the receiver. She sounded upset about something. Had he botched the latest ad layout? He got up from his desk and went to her office.
She was standing at the window and didn’t turn around when he knocked. “Come in and close the door.”
He closed the door and walked over to her. She looked incredibly sexy in the dress she was wearing and he felt himself get hard. He put his hands on her shoulders to pull her against him so that she could feel how much he wanted her but she jerked away. She glanced over her shoulder at him and the expression on her face startled him. “What’s the matter?” he asked.
“You don’t waste any time, do you?”
He stared at her, confused. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t play innocent with me. I saw you with her.”
“Who? What are you talking about?”
“I saw you with a young woman on Munster Road. The two of you seemed very cozy. Who is she, Tadeas?”
“Oh. You mean Clare.”
“Clare? Is she another one of your conquests? She’s a bit young, isn’t she? I thought you were only into older women.”
“Is that why you’re acting like this? You’re jealous of Clare?”
“I’m not jealous,” she denied vehemently although she was insanely so.
“Clare is my cousin. Didn’t you notice that we were standing outside of a funeral home? We were about to go inside for the visitation. Her father who is my father’s younger brother passed away on Thursday.”
“She’s your cousin?”
“Yes! Do you mind if I use your computer for a moment?”
“No. Go ahead.”
He marched over to the desk and searched until he found what he was looking for. “Come and take a look at this.”
She went over to the desk and standing beside him, she stared down at the screen. It was an article on his uncle, Robert Gray, the younger brother of Sir Sir Hamilton Gray. There were photos of the man and his family and she recognized the young woman in them. Beneath the photos, she read that Robert Gray was survived by his wife, Eleanor, his son, Nigel and daughter, Clare.
She glanced up at Tadeas. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “I saw you with her and went crazy.”
“Don’t you get it by now?” he demanded thickly. “It’s you I want. I’ve always wanted you but was too damned proud to admit it.”
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled again, feeling very sheepish.
“You have no reason to be jealous, Velma.” He assured her as he lifted her up on top of the desk and moved between her legs. He pushed the skirt up higher so that he could caress them. They were as smooth as her arms. His eyes darkened on her upturned face. He lowered his head and kissed her. Moaning, she put her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
An hour later, he emerged from her office, smoothing his hair down as he walked to his desk.
Notes to Women 