Venus in Love (16 page)

“Is that a yes?” Lilly asked as she crossed her arms.

“How dare you?” Lee’s heart pounded in her ears. The rage filled her throat and burned her face. “Get out, Lilly. You are fired!” Lee picked up the phone. “Alex, call security, now.”

Lilly’s voice was smooth and unwavering. “You’re kidding, right? All this for some piece of ass?”

“I’m not kidding, Lilly. And if I were you I would stop talking.” Two guards burst through the door into Lee’s office followed by a panicked Alex. Lee was thankful for their arrival because she was two seconds from forcibly removing Lilly herself. “Lilly Kent is no longer employed at the Dencourt. Please confiscate her badges and remove her from the premises, immediately.”

The guards led Lilly from Lee’s office as Alex watched silently from the corner of the room. Lilly turned back and winked, “I hope she’s worth destroying your father’s legacy.”

“What the hell just happened, Lee?” Alex asked from her safe zone.

Lee sat at her desk, in her father’s chair. “I got rid of a problem. Do me a favor and let me know when she’s gone.”

“My pleasure,” Alex said before she left Lee’s office with a smile and closed the door.

Lee sighed deeply and put her head in her hands.

*

Morgan spent much of the day with the marketing department. She really wanted to play up the press and publications for the acquisition of the rare and expensive Veronese. It was going to bring a significant increase of visitors, and undoubtedly an even more significant increase in donations and sponsorships to the gallery. The success of this exhibition had the potential of reimaging the Dencourt and reaffirming its place in the upper echelon of national art institutions. After their encounter in the stairwell, Morgan waited all day to see Lee again. Morgan even spent her free time wandering aimlessly through the different galleries hoping Lee would make her way down as always. Unfortunately, it was near closing time, and Lee had yet to come down.

When Morgan got back to her office, Alex looked exhausted.

“Hey you. Is everything all right?”

“Morgan…” Alex started.

“Yes?” Morgan had never seen Alex with such a strange look on her face. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Well, this has been the craziest day ever. I…need to tell you something,” Alex whispered.

“What’s going on?” Morgan went around to Alex’s side of the desk.

“Lee fired Lilly Kent today.”

“What?” Morgan was stunned.

“Yes. There was shouting and security and Lee hasn’t come out of her office since.” Morgan was shocked, but Alex was obviously overwhelmed.

“What happened?”

“I have no idea. Lee went downstairs to find you like she does every day, but then she returned with Lilly. They went into her office, I heard Lee yelling something, and then Lee called for security.”

Morgan looked up at Lee’s closed door. “Is she still in there?”

“Yes. But the door is locked and she isn’t taking calls or appointments.”

“Oh. I see.” Morgan wanted to see Lee and make sure she was okay. “Maybe I could—”

“No. She said no one. She’s okay though. I’ve talked to her a few times.”

She would have to be content with Alex’s instruction. After all, she knew her better than Morgan did. “Okay. I’ve got to get my things, but I’ll walk with you if you’re ready to go.”

“Sure. I’ll wait for you.”

Morgan listened closely for any movement as she passed Lee’s side door. She heard nothing. Disappointed, she retrieved her bag from her office and walked with Alex to the garage.

*

The next morning Morgan spent almost entirely in her office working on provenance research and writing a status brief for the board of directors. It was nearly one o’clock before Alex knocked on her door. “Hey, Alex. What’s up?”

“Can I talk to you about something?” Alex said reluctantly.

”Of course.” Alex hadn’t seemed to lose the discomfited look from the day before. But now there was an added sense of distress. “Come in. Close the door.”

Alex did as she was told and stood behind the chair in front of Morgan’s desk. “So, something has been bothering me all day, and I wasn’t sure if or how I should tell you, but I think you should know.”

“Alex, sit please. What is going on?”

Alex sat on the edge of the chair with her hands in her lap. “It’s nothing really. But I don’t think that this is the right place to talk about it. Just gossip really.”

Morgan was certain that Alex was lying about it being “nothing,” but if it truly wasn’t something that should be discussed at work, she preferred that it wasn’t. There was enough workplace drama without the boss adding to it. “Okay. Do you want to tell me later then?”

“Yes. It can wait. You’re very busy. I can call you after work.” Alex twisted her hand nervously.

“Alex. Are you sick or in trouble?” Morgan was busy, and she could wait for the rest of the story as long as she was sure that Alex wasn’t dying or anything.

“No. Nothing like that.”

“Okay. Well, why don’t we go get a couple drinks after work and you can tell me all about this ‘nothing’ that has you all worked up. Yes?”

“Okay. I can do that. I should get back to my desk now.” Alex left the room as awkwardly as she had entered.

Morgan and Alex pulled up to the valet at the restaurant and made their way inside. Alex had said two words at the most during their entire drive over. Thankfully, it was a short drive because the silence nearly drove Morgan nuts. As soon as they were seated, the waiter arrived to take their drink order.

Alex ordered a glass of an Argentinean Malbec and Morgan selected a Chenin Blanc. When the waiter left, Morgan asked, “Now. What was going on with you today?”

As Alex began to speak, the waiter returned with the glasses. She took a healthy sip and exhaled. “Okay. So, on my way in this morning I was talking to a couple people, and basically…I don’t know if it’s true. And even if it is, I don’t care, but they—”

“Alex, out with it.” Alex’s nervous ramblings were giving Morgan’s stomach an anxious knot.

“Okay. They said that you and Lee…well, that you two are, let’s just say, sleeping together.”

The knot in Morgan’s stomach rose into her throat and threatened to choke her. “What? Who would…?” Morgan covered her mouth. “I…we are not.”

“I don’t know who started it, but I do know that everyone is talking about it.” Alex gripped her glass with both hands. “It’s not a big deal, right? I mean, even if it was true, it’s not like that’s the reason Lee hired you. Idle gossip really.”

Morgan swallowed down half of the glass before she spoke. “It is a really big deal, Alex. I’ve spent the last four months busting my ass to earn my place, and now with one stupid rumor it’s gone!”

“It’s not gone, Morgan. Everyone sees that you deserve to be in this position. You’ve already proven that.”

“I haven’t proven that, Alex. How have I proven that?” Morgan thought she was going to be sick. All those months avoiding Lee, keeping herself buried in her work, and forging relationships with her staff was crumbling beneath her because of a rumor. Not just a silly rumor, but the very one that she tried so hard to avoid. The one that had the ability to invalidate everything she had worked for. Morgan laughed unexpectedly, and Alex looked at her like she had lost her mind, but she couldn’t help it.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Because I’ve been doing everything in my power to keep myself away from Lee just to avoid being known as, ‘the woman sleeping with the boss.’ And now everyone thinks I am and I actually haven’t.” Morgan downed the rest of the wine in her glass and waved for the waiter, who refilled their glasses.

“So, you’re not mad?”

“Of course I’m mad. But what’s the point? If anyone actually believed that I got the job based on my own merit this wouldn’t even be an issue, whether it’s true or not. So clearly, there are others issues with the staff beyond who I’m sleeping with. Or not, as it so happens.”

“I guess that makes sense. So do you
want
to sleep with her?” Alex asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Alex!” Of course she did. She’d thought of nothing else every time she was in the same room as Lee, but Alex didn’t need to know that. Although now, Morgan had no reason to deny it. “Maybe.”

“Oh my gosh!”

“Stop looking at me like that. It’s not going to happen. It’s a rumor and it’s going to stay that way. At least until I put an end to it first thing tomorrow.”

“But—”

“No.” Morgan shut her down. She didn’t need to encourage Alex or herself on the subject. Morgan drank the rest of her wine and the waiter reappeared with the bottle. “No, thank you. I need to get going.”

“Me too.”

“Plus, I need to go back to the office. I need to send out a mandatory meeting notice to my staff.”

“Oh, can I be there? I want to see you get all…” Alex made a couple quick ninja-like gestures and Morgan laughed.

“Maybe.”

*

Lee stood at the window and looked out over the cityscape. She hadn’t seen Morgan at all after the unpleasant termination of Lilly the day before. Initially, Lee spent hours in her office replaying Lilly’s final words about her father’s legacy. He had hired Lilly and trusted her completely with his legal affairs, although she couldn’t imagine even he would fault Lee for firing her. But now she was without an attorney at a critical juncture, and she was worried. She let her anxious mind drift to thoughts of a peaceful and beautiful Morgan.

She imagined what they would talk about if they were together, alone in her office. Morgan loved art and her family and little things that made her laugh. Lee liked Morgan’s laugh and her smile. It made her smile just then to think about it. Would she be able to control herself alone in Morgan’s presence? She had so far, although they never were really alone for any significant amount of time. Lee tried to avoid that for the most part. But why?

Lee sought her out in the galleries or stopped by her office just to ask how her day was going. But since the night in her office when Lee stopped what was happening between them, Morgan seemed to have turned off whatever feeling or need that was there. Lee had stopped it, and for good reason. Yet she hadn’t been able to dismiss the kiss or the feelings as easily as Morgan seemed to have.

Lee knew why she ended it. She couldn’t risk the uncertainty that it would bring to her life. She was putting so much at stake just by hiring Morgan in the first place without adding sex to it. She had wanted her so badly for so very long—to kiss her, to touch her. The more Lee thought about it, the less she could logically rationalize her fears. She trusted herself and Morgan, but somewhere deep inside she still felt doubt. She believed in her vision, but what if she was wrong? Either way, Lee wanted Morgan with or without the risk to her gallery.

“Uggghh!” Lee growled to an empty room. “She let you stop. She let you walk away. Maybe she doesn’t want you.” Lee continued to talk to herself and only managed to increase her frustration by doing so. She needed to go home, have a drink or ten to fade away the missed chances. Instead, Lee slumped down in the chair behind her desk and lowered her head into her hands.

*

Alex pulled up to the front of the Dencourt and let Morgan out. Morgan thanked Alex for the ride and said good night. She was greeted by Peter, the night guard, and wondered if he was one of the people spreading the rumor about her and Lee. She realized that she might have to widen her net over the entire staff in order to quell the rumblings.

When she got to the third floor, she headed toward her office. Morgan saw the light glowing from under Lee’s door. At first, she’d assumed the light was left on accidentally, but then she heard Lee’s deep, haunting voice. Her heart leapt to her throat. Morgan made her way silently toward the door. Was she alone or with someone? Morgan remembered the night she’d come with Lee back to her office. The memory gave her butterflies and quickened her heart. What if she was with someone else now? The butterflies turned to butter-
flops
. The thought nearly made her ill. She listened at the door hoping there was only one voice. “…let you walk away…” Morgan heard no one reply. After several moments of silence, she heard Lee again. “Maybe she doesn’t want you.”

Doesn’t want who? Morgan? Morgan continued to listen but heard nothing more at all. She needed to go for fear that she would be caught in the dark with her ear to the door. On the other hand, she couldn’t move. She wanted to see Lee, even if she had nothing to say. Morgan wanted to see Lee’s face and just be near her if only for a moment. Maybe Morgan could tell her about the agreements. That was a perfect excuse. Before she knew it, her hand was on the knob and she was opening the door.

*

Lee heard Morgan enter but didn’t look up. Morgan made her way slowly toward Lee who still hadn’t looked at her. Morgan reached out and touched Lee on the shoulder. “Hey, Lee? It’s Morgan…are you…”

Lee looked up into Morgan’s eyes. Her intense gaze pierced through Morgan’s soul. There was a burning desire and need so intense she felt it burn through her body and settle low in her belly. Lee pushed back her chair and stood slowly, never once taking her eyes from Morgan. Morgan’s heart began to race. She was both excited and frightened. Lee stood in front of Morgan not speaking but searching. Morgan felt her ask even though she heard no question. Morgan responded by reaching out and taking Lee’s hand in hers. In an instant, Lee seized her, wrapping her arms wantonly around Morgan. Morgan melted into her.

Morgan stared into Lee’s eyes and said, “Please?” Lee did not hesitate. She brushed her lips across Morgan’s. Lee lightly caressed Morgan’s bottom lip with her tongue before she kissed it tenderly. As Morgan parted her lips, she beckoned Lee for more. Lee lost all restraint and fervidly claimed Morgan’s mouth with her own. Without releasing Lee’s mouth, Morgan maneuvered them backward toward Lee’s desk. Lee pressed Morgan firmly between her firm body and the hard mahogany desk. Lee pressed her thigh between Morgan’s and lifted her knee to allow Morgan to grind against the pressure.

Morgan released a deep, throaty moan that was barely muffled by Lee’s deep kisses. Lee grasped Morgan’s hips and deftly lifted Morgan onto the desk. She slid her hands down to Morgan’s hips, over her thighs, and between her legs. Lightly pressing, Lee opened Morgan’s legs and slipped between them. Morgan wrapped her legs around Lee’s hips and pulled her even closer. Lee could feel Morgan’s heat press against the seam of her zipper. The friction liquefied Lee’s center and she groaned. Lee grabbed Morgan’s shoulders and pushed her back so that Morgan rested back on her hands.