A Curve Ball Called Love

“Well, when is the time and place?” he asked as he stood up. He was leaning against the desk looking at her, not caring about the fact that they were literally surrounded by glass walls.

Tiffany bit her lip and looked around her office. Douglas noticed there were three people at Ian’s desk. Tiffany must have noticed too because she used the button under her desk to close the blinds before she looked at him.

She stood up and walked around the table to where he was.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This is a place of business and I don’t sh*t where I eat,” she said as she stood in front of him.

“Is that what being with me would be? You would equate it to taking a dump?” he asked in a soft voice and Tiffany shrugged.

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Douglas. I’m a PR consultant and I handle Entity’s and your PR needs. There’s nothing more apart from that.”

Douglas took a step towards her.

“Don’t,” she pleaded but he was not listening to her. For once, he was going to do exactly what he wanted to do.

He slipped an arm around her waist. For some reason, he expected her to push him away but she didn’t.

“Stop it, please,” she whispered.

“Tell me this isn’t what you want and I promise you I will walk out of this office and never bring up this conversation again.”

Tiffany shook her head. Her lower lip quivered but the only sound out of her was a silent gasp. She looked up into his eyes and shook her head yet again.

“I can’t do this,” she said in a whisper. “I just can’t.”

“Why not?” he asked. “Why the fu*k not, Meyers? Because from where I’m standing, you seem pretty content.”

She brought her hands up to his shoulders slowly before she pushed him away ever so gently.

“I want you, Meyers and I know that you want me too,” Douglas said in a soft voice. “It’s either that or I got my wires seriously crossed when it comes to us.”

“I don’t …” she started and her voice trailed off. He could see the struggle in her face as she tried to get the right words out but it was like splitting hairs. Douglas shook his head.

“What?” he asked in a whisper.

“I’ve been here before. I’ve been here with guys like you. Moneyed playboys with connections. Some who only wanted to fulfill a fantasy of having a curvy black girl in their bed… I have been hurt Douglas and to be honest i would rather not put myself in that situation again.”

“But Meyers, those people aren’t me. I have absolutely no intention of hurting you.”

Tiffany bit her lower lip and shook her head.

“I don’t know that… I don’t know anything about you really. So, asking me to give you the one thing I guard more than anything, to trust you with my heart… Doug, I can’t do that.”

Her voice was so soft at that point. Softer than he’d ever heard it. He could have sworn that her eyes were glossier than they’d been a few minutes ago.

“All I’m asking for is one chance, Tiffany. Just one chance with you.”

She shook her head.

“I can’t take that risk with you. I just can’t risk being hurt like that again.”

“But Tiffany, I’m not those people. I’m none of the men who hurt you before and I can prove to you that I’m different.”

“I’m sorry but I would rather keep whatever is between us professional.” She looked into his eyes for a long time before she walked back to her seat.

Douglas was just standing there looking at her. He’d been building up to this moment and he’d hoped that everything would work out in his favor. The way things had begun when he first walked into Tiffany’s office had looked promising. Especially when she drew the blinds. His hopes had been raised ever so lightly. He’d hoped that maybe they would get to finish what they’d started at his place but the feeling he had at that very second was different. He felt like his heart had just been ripped out of his chest. His dreams were shattered.

“So, this is it then?” he asked as he looked at her, but she didn’t answer him.

So, he did the only thing he could do. He walked out of the office and didn’t bother looking back. It would have been too painful for him. He walked right past his own office and went to the elevator. His breathing was hard and heavy. He just wanted to get out of there.

Once the elevator doors closed he clenched his fist tightly and punched the door. He rubbed his temple and took a series of long, deep breaths to calm himself but it didn’t seem to work. By the time the elevator doors opened up in the lobby, he still felt worked up. He walked hastily out of the building into his waiting town car and drove down to his club. He was going to drown his sorrows in any alcoholic drink he could find and he was also going to have his fun with some strippers.

That evening, a new story broke on the tabloids.

Hands On Boss Gets His Hands On More Than Just Business.

Under the headlines was a picture of him with two strippers: one grinding on his lap and the other one was getting a few dollar bills tucked into her drawers. It was the perfect shot for the tabloids. But for Entity, it was just the beginning of another public relations nightmare.