Lex(12)
Stopping at the end of our table the handsome man looks between Corey and I, and back again.
With a raised brow, he asks. “I’m not interrupting anything am I? Sorry, I saw your pickup outside before I came in. Thought I’d see how it’s goin’.”
He can see how it’s going, alright. He can see anything he wants. Holy crap on a cracker, what has gotten into me? Maybe this not getting laid for so many years I can’t even count has probably left me slightly sex deprived. I just don’t understand how I’m affected this badly all of a sudden. Strange…very…strange.
“No, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind. Gage, this is my good friend, Lex Keagan. Lex, this is my friend, Gage Masterson, he’s a lawyer in Heartfair. Gage’s law firm is tending to my divorce case, and his daughter Emma happens to be friends with my Bree. They’re in kindergarten together.”
Corey is talking and looking at me as he scoots to the side to offer Gage a spot at the table, but instead he sits down beside me. Now I’m very certain I’m creating a big wet spot somewhere on my dress. My panties are soaked by now and…
I get a giant whiff of Gage.
Oh my God, he smells even better than Corey does, and if he has a daughter that means he’s straight. Straight, lawyer, impeccable dresser, and smells divine. The perfect man!
Resting his right arm on the table, he reaches over it with his left, offering me his hand. Accepting its warmth into mine, I have to briefly close my eyes and take a deep breath to suppress the moan that, for whatever reason, wants to impart my lips.
This is not good.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lex.”
Swallowing hard, I hoarsely respond. “Hello, nice to meet you too.” And drop his hand. Tucking both of mine in my lap and rubbing the wanton sweat from them, onto my dress.
“Are you the owner of Keagan Cosmetics?”
I thought he was here to chat with Corey, not me.
“Yes.” I shyly nod, nibbling my bottom lip.
“Now, I see why Donald signed those documents and has now filed a lawsuit stating it was under duress.”
Whoa! What?
“What?” My face contorts, with blatant misunderstanding and I tuck my long hair over my right shoulder, turning my body completely to face him. This is news to me.
“Donald, the man who works for Saks that signed a contract last Monday in your offices, and you flirted with him to get the contact signed. The contract that your company typed up and he didn’t even have a chance to check the documents with his lawyers first. He’s in a heap of trouble because of this mishap. Therefore, he and the other two men in attendance at the negotiation are filing a lawsuit against you and your company. I wasn’t going to take the case directly. I was planning to give it over to one of my colleagues. However, now that I see you, I’m pretty sure they have a case. With all that…” He gestures his hand up and down my body.
“I’d say he was probably under some spell you corporate hotties like to play to get older men to agree to your every wish.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Masterson, I’m not sure what impression you’re under, but they wanted to buy part of my company. A company I spent years building… On. My. Own. I had a standard contract drawn up for them ahead of time, as I do with all of my clients. If Donald was so concerned about what he was signing, he doesn’t show it, because I’ve personally received numerous letters and flowers from him this week. Obviously, he doesn’t care one iota what he signed with my company and wants to go on a date with me, which by the way, I have not agreed to. Furthermore, I did not force him into anything. Flirting is part of the job, Mr. Masterson, a man looking such as yourself should greatly understand what I am trying to express.” I snap at him, my eyes nearly bugging out of my head in anger.
How dare he talk to me that way! Fine, support those pompous asses. I didn’t force them into anything. Yes, I flirted, and yes, I provided them with a standard contract after they tried to buy half of my company. It’s not my fault their head honchos are peeved they didn’t deliver what they wanted. They can sue me all they want. They will never own a single percentage of Keagan Cosmetics.
With a bored tone Gage simply replies, “Yes, such hard work, when I’m sure mommy and daddy paid your way.”
Hurtful tears suddenly sting my eyes. Could he be any more wrong? I’m sorry, but I made my own way in life. I never received handouts and I wouldn’t have accepted them even if they had been offered.
Biting my lip and sucking in my weak whimpering emotions. I grab my purse from the floor under the table. I can’t sit here any longer. I have to leave.