After the Interview (10 page)

Standing on 42nd Street, waiting for Joe to pick her up, Zoe slid her phone out of the inner pocket of her bag and noted she had new emails. Might as well read through these while I hang out curbside, she thought. One in particular caught her eye, so Zoe thumbed down to it and waited impatiently for the text to appear:

Zoe,

My schedule is not going to lighten up for a few weeks. Will let you know when I can get to NY.

Best,

C J

Zoe unconsciously chewed on her lower lip as she tried to decipher a hidden meaning in the message. Hell, not much of a message to decipher at all. It was short and to the point. Zoe decided to take it as C J’s polite way of saying thanks for the sex, so long. Why was she surprised? By the time Joe pulled up to the curb, Zoe was brushing a tear out of the corner of her eye and inwardly fuming with herself for expecting more from C J.

“OK, Zoe?” Joe asked as she entered the car’s back seat.

“Sure, Joe, the wind kicked up some trash and blew it into my eye. Will you head to the office? I have some things to talk over with Jeff,” Zoe said.

“No Problem, Zoe. Any stops along the way?” he asked.

“No thanks, I can call for take out later if I get time to eat. Lots of work to finish up today,” Zoe replied, and not much else to distract me, she thought. Reaching for the coffee cup she knew would again be in the cup holder, Zoe did decide to send C J a reply:

C J,

No problem. Am swamped with work and travel plans. Let me know if your schedule clears.

Best,

Zoe

The moment she hit send, Zoe wished she could take the message back and erase the last sentence. I hope to God I don’t sound pathetically hopeful with that last bit. Shrugging as she reached into her bag to search for an elastic band to pull her hair back, Zoe decided then and there to have no regrets. Go forward, no looking back, she told herself as the car pulled to a stop.

“Thanks, Joe, have a good afternoon,” Zoe said over her shoulder as she exited the car and headed to the skyscraper’s lobby without glancing in his direction.

ℓ

C J’s Monday had been one meeting after another because he had rearranged his schedule and everyone else’s to fit his travel plans. Now no New York on Thursday echoed in his head as he sat down at his desk to sort through emails and figure out what else he absolutely had to get done today. He had to admit the back-to-back meetings had accomplished a lot in short order and he might employ the strategy in the future. C J scanned his inbox and found what he was looking for,
[email protected]
. Swamped with work and travel plans. What the fuck was that supposed to mean, C J thought? Standing abruptly, he forced his chair away from his desk so hard it collided with the credenza. C J didn’t even notice as he walked across his office to peer out the window into the darkness. Yes, his message had been brief this morning but, shit, he was amazed he sent that before noon. Maybe he should have waited until he could explain the delay, or maybe she just didn’t care. After all, Zoe’s invitation was extended to him as she was already mentally on the plane and onto her next assignment.

With fatigue and hunger setting in, C J couldn’t think well. He grabbed his coat and tie while shoving his phone to his ear after autodialing his sister, Logan. Before C J had made it to the elevator Logan answered the phone, and he asked if she wanted to get something to eat.

“What? It’s almost 10pm. Are you crazy?” she shot back. “C J, are you just leaving work?” Logan asked.

“At this moment I am on my way to my car, so that’s a yes,” C J shot back.

“Who the hell crossed you today, and why are you taking it out on me?” Logan shot back just as forcefully.

“Sorry, Logan, it’s been the classic try to do something right but it ends up shitty kind of day.”

“Are we talking work or personal?” Logan asked.

“Personal,” C J answered reluctantly.

“Get over here. Food will be waiting and I can listen to this problem you have created.” Logan said.

Before C J could say he didn’t create the problem, she had already hung up. Figures, C J thought to himself. Logan wasn’t known for being sympathetic. True to her word, Logan did have food waiting, and the sandwich tasted damned good to C J. Between mouthfuls of the sandwich and a cold beer, C J gave a very brief description of the problem as he saw it.

Logan listened and didn’t say a word until C J abruptly stopped and said, “Well?”

“First thing,” Logan said, “I am no expert at relationships or I wouldn’t be thinking about patching up one of my own but seriously your issue is easy. You had an agreement. You changed the agreement with no discussion and now you can’t understand why the other party isn’t thrilled. Think of it this way, C J, you just broke a contract. How do you fix it? You either abide by the original terms or renegotiate and hope you don’t lose out.”

C J smiled, “So you and Jack are talking about getting back together?”

“What the hell? No way, C J, we are not discussing my relationship or lack thereof with Jack. That is off limits until I say otherwise,” Logan said sternly.

“Ok already”, C J said, smiling broadly, “I get your point and I am out of here Thursday headed to New York for a long weekend.”

“It will be interesting to see what Zoe does with this surprise or do you plan to clue her in?” Logan asked.

“Surprise is my plan of attack. I need to get things back on track with no second guessing by Zoe,” C J answered.

Logan frowned then asked, “Why are you doing this C J? Is it because this woman doesn’t seem to be falling apart without you or because she’s something special?”

C J was quick to answer, “She’s special. Zoe doesn’t need me but I need her. I want to be with someone who lights up when they see me but will also tell me I’m a jackass when it’s true. Right now she fits that description.”

“You can be a jackass. What’s amazing is that at this late hour you have come up with a great plan. Now you can leave because I have my own business to take care of before I head to Africa on Wednesday,” Logan said starting to lead the way out of the room.

As C J walked out of the kitchen and into the foyer of the condo, he heard noise coming from down the hallway.

Grinning he turned toward Logan and said, “Goodnight Jack.”

From down the hall a familiar voice called, “See you, C J, and good luck.”

C J turned to face his sister and saw her blue eyes rolling in disbelief. “Don’t say a word, C J. I was nice and let you come over so no brotherly advice or I swear I’ll…” Logan’s words were cut off as C J hugged her and kissed the top of her head.

“You know what to do. Just decide what you want. After all, you set me straight,” C J said as he exited the door. Jack and Logan possibly a couple again, C J thought to himself as he walked outside. Holy shit, let the fireworks begin.

Chapter Six

Rain was pelting her office window, making the thought of heading home at this moment undesirable. Zoe stretched and rotated her upper body from side to side in her chair to ease the ache in her shoulders. She had been looking at the computer screen in her office far too long today. I’ll finish editing this section then head out for dinner or if this rain keeps up call for takeout yet again, Zoe mused to herself. Tuesday and Wednesday had become blurs of writing and editing to get the two latest interviews polished and ready for publication in the next two issues. Jeff and Zoe had argued considerably about the order of appearance for the interviews of C J and Ambassador Rostanov. Zoe felt the interview of C J was a good lead-in for the Rostanov interview, and Jeff wanted to run the Ambassador’s interview first to get the jump on any other publication having commentary from him. In the end Jeff had overruled Zoe, and she was still pissed about it. Now he had her finishing up an article for some idiot reporter who had gotten sick while in Africa. Luckily for Max it was only parasites and not Ebola.

One single loud rap on her partially closed office door drew her attention and broke her concentration.

“This had better be good Jeff because you just interrupted my creative genius,” Zoe said loudly.

“Should I take a seat and wait this out or can I watch the genius at work?” C J asked.

Not believing whose voice she had just heard, Zoe slowly swiveled her chair and saw C J watching her, his body halfway through the door to her office.

“Why, Mr. Fairchild, what an unexpected pleasure,” Zoe said, rising to her feet and brushing past him to peer outside the door and see who else was still working.

Before Zoe could shut the door and turn to ask C J how he had managed to find her office, she felt his hands on her waist. She smelled his familiar scent, as C J bent to trail kisses down the side of her neck while molding her body into his. Zoe relaxed, turned slowly in C J’s embrace and raised her arms to pull his face down to hers. The kiss was slow, deep and full of passion.

She willed herself to step back and then said somewhat playfully, “So I see your schedule cleared.”

“Yes, ma’am, found I had pressing business in this city of yours, which will keep me here through the weekend, I do believe,” a sultry Texas drawl answered her.

“And what hotel are you staying in?” Zoe asked with a raised eyebrow.

“The Four Seasons,” C J answered as he pulled Zoe to him and slid his hands up her back to deftly undo her bra. Within seconds, C J had pulled her blouse loose from the waistband of her skirt and Zoe felt his hands run up her back and then around to cup her breasts.

Breathing heavily Zoe said without much conviction, “We should stop now before we can’t.” C J’s blue eyes and the smile on his face both showed her that he was already to that point and didn’t care.

Zoe’s hands grasped C J’s pants, quickly unbuckled his belt and undid the button on his pants. When she unzipped his fly she felt the heat of his body and his rock-hard erection. He groaned with pleasure as her hands reached into his briefs and encircled his penis, starting to slowly massage the length of it.

Quickly, his hands encircled hers and he stopped her. “No more or I won’t last, and I want to be inside you.” C J glanced quickly around the office and spotted two oversized chairs and a low table near the window. Before he could even make his move Zoe half pushed him so he fell backwards into the closest chair. Then she stepped out of her heels and pushed them aside. With a seductive grin she reached under her skirt and slowly lowered her underwear to the floor and stepped out of it. Suddenly growing impatient too, Zoe moved quickly to let her skirt fall to the floor atop her underwear. As she started to position her body to lower smoothly onto C J’s waiting penis, he slid his hands between her legs and parted her body to feel its moistened inner lips and stroke her. Zoe had to stifle an urge to scream with pleasure as her body pushed against C J’s fingers while he slowly increased his movements and pressure. When he slid his thumb into her body, Zoe reacted quickly reaching down and forcibly pushing his hand aside. Then she moved purposely lowering her aroused body onto his penis. C J’s hands then found her breasts and his fingers began caressing her nipples, increasing her pleasure as Zoe started to ride his penis, savoring his length as she moved. As Zoe’s body started racing to its climax, C J grabbed her waist and started matching her movements. The strength of her orgasm was so strong that Zoe felt her whole body contract, not wanting to let go of C J. Shuddering as he climaxed into Zoe, C J pulled her to him and felt her moan with delight as his head rested on her chest.   

When her breathing had slowed, Zoe lifted C J’s head from her chest and said, “Interrupting me at work is not recommended, but in your case I’ll let it slide this time”.

“Ms. Alden I need a few minutes to collect myself and then I will gladly assist you with more ‘work.’ Your genius has astounded me on more than one occasion, but seriously do you ever leave your office and go home?” C J asked with concern. “I went to your apartment building and waited so long in the lobby that the guard asked me to leave and contact you by phone. I got the feeling he believed I was stalking you.”