glanced at him as they continued along 19th Street, walking underneath the scaffolding that seemed a permanent fixture on Manhattan sidewalks.
“Look, Dexter,” she said. “I know my original plan was to make Cortland jealous, but I honestly doubt it will work. I don’t think he cared enough about me to become jealous at the sight of me with someone else.”
Dexter’s brow hitched. “You were together for four years?” She nodded. “He’ll be jealous. I don’t care that he was the one who broke it off. Seeing the woman he’s had exclusive rights to for the past four years getting cozy with another man...he has no choice but to be jealous.” He winked. “We’ll make sure of it.”
They came to the entrance to the building. Asia took a deep breath and entered the door Dexter held open for her. A hostess escorted them through the front of the lounge, past the patrons seated at the rich mahogany bar. The dimmed lights reflected off of the tin ceiling, adding to the warmth created by the dark wood and exposed brick walls.
They were guided to the rear of the bar, where one crimson-velvet curtain was pulled back, leading to the private room where the GPPR biannual mix-and-mingle event was being held.
Upper management had created the event as a way for company employees to network with clients under more relaxed circumstances. Of course, no one was ever relaxed. It was the usual jockeying for position within departments, with everyone trying to make an impression that would stand out to the powers that be. Because of the open bar, there would undoubtedly be a few who would overindulge and make the wrong impression.
A drunken, impromptu serenade by a junior account manager in the market-research department had fueled office gossip for at least a week after the last mixer. Maybe Asia could entice some young employee to overdo it on free drinks tonight; it would quell any gossip that may still be going on about her breakup with Cortland.
Moments after entering the room, Asia was approached by someone from the speech-writing department. She introduced Dexter to him and several other co-workers.
She had just concluded a conversation with GPPR’s managing director when she spotted Cortland and Nina walking through the crimson curtain, he in the Christian Dior she’d picked out for him, Nina in an underwhelming gray pantsuit. At least she could take comfort in the fact that she looked better than “the other woman” tonight, dressed in a black sheath with lace overlay and her favorite Ruthie Davis peep-toe pumps.
She had managed to avoid running into either of them at the office since that horrid display on the street outside of Rodney’s apartment building a week ago. It had not been difficult to accomplish. The legal department was six floors down from her department. She would often go weeks without seeing Cortland at the office.
But seeing him now, in this setting, with his new woman?
Asia’s stomach pitched and rolled, and she immediately regretted not finishing that earlier glass of Chardonnay.
Dexter leaned over and whispered in her ear, “That’s him, isn’t it?”
“How did you know?” Asia asked.
“Your body stiffened.” He set the glass of soda he had been drinking on a nearby table and said, “Come on.”
Asia tugged his arm. “What? No.”
He brought his face closer and whispered, “I thought the point of me being here is so that he can see you with your much sexier, handsomer new man?”
His warm breath against her neck sent a waterfall of excited tremors cascading down Asia’s spine. “Uh...let him come to me,” she managed to choke past the grapefruit-size lump of lust that had lodged in her throat. “And if he avoids me all night, that’s fine, too. As I said before, I’m not sure this effort to make Cortland jealous will work.”
“I give it twenty minutes, tops. He’ll be here as soon as he spots you,” Dexter said with a self-assured chuckle.
Dexter had
“Look, Dexter,” she said. “I know my original plan was to make Cortland jealous, but I honestly doubt it will work. I don’t think he cared enough about me to become jealous at the sight of me with someone else.”
Dexter’s brow hitched. “You were together for four years?” She nodded. “He’ll be jealous. I don’t care that he was the one who broke it off. Seeing the woman he’s had exclusive rights to for the past four years getting cozy with another man...he has no choice but to be jealous.” He winked. “We’ll make sure of it.”
They came to the entrance to the building. Asia took a deep breath and entered the door Dexter held open for her. A hostess escorted them through the front of the lounge, past the patrons seated at the rich mahogany bar. The dimmed lights reflected off of the tin ceiling, adding to the warmth created by the dark wood and exposed brick walls.
They were guided to the rear of the bar, where one crimson-velvet curtain was pulled back, leading to the private room where the GPPR biannual mix-and-mingle event was being held.
Upper management had created the event as a way for company employees to network with clients under more relaxed circumstances. Of course, no one was ever relaxed. It was the usual jockeying for position within departments, with everyone trying to make an impression that would stand out to the powers that be. Because of the open bar, there would undoubtedly be a few who would overindulge and make the wrong impression.
A drunken, impromptu serenade by a junior account manager in the market-research department had fueled office gossip for at least a week after the last mixer. Maybe Asia could entice some young employee to overdo it on free drinks tonight; it would quell any gossip that may still be going on about her breakup with Cortland.
Moments after entering the room, Asia was approached by someone from the speech-writing department. She introduced Dexter to him and several other co-workers.
She had just concluded a conversation with GPPR’s managing director when she spotted Cortland and Nina walking through the crimson curtain, he in the Christian Dior she’d picked out for him, Nina in an underwhelming gray pantsuit. At least she could take comfort in the fact that she looked better than “the other woman” tonight, dressed in a black sheath with lace overlay and her favorite Ruthie Davis peep-toe pumps.
She had managed to avoid running into either of them at the office since that horrid display on the street outside of Rodney’s apartment building a week ago. It had not been difficult to accomplish. The legal department was six floors down from her department. She would often go weeks without seeing Cortland at the office.
But seeing him now, in this setting, with his new woman?
Asia’s stomach pitched and rolled, and she immediately regretted not finishing that earlier glass of Chardonnay.
Dexter leaned over and whispered in her ear, “That’s him, isn’t it?”
“How did you know?” Asia asked.
“Your body stiffened.” He set the glass of soda he had been drinking on a nearby table and said, “Come on.”
Asia tugged his arm. “What? No.”
He brought his face closer and whispered, “I thought the point of me being here is so that he can see you with your much sexier, handsomer new man?”
His warm breath against her neck sent a waterfall of excited tremors cascading down Asia’s spine. “Uh...let him come to me,” she managed to choke past the grapefruit-size lump of lust that had lodged in her throat. “And if he avoids me all night, that’s fine, too. As I said before, I’m not sure this effort to make Cortland jealous will work.”
“I give it twenty minutes, tops. He’ll be here as soon as he spots you,” Dexter said with a self-assured chuckle.
Dexter had
Similar Books
