Page 75 of Now and Forever

He tries to kiss me. I pull back.

“Did you just pull the cobra on me?” he asks in a teasing fashion.

I nod. I’m jealous. Very jealous.

“My love ... ,” Eric whispers, “will you please stop thinking such silly things?”

I take his hands off me. I walk to the other side of the desk.

“With Betta, right?”

An instant after I mention her name, I realize I shouldn’t have. Goddamn it!

But Eric responds honestly. “Yes.”

There’s an uncomfortable silence.

“Have you been with Leslie, your secretary?”

Eric squirms in his chair and sighs. “No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Very sure.”

But stung by jealousy, I insist. My neck begins to itch, and I scratch.

“And what about the brunette who came up with us in the elevator?”

Eric has to think. “No.”

“What about the blonde receptionist?”

“No. And don’t touch your neck, or the rash will get worse.”

But I don’t pay any attention to him, and I can’t stop scratching.

Eric gets up and comes over to me.

“But you just said—”

“Let’s see here,” he says, cutting me off and taking my hand from my neck. “I haven’t been a monk, and I’ve had sex with women who work for my company and with women who don’t. Yes, love, I’m not going to deny it. But, ‘play around,’ what you and I call play—I haven’t played with anyone in this office with the exception of Betta and Amanda.”

“Of course ... Amanda. Ms. Fisher.”

“Who, by the way,” says Eric as he blows on my neck, “has been transferred to London to develop Müller there.”

That makes me feel better. Having her far away is good, and Eric, having fun with my questions, hugs me and kisses me on the forehead.

“Today, for me, the only woman in the world is you, sweetheart. Trust, my love. Remember, between us there are no secrets or doubts.”

We stare at each other, challenge in our eyes.

Finally, Eric comes close to my mouth. “If I try to kiss you, are you going to pull the cobra on me again?”

I don’t respond to his question.

“Do you trust me?” I ask.

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