Cross Roads

It was late, and Sticks was loaded with customers. Cue had gone home for dinner and listened to his phone messages, and had been angry with himself for insisting that Katie get away for the day. If only his meeting had been at another time, it would be him spending the night with Ben, not her. The banker had given him good news, though, and after passing it along to Mori and Gloria, they felt invincible. Max and his old chums were jamming up on the stage. They had become a real hit with the customers. However, Katie was the star of their show so they were working extra hard to attract the listeners without her.

When the night ended, Gloria stayed beyond cleanup time to keep him company. “You seem blue, Quinton. Have you forgotten that we succeeded today? The bank’s off your back, and with all the different ideas we’ve put in place, the business will stay steady and probably increase.” She stroked his hair with her long, slender fingers.

Cue smiled but removed her hand. “What’s wrong with me, Gloria? I’m sitting here with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, one that I adore inside and out, and yet I’m thinking about Katie and what they’re doing right now.”

She leaned into him and softly began to kiss his neck. “Shh, not another word, my love.” She slowly made her way to his lips. At first, he resisted, but the heat inside him began to build. When he couldn’t stand it any longer, he pulled her tightly to his body and kissed her intensely, with fascination that had been mounting for months.