First Taste: Kendra Excerpt

First Taste: Kendra available at Amazon.com!

 

“I’ll see you and Mr. Bowman Thursday afternoon, Donna. Thanks for your help,” Kendra said, grinning as she finished her call. If she wasn’t afraid she’d split her work slacks or bust her behind in her four inch heels, she’d get up and do the Hammer in the middle of the floor. After six months of negotiations, that old man now saw the wisdom in settling the infringement suit against him out of court. Kendra would hand him his ass in a basket at a jury trial, and both he and his attorney knew it. Still beaming, Kendra started to lower the phone back to the base but froze mid-motion.

“What in the hell…” she muttered, squinting through the half-open blinds of her office window. Her high-backed leather chair almost rolled from under her when she leaned forward to make sure she wasn’t having visions.

Carl, that tall, fine brother from mergers and acquisitions, was in the hallway talking to Lea. Judging from the wide smiles and suggestive body language, the exchange was extremely friendly. Downright flirtatious even. Kendra’s teeth ground together until they ached and her hands developed a fine tremor. How long had that being going on?

When Carl ran a finger down Lea’s arm before resting his large palm on her trim waist, Kendra’s hand curled around the receiver in a spot-on imitation of snapping someone’s neck. Eventually the phone’s piercing off-the-hook alert penetrated her foggy brain and she slammed the offensive instrument in the cradle. Damn it, she had to handle her problem soon or her nerves where going to crawl out of her skin.

For several minutes, Kendra watched the little tête-a-tête until she couldn’t take it another second. Walking to the door, she stuck her head into the hallway.

“Hey Carl, how you doing?” Her lips curved and parted and she made sure all thirty-two of her pearly whites were visible. “You mind if I holla’ at Lea for a minute?”

As she awaited his response, Kendra strained several muscles to keep her smile in place when she wanted to gnash her teeth, but that wouldn’t be considered professional.

 “No doubt,” Carl returned with a cocky smile and took a second to run his gaze over Kendra’s body, from her slicked back hair down to her platform pumps, before turning his attention back to Lea. “I’ll get with you.” He licked his pretty brown lips and gave a quick chin tilt before sauntering off.

After another lilting laugh, Lea turned her amber eyes toward Kendra. “You wanted to see me, Ms. Holliday?” she asked, her voice low and tight.

“If you don’t mind, Ms. Jacobs.”

Kendra extended her arm, indicating that Lea should proceed into the office. As Lea pranced in, Kendra glanced left and right down the hallway to make sure no stragglers were lurking around—just in case. The last thing she needed was for someone to overhear hers and Lea’s conversation and subject them to the company rumor mill that was more effective than any cable news network. Janet—her paralegal—already left for lunch, and Kendra hoped everybody else in the department was at least on their way out.

After closing the door and pulling the blinds shut, Kendra walked to her cherry wood desk and propped her hip on the corner. Arms crossed, she stared at Lea for a moment and didn’t utter a word. As if she was trying to imprint the image in her brain, she perused the black pencil skirt and emerald green jersey blouse clinging to Lea’s curves. Without malice, she acknowledged that the woman before her was the picture of a consummate professional. However, with that flawless caramel complexion, those almond-shaped eyes and a pixie nose, professional morphed into stunning.

In a pose that mimicked her own, Lea stood in the center of the room with her arms crossed under her generous breasts. In contrast to a tight, serious expression she couldn’t help but project, Lea wore a taunting smirk.

“What’s up with that?” Kendra finally asked, frowning.

Lea lifted one side of her mouth to reveal even, white teeth and stepped closer to the desk. Kendra didn’t budge.

“With what?” Lea asked, her tone full of disdain.

“You talking to Carl. You know he’s a player.”

Lea cocked a silky, salon-arched brow and tightened her arms, causing the plump globes of her creamy breasts to almost spill over her blouse. Kendra swallowed around the lump that formed in her throat and fought hard to maintain eye contact.

“Why were you all in our conversation?” Lea shot back.

“Since you two decided to have your little date right in front of my office, I couldn’t help but be in it. I just wanted to know if you’re feeling him.”

Lea licked her painted pink lips and gave a small laugh. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were jealous.”

Kendra’s eyes grew as wide as round as a plate. “Jealous? Of Carl?”

“Yes.”

“Why would I be jealous of him?”

Lea’s hazel eyes hardened and her voice took on a husky, intimate tone. “Because you think I might let him tap this pussy.”

Kendra frowned and her heart almost thudded out of her chest. “You’re a grown woman; why should I care who you let between your legs? As your friend, I’m just letting you know that Carl is the hit and quit type. You’ll be the one getting hurt, not him.” With a frown, Kendra pushed the executive desk chair aside and started shifting papers.

 “My feelings were already hurt,” Lea said with a hard twist of her lips. “When you turned down this pussy.”