Page 95 of Another Time, Another Place

“Very well.”

She shuffles her papers with the usual signal to anyone standing before her that the conversation is over. I leave her office wondering how is my assignment going to work out with someone who knows more about me than I do about him. I’m already at a disadvantage. Usually, I’m familiar with my clients and have done my homework to understand who or what I’m dealing with. But this is straight off the cuff and my meeting with Mr. Johnson is only an hour away. Nonetheless, I’ll go there like Ms. Collins asked.

At three p.m. sharp, I enter the glass doors of the accounting department on the fifteenth floor where the receptionist greets me.

“You must be Connie Winslow.”

“Yes.”

“Mr. Johnson is waiting for you.”

She gives me instructions to his office. I stand there like a deer in headlights because her instructions are straight out of my dream—how eerie. I reach my destination and almost pass out—right there on the spot where the door opens and a tall, handsome, thirty-something, Hershey-dipped man stands before me.

“Hi, Connie. I’m William Johnson.”

I damn near scream and gasp at the sight of him. He looks strikingly similar to the man in my dream. The only difference is Mr. Johnson is more pepper-gray and his eyes are dark brown. Instead of a shadow beard, he sports a refined mustache. I catch my breath just enough to say, “Yes, I see that on the nameplate, sir. Nice to meet you.”

“Come in. Bernie tells me that you’re an excellent contract attorney.”

“Bernie, sir?”

“Yes. Bernadette, your manager, my wife.”

“Wife, sir?”

“Oh that’s right, you’re new here. How could you know? She uses her maiden name at work. Bernadette Collins is my wife.”

“Ms. Collins is your wife, sir?”

“Yes. We’ve been married for—”

“Don’t tell me. Let me guess, thirteen years?”

“Yes. How did you know? Did she tell you?”

“No, I just took a wild guess.” I walk to the huge window to collect myself. But when I touch the thick glass, I’m quickly jolted back to my dream when we were spread eagle fucking against the window like two wild animals.

“Connie, is everything okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Please, call me Bill. Have a seat.”

I sit across from this Adonis man trying not to make direct eye contact, but it’s inevitable, as we must discuss the contract on the table in front of us.

“So, this is the much-talked-about Hoffner contract,” I mention, trying to stay focused.

“Yes. Here, let me show you the sections in question.”

We reach for the document at the same time and it happens—our hands accidentally touch and a bolt of familiar desire flashes throughout my body. Our eyes fixate on each other a few seconds beyond what’s professionally acceptable. I wonder what he’s contemplating. I know what I’m thinking: In my twisted state of mind, he knows how to rock my world.

Janice N. Adams is an enthusiastic author who ignites life into fictional characters and story lines. Her arousing novels and novella take your mind away from the daily hustle-bustle as you laugh, cry, and cheer for her characters. She is a native of Richmond, Virginia who moved to Maryland in 1992 where she currently resides. She earned a bachelors of science degree in sociology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1988. Her professional career spans over twenty years in the areas of project management, information technology, and human resource management. She is an active member of her community providing support and contributions to local churches and charities. She is married and has two young sons. She enjoys photography, interior design, sports, music, and movies. In addition to her novella, “A Twisted State of Mind” featured in Another Time, Another Place, she is on the horizon of publishing two completed novels, A Heart’s Journey to Quench a Thirsty Soul and Undeniable Passion: A Heart’s Journey 2. She is also working on her third novel, Hale and Fury: Two Sisters, Two Worlds, One Destiny. You can learn more about Janice and her upcoming novels at www.janicenadams.com or email her at [email protected]

ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE

ZANE

NOVEMBER 12, 1986