Page 65 of Rekindling Desire

“Lock the door and you can thank me properly.”

Ella shook her head. “This is me thanking you.”

Falling back into my chair, I sighed. “I’d prefer a blow job.”

More shaking of her head.

“What did I do?” I asked.

“You spoke with Julia.”

“I did.”

“She called Millie,” Ella said. “And the campaign is still a go. I offered to step down as campaign manager.”

Furrowing my brow, I pressed my lips together.

Ella went on, “Millie said she wants me to continue as we are.”

I reached for her left hand. “Even though we’re engaged.”

Ella nodded. “She wants me to keep the entire coalition happy with the fraternity. No preferential treatment.”

“Does having you naked under my desk for an early-afternoon blow job qualify as preferential treatment?”

The color in her cheeks was creeping down her neck. “Since I’m supposed to be working for Beta Kappa Phi, I think the answer is yes. What did you learn from Timothy Evans?”

I inhaled. “Gloria was in on it. The presiding officiant happens to have been her gardener, a talented man from Colombia who took an online test to become a clergy.”

“You were married by a gardener?”

“He gardens for money. He’s also a music prodigy—maybe, I don’t know. He’s working on his doctorate at IU in music. I’ve heard it’s not easy to be accepted into the program. The assumption is that he needed help staying in the US and money. Gloria stepped in and quid pro quo.”

Ella shook her head. “A gardener-slash-music prodigy and a hospital chaplain. Planning our wedding is getting more difficult. It will be hard to beat your track record of marriages.”

Reaching for her hand, I closed my eyes and sighed. Opening them, I smiled. “Thank you for believing me, and for even joking about this fucking mess.” I lifted her knuckles to my lips. “For being here now.”

“Maybe I should be the one getting oral.”

I patted the desk. “Anytime, anyplace.” When she didn’t abide, I continued, “Seriously, Timothy says I have grounds for an annulment as well as a lawsuit.”

“Because suing Gloria Wilmott and her daughter will be so helpful when the executive board reconvenes.”

“She should be removed from the board,” I said.

“That’s it, Damien. She should be removed. Or she could resign if you promise not to sue, not to make this mess public.”

I sat straighter, thinking about Ella’s suggestion.

Ella went on, “What they did to you was illegal and immoral. If they want their actions public, then don’t resign.”

“I think I love you for more than your forgiving spirit and sexy body.”

Ella grinned.

“I love your devious ways, too.”

“Talk to Timothy. I don’t consider it devious. Showing up at my door as soon as you left, that’s devious. Take her down.”

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