All the Time by Cherie Denis Read Free Book Online

getting
late while she wasted time wishing for the unattainable.
    Rita sighed. Why did he have to be so
handsome and so married? Mike Sneider was the type of man she’d
been searching for since she was a kid.
    She had absolutely no chance of gaining
Mike’s interest. The man was wild about his wife. More than once,
Rita had heard him on the phone with Lainie and his side of the
conversations made it clear how much he loved her, and why wouldn’t
he? She was gorgeous.
    Once in a while Lainie would stop by the
office to meet Mike for lunch. But they often didn't leave and when
Rita heard the door lock snap, she would grab her lunch and head
for the cafeteria. To sit at her desk and listen to them make love
was not an option. The sound of their lovemaking would break her
heart.
    Rita sighed. Mike would never have a reason
to see her as anything more than his secretary.
    He turned and frowned. "Something bothering
you, Rita? Are you feeling ill? I hear the flu is going around. Do
you want to take the day off?"
    She plastered on a fake smile. “No, I'm fine.
No need to take the day off. I guess I have the 'hurry up and get
here, spring-time blues'. Too bad we can't work outside today.”
    Mike nodded. “We'd probably catch our death
of cold. I heard there's a front coming through and we can expect
temperatures in the fifties before the day is over. It may look
like spring is here, but it isn't." He waved the letters at her.
"I’d better get these things signed so you can get them to the
mailroom.”
    Minutes later, Rita tapped on, and then
opened his door. “Mike, care for a cup of coffee? How about a
couple of cookies? Mai Lei brought in some of her famous homemade
almond cookies. The ones you love.”
    “Great, I'd enjoy a few with my coffee,” he
said handing her the signed letters. “Be sure you have the mailroom
send these out certified mail this morning.”
    “Yes sir,” Rita nodded and took the letters
and headed out the door.
     
    * * * *
     
    Something had been bothering Rita lately, but
Mike couldn’t quite figure out what. Boyfriend problems? Was it her
time of month? He prided himself on keeping his finger on the pulse
of his department, but Rita’s actions had him stumped. She seemed
happy and she was always smiling, but only with her lips and not
with her eyes. He hoped it wasn’t the job getting her down–Rita was
an excellent administrative assistant and he would hate to lose
her.
    Another thing Mike had noticed was Rita had
taken to wearing slightly provocative clothing. It was unusual for
her. She usually dressed conservatively for the office. Rita's
clothing choices were nowhere near as wild as Lainie's choices, but
they were not what he'd come to expect Rita to wear.
    Rita was a beautiful woman, but not his type.
If her outfits began to show much more cleavage, he'd have to go to
HR and have them speak to her. He hesitated to get HR involved.
Perhaps he should have a talk with her before her wardrobe got any
further out of line.
    Maybe, Rita had a new boyfriend. Possibly
Chad Clark down in New Business. Chad was fairly good looking and
he'd been hanging around a lot lately. More than once, Mike had
returned from a meeting to find Chad draped over Rita’s desk gazing
at her with a dog-eyed look. He seemed to have it bad for Rita. The
moment Mike opened the office door, Rita practically kicked Chad
out of the office. The poor guy always looked stunned and Rita
seemed embarrassed.
    Mike sat back in his leather chair. He would
have loved to put his feet up on the desk, but if he did, he'd fall
asleep. He was exhausted.
    As a happily married, sexually satisfied man,
Mike knew he shouldn’t be worrying about what his secretary wore.
Nevertheless, he’d have to be dead not to notice Rita had a certain
appeal.
    Mike shrugged. It wasn't his fault he had an
affinity for a firm, plump bottom and nicely rounded, full breasts.
Rita was blessed with both. Her body wasn't nearly as fantastic as
his wife's,