Nancy and Yufei sat at Nancy’s spreadsheet covered conference table. Nancy, forearms resting on the table, stared daggers at the phone. Yufei leaned back in her chair with a small smile.

  “Thank you, Nancy. And you too, Yufei. I really ‘preciate ya’lls understanding. I’m glad we got this cleared up,” a gruff voice said from the phone.

  “As are we, Josh,” Nancy said, her voice deadpan as she glared at the phone.

  “I um... just want to apologize again for my team’s mishap and... for my behavior yesterday.”

  Nancy’s posture relaxed, and she nodded. Yufei smiled at her and leaned over the phone.

  “Mistakes happen. Everyone in finance has dropped or moved a decimal during their career.”

  “Well, I’ll try to remember that before I call screaming next time,” Josh said with a heavy sigh. “I really am sorry.”

  “Water under the bridge,” Nancy said, waving her hand. “Was there anything else you had for us?”

  “No ma’am. Thank you again.”

  “You’re welcome. Have a good day, Josh,” Nancy said, closed the call, and leaned back in her chair. She pointed to Yufei. “Great work catching that so fast.”

  “Thanks,” Yufei replied with a small giggle. “I think he could tell you were upset.”

  Nancy snorted. “Oh, he knew. He had a similar tantrum during renegotiation some years back and I dropped him as our principal supplier because of it.”

  Yufei shook her head. “You’re ruthless.”

  Nancy stood and stretched. “You can’t be afraid to cut someone out if they aren’t beneficial.”

  Yufei gathered the scatted spreadsheets before she stood. “I had my whole morning booked for this. I might take an early lunch and run home.”

  Nancy tapped her chin and smiled. “That’s not a bad idea. Back here at one?”

  “Sounds good.”

  After Yufei left, Nancy sorted a few things at her desk before grabbing her purse.

  “Taking a long lunch,” she said to Maurice as she walked past him to the elevator. Neck deep in work, he just gave her a thumbs up. Once down in the parking garage, Nancy called Ikher.

  “Hey, Nance! Whats up?”

  “Are you free for the next hour and a half?”

  “Umm, I’ve got someone coming by for something around one thirty.”

  “Do you fancy a visit?”

  “Yeah, sure! What’s up?”

  “I wrapped up my morning early and thought we could do a quick lunch date,” she said as she pulled out of the garage.

  “Sounds fun. In or out?”

  “Definitely in.”

  “Okay, what’re you hungry for?”

  “Hmm, I was thinking a mix of Spanish and Thai.”

  “Uh... okay? What meal is that?”

  “I wasn’t planning on eating silly.”

  “Huh? Oh! Ha! Okay, I’ll be waiting then.”

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  Nancy tossed her purse on the table, unbuttoned her coat, and threw it over a kitchen chair. Kicking off her shoes, she turned to Ikher after he closed the door and wrapped her arms around Ikher’s neck.

  “Hey, handsome, it’s been a while.”

  Ikher laughed and laced his fingers on her lower back. “Only like a week.”

  “Mmmm, long enough.” She gave him a quick kiss before reaching down and taking his hand. “Come on, we should be quick, I’ll need to get back.”

  She led him down the hall as she untucked her blouse. Entering his bedroom, she let him go, unbuttoned her blouse, and letting it fall to the floor. Ikher, from behind, ran his hands around her sides and kissed up her shoulder to her neck.

  Lacing her fingers in his, she pushed herself back against him. He kissed the corner of her jaw and then under her ear as he moved his hands up and squeezed her breasts. Nancy sucked in a breath and reached behind to squeeze him through his jeans.

  Ikher unfastened her bra and pulled the straps off her shoulders. Nancy turned and kissed him, her hands undoing his belt and zipper. That done, she pulled him toward her until she sat on the bed. Yanking his jeans and boxers down, she jumped when he sprang out, fully erect.

  “Someone’s ready to go.” Nancy smiled up at him as she grabbed him at his base.

  “Ohhh man,” he moaned, his head falling back as she took him in her mouth.

  She felt his moans and growls rumbling through her hand on his stomach. When he brushed some hair out of her face, she glanced up. Her pulse raced seeing Ikher’s heavy lust filled eyes staring down as she worked him. It didn’t take much of that gaze before she wanted more.

  “I want it,” she said as she stood and kissed him. “I want you.”

  Ikher’s hands unbuttoned her pants and pulled them and her underwear down. After she stepped out of them, he pushed her back onto the bed. Nancy’s breath came fast as he kissed his way up the upper inside of her leg. She grabbed his shoulders to pull him up further.

  “No, I want yoou-oohh,” she moaned and arching her back when Ikher put his mouth over her and pushed his tongue inside. She let go of one shoulder and grabbed a handful of his hair. Her back arched when one of his fingers joined his tongue.

  “No. No,” she said, sitting up. “I want you.”

  Nancy cupped his face, kissing him. He crawled forward, pushing her back onto the bed, never breaking the kiss until he was on top of her. When he pulled away from their kiss, her hands still held his face.

  Their eyes locked, both breathing hard before Ikher smiled and kissed her once. He leaned over and opened his nightstand drawer. He rummaged around before closing it and checking the bottom drawer.

  “Ugh.” Ikher’s head dropped before looking back to her. “I don’t have any condoms. I could have sworn I had some left. I’m sorry.”

  Nancy ran her thumb over his shoulder as she thought. After a moment, she pulled him back over on top of her.

  “I should be okay,” she whispered, kissing his chin and jaw.

  “What do you mean?”

  “It’s far enough away from my period.” She kissed his neck. “It should be safe.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” Nancy said, as she wrapped one leg around him. She reached down to grasp him while moving her hips up to him. Ikher let her guide him before he moved his hips forward, pushing himself inside.

  “Fuuuck,” he moaned, as Nancy’s warmth surrounded him. She exhaled and laid her legs on his. Grabbing his butt, Nancy bit his shoulder as she pulled him all the way into her.

  “Ohhh man,” he said, his head falling to her shoulder. Nancy exhaled as she rocked against him gently, her nails digging into his back.

  Ikher lifted his head up and stared into her eyes as he started moving. She pulled him down onto her and moaned into his ear. Normally, as they got more into it, the pace would increase. But this time, Ikher’s movements were slow and deliberate, making everything much more focused and intense.

  Something else was different. It wasn’t the lack of protection, as they had briefly gone without it once before. Something was different about Ikher.

  His warm weight on top of her, his breath and lips on her neck, his moans in her ear, and his measured deliberate strokes were building up a cliff while pushing Nancy closer to the edge.

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  A warm tingling sensation started in her feet and crept up her legs. A trickle of water slowly filling a glass. When his hair tickled her face, Nancy looked up to see his eyes closed in concentration. Ikher opened them when she pushed his hair back.

  Her hands held his face, though they weren’t what held his gaze. There was something unfamiliar in his eyes. Something tender had replaced the fired lust. Something gentle. Ikher breathed heavily as he searched her eyes.

  “God, I love you,” he whispered.

  Nancy blinked as her heart jumped into her throat. She had no reply. Her lips parted, but nothing came out. Her ears burned and pretty quickly, so did her cheeks. She pulled his face to hers, kissing him.

  Throughout all that, Ikher had never stopped moving and the warm tingling reached a plateau.

  “Oh god, Ikher, don’t stop. Don’t stop,” Nancy moaned, pulling away from their kiss. She held her breath as he continued. Her glass was full but wouldn’t spill over, like being stuck at the top of a roller coaster before gravity pulled you down.

  Ikher’s measured strokes jostled her glass, but couldn’t tip it over. When the anticipation started making her twitch, Nancy grabbed his butt and roughly pulled him into her.

  The glass over tipped over and she felt the cliff disappear as a wave of electricity exploded over her. She gasped, locking her legs around him and holding him in place. Nancy’s back arched and her nails dug into his shoulder as warm tingly wave after warm tingly wave crashed over her.

  “Nance... you gotta... I’m gonna...” Ikher whimpered.

  Her legs started quivering just as he released a sharp groan and his whole body tense up. His stomach clenched and relaxed as he drew ragged breaths through clenched teeth, his fists clenching the bed sheets next to her head.

  After a few moments, Ikher wilted on top of her. Nancy’s quivering and tingling faded, leaving her head light-headed as she fell back against the bed. She closed her eyes, savoring the last bits of warmth as it receded, leaving only his warmth on top of her. She released the vice grip she had around him and let her legs slide off him.

  He adjusted his weight off to the side and she felt fingertips on her shoulder. She raised her head to look and saw he held himself up with his forearm on the bed while he traced her shoulder with the other. There was a light sheen of sweat on his forehead.

  “Hey,” he said, with the goofiest grin she had ever seen on his face. She tucked some of his hair behind his ear with a contented sigh.

  “Hi.”

  “That was, ummm...” He trailed off, his eyes looking at the bed as his brain tried to form words.

  “Amazing?”

  Ikher stared at her for a moment, the goofy grin returning, before he nodded. “Yeah. Wow.”

  Running her fingers through his hair, Nancy smiled a grin equally goofy as his before she pulled him back on top of her. His warm weight on top of her was comforting. She nuzzled her face into his neck and wrapped her arms around him as Ikher settled on top.

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  Ikher had no idea how much time had passed. And he didn’t care. He wanted to stay like this all evening.

  “Hey,” Nancy whispered, then kissed his neck. He raised his head to look at her. “This is nice, but I have to pee.”

  “Oh, sorry!” he said, and pushed himself up and off her.

  Nancy sat up and stretched, arms above her head, before she stood. She started toward the bathroom before jerking to a halt halfway out of his bedroom.

  “Oh my god,” she said, looking down and doubled her pace into the bathroom.

  “You okay?!” Ikher asked, jumping off the bed. Poking his head in the bathroom, he saw Nancy sitting on the toilet and wiping the inside of her leg. She looked up at him with an amazed look.

  “It’s still coming out! I’m glad I didn’t wear stockings today.” She chuckled and shook her head. “Is it normally this much?”

  “I dunno.” He shrugged, then remembered they hadn’t used protection. “Is it okay that I.... finished inside?”

  She smiled up at him as she finished.

  “Yes.” She grabbed his comb to sort out her hair and turned to the mirror. “I’ll stop by the pharmacy and grab a pill on the way back to work. Just to be safe.”

  “Sorry. Do you want some money for it?”

  Nancy turned with a surprised look. She walked over and poked him in the nose with the comb.

  “Don’t apologize for that. I held onto you because it was amazing,” she said, gave him a quick kiss, and went back to the mirror. “Never apologize for amazing.”

  After she got her hair to an acceptable point, Ikher followed her back to the bedroom as she dressed and leaned on the door frame.

  “Hey, so ummm, about what I said... during... “ he said and rubbed the back of his head. Nancy looked at him as she clasped her bra. “Was that okay?”

  Her smile started small and grew until she pursed her lips to keep from grinning like a fool. She walked over and took his face in her hands. She kissed him before pulling her lips just off his.

  “Very okay.”

  “Really?”

  “Mmmhmm,” she nodded, kissing him again before looking around for her blouse.

  Spotting it, she pulled it on and buttoned it as she walked down the hall to the front room. Ikher grabbed a towel from the bathroom as he followed and wrapped it around his waist. Nancy glanced up from slipping into her shoes and smiled.

  “You getting modest?”

  “Nah.” He leaned on the wall. “Gonna take a shower when you go.”

  “In the middle of the day?” She walked over and put her arms over his shoulders.

  “Yeeeah, we were a little messy,” he said, pulling her to him with his hands on her hips.

  “Good messy though,” Nancy said as she melted into him.

  A buzz came from her purse on his table. She walked over and pulled out her phone. Nancy’s brows furrowed when she flipped it open.

  “Everything okay?” Ikher asked.

  “I have three missed calls and messages from my general counsel,” she said, putting the phone to her ear. Her eyes narrowed as she listened to the message.

  “That little shit!” she cursed, throwing her phone in her purse and grabbing her jacket. “The D.A.’s starting an inquiry into my companies’ finances. I need to go. I’ll call tonight. Or, maybe tomorrow if this doesn’t get resolved.” She grabbed his door handle, but paused and looked over her shoulder with a grin. “And we can talk about what you said.”

  “But it’s okay?”

  Her grin became an enormous smile. “Definitely okay.”

  Ikher’s smile back rivaled hers. “Go kick some ass,” he said.

  She nodded as she opened his door. “I’ll call when this is sorted.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  Ikher watched Nancy turn and start down his steps. His cheeks hurt from smiling. He turned and did a jerky, fist pumping victory dance down the hall and into the bathroom.

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  Descending his steps, Nancy felt light and happy with a twinge of nervous. Was this what ‘butterflies in your stomach’ meant? It was nice but felt odd considering she was going to wage a war against the state’s district attorney. She paused at the sidewalk. Maybe she didn’t need to. Perhaps she could win him over with honey instead of vinegar.

  Glancing back, she saw Ikher, head bobbing and fist pumping as he disappeared down his hallway. With a smile, she turned and pulled her keys from her purse.

  “Nancy?”

  Turning toward the voice, she saw Bill Logan’s cheerleader wife, Jerrica, coming from the park path. Nancy remembered the Logan’s lived across the park river in the nicer park of Oak Grove.

  “Nancy! Oh my god! What are you doing on this side of town?” Jerrica said, coming to a stop in front of Nancy. She glanced to Ikher’s house, then back to Nancy. Her eyes lit up, and a smile crept across her face as she leaned in. “Are you here for... “ Jerrica whispered but trailed off, inclined her head and eyes toward Ikher’s house.

  Nancy shook her head. “Jerrica...”

  “Ikher,” Jerrica whispered with a huge smile, then looked around before she whispered. “Oh my god! The best right?”

  A chill shot down Nancy’s neck. She looked at Ikher’s house, then back to Jerrica, who grabbed her wrist and squeezed.

  “I’ve been coming to him for a couple months. How d’you find him all the way in Desert Springs?”

  The chill crept across Nancy’s shoulder. A couple months. Nancy’s hands started to sweat. She couldn’t be implying that.

  “What--- “ Nancy started, but her purse buzzed again. The D.A. “Jerrica, I... I have to go. Work. I’m sorry,” she said, digging out and holding up her vibrating phone.

  “Oh, of course! Hey, we should get together soon!”

  “Ummm, yes,” Nancy said, rounding her car. “Call... call my office.”

  Jerrica bounced. “I will! Yay! It’s so good to see you!”

  “You as well.”

  The chill had worked its way down her shoulders and was in her chest as Nancy stopped at the end of his road. What did Jerrica mean by Ikher was ‘the best’. Why had she been coming to him for a couple months?

  In her rear view, she saw Jerrica go up to knock at Ikher’s door. The chill weighed on her, making each breath harder than the one before it. Her stomach twisted as Ikher, dressed only in a towel, opened his door. The chill swallowed her whole as Jerrica entered and the door closed.

  Nancy’s mind played out the exact details of what was happening in there. Ikher would compliment her or make some joke. Then he’d kiss or pick her up and take her back to the bed he had just been in with her.

  When she looked away from the mirror, her mind spiraled and tore apart. Part of her hurt. Part of her angry. Why weren’t you more attentive? Why did you let your guard down? Why didn’t you prioritize him? Why didn’t you see this coming? Why weren’t you enough?

  She sucked in a ragged breath when she heard her father answer.

  You’re a horrible girl and no one will ever love you.

  Her hands fell off the wheel and into her lap. She couldn’t feel the chill anymore. She couldn’t feel anything. Her head fell back against the seat as an all encompassing nothing threatened to swallow her whole.

  No.

  Nancy blinked as a small pin prick of light poked through the nothingness.

  He lied.

  He lied to you.

  Her teeth groaned as she clenched, pain shooting up her jaw; the small hole of light growing as rage incinerated the nothingness with the true answer.

  He led you on.

  He used you.

  Nancy slammed the gas pedal down, peeling her tires as she turned onto the main road. She navigated the few turns to make it onto The Six without killing anyone. Her pulse pounded in her ears; red at the corners of her vision as she flew down the highway.

  Everything made sense when she stepped back and looked at it. ‘I’ve got someone coming by for something.’ Someone was Jerrica. Something was sex. Ikher had never showered after sex. Except, of course, when he had someone coming over for more. He had probably used all his condoms with Jerrica.

  Jerrica’s words rang in her head. ‘I’ve been coming to him for months.’ Ikher had been lying to her the entire god damn time. The meals, the dancing, the concern for her. It was all lies, and she had fallen for it all.

  She worried for a moment that Jerrica was in on it and she was the butt of some colossal joke. But Jerrica Logan was as vapid as she was annoying. Her surprise at Nancy being there was genuine.

  She chuckled when she realized that asshole was likely playing Jerrica too. She wondered how long it would be before he told Jerrica he loved her. Ikher’s face with his gentle eyes appeared in her head. Her rage burnt out, and she felt the chill again as she saw him speak the words.

  No! He isn’t worth your sadness or tears.

  “You lying, asshole!!” Nancy screamed, slamming her fist onto the steering wheel. Her head throbbed as she exited The Six and waited for the light to turn. The sudden buzz from the phone in her lap made her jump. She ripped it open.

  “I’m on my way, Sean!! Stop fucking calling me!!”

  “Whoa! It’s me,” Maurice said.

  “What do you want?”

  “I’m checking on you. I was worried. You’re never out of communication like this.”

  She sniffed and cleared her throat. “I was busy.”

  “Are you okay? Is everything alright?”

  “I’m fine,” Nancy said, having trouble forcing her voice to be monotone.

  “Okay. Is there anything I can do or help with?”

  “Tell Sean if he calls me again, I’ll fire him.”

  “I... will relay that. He’s going to the D.A.’s office and asked if you could meet him there.”

  “Fine.”

  “Ah... all right... I’ll let you concentrate on driving. Call me if you need anything.”

  “Fine,” she said, pulling the phone away from her ear before putting it back. “Maurice.”

  “Yes?”

  “If Jerrica Logan calls, do not put her on my calendar.”