The Adventures of James Dean.

2.

Strolling into my office, I stopped short of my desk. Jennifer was perched on the edge, rifling through the small mountain of paperwork. Confidential paperwork, might I add.


'Come in, Jen, its lovely to see you.' I said, sarcastically, and passed her a smile. 'To what do I owe this visit?'


My sister scowled, and hopping off the table, and slid down into my black leather swivel chair. 'I don't come here just because I want something....'


'Never said you did sis, but I have a feeling you're gonna ask me for something.'


'Chill out James, I just came here to see how you were.'


'....and I'm guessing business is slow?'


Jen was a kick ass lawyer, she'd made partner in record time over at Hellinger and Associates just a block away from my office. She made her opposing side nervous, and I'd been there a few times in court, just to see her in action, and she even scared me. She crossed her arms over her boyish figure and stuck her tongue out at me.


'Business is never slow, brother. I'm always in demand.'


'Must run in the family.' I smirked, dusting a piece of lint off my shoulder.


'Ugh you didn't fuck some random chick already? It's not even nine am!'


'Met her on the subway.' I said, proudly, knowing she didn't want the details, but enjoying how disgusted she got. Kinda like the times I'd slide worms down her back when we played out in the back yard as kids. It was a good thing she was so thick skinned and shit like this rolled straight off her back, if I'd had some prissy sister she'd have spent our teenage years with her hands over her ears. Dad and I could be deemed as a little crass sometimes. But then Jen had a potty mouth to rival ours any day of the week.


'You fucked her on the subway?' She covered her mouth, 'that's like the most disgusting place yet.'


'I didn't fuck her on the subway, I have standards you know!'


'Really? Last time I checked, the rest room at La Fayette's isn't exactly deemed as classy.'


She was bringing up my sexploits from the previous weekend, another romp with a brunette against the bathroom wall. I remembered her fondly, in her tight gold bandage dress. And those tits of hers, at least a double D.....


'La Fayette's is a gourmet restaurant.' I shook away my previous train of thoug. 'It's about as classy as it comes.'


Jen rolled her eyes, and I tossed her the doughnut I'd picked up on the way in. I could always get my assistant Janine to grab me another, it'd give me a chance to check out that pert rump as she sashayed out of the door. Jen caught the confection in one hand, and unwrapping it, she lowered her head.


'Okay there may be a little something I need.....a favour?'


'And what do I get out of it?' I watched her eat, stomach growling. This mornings activities may not have been the most strenuous start I'd ever had but I was hungry.


'What do you get? A happy little sister and the knowledge you've done something worthwhile in the world.'


'I did something worthwhile not twenty minutes ago.' I teased, watching as she shook her head and sighed with resignation. 'J, I'm eating?'


I laughed, slouching down in the chair usually occupied by clients.


'Okay okay what d'ya need? Bear in mind if its another client you want me to entertain, he better not be as tedious as that guy you palmed off on me last time. I took him to a strip club and he sat there frigid as the freakin pope, what guy doesn't enjoy a little female....'



'I don't need you to entertain anyone.....I just need you to come to dinner with me tonight.'


'Okay.....what's the catch? You're not cooking are you?'


She rolled her eyes again. 'Ha ha Mr Comedian. There is no catch. I'm your sister and I want dinner with my brother!' She glared at me with mock offence, and then decided the gig was up. 'Okay so there's a guy I'm seeing. I've been seeing him for three months and he's started asking to meet family....I've met his....'


'Hold up. You've met the guys family?'


'Yeah, his mom seems to really like me, his dads a little harder to read....'


'Damn so this is serious?' Jen had never been in a long term relationship. She believed she had the two week dating curse, since all her previous clinches all lasted less than fourteen days. 'Is your curse over?'


She tossed the now empty wrapper at me, and narrowed her eyes. 'Two weeks is still better than one night asshole.'


'Touche!' I chuckled, tossing the paper into the wire basket beside the desk. 'I'll be there sis, hell I might even behave, lest the poor bastard learn what our family is really like.'


She stuck her tongue out again and headed over to me, giving me a hug. 'Seven o clock, at The Kestrel. I'll see you later douche bag.'


'Laters ho bag!' I called back, lifting myself out of the chair. I knew nobody in the office would bat an eyelid, they knew I was a little unorthodox and that Jen and I wound one another up on a daily basis. That's what twins do, be there when one of us needs it, but also insult one another lovingly every single chance the opportunity presents itself. I chuckled, ready to tackle the paperwork and score myself some breakfast, served by my delectable secretary.


'Janine?' I spoke into the receiver, hearing her singsong voice and instantly the not so little guy in my pants came alive. 'I'm hungry....really hungry. Can you grab me some breakfast? And once you're done, I'll go through what I need you to do for me today.'


Sadly none of it was anything remotely pleasurable for either of us but I'd still get a chance to see what that little piece of hot tamale was wearing today.




.................


With her mane of silky red hair, and in a form fitting pencil skirt and tight white blouse, she was an arresting sight. Green eyes sparkling, she placed the BLT sandwich in front of me and turned to walk away.


'Janine? I need to talk to you.' I eyed that rear, licking my lips. I couldn't help it. Pencil skirts are one of the sexiest garments ever created. They conjure up images of sexy, naughty secretaries and librarians. The quiet, shy, retiring women, that rock your world and have your balls tightening up in the blink of an eye.


'Oh, shoot.....yeah.' Janine exhaled, 'Sorry about that sir, I'm just a little distracted today.'


'Do you want to share?' I liked to play the open, accessible guy when it suited, sometimes that involved being a listening ear when a more emotional woman crossed my path. Not the post breakup chicks, just the ones that sought kooky philosophy and I could deal it out at the drop of a proverbial hat.


'No....no I shouldn't, it's early days, and its bad luck. That's what my boyfriend says.'


Damn it. She had to have a boyfriend, didn't she.



'I don't want you distracted at work, so whatever it is, maybe I can help? A problem shared, is a problem halved.' Whatever people said, regardless of my reputation, people who worked for me were well looked after. I'd had guys working here since I set the place up at twenty two years of age, over a decade ago.


And if Janine wanted kooky philosophy, I could step up my game.



'I'm....' She paused, dabbing her eyes with the corner of her blouse. 'I'm nine weeks pregnant.' Cradling her barely there belly, I raised an eyebrow. She was well known as a party girl, I'd employed her because she didn't seem to have any strings. I preferred to hire people who could commit to the job fully, not that I was prejudiced, some of the guys had kids now but bringing someone new in, I liked to know that they wouldn't disappear in their first week because of a ballet recital, or a damn swim meet.


'Oh.' I didn't know what else to say. 'Well....congratulations, I guess.'


'Thank you sir!' She clapped her hands together. 'I was so worried about your reaction, I love this job, I wouldn't want you to go finding someone else. I fully intend to come back to work.'


'There's nothing for you to worry about. If you go see Ellen in HR she can talk you through your maternity leave and all the paperwork. She's a pro.' I forced a smile, before remembering what she was here for and giving her a list of appointments I needed her to make. Once she was gone, I leant back in my chair, wondering if the world had gone insane. Why was I the only logical guy left? Surely having a kid cuts off your ability to be spontaneous, it's no wonder relationships buckle when kids are brought into the mix. I passed my attention to a few outstanding commercials we'd been developing for Prada and before I knew it, another day had passed.


And my desire for Janine had definately died down.


Still buoyant from this mornings shenanigans I headed straight to the restaurant, wondering if The Kestrel might bag me my second slice of ass for the day.


..................




Lucas seemed like a cool guy, I noticed how he kept his arm around Jen for almost the whole meal. I normally didn't notice shit like that, but she looked so happy, I had to give him some credit. Jen was a tough one to please, but so far, I had to say, I was impressed. A paediatric doctor, with a wholesome family background and a love of sports, he was the kinda guy I'd head out for a beer with. Jen peppered me with questions when he headed to the bathroom. She had the interrogation skills of a spy, and the courtside manner that had fellow lawyers cowering. She wanted to know whether I liked him, whether I'd noticed anything odd about him, something she hadn't noticed. We were like two halves of a whole person sometimes, trusting one another's opinions like it was the only thing that mattered.

'He seems like a nice guy.' I told her, affirmatively, 'I like him, he's nowhere near as much of a dick as that guy....what was his name.' I snapped my fingers, trying to recall the memory of the two timing loser she'd fallen for almost immediately, and who resulted in her broken heart seven years ago. And me swearing never to do that to anyone. Staying single was safer in a lot of ways. Nobody got hurt. If there was one person in the world I never wanted to see hurt, it was Jen. She was a pain in my ass at times, but we'd been through a lot together.


'His name was Daryl.' She shook her head at his memory, 'Dick of the century.'


'Dick of the millennium' I added, and we clinked our glasses together, laughing as Lucas joined us again.


This was another reason why I didn't need a woman. Jen gave me all the cerebral and the not so cerebral banter I required and the chicks I picked up, well they provided everything else. What can I say? I'm unorthodox, I don't follow the crowd. I live by my own set of morals. Don't get too involved, don't make any promises, and never fuck another mans wife. It's more hassle than its worth, and home wrecking isn't my bag. My life is busy enough as it is, little did I know it was about to get a whole lot busier.


Complicated, might be a better word.