Page 84 of Mine

Chapter Twenty-Three

Phoebe dug her feet into her boots and zipped them to her exposed calf. That meeting had lasted longer than she cared for, and now all she wanted to do was find herself between Quentin’s arms and go to sleep. After picking up her briefcase, Phoebe tied the buckle around her double-breasted coat and strolled to the exit where she flipped the switch, shutting off the light. She closed her door behind her and locked it just as Jordan approached.

“Don’t tell me you’re leaving?” Phoebe feigned surprise. “The almighty Jordan never gets tired of work,” she teased.

“I like the almighty part,” he said, teasing back.

Phoebe smirked.

“I’ll walk you out,” he said.

Together, they ambled to the elevator. It dinged and opened without hesitation. They moved inside and turned to face the door.

“I didn’t get a chance to ask you how your new year had gone,” Jordan started.

“It was wonderful,” she said with a dreamy smile.

Jordan nodded. “Good.”

“How was yours?”

“Excellent,” he responded. “Selena and I spent it together in Sidney.”

“Australia?” Phoebe cooed.

Jordan chuckled, “That’s the one.”

“Hmm must be a little love in the air,” she teased.

“Time will tell,” he said.

Phoebe remembered Quentin saying the same thing to her.

“So,” Jordan got down to what he really wanted to know, “everything between you and Quentin, cool?”

Phoebe leaned into his shoulder and smiled up at him. “Don’t worry about me, big brother. Everything between Quentin and I is superb.”

It had only taking her fifteen minutes to drive twenty-five miles to reach him. Phoebe pulled her Mercedes Benz into Quentin’s driveway and parked. She retrieved her keys and briefcase, deciding to work from home tomorrow. His home to be exact. She smiled thinking about lighting a fire and being able to cuddle with him as she worked. She imagined Quentin rubbing her shoulders while she sent emails, took phone calls, and did research. Her smile lingered as she strolled to the front door and stuck her key in for the first time.

Elated and filled with happiness, she opened the door and strolled inside. Her nerves began to jump joyously as she moved through the kitchen. Discarded food sat on the counter and an empty wine glass in the sink.

“Aww,” Phoebe sang, thinking about the way she’d abandoned him and the massage he had for her. She walked toward the living room, looking for Quentin, but only found his high definition TV on ESPN. As she thought about ways to make it up to him, Phoebe scanned the room then strolled slowly down the hallway before entering his sleeping quarters.

It took you long enough,” Cindy said as she arched her naked back and glanced toward the door. Laying across Quentin’s bed with her bare legs tangled between his sheets, Cindy sat up gradually, and her mouth opened with surprise.

“Phoebe,” Cindy said, astounded.

A wave of sickness cascaded over Phoebe, and the briefcase she held onto slipped from her fingers and hit the ground. Her mind wanted to disregard the image of Cindy’s naked body spread out for her Quentin, but Phoebe’s eye held her captive. Instantly, her throat locked, and a severe splitting pain rocked through her existence.

“Oh my God,” Phoebe said, stunned into tears as the watery mist clouded her vision and fell down her face. Without trying, Phoebe’s eyes traveled to Cindy’s perky breasts, flat belly, thick hips, and silky legs. Phoebe slapped a hand over her mouth to control her regurgitation, and her feet back pedaled before she turned and fled down the hallway. Her hands fell out in front of her as she felt against the walls the more her vision blurred, half running and half dragging herself with tears streaming in a downpour.

Just as she reached the front door, it opened, and Quentin entered shaking off the cold. Phoebe ran past him, but her sudden appearance mixed with the distress in her eyes made him quickly reach out.

“Phoebe,” he grabbed her, “where are you going, what’s wrong?”

Phoebe turned around and slapped him hard. Her palm stung as she pulled it back and shouted, “I trusted you!”

Taken aback, Quentin paused, and his mind shuffled quickly. Phoebe turned to leave again, but he halted her advances, grabbing her arm again.

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