Tonya Muir - Exposure Season 1

She gives me a puzzled look, wondering why the formality all of the sudden. Gee, you figure it out, Kels. And go away, lady. You are ruining a perfectly good day.

Kels finally manages to break away and tries to get back in the swing of things. "I’m sorry."

"S’okay," I grumble, tossing a twenty on the counter and gathering up a pile of food and a little change.

* * *

It wasn’t a bad movie. It definitely had it’s moments. And might have been funny if I wasn’t so tied up in knots inside. All the way through it, I wanted to find a way to apologize to Harper. I know I froze up when that woman recognized me. It was a gut reaction. I’ve been doing it all my life. The best I could do was sit there in that dark theater and hold her hand to try to convey how sorry I was.

Her mood has definitely soured and I can’t blame her. Let’s see, yesterday Erik pulls his crap. And today I pull mine.

Shit.

As we are headed out of the theater toward the car, a woman calls her name. When she turns around, she finds her arms full of a very slender, very attractive brunette. She removes the woman’s arms from around her, but not before receiving a kiss on the neck. Right where I left a mark two nights ago.

Oh God. What a day. We should have just stayed inside.

In New Orleans.

What am I doing? She’s never going to be happy with me. I’m way too uptight for her and she’s going to get tired of that fast. Not when she is so open about her lifestyle. Somehow, I don’t think sneaking around is in Harper’s bag of tricks.

I feel the tears coming and force them back.

I hear my mother’s voice ringing in my ears, ‘Don’t you dare cry, Kelsey Diane Stanton.’

"God, you look amazing, Harper!" the slut exclaims.

"Thanks." I note she doesn’t say the woman’s name. I bet she doesn’t even know it. I wonder if she’ll remember mine in another month.

Snap out of it, Kels!

"How have you been?" The tramp tugs at Harper’s jacket.

Harper shrugs, glances my way. "Good, thanks. But, we need to get going."

The hussy looks acknowledges my presence for the first time. She examines me from head to toe and seems to find me lacking. Bitch.

"Well, when you’re through, give me a call. I’d love to go out with you again, take another ride on your Harley." She leans her whole body forward, pressing it against Harper. "We had so much fun that one time. We could do that again."

I watch the scene with a huge lump in my throat. Will we ever be able to go anyplace and not run into a woman she’s fucked?

"Nah, I don’t think so," Harper replies. "See ya around." She turns to me and takes hold ofmy arm lightly. "Come on, Kels."

We take a few steps away, heading toward my Mercedes. I swallow hard and will myself to speak. "Look, Harper, if you want to go … it’s okay." God, that hurt to say. But I have to offer her to choice.

Choose me, Harper. Please.

She stops and stares at me intently. The afternoon sunlight makes her eyes appear even bluer than normal. "Do you really mean that, Kels?"

Oh, God. I lost. Just hold it together until she leaves, Kels. I nod stiffly. "Sure."

"Oh."

The sound of disappointment in her voice clues me in. "You don’t want to go?"

She shakes her head vigorously. "No. Not with her. Certainly not in front of you. Jesus, Kels, I think better of you than that. I would have hoped you had a little higher estimation of me by now."

"It’s not that, Harper," I quickly protest. "It’s just …" I struggle to find the words to express what I feel. "I … I’ve never won against women like that."

"Well, then, Kelsey, the people you’ve dated in the past have been damn fools."

The afternoon just improved. "You think so?"

"Dammit, I know so. I liked her idea, Kels, but I want to do that with you. Not her." Her tone is low and she sounds embarrassed. "I’m so sorry you had to see that, Kels. I didn’t mean to hurt you."

"Not a stellar day for us, huh?"

"Major understatement."

"So now what?"

She chuckles, gesturing to the vast parking lot. "We find the car."

* * *

I pull into the parking garage. Finding a spot, I park and shut down the engine. As I pull the keys from the ignition,, I offer them back to Kels draped over the end of my finger. "Do you want to come up? Or do you need to get going? I hate that we have to go back to work tomorrow."

Of course, if you don’t, I’d understand. Nothing like being reminded what a dog I’ve been, eh? Who was that woman anyhow? Christ, I don’t even remember her name. I doubt if I even asked.

Kelsey takes her keys slowly. Shit, she’s going to leave. So this is what it feels like to have your past bite you in the ass?

"I’d like to. Do you really want me to?"

Oh, wow. Got lucky. "Very much."

She leans over and gives me a soft kiss since we appear to be alone in the garage. "I’d like that, Harper. And I’d like to spend the night too. Would that all right?"

"That is so all right, Little Roo. I’m sorry about thatthing in the parking lot."

She shrugs. "How could you know she’d be there, Harper? It’s not like you’ve been a nun or said you were one. And you certainly know about a couple of my relationships."

Ah, yes, the Twice-A-Year Boink Beth. And my lookalike, Susan. Is it reasonable to demand she give them up even though we’re not talking about us? At my own request.

Smart move, Harper.

She didn’t even call them ‘past relationships’. You’re one of three, Harper Lee. That you know about. Don’t think about it. It’ll make you crazy.

"I’m sorry though if she upset you," I say. "I really just wanted us to have a nice time at the movies together. Seemed like a simple enough plan earlier today."

"Well, how about we do this? Go upstairs, kick Trouble off the couch, snuggle up on it and watch a video together? Later we can order in dinner and get to bed early."

"To bed early, right, but not to sleep early?" I want to make sure we’re real clear on this.

She smiles. "A good reporter always says exactly what she means. Especially about important things. Now, come on, good-looking. Take me upstairs."

Okay, maybe today isn’t a total loss.

Scenes from Next Week’s Must Read TV:

<fade in>

Kels’ phone rings. Out of habit I pick it up. "Kelsey Stanton's office."

"This is Dr. Susan Hamilton. Is Ms. Stanton available?"

Speak of the fucking devil. "Hi, Doc. It's Harper Kingsley. I'm sorry, Kels isn't available."

To you ever again, if I can help it.

<cut to>

"What time is it?"

"It’s only three. Go back to sleep," she says softly.

"Come to bed," I growl, extending an arm her way. "And we can do more than sleep."

She chuckles. "You’re insatiable."

<cut to>

Now we’re in Texas looking into anthrax sales to possible terrorists. To make this little side trip even worse for Kels, it’s like a trip home that is tearing her heart out. She was nearly in tears when she got back to me tonight. I think a little too much reminiscing about grandpa went on at dinner.

<fade out>

I watch as Gail delivers a stack of mail to Kels’ office. Kelsey is in a meeting in the conference room with the rest of ‘the Talent’ right now. While I know I probably shouldn’t do it, I get up and head over to her office. I want to make sure there weren’t any surprises delivered from her little admirer. Kels seems to feel that maybe he’s forgotten about her over the holidays, but I’m not so sure. It’s just a gut feeling, but I’m going with it. Better safe than sorry. Especially where she is concerned.

Gail looks me up and down when I meet her in the doorway of the office. I know I put on clean clothes and deodorant, so I don’t deserve the glare I’m receiving. "She’s in a meeting," the assistant says, trying to block my path.

"I know she’s in a meeting," I growl, pushing past her. "But she has a file I need. Do you mind? We are partners, you know."

In both the professional and sexual sense now, you nosey pain in my ass. Go away. Go very far away.

Gail mumbles something about Kels not liking it and stalks off.

"She likes it just fine, thank you very much," I say quietly. I take a seat behind Kels’ desk and thumb through her mail. Most of it seems pretty harmless. There are a couple of pieces that give me pause, though, and I lay them to the side. They both have LA postmarks but no return addresses. I am, of course, assuming that Dr. Susan Feel Good wouldn’t send her anything at the station. Hmmm, really need to find a way to get rid of her.

Kels’ phone rings and out of habit I pick it up. "Kelsey Stanton’s office."

"This is Dr. Susan Hamilton. Is Ms. Stanton available?"

Speak of the fucking devil. "Hi, Doc. It’s Harper Kingsley. I’m sorry, Kels isn’t available." To you, ever again in this lifetime, if I can help it. I lean back in the chair, trying not to sound as irritated as I feel. "She’s in a meeting. Can I take a message?"

"Just ask her to give me a call. She has my number."

Yeah, so do I. "No problem. I’ll tell her as soon as I see her." Now all I have to do is walk around with my eyes closed for the rest of the day.

Christ, Harper, get a grip. This is not junior high. Even though your hormones seem to think it is.

"Thanks. Have a good day, Ms. Kingsley."

"You too, Doc."

I manage to hang up the phone without slamming it down. Returning my attention to the mail, I am careful with the pieces that have caught my eye.

"It’s a federal offense," Kelsey offers quietly as she steps in her office and closes the door and the blinds, "to open up someone else’s mail."

"Kels, I …" I’m on my feet trying to find my tongue and a good excuse. Then I narrow in on her. "How did you know?"

"Gail came in and told me."

"Why that little shit!"

Kels raises her hand. "Now don’t be too upset. I got to throw a fit, threaten to come kill you, and make a hasty exit out of a meeting that was boring me senseless. And it was perfect because Jessica was rambling on about something unbelievably stupid. So it was extra special."

I watch as she locks her office door. "Kels, what are you doing?"

"You know what, Tabloid?" She crooks her finger at me, calling me to her. For some reason my legs obey her. Traitors.

"What?" I find myself waiting in front of her.

"They want me in the closet, so I want you to consider this a great big closet for a minute."

She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me. Immediately, I enfold her in my arms, pulling her tight against my body. God, I love the feel of her breasts against mine, the way our bodies seem to melt into one another. Her mouth is so soft and she tastes so sweet, like the honey she puts in her tea every morning.

I’m feeling more than a little breathless when we part, and hungry for more, but she takes a moment and wipes her lipstick from my lips. Guess I’m not getting any more right now. Damn. Why have such a nice couch in her office if we can’t put it to good use?

"So not your shade," she teases.

I step back, instantly feeling the loss. She unlocks her door but leaves the blinds closed. I guess to not seem too suspicious. She crosses over behind her desk.

"Now, why were you going through my mail?"

"I was looking for anything that might be from your little friend." I rest against the corner of her desk. I take a moment to enjoy the view, her blouse is open one button too many for prime time, and her skirt came up to mid-thigh when she sat down. She has wonderful legs. What I wouldn’t give for them to be -

"Find anything interesting?"

Oh yeah. Wait, she’s talking about the mail. "Couple of things I want to check out." Get your mind out of the gutter, Kingsley.

"Will you do me a favor and take them? I don’t want to deal with it. I don’t even want to know if they are from him, okay?"

I reach for the two pieces of mail. "No problem."

"And, please, consider yourself told off." She grins again.

"You, madam, can tell me off anytime." Oh yeah, I suppose I should tell her about the good doctor calling. "Kels," I trace my finger over a stack of files, "Susan called."