Page 94 of Pierced

“Party?”

“Yeah, the Halloween party.” I point to the box and say, “The invitations got dropped off on Friday while we were…” I waggle my eyebrows at him and he chuckles.

“Well, let’s have a look.” He opens the box, removes an invitation and studies it for a moment.

It looks like a door. If a door was made of silver lace. And the background is black, so it looks like a magical portal to another world. One that’s sexy and mysterious. He opens it up and reads the engraved silver calligraphy, then closes it and looks at me. “Jesus, this makes me hot for you. I don’t know anyone else in this world who could pull off turning a Halloween party into a sexy black-tie affair. You’re definitely in charge of all our parties from now on.”

“Well… OK,” I say. Because I’ve made peace with things. And hey, if Pierce wants me to be the official party-thrower, I do not care. I’m in.

“So hey, I really do have to leave now. The jet is waiting. But… Can we get together next weekend when I’m back? Aside from the party, I mean?”

I nod my head, lean all the way across my desk so one leg has to lift up and bend like I’m one of those sex kittens right out of a noir movie from the Forties, grab him by the tie, pull him towards me and say, “It’s a date,” as I give him a proper kiss goodbye.

And if it bothers him that we’re doing this at work, he doesn’t show it. Because he stands up, grips my shoulders with his large, strong hands, and kisses me back.

I’m ready to rip his clothes off and let him take me right here on this desk when my phone rings.

Fucking phone. Thing hardly ever rings so you’d think it would just give me this moment, but there it is. Interrupting.

“I’ll see you when I get back,” Pierce says, breaking away.

“OK,” I say. Dreamily. “Have a great trip! Tell your father hello for me!”

“OK, but he remembers fewer names than I do.” He smiles one last time, then disappears.

I grab the handset and purr, “Ms. Rothschild, how can I help you?”

“Myrtle? It’s Pearl.”

Oh, shit. I forgot all about Pearl.

“I just wanted to make sure we’re on to discuss your class at lunch today.”

“Umm… look, Pearl. I’m gonna be honest with you. I just can’t swing it.”

“Oh, no!” she moans. “Please don’t bow out. Please reconsider, Myrtle. We really need you.”

“I’m really sorry, but I can’t make lunch today. I have this big party to save the magazine, and these invitations sitting on my desk that need to go out, and—”

“Tomorrow! We can do it tomorrow!”

“Well…” I try to come up with an excuse, but who am I kidding? I’m lucky I have invitations to keep me busy today. It’s practically my only purpose at work right now. So tomorrow I’ll be back to normal, twiddling my thumbs at my desk, anxiously waiting for my next erotic novel to drop. “OK. Lunch tomorrow.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“No problem. Same place, same time. See you then.” And I hang up, anxious to make the rounds and personally invite everyone to a Halloween party they will never forget. If I chat everyone up, I might be able to stretch this out all day.

I empty my work bag and stack as many invitations as I can inside, because I am not hand-delivering these beautiful works of art from a cardboard box, and head straight to Josh Washburn’s office as my first stop.

I find him eating a banana.

“Josh,” I say, leaning on the door. “Do you have a moment for Myrtle?”

“Myrtle,” he says, mouth still full. He chews hastily, swallows, and tosses the banana peel into the trash as he makes his way toward me. “What brings you here?”

You know, I have to give Josh credit. He didn’t seemed pissed off that I took his office. He didn’t bad-mouth me, accuse me of sleeping my way to the top, or become passive aggressive. So I am extra sweet to him right now. “I don’t know if you heard,” I say in my normal Myrtle-is-here-to-drive-Josh-crazy voice. “But we’re having a party this coming weekend and I have your invitation.” I pluck one out of my bag, and slowly wave it in front of his face.

“What kind of party?” he asks, transfixed.