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I ignore the attempt at seduction, instead choosing to acknowledge that she handled the situation well. “You were right to bring this to my attention,” I say by way of thanks, “and I think we have a solid path forward from here.”
Melody nods, her eyes growing slightly wide as she smiles. I notice with some disdain that she’s nursing her third glass of white wine of the hour, and cringe to think what she must hope will happen next.
“The last thing I wanted to bring up is, well … the personnel.” Melody says lightly, and I’m somewhat taken aback.
“What about the personnel? Do you mean the team?” I ask, my brows creasing.
“Yes, the team – are you still pleased with your staffing choices?” the woman asks before taking a long sip of her wine, staring at me over the edge of her glass like a cat stalking its pray. “I know they’re inexperienced.”
Almost immediately, I get the sense that Melody’s asking about Ramona. After all, my girl is lowest on the totem pole, and yet she outshines her superiors constantly.
Furious, I feel my eyes turn icy as I scowl at the brittle blonde woman. I somehow manage to maintain my composure before opening my mouth.
“The Concord team is exemplary,” I begin slowly. “I have no complaints about anyone. It’s been three months, and I would have said something long before now if I were displeased,” I manage in an even tone.
Melody pouts.
“I just wanted to make sure,” the absurd woman tries to backtrack. “You know, since you have so many people on the team. And some of them are new to the job, so I’m just not sure they’re the best fit.” Melody’s face is several shades of red, and I know it’s not just from her consuming too much wine.
“Let me remind you, Miss Prince, that I am the client. I’ll let you know if I want something to change. You’d do well to remember that I could pull this project at any point, so I strongly suggest that you not overstep your role again.” It’s a thinly veiled threat, and I can see the gears working hard in Melody’s mind as she tries to figure out her next step.
Ready to shut down any further speculation, I stand abruptly, ready to be done with our meeting.
“Thanks, this was great,” I say in an insincere tone.
The wretched blonde woman scrambles unsteadily to her feet.
“You’re going, Carlton? That was all business and no play,” she says with a mock pout, but I can read the disappointment on her overly made-up face.
I smile tightly, irked with this woman like I have never been irked before. “I’m a busy man, Miss Prince. But again, thank you for the meeting. I’ll see you at our next appointment.”
Without another word, I drop money on the table to pay for the drinks and walk out of the building, but before I can turn, Melody seizes my arm and presses something soft into my hand.
“Just a little something to keep you warm at night,” she breathes. “I noticed you were sniffling a bit, so maybe you can use it.”
I nod, my fingers closing over the item.
“Thanks, Melody. I’ll see you next week at the office.”
Then, I turn and leave the bar, stepping out into the bustling streets of Chicago. I breathe in the cold night air, glad to be rid of this distasteful business and ready to head home. But first, I look down at Melody’s gift. Is it a handkerchief? After all, she mentioned something about me sniffling, although I don’t have a cold at all.
Slowly, my fingers open to reveal a scrap of pink lace. What the hell is this? I look at it, confused for a moment, and then snap my hand shut. Holy fuck! That woman just gave me a pair of her panties, and from the damp texture at the crotch, these were the panties she was wearing at the bar! What the fuck?
Disgusted, I stalk to the nearest trash can and toss them inside. That was totally uncalled-for, and I have half a mind to call Melody’s boss and get her fired right this instant. But what would that do? It would be well-deserved, but the fact is that Melody’s doing a good job on Dissidence’s project. If I get her fired now, the cost delays will be enormous while Concord searches for a new manager.
Fuck. I scowl at nothing in particular, blind to the crowd around me. What should I do? I’ve always sworn not to mix business with pleasure, but now, the monster has reared its ugly head again. Do I fire Melody, or keep her on so that my project doesn’t go off the tracks?
In an effort to calm myself down, I let my mind wander to Ramona again. Immediately, I feel better. The sassy woman is nothing like the witch her boss is, and I can feel sanity returning to my mind as I let myself imagine the curvy girl before me. I’m disappointed that Ramona had plans with her friend Carrie tonight, but it’s fine. We’ve been spending so much time together that she deserves a night off. Hell, Ramona’s probably grateful that we’re not together, seeing that she’s been limping from our hard and thorough sessions in the sack.
