“You’d consider sharing her?”
“I’m a greedy man, but I’m not going to fight her best friend. You’re already ahead of me. Is it something you’d consider?” he asked, already knowing the answer. He was an expert businessman, and he knew how to work any man, including this one. Richard had already used his connections to get all the information he needed on Jay. He now knew that deep down, Jay was a good guy.
“I’d share her. I won’t fuck you or anything, but I want her.”
“I want Thursday to Sunday,” Richard said. “You cannot call, or try to interrupt my time with her.” He decided to set down some ground rules.
“Man, I may be an accountant but I’m not a fucking pushover. No, you’re not having four days with her while I get three, and I bet you drop her off on Monday, at your own convenience.”
Richard was impressed. He expected the man to fold quite easily, yet he hadn’t. He had to respect that.
“I have her Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday we both have her, then you have her Thursday and Friday. The weekend we both share her again. She’s also working for you, so keep your hands to yourself.”
Sitting back in his chair, Richard thought about it. It was the most logical way of dealing with the week. The break on Wednesday where they both had her meant neither of them actually got too close at risk of losing the other. Also, it was the start of getting him what he really wanted, the chance of seeing Temperance lost in pleasure while he got to watch. He liked it, and what pissed him off was the fact he was starting to like Jay. This man wasn’t a fool, and Richard didn’t like fools.
“Today is Saturday.”
“Yes. She works until two, and I expect to meet you for lunch, and to also join you at the end of your work to be together.”
Richard sighed. “You won’t back down.”
“No.”
“Is there anything I can give you to make you back down?”
“Like money?”
“Yeah, what do you want, consider it yours,” Richard said, testing the man’s morals. If he was going to be sharing with another man, then it was going to be someone with values.
“I want Tempe.”
“I’m not going to give her up.” One taste was all it took to get addicted. “You’ve already had your shot with her, why don’t you back off?”
“Because I’ve got another chance with her,” Jay said.
“Fine, I’ll agree to your deal. What are your terms?”
“Don’t go splashing your money around on expensive gifts. If we do this, then you’ve got to keep the luxury down.”
“I’ll buy her whatever the fuck I want. I’ve worked damned hard to be where I am right now.”
“Yeah, right, I bet you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, and you didn’t have to work your way to being leader of the company.”
“You couldn’t be more wrong. I was in foster care. I didn’t have the luxury of having a family. This is what I earned with my bare two hands, and I can tell you, I love every fucking second of it. Don’t even think to insult me.”
“And yet you both can insult me,” Temperance said, speaking up, and drawing their attention to her.
Her arms were folded, and she looked totally pissed.
“Tempe,” Jay said.
“So that’s why you were gone when I woke up. You didn’t even wake me.”
“Did you spend the night in her bed? That shit will stop as well.”
“Not on my day.”
“Are you two even listening to yourselves?” Temperance walked in and closed the door. He’d already drawn all the blinds around the room accept on the door.
“We’re coming to an agreement,” Jay said.
“Without me? Have you ever thought that I don’t want to share either of you?” She turned to him. “Last night was a mistake. We shouldn’t have slept together.”
“There wasn’t a lot of sleeping involved. We had sex.” As Richard spoke, he got to his feet and rounded the desk. Jay had also taken the time to stand.
“I don’t care. We had sex, and that crossed a line.” She unfolded her arms, and he noticed the white envelope. “Please consider this my resignation.”
Richard took the envelope and tore it up. He wasn’t interested in losing the only woman he happened to like. His feelings for her weren’t clear yet, but he couldn’t stand the thought of losing her.
“What the hell?” she asked.
“I have the right to accept or decline. I decline.”
“You can’t do that.”
“I believe I can, and I just did.” Richard stared down at the bits of white paper on the floor. His cleaner could deal with the mess.