of
things, but the long and short of it is, he made references to not only my solo
performance but our joint one as well. And he also said he had a DVD.”
“Who was he?” Reese growled.
“Who he is isn’t the point.”
“It so fucking is the point.”
“No, the point is this guy came to my job. Said these
horrible things in front of my business partner. It was only by the grace of
God there were no customers there.”
“I’ll take care of this. Just tell me his name.”
“I don’t know his name, and if I did, I wouldn’t say it.
This isn’t about him. This is my business and I can’t let it suffer for the
sake of great sex. I’m not a runner, bu—”
“Then stop running.”
“If this were just about me, I would. I don’t care what
other people think about me, but this isn’t just about me.”
“It was never just about you, Koko. Last time I checked, I
was in the elevator with you.”
“True, but we’re adults and when things go sour, we both
know how to put our big girl panties and big boy Underroos on and just march
forward, head held high. My business can’t do that. Constance can’t do that.
And I need her in my life. She might drive me crazy but I love her, she’s my
best friend, and she shouldn’t have to suffer for what we did.”
“ We shouldn’t have to suffer for what we did. And
we’re not going to.”
“Reese, you can’t beat up the world.”
“It wasn’t the world who walked into your deli and threatened
you.”
“No, it was just a man, someone I’m not going to empower by
giving his description. He wants a fallout. He’s probably hoping I do come
running to you so he can provoke you into a fight.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“I have no doubt you could take him in a fistfight, but a
courtroom would draw more attention, which would be even further bad press for
my company. It’s a no-win situation, and I think it’s best if we stop things
before we get too involved.”
“How involved is too involved, Koko? I’m thinking of you all
damn day. Wondering if we might have a future together. Wondering if we would
be as dynamite in bed as we are in elevators. So if any of these things fall
into the ‘too involved category’, then fuck it. I’m already there.” He studied
her stricken face. “And I don’t think I’m the only one. Am I?”
“It was only one night,” she said hoarsely.
“Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
She shook her head. “I can’t do this.”
Koko went to leave but Reese grabbed her arm and pulled her
back to him. He lowered his lips to her ear. “Tell me you don’t want to be with
me and I’ll never bother you again.”
“I can’t be with you.” She pulled out of his grasp and
looked up at him, her eyes clouded with unshed tears. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.” This time Reese let her go but only so he
could get to the bottom of things. She said she couldn’t be with him, not that
she didn’t want to be with him, and that had left him just enough of an opening
to squeeze all the way in.
Irritated, Reese pulled out his cell phone and held down the
number one button. The hot key immediately began to dial the programmed number.
By the time Malachi answered, Reese was already on his way to the elevator.
Without waiting for the other man to say more than hello, Reese fired off, “We
need to have a talk.”
* * * * *
It had taken longer for Reese to ride up to Malachi’s floor
than it did to figure out who the guilty party was. There were two men besides
Reese who knew about the video, and two other men who’d been on guard duty the
night he and Koko made love. Out of the four men who could have been the
culprit, only one was scum.
To be fair and thorough, Reese called the two men who worked
the night shift. Neither was pleased to come in early, but the idea of being
unemployed was more daunting than having to show up in the middle of the day
for a meeting. Reese took each man to Malachi’s office
things, but the long and short of it is, he made references to not only my solo
performance but our joint one as well. And he also said he had a DVD.”
“Who was he?” Reese growled.
“Who he is isn’t the point.”
“It so fucking is the point.”
“No, the point is this guy came to my job. Said these
horrible things in front of my business partner. It was only by the grace of
God there were no customers there.”
“I’ll take care of this. Just tell me his name.”
“I don’t know his name, and if I did, I wouldn’t say it.
This isn’t about him. This is my business and I can’t let it suffer for the
sake of great sex. I’m not a runner, bu—”
“Then stop running.”
“If this were just about me, I would. I don’t care what
other people think about me, but this isn’t just about me.”
“It was never just about you, Koko. Last time I checked, I
was in the elevator with you.”
“True, but we’re adults and when things go sour, we both
know how to put our big girl panties and big boy Underroos on and just march
forward, head held high. My business can’t do that. Constance can’t do that.
And I need her in my life. She might drive me crazy but I love her, she’s my
best friend, and she shouldn’t have to suffer for what we did.”
“ We shouldn’t have to suffer for what we did. And
we’re not going to.”
“Reese, you can’t beat up the world.”
“It wasn’t the world who walked into your deli and threatened
you.”
“No, it was just a man, someone I’m not going to empower by
giving his description. He wants a fallout. He’s probably hoping I do come
running to you so he can provoke you into a fight.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“I have no doubt you could take him in a fistfight, but a
courtroom would draw more attention, which would be even further bad press for
my company. It’s a no-win situation, and I think it’s best if we stop things
before we get too involved.”
“How involved is too involved, Koko? I’m thinking of you all
damn day. Wondering if we might have a future together. Wondering if we would
be as dynamite in bed as we are in elevators. So if any of these things fall
into the ‘too involved category’, then fuck it. I’m already there.” He studied
her stricken face. “And I don’t think I’m the only one. Am I?”
“It was only one night,” she said hoarsely.
“Sometimes that’s all it takes.”
She shook her head. “I can’t do this.”
Koko went to leave but Reese grabbed her arm and pulled her
back to him. He lowered his lips to her ear. “Tell me you don’t want to be with
me and I’ll never bother you again.”
“I can’t be with you.” She pulled out of his grasp and
looked up at him, her eyes clouded with unshed tears. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too.” This time Reese let her go but only so he
could get to the bottom of things. She said she couldn’t be with him, not that
she didn’t want to be with him, and that had left him just enough of an opening
to squeeze all the way in.
Irritated, Reese pulled out his cell phone and held down the
number one button. The hot key immediately began to dial the programmed number.
By the time Malachi answered, Reese was already on his way to the elevator.
Without waiting for the other man to say more than hello, Reese fired off, “We
need to have a talk.”
* * * * *
It had taken longer for Reese to ride up to Malachi’s floor
than it did to figure out who the guilty party was. There were two men besides
Reese who knew about the video, and two other men who’d been on guard duty the
night he and Koko made love. Out of the four men who could have been the
culprit, only one was scum.
To be fair and thorough, Reese called the two men who worked
the night shift. Neither was pleased to come in early, but the idea of being
unemployed was more daunting than having to show up in the middle of the day
for a meeting. Reese took each man to Malachi’s office
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