TJ

 

 

“What?” she yelps, startling even me. “They know about your panty collection? How?” Her eyes keep darting back and forth between me and the newspaper. The look in her eyes makes my stomach do a flip.

“Fuck … I knew this would come back to bite me in the ass.” I crumple up a piece of the paper in anger.

“What did?” She grabs a chair and sits down next to me, grabbing my hand. “You have to tell me.”

“It’s not something you can fix,” I say, jerking away my hand. I don’t want her pity. I just want this to go away. I stare at the newspaper, wondering if I could’ve done things differently so I wouldn’t have ended up with my face plastered all over the news. If this will mean the end of my career.

Because let’s face it … something this shocking, this scandalous, won’t be accepted by the public. They’ll scrutinize me and the company to the point where me leaving would be a simpler solution to deal with the attention.

“You don’t know that,” Lesley says after a while. “But I can’t even try to help if you won’t tell me what happened. Was it my fault?” She’s wearing a concerned frown on her face and a sad look in her eyes. “I swear, I didn’t tell anyone.”

I lean in and place a hand on her cheek, caressing her softly. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t do anything. At least, not to my knowledge.” I smirk and shrug, but that won’t change a thing about the situation I’m in.

“Then who did?” she asks, cocking her head so she can look me in the eyes.

“Yeah, TJ …” Beau’s sudden entrance caught me off guard. “Who did it?”

I make a face at him. “Like you don’t already know.”

He crosses his arms. “I can’t believe it’s come to this. I thought you dealt with her.”

“I thought I did too,” I reply. “But flies are hard to swat, remember?”

He purses his lips. “Damn right they are. And now look at this.” He holds up a newspaper he brought in. “It’s all over the news.”

“What is?” Lesley asks. “Just tell me what’s going on, please.”

I sigh. I didn’t want to tell her this because it’s not something I’m proud of, but I guess I can’t avoid it any longer.

“I had another intern before you came along. She worked hard, and I liked that. But she was also very enthusiastic about working with me …and that’s an understatement.”

“Very,” Beau adds.

She seems a little confused, so I guess I need to elaborate.

“She got a little too friendly.”

“Too friendly,” Beau adds again, and I give him a look. “What?”

Her lips form an o shape. “She tried to get in your pants?”

“Oh yes … and I know what you’re thinking. I’m a player, a cocky bastard … a different chick every day.”

“Oh, yeah, he’s like a pussy magnet,” Beau scoffs, and I roll my eyes.

“But that’s all talk. It’s not true,” I say. “I never pursue girls unless I really like them.”

“You just want people to believe you’re a ho-bag,” she says.

“Damn girl,” Beau cheers. “That’s on point.”

“Maybe.” I shrug. “But the point is, she actually thought she could use me. At first, she just tried to seduce me, and I did eventually end up kissing her. However,” I say, gazing explicitly into her eyes, “I didn’t pursue it further.”

“She felt ignored,” she says and does she hit the nail on the head.

“Yes.” I tap my pen on the desk from frustration. “She kept pushing for a relationship, despite me telling her I wasn’t interested. She wouldn’t have it. Eventually, she ended up threatening to expose me if I didn’t give her a raise, so I had to fire her.”

“Expose you?” she mutters.

“Yes.” I let out another sigh. “As my intern, I asked her to take Dozer for a walk about once a week, to which she agreed, but …”

“She went through your stash,” Lesley says.

“So she knows about your panty addiction too?” Beau says.

“I found my own panties in his closet before he told me,” Lesley replies.

Beau cringes. “Ouch.”

“Exactly,” Lesley says. “But I forgave him.”

“Can we get back to the important things?” I purse my lips. “That girl knew she could use it against me. Threatened to expose me if I didn’t love her back, so I fired her instead. What else was I supposed to do?” I exclaim.

“You did the right thing,” Lesley says.

“Really? Because now she’s going to take my career away from me and possibly even this goddamn business.” I chuck the pen onto the desk, feeling defeated. “Goddammit. I never thought she’d stoop so low and actually talk to the press about me.”

“What a bitch,” Beau mutters.

“No wonder you were so apprehensive to hire me. It was because of her, wasn’t it?” Lesley asks.

“Yeah … but also because I knew you were the one who sent me the panties, of course.”

“Right.”

“But it is why Gillian’s so uptight around you,” I add.

Beau bursts out into laughter, drawing our attention, and he immediately stops laughing. “Okay, I’ll see myself out now. Tell me if you need my help.” He winks at me. “You know I’m here if you need me.”

“Thanks,” I say as he closes the door behind him.

“So Gillian knows about your panty collection?” Lesley continues.

“God no,” I say, my eyes almost bulging out of my head because of the scare. “Fuck, I don’t think I’d survive.”

She chuckles. “But then why …?”

“She knows about the extortion. She’s skittish around any new female co-worker. It’s just who she is. She’s trying to protect me.”

“Hmm.” She rubs her chin. “Well, that does explain it. Still, what that girl did to you was wrong.”

“She was mad I rejected her.”

“That’s no reason to use your panty addiction as extortion.”

I grimace. “Panty addiction?”

“Well,” she says, shrugging, “what else would you call it?”

“An eclectic taste,” I muse.

She snorts and smacks her hand against her mouth, preventing more laughter from escaping. “I’m sorry,” she mumbles. “It isn’t funny. But maybe a little.”

“It’s not,” I agree. “Panties are serious business. You should know. You sell them, right?”

“Right.” She nods, a little distracted. I wonder what she’s thinking about.

“You don’t sell them anymore?”

“I do, but I was thinking of quitting.”

“Tell me why.” I spin in my chair so I can look at her properly, and it captures her attention just the way it should.

“Why do you sound like you’re interested? You do realize this involves other pervy men?” she notes.

“Yeah, I’m not saying I like that part. On the contrary, I’d probably want to kill the son of a bitch who tries to get his hands on your panties.”

I already feel murderous when I think of it.

I take a deep breath to control my urges. “But it’s your business. I’m not going to tell you what’s right or wrong. I just want to know what’s going on in your head.”

“I don’t know. The panty-selling thing just doesn’t feel right anymore. And I’ve got this job now, so I can pay my bills.” She narrows her eyes. “Is it weird if I say that it feels like cheating?”

“No.” I laugh. “But I understand. You have to do what you think is best.”

“So you’re not going to give me any advice?” She bites the inside of her cheeks, waiting for my reply.

I point at myself. “Do I look like the kind of guy to give good advice?”

She smiles. “Good point.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“What? You were looking for something else, weren’t you?”

“Well, you didn’t have to agree with it,” I say.

She grabs the pillow from her chair and throws it at me. “Asshole.”

I laugh, deflecting it by grabbing it midair. “That’s Mr. Asshole to you.” I throw the pillow on the floor.

“Yeah, right. Like we haven’t already gotten way past the point of no return.”

“No, that would be anal sex … so I guess you’re right. We have gone past the point of no return.”

She grins, a little too deviously, and I decide there and then it’s been way too long since I last fucked her ass, and I’m going to fuck it into oblivion the next time I get the chance.

But first, we have to deal with the matter at hand. I turn my head toward the paper again and swallow away the lump in my throat. “If I want to stay your boss, I gotta do something about this first, though. It’s not looking good.”

“Can’t you sue them?”

“No, because it’s actually the truth. I do collect panties.”

“But if there’s false information in there, you could, right?” she asks.

“Maybe, but that won’t solve the problem of my reputation being damaged forever.”

She grabs the paper. “Let me see.” Her eyes scan the words I’m too afraid to even read.

“What does it say?” I ask.

Lesley clears her throat. “It’s not looking good.”

I entwine my fingers as I lean on the desk with my elbows, staring ahead. “Give it to me straight.”

“All right. It says you’re a filthy panty hoarder. She says you had like thousands of them.”

“Lie,” I reply.

She continues. “Most of them were dirty. Yada, yada. You sniffed them while at work.”

“Lie,” I say. “Again.”

She briefly glances at me before continuing. “She says you intimidated her and demanded she gave you her panties or else she’d get fired.”

“Lies.” My fist slams onto the desk, momentarily scaring Lesley.

“Should I continue?” she asks.

I nod, rubbing my chin with annoyance. “Yes. I have to know what it says.”

“You sure? Because you seem upset.”

“Yes, goddammit!” I growl.

She sucks in a breath and arches back, and I regret yelling at her like that immediately.

“I’m sorry,” I say.

“It’s okay,” she mutters, still apprehensive. “Just don’t yell at me, okay?”

“I won’t. I apologize,” I say, gazing straight into her eyes. “Please continue.”

She nods and then opens her mouth again. “She says you also stole one of her panties from her.”

“What? How?” I cringe. “Like I’d ever just go into an employee’s home and steal their panties. Who in their right mind would believe this crap?”

“Apparently a lot of people since it’s even on the news,” she mutters, which makes me grind my teeth.

“Doesn’t mean it’s true.”

“I know that.” She cocks her head. “TJ …”

“Do you?” I ask, looking up at her. “Because everyone already thinks I’m the liar. Not her. She’s the innocent victim, right?”

She places the newspaper down on the desk and steps closer, despite me snarling at her. She should go before I do more damage. I might ruin her career too before it’s even started.

Instead, she wraps her arms around me and hugs me tight.

The warmth of her embrace overwhelms me to the point that I lose myself in her. I don’t know how she does it. How she’s so empathetic when there’s nothing in it for her.

“We’ll get through this,” she whispers.

“I know,” I say, my fingers scrunching up her shirt to hold her closer.

“I can help.”

“How?” I ask. “No one can. It’s all lies, but I can’t prove a thing. I know she’s their prime source, but I can’t do a damn thing. No one will believe me. I’m just the perpetrator in this story.”

“You’re the victim, and I will prove it.” She grabs my shoulders and pushes back so she can look at me. And god, the way she does it makes me feel so weak and strong at the same time.

But this is not her fight.

I grab her face and let my thumb graze across her lips, thinking how I should’ve kissed her more. I’m worried … worried that I might not just lose my job, my business … but my relationship too. Whatever we had might be crushed under the weight of the media pressing down on us and continuously harassing us. It’s just not worth it.

“I don’t want to see you get hurt by this,” I say. She might not realize it, but it’s true. I care too much about her to make her go through the media frenzy. To make her watch my downfall. To witness the destruction. And to be in the center of it all.

“Maybe you should just—”

She presses a finger to my lips. “Don’t you say a word, Teddy Junior Morrows.”

My eyes turn into slits. “Who said you could use that name?”

“No one,” she says with a smirk. “But I will not let you ruin what we have just because of a news article. I’ve already gotten past the fact you’re a perverted man, so I can get past the fact people know.”

Her rant is actually quite cute. Especially when she’s all up in my face like that with her sass. Makes me wanna do other things … things I should not be thinking about right now.

“And I know what you’re thinking, but don’t get it into your head that we’re going to bounce around the room right now.”

“Bounce?” I chuckle. “You’ve got a colorful vocabulary.”

“You haven’t heard the half of it yet,” she boasts. “But I’m not going to sit here and do nothing while they rip you to shreds. Nuh-uh. If you wanna take it and let them walk all over you, be my guest, but I’m going to fix this shit right now.”

“I’m not letting them walk all over me. I was thinking of waiting until it blows over.” That’s a lie, but I don’t want her to know I feel defeated.

“Good for you.” She sticks up her thumbs. “But I’m not going to let some jealous bitch ruin your reputation.”

“What are you going to do about it?” I raise a brow. “Throw a tantrum like you’re doing now?”

She picks up the pillow from the floor and throws it at me again. “Asshole.”

I laugh. “What? You know I like it when you’re all sass.”

“All sass and no play,” she growls. “This bitch means business.”

“If you keep that up, I might have to call security,” I jest.

“Try me.” She puts up her fists. “I’ll beat the shit out of each one of them if that means I’ll get my way.”

“And what is your way exactly?” I ask, cocking my head.

“Getting that bitch who slandered you to admit she lied, get it on tape, and throw it out into the world.”

“So that’s your plan?”

“Yup,” she says, and she grabs the paper off the desk and rolls it up to stuff it into her bag. “And there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

“I never said I wanted to,” I say, leaning back in my chair.

“Oh, so that’s what CEOs do all day? Lean back and let everyone else do the work for them?”

“Got that right … and you know what else? You’ll make a damn fine CEO yourself one day.”

Her cheeks turn red, and I smile with delight.

“Thanks,” she says. “But before I start my own business, I gotta save yours.”

“Hey, I’m not forcing you to do anything. You know I’d prefer it if you didn’t, right? This could get me into real trouble.”

“I know you don’t, and I won’t, I promise,” she says, kissing me on the forehead. “But I gotta try.”

Before she can turn around, I grab her face and pull her in for a kiss. “You know I love it when you’re feisty like this,” I whisper against her lips.

A dirty grin spreads across her lips. “You should see me when I meet that girl …”

“Please don’t punch her in the face,” I joke, which makes her chuckle.

“No, I won’t. I’ll just give her a good kick in the pussy.”

“Don’t,” I say, pushing my forehead against hers so she can’t look away. “I mean it. If you can’t behave, you stay here.”

“Right … because you think I can’t handle myself.”

“No, because I don’t want you to get into trouble. I’m not doing this the wrong way.”

“There is no right way.”

“It must be legal, Lesley,” I hiss.

“I know, I know.” She sighs. “I just want to help.”

“I know you do,” I reply. “But help can also do a lot of damage.”

“I’m not going to make it any worse, I promise.”

“If people find out that you work for me, and that we’re a couple, and you visited her … we could be in real trouble.”

“A couple?” she repeats. “God, that sounds so weird when you say it like that.”

“Really?” My eyebrows rise. “That’s the part you focused on?”

“It’s called selective listening. You should try it sometime.”

“Oh, I do it all the time … but I only listen to your oh’s and ah’s. They remind me of something else.”

She smiles like a little vixen, pressing her juicy tits against my chest, and it makes me wanna grab them. “Is that all you ever think about?”

I purse my lips to stop myself from grinning like a motherfucker. “Pretty much.”

She bursts into laughter. “God, you’re such a horny bastard.”

“But I’m your horny bastard.” I grab her hand and kiss the top, but my tongue can’t help but dip out to lick it up all the way to the tip of her finger, after which I suck it off in my mouth.

“Seriously?” she mumbles.

“You know you like it,” I taunt, bringing her finger down my chest and making a sizzling sound. “Ooooh.”

She laughs. “You’re too funny sometimes.”

“I know, babe,” I say. “It’s what breaks the tension.”

“What tension? I didn’t know there was any,” she retorts, and she backs away just in time before I got one of the most massive boners ever.

Goddamn, she’s so fucking sexy up close.

“I’m gonna go gather some intel,” she says, winking as she walks backward.

“Don’t be too obvious,” I say. “People are gonna notice.”

“I’ll be as sneaky as a rat,” she says, tiptoeing to the door like she’s already started her mission impossible. “You won’t even notice I’m gone.”

I smile, watching her open the door. “I do expect you to do the rest of your work, you know.” I check my watch for emphasis. “The work never ends.”

“I know, I know! I’ll do it all and then some,” she yells before closing the door and leaving me alone.

It only dawns on me when she’s gone that I haven’t got the slightest clue what she’s going to do, and that it scares the living shit out of me. I don’t want this to get any worse than it already is. But can it? Because I know that once the other board members see this newspaper, I’m done for. And no amount of truth searching or begging from either me or Lesley is going to fix it.

I let her go because she wanted to. Because I could see she wished to help me.

To make her feel good.

To give her the idea there’s still hope.

But I’m guilty. This stupid heart of mine just can’t let go, even when I know it’s a lost cause.