Insufferable Proximity (31 page)

“You are scared.” he asked in amazement.

“No I’m not, I’m respectful! I know what’s under that deceivingly-beautiful blue surface, a whole world of underwater monsters. Don’t get me wrong I love the water, but from a safe distance.”

“Come on, there’s champagne downstairs.” he took her arm and let her down the steps to the long hallway on the floor below. It was all done in dark colors, forcing her to feel like she was underwater and she felt a shiver travel up her spine. He took her into the door at the end of the hallway and she gasped in awe as she stepped in the large room.

She felt like she had stepped onto an olden day pirate ship. The elaborately designed room was amazing while slightly frightening at the same time and she realized instantly that it was the most impressive room she had ever seen.

“Wow, this is amazing, I love this room.” she squealed running over to the enormous fish tank. “You’re kidding me, you have piranha?” her entire face lit up with excitement and he was impressed that she recognized the species off the bat.

“For someone who hates the water you sure do like the scariest parts of It.” he said as he pulled out a bottle of expensive champagne.

“I already told you I do not hate the water! The white shark is and will always be my favorite animal, but I would never want to pet one.” she frowned and he could not help but chuckle.  She felt the yacht suddenly start up and she looked at him, a wary look in her eye, “You told him we are not going out too far right?”

“Right.” he answered handing her a flute of champagne. “There’s a big deck on this level, let’s go see the water.”

“No, I changed my mind about that, I think I’ll skip the whole water show for now.”

“Have you ever been in the water?”

“Just swimming pools, I love to swim.”

“What about the beach?”

“No.”

“Shark attacks at the beach are rare.”

“Rare is a very powerful word and often misleading. Rare does not mean nonexistent and the word itself implies that someone has definitely gotten bit.” she shook her head, “besides, the bull shark is one of the most deadliest sharks out there and is known to swim in salt water, brackish water as well as freshwater. I refuse to take that chance.”

After an hour of talking and drinking champagne, he finally convinced her to go to the deck. She stood in the middle of the deck refusing to go out any further, her heart racing as she looked around to see they were nowhere near the docks anymore.

“Tell him to go back towards the docks, we are too far out.”

“He will soon,” he took her hand and led her towards the edge.

“No way, this is far enough, this deck is slippery, I could fall down and go right over the edge.”

“I would never let that happen.” he said and she finally relented, although her heart was pounding so fast she feared it would stop beating. When they got close to the thick metal bars that would prevent her from going over she stopped dead in her tracks.

“I can’t.” she held him tightly as he rubbed her back, comforting her a little.

“Yes you can.” he led her to the rail and holding her close to him. “Look.” he said and she finally peeped out of one closed eye to see the water, her heart refused to relax, but her body was beginning to. She finally opened both eyes wide and looked out the most glorious sight she had ever seen.

“It is beautiful.” her words were filled with awe as the breathtaking view overwhelmed her. She felt free of fear and her anxieties had vanished, she unwrapped her arms from Julian, but still held on tight with one hand as she took a better look.

“Sharks are beautiful up close.” he said and she turned to him “I’ve been cage diving a few times, and was able to see a great white once.”

“You are insane.” her words full of admiration.

“You should try it sometime.” he said and she just continued to look at him for a moment.

“Thank you for bringing me here and for forcing me to sail farther then the docks, as well as step on the deck.”

“It was my pleasure, I enjoying using force when it comes to you.” He grinned slyly.

***

On her way through to her office that Friday morning, Heaven had not even gotten a chance to set down her briefcase before she saw Julian and Lila Strain huddling in the corner. Heaven felt a scorching-hot anger begin to spark within her.

To Heaven, Lila was nothing but a lazy slob who whored herself around the office, conveniently forgetting certain aspects of her job and sometimes neglecting her duties altogether. Lila had a client who knew Heaven’s last client and had been willing to give a good character reference. Heaven had asked Lila to contact her client repeatedly but she had still not gotten back to her yet. It wasn’t that Heaven needed the character reference now, especially since she had won the case and had more than enough people who testified on his behalf, it was the point of the matter. Without another thought she walked over to Lila and Julian, who both looked at her, but Heaven only looked at Lila.

“What happened to the character witness you promised to contact?” Heaven asked the dumfounded lawyer.

“I didn’t think you needed it now, considering you won the case.” Lila said curtly, turning back to Julian, who was still watching Heaven.

“No, but I needed it two weeks ago when I first asked you for It.” she snapped at her.

“I’ve been busy.” Lila frowned trying to keep her irritation down. Seeing Lila’s irritation only infuriated Heaven, it was all she could take.

“Busy doing what exactly? Patrolling the office hallways, gossiping and god knows what? The only thing you’re busy doing its avoiding your responsibilities at this firm!” she said fiercely, but Lila who usually relished playing the bitch role, was never keen with confronting Heaven Deville.

Heaven was a relentless beast who held a grudge, like one held the only branch on the side of a thirty foot drop off. Although Lila could not stand her and refused to kiss her ass, she would not intentionally set that little pit bull off.

“I do not neglect my duties.” she said with their eyes locked in a silent duel.

“So we can add liar to your resume as well as slacker.” Heaven said haughtily, her disgust obvious as she stood there for a moment, daring Lila to say something back instead Lila gave her a frown then turned back to Julian with a big smile.

“As I was saying, I’m having another birthday bash Saturday.” she spoke as Heaven walked away. Heaven suddenly felt immature and spiteful, and ashamed that she had let the sight of Lila and Julian together affect her. When Heaven was out of sight, Lila shook her head.

“What a bitch,” she whispered, “I see why you hate her so much.” she suddenly looked sympathetic and Julian raised his brows. With all the time he spent alone with Heaven, he had almost forgotten that the rest of the world still thought that they hated each other. “She treats me the same way as she does you.”

“That statement would have been valuable to her case.” He told her.

“And I feel so badly about it, but I have been so busy with my own case.” Lila smiled and batted her lashes.

Heaven stood around the wall and heard Lila’s words, before she walked to her office. How dare Lila try and use her and Julian’s mutual hatred for Heaven as a means of drawing her and Julian closer, to share the same plight and hatred of all things Ms. Deville.

Her hatred towards Lila was completely different then her hatred for Julian. She hated Lila for her incompetence and lack of work ethics, while she hated Julian for every other possible reason known to man.

Heaven was not the only irritated female in the hallway listening to Lila openly flirt with Julian, Juliette West had been on her way to tempt Julian with a plate of delicious homemade honey buns when she heard Lila’s piercing voice. Juliette felt her anger rise, she had spent half the night waiting up for her neighbor to finish those damn honey buns and was half tempted to go slide one in the back of Lila’s desk where it would go unnoticed and eventually attract every bug in the building.

Juliette had hated Lila ever since the first day that she had met her, Lila was an over-sexed strumpet and completely infatuated with Julian. There had been rumors about the two of them since the day Juliette started working for the firm, very explicit rumors, but she hadn’t felt the least bit threatened by it especially since most of the employees believed Lila had started the rumors herself. Juliette waited until Lila finally walked away from Julian before she walked over with the platter of honey buns.

“Hello Mr. King.” Juliette smiled from ear to ear, just happy to be in his presence. She held out the platter with the delicious honey buns and Julian reached out to grab one. Juliette knew she would have to be patient, for now, she would have to settle for tempting him though his stomach. She would take advantage of the time by showing him what an amazing woman she was, refusing to be like Lila who openly throws herself at him. Julian was nowhere near ready to settle down, but when he was, he would not be interested in some of the hags he taken his fill of, he would want something fresh and new to him and Juliette would be there waiting for him, naked and with a tray of warm chocolate chip cookies.

“Very good.” he said as he took a big bite.

“Thank you, I saw a new recipe and decide to give it a try.” she lied, truth was, she had a new neighbor who had a new box of recipes that Juliette intended to take full advantage of.

“I’m glad you did.”

“I am so happy you like them, please take another.”

“Good idea.” he winked as he grabbed another honey bun. It was a casual wink on his behalf, he was so over whelmed with Heaven, another woman was the last thing on his mind, but he knew by the look in Juliette’s eye that she had misinterpreted it. ”Thanks again.” he nodded before walking away.

“Anytime.” she answered him watching him walk away. Juliette felt a surge of excitement that he had winked at her. She knew her slow plan to seduce him was working and she realized that he was finally starting to value her.

***

When they got home from work, Julian told her to go get ready, that they were going out. He could have told her they were going to mars for lunch for all she cared, she was still replaying the conversation she had overheard Julian and Lila having this afternoon at work.

She sat through another makeup and hair session like a zombie, Alice’s usual chatter blending to sound like a faint murmur as she continued to think about the sensual relationship between Julian and Lila Sprain that she had witnessed.

She sat there in a strange state of mind, wondering why she was still so irritated with Julian and Lila. What irritated her even more was that she had let them affect her in the first place. She didn’t know what she felt, she had nothing to compare it to, but she knew she despised the feeling.

She and Lila were so very different, sure they were both female lawyers but that was where the comparisons stopped. Lila was weak and represented an image that Heaven abhorred. So how could Julian be with both of them? Did it just not matter to him, was one woman really just as good as the next? Was she just another Lila to him and vice versa? Had he done the same things to Lila that he had done to her? Had he made Lila also squirm?

“Damn it.” she hissed and Alice stopped to look at her.

“Are you alright girl?”

“Huh?” she looked blankly at her then realized she had spoken aloud what she had been thinking. “Oh, yes, I just, um I forgot to sign some paperwork.”

“Well forget the paper work and look at this masterpiece.” she said as she stood back and Heaven rose from the chair and looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was straightened but curled with big loose curls, her lips were shockingly red, her eye shadow was a pale peach frost and the black liner winged out dramatically.

“I did the whole pin-up-model makeup, since you’re wearing a white dress.” she smiled

“I like it.” Heaven said, shocking the hell out of Alice, who smiled widely in return.

“Really?”

“I wouldn‘t have said it if I didn’t mean it.” Heaven smiled, shocking Alice even further, “You did a really good job, thank you.”

“Anytime girl, my pleasure.” she could not help but to give her a quick hug, and to her surprise, Heaven did not object nor pull away. Alice was still smiling long after she left the room.

When she was alone, Heaven absent mindedly put on the white dress then slid on the silver pumps, the distraction Alice had created with her dramatic tales and amazing hairstyles was now gone and she was back to her own thoughts and still wondering what was making her feel this way.

She walked downstairs to see Julian waiting for her at the bottom of the steps with a wolfish grin on his face, she felt a strong sense of pride and walked tall as she descended the grand stair case. When she reached the bottom, he slid his finger down the ample cleavage protruding from the deep cut neckline of her dress.

“You look beautiful,” he bent down to lightly kiss her lips ”you really are exquisite Heaven.” he said and the moment was not destroyed for her by the use of her first name, instead she kissed him back for a moment.

“Thank you.” she said when he finally pulled back.

“Are you alright?” he asked her, seeing that something was obviously bothering her, he was realizing the queen of the poker face wasn’t always good at hiding her feelings anymore. He had seen her go toe to toe with some of the toughest attorneys around, her poker face in full effect, but she was having difficulties doing it around him now. She never had that problem before, he remembered countless times when she had given him the perfected poker face. But mostly he remembered the other times, when she was more than happy to show him exactly how she felt, times when she had looked at him with those piercing eyes dancing with joy as she verbally assaulted him.