Early Monday morning I sat in the break room downing coffee and wondering if I should switch to Red Bull. I'd had a sleepless weekend thinking about Callie with Jared.
Two admin assistants chatted at the next table as they ate breakfast before work.
"How was your weekend?"
"Doug and I bought a desk online. Except it came in like, a thousand pieces. And he insisted he didn't need the instructions to put it together." She rolled her eyes and they both laughed.
"How long did it take him?"
"Hours longer than it should have."
Smiling down into my mug, I remembered the bicycles I'd bought for my nephews Carter and Liam a month ago. They had also arrived in boxes of a thousand pieces.
In trying to put the first bike together I'd invented a bunch of new curse words. With pieces and tools scattered everywhere I began doubting the bikes would even be safe to ride. If I ever got them together. Returning them was looking pretty good when Callie came over.
She'd pulled out the instructions with a flourish and methodically put together the second bike. All the while trash talking my efforts as I continued swearing. Then we'd fixed the first bike together. Instructions made all the difference. The boys went crazy over those bikes.
I got up and refilled my mug. I'd just added cream when Tyrese stormed in waving the schedule.
"What the fuck is this?" he asked.
"The schedule," I said, putting the cream back in the fridge.
Over the weekend, I'd redone this week's schedule and posted it when I got in first thing this morning. I was miserable and it was Jared's fault. So I planned on making him miserable too.
"Yeah. You suddenly working with Jared all this week."
Taking a sip of coffee, I stared Tyrese down. "And?"
"Yo, if you've got a problem with me, be man enough to say something," Tyrese spat, the schedule crumpling in his massive fist.
"No problem. But there will be if you don't lose the fucking attitude," I growled.
The two admin assistants got up and quietly left the break room.
Tyrese checked himself and took a breath before speaking. "What's going on Em?"
"Nothing. Just need Jared's help with something this week," I shrugged.
A vein pulsed in Tyrese's forehead as he fought to contain his anger. I felt for him. None of this was his fault. But I wasn't about to justify my reasons to him.
"It's nothing personal dawg," I said, trying to reassure him. "I swear."
With a curt nod, Tyrese turned and stomped out. Great start to the fucking day. Mug in hand, I headed down to the studio. Jared was already there when I walked in.
"Have a good weekend?" I asked, sitting down.
"Fine, thanks."
"What'd ya do?"
Was it my imagination, or did Jared not seem as happy today? Hard to gauge as he stared straight ahead, not looking at me.
"Not much."
I wanted to ask about Callie, but struggled over how to phrase the question. How's your friend? Your date? No fucking way I was calling Callie his girl. She wasn't. Finally I decided to just use her name.
"How's Callie?"
"Do you mind if we get to work?" Jared asked.
I named a song and he began queuing it up.
Why the reluctance to talk about her today? What did that mean? Did he not see her this weekend? Did they have a fight? Or had Callie told him about her and I?
Over the next couple hours, Jared shutdown any conversation that wasn't about work. He avoided all eye contact and did as I asked without comment. It was pissing me off.
Jared played back the track again and waited.
"Make the bass lower, sharper," I ordered for the third time. "Do it right this time."
Jared sighed and lowered the bass again. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather work with Tyrese?"
"I'm sure," I snarled.
Mid-afternoon of the longest day ever, the control room door banged open and we both jumped.
Turning in my seat, I was ready to blast whoever had barged in like that, when I saw it was Callie. She stood in the doorway, glaring at me.
"Can I have a word Marshall?" she asked, her voice angry. It was clearly not a request.
Jared stood. "I don't think –"
Callie turned her furious gaze on him and his mouth snapped shut. He pushed back his bangs and looked anxiously from Callie to me. It was clear he had no idea what to do.
Part of me wanted to make her say whatever she had to say in front of Jared. Serve him right for poaching from me.
Instead, I nodded at Jared. "Take a break man."
After another glance at Callie, he practically ran from the room. Once the door closed behind him, I swivelled in my chair to face her and waited.
"What's your problem?" she demanded.
"Nothing," I said, spreading my hands wide and feigning innocence. "You stormed into my studio."
"Did you really ask Jared if he'd stuck his dick in me?" Callie asked, hands on hips.
I tilted my head, thinking. "I don't remember if I used those exact words, but yeah, that was gist of it."
"Why? What do you care?"
"I don't. Just making conversation," I shrugged.
"And your go-to topic of conversation is my sex life?"
"Meaning there's more than just Jared?" I asked, my jaw clenching.
"Thought you didn't care?"
"Answer the fucking question Callie," I demanded, getting to my feet and stalking towards her.
She laughed. "Either you care or you don't Marshall. Can't have it both ways."
"I don't!"
"Fine. Stay out of my business!" Callie ordered and turned to leave. I grabbed her arm, jerking her back.
"And what about my business? You're fucking around with the traitor leaking my songs!"
"Jared isn't your leak. He idolizes you!" Callie snapped, pulling her arm free. "Or at least he did."
"He's got clearance and access!" I shouted.
"Good to know you have a skewed view of others too. Not just me."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That you've got Jared all wrong."
"I can't believe you're defending him!" I shouted.
"Believe whatever you want. Doesn't matter to me," Callie said and turned to the door once more.
I yanked her back in front of me and held onto her arm. Being this near to her again was doing things to me. I didn't want her to leave.
"You really think Jared can satisfy you?" I asked. "Can't see him bending you over, making you cum so hard you beg him to stop."
"I'll never know. He's decided mixing business and pleasure isn't a good idea. Doesn't want to see me anymore. Congratulations."
Relief flowed through me as I moved closer to Callie, feeling her breath on my face.
"Then I did you a favor," I said, my voice low. "Tell me you don't miss my dick."
"I don't miss your dick."
I pinned her against the wall and pressed my body to hers.
"Liar," I said and slammed my lips down on hers. After a moment Callie returned the kiss. Hungrily I pushed my tongue into her mouth as her fingers curled into my chest.
While I'd felt nothing with Nat, my body was on fire now. Breathing ragged as her rose scent enveloped me. My lips moved down to her neck, tasting and nipping her skin. My hands caressed her breasts before slipping around her waist, forcing her closer. Callie moaned as my hardness ground into her softness.
I was thinking I should lock the door because I meant to fuck her right here, when she suddenly shoved me away.
"No!"
The action stunned me. My body screamed for the lost pleasure while my brain scrambled to make sense of what was happening.
"What's wrong?" I asked, licking my lip.
"We're done Marshall," Callie said.
"But ... you – you kissed me back!"
"Momentary insanity."
"We have an arrangement!" I said, desperate to have her and falling back on my warning shot.
"No," Callie shook her head. "That's over."
"It's not over until I say so," I growled. "In fact, you showing up saves me a trip later."
Walking over to my backpack, I pulled out the dismissal of legal counsel form Denise had given me, onto which I'd scribbled Callie's name. Stalking back, I slammed it down on the desk in front of her.
"What's that?" she asked.
"You start spreading those legs for me again slut or I'm firing you from the Marshall Mathers' Foundation."
Callie's eyes narrowed as she reached for the dismissal form and scanned it.
"Be tough to explain that to your firm, wouldn't it? But I'm giving you a chance to reconsider, go back to the way things were," I said, reaching for her again. "We can start right now."
Callie tore up the form and threw the pieces at me like confetti. Before turning and walking out.
"I have more copies!" I shouted after her.
Then I was alone in my studio with a raging hard dick.
"Fuck!"
