C2 Chapter 2

Twinkling in the Dark

“Company dress code . . . your job is nothing special . . . you just sit in an office all day . . .” Carolin wagged a chastising finger. “Good grief, you fed me a big one . . .”

“But it’s true,” Rebekka defended herself. “Almost all day long I sit in an office. At a desk – or in one meeting or another. And the suit . . . well, I have to wear it.”

“Because you’re the head of a humongous family business,” Carolin chided her. “Not because your boss requires you to.”

“What’s the difference?” asked Rebekka. “Either way, I can’t sit here in bike shorts.”

Carolin laughed and shook her head. Then she sat on Rebekka’s lap and looked at her tenderly. “It makes no difference to me how you’re dressed. I’d love you in any wrapping.” She bent forward and kissed Rebekka softly on the mouth.

Rebekka’s eyes sparkled in the light of the desk lamp. “Don’t do that to me,” she said quietly. “I still have to work.”

“And I’m keeping you from it.” Carolin stood up. “As always.”

“I’m sorry . . .” Rebekka swallowed. “You know –”

“I know.” Carolin sighed. “Your secretary went home hours ago, and I came over here after working a ton of overtime myself . . . but you’re still sitting here, behind your desk, and you think that’s normal.”

“There’s just . . . so much . . . to do,” Rebekka defended herself guiltily.

“Was the romantic moonrise an exception?” asked Carolin. “Just to win me over? And now you’re going back to business as usual?” When she saw Rebekka’s expression, she slid back onto her lap. “I’m sorry,” she whispered and nipped at Rebekka’s lips. “I didn’t mean that. But I almost never see you. I miss you.”

Rebekka swallowed again. “I miss you, too,” she replied hoarsely. “Every minute that I can’t see you is torture for me. But what am I supposed to do? I have no choice.”

“You’ll be late for our own wedding . . . if it ever actually happens,” remarked Carolin. “I’m afraid you won’t be able to fit it into your full schedule.”

“Oh, don’t worry – I can.” Suddenly, Rebekka laughed. “Or my secretary can. She’ll manage that much. And I always keep appointments.” Tentatively, she ran a hand over Carolin’s breast. “I would love so much to stop working right now,” she whispered, her voice full of desire.

“Then do it,” Carolin whispered back, pressing herself against Rebekka.

“I can’t,” Rebekka murmured. “But maybe . . . a brief interruption.” She lifted Carolin onto the desk.

Carolin shut her eyes. “Please, not on the desk, Rebekka. Please don’t . . .” she breathed. All of a sudden, she was seeing Ina before her again, who had tried the same thing. It brought back memories she preferred to forget.

Rebekka contemplated her face. “That would mess up all of my paperwork, too. You’re right,” she said. She smiled, caressing Carolin’s cheek fondly.

Carolin opened her eyes. “I’m sorry.” She swallowed. “It has nothing to do with you, I just –”

Rebekka laid a finger across her lips. “Shh. You don’t have to explain anything.”

Carolin hugged her and snuggled closer. “I love you so much, Rebekka,” she whispered, “but it wasn’t all that long ago that –”

Again, Rebekka interrupted her. “I understand that very well,” she replied softly. She caressed Carolin gently. Then she pushed herself away slightly, so that Carolin could slide down from the desk. “I have something for you,” she said, sliding open a desk drawer. “Please, don’t throw it at my feet. That would be a shame.” She withdrew a small box and handed it to Carolin. “Open it.”

Carolin looked at the box skeptically, and after brief consideration, she opened it. She focused on the contents and then looked up. “Did your secretary pick this out?” she asked with some effort. “You don’t have time for that sort of thing.”

Rebekka’s mouth twisted with amusement. “No, it wasn’t my secretary. It was my mother’s engagement ring. She gave it to me – for you.”

“She’s insane,” Carolin breathed, looking at the ring once more. Then she looked at Rebekka. “ You’re insane,” she added, a little more firmly. “The both of you. It’s worth a fortune.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t cheap when my father bought it,” Rebekka admitted. “But that’s not the point. I could’ve given you a ring from a gumball machine. But this one is more comfortable to wear.” She grinned.

“Well, then, if that’s all . . .” Carolin had to laugh. Again, she considered the ring nestled in the blue satin. “It’s beautiful,” she said softly. She could hardly find her voice. “Unbelievably beautiful.”

“Eight carats,” said Rebekka. “My mother probably wouldn’t have accepted anything larger.” She laughed. “But it’s absolutely flawless.”

Carolin was still stunned. “Yeah, sure, only eight carats . . .”

“And cut in a unique design,” Rebekka continued. “My father had it custom-cut by the best diamond cutter in Amsterdam, to a very particular style. There’s no other ring like it in the world.”

Carolin regarded the ring once more, closed the box, and gave it back to Rebekka. “I can’t accept this, Rebekka. I don’t earn as much in a whole year as this would cost. In several years.”

“You don’t have to pay for it, you know.” Rebekka looked at her pleadingly. “It’s only a gesture. I want to show you, with this, how . . .” she swallowed . . . “how important you are to me.”

“A very expensive gesture,” Carolin countered. “You can’t do that, Rebekka. I can’t accept anything from you that I couldn’t have paid for myself. Otherwise I’d feel like –”

Rebekka took a deep breath and turned the box over in her hands. “Like one of the women I used to date, who would’ve taken this ring with pleasure,” she continued. She sighed. “Things really are not easy with you.” She opened the box. “Even if you don’t want to have it, I’d . . . I’d love so much to put it on you once,” she said quietly. She grimaced uncertainly. “Just to see how it looks. On your hand.” She took the ring out and held it in her fingers.

Carolin hesitated. Then she capitulated. “Okay,” she said. “But afterwards, you’re putting it right back in your desk.”

“I promise,” said Rebekka. She took Carolin’s hand, caressed it, and slid the gold-mounted gems slowly onto Carolin’s ring finger.

Carolin felt as though she was about to faint. She’d never felt anything like it before. She didn’t know why. It was just a ring, after all.

“It fits,” said Rebekka. “Like it was made for you.” She smiled at Carolin.

Carolin’s knees gave out; she couldn’t do anything to stop it, and sank to the carpet.

“Oh, God . . .” Rebekka quickly knelt down next to her. “What’s wrong? Are you dizzy?” She looked at Carolin with concern.

“You knew it.” Carolin’s voice was barely a breath. She cleared her throat. “You knew what effect that would have.” She raised her eyebrows.

Rebekka laughed with relief. Thank God, nothing serious had happened to Carolin. “No,” she said. “No one’s ever given me anything like that, and the women I’ve known before –” She broke off. “No,” she repeated. “I didn’t have the faintest idea what a stunning effect it would have on you.”

“Stunning in the truest sense of the word,” sighed Carolin. “How embarrassing.”

“Oh, no.” Rebekka bent over her and brushed her lips with a kiss. “Sweet. It’s sweet, that’s all.” She smiled. “Just like you are.”

Carolin shook her head slightly. “And you are impossible.” She lifted an arm and wrapped it around Rebekka’s neck. “Irresistibly impossible,” she added in a whisper, pulling Rebekka closer.

Rebekka let herself sink down lightly on top of Carolin. “Is the carpet soft enough?” she asked, very quietly. Her eyes scanned Carolin’s face.

“Yes,” whispered Carolin. “Soft enough for everything.”

Rebekka’s hands wandered across Carolin’s body and began to undress her.