reaching his desk that morning. Sitting in his chair was none other than Desiree DeLongo, and she was smirking larger than ever.
“Ten minutes late, David. What could have possibly held you up?” she asked in a low melodious tone.
“Dave is fine,” he corrected her as he shrugged off his jacket and looked at her expectantly.
“Dave just sounds so...intimate to me.”
“It’s what everyone calls me. Can you kindly move so that I might begin my day?” he asked, his normal patience wearing thin.
Desiree ran her hands over the desk, caressing the wood in a suggestive way. “Well then I suppose I’ll have to stick with David. I’m not like everyone else. I stand out,” she mocked as she got to her feet and made sure to brush her curves up against Dave as she moved out from behind the desk.
Dave bit the inside of his mouth to keep from pushing her away from him and quickly took his chair. She bent down and lifted a medium sized cardboard box into her hands, sliding it across to him.
“This came for you this morning. I made sure it got to your desk, unscathed.”
“Thank you.”
“I figure, a favor for a favor.”
“And what is it I can do for you, Miss DeLongo?”
“Desiree is just fine, or Desi if you prefer. What’s in the box?”
Dave ordered extra office supplies last week. He was surprised at how quickly they came. Desiree waited with a hint of impatience, shifting her hips from side to side as Dave opened what he assumed would be extra staples, paper clips and letterheads.
He paused in confusion as he pried open the box to find at least a hundred, sparkling butterfly clips—they were absolutely covered in glitter. Dave stared down at them for a moment then chuckled, handing the package back over to Desiree who looked quickly inside with interest.
“Butterfly clips? I used to wear these when I was in high school!” she smirked as she pulled one out of the box and held it up to her long dark hair. “What do you think David? Do you want me now?”
Dave slapped the top of the box, startling her as he looked down at the address label. It was made out to him, in black sharpie. His eyes shifted upward—no return address.
“I didn’t order these,” he said to no one in particular.
“Your name is on them,” she pushed, “Surely someone thought you should have some accessories.” Desiree dropped the box back onto his desk.
“Keep them,” he offered.
“I don’t want them, David,” she implied sweetly, turning her sexual prowess up a notch.
“Fine,” Dave roughly handled the box, dropping it beneath his desk with a loud thwack. He’d bring them home and give them to Sam or Harmony.
“Now getting back to that favor...” Desiree trailed off, eyeing him with growing interest.
Dave folded his arms and sat back in his chair, finally giving her his full attention. If that’s what it took to make her disappear, Dave was willing to try anything. His reaction pleased her very much, he could tell.
“I’m new to town, I was hoping you’d consider showing me around. So far I’ve spent most of my time at the gym.”
Dave continued to stare at her, not giving an inch. She wasn’t deterred. She continued to flaunt her lovely figure as she leaned over and picked up his cellphone. He watched as she very clearly entered her number into it and hit save. “Maybe a nice dinner, somewhere cozy, romantic... and discreet?” she lowered her voice on the last word and rose an eyebrow, attempting to communicate that if Dave was worried about exposure, she would be more than willing to keep things under wraps. She slid the phone back across the desk towards him, a challenge in her gaze.
Dave watched her for a few more moments before heaving a sigh—this poor girl. What had happened to her in her life that was causing her to throw herself at him in this way? She was easily twenty years younger than Dave. Was it because he was unavailable? Was that the draw?
“Look,” he began, with compassion and understanding rising inside of him. “You are a very beautiful woman, and any man would be lucky to be with you. I’m just...not like that. I love my wife, the last thing I want to do is hurt her in any way.” He paused, uncomfortable with the emboldened look that entered her eyes. “I hope you understand,” he finished apologetically.
She nodded once and turned on her heel, disappearing into her office. Dave considered that to be a win on paper...but if so, then why did he feel as if he’d only made her desire to conquer him even greater?
Dave almost hit delete on the newly saved contact, but decided against it at the last moment. If Desiree somehow got a hold of his private number, he wanted to know exactly who was messaging him. He felt a weary stabbing sensation that suggested that shortly after this woman’s appearance in his life, things had become odd. He would keep an eye on her, just in case.