from Chapter Four: The Performance
Thursday, December 27, 2007 by Xave
Another two weeks passed. The neck brace came off and I was back at The Agency. It was good to be working again. My staff had missed me so much they decorated my office. There were cards and balloons, and even a cake. I didn't like all the fuss but it felt good to be missed. Within a week, everything was back to normal.
Then I got the phone call. It was Natasha announcing that she had something important to talk to me about that she couldn't tell me on the phone. I had a pretty good idea what it might be. Shit! How could I let this happen to me? “Okay, come over this Saturday,” I said and hung up the phone.
When she came, I was sitting in the family room wearing shorts and a polo shirt. She was wearing a blouse and jeans. I had her sit next to me and offered her a beer. She took it and started sipping. I poured a shot of rum into a tumbler and gulped it down. Then I grabbed my beer and said gravely, “So what's on your mind?”
She was very nervous. “Xavier, I don't know how to tell you this. I'm so afraid.”
“Natasha, how long have you known me?” I asked
“About two years,” she replied.
“Right,” I said, “and you know how I feel about our relationship and I'm sorry it's not what you want, but in all that time, have I ever given you bad advice?”
“No,” she said.
I took her hands in mine. “And didn't I always say that as long as we were friends I would always be there for you?”
“Yes,” she said.
I continued, “And who made it impossible to be friends because she wants more?”
A tear slid down one cheek, and was quickly followed by one on the other cheek. “I am,” she admitted.
I gave her hands a gentle squeeze. “Natasha, I know it doesn't always look like it but I really care about you. I've always wanted the best for you and that's why we can't be together. But whatever it is, you can tell me.”
I could see that my words were having an affect, but she wasn't ready to talk. This would take tact and patience, two things that I possessed in great abundance. I poured myself another shot, slugged it down, chased it with a mouthful of beer then got up still holding her hand, “Come on.” I stamped out the cigarette I had left unattended in the ashtray and led her downstairs to my room.
As I stood behind her, I started to massage her neck and shoulders. My fingers searched out the little knots of tension and went to work on them. “Just relax, whatever it is, I promise it’ll be all right.” As I massaged, I started kissing her neck. I waited till I felt her shoulders relax, then I reached around to massage her breasts. She sighed and cocked her head back as I started on her nipples. Before she told me what she had to say, I had to find out for myself and there was only one way to do that. I started unbuttoning her blouse.
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Copyright © 2007 Xavier Pierre Jr. All rights reserved.
