Claiming Charlotte – A Never Before Published Romance

Charlotte West is climbing the corporate ladder ready to step into the big shoes. She wants the big office with all the perks. Working long hours and sacrificing time with her boyfriend Bryce is her way of making herself stand out from the crowd. She has dedicated her 10-year career to giving the company her lifeblood. Bringing in clients with seduction and charm has profited the investment firm millions. She wants to be the first women in the CEO chair. It’s right there for the taking.

Bryce Livingston is feeling like his climb to the top isn’t going anywhere. Stuck in the middle isn’t fun. He goes out for a new position never dreaming that he will be Charlotte’s boss. This causes a strain on their relationship. Bryce feels that he is losing her. To remedy this situation he comes up with an ingenious way to win her back. What happens when their personal life and business collide?

Chapter one

Charlotte

I had the worst luck when it came to making a good first impression. Stumbling over my words and knocking things over was a bad habit I couldn’t seem to break. Fortunately, once I got my foot in the door it was a different matter altogether.

I could use the gifts God blessed me with by stooping to seduction. Men were easy. Show them a bit of skin and they would pant after you like a dog after a bone.

“You are a shoe in for this promotion. We’ve seen some great things from you from the moment you stepped through the door 10 years ago. I can’t think of a better candidate to break the glass ceiling. I might be from the old school, but I see the writing on the wall.” My mentor Stephen Jacobs was leaving for greener pastures of retirement.

This was a boys club until a few like me dared to breach the inner sanctum. It was a never-ending nightmare of always trying to prove myself. I had sacrificed time with my boyfriend to live at the office at all hours of the day and night.

“I see the bigger picture. This company runs on new clients coming through those doors. We can’t be content on living on the scraps of those clients who have been with us forever. The lifeblood of any company comes from word of mouth and a great reputation. We have both of those things in spades.” I couldn’t believe how articulate I was being about my role in the company.

I was wearing a dark pantsuit with purple stripes to flatter my figure. I had on suspenders and a white blouse with the first couple of buttons undone. My hair was pulled back tightly with my sleeves rolled up. I wasn’t intimidating at 5’5 and 125 pounds soaking wet.

It was in my eyes. They conveyed my tenacity to get ahead. I was never going to be one of those bimbos with their blond hair and flotation devices to sleep my way to the top.

“You have gone above the call of duty and it has been appreciated. Barring any further complications, the announcement will be made by the end of the week. I would get used the view at the top of the mountain.” I had this existential angst and this feeling like the rug was going to get pulled out from underneath me.

The money was nothing compared to the respect I was going to earn. I was looking forward to branching out to uncharted territories. I had some ideas that were radical in thinking.

His salt and pepper hair and wrinkles underneath his eyes confirmed my suspicion stress was the main reason for his absence from the company. He had gone through a health crisis demanding him to slow down. In the interim, I had taken over and had run the ship in the very same image. It wasn’t the time to break ground on innovative ideas.

“I put myself in your shoes. I think about what you would do in any crisis. I do put my own spin on things, but that’s only to make me feel like I’m contributing in my own way. I want success and I demand nothing but perfection from myself and those working underneath me.” I felt alive watching the money pool in.

New clients were depending on us to give them the retirement they deserved.

“I’m expecting big things from you. I’m not stepping down. I will be around from time to time to check in. I know my decision won’t be met favorably by the rest of the Board of Directors. They are under the impression I’m going to give this position to my son. As much as I would love to keep it in the family, he has shown to be unreliable and I can’t depend on him to make the tough decisions.” I felt elated and I wanted to shout it from the rooftops.

“I won’t let you down. Failure has never been an option. There is no quit in my vocabulary. You’ve been the guiding light for this company. Let me pick up the torch where you left off and run with it.” He was one of the few who weren’t swayed by my flirtatious comments and brief peeks at my unmentionables.

“I want you to crush the competition with the heel of your shoe. I still have a few days to make my decision. I have a list of candidates on my desk and none of them hold a candle to you. I would like you to keep this to yourself until the ink is on the contract. Discretion is the better part of valor.” His leather-backed chair swung from side to side.

Behind him was the landscape of the city that never slept. New York had the capacity to eat you alive. I was not immune to how the city awakened with a different rhythm at night. It could be beautiful, but it could also be deadly with the dregs of society coming out to find their pound of flesh.

Actors were a dime a dozen. I saw them out of the corner of my eye mumbling their lines underneath their breath in the street or some coffee shop. Making it big wasn’t easy in any environment. The investment game was a doggy dog world and I was wearing milk bone underwear.

“Nobody will hear it from me until you make it official.” I was still worried and it was a well-known fact he had others to influence his decisions.

“I look at you and I see the daughter I never had. This company is built on trust. We don’t take shortcuts around here. This place has been my second home for 40 years. I really don’t know what I’m going to do with myself. Traveling does sound nice. My dearly departed wife is probably looking down from above chastising me with her finger.” He was in his sixties, but he was consciously aware of his health issues and was doing everything he could to mitigate the damage.

“You had three heart attacks in the span of five years. In the past year, you have transformed yourself and taken 20 years off of your life. Eating healthy and going to the gym downstairs has awakened a new spirit in you. I’m impressed and a little envious.” My exercise consisted of running up the stairs and avoiding the elevator every morning.

“I should’ve done this a long time ago. Giving up smoking cold Turkey was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I drink less and my personal trainer has given me a new lease on life. I don’t plan to squander it by sitting here in an office. It’s counterproductive. I will be the architect of my own destiny and I want you to follow my lead.” His respect was something I craved with my blood and tears to prove my loyalty.

“A great man was known to say there are leaders and followers. I’ve learned to step outside of my comfort zone to become a leader. The five people working for me know that I am tough but fair. It’s something of a trait we have in common.” I was buttering him up like a Sunday biscuit.

“Life is full of opportunities. None of us know when our time is up. We have to grab life by the fist. I do something different every day. I want to meet death head-on with no regrets. I will swim with the sharks in Australia and surf along the Great Barrier Reef. I have made a bucket list and I’m going to follow through on each one.” His aspirations were something to admire and emulate.

I had one older brother living in Hong Kong teaching English to the impoverished and underprivileged. He was making a true difference in the world with something he could tangibly hold onto. I was always good with numbers and made a career out of giving the little guy a leg up. It wasn’t about the rich getting richer. That was for other investment firms.

“Mr. Jacobs, I came to work for you because you are a visionary. It’s not all about the almighty dollar. A man works tirelessly day and night trying to keep ahead of the bills. They want to know there’s some kind of reward at the finish line.” I felt empowered to be at the forefront and in the trenches with the other Investment Bankers.

“We make smart decisions and we have to continue to follow the trend. People don’t want to worry out about their money. They want us to do that for them. We give them a no obligation 30-day trial to prove to them we are the ones to work with. Don’t lose sight of what we do this for. I know you see things my way.” The security of the people in their twilight years was paramount.

I sent a text message to Bryce. I told him there was a reason to celebrate and we should meet up at our favorite restaurant at the end of the day. I couldn’t say much, but my smile would speak louder than words.

Chapter two

Bryce

The paperwork was piled high on my desk. I looked up to see Mr. Thompson glad-handing with his two sons. My rise to the top of the food chain was stunted. Nepotism was a crime against those working their fingers to the bone. I couldn’t blame Mr. Thompson for wanting to give his sons a fighting chance.

“I see the way that you are staring daggers at them. I hope you know you’re going to be missed. You are destined for bigger things. It’s about time you dangled your experience into the pool of available positions in the city. I will do my best to trudge on without you.” Samantha was a redheaded vixen always trying to get into my pants.

She wore provocative clothing to keep me squirming in my seat. Today was no different. The black skirt moved with her body language. The slight hint of impropriety was revealed in the blood red lace of her panties. I did my best to curb her sexual appetite, but she didn’t care that I was involved with my college sweetheart.

“The only thing you’re going to miss about me is undressing me with your eyes every morning. I feel that we have gotten extremely intimate without getting physical over the last couple of years.” There were days when I felt dirty enough to go home to have a cold shower to scrub myself raw.

“It hasn’t been from a lack of trying. I’m not going to make the mistake of handing you my heart. No man is worth the possibility of heartbreak. I jump from flower to flower pollinating and then moving on. This job affords me the opportunity to dip my ink in the company well.” I was committed to Charlotte and the life we were going to build together from the ground up.

“Trust me; I know the mark you have left on unsuspecting victims. Guys come in looking like they have been run over on the side of the road. I don’t even want to think about what you did to them. I admit my curiosity has been piqued.” Charlotte was the love of my life, but our time together was scarce.

“When are you going to make an honest woman out of Charlotte? You can’t keep stringing her along waiting for something better. Every man is the same. They take for granted what they have for something unattainable. There’s no such thing as the perfect woman. We all have flaws, but some of us hide it better than others.” Her white argyle sweater had most guys using whatever they could find to make their interest less noticeable.

“They say what happens behind closed doors is nobody’s business, but you take it to a whole different level. My relationship with Charlotte is off limits. We have a good thing and I’m not going to let you do anything to ruin it.” She raised her hands and made her chest push out against the bra cutting off her circulation.

“I hate to see you go down this road of resistance. The world has a vast supply of available pieces. The line starts behind me to be with you. Bryce, you can’t say that you haven’t noticed the lingering glances of the female populace. There have been many giving you the once over and for a good reason.” I didn’t consider myself anything special, but I did make the conscious effort to make myself appealing in the mirror.

I was over 6 feet tall, 200 pounds with a buzz cut of blond hair. My piercing blue eyes could bring any woman to their knees. Charlotte didn’t put up with my shenanigans. She called me on the carpet and made me realize how I had objectified women over the years. Samantha could be accused of doing the same thing to men.

“I knew I was going to marry Charlotte the minute I met her. Other women are mere window dressing and something to tease me until I find my way back into her arms.” We had been dating for years with the promise of a future together.

Our passion was in investments and it made for some lively conversations over dinner. She was opinionated and never agreed with me when it was the easiest thing to do. There was nowhere to hide from her scrutinizing eyes.

“You come to work every day wearing that monkey suit trying to impress. Where has it gotten you? You’re not going to get a medal for doing your job. Mr. Thompson and his sons take the credit for all of our work. I’m looking to jump ship, but I’m not going to do it until I find the kind of money to rival this company’s salary.” I had heard rumors she was the highest paid investment broker in the firm.

Her experience was minimal and she depended on the kindness of men to bend over backward to please her. I wasn’t of the same sentiment. I didn’t mind giving her advice, but I wasn’t going to do her any sexual favors. She didn’t know how to take no for an answer.

“I’m going to get this one last chance to change your mind about me. Check your phone. I sent you something to whet your appetite. I really can pick up a roll of quarters without touching them. That kind of training has to be taught.” It was evil of her to entice me with promises of reclaiming my youth.

Her perfume was a halo around my head leaving me breathless with anticipation. The scandalous way that she bent over made me swallow nervously. It was an underhanded tactic.

Samantha was a sexual deviant. She considered men her prey to be used and abused until she was done with them. It wasn’t like many were giving her the cold shoulder. Married or not, men had a tendency to go after something strange.

Being two ships in the night didn’t equate to having relations with Charlotte. I had mentioned in passing about moving in together, but she was stuck to her independence. We hadn’t been together in the Biblical sense in almost six months. Holding hands and kissing was the only kind of intimacy we were committed to these days.

“I’m afraid to look. I have to prove to myself that I’m strong enough to resist you.” I found the attachment on my phone and breezed through each one with my pulse quickening.

It started with innocent posing for the camera, but escalated quickly to blue photos and then the x-rated kind leaving little to the imagination. I was sweating with the vivid images playing havoc in my fantasies. I tried to pretend it didn’t bother me, but I was about to explode.

“I can see from the look in your eyes I have gotten the necessary reaction. I will cover for you during your interview, but you are going to have to do something for me. I won’t insult your intelligence by putting you on the spot. I want you to look at each photo and commit them to memory.” They were already imprinted and I could see her naked every time I closed my eyes.

“I look around here and everybody seems trapped. Nobody has an office other than the three in the Thompson family. I can’t take it anymore. Charlotte has gotten two promotions in the last three years. I’m a little jealous. I was too complacent thinking that things were going to change. I’m not going any further unless one of his sons has an unexplained accident.” I couldn’t bring myself to harm anyone, but it didn’t mean I wasn’t prone to thinking about it.

“Have you told her of your plans? I know how I would feel. Believe me, women can be vindictive and use sex as a weapon to get what they want. The cold shoulder you have felt recently is nothing compared to the icy reception you are going to receive after the dust settles.” I had the credentials and I knew how to play the game better than most.

“I don’t want to say anything unless I know something for certain.” Employment was like dating. There were always other fish in the sea some bigger than others.

“You’re only denying the inevitable. Tell her before she finds out some other way. There’s still an easy solution. Don’t go to the interview and join me in the bathroom. I can make those photographs become reality.” The cubicles made it possible for her to expose herself briefly for my amusement.

“A part of me is screaming at me to take you up on your offer. This is too important to let slip through my fingers. Don’t tell anybody, but you have been the only bright spot in my time here. I might protest, but I do like the attention.” I was betting on a sure thing, but it was going to come down to the impression I made at the interview.

The job was mine to lose. This was my chance to rise to the cream of the crop. Sometimes omelets were made by breaking some eggs. It was too bad it was going to come at the expense of Charlotte. I could only hope that she could forgive me for trespassing on her home field advantage.

“I appreciate the kind remarks, but it does nothing to satisfy my hunger for you. Some young man is going to feel the byproduct of my wrath. They’re going to be left a shell of what they once were because of you. Can you live with that?” I nodded my head and stuck my neck out to see Mr. Thompson with his door closed.

It was my time to make a break for it.

Samantha had the keys to my freedom and I was depending on her to keep quiet. The one thing I could count on was Samantha’s discretion. As much as she wanted to get me into bed, she also wanted to see me happy and this was the only way I was going to make that happen.

“I will be your buffer. Go while you still have the chance. Use the stairs and avoid the elevators. Go down to the basement and leave the building through maintenance. They won’t know you’re missing. They hardly know we exist in their tiny bubble.” I had my portfolio tucked underneath my arm done professionally.

“It’s bad enough I’m doing this under her nose, but she was the one that helped me to polish my resume. I doubt she would have done it had she known what was going to transpire.” I made a mad dash to the stairs without looking back.

I could feel her watching me and licking her lips like a female lion getting ready to mate. I would have gladly let her devour me whole. It would’ve been a pleasure to be introduced to the pleasures of the flesh. In another life, things might have been different.

The metal door opened and I bounded down the stairs looking toward the horizon for a new future. I deserved better. There was a message from Charlotte claiming we might have something to celebrate. She didn’t know the half of it.

Chapter three

Charlotte

I’d jumped the gun and ordered a bottle of celebratory champagne on ice. Mr. Jacob’s decision was going to send shock waves of dissension amongst the ranks. They would think sex played a role. There was nothing I could do about that.

“I’m sorry I’m late. I hope you haven’t been waiting long. It was luck and good management I was able to get a reservation on such short notice.” He looked frazzled as if he had been underneath the hot lights of an interrogation room all afternoon.

“I would say from the look of it you have been ridden hard by Mr. Thompson. You have to learn to stand up for yourself. They’re never going to respect you unless you do something to demand it.” I had heard the stories and I wanted to shake him out of his fog.

“It’s not easy when they treat us like numbers. They depend on us and not the other way around. We are not blind and we see clearly the way they treat us. Some are destined to wallow in obscurity for the rest of their lives. You are my strength in an otherwise chaotic world. We need each other and I can’t stress that enough.” I could see how much he was shoveling it and it was a bad habit when he thought he had done something wrong.

“What did you do? I’ve known you a long time and your guilty conscience is written across your face. Don’t leave me in suspense.” I was worried he had done something stupid to get himself fired.

“I took a deep hard look at myself in the mirror a couple of months ago. I didn’t like who was looking back at me. I took a page from your book. I found a way to stick it to them. I didn’t even do them the courtesy of being there in person to proffer my resignation.” Losing his job was going to leave him with an identity crisis and I wasn’t sure I could watch him drown himself in the bottom of a bottle.

“I have no problem with you leaving your job. It was killing you one day at a time. They will realize what you were worth after you’re gone. I hope you have a plan. Leaving a job and starting over is a good way to reinvent the wheel. It’s better if you have something to go to.” I took off my high heeled shoe and moved my stocking feet into his lap.

I had to get his mind off of his troubles and the best way to accomplish that was to physically please him in some way. He was startled by my bold initiative. He looked around playing bashful, but another part of his anatomy had awakened to my touch.

“I’m almost 40 and I can’t take the risk of leaving a good job with nothing to go to. Everything is being kept quiet on a need to know basis. My lips are sealed. This will be something to make the tongues wag over the water cooler when it gets out. It kills me not to be able to talk to you about this.” We both had secrets and I couldn’t break the trust of my mentor.

“It sounds to me we both have something we might want to celebrate. My happiness can be translated into doing something brazen. I feel the way that you are responding. I hope this doesn’t have anything to do with Samantha.” He was very forthcoming about her seductive charm and how she couldn’t keep it in her pants.

The checkered tablecloths hid my anxious need massaging the length of him through his pants. It had swelled and made me smile with the grace that the waitress hadn’t come around to take our order. He sat there immobilized clutching the table with his fingers turning white with the effort.

“You can’t possibly be thinking about doing something here.” He wasn’t pushing me away and was enjoying the added component of my 2 feet working in conjunction with the other.

“We are in our favorite booth. There is a huge planter in front of us. The only way anybody is going to know what we are doing is by coming back here. The lighting is dimmed by candlelight. Don’t think about it.” I could feel him basking in the glow of my heated digits.

“We will be banned. I say the hell with it. This is the most action you have given me in months. I’ve never complained, but I have missed you terribly.” I didn’t want to believe he could find comfort with another, but Samantha was not subtle about her intentions.

“We have been burning the candle at both ends. You should consider having a lengthy vacation penned into your contract. I will do the same thing and we can coordinate our schedules.” I didn’t know what he expected of me, but I could understand how his needs were not being met.

“I’m afraid I’m going to lose control in my pants. The embarrassment will take me back to high school.” I was giving him a reason to think of something other than work.

The waitress came over and he did the courtesy of ordering for the both of us. There was nothing on the menu that didn’t tickle my palate. I took a sip of the champagne. It gave me the liquid encouragement to forge ahead. The waitress didn’t seem to notice the way that his voice jumped an octave.

“I’ve never done anything like this before. You’re the first to feel what it’s like to see me become unhinged. There’s really nobody to blame for our unhappiness. It takes two to play the game. Nobody’s going to help us to find our way back to the fire we once had. Rekindling that flame is necessary.” He had found out he didn’t like what he had at work and had decided to change it.

“I didn’t think that you were experienced with your hands. I guess nobody knows anybody. I like there’s a bit of mystery between us. It makes things more interesting.” I could echo his statement, but I was too busy inserting my dominance over his anatomy.

He gasped and picked up a napkin to place it over his mouth. It was interesting to see him fall apart with my feet claiming him as a victim. It was easy to give him something of a unique experience. It was fun to watch him shift in his seat and push up against the pleasing sensation.

“This isn’t me, but I’m making the exception for you. The wild side has never been my strong suit. It makes me smile to think that we can continually surprise each other this way.” I was biting my bottom lip and chewing on the idea of getting into a compromising position.

I had seen him in the throes of ecstasy too many times not to read the signals. I stopped and waited with bated breath. His eyes fluttered and he looked at me stunned that I didn’t follow through on my promise.

I got up and moved to his side of the table with my knees on either side of him. My panties were soaking wet. My skirt up made for a nasty reminder of my excitement on the crotch of his pants. It was a good thing he was wearing dark pants.

“You are fucking crazy. I didn’t think you had it in you to do something dangerous. Deep down, I knew there was something there lurking and waiting to come out. I’ve done my best, but the ultimate decision has always been yours.” I was rubbing the wet material of my panties along the protrusion of his animalistic instincts.

He grabbed his instrument and I looked down to see him revealing his Glory 1 inch at a time. The head emerged with the rest of the shaft bulging obscenely between his legs. My promotion was in the bag. This was my way of feeding the elation I was already feeling. I pulled my panties to the side and let his knob touch me.

“A woman has all the power. It has always been about what we are going to do with it. Driving on the other side of the road into oncoming traffic is exciting.” I was giving him skin to skin contact in the most delicious way possible.

His insatiable need was evident on his face by the way that he was trying to line up the target. I was fighting him, quite content in rubbing one out between us. It was the teasing gesture clouding his judgment and pushing all reason aside. Insanity was on his quivering lips. The vein was quite profound down the back.

The extreme way it was throbbing told me a story worth more than 1000 words. His pleasure was folded around my own. The long shaft was touching me in direct contact. The explosion in my brain spread throughout my body. I leaned forward and had the semblance of mind to bite into the material of his custom Italian shirt.

I moaned in submission to the orgasm holding its hands around my throat. I moved in a circle in his lap, grinding to the beat of some invisible music in my head. It was like drums going off against my temples. This was nothing like cheap perfume and women selling themselves on the street for money.

It was a dirty act and something to keep things fresh between us. Bryce was looking at me strangely and I knew what was going to happen when I rolled the dice. Dating was an exercise where somebody could win or lose. We weren’t strangers getting to know each other for the first time.

The streetlights outside flickered, but then I realized it was my eyes blinking back into focus. We heard somebody clearing their throat and looked up to find the waitress sheepishly looking around trying not to stare.

“I came over to tell you the main course is going to be a few more minutes. It looks like you found something to do in the meantime. Your privacy is still intact. Nobody seems to know what is going on back here. I get off in an hour and I plan to use my boyfriend until he has nothing left to give. Thank you for the private viewing.” I didn’t even know we had an audience.

She left us to scurry back into the kitchen with her hands holding onto the tables to support her sexually inebriated state. I got a text message from Mr. Jacobs. He wanted me on a plane within the hour to go to Phoenix to iron out some details with some prospective clients.

“Damn it… It looks like I’m going to have to go out of town for a couple of days. We are going to have to put the celebration on hold. I have enough time to have dinner with you and then I have to get to the Airport.” He took my hand and sucked my fingers without saying a word.

“I know this is part of your job. I will never stand in the way of your career aspirations. We have the same mindset when it comes to succeeding in business. I’ve learned a lot from you over the years. I hope you know life is nothing without you. The love I have for you is eternal. It burns brighter than any star in the Cosmos.” He leaned against my chest and I cradled his head in my hands stroking his hair.

It was tempting to lure him into the bathroom for a quickie. Dinner was longer than expected. It was delicious, but dessert was going to have to wait. I gave him a kiss with a whispered promise of something more. My days of jet-setting across the globe were almost over.

Chapter four

Bryce

“I came in the back way. You wanted this to be a surprise. Sending Charlotte away is going to make her angry when she learns the truth like everybody else.” Mr. Jacobs had his hand on the door with the staff gathered outside waiting for his big announcement.

“Your personal life is your business. I don’t feel very good about this, but you made a compelling case. Bringing your clients with you sealed the deal. How could I refuse millions in untapped revenue per year? Charlotte is just going to have to get over it. I made no contractual obligations.” I knew this was a landmine and I had stepped on top of it waiting for it to send me to hell.

“I’m going to be her boss. Do you really think she’s going to take that lying down? I’ve had my doubts. I almost rescinded your offer several times over the last few days. She won’t forgive me and I’m going to be in the doghouse. There’s no telling how far she will take her vendetta. I’m hoping she can dispense with her animosity long enough to be professional.” I moved my hands over the scant amount of hair I had and put both hands behind my neck in frustration.

“She has never let her personal feelings get in the way of business. I like to keep people guessing. Charlotte was the first candidate in the line of succession. She deserves more than you slipping in at the last second to undermine her promotion. Your proposal and no no-nonsense approach is something that has been vastly lacking in this company for too long.” He flung open the door.

I faced my lover and my accuser all in one tiny little package. Her face turned white and she stared not amused by me standing behind Mr. Jacobs.

“I would like you to meet your new CEO, Bryce Livingston. I want you to make him feel right at home. There will be changes over the next few months. This place is in good hands with Bryce. He has the endorsement of the Board of Directors. We all know how they never agree about anything. Charlotte, I would like you to take him personally underneath your wing to get him up to speed. I know this comes out of left field, but his ideas will revolutionize this company. Get on board or get out of the way.” He grabbed his gray overcoat and left the office after throwing the grenade into the middle of his employees.

Charlotte showed her anger by turning red and looking at me like she wanted to kill me. I went into the office and closed the door, but I knew I was going to have to face her sooner than later.

“Mr. Livingston, there are a few matters you must deal with personally. Charlotte will be in shortly to go over the pertinent details. Welcome aboard. I don’t bring coffee or do shorthand.” Dorothy was matronly and she was going to be responsible for keeping my schedule.

“Send her in when she gets here. I know this is going to be an adjustment for everyone. I would like to make this a painless transition. I do have designs on cutting out the fat. There are two positions which will no longer be filled. Take these pink slips and place them on their respective desks.” I had monetized production by cutting expenses and divvying up their duties to the rest of the staff.

“I see that you have chosen wisely. Wyatt and Chelsea are the last of the old guard. A generous severance with a golden parachute will help to soften the blow. I will have security on hand in case they have ideas about becoming disgruntled employees. I’ve never gotten personal with any of them and this is the reason why.” Dorothy made her exit and I was waiting for the backlash, but nothing happened.

The office was going to be redesigned with my tastes. The leather chair had to go for something more practical. I would keep the desk, but his personal trinkets had to be wiped clean. I was going to start with a blank slate and have my interior director go over my options.

I felt the gust of cold air followed by Charlotte standing at attention like a good soldier. I had to do something to make things right, but I didn’t even know where to begin. A heartfelt apology was a good place to start.

“Charlotte, I know this hurts you and that’s the last thing I wanted to do. I betrayed you and I can’t blame you for hating me. We are going to have to work together. Let’s try to make the best out of a bad situation. I know this is going to sound like a platitude, but I do love you with all of my heart.” Her shoulders sagged, but I could still see the seeping inferno about to explode inside of her.

“I’m going to give you two weeks to fill this role. Don’t expect me to smile. You took what was rightfully mine. How can you do this to someone you claim to love? That’s all I’m going to say on this subject. I have an obligation to help you navigate these choppy waters.” I wanted to hold her, but she was reluctant to show me any kindness.

“This business is a tree with a few rotten apples. I’m getting rid of the dead weight. They do nothing to push this business and rely on their seniority to give them a free hall pass. The rest of the staff will take up the slack. We’re going to have to spend long hours together for the next two weeks.” She had made her bed and leaving was going to leave me scrambling to find a replacement.

“This whole thing could have been avoided. The office you are standing in was supposed to be mine. Nobody knows it and I can’t tell them without looking bitter. I can’t remember the last time I felt betrayed to this degree. I almost couldn’t breathe when the announcement was made.” I probably would’ve felt the same way had the roles been reversed.

“We can do great things together. This can be a true partnership. I don’t get held up on titles. I reward good work with very big bonuses and company stocks. I want you to reconsider leaving. I know the wound is still fresh, but I need you to think about this company. We’ll order some takeout to get a jump on the current business.” I think underneath she knew I was right, but the anger she was feeling was burning away any good judgment.

“I may have to work with you, but I don’t have to like it. I’m wondering what was going on in your head. How did you think this was going to go? Don’t tell me you were expecting me to jump into your arms with gratitude and acceptance.” My career was living on borrowed time.

I was going to have to make a big splash to convince Mr. Jacobs he had done the right thing.

“I’ve been watching the market diligently and I’ve seen one stock showing potential. I want us to watch this one stock. We can suggest to our clients to trust that we know what we’re talking about. Sell it to them and they will buy with enough financial incentive.” It was innocuous stock but was gaining traction with rumors of a merger.

“You’re talking about the one in Hong Kong.” I had mentioned it, but the merger was going to make it a feeding frenzy.

“Two companies are going to join forces and become a juggernaut.” I was behind her and put my hands on her shoulders to feel her cringe away in disgust.

“I won’t be known as the office whore. I don’t know what this means for our relationship. Getting some distance will help me to formulate the best course of action.” I wanted to make some kind of grand gesture to make it up to her.

“We need to separate this business from our personal lives. I know it’s not going to be easy. Don’t give up on us. I don’t know what you want me to say. I was prepared to decline, but he made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. I wanted to see what my options were. I found the grass greener on the other side.” I sat down in the chair and felt instantly relaxed which was counterproductive in my opinion to a good working relationship.

I could easily take a nap, but I stood and paced in front of the window overlooking the big apple. It made me feel powerful but socially awkward around my girlfriend.

“I can’t see how to get past this. I still love you, but I don’t like you very much. They say time heals all wounds, but I’m not sure they were referring to this.” I felt her shiver with my hot breath on the back of her neck.

“I will do whatever I can to make this up to you. I’m just going to have to put on my thinking cap. I know you can rise above this for the sake of morale. Working with me tonight will help to solidify our working relationship.” I had pushed her into a corner and she was acting like an animal coming out with her claws bared ready to fight to the death.

“This isn’t going to work. Kind words are not going to cut it. This was a monumental mistake on your part. I can’t even imagine being close to you. I love that you have ambition, but not at my expense.” She moved like liquid fire and I was engulfed in the heat of her anger.

It excited me on a molecular level and I wanted to express myself physically. I couldn’t possibly tell her how much I wanted to take her against the window. The cold surface would awaken her nipples to a hardened state of existence.

“We need to make a concentrated effort to get along. This awkwardness is going to be noticed by the rest of the staff. Our relationship needs to be made a secret.” It was the worst thing I could possibly say with her mind a whirlwind of emotions.

“I don’t think we have to worry about that. This relationship fizzled when you were given this plum role on a silver platter. I can’t even look at you without thinking about what I lost.” I felt my heart sink.

I never considered this move would end the best thing I had in my life.

“Charlotte, I’m going to make you a promise and I don’t do this lightly. Give me a little time. If I can’t convince you to work here then I will gladly step down. I want you to listen to me with an unbiased ear.” I had her undivided attention and my mind was actively trying to come up with a solution.

“You’ve always been full of yourself. I’m actually curious to see what you can do to smooth these troubled waters.” I did have some ideas, but it was better served in the dead of night.

Chapter five

Charlotte

I was fuming and looking for anything to make him suffer for his arrogance. The Chinese takeout from my favorite place was helping minimally to defuse the situation. The papers were scattered on the boardroom table. We were sitting side by side going over the old business and preparing for the changing of the guard.

“I’ve been thinking about this. It doesn’t have to be this way. Working together could be a blessing and not a curse. Let me show you what I mean.” He kissed my neck and my legs instantly clinched together.

“This isn’t going to… work.” The battle was waged and I was on the receiving end of the losing side.

“I know you better than I know myself. We’ve been neglecting this relationship for the sake of our careers. We can turn back the time by treating this like a new beginning. There’s nobody here and we have this whole office to ourselves. There are no cameras in this room.” I had gone home to get a shower and change into something more casual.

My jeans were sticking to me like glue. I had neglected to wear panties in my haste to get out the door. He continued his pursuit to gratify me with long and lingering kisses. The fire was still there but for vastly different reasons. My thoughts had revolved around a celebration where our bodies would be wasted in exhaustion.

“I don’t think this is very fair. Sex isn’t going to change anything. You can’t just expect me to spread my legs and do my womanly duties. It’s chauvinistic and makes me sick.” I could pretend, but my body was speaking in volumes louder than any words coming out of my mouth.

“I haven’t had the opportunity to seduce you in quite some time. I might be a little rusty, but I can pick up where I left off.” The elastic of the yellow shirt spread over my bare shoulders. He tugged and revealed the pulsing presence of my chest.

“I almost forgot what this is like. We’ve been so hell bent on climbing the corporate ladder that we ignored what was right in front of us. I don’t mind saying the feelings you are producing are pleasing me to no end.” I felt tingles of persuasion running up and down my lower extremities concentrating the full brunt of his attack between my legs.

He kicked the chair and insinuated his head between the spread of my thighs. It was a perpetual high to have him in a submissive position. He unbuttoned my jeans and unzipped the fly before pulling it out from underneath me.

“I have always wanted you and nothing has changed for me. I don’t mind performing for my supper. We need to find a way to coexist. Some couples can’t work together without coming to blows. I have ways to make things more exciting for the both of us. The office is going to become our secret love nest.” He could sing the tune, but I wasn’t sure he knew the steps to the dance he was proposing.

“I can’t be seen as your underling.” He touched the center of my sex and I felt my body respond to his eager ways.

“Don’t think about it. Take the office out of the equation. We’re here together. Nothing can take that away from us.” He was pulling me toward him and leaving a trail of my juices all the way down to my ankles.

I hunched up in my seat to look down at the light touch of his tongue moving in a straight line. He was reminding me of those times we couldn’t keep our hands off of one another. It felt like forever, but this performance was putting him in a better light. His tongue was creating this warmth and igniting those nerve endings to make me open up willingly for his oral caress.

“You do make a compelling argument. Intimacy is nothing without the hot animalistic sex to go along with it. We’ve gotten away from that. I can’t begin to tell you how much you disappointed me. My words have done nothing to bring down the slow boil inside your pants. I should be insulted, but I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.” I had long legs and he was taking his time traveling the route from my ankle to the source of where those juices were coming from.

“I’m suffocating inside these pants. Let me give it room to breathe.” He knew seeing it was going to make me thirsty for a taste.

It came into view with the large and imposing head sitting atop the long and demanding shaft. He gave it one stroke and the fuel of his desire bubbled to the surface. He used his thumb to slather it all over the head and then down the shaft with his own personal lubrication.

“It doesn’t look like you have forgotten what that does to me,” I told him a secret in confidence and he was using it against me.

“Your fascination for seeing a man jerk off is something hard to resist. I love the way that your eyes stare at me. My balls ache to shoot like a burning star. Don’t you see what you do to me every time that you walk by? Having you here seven days a week is going to make it necessary to grab you. There won’t be a surface we haven’t christened. I have a personal bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub. There’s more than enough room for two.” The jets were calling my name, but the flicker of his tongue forced me to be in the present.

My lips separated with the injection of his oral instrument. The gripping walls of my persuasion pulled him in on the wake of a tremendous suction. I was having an outer body experience and couldn’t stop the sensation from making me float aimlessly in the air.

I heard the thwack of his hand manipulating his flesh for his own personal gain. It was a chorus of applause. One hand slapping some sense into his prominent region made me realize what a waste it would be. My legs shot out and I locked my ankles around his shoulders.

“You do have a wonderful way of making this up to me. This is a nightmare, but there is a silver lining. We have plenty of time to make up for the wasted opportunities in the past.” I was choking on the intense moment of release hitting me hard and fast.

I thrust my chest out and he purposely manhandled the ladies. The extra incentive pulled me into the gravity of my orgasm. I was left a wasted rag doll hanging over his shoulders. He paved the way by making me drip like a faucet. The blacksmith of his hand forged an opening to the gates.

It was a crying shame to leave him to his own devices. The right thing was to offer to give back, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. He had his manhood wrapped in the tight enclosure of his fist leaking a heavy discharge of his premature ejaculation. I could barely open my eyes, but I could feel the warm head of his cock.

“I need you to understand how much I need you in my life. It hurts me to think of the lonely nights looking for you in the dark. A cold mattress is only going to make me yearn for something I had and lost.” He had the inside scoop by knowing what made my body tick.

“I will never feel like this for another man. They broke the mold when they made you. I was lucky to find you reading that book of sexual positions in the quad. I don’t know why I struck up a conversation with you. I was under your spell like I am right now.” I took a hold of him by the base and began to feed him into the hungry kitty of my sex.

“This is what I’m talking about. I’ve never felt this kind of love before. Watching you swallow the whole thing with those lips clinging to the shaft makes me harder than I have ever been before.” I had my legs up on the table with my heels scratching along the surface.

My ass was on the edge of the chair and he was holding onto it to make sure I didn’t roll away. I had it bad and the medicine to cure me was hanging like a slab of beef between his legs. Bryce was given his fair share of inches to satisfy most women. I counted myself a lucky woman to find a specimen with a kind heart and body to keep me coming back for more.

The slippery surface of his knob came out and brushed the protrusion of my clit. He did that a few times. It made me moan loud enough to rattle the panes of glass in the office. I didn’t think it was possible to bear witness to an orgasm that left me twitching in the aftermath.

“I’m still angry, but I think I found a more productive way to work it out.” The momentum of his thrusts were lighting me up inside.

“Charlotte, this is a good way to kiss and make up for any past misdeeds. The furnace of my excitement is raging with hungry desire. I’m going to blow. It’s a matter of when it’s going to happen. I can feel the pressurized need building by the second. Steam is going to come out of my ears at the moment of the release.” I’d hunted down and captured him in the vise-like grip of my pussy.

The squeezing sensation he was feeling was partly due to the lingering effects of the orgasm he had given me. The rest was courtesy of my own need to see him weep like a little girl. The mechanism switched to the on position and the intensity of the discharge made me feel it all the way down to my core.

I had him in the boa constrictor of my thighs. It was deliciously evil to make him go through that kind of pleasurable punishment. His essence gurgled around the accompanying monument still deeply encased in my sex.

I pushed him away with my feet pressed up against his chest through his shirt. I was thinking about him and looking at his piece of pipe. There were some loud exclamations of pleasure. I grabbed him between my feet and jacked the rest of his load over my painted nails. He was completely at a loss for words.

“This is a nice way to convince me of your sincerity. I don’t know what you’re going to do for an encore. I can’t feel like a second fiddle in a business I gave my life to. The unfairness still rises like bile in my throat. Leaving is preferable to give us a fighting chance. I’m not sure if love is strong enough to withstand this obstacle.” Love wasn’t easy to come by and very few claimed that they found the one they were going to spend the rest of their lives with.

“Love will conquer everything. You can barely stand on your feet. That was a bit of relief, but I think that I can do you one better. Come back tomorrow. We are done for the day. I have devised a possible way for you to save face. I will have to run it up the flagpole, but I don’t think I’m going to get much resistance. They know what you bring to the company and they won’t want to lose you.” I was interested to learn what he had up his sleeve, but I needed some rest before tackling the subject matter at hand.

“You’ve always been a bit devious. Those weekly card games have the players at your mercy with your poker face. I’m glad to see you have brought some of that out to give you strength where you didn’t have it before.” I put on my jeans slowly to give him ideas.

I didn’t bother to look at him on the way out. It made me smile to see how hard he was working to make things right. The one thing missing was the sense of equality. I wanted to be a role model to those girls looking to break their own glass ceilings. The next generation depended on me and I wasn’t going to let them down.

Chapter six

Bryce

“I don’t think you know what you’re asking. These are uncharted territories you want to navigate. It’s never been done before in this business. I’ve looked at your proposal and it does have some merit. You have a lot of balls coming in here on your first day to demand anything.” Mr. Jacobs was in attendance and was taking everything he heard from the Board of Directors to heart.

“I hate to use this card, but she will defect to a different company and take her expertise with her. You don’t want her working for the enemy. She knows trade secrets. There’s nothing preventing her from using those against us. We are the benchmark for those guys who don’t have a lot left at the end of the month. It’s logical to think these other companies might take a similar approach.” The debate was heavy handed and I could tell there were still many who didn’t approve of my methods.

“This is absurd. I should have made her sign some kind of contract and nondisclosure agreement. I always thought we would always be on the same page. I can’t imagine a worse case scenario. Having her working for the enemy will put us in a terrible position. Your suggestion is the kind of radical thinking I’m looking for.” He was going to have to be the voice of reason in a din of loud voices of dissension.

“I don’t think she’s going to come back unless we sweeten the deal. We implement my changes and offer her a sizable bonus to stick around for at least a year. A couple of weeks more vacation time will help her to see you value her input. She has been instrumental in bringing this company the exposure it has needed over the years.” I had stuck around to put together examples of what her hard work had accomplished.

Everybody was allowing Mr. Jacobs to pose the questions. They whispered their concerns into his ear and he parroted them back to me.

“We will take everything you have said under advisement. The Board of Directors has a hard time knuckling down to hostage tactics. I will do what I can to dissuade their opinion. I didn’t realize what kind of contribution she made. This is impressive for you to dig up this dirt against us.” Mr. Jacobs had a glint in his eyes and I think he wanted to rectify his miscarriage of justice.

“I’m going to implore you to make the right decision for the business. I can do this without her, but I can do it better with her. She knows the pitfalls and the personalities of those investors. Charlotte tells it like it is. It’s the reason why people trust her with their life savings.” I could only hope the information on our dating situation wasn’t going to be revealed. It was up to Mr. Jacobs.

It was possible to negate everything I said by making it personal. The proof was in the documents which I had placed in their hands. They would be a fool not to take advantage of a valuable resource.

“I don’t need further convincing. I’ve always been a big proponent of Charlotte’s. I brought her up in this company. I told them they made a mistake by hiring you. I was overruled, but I did go on the record to say it was a mistake to pass her over for the promotion. Going to bat for her is unorthodox. You must feel pretty damn strongly about this.” I wouldn’t have been in front of them with my hat in my hand pleading my case otherwise.

“I would think the main thing would be for all of us to work together. The key is to know how valuable a person is by their accomplishments. Charlotte has gone above the call of duty too many times to count.” I could see that my opinion and conviction was swaying them, but they needed something else to drive the point across.

The silence was deafening and I could literally hear a pin drop from across the room. I had to make this work for the sake of the company and my personal life. Losing her over this petty business wasn’t going to happen. I could never pick career over the love of my life. It was ludicrous to believe that I couldn’t find a compromise.

They were huddled together like football players on the field before making a play. They kept looking over at me trying to intimidate, but I was cool as a cucumber. I had laid out the facts and made my case. They would be fools not to take advantage of Charlotte’s intellect and savvy.

They were stuffy and still living in the past where this was a boys club. It was all about the bottom line. My proposal was a little embellished. It was meant to make them see how much money could go flying out the window without her.

I was standing and showing my leadership qualities by confronting them. Charlotte had a backbone, but she had to be pushed right to the edge before showing it. I learned the hard way that life wasn’t going to hand you anything. I found myself fascinated by their decision-making process.

They finished conversing and turned their attention back to me. There wasn’t one woman among them and that was the way they liked it. They knew their day in the sun was coming to an end. They were fighting it every step of the way and doing everything they could to keep the club banned of women.

“Anybody else in your shoes would have wanted to make his mark. I still see big things in your future. We’re going to need more time. I know it’s not what you want to hear, but there are issues. I don’t think it’s appropriate to get into them here.” The smirk on his face told me his influence was far-reaching.

“I wouldn’t take too much time. You didn’t hear it for me, but I’ve heard through the Grapevine there are companies already attempting to poach her out of our stable. I can see her taking the most lucrative offer. Time is a commodity you don’t have.” I was stressing the urgency and I could see each one squirming in their chairs.

“We will get back to you post haste.” Mr. Jacobs was dismissing me from the room and I didn’t want to overstay my welcome.

There was nothing that I could report back to Charlotte without giving her false hope. I had done everything I could and it was up to them to make the right decision. I nodded politely and backed away until I could feel the doorknob pressing up against the small of my back.

I slipped out silently and closed the door behind me. They knew the value she brought to the company. I was fully aware of how the old man thought of her. It was a simpatico kind of relationship. She didn’t need anybody to hold her hand and could make those tough decisions. I had come in on the heels of her hard work. It wasn’t fair, but I couldn’t praise her virtues without something to back up my claim. It was a long night and the examples I found made her look like the second coming.

I didn’t show it in the room, but I was nervous with droplets of perspiration running down my spine. I had to find her and convince her to give it a little more time. I had given her the blueprint of what working together could be like. Christening the very table the old men sat around was something that we guiltily smiled about.

She was in my office and wasn’t going to budge. I had to admire her tenacity. She must’ve known I was never going to throw her out by bodily force. She still wasn’t very happy. I felt the icy chill of her stare coming from across the room.

“I’ve been on the phone all morning. Half of my clients have assured me they will go with me to whatever firm I jump ship to. I was subtle and used my connection to them to feel them out. You can take this list and shove it down their throats.” She had a detailed account of 20 different clients with a wide range of money they entrusted the company with every year.

“I will leak this information anonymously using the water cooler rumor mill. You must know the right person to talk to.” I went around to the other side of the desk to see her teasing me with the way that she was crossing her legs.

“I can get the information in the right hands. In the meantime, I think last night proved how we can mix business with pleasure. There’s a part of me that believes you were placating me. The other part knows that you would never do anything like that. It would be a good idea for you to close the door and pull the blinds.” She shifted and gave me a reason to have my eyes come out of my skull.

“I don’t know what you’re suggesting Mrs. Robinson. Are you trying to seduce me?” She removed her feet from her heels and brazenly struck a match to my libido by massaging me in a not so subtle way.

“I don’t know why we have to wait to test out this new arrangement. Last night nobody was here to interrupt. Today the danger of getting caught is turning me on. I purposely wore something easily accessible.” The black panties had no crotch and I could see the lips winking at me from underneath her skirt.

“You do drive a hard bargain. I don’t know how you expect me to walk over to the door to lock it when you are doing this. The staff knows we are burning the candle at both ends. The only thing that’s going to ruin this is you. I know how vocal you can be.” Her screams made me have one eye open in bed gripping my pillow desperate to hear her in the throes of ecstasy.

“I’m not the only one who screams like a high pitched girl. I know what buttons to push. It’s been an exercise of trial and error over the years. I have you by the short hairs. You have to know that I invite you to stay overnight because it’s home field advantage.” I struggled to break free and walked over to the door feeling the hunger to consume her.

I very carefully closed the blinds making sure Dorothy was fully engrossed in the task I had given her. On some level, I had to know a morning pick me up was possible. Dorothy was going to be going over those documents for hours.

I had a two-fister in my pants making the fabric bulge in an obscene way. Charlotte had her feet on the desk and was moving the skirt up along her lean legs.

Chapter seven

Charlotte

I was burning up inside with a fever to do something out of character. Last night had opened up my eyes to how we could make the office into our own sexual playground. I had some feelers out and there was interest in bringing me aboard another firm. I could only hope it wasn’t going to come to that.

“Are you going to stand there staring at me all morning? I see something that is going to make it over here before the rest of you.” He smiled and took a few steps closer until his hands were on the desk.

“I’m enjoying the view from where I’m standing.” My skirt was up around my waist with nothing to prevent him from seeing how wet I was.

“I don’t know how I let it get this far. You have this way of making me want to do something I would never normally do. Bryce, it feels like I’m meeting you for the first time all over again.” I spread the lips with two fingers and he purposely pulled down his zipper.

“I can play this game. Don’t think that you have a monopoly on how to seduce.” I could probably hear his thoughts and was giving him exactly what he wanted.

“I propose a wager. The loser wears no underwear the rest of the day. The first one to orgasm is the loser. There are ground rules to adhere to. We both get 10-minutes to perform oral sex.” I knew from personal experience how to manipulate his manhood in my favor.

“It’s not fair and you know it. I’ve always been wrapped around your finger when it comes to oral gratification. It looks like I’m going to have to pull out the big guns. I didn’t want to scare you, but I have been holding back. It’s time to take off the training wheels.” I thought that he was bluffing, but the look in his eyes told me that I might have bitten off more than I could chew.

“I would like to see if you are all bluster. You talk a big game, but I have yet to see anything to back it up.” He removed any doubt by the way he made room for himself in the middle of the desk.

I swallowed with nervous anticipation running through my lower extremities. He slid across until his head was in my lap. My bare feet were on the desk and I could feel his hot breath touching me with a flicker of what was going to come.

“You haven’t experienced the reason why I am still friends with my ex-girlfriends. They stay close because they want the opportunity to pounce.” With feline grace, Bryce fluttered his tongue against my clit for 10-seconds before leaving me to want more.

He did that a few times and it was like he was rubbing two sticks together. It wasn’t easy, but I was consciously aware of the clock on the wall. He had wasted 2-minutes using his words, but they did what was required. He had made me think about what he was going to do which was half the battle.

“I guess you didn’t need me to show you the way. The magic of your tongue is something you should have shown me a long time ago. I might’ve asked you to move in. The simple truth is that we are made for one another.” He was purposely avoiding my clit after touching it briefly.

“I wanted to save something for when we got married. The wedding night was going to have you screaming loud enough to peel the wallpaper off the wall. You ruined the surprise.” I was celebrating this feeling coming over me and my body responded when he injected me with his oral digit.

I had my legs wrapped around his head locked together. There was no way that I was going to miss out on something of a surprise. The one thing missing from our relationship was his ability to seal the deal with satisfactory mouth music. He was holding this back and I was going to make him pay for it.

“I have to tell you eating pussy is an art form. I thought you were lacking, but this is a pleasant surprise.” I moaned after each sentence and there was no way that I was going to be able to keep it in.

The sloppy sound of his delivery was outdone by his technical expertise. If I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn he was reading cue cards with a cheat sheet of how to get me to the Promised Land.

It must’ve been awkward for him to lie on top of the desk with his upper half bent at an angle. He wasn’t complaining and his tongue was making me realize I had the total package. My feelings for him had tripled and the orgasm rushing toward me was going to make him the perfect man.

“I can’t believe you are doing this. You’re pulling the orgasm out of me. This is changing my opinion of you big time. You should have led with this. It’s a crying shame that you…Oh, my god… YESSSSS.” I moaned into the palms of my hands feeling an electrical sensation charging full steam ahead between my legs.

My pelvis was rising off the chair with the inside of my thighs burning with the effort. He was steadfast in his approach and continued throughout the explosive moment without stopping. I hit the pause button and lie there with smoke metaphorically coming out of my ears.

“Never underestimate what a man will do when he is faced with a wager. I do hope that you’re not going to welch out. There’s really no reason to continue. I won.” The winner got the spoils of War. I was determined to taste the fruits of my labor.

“I want you to sit down and let me take care of you. I will gladly walk around the office today without any underwear. You did win and I feel that you deserve a reward.” He got into position and we heard the doorknob jingling. We didn’t expect anybody to be able to walk through a locked door.

“Get under the desk and stay there.” Thankfully, the desk was designed to keep me under wraps from being discovered.

“We’re going to have to have that door looked at. I almost walked right into it. I have some questions about this assignment.” Dorothy had somehow navigated past a locked door with relative ease.

I was feeling particularly naughty and his cock was right there.

“I’m sure I can clarify things for you.” They continued to talk, but my main focus was on the delicious treat dripping like an ice cream cone.

“You look a little flushed. It can’t be easy being the new kid on the block. You have to learn to take it one day at a time. I hope you’re not coming down with the flu that’s going around.” I had my hands around his legs making it impossible for him to pull away.

“I have been feeling a little under the weather. It’s nothing that can’t be cured by getting rid of some of this frustration.” The pent-up aggression of his masculine persuasion was going to be taken care of.

“I know I haven’t been very welcoming. Mr. Jacobs wasn’t an easy man to work for. I learned over time how to be his right-hand woman. I wasn’t looking forward to trying to read your mind.” If she could do that, then he wasn’t going to be the only one a little flush.

She was only a few inches away from seeing something that probably would scar her for life.

“I’m sure that we will find a rhythm. The work you have done on this is exemplary. A boss needs to be ready to perform his duties. I expect those under me to put in the work. I will know if someone is only phoning it in.” I felt his comments were directed at me and I furnished a devilish way to drive him crazy.

One touch of my tongue to the long and unyielding object of my affection had him slamming his hands down on the table.

“You are very passionate about what you do. I admire how you climbed the ranks without having anything handed to you. I understand this transition can be hard on everybody. We both need to make a concentrated effort to dissuade their fears of losing their jobs.” The only job I was interested in was the one that I was giving him underneath the desk.

“I want to arrange a meeting in the boardroom later today. Charlotte will stand with me and we will address them together. She has ways of making somebody feel comfortable. Her work ethic is something everybody should be aspiring to. She goes the extra mile.” He stumbled over his words when I inhaled the head and tasted the sticky goodness on the tip.

“It’s a good idea to include her. Mr. Jacobs was very fond of Charlotte.” I was busy with my mouth full to take a bow.

“She’s going to be working me hard and I’m going to be doing the same thing for her. I think I inject new life into this business.” I felt a part of his anatomy trying to reach my tonsils by going into my throat.

I had always got a thrill out of orally inflicting pleasure on a man. Bryce was very enthusiastic. His response had made it necessary to give him one night where it was all about him. One night was where I took him to the edge over and over again until he couldn’t take it anymore. This was mimicking that very same experience.

I was doing my best not to make a sound. Taking him all the way down to the base and back up again was a slow boil. His slippery shaft was glistening courtesy of my mouth performing in a way that would have made porn stars envious.

“I’m glad we had this time to talk. I’m going to do something I have never done before. I’m going to get you a nice hot cup of tea with some lemon to ward off whatever you a fighting.” He was fighting the natural need to blow off some steam in my mouth.

“I appreciate how you have gone to the extra effort to make me feel at home. I really would love a cup of tea and I promise not to make a habit out of it.” His hot sausage jumped in my mouth and I heard the click of the door closing followed by the eruption between his legs.

“Jesus Christ.” His words of blasphemy were followed by a series of grunts with his blistering seed coating the landscape of my tongue.

I pushed him out of the way and I stood up savoring the last drop burning on the bottom of my lip. Dorothy came in with a cup of tea and I was leaning over his shoulder with his member still outside his pants.

“You have something right there.” I thought for a moment I had missed a remnant of what he had given me.

I breathed a sigh of relief when she flicked a piece of lint from my shoulder. I literally was holding my breath and Bryce was snickering when she left the room. I punched him in the shoulder playfully. He pulled up his zipper and concealed what I had deflated with my oral exploration of his flesh.

Chapter eight

Bryce

The next two days had this foreboding feeling in the air. She was either going to be working with me hand in hand or she was going to find gainful employment elsewhere. Her options were unlimited. I was terrified to be left with the vipers looking to see me fall on my face. It was also a guilty treat to have her to satisfy my needs and vice versa.

“I can’t keep this to myself any longer.” She looked up frazzled with her eyes bloodshot from all the long hours we had been working together.

“I thought we were going to wait until we finish this.” She must’ve thought I was talking about getting one out of the chamber with the gun between my legs loaded and ready to go.

“Get your head out of the gutter. I want you to forget I said that. It’s your dirty mind that makes life more interesting around here. I was talking about how I went to bat for you. It wasn’t that difficult and you certainly did leave a lasting impression.” Purple was my favorite color and she was using that knowledge to put me in the mood.

“I know all about your meeting with Mr. Jacobs and the Board of Directors. There’s not much that goes on around here that I don’t know. I have some loyal followers. They let me know what’s going on. I’m not angry with you for keeping it from me.” Her white leather skirt had this zipper down the side I wanted to get my teeth on.

“I didn’t want to get your hopes up. I thought I would have heard something by now, but I think they are enjoying making me sweat.” Speak of the devil; Mr. Jacobs was standing at the door in one of his custom-made suits perfectly molded for his middle age body.

“I have some news. Don’t kill the messenger.” I stood up ready to fly off the handle when he pulled from behind his back a bottle of champagne. “You’re both going to co-chair the CEO position on a probationary period. I had to twist a lot of arms, but it was worth it.” He popped the cork. Dorothy was behind him with four glasses to commemorate the occasion.

“I appreciate how hard the both of you have fought for me. This is a great idea. One person shouldn’t have all the power. It’s better to have differing opinions.” The four of us polished off the bottle and I could see Charlotte swaying with glee on the balls of her feet.

“Today is the beginning of a new chapter for this company and I couldn’t be prouder of the direction we’re going. I’m not going to worry with the both of you at the helm.” He only had half a glass and then we took our customary position at his side in front of the staff.

Some were confused, but others thought that it was a break from tradition and a good thing. We had some work to do to convince those on the fence. We were up to the challenge. We went down the elevator with Mr. Jacobs.

“I’m not sure how your personal life is going to survive being around each other 24-hours a day. Personally, I think it’s better to have a bit of a break. I’ve learned the hard way that absence does make the heart grow fonder.” We were in the parking garage and we waved to him while looking at each other from the corner of our eyes.

“Bryce, are you thinking the same thing?” I answered by unlocking the door to my black Mercedes and motioning for her to get into the back seat.

The windows were tinted, but the shocks were going to be given a workout. We were like teenagers still with unbridled enthusiasm. I clumsily and awkwardly unbuttoned her purple blouse and pushed her down with her high heels puncturing holes in the ceiling.

I wasn’t even concerned about the upholstery and what kind of expense was necessary to repair it. I felt like a kid getting his first late-night glimpse of a naked woman from across the street. She was biting the edge of her thumb feigning innocence. The devil horns couldn’t be seen, but wearing no panties was showing her halo to be crooked.

She pulled down my zipper and reached inside for the crackerjack prize. There should have been a red light glowing above us. She was manhandling the goods and I was thrusting into her fist.

She watched the head begin to show signs of excitement with this polished shine from how her fingers were rubbing me the right way. We were both hot and bothered. Foreplay was in the way that we were looking at each other. I had her ankles in my hands with her feet practically touching her ears.

“I hope the security guard gets a whiff of what is going on here. I’ve never had a flashlight spotlighting my activities in the back seat of a car growing up. I want you to turn the dial all the way to make the rocket of my orgasm explode on reentry.” I plugged the leaking hole in front of me with my manly plunger.

The inside of her thighs were quivering. I gave it to her hard one stroke after the other. I looked down and received a sharp slap across my face to get my undivided attention.

“I know how you like eye contact, but I couldn’t help myself. I am a visual creature of habit.” I felt the slippery substance warmly caressing every inch.

“I don’t want to be treated like a piece of meat. There’s more to me than the outside appearance. Who the hell am I kidding? I love being your whore and I know you can’t get enough of me using you as my personal toy.” She added the tightness of her fingers around the base.

She was making me work extra hard. There was no gain without the pain. Burning off the calories from lunch this way was far more rewarding than pumping iron. This form of exercise was using different muscle groups. The black leather seats were rubbing against my bare knees with my pants around my ankles.

“This body is yours to use as you desire. No man is an island onto himself. There’s always a good woman, but this time you won’t be standing behind me in the shadows.” I shuffled forward and buried the staff into her trembling depths.

The smack of our hips coming together was enough incentive. The fuse was lit and it was only a matter of time before the chemical reaction. I was pounding her with hard and decisive strikes making the car bounce on its springs. The squeaking sound fueled me into a different level of persuasion.

“Give me that cock. This pussy demands satisfaction. I want to be able to feel you inside of me when we are done. Walking funny is the shame I want to feel when I get out of this car.” I was plagued by the vision of her widespread legs and those sodden lips clinging to my shaft.

She was pounding on my chest with her fist and twisting her head from side to side with her eyes closed. The turn of the vise between her legs squeezed me defiantly. Her eyes flew open and she screamed with her head thrown back.

The tendons of her neck were exposed and vulnerable to the light nip of my teeth. She was shaking all over and it was hard to stay in the saddle with her writhing like a runaway bull. I needed more than 5-seconds to find my release, but it wasn’t any longer than a few minutes.

“I will always want you in my life. Fucking you is my honor and pleasure.” The tender bite of my mouth on her neck marked her flesh by my overwhelming need to be with her.

“Stop talking and give me the high heat.” We enjoyed baseball and the term made me reel back. I began to pummel her body with no mercy.

Her whole body was coming off the seat and I was holding her down with my hands on her shoulders. The atmosphere in the car was stifling with the windows fogging up. I gave into the sensation building in increments between my legs. My hands slapped against the window and I bellowed.

The glass strained against my fingers but didn’t break. I did scratch with my fingernails and left my fingerprint stained in the fog we had created. The sensation of orgasm was highly addictive. I had found my partner in crime.

I went off five times. I fell on top of her with the cushion of her breasts breaking my fall. I gave her a few more strokes for good measure making sure I deposited every drop. Her eyes blinked back into focus and she ran her fingernails down over my cheek in a loving manner.

“I will never get over the way that you look at this moment. Bryce, I’ve been keeping you on the back burner never quite believing you were commitment material. My mother warned me to get a ring on it. I never did get caught up in traditional values. What we have works for us and be damned everybody else.” She made me suck the end of her thumb and she flicked the bottom of my lip before lying back in the glow of the aftermath.

“I like the way that we celebrate good fortune. I don’t want to take the chance of losing you to another. I might not deserve you, but I will make it my mission to make you feel loved every day for the rest of my life.” I somehow found the energy to fish out the Tiffany box in my pocket.

It fell from my slippery grip and disappeared underneath the seat. I bowed my head in defeat and began laughing.

“My answer is yes. These last few days have shown me there’s more to life than business. We managed to balance both sides of our lives to give us a reason to come into the office every morning. Don’t worry about the engagement ring. It’s here and we will find it. I will rip this car apart with my bare hands to get my hands on it.” Diamonds were a girl’s best friend, but jewelry was nothing compared to the satisfied expression on her face.