The man stood up and straightened the light blue shirt that framed his defined chest and toned arms. His moves were deliberate as he spoke clearly and intentionally.

"It takes someone as self-absorbed as you to run a place like this. No wonder it took you almost two hours to make it to an interview that you requested. Just bear in mind I didn't come running to you."

Rachel stared at the intriguing figure of the man who stood tall and somewhat slightly indifferent to the woman who spun around to face him her face a mask of fury.

He chuckled as if he found her anger amusing. 

Tiana stopped in her tracks and turned around her eyes blazing. "Self-absorbed?!" she growled at him. "Listen to me you insufferable little twit you know nothing about me." With deliberate strides, she moved to where he stood towering over her. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

"Someone who knows how to give people the respect they deserve and who also understands the value of time, I am not tardy," came the calm response to what was intended to be a rhetorical question and a slight against his value here.

Rachel watch as Tiana's body shook with her budding anger. She watch as her boss stared at the man in contempt. She best gets this matter under control. 

Her eyes went from one to the other as she hit a button on her desk that automatically paged Kessa to Tiana's office.

"I'll have you know it was time, hard work, and perseverance that made this place you're now standing in seeking to become my employee. I built this place from the ground up. This is a multi-million dollar business you freaking jerk," Tiana said pointing her finger at his chest, "Don't you dare criticize me or my business!"

"When has stating a fact becomes a criticism, have I touched a sore point? Did I bruise your ego little girl?!"

The elevator doors opened and Kessa stepped out before the doors fully opened, a towel was draped over her shoulder, she had sweats drawn over a black spandex all-in-one sport swimsuit and her short hair was still wet and running water down her face. Her feet that practically ran into the reception area were bare.

She stared at Rachel and was about to question the urgent page when the sound of a husky voice pulled her attention its way but seeing Tiana a ball of barely suppressed anger she had no time to pay homage to the owner.

Kessa quickly moved between the two and grabbed Tiana. In an effort to quell the quarrel, Kessa's wet upper body pressed into that of Tiana's full heaving breasts as she pushed against her to prevent her from unleashing her fury at the man who stood there unfazed. 

"Tiana let's go to your office for a bit," Kessa said a little breathlessly.

Tiana was not in the least bit ready to put an end to the matter at hand and quickly tried to turn back around but Kessa held firmly to her friend's shoulders preventing the attempt.  She slide an arm down to Tiana's waist gripping it and guided her to the office.

The man gave a humorless laugh and said after taking up the manilla envelope with his credentials from the seat beside the one he had sat for almost two hours waiting.  

"This is crazy and a waste of time. On the two occasions we've met I can't say it was a pleasure." 

He started towards the elevator his intention being to get away from the woman who pull him in two different directions. How could this arrogant woman repulse him and fascinate him at the same time?

When Kessa pulled Tiana into the office and shut the door Tiana glared at the closed door. What was it about that man that rubbed her the wrong way? 

She was not a person who was easily phased despite the many private challenges she was facing in her life and yet from the moment he collided with her she lost all composure and crumbled without effort.

"Tiana? Hey earth to Tiana," Kessa said waving a hand to get her attention. 

When her eyes left the door and turn their attention to Kessa she was partially calm.

"Tell me what happened. What did he do to upset you  and secondly who is he?" Kessa asked. 

Tiana quickly went over what transpired earlier at Starbucks and ended with her finding out that it so happened he was practically here for the interview when the incident happened.

"Not that he has a chance in hell of getting it," she ended with a scowl.

Kessa who was perched on the chair in front of Tiana's desk to prevent it from getting wet listen intently to the recounter. 

"I take it you're ok with not having a trainer."

It was said in a way that made Tiana aware that this incident still has them in a predicament.

"Listen girl set aside what happened this morning and think about what it would mean if you allowed him to not have the position based on prejudice." 

"Argh, why the fuck do you have to be right?"

Kessa smiled as she took the towel from her shoulder and dried her low-cropped hair.

"You already have a replacement for Simon and we need a replacement ASAP. And I think hiring him will give you adequate time to knock White Boy down a peg or two." Kessa said with a grin knowing this would pique Tiana's interest as she lived for challenges.

And from the look of things this man was indeed a challenge.

Tiana took a deep breath and looked at Kessa the implication of improving her spirit. 

"God I hate when you're always right," Tiana giggled and walked behind her desk taking a seat in her soft comfortable chair and reached for the phone on her desk and buzzed Rachel. It took less than a minute for the woman to come into the office.

"Rachel get Stacy to get—er, whatever his name back to my office and refax me his info."

"Yes, Miss West." 

The minute the door closed behind Rachel Kessa spoke.

"Now Tiana your gonna have to let what happened between you and White Boy go for now— 

"Will you stop calling him that!" Tiana snapped.

"We need this guy,"  Kessa continued ignoring the remark. "If he has the right credentials and the experience he would be an asset and put things back in order." 

Tiana who was now looking at the fax that Rachel had resent agreed that the overtime and extra workload was no doubt driving her staff irritable. She prided herself on ensuring her staff has a stable work time conducive to making Total Wellness a place of work and the variety of services offered.

Tiana stared at the document before her and was surprised to see that Tim Bradley had an impressive portfolio. 

"Are you listening to me?"

"Hhhmmm yes," she said looking at Kessa after placing the Curriculum Vitae and resumé aside. "I will be nice and interview him with the same benefit of the doubt I give all my potential staff, however, he is getting the shit shifts and Mrs. Croskill's house cal,l" Tiana informed hell-bent on making Tim Bradley knew who was the boss around here.

"Nooo, not Mrs Croskill," Kessa said unable to hold back her grin. God your awful."

"Thank you," Tiana grinned in return as if it was a compliment received.

"Girl you are nasty you know she gonna want to fuck White Boy the dirty slut, but who wouldn't want a piece of his white meat," Kessa giggled. "Hey I've never had white meat and from what I saw he is cute and I think he might have the potential to be a good employee Kessa so let's play this wise."

Tiana grudgingly admit that Tim Bradley was not hard on the eyes but having had her Vanilla Chocolate Swirl and a few Cookie n Cream escapades unlike the little interracial virgin seated across from her she only gave it a passing thought. 

Kessa didn't tell Tiana she liked how he stood up to her. She could see that this guy wasn't going to let Tiana walk all over him and that he might even knock her down a few pegs.

"Well, we will just have to see about that Kes. One thing I'm not gonna have is another Simon thinking he can come in and do as he likes," Tiana said matter-of-factly.

She look down at the papers again before she opened the folder containing the new hire packet and place them inside.

Pity she did not have another person applying for the position to put him down a few rungs on his ladder of arrogance.

Tiana leaned against the backrest of her chair and stared deliberately at Kessa who sat there clad in her attire for the swimming aerobic class Rachel had no doubt pulled her from with her urgent page.

"I think you should undress."

"Huh?... Awww what?"

Tiana bit her lips to suppress her devilish smile as she stared at the flustered Kessa looking unsettled by the unforeseen innstruction.

It gave her pleasure to watch how Kessa's chest rise and fall on the sudden intake of her breath causing her small pert breasts to move enticingly as her mind try to decipher what was happening.

"Undress Kes and change into something befitting. There is no way you can give Mr. Bradley a tour of Total Wellness dress like that."

Kessa's dark cheeks were blazing red as she tried to compose herself. She had to clear her throat to speak.

"He's getting the job?"

"White Boy might just stand a chance," she returned smiling as she enjoyed Kessa's discomfort.

"Ok."

A moment later there was a brief knock on the door pulling Kessa out of the sultry trance that Tiana had spun. 

Maybe there might be a Vanilla Chocolate Swirl on her dessert tray after all Kessa thought but said before taking rising from the chair.

"I'll take my leave now and let Rachel page me if that tour is going to happen."

With a nod, Tiana watch her leave, and as always she admired the view that was equally appealing from the back as the front.