Accidentally On Purpose Part 11

Bad Emmy. Bad, bad Emmy.

"I missed you too," I said, and it was true, but it was also true that I had not missed him as much as I would have had I been alone all week.

"Emails, text messages and short phone conversations weren't cutting it for me. I was tempted to swim home to be with you."

And I would have drowned you with grief.

"But you had a good time, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, I did. I brought you some gifts."

"I like gifts. Maybe I have a gift for you," I said, running my fingers across his muscular chest.

"Oh yeah?"

"Mmm hmm. How about I give it to you right now?" I kneeled before him and unzipped his jeans.

"Wooooooowwww," he said after a moment. "I really love your gifts."

Kyle was in a bad, bad mood Monday morning. He was in total d.i.c.k mode, barking at everyone who fell into his line of sight, including me. I blamed Jess. She had returned Sat.u.r.day afternoon, and Kyle had spent the rest of the weekend with her. All her fault.

Being Kyle's personal a.s.sistant, I had to talk to him more than most. I tried to not let his bad att.i.tude get under my skin. I was still on a high from spending all day Sunday and Sunday night with Luke. I also avoided going into his office if I could help it, so I wouldn't be tempted to knock his lights out.

Early in the afternoon, I had just come back from lunch with Luke. I still felt guilty, but it was subsiding. I was daydreaming about him when Jeoff Urvin approached my desk. I recoiled when I saw him standing there. That was my usual reaction to Jeoff.

He was a junior executive, just under Kyle. Whenever Kyle's schedule was too heavy, Jeoff took the overflow of clients on top of the more minor clients he acquired. I didn't like Jeoff because he was a talentless hack, a brown nosing, s.e.xist, snake who kissed a.s.s, lied, and stomped on toes to work his way up in the company. He really didn't know very much about his work. I knew more than he did.

A long time ago, Jeoff tried to pull rank on me. If Jeoff was worthy of his t.i.tle and not a puss filled zit, I would have conceded as I do with Kyle. Instead, Jeoff left the office that day without his b.a.l.l.s. Every since then, I I was recognized as the second in command, and the HBIC (head b.i.t.c.h in charge). was recognized as the second in command, and the HBIC (head b.i.t.c.h in charge).

"What?" I said, irritated to have him standing near me.

"I'm sick."

"Ew." I sprayed Lysol in his general direction. He was was looking a little greener than usual. "So?" looking a little greener than usual. "So?"

"I'm supposed to have a meeting with Hernandez in an hour. I can't go."

"So?"

"So, I need you to go."

"I'm not going."

"You're going. Kyle wants this wrapped up last week."

"So, why didn't you wrap it up last week?"

"Hernandez is...difficult."

More like Jeoff was incompetent.

"It doesn't matter," I said. "I'm not qualified."

"Bulls.h.i.+t. Show him some leg and go get it done." He wiped at his face with a handkerchief. He looked like he was going to hurl.

"Are you trying to tell me what to do?"

"Look, if no one goes today, Kyle is going to be in one h.e.l.l of a mood, and he will take it out on everyone everyone. Besides, this came down from Kyle."

"Then why didn't Kyle tell me himself?"

"He told me to tell you on my way out. Look, I gotta go. Get it done."

He ran into the hall and turned toward the restrooms. Gross.

I got up and marched into Kyle's office without knocking. He was concentrating on something on his computer screen.

"What."

"Did you tell j.e.r.k.-.o.f.f. Jeoffery to tell me to go to the Hernandez meeting?"

"Yes."

"I am not an executive or even a junior executive. I'm not qualified."

"You're more qualified than Jeoff." Kyle still had not taken his eyes off of the computer screen.

"I don't get paid to do what j.e.r.k.-.o.f.f. Jeoffery does. You can go."

"I'm busy."

"Clearly," I said dryly. "Hernandez is a bigger pig than j.e.r.k.-.o.f.f. Jeoffery. He gets handsy. Don't you remember how handsy he was when I accompanied you last time?"

"Threaten to taser his b.a.l.l.s. You'll be okay for a couple of hours. Take someone with you."

"Okay. Right. Except, I don't have a taser."

"I don't have time for your whining, Emmy!" Kyle roared, finally looking up at me. "I need you to just do what I need you to do and stop crying about it."

I stood there in a stunned silence for a moment. Kyle has yelled at me before, but after all of the personal s.h.i.+t we recently shared, it felt very personal this time. He's never called me a whiner or a cry baby or any names at all. Then again, in the past I would have never approached him like this.

I turned on my heel to leave the room.

"Wait," Kyle said. "I'm sorry. It's just that -"

"Go f.u.c.k yourself," I said in a low tone so no one close to his office could hear and then left the room.

Late that night, five minutes after Luke left, Kyle appeared at my front door. I didn't let him in.

"What did you do? Circle the block until Luke left?" I asked, leaning against the door frame with my arms crossed in front of me.

"Actually, yes I did."

"What do you want?"

"Did you get my texts?"

"Yes."

"You didn't answer."

"I was busy. First I was busy trying to keep that creep Hernandez's hands off of me, and then I was busy with Luke."

He flinched slightly.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you like that. There's no excuse for it. Do you forgive me?"

"Sure."

"I don't believe you."

"I don't like to hold a grudge."

"Okay." He s.h.i.+fted from one foot to another. "Can I come in and show you how sorry I am?"

"No. We agreed to put 'us' on hold, remember?"

"No, you you agreed. I adamantly disagreed." agreed. I adamantly disagreed."

"It will be easier for both of us if you go along with it. You're not ready to end it with Jess and quite frankly, I'm not sure I really want to let Luke go."

Another flinch.

"Did you say that just to hurt me or do you mean that?" He asked.

"Maybe a little of both," I admitted.

"Harsh."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you?"

"A little."

We stood there staring at each other. I really did feel sorry for being mean, but I had to keep on my game face.

"I guess I'll go."

"Okay."

He turned and started down the drive, but turned back.

"Did you get Hernandez to sign?"

"Of course I did."

"Good girl."

He continued on to his car.

"I love you," he called over his shoulder.

"Love you, too."

Stupid, Emmy!

"s.h.i.+t," I said and slammed the door.

Chapter Sixteen

"My parents are having a c.o.c.ktail party Sat.u.r.day night and my mother invited you," Kyle said.

We were waiting for the elevator after another late night of work.

"Me? Why did she invite me?"

"You must have impressed her at the gala."

"We barely spoke ten sentences between us at the gala," I said, stepping onto the elevator.

"She told me to make sure you and Luke were invited," he shrugged. "I will be happy to see you there."