Free Red Collar by Clarissa Cartharn Page A

since Clayton was a child.
    Clayton poured out a glass of orange juice. His appearance at social events would have to be changed. There was Kate Ripley to consider. And he knew she was just as stubborn as he was. He downed his juice, strategizing. He was a ruthless businessman and even a more ruthless lover. Kate was going to pay for the hours of torment she had caused him all morning. And for his torturous wait until seven.
     
    *****
     
    Kate walked with a determined stride through the doors of Clayton’s luxurious full service building, her chin in the air, her arms swinging angrily at her sides.
    No longer did she pause to admire the beautiful interior of the reception a nd the foyer. Nor did she care for the curious looks of the modish patrons gracing the lobby. Her old jeans and grey tee probably was a prêt-a-porter from a discount store, but she was proud of them.
    She hopped into the first available elevator. She glared at the prudish couple undecidedly staring into it. The woman with the little, white Maltese dog in her arm held onto her husband’s elbow, silently restraining him from stepping into it, her blue mascara laden eyes affixed on Kate’s outlandish tee shirt slogan.
    Kate looked down at it. Ran into my ex- Put it in reverse and hit him again! “Got it from Sam’s Mart,” she snarled. “I’ll give you the address.”
    The woman looked at her, flabbergasted.
    “So are you coming or not?” Kate asked, impatiently.
    The woman stepped back, aghast and open-mouthed, pulling her husband along with her.
    “I guess not,” muttered Kate to herself and pressed the button to Clayton’s penthouse.
     
    She didn’t get much trouble with Libby when she left. Libby had been strangely quiet since their morning tussle. She relayed instructions to Libby and repeated them to Rudy for good measure.
    “I’ll be back in a few hours,” she had said.
    “So you’re not working today, then?” Libby remarked, sarcastically.
    “No,” Kate replied in a forcefully calm tone. “I don’t think this job would be right for me. I intend to quit but I need to be there to tell them why. So, if you don’t mind holding the fort while I’m away, I’d really, really appreciate it,” she ended with equal sarcasm.
    Libby glowered at her.
    Rudy stepped in quickly and assured her they would be fine.
    And Kate left her apartment, a little relieved that her accursed association with the contemptuous Clayton Reid was coming to an end.
     
    *****
     
    She marched to his door and pressed onto his doorbell. When he failed to answer it as fast as she wanted him to, she hammered onto his door in an irascible fit.
    It opened, and she swung it hard. She stood in the entrance of the hallway , while he stood at the other end. They stubbornly stared each other down in an ire-filled standoff.
    “You want some wine?” he offered, breaking the silence.
    “I didn’t come for wine,” she snapped. “You said there were some fine prints we needed discussing.”
    “Hmmm,” he muttered, walking away, ignoring her which only riled her more.
    “I don’t know how it is you normally treat your employees,” she growled through clenched teeth. “But I will not be allowed to be humiliated or be bullied any more by you.”
    He spun around in anger. “Humiliated is what you did to me this morning. I woke up in the hopes of having you in my arms again- only you weren’t there to hold.”
    Her eyes inevitably ran down his pants and she grinned. “I guess we can call it even, then,” she said cheekily, enjoying her imaginations of how he must have been tormented to have her again.
    He arched an eyebrow as he read the slogan on her tee-shirt. “Is that meant for me?”
    “I thought it was appropriate in light of our circumstances,” she replied snidely.
    “Except that I’m not your ex.”
    “No, you’re not. And neither are you my anything. But it’s close enough and well worth wearing if you get the message.”
    He etched