Page 66

I don’t want this to end.

Chapter 30

Julianna

Ireceive a call in the middle of the night. When I wake up enough, I disengage my body from Alessa’s and turn over deftly enough to find my phone on the nightstand.

The call is from Stu. He wouldn’t call me after midnight unless it was truly important.

“Yes?”

Alessa stirs beside me, half awake. Her hand strokes my abdomen, and it’s almost enough to lull me back into sleep.

“I found out who is leaving those notes in Bradford’s office.” I do love how no-nonsense this man is. “Since you asked me to look into it tonight, ma’am.”

Suppose I had. Once I decided on what to do with Alessa, I had forgotten everything else. “Who is it?”

“Cher Lieberfield, one of your female interns.” He pauses for effect. I honestly have no idea who this woman is. “She was with Ms. Penrose tonight. What should I do about this?”

“You’re absolutely sure?”

“Absolutely.”

I sit up. Alessa snorts herself awake, although her face says she wants to go back to sleep. I don’t blame her. “Then make sure she’s fired by Monday morning. Call Presley for me and let her know too. I’m sure she’ll tell you the same thing.” Presley has every right to know the same moment I do that someone’s getting fired, regardless of the reason.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll do so right away.”

“Thank you. Good night.” I hang up. If there was anything else, he can text me.

“What was that about?” Alessa asks. “Who’s getting fired?”

I yawn, settling back down to resume sleeping. “One of your old coworkers. Cher Lieberfield, I think. Stu found some incriminating things about her.” I don’t need to tell her what.

Or maybe I do.

“What?” Alessa jerks upright. “Cher? You’re firing her? What for!”

“I’ll tell you more in the morning.”

“Julianna Marcon,” she insists, “tell me right now.”

Well, guess we’re awake. Thanks, Cher, whoever the hell you are.

Part 4

Needed by Her

Chapter 31

Alessa

Alot has changed since Julianna Marcon called me to her office one fateful Friday night.

Two months. It has been two months, and I barely recognize the life I used to live.

I’m still Alessa the college student. I’m still Alessa the office worker. But I’m also Alessa the girlfriend oftheJulianna Marcon. Two months ago, I felt like I was in the biggest sugar baby situation to ever slam into rainy-ass Portland. Everything was precarious. At any moment, Julianna would realize how boring, how not-a-virgin I was since she first screwed me and move on to another woman who whetted her appetite. I lived with that knowledge and told myself I wouldn’t get attached.

Then a month passed, and I realized that… not only do I have some feelings for Julianna, but she has feelings for me.