Page 25 of Marcel

“I was gettingto that.” Stepping over to the revolving shelves of ties, shepicked one out with tiny red and blue stripes and handed it to him.

“Shoes?”

She grinned at himbefore walking over to the shelves and picking a pair of brownItalian loafers. “Here you go. You are all set.”

“Why, thankyou.” He had meant it to be sarcastic, but it was the opposite.

“You are mostwelcome.” She went over to her shoe shelves and picked up brownleather heels.

“Black,”he said automatically.

Turning around toface him, she nodded and exchanged it for a pair of glossy blackheels.

“Aren’tyou afraid to walk in those?”

“The extraheight gives me more leverage when presenting my case.” Sheslipped into the shoes and gripped his arm to find her balance.

It struck him thenhow easily they had eased into domestic mode. They were dressingtogether and in the same space seamlessly as if they had been doingit for years.

“You do realizethat sounds ridiculous, right?” He stood there and waited forher to finish putting her shoes on.

“Ridiculous ornot, it works.” She let go of his arm and walked unconsciouslyto the chair to put her jacket on. “See you downstairs.”Stopping at the arched doorway, she looked at him. “What timedoes the housekeeper come?”

“Nine or ten.”

“Okay.”

He watched as shewalked out of the room and stood there staring at the space forseveral minutes before he could move. Shaking his head, he set aboutgetting dressed.

*****

The scent of coffeehit him as he descended the stairs, and the sight of her in the chicraspberry dress, with the coffee cup in her hand, pacing the lengthof the gleaming tiled floor, had his heart thumping inside his chest.

“I poured yousome coffee.” She moved the phone from her ear and gestured tothe cup. “I have Miller on the phone, and he is chomping at thebit.”

“What for?”Picking up his coffee, he stared at her with a frown.

“The techcompany owner is vacillating over the merger. It’s fine. I amgoing to the firm now and will sort this out.” She listenedagain for a few seconds as she took a sip. “Yes, it’sfine. Just don’t say or do anything until I get there.”

“You arehitting the ground running.”

“I am.”Finishing the coffee, she put the cup in the sink before leaving. “Iwill see you at the office.”

Cradling his cupbetween his palms, he sat down and inhaled the scent of her exoticperfume as he finished his coffee.

*****

Nikki had gottenaccustomed to the towering glass and chrome building in the busymetropolis with the quaint storefront buildings. These old-fashionedstructures had been remodeled during the last twenty years and stillmaintained the quaint early eighteenth-century era.

Hadley, Hadley,Hadley & Baker occupied the entire fifty-sixth-floor building inthe middle of the massive grounds. Staff parking was at severalunderground levels, with security guards manning the various booths.

The firm's upperechelons had designated parking spaces close to the private elevatorthat soars directly upwards to the senior partner’s office. Asa junior partner, she was relegated to a parking space several feetfrom the coveted area. But as she was about to turn into the space, aguard she was familiar with waved her to a stop.

“Buddy, what’sgoing on?” She asked, narrowing her window.

“Mr. James madesome changes during your absence.” The tall, thin black manwith the shiny pate told her with a friendly smile.

“Whatchanges?”

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