I'm so glad my boy toy sent you a follow up text suggesting you bring tequila!"
Kate hiccupped. "Suggesting? He threatened my life I didn't bring it. And you know what? I think he actually would have known if I'd defied his order."
"Defied?" Ana said with a laugh as she dropped down onto the couch next to Kate. "Since when does anyone tell Kate Kavanagh what to do?"
"Since my dating life went down the tubes." Kate's eyes widened in appreciation as Ana pulled down the middle, back cushion of the couch and placed a carton of Ben & Jerry's on the table that appeared between them. "How many of these did you buy?" she asked as she took a huge spoonful of New York Super Fudge Chunk.
"This is the last one, I swear," Ana said solemnly.
Kate groaned in delight. "Who knew that Tequila and ice cream could complement each other so perfectly?"
Ana sighed as she dipped her own spoon into the chocolate. "Why do you think I didn't realize Cole was gay?" she asked.
Kate frowned. "What?"
"Come on, Kate. It's so obvious now."
"I didn't know he was gay!" Kate reminded her friend in a tone that clearly stated, 'and if anyone should have, it should've been me!'
Ana sighed as she put her spoon down. "I think if I wasn't a virgin, I'd have known."
"How?" Kate asked.
Ana lifted her brows at her friend. "Because now that I know what it's like, I know how impossible it is to go without sex once you've had it."
Kate's burst of laughter shot her ice cream straight out of her mouth and over the coffee table. It landed on the beige carpet in a big, wet glob. Ana looked at it for a moment before turning back to her friend; she had bigger fish to fry.
"And now I think Eric thinks I still have feelings for Cole," she said miserably.
"But…Ana. Why do you care?" Her friend's smug tone made Ana want to smack her upside the head. "You don't like Eric."
"Well…I don't not like Eric," she corrected, hoping to lessen her friend's gloating. It didn't work.
"Why, Ana Thompson." Kate was practically bouncing on her end of the couch. "Are you finally being honest with yourself?"
Ana glared at her friend, and Kate gasped, her eyes brightening as she reached across the pseudo-table and gripped Ana's hands. "Does this mean you'll date him now?" she asked hopefully. "He can date you instead of me and Elliot!"
Ana frowned as she pulled her hands from Kate's. "That's not a very nice thing to say. He really enjoys your company, Kate." She was amazed she could keep a straight face. God, she'd had…what? Five…six shots of tequila? She should be giggling like crazy right now at the thought of Eric summarizing his evenings.
Kate sighed as she leaned back against the cushion. "It's just…Ana. I really need to get laid. And I was hoping to tonight. But your Eric is such a cockblocker."
Ana arched a brow at her friend. "Or he would be if you had one," she remarked dryly.
"Oh, I have one," Kate said fervently as she picked up the bottle of tequila and took a huge swig. "Trust me; it's mine. It's not attached to me, but it does whatever I tell it to."
The tequila giggling kicked in for a moment and then Ana sobered as she sat back on the couch. "Eric has a picture of me on his phone," she said softly.
"Naked?" Kate asked.
Ana nodded.
"Fucking perv."
Ana grabbed the pillow beside her and threw it at her friend. "It's not like that."
"Guys got a picture of your boobs, Ana."
Ana shook her head. "No, he doesn't. It was…taken the first night I slept with him."
"Really?" Kate perked up at that bit of information.
"Yes. And it's not of my body. It's…from my shoulder up. And...it's sort of sexy," she admitted with a blush.
"Were there other pictures, Ana?" Kate asked, eyes narrowed.
"No. Just the one."
"So…let me get this straight. The guy brings you home, bangs you, and then takes a picture of you? While you're naked. And it's not of your boobs?"
"Right," Ana said firmly.
Kate let out a low whistle. "Boys got it bad."
Kate's words were still echoing through Ana's head when she walked into work bright and early Monday morning. "Good morning." She greeted Kasie, the woman covering front desk, cheerfully.
"Morning, Ms. Thompson."
When she'd tried to get the staff to call her Ana, she'd been informed that Mr. Miller ran a tight ship. All of his managers were to be addressed in a professional manner, and so she'd resigned herself to the fact that she'd be Ms. Thompson when she was at work.
After unlocking her office door, she stepped inside and nearly broke her neck when she tripped over a box. The box, of course, didn't budge, and Ana squinted as she looked down at it. She didn't recognize the company who'd sent it, but that was nothing new. They were forever getting free product samples in the mail.
She took her coat off and hung it on the hook behind her desk, then sat down and wiggled her mouse. The computer screen brightened, and as was her habit, she immediately opened her Outlook to check her email.
After deleting a few spam emails, she clicked on an email from Eric's secretary.
Good morning.
Mr. Miller will be out of the country on business for the next two weeks. Any urgent matters should be brought directly to your immediate supervisor. If they are unable to resolve the issue, please contact your Human Resources department.
Ana deleted the email without reading anymore. She didn't need to. All she needed to know was that Eric was out of the country for two weeks, and he hadn't bothered to call her. That spoke volumes. With a sigh, she stood and headed for the box in front of her door when her computer dinged informing her she had a new email. She turned back around and leaned over her desk. Her eyes widened when she saw who it was from. She fumbled with the mouse and clicked open the email.
From: Eric Miller
Subject: Delivery
To: Ana Thompson
Dear Ms. Thompson,
I regret to inform you that I will be out of the country for the next several weeks on urgent business.
Several? Ana wanted to shriek. But his secretary had said two weeks! She took a deep breath and sat down at her computer.
I'd like to start by telling you how pleased I am that all of the linen has been accounted for. You truly are an asset to The Lux.
I'm assuming the package I ordered has been delivered by now. I'm sorry for the mass quantity, but that's the only way it was available on-line. It's the same brand the restaurant had-
The same brand the restaurant had? What in the hell was he talking about? Ana jumped up from her seat and walked over to the box. She snagged her keys from the desk and dragged one down the tape in the center of the package, then pulled it open. She reached inside and pulled out one of the little glass bottles, turning it around so she could study the label: Sake – Japanese Rice Wine. A slow grin spread across her face, and Ana felt like a high school girl as she hugged the bottle to her chest. She marched back over to her desk and sat back down, picking up where he'd left off.
-and I have it on very good authority that you could use some practice with chugging. If you think of anything you think would be a good chaser for it, let me know. I'd be happy to help you out with that.
Ana didn't bother to try and stifle the grin that spread across her face. Oh, she knew the perfect chaser, all right. Unfortunately he was halfway across the world, but she could still taste his distinctly masculine flavor.
If you need anything over the next few weeks, please don't hesitate to call. Knock 'em dead in your staff meeting this morning.
Eric Miller
CEO, Millers Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
PS Do take Kate and Elliot out at least once while I'm gone, as I'm sure they'll be lost without my company.
Ana laughed at his last sentence, then, biting down on her lower lip, she poised her fingers over her keyboard and began her response.