Natural Consequences(8)

“This is nothing anyone will ever be able to prove, because I’m not careless enough to leave evidence lying around,” shrugged the office manager. “Now, I know you’ve got a girlfriend. I don’t expect what happens here to leave this office. The real question is whether or not you’d like me to fix this for you.”

“For me?” he blinked. “Is Stephanie in trouble, too?”

“She’s gone. Talked to her just before you went out to lunch. She’s already packed up and out of here.”

Suddenly he felt awful. “Olivia, why did you do that?” he demanded.

“Because Susan has a lot of loyal clients, Alex. Business contacts. Wealthy people. If she leaves the firm, she’ll take them with her.” She got off him and retrieved her blazer from the floor, putting it on as she sat behind her desk and straightened her hair. She seemed shockingly calm about all this. “And I think I can see where this is going. I’m sorry, Alex, but the firm can’t tolerate this sort of behavior.”

“What?” he burst.

“You’ve been a good worker and everyone likes you, Alex. But this sort of sexual harassment is unacceptable.”

His jaw hadn’t closed yet, so it had no farther to drop. He stood from the couch. “You’re firing me?”

Olivia looked him over and gestured absently at the impressive tent formed by the crotch of his slacks. “Unless you can give me some reason I shouldn’t?”

His response didn’t come out right away, jammed up as it was by a dozen other shocked and disgusted replies all trying to escape his mouth. “Go to hell!”

The office manager sighed. “I was afraid you’d get self-righteous about this.”

“Self-righteous?” Alex sputtered as she reached for the phone. “You—“

“I’m calling building security now,” Olivia said flatly. “They’ll have someone up to watch you collect your belongings and escort you to the parking garage.”

There was nothing more to say. Nothing to debate. No defense he could muster. Alex stormed out of Olivia’s office without another word. He headed back into the file room, buttoning his shirt back up as if it mattered.

“Wow,” said an amused female voice, “that shit did not go the way I expected.” Alex found her lying atop the long counter that made up his and Kat’s desk, lounging with her head propped up on one arm. The radiance of Rachel’s halo seemed a bit toned down, perhaps for his benefit. The slender, youthful beauty’s broad white wings mostly faded into the wall behind her.

Usually, Rachel’s mere appearance gave him an immediate thrill. He saw her almost daily, but never at predictable moments. Given her responsibilities, the angel could not spend as much time with her lovers as any of them might wish.

Alex had responsibilities, too. Fewer of them now. It didn’t feel good.

“Were you watching?” he asked, keeping his voice low. He could still count the number of people who’d ever seen her on his fingers. Fired or not, Alex didn’t want anyone walking in to see him talking to the wall. Somewhere out there was a security guard on the way.

“Yeah, most of it. I felt her coming onto you. Figured as long as I was gonna get vicariously boned, I’d come get the visuals to match.” she grinned.

“Sorry about that,” he muttered. “I feel like such an asshole.”

“Why? Your boss is the asshole here,” Rachel shrugged. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Between you and me, Olivia’s guardian angel says she’s always been like this. You’re not the first guy she’s hit with the fuck-me-or-you’re-fired bit.”

“So you don’t think this I brought this on myself?” he fumed.

“Oh, sure, ‘cause you come to work dressed like a slut, right?” the angel deadpanned. “Doesn’t matter how hot you are or if you flirted with her or not. If the genders were reversed, you wouldn’t even question who was in the wrong.”

“Still. Women never even hit on me before Lorelei came along.”

“Hah! You mean you didn’t notice. Alex, your eau de succubus just advertises what a great lay you are,” she said with a melodramatic gesture. “It doesn’t turn anyone into a slobbering drone. There are four other chicks in this office who’ve fantasized about fucking you into the dirt, but they handle attraction like rational adults. You don’t see them tying you up and stuffing their panties in your mouth.”

Alex blinked. “Freudian slip much?”

“Maybe,” Rachel replied with her sweet, naturally innocent grin. “But still. As much as Stephanie wanted to jump you, she kept it under control, didn’t she?”