CHAPTER FOURTEEN: Candice
The five days we spent in Tucson were the best five days of my life. Not because the work was fulfilling or because I impressed the heck out of everyone with my knowledge of the telecom industry and cost analysis – which I did - duh.
The five days were amazing because they included four nights that found Tanner Wright in my bed.
Even though we could barely keep our hands off one another, we somehow managed to keep our affair a secret.
There was one close call when we were making out in the hotel elevator and Costas and Stan were standing there when the doors opened. Of course, by then, I was on one side of the elevator and Tanner was on the other. We did our best to pretend that we could barely stand one another.
It was one of the hardest things I’d ever had to do. When we were in the same room (or elevator) my fingers longed to touch his skin. My lips ached for his. My lady-parts wanted to party with his man-parts. And party, we did.
We avoided each other during the day, which wasn’t terribly difficult. I was always locked away with geeks and analysists while Tanner was wined and dined by the CEO and other executives. I got the distinct impression that if Wright Enterprises didn’t acquire Anderson Telecommunications, Anderson would not be around for very much longer.
I spent as little time as possible with the Goldman team, mostly having working dinners in the hotel restaurant to discuss the status of the due diligence we were conducting.
Bob, the forensic accountant hadn’t found anything out of the ordinary.
Neither had Irving the attorney or Juliette the… hmm... what was is that Juliette did again?
Stan seemed pleased with our progress and said we’d be flying back to Chicago on Friday. We’d readjourn at Goldman on Monday and take the week to prepare our findings to present to Wright the following Friday.
“I think they’re very happy with our work,” Stan said smugly, as if the credit was his and his alone. “Let’s finish strong, people, and impress the hell out of them next week.”
Tanner came to my door every night around ten. He’d slip inside the room, then slip inside me. We alternated between mad, passionate, almost-rough bouts of sex, and softer, gentler, slower, longer bouts of love making.
I can’t say that I preferred one over the other.
I loved it all: fast, slow, hard, soft, rough, tender...
I was happy so long as Tanner was beside me.
I was especially happy when he was inside me.
Insert big smiley face…
* * *
Friday morning I awoke to find Tanner sitting on the foot of the bed lacing his tennis shoes. He had left my room early every morning to sneak back to his suite to shower and change for the day.
“Morning,” he said with a smile. He leaned over to give me a kiss.
“Morning,” I sighed. I picked up my phone to check the time. “Damn, is it Friday already?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“Are you flying back with us today?”
“I’m afraid not,” he said, shaking his head. “Henry left a text early this morning. I have to fly to Atlanta for a few days to take care of some business, but I’ll be back in Chicago for our wrap up meeting next week. I’ll text you from the road. Don’t worry.”
“I’ll miss you,” I said, trying not to sound like a whiny, clingy girl; which was exactly how I felt.
“I’ll miss you, too,” he said with a sleepy smile. He leaned down and kissed me again. Just a little longer this time. A little deeper.
Without another word, he crept from my room and left me wondering what our relationship was going to be like once we were back in Chicago.
It was something we hadn’t talked about, but something that was always on my mind. I’m a girl, for petesake. That’s how we roll. I’d really like to know where I stood with Tanner, but I was hesitant to bring it up so quickly.
Did he really like me?
Or was this just an out of town fling?
An extended one-night stand?
Did we have a future together?
Did I save myself for Mister Right or Mister Wrong?
Did I sound like Lizzie Lohan in a shitty teenage chick-flick?
Yes, the little voice in my head said.
Yes, yes you do.
I tossed my phone on the bed and rolled over to go back to sleep.
I’d drive myself crazy with doubt and pity later.