As soon as Gloria saw Chad's niece pull any she picked up the report she'd been preparing and headed for her boss' door. She was irritated by the presence of another woman, even if Chad was the girl's uncle. At least Lynn would be out of the office most of the time. But still she didn't like anyone around who might compete for Chad's attention. Gloria had plans for Chad. She tapped lightly and opened his door. Chad was bent over a page of figures. He looked drawn and a bit worried. She tossed the report down beside him and went around behind his chair. Her long fingers worked the muscles of his neck expertly and he groaned and leaned back to let her loosen him up.

"What in hell would I do without you, Gloria?"

"You'd get a stiff neck," she laughed, making her fingertips go deeper in the corded tension of his muscles.

"Yeah, you get rid of my stiff neck," he laughed. "but you get me even stiffer somewhere else."

"Naughty man," she hissed, giving him a playful punch before going back to her massage.

"My damned wife doesn't do either for me."

Glade could think of a lot of nasty things to say about Chad's wife Betty but she held her tongue. She knew when to speak and when not to. She dug her nails through Chad's grey-flecked hair then bent to touch her lips to the nape of his neck. He was a good-looking, muscular man. Very well preserved for someone over forty. He was in every bit as good a shape as his younger brother who was a patrolman in town. Gloria could swear to that. One afternoon Chad had proved it to her three times on the thick maroon carpet that covered the office floor.

"I finished that report you wanted."

"You're fantastic. You're a girl Friday, a great secretary and…" He turned and slipped arm around her waist. "A lover."