His mind kept coming back to . . . what if? No. That wasn’t even an option. He’d never been monogamous in his life. Ellis would only end up hurting her, or worse—getting hurt. Haven wasn’t over her ex.
Not having spoken to her over the weekend to straighten out the madness was going to make this morning awkward when she came into work.
“I’ll just have to take the blame and apologize, again.” Saying it out loud made him feel a little better about it.
There was a knock on the door. Ellis checked his watch and sucked in a breath. It was probably Haven and time to man-up.
He stood and came around to the front of his desk. “Come in.”
Her head popped through a crack in the door. “I was hoping I could have a word with you.”
“Of course. Come on in, Vanessa.” Ellis was grateful for the short reprieve, and that is wasn’t Haven.
Vanessa came inside then pushed the door behind her but didn’t close it all the way. She sashayed into his office. “C’mon, now. I think we’ve known each other a little too well and for too long for you not to call me Vicky.”
“Which is precisely why we should keep it professional. What’s up? What can I do for you?”
Her voice was throaty. “I could think of a million things you could do to me. All of them pleasurable.”
Ellis wasn’t in the mood. “I’m extremely busy. Again, what do you want? Does this concern my grandmother?”
“Not exactly.” Vanessa walked a little closer until her body pressed up against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
In an instant, Ellis attempted to remove them without being violent, but Vanessa kept her arms locked. She purred, “Why are you being so difficult? You’ve been home almost two months, and I’ve yet to have any private time with you.”
Ellis yanked her arms apart and pushed her away. “The first time, over two years ago, was a mistake. You should be well over that episode by now. Being with you again would make me clinically insane.”
“It’s because of Haven isn’t it?” Vanessa seethed with jealousy. “Her little innocent act is just that. I know you’re smart enough to recognize it.”
Ellis’ eyes narrowed. “What I know is that you’re walking on thin ice. You have a job because my grandmother trusts you. I don’t.”
“Now you don’t trust me, but, when we were making love you didn’t seem to have a problem!”
“Let’s get a couple of things straight. Fucking and making love are two different things. We had sex. I told you up front; I wasn’t interested in anything else.” Ellis couldn’t prove it, but he also had a feeling she was the source of articles that began popping up in the press about his private life.
Vanessa whisper-yelled, “You always use that sorry ass excuse! You can’t keep jerking me around . . .”
“Jerking you around? We had sex, once! I never called you on the phone, never took you to dinner, a movie, or anywhere. The only place I took you was to bed. You might want to get a doctor to examine whatever it is in your head that’s making you think what we did was anything more than sex.”
“Vanessa!” Bertha was calling out to for her. “Vanessa, where are you?”
Instantly, her demure act returned. “I’m in here ma’am.”
Ellis had to admit, to see it happen in front of him, freaked him out. It was truly as if Vanessa were two different people.
Bertha pressed the button to her wheelchair and rolled up into the office. She pushed the door open, her smile wide. “Here you are. I wondered where you went while I was taking that phone call. Good morning, Ellis.”
He walked over and kissed her. “Good morning.”
“Your grandfather used to love this office. I couldn’t get him to come out of it. I won’t let you do the same. Speaking of getting out of the house. How was your date with Haven?”
“It wasn’t a date.”
She smiled mischievously. “Deny all you want but old ladies are smart. I know the truth.”
Almost imperceptively, Vanessa’s lips tightened.
Bertha turned to her. “Haven’s running a little late. I know you usually run errands around this time. Do you mind sticking around until she gets here? It shouldn’t be too long.”
Vanessa nodded. “Of course.” She glared at Ellis before smiling down sweetly at Bertha. “I would do anything for the McKenna’s.”
Bertha didn’t seem to notice the tension in the air. “Great. I’m starved. Let’s head down to the kitchen.” She turned to Ellis. “Would you care to join us?”
“I would, but I’ve got a lot of work to do this morning.”
“Lunch, then?”
He returned her smile with a lop-sided grin of his own. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
As his grandmother and Vanessa left, Ellis knew he was going to have to do something he should have done a long time ago. He was going to have to fire her. But, the worst of it was going to be explaining why to his grandmother.
Chapter 17
For the first time ever, Haven was late for work. She did not want to see Ellis’ face
