Open For Him (BBW / Billionaire Erotic Romance) by Karolyn James Page B

face.
    The trouble smile.
    The day moved on and Stacey eventually let up on Macy.  There was something obviously different in Macy’s eyes and face.  Each night she went to bed earlier, but not by much.  It was like she had been satisfying her longing urges, but while they became satisfied that didn’t mean they would go away.  And each night before bed, she thought more about Derreck Hagan than anything else.
    Friday came, finally, leaving Macy with the possibility of having a weekend that she had been thinking about for a long time.  She wanted to lock herself in her apartment and paint.  Nothing but paint.  Order food when she got hungry, sleep when she needed a nap, and nothing else.
    Nothing.
    At four in the afternoon, Stacey emerged from her office, looking a little tired but happy.  Too happy.
    “Macy, did you process the orders for McGinnely?”
    “The lawyer’s house?”
    Stacey nodded.
    “Yes.  I called his office to confirm delivery to his house and his secretary had payment in hand for us.”
    “Really?  He paid for everything?”
    “Everything.”
    “That’s a lot of money,” Stacey whispered.
    “Yeah, it is.”
    Stacey took a breath, staring towards the front of the gallery, her eyes dazed.  Macy knew that look, that wild eyed romantic look, trying to come to terms with a dream coming to life.
    “Why don’t you cut out early?” Stacey asked.  “I’ll punch you out at five, but leave now.  Get a head start on the weekend.”
    “No,” Macy said.  “I won’t do that.  I have a few more little things here to take care of.”
    “No you don’t,” Stacey said.  She now looked at Macy.  “Turn off the computer and enjoy your weekend.  This was a big deal for us, really.  If things keep growing this way, we’ll be talking expansion soon.  I’ll need you more, Macy.  More business decisions, more financial decisions, maybe even a few art suggestions.  Do you still paint?”
    The question came like a blast, hitting Macy right in the chest.
    She leaned back in her chair, ready to find a way to lie, but her red face stood no chance. 
    Do I paint? Macy thought.
    If she looked hard enough she could probably find residue on the very tips of her fingers or under her nails.
    “I... dabble,” Macy managed to say.
    “Really?  That’s great.  You were pretty good, from what I could remember.”
    “Yeah, it’s just fun, something to do.”
    “I remember when I felt like that too,” Stacey said.
    She sighed again, her happy face looking somewhat defeated.
    “Maybe you should take a break,” Macy said.  “Before all the expansion talks really start.  Why not take a week or month off?  Relax and enjoy...”
    “Business calls,” Stacey said.  “And none of that should matter to you.  You go home and enjoy your weekend.  Paint me something, for Monday.”
    Macy laughed and stood up.  If Stacey wanted her to leave, she would.  No arguing with the boss.  Especially about starting the weekend early.  Macy didn’t bring up the paint me something comment and when she got home and opened her apartment door, she froze for a second, realizing what she had done. 
    The night before, Macy forced herself to call it a night before midnight.  She let everything stay as it was, half of a painting done, some ideas written down in her notebook that looked more of bad doodles than words.  But in the hurry of the morning, she never put her art stuff away.
    That meant...
    That meant she left it all out, in the open, unknowingly.  That meant she didn’t hide it.  She had no reason to hide it.  Plus, Stacey asked her about her paintings.  And she told her to bring one in on Monday.  What if she and Stacey could work together?  Maybe Macy could assist on some paintings with Stacey and gradually do her own.  They could split the orders, the money, the business, the everything. 
    Stacey looked stressed, on the verge of burning herself out.  And she wanted to expand...
    Macy