The Randy Romance Novelist(35)

“What are you working on?” Tasha asked from over my shoulder.

I nearly shit my pants from being startled. I didn’t even hear her walking in my direction. Usually the click clack of her heels against the hard floor warned me of her approaching. I looked down to see her barefoot; that could explain things. Her toes were painted a black color that for some reason terrified me. Black nails made me think women were covering something up. Where have your toes been that you need to paint them black? Have you been digging in chopped up loins? Do you have some kind of vagina digging fetish? Why were they black?

“You into toes?” Tasha asked, wiggling her feet.

“What? No!” I replied, leaning back in my chair, scooting as far away from her as possible.

She crossed her arms over her chest, bringing her cleavage even closer together, and leaned up against the entrance of my cube. “We had some good times back in the day, Henry.”

“Yeah, I don’t want to talk about that,” I answered honestly. What’s past was past, plus I didn’t trust her. Why didn’t I close out of my proposal before she came over? Oh yeah, she sneak-attacked me. I sat up in my chair, hoping my shoulder span covered up my computer screen.

“So, you and Rosie, huh?” She nodded her head at the picture of Rosie on my desk. I glanced at it quickly, a lightness filling my heart before I turned back around to Tasha.

“Yup, me and Rosie,” was all I said. I didn’t want to get into it. All I wanted was for Tasha to leave me the hell alone so I could finish up the last couple of paragraphs on my proposal and then get back home to Rosie.

“Do you ever think about what we used to have?”

“Nope,” I shook my head. Not liking the way she was looking over my shoulder, I turned around and exited out of my proposal. “I’m actually going to get going.” I shut down my computer, unplugged it from my docking station, and stuffed it in my computer bag.

I stood up from my chair but was blocked by Tasha, who now had a predatory look in her eyes. “Don’t you want to share ideas? Maybe brainstorm?” Her hand reached out and started pressing on my shirt buttons. “Think about it, Henry. We can combine our ideas and then share the position.”

“What kind of world are you living in? They are not going to split the job in two.”

She stepped even closer, backing me up into my desk. “I know on Friday I was a little ornery, but I was caught off guard when I saw you in the conference room. You’re good at your job, Henry, and I was intimidated.”

I didn’t know how to respond; her hand was inching up my shirt and she was leaning in way too close. I was about to tell her to step away when the elevator dinged and Rosie came walking into the office space, wearing a trench coat and looking a little nervous. She was watching her perfect little feet glide across the floor until the moment she was only a few feet away from my cube; that was when she saw Tasha practically crawling all over me.

My stomach plummeted from the look of utter betrayal and devastation across her face.

“Rosie . . .” I said, stepping aside from Tasha, computer bag in hand.

Rosie stepped back as I approached, while pointing behind me. “Is that Tasha?” Her voice was shaky, and she stammered.

“Rosie, it’s not what you think.” I stepped closer, but she took another step back. I could feel her slipping away, and it was the most horrifying feeling I’d ever experienced.

To make things worse, Tasha stepped up behind me, placed her hand on my shoulder and said, “Hey, Rosie, long time no see. How are you, girl?”

Rosie didn’t even answer her. “Why are you here?”

“Oh, Henry didn’t tell you? I’m working here now.”

“You’re . . . you’re working here?” Rosie pointed at the ground. “As in working with Henry, late at night, with your hands all over him?”

“Oh, that?” Tasha laughed. “Just reminiscing on who we used to be. Isn’t that right, Henry? We were so hot back then.”

“Nope, no, no, no,” I shook my head, hating every moment of this. “No.”

“I’ve got to go,” Rosie shouted, incredibly loudly, out of pure mortification, and then sprinted toward the elevator, where she continuously pushed the down button.

Shaking Tasha off me, I said, “Leave me the f*ck alone, Tasha. You just turned my night into a shitstorm.”

“Good.” She smiled. “Maybe when you’re done playing house, you can come hang with a real woman.”

I looked Tasha dead in the eyes, hoping she would get it through her head what I was about to tell her. “There is nothing real about you, Tasha. What we had is in the past and that’s where it will stay. I am with Rosie now; I am happily in love with Rosie right now. Therefore, there will be no reminiscing, and there will be no more touching. I will not let you ruin what I have with Rosie because you are seeking some kind of vengeance. Leave me the f*ck alone, got it?”

I didn’t let her answer. Instead, I chased after Rosie, but when I got to the elevator, the doors had closed before I could stop them. It was going to be a really long night.

***

By the time I got home, it was well over twenty minutes of battling elevators, stairs, taxis, and every single person in New York City. For some reason, the entire population decided to walk the streets tonight and get in my way. I was surprised I was able to hold my composure and not start punching random strangers for being in my way.