Read Online Slick by Brenda Hampton - Free Book Online Page A

holding my chest.
    â€œYeah, right, Sylvia. Has anyone called?”
    â€œDana. Other than her, it’s been kind of quiet this morning.”
    â€œSo,” he said.
    â€œSo, what?”
    His eyes scanned my cubicle. “Do you like the flowers?”
    â€œOh, yeah, thanks. I love them, but you really didn’t have to.”
    â€œI know, but when I forget about you next year, I don’t want you crying about it.”
    â€œYou’d better not forget about me next year, and if you do, you will most definitely pay for it.”
    â€œI’m sure I will,” he said, looking through some papers on my desk.
    I noticed Jonathan’s casual attire and checked out how amazing he looked in a peach Ralph Lauren shirt, khakis, and shiny loafers. When I asked why he was casually dressed, he said that he was leaving and would be gone for the rest of the day. When I asked where he was going, he wouldn’t tell me. I followed him into his office.
    â€œSo, we got secrets now, huh?” I asked.
    â€œNo, Sylvia. I’ll be out for the entire day. Take messages for me and let my callers know I won’t be back until Monday.”
    â€œMonday?”
    â€œYes, Monday.”
    According to Jonathan’s calendar, he had three appointments scheduled for today, and two court cases scheduled for tomorrow. “So what are you going to do about your appointments?”
    â€œI’ve already taken care of them,” he said, reaching for his phone. “Now, is there anything else?”
    â€œI guess not, but I wish you would have told me so I could have prepared myself for you being out of the office.”
    â€œThat’s why I’m telling you now.”
    â€œDon’t even go there with me, Jonathan. You know better than I do that we’ve always communicated better than this.”
    â€œSylvia, look. I told you I had something to take care of. Stop pressing the issue and chill, all right?”
    His tone upset me, so I raised my voice. “Excuse the hell out of me. Let me get out of your hair, since I seem to be such a pain.”
    â€œSounds like a good idea to me,” he said then dialed out on his phone.
    I didn’t bother to respond and just left his office. This was becoming an everyday habit. I was truly getting sick and tired of it. What was with his attitude? He knew that abruptly changing his schedule would complicate my day, and he always let me know things ahead of time so I could prepare. He’d never done this before, and I didn’t like the changes I was seeing in him.
    I went to the ladies’ room to freshen up a bit. Audrey came in and filled my head with some more juice on Jonathan. I didn’t know whether to believe her about his behavior, but by the way he was acting, it must have been true.
    After I left the ladies’ room, I walked down the hall and someone snatched me into the boardroom. The room was pitch-black, but I knew it was Jonathan when he covered my mouth and I got a whiff of his cologne.
    â€œI need to go find out some things about my wife,” he whispered. “Do not tell anyone what I’m doing, including her. All you know is I’m in court today, okay?”
    I nodded and he removed his hand from my mouth. “When I asked you earlier, that’s all you had to say, Jonathan.”
    â€œNot with my door open, Sylvia. There are so many nosy people around here, and I didn’t want to take any chances with them listening in on us.”
    â€œYou’re right. And I hope you find out what it is that you’re looking for.”
    â€œI think I already found it.” He inched forward to kiss me. Foolishly, I rubbed the back of his head and indulged myself in a lengthy kiss with him. Feeling myself getting so caught up with him, I backed away.
    â€œJonathan, I don’t think this is going to work out for me. I—”
    He silenced me with another kiss, and then his hands started to roam