Joe raised his eye brows at her, “I’m never too busy for Ella.” He looked totally confused by our exchange. God men were so clueless.
“Well thanks for stopping by Ellie,” she grabbed the envelope out of my hands, “you can go now we have an important meeting to go to. You ready babe?”
Babe?! Was she asking for a fight? I was fired up and ready to go toe to toe with his bitch right here right now.
“Don’t be rude Anna.” Joe scolded and signed my papers.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to keep you from an important meeting.”
“You aren’t keeping us from anything Ella, you’re always welcome here. You being here right now has made my day.”
He winked at me and I smiled a satisfied smile then glanced over Joe’s shoulder to see Anna was glaring daggers my way.
“I need to get off now anyway, I have other clients to meet with. Nice to see you again Annie.” I flounced off out of Joe’s office and down the corridor. Joe came running after me and walked me to my car.
“What the hell was all that about?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
“No”
“She wants you Joe. She hates me and she wants you for herself. She’s jealous.” He shook his head in disbelief.
“I’ve known Anna for ages, she’s a friend, nothing else. She’s worked for me for years. She doesn’t want me Ella, you’re being paranoid.”
“Am I though? I mean what was that little display in there if not her pissing on her territory.” He laughed at me and I grew mad at his flippant response.
“So it’s okay for her to warn me off her ‘babes’ but if a random builder shouts at me it’s not okay?”
“That’s a completely different scenario Ella and you know it. Anna is just being protective.”
“Well….. just keep her away from me. I don’t like her.”
“Fine, you don’t have to see her, ever.” He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. “Please can we stop arguing now, I don’t like you being mad at me.”
I stepped forward and put my arms around him.
“I’m sorry. I hate it too.”
He kissed me on the top of my head.
“Come over to mine tonight, I’ll cook you dinner.”
“Okay, I’ll see you later champ.”
I drove off but my stereo wasn’t cranked up like it had been when I’d arrived. I didn’t like leaving him with that viper. She was going to cause trouble for me I just knew it.
That evening I wore a flirty light pink shift dress that made my summer tanned skin glow and would give Joe the easy access he said he loved. I paired it with pink lacy underwear from Victoria’s Secret and hoped Joe wouldn’t ruin this pair, they had cost a fortune. Maybe I’d have to sneak them off before things got too heated.
Joe had sent his driver to pick me up again and deliver me to his door. As he opened his front door to greet me I could smell the delicious spices floating through the air.
“Hey beautiful girl, you look stunning.” He said holding my hand and standing back to look me up and down admiringly.
“You don’t look too bad yourself. I didn’t know you could cook Mr Madden, you’re a man of many talents.”
“Sorry to disappoint but my housekeeper cooked the meal, I’m just heating up what she left.”
He led me into his apartment and pulled a chair out for me at his table. The housekeeper had done a fantastic job of decorating the table with white roses and placing the napkins, plates and cutlery just so.