Page 78 of Corporate Escapades

Turning toward the door, he cracked it to allow better airflow, then ran his towel across the mirror so he could see his reflection while shaving. After a week of fixing clogged and broken toilets, he wanted to feel clean and, as his mother would say, proper.

When he’d finished, he wiped the excess cream from his face and patted on some aftershave. Peering back at his reflection, he felt like himself again. “You’re a handsome devil,” he said with a grin. “Now, let’s see if you can win over that hot-blooded woman in the other room.”

In the living room, Paris was lying on the couch listening to the radio. She didn’t want to feel or think about anything. She was tired. Tired of the craziness of her life. She wanted normal. She had to discuss normal with Vic, and she didn’t know how to begin.

“Hey,” said Vic. “Did you order food?” He had dressed in sweatpants and a black tank.

“Yeah, it should be here in about fifteen to twenty minutes, I think. You’re looking comfortable,” Paris mused.

“Hey, you aren’t the only person who likes to be comfortable and relax on a Friday night. Should I have put on denim and a polo for you this evening?” he asked with an inquisitive look.

“No,” laughed Paris. “It surprised me, that’s all. You only wear sweats and a tank when you’re going out for a run.”

Vic headed into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine and a corkscrew. Opening the bottle, he never took his eyes off her. She wore a pair of Mya’s little black terry cloth shorts and a plain red tank. She looked beautiful, even when she dressed down. “Would you like some wine?” he asked.

“Yes, please,” she replied. “How was your week?”

“I do believe it was what one would call ‘uneventful,’ in that nothing improper happened.”

Straightening herself into a seated position, she nodded and said, “That’s great. Do you think we’ll be moving up this week?”

“Undoubtedly,” he replied, handing her a glass of Zinfandel. Clanking the lip of her glass with his, he said, “To moving up and staying up.”

“Yes!” she agreed. Paris could not handle any further letdowns. “Are you prepared to make permanent changes?”

Vic sat down next to her on the couch and took her in for a moment longer. “Yes.”

She knew this might be a difficult subject for him, so she proceeded with caution. “I know we agreed to work together, but then things got a little complicated. We need to put our differences aside. I’m not sure what your goals are, but I intend to continue to stay away from pills and stealing. I want to take back my position as head of charity event planning. I’m willingto put the past to bed and move on with my life. Do you have a similar plan?”

“I hear ya. I’ve been seeing a shrink.” He watched as Paris’s eyes widened and her mouth parted. “I know, right? The big bad Vic isn’t so big or bad after all.”

Shaking her head, she said, “Seeing a shrink doesn’t mean you’re any less of a man.”

“I know,” he replied. “That was the first lesson I learned. Beyond the shrink, I too want

us to work together. I’m done sleeping with—how did you put it? Ah, yes. Anything that walks. I want to establish a meaningful relationship with a single woman at some point and also improve the relationships I have with family and coworkers. Apparently, I do have a bit of a hot temper. Something else I’m working on with my shrink. Also, no more sex in the office or walking into apartments uninvited. You should probably agree to that last one as well,” he said, winking.

“Yes, yes, I agree to not enter anyone else's apartment without an invitation. By the way,

Tom has stopped speaking to me. I haven’t heard from him all week, so you’re probably right about him.”

“That gives me no pleasure,” Vic replied.

“It is what it is, I guess? What do you suggest we do to deal with our issues with each other?”

“That depends on how you answer the next question. Do you feel our problems stem completely from us sleeping together?”

“Yeah,” she said, her eyes dropping to the floor. “We probably should have determined whether it was a one-time thing or something more. Do we have actual feelings for each other? Or are we using each other as a release because of our common situation? Questions that should be answered when two people as closely involved as us begin dabbling in extracurriculars.”

“Dang, girl, you’re making this into something bigger than it needs to be. This isn't a business transaction.”

“Am I? Tell me, what did that night mean to you?”

“It was exciting.” He grinned mischievously. “You’re an attractive woman, and we connected. I never thought about the next step, obviously.”

“Obviously,” she retorted. Before she had a chance to say more, the buzzer for the main door sounded, letting them know their dinner had arrived. Paris downed the last two swigs of her wine. Vic’s glass was already empty. “Here, give me your glass. I’ll pour more wine if you go down to the lobby and retrieve our pizza.”

“Deal,” he replied. He needed a moment away from her to consider the questions she had posed, as well as her irritated response. What did Paris want? He contemplated the situation the entire walk down to the lobby and back. He knew he felt something more for her than what he felt toward previous casual partners, but neither of them had admitted what they were looking for. He struggled to put his feelings into words he could express out loud.

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