I leaned my leg into the side of her desk. “Ford thinks everything he wants is urgent. If he wanted a cup of coffee right now, it would be urgent. Please don’t divulge any more information about me to Ford, Ashley.” I half growled her name, staring her down.
“Of course,” she said while holding her hand up in the air like a scout’s promise.
“Okay, enough.”
Her black hair, sleek and flat-ironed into submission, swished to the side as she put her hand down. “You have a meeting on the maternity wing in an hour.”
“I know. I’m going to be on a few calls until then,” I said, moving toward my office and closing my door.
First order of business was calling Val.
Second was hoping Ford didn’t barge in and whisk me to Paris for the day. Although that sounded kind of nice… Croissants, coffee, the man of my dreams at the top of the Eiffel Tower.
Lost in Parisian dreams, I finally came to when Val said, “He’s got it bad for you.” She spoke authoritatively into the phone after I’d told her about the lunch, the board seat, and the ice cream, leaving out the “kissing and orgasming while dry humping” parts.
“I think it’s more like I’m some unresolved business.”
“No way. Listen, this is Ford Conway. DC royalty and Academy Award winning producer, who is smitten with you. You have history, and he seems to think you have a future.”
“Val! Stop with that. I’m a middle-aged woman. This isn’t some Hollywood movie where I’m getting a second chance at multiple orgasms.”
“Jamie, or should I say James? This is your reality, so go with it. I’m telling you, and if you don’t listen, I’m begging you.”
“It’s been two days. I’m sure we’re letting our minds get away from us. His dad isn’t doing well, and soon Ford will be back in sunny California, where he belongs, and I will be in his past again.”
“You can think whatever you want, but you’ll see I’m right.”
After that, I asked her a few things about her upcoming plans. She was going on a cruise with a cousin and then renting a place by the beach for a few weeks. She asked if I wanted to come down for a few days, and I said I’d think about it, but I knew as long as Ford was in town my butt wasn’t going anywhere.
Desperation and longing were my middle names when it came to Ford.
I didn’t offer that sort of information up to Val. Typically the voice of reason, she’d gone over the Ford cliff and there was no bringing her back up to sea level.
I made two more work-related calls and it was time to head up to maternity.
“Ashley, I’ll be back down in an hour. I need you to confirm the awards are being delivered this week for next week’s Spotlight Luncheon.”
She nodded and said, “Consider it done.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh, Ford Conway called up. He’d like to take you to dinner and asked about your availability.”
“Why is he asking you?”
“Well, he said he doesn’t have your number, and he asked me for it, but you said not to tell him anything anymore. He left his number for you to call.”
A full-blown growl emanated from my chest this time. That damn man was infuriating and so sinfully attractive at the same time. I had no idea how to tackle him or this, so I said, “We’ll discuss this when I get back downstairs.”
“Please stop harassing my assistant,” I said when he picked up the phone.
“Well now I have your number. You can rest assured…I’ll leave Ashley alone.” He sounded a bit winded when he said Ashley’s name.
“If I asked you not to use it, would you listen?”
“No.” He was a bit breathy now.
“Is it a bad time?” I couldn’t help myself.
