waiting in the street for me. If I’m delayed,
you’ll at least be able to have a cocktail until I can get there.”
“All right,” Brett agreed.
“Okay then. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Tish hung up quickly so
he wouldn’t hear the bubble of laughter that she had lost the ability to control.
Brett slowly replaced the receiver. He felt so empty. Why
did he feel empty? Tish seemed sane again and ready to talk rationally about
whatever the hell had gone wrong. She was an extremely beautiful woman and,
from what little they’d started, a passionate one at that. So why did he feel
so cold at the thought of any additional intimacy with her?
He let his thoughts drift. When he found himself dwelling on
her emails he couldn’t help but wonder why there was such a difference. She
seemed to know him so well when she communicated electronically. Why did she
act as if she didn’t have a clue about him or his life when they were together?
He told himself to give her a break. Maybe she spent a lot of time and took
great care when she wrote to him. Not everybody thought the same things
instantly as they did when they had unlimited time to consider what they wanted
to say. He would have to learn to be patient until they created a balance
between them. He forced himself to hold off on his decision to end things with
her. After all, she went to all that trouble to attract his attention. He had
to give her a chance to get comfortable enough to speak her mind as she had on
the computer. Not all women were instantly into sex with a new partner. Maybe
she just needed more time for that.
“Hey, why so glum, chum?” Craig chirped as he strolled into
Brett’s office and sprawled into a chair. “Don’t tell me Hudson the great is
having woman troubles? If I didn’t know it was impossible, I’d say you look
like a guy who isn’t getting laid.”
“That’s hardly any of your concern, Sands.” Brett glared. “I
don’t have time for your bullshit today. Get out and close the door behind
you.”
“Whoa, easy man.” He didn’t budge. “I’m just making
conversation.”
“Well I’m not interested. Go. Now.”
Craig raised himself slowly out of the chair. “Chill. I’m
going. What kind of bug crawled up your ass?”
“Sands.” Brett knew he sounded threatening and didn’t care
enough to stop. “Not another word. I mean it.”
“Jeez.” Craig chuckled merrily as he pulled the door. “Some
people just have no sense of humor.” He closed it before Brett could react.
Briefly, Brett considered going after him. Eventually, he
convinced himself that the temporary gratification wouldn’t be worth the
consequences. He really needed to get a grip on his emotions. Maybe he’d take
an early lunch. That was the answer. A quick drink would take the edge off. He
didn’t know why he was so testy. Tish was speaking to him and soon things would
be back on track with her. He’d gone without for weeks at a time before, in
spite of what Craig Sands thought. He could do it again now. No problem.
As he left the building the only question remaining was
where to go for that drink he’d decided on. He had to think where he’d already
gone that week. He didn’t want to repeat a place even though he didn’t know why
he cared. It had been a stressful few days. Things would be back to normal
tomorrow. As a matter of fact, he could go without today if he wanted to. He
chose not to but he certainly could. Brett repeated that as he motioned for his
third drink in half an hour. This was his choice and he could pass any time he
felt like it. As he swirled the scotch in his glass, he began to hear a little
voice in his head asking if that were really true.
Chapter Eight
“I haven’t heard much from him, Andie,” Jesse told her when
he picked her up for dinner. “I talked to him on the phone a few times but he
was always rushing to get somewhere.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t keep pestering you like this. I know
I’m
you’ll at least be able to have a cocktail until I can get there.”
“All right,” Brett agreed.
“Okay then. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Tish hung up quickly so
he wouldn’t hear the bubble of laughter that she had lost the ability to control.
Brett slowly replaced the receiver. He felt so empty. Why
did he feel empty? Tish seemed sane again and ready to talk rationally about
whatever the hell had gone wrong. She was an extremely beautiful woman and,
from what little they’d started, a passionate one at that. So why did he feel
so cold at the thought of any additional intimacy with her?
He let his thoughts drift. When he found himself dwelling on
her emails he couldn’t help but wonder why there was such a difference. She
seemed to know him so well when she communicated electronically. Why did she
act as if she didn’t have a clue about him or his life when they were together?
He told himself to give her a break. Maybe she spent a lot of time and took
great care when she wrote to him. Not everybody thought the same things
instantly as they did when they had unlimited time to consider what they wanted
to say. He would have to learn to be patient until they created a balance
between them. He forced himself to hold off on his decision to end things with
her. After all, she went to all that trouble to attract his attention. He had
to give her a chance to get comfortable enough to speak her mind as she had on
the computer. Not all women were instantly into sex with a new partner. Maybe
she just needed more time for that.
“Hey, why so glum, chum?” Craig chirped as he strolled into
Brett’s office and sprawled into a chair. “Don’t tell me Hudson the great is
having woman troubles? If I didn’t know it was impossible, I’d say you look
like a guy who isn’t getting laid.”
“That’s hardly any of your concern, Sands.” Brett glared. “I
don’t have time for your bullshit today. Get out and close the door behind
you.”
“Whoa, easy man.” He didn’t budge. “I’m just making
conversation.”
“Well I’m not interested. Go. Now.”
Craig raised himself slowly out of the chair. “Chill. I’m
going. What kind of bug crawled up your ass?”
“Sands.” Brett knew he sounded threatening and didn’t care
enough to stop. “Not another word. I mean it.”
“Jeez.” Craig chuckled merrily as he pulled the door. “Some
people just have no sense of humor.” He closed it before Brett could react.
Briefly, Brett considered going after him. Eventually, he
convinced himself that the temporary gratification wouldn’t be worth the
consequences. He really needed to get a grip on his emotions. Maybe he’d take
an early lunch. That was the answer. A quick drink would take the edge off. He
didn’t know why he was so testy. Tish was speaking to him and soon things would
be back on track with her. He’d gone without for weeks at a time before, in
spite of what Craig Sands thought. He could do it again now. No problem.
As he left the building the only question remaining was
where to go for that drink he’d decided on. He had to think where he’d already
gone that week. He didn’t want to repeat a place even though he didn’t know why
he cared. It had been a stressful few days. Things would be back to normal
tomorrow. As a matter of fact, he could go without today if he wanted to. He
chose not to but he certainly could. Brett repeated that as he motioned for his
third drink in half an hour. This was his choice and he could pass any time he
felt like it. As he swirled the scotch in his glass, he began to hear a little
voice in his head asking if that were really true.
Chapter Eight
“I haven’t heard much from him, Andie,” Jesse told her when
he picked her up for dinner. “I talked to him on the phone a few times but he
was always rushing to get somewhere.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t keep pestering you like this. I know
I’m
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