Under the Sheets

by Jamie Knight

  I put away my papers and try to relax like she is. The plane ride shouldn't be too long, and the weather is good for travel. When we land, I will need to look up restaurants that I can take her to after the meeting.

  I'm thinking that I kind of want the night to be romantic. That might make it easier for me to seduce her. I guess that is the word for what I am trying to do after all.

  Wow, I never thought I would be doing that.

  Usually women go after me, or there is not much pursuit involved one my end, at least. This leads me to wonder about Lisa, what she looks for in a man. Has she noticed anyone at the office, particularly me?

  That's silly to think about, but I feel like I need to know. If she's already had feelings or thoughts about me that could help my situation out a great deal. I could look more favorable in her eyes or influence her to act on those feelings.

  I get a little turned on when I imagine her thinking about me. I hope that doesn't sound too conceited, but if someone notices you, it's only natural to get excited.

  I manage to keep myself professional on the plane, even though I wish I could hold her hand or stroke her hair. Once the plane lands, I linger a bit on my thoughts, wondering if I should ask her out to dinner.

  Maybe I can later, but I know I shouldn’t tonight. It’s rather late, and we have to get up early tomorrow and prepare for work. Plus, it would be really forward.

  Forlornly, I head off the plane, thinking how ironic it is that I can’t have the one person I want so badly.

  But maybe we could at least talk a bit at the hotel restaurant or something before calling it a night, I tell myself.

  Chapter 7

  Lisa

  When we get to the hotel, I can’t believe how luxurious it is. It’s almost like something from a Disney movie. But Mark looks casual about it, as if it’s no big deal. I guess he’s used to traveling all over for work.

  “Checking in?” asks the bellboy, as soon as we walk into the place.

  “Yes,” Mark says. Then he clears his throat and looks at me. “But not just yet. We might have a bite to eat at the restaurant first. If that’s okay with you?”

  I nod, trying not to smile so obviously. I would love to hang out with him a little more before calling it a night.

  “Okay, I can take your bags up to your room so that they’re ready for your arrival,” the bellboy says.

  “Thank you,” Mark tells him, and then he adds, “Rooms.”

  “Excuse me?” the bellboy asks.

  “We’re not staying together,” Mark clarifies. “We have separate rooms.”

  “Oh, yes, of course, sorry about that,” the bellboy says.

  “No problem,” Mark responds, but I can’t help but notice that he looks a bit rueful about the fact.

  “I got us rooms close together,” he tells me, as we walk down the hall to the hotel’s restaurant. “That way, if we need to meet and prepare or go over anything, it will be easy.”

  “Great,” I tell him, trying not to let my mind wander into thinking about what I wish we could do if we had the same room.

  “Let’s avoid the bar and sit in the dining area,” Mark says. “I don’t want there to be any questions about legal drinking age.”

  “Good idea,” I tell him, as he checks in with the hostess.

  I realize it’s the first time he’s mentioned our vast age difference. He’s old enough to be my father! But it doesn’t feel like I’m with my father. He’s fun and I have a crush on him. So, I push that thought out of my mind.

  “Would you like some appetizers while looking over the menu?” our waiter asks, once we’re seated.

  “Yes. In fact, I think all I’ll be having is an appetizer,” Mark says. “We ate on the plane.”

  One of the many benefits of first class.

  “But if you’re hungry, go ahead and order whatever you’d like,” he adds, nodding at me.

  “No, an appetizer sounds great,” I tell him.

  I wasn’t hungry; I just wanted to spend more time with him. And I’m beginning to suspect that the same is true for him. My heart races and my palms sweat as I think about what it could mean.

  Does he have a crush on me, too? Does he find me fun to be with, even though I work for him and I’m a lot younger than him?

  “How about the Chicago sampler platter?” he suggests, pointing to the Italian-loaded options on the menu.

  It includes a mini deep-dish pizza, mozzarella sticks, and ravioli bites.

  “Sure,” I tell him. “That sounds great.”

  Once the waiter leaves, Mark leans back in his seat, as if he’s happy to relax after a long flight. He loosens his tie and I find it to be the sexiest gesture on the planet. His hair is a little messed up, since he’s so tall his head brushed up against the overhead bins on the plane.

  I wish I could reach over and fix it for him, but I know better than to be so bold. Also, it’s rather adorable like that.

  “So,” he says, smiling at me. “I know we haven’t had much of an opportunity to talk outside of work. Tell me something about you that I don’t know.”

  I fantasize about you taking my virginity, I want to say, but I don’t.

  Sadly, though, I can’t think of much else to say. I’m a rather boring person, and work is basically my life, and he already knows everything about that.

  “I, um, have a dog,” I say quickly, as soon as the thought pops into my mind, and then I wonder if that’s lame. “Cocoa.”

  Since I’ve already brought it up, I decide to plunge along down that path.

  “I miss her but she’s in good hands with a dog sitter,” I tell him. “I’ve had her for quite a while now, and she is just the most fun little companion.”

  “That’s awesome,” he says, smiling almost nostalgically.

  “Do you have any pets?” I ask.

  “Unfortunately, no,” he says. “I used to have them when I was younger, and I’d love to have one now. But I work and travel so much that I don’t feel I could take good care of one.”

  “I understand,” I tell him, thinking it’s nice of him to not selfishly take on a pet he knows he can’t give enough attention to. “What kind did you have when you were young?”

  That must have been what the nostalgic smile was about.

  “A collie,” he says. “Named Lady. She loved to go for walks in the snow. She’s bound off into a snowbank and I was so little that she’d pull me along with the leash. I’d end up cold and shivering, but it was a blast.”

  “That sounds like a lot of fun,” I tell him, as our food arrives.

  The pizza has been cut in half for us, so we each pick up our portion and take a bite.

  “This is delicious!” I tell him. “I’m so glad I could have famous Chicago pizza as soon as we landed. Thank you!”

  “It’s no problem,” he says, smiling. “I’m happy I chose well and that you like it.”

  “So, did you have any siblings?” I ask him. “Or just Lady?”

  “Ha,” he says, chuckling. “Lady really was like a second sibling. But I have a brother, Jim. He’s in real estate. We were pretty close growing up and still keep in pretty good touch. What about you?”

  “Sadly, no,” I tell him, shaking my head. “I was an only child. And sometimes pretty lonely. I think that’s why I like animals so much. They’re great company to keep.”

  “They sure are,” he says.

  We continue to talk about our childhoods as we eat. I find that we have a lot in common, despite being part of different generations. We both had Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. And a collection of books, although his were The Hardy Boys and mine was Nancy Drew— an old-fashioned choice, I know, but my mom was a librarian and they had been her favorite books growing up so she passed her love of them onto me.

  By the time the check comes, and Mark pays for it, I feel tired, but I’m wishing that the night didn’t have to end. I’m excited for the rest of our time together.

  When we walk through the lo
bby and to the elevators, I swear he comes close to holding my hand, but he doesn’t. Maybe it’s just in my imagination, or at least that’s what I tell myself. However, when we step into the elevator, he does put his hand on my back lightly.

  He’s just trying to be polite and make sure I get inside the door okay, I tell myself. But that doesn’t stop goosebumps from tingling all over the area where he just touched.

  “Here you go,” he says, when we get to the door to my hotel room in the hallway. “Mine is one over.”

  “Thanks again for the great night… I mean, food,” I tell him, blushing immediately as what I had mistakenly said.

  “You’re welcome,” he says, peering down at me. “And I had a great night, too.”

  We linger for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes, and I wonder if he is going to kiss me. I start to hope that he will. But then he takes a step towards his own hotel room, which I know is the wisest decision, even if I wish things could be different.

  “See you bright and early,” he tells me.

  “Yes,” I say, already looking forward to it. “See you tomorrow.”

  Chapter 8

  Lisa

  Mark and I have spent a long time preparing for the meeting this morning. We got up early and discussed all our topics in the hotel lobby and on the ride over.

  This morning I was so nervous while I was getting ready in the fancy hotel room. I hadn’t wanted to get out from under the fancy silk sheets, but I knew I had to meet the day with all the energy it required.

  The meeting went well, which turned out not to surprise either of us, even though I know we had both been anxious beforehand. Everyone in the Ozark headquarters was impressed by all the work that we’ve done.

  I'm not going to lie, I felt extremely proud of myself walking out of that office just now. I look at my watch and realize that I'm falling behind. I run a little in my heels so I can keep up with Mark. He's taller than me, so he takes longer strides than I do.

  We head out of the office building where the meeting was held. He's busy talking on the phone, but he looks up as I come up beside him. We stop outside on the sidewalk. I look up at him for instruction. He ends his call and looks around at the surrounding area.

  "The Uber should be here shortly," he announces.

  I nod without speaking. There really is no response needed for that, plus he is probably preoccupied with everything that was said during the conference. I wish I could compliment him or something. I don't know why I am so desperate to have his attention back on me.

  We both stand there quietly as we wait, each of us lost in our own thoughts. About five minutes later the shiny black car that is our Uber pulls up in front of us.

  Mark opens the door for me and we both get in together. Once we are seated and driving back to the hotel, Mark breaks the silence between us.

  "Great job back there."

  I can tell that he is pleased that we both looked good in front of the higher-ups.

  "Oh, thank you, " I murmur softly, as I blush.

  I'm still not used to his compliments. He stares at me a few seconds longer. I start to blush even more, and I have to look away. He turns his eyes back down to his phone. We spend the rest of the ride in silence.

  I hope I didn't make it awkward; I’ve just never had anyone acknowledge my efforts before. It feels weird, especially when it's a person you’re interested in. I try to distract myself by looking out the windows as we drive.

  Thankfully it's not a long drive. There doesn't seem to be much traffic here either. This virus really is impacting places all over the world.

  That's a very troubling thought.

  I wonder if it will get much worse?

  I sincerely hope not.

  Once we are back at the hotel, we walk through the lobby to the elevator. I'm worried that there are going to be another awkward few moments before we reach our floor. When we are alone in the elevator, Mark turns to look at me.

  "Would it be all right if I took you out to dinner later?" he asks.

  I blink at him in surprise. I'm too shocked to speak.

  "It's my way of saying thanks for all your hard work, plus it's sort of a celebration about landing the Ozark project since we didn't do anything back at the office," he explains. My mind is still reeling from what he asked, so he has to stare at me a couple seconds before I finally respond.

  "Oh yes, that sounds wonderful," I reply.

  I hope I don't sound too enthusiastic about it. The elevator doors slide open as we reach our floor.

  "Great, we can meet in the lobby around 7?" he asks.

  "Sure, can't wait," I smile, unable to contain it.

  He smiles back. We part ways to our separate rooms. Once I'm inside, I throw my briefcase down and collapse on the bed. I hug a pillow to my chest and giggle uncontrollably. Not only did he compliment me again, but he also sort of asked me out. Excitement runs through me. I know I won’t be able to calm myself down.

  It's still a few hours before dinner, so I try to tell myself to play it cool. I watch TV and check my emails. After I shower and fuss with my hair and makeup, I sit wrapped in a robe from the hotel. I polish my fingernails and toenails, so they match.

  Once those are dry, I make sure I have plenty of time to go through every piece of clothing in my suitcase. I lay it all out on the bed, narrowing down my choices over the next few hours. I'm torn between two outfits.

  A quick glance at the digital clock on the nightstand tells me that I have an hour left to change before meeting him for dinner to celebrate. I get excited all over again. Suddenly, I know how I would like to appear to him tonight.

  I put on a black lace bra and panties under a tight black sweater and fitted jeans. Then I check myself in the mirror one last time before deciding that I am ready for dinner. I try not to appear too anxious as I leave my room and take the elevator down to the lobby to meet him. I retouch my lipstick and spray a little of the perfume that I always keep in my purse.

  The elevator door opens. My heels tap against the polished hotel floor. I nervously touch my hair as I discreetly look around for him. My heart pounds in my chest as I wonder what could happen tonight. It skips a beat when I see him standing near the front of the restaurant.

  I find it so hard to believe that he is waiting for me.

  He looks so good that a shiver runs down my spine.

  I want to run to him and press my lips against his.

  I want to know what he tastes like. I push those thoughts from my mind and fix a smile back on my face.

  Tonight is going to be perfect.

  Chapter 9

  Mark

  I am sitting in the hotel restaurant, trying not to tell myself I did a bad, bad thing. I know I had decided not to pursue Lisa but being around her so much is driving me crazy.

  Plus, it’s only dinner. Between a boss and an assistant who are working on a project together while on a business trip.

  That’s not at all romantic.

  Even if it’s at a romantic restaurant.

  Right?

  I’ve never been good at fucking fooling myself. I like to look the truth right in the eye before I either ride it or fight it.

  I order a bottle of wine as I wait for Lisa. I check my watch and see that it is exactly seven o'clock. So, I start to look around for her and see her enter the lobby from the elevator.

  She hasn't seen me yet, so I take a few seconds to look at her. I’m turned on by how sexy she looks in her nice outfit. Her perky breasts and curvy hips make me want her even more. I stand and start waving to get her attention. As she looks around the lobby, her eyes pass over the restaurant window.

  She blinks; it takes her a few seconds to notice me. When she finally does, she smiles and waves back. As she walks over, I pour wine for both of us. I hand her a glass as she takes her seat across the table from me.

  "I hope I'm not late," she says apologetically.

  "Oh no, you are right on time," I assure her.


  She smiles in response as I pull her chair out for her and then take my own seat.

  "To Ozark," I say proudly, as I hold my glass up.

  She laughs as we clink our glasses in a toast. We each take a sip of wine and then sit there for a few seconds in silence. The waiter appears with menus, and I look forward to the evening.

  Lisa looks adorable as she makes a little pouty face. She's trying to decide what to eat. When she is ready to order, I signal the waiter back.

  Once he leaves with our menus, Lisa smiles at me nervously and sips more of her wine. I'm liking being with her here; it's interesting to see her outside of the office.

  The waiter brings our food and we poke it around while taking little bites of it. We make small talk about travel, work, little things.

  "Have you traveled before?" I ask her.

  Lisa swallows her food politely and shakes her head no.

  "This is my first real vacation," she admits.

  "Oh, I'm sorry it's not more of a glamorous place " I say.

  I had been trying to downplay a romantic atmosphere but perhaps I should have gone all out, considering that she isn’t used to traveling. I want to spoil her and give her a fun, extravagant time.

  She shakes her head.

  "No, this has been a fun trip. Besides, I'm glad that I was able to help the company in such an important way," she says as she takes another bite of her food.

  Her answer surprises me. I wasn't expecting her to care so much about the work that we do. I thought she only worked as an assistant at the company for money but apparently, she’s passionate about her job, too. I guess I should have been able to tell that from the fastidious ways she’s approached her projects and also from how she’s gone above and beyond for the company.

  I start to feel like a huge asshole for not realizing this before. I'm about to say something in response to her but my phone rings, interrupting me. I see that it's one of my contacts at Ozark.