by Susan Kohler
Tuesday, Kate had a long meeting with Jerry from Purchasing. They discussed ways to make things run smoother between their respective departments. The company was changing over to a new computer program that would provide more extensive Accounts Payable reports and would mesh perfectly with the output from the Purchasing Department. After the meeting, Jerry took her to lunch.
Jerry proved to be a great lunch companion. He was an expressive talker and he kept her laughing at his jokes and stories. The only quiet moment during lunch came when he talked about his wife.
“I’m married to the most gorgeous woman alive and she’s as sweet as she is beautiful,” he bragged, with sadness in his eyes.
“Jerry, what’s wrong?” Kate asked gently. “I can tell something’s troubling you.”
“Oh, it’s nothing terrible,” he told her, smiling again, “it’s just that lately she hasn’t been well. Nothing serious, but still. . .”
“If I can help let me know,” Kate told him.
“I will,” Jerry said as they left the restaurant. “Thanks Kate. I sure hope they keep you as a permanent employee.”
“Me too, I really like this job,” she said with a grin. “And the people are great.”
Tuesday night, Bob reminded Kate that she was supposed to be late or stay home occasionally to build up a record of poor attendance and tardiness.
“I don’t want you wearing yourself out, working every night after I leave, and I know you do.” He was concerned for her. “Stay home now and then. Remember, your poor attendance record will make it easier to accuse you. We might even get lucky and have the thief try to throw suspicion on you when you’re not there.”
“Bob,” she cuddled up with him, nibbling on his neck, “if I stay home, I won’t get to see you all day. I’ll miss you. And remember, I want to put off building a poor attendance record until the puppies are born. I’ll have the worst attendance record you ever saw, starting as soon as Teddy whelps. She’s due on Friday. I’m going to have a litter of puppies to care for, remember?”
“The herd,” Bob gave an exaggerated groan, then he relented, “I can’t wait to see them, they’ll be cute as hell.”
Kate arrived at work over an hour late Wednesday morning. Immediately, Bob locked her in his office and gave her a severe tongue-lashing. Between moments of yelling loud enough to be heard through the office door, he was nibbling her neck and kissing her passionately; his tongue ravaging her mouth.
Kate was aware of something different in his kisses, a feeling of tension in him, a sense that he was holding something back. She couldn’t put her finger on exactly what it was. She wasn’t thinking very well, she was too swept away by the delicious sensations his mouth was causing as he nibbled his way down her neck.
Whatever his problem was, it was not lack of passion. She was in his office for quite a long time and her face was flushed and she was breathing heavily when she finally emerged.
“Wow!” Rita, a large motherly woman, came running over. “I never heard him get so mad before.” She put her arms around Kate in a friendly, sympathetic hug.
“I guess I deserved it.” Kate fought to hide her smile. “I was awfully late. I should have called him to explain.”
Laura came over. “Back to work, Rita. If you’ve finished the payroll, I’m sure I can find some other work for you to do. Remember, we’re getting ready for a tax audit. Kate, I want to see you in my office. Now.” She held her office door open for Kate to go in.
Rita’s face turned dark red and she sputtered indignantly, “But . . . but Bob already yelled at her!”
“Go on, Rita. I won’t be too rough on her. I promise.” Laura softened her voice. “No yelling.”
Rita turned and started to stalk away. After she had taken about a half dozen steps, she turned back. “Just don’t pick on her, Laura, you hear me? This place is getting so bad I may have to start sending out my resume.” She stormed away.
As soon as Laura got Kate into her office, she shut the door and they burst out laughing. They almost choked trying not to make too much noise.
“I’ve never told Rita to get back to work before. Did you see her face? I thought she’d go into shock,” Laura managed to get out. She was hugging her sides, holding her laughter in.
“I was almost afraid she’d have a heart attack, and I felt responsible. She was only being protective of me.” Kate shook her head. “She felt really sorry for me because I was getting yelled at.”
“As if you needed any sympathy.” Laura smiled mischievously. “Unless I miss my guess, there was very little yelling going on in that office.”
“Well, you’re wrong. I got a severe tongue-lashing. At least,” Kate grinned and winked, “he had his tongue all over me.”
“Ah, that’s where you got that glow.” Laura sat down, her voice taking on a serious edge. “But I do need to talk to you.”
“What’s up?” Kate sat down.
“There was a thousand dollars missing from the checking account as of yesterday, and it can be traced directly to you.” She was all business now. “Well, to Accounts Payable.”
“What area of payables? How was the check coded? Was it for a parts purchase? Or for office supplies? Rent?” Kate asked, instantly alert.
“It was coded as a parts purchase, but Jerry doesn’t have a purchase order to match it, and the address it was supposed to be mailed to is not the address of any of our vendors. It was also a handwritten check, not computer generated.” Laura was grim.
“So it begins?” Kate asked quietly.
“Yes. You’ll be accused of theft tomorrow, just loudly enough so everyone will know about it,” Laura replied.
“I still don’t like the idea,” Kate moaned. “It makes me feel almost sick to my stomach.”
“Just remember that it’s all an act. Bob and I have complete faith in you,” Laura said gently, “and we’re on your side.”
“I know. I just hope it helps to catch the thief. I like all my co-workers but this has got to stop.” Kate became pensive, “I just hate the idea of any of these people getting themselves into trouble.”
“Look at the bright side.” Laura grinned, “You’ll get to spend a long time in Bob’s office with the door shut.”
“More tongue-lashings?” Returning her grin Kate said, “I could get used to that.”
That night, Bob came over again. He didn’t bring any office files with him and he definitely did not have work in mind. Kate met him at the door raising her mouth for a kiss. They went inside.
“Would you like some wine?” Kate asked, sitting on the sofa and watching while the dogs greeted him.
“No, thanks,” Bob answered, still standing and absently playing with the dogs. “Wine’s really not what I had in mind.”
“Coffee?” Kate felt the same tension in him that she’d noticed that afternoon.
“Nope.” His reply was almost curt.
“Is there anything you do want?” There was a trace of impatience in her tone.
Bob just gazed at her silently, a long level look filled with meaning. Kate got the message. She felt the message traveling through her body like a current of electricity, tingling all the way down to her toes.
“Oh, ho . . . Anticipation?” She smiled up at him.
“How about the end of anticipation?” He pulled her up from the sofa and gathered her up into his arms, enfolding her in a warm hug.
“So this is not a seduction, huh? No kissing me until I can’t resist? You’re not going to sweep me away on a tide of passion?
You want me to make a conscious choice?” She smiled at him, then reached for his hand and the simple touch of their hands was electric. “I just hope none of the little darlings wake up,” she said, as she started towards the stairs.
“They never have when I’ve been over, but we can wait if you want.” Bob halted their progress.
“Bob, it’ll be another fifteen years before the twins are eighteen, and I hate to wait. We’d better just
go for it now.” Kate began to pull on his arm and made a great show of dragging him up the stairs.
Of course, she didn’t mention that in two days, all three of her children were going with her mother to visit her grandmother for a couple of weeks and she would have the house all to herself.
She hadn’t told Bob for two reasons: first, she didn’t want to seem like she was getting rid of the children just so that they could be alone; and second, she didn’t want him to delay this moment because of the children. She was concerned about them too, but she was not about to let him get practical and deny their passion, she wanted him too much for that.
“Thank goodness!” Bob said as they got to her bedroom. “Somehow tonight seems like the right time to me. I feel like I’m about to explode if I don’t make love to you. I can’t wait a moment longer. I’m just not used to the idea of making love with your kids in the next room.”
“Believe me, it’s new to me too.” She brought her mouth up to his for a soft, tender kiss. “But I don’t want to wait either, not for anything. I want you too much.”
They both paused for a moment, feeling nervous in spite of their passion. They stood there, beside her bed, motionless for an eternal moment.
“I can’t believe I feel so shy suddenly,” Kate smiled and continued softly, “when I want you so much.”
“Me too, is it anticipation?” He stroked her long hair gently.
“Too much anticipation, and not enough action.” Kate reached for his face. “It’s been such a long time for me. It seems like a lifetime.” She searched his eyes, “Bob, just so you know, there was only Joe before, and remember how shy I am. I want you but I’m so self-conscious about my body especially after three babies that if I seem shy, please don’t think it’s hesitation or second thoughts.”
“We’ll take it easy, love.” He kissed her gently. “There’s no need to rush and, Kate, there’s no need for you to feel self-conscious about your body. For one thing, I’ve already seen it, remember? And, in spite of how we met, it really isn’t just your looks that I care about. It’s the real you, the woman who can carry on with her life after such a devastating loss, and make a good life for herself and her kids. Face it, Kate, you are intelligent, strong, brave, funny, kind, and very, very, sexy.” The words were each punctuated with a kiss.
“And I’m still shy,” she kissed him back, “but we can fix that.”
They stood there, kissing softly just inside her bedroom door. In spite of their hunger for each other, there was no need to rush now that the decision was made. They savored each other’s kisses, tongues meeting in a loving duel.
At first they were hardly touching except for their mouths, and her hands cupping his face. His hands went around her waist and began slowly sliding up and down her back, finally coming to rest, cuddling her bottom. He pulled her tightly against him for a moment so that she felt the proof of his desire, then he moved slightly back and slid his hands between their bodies. Without breaking off the kiss, he began to unbutton her blue, silk blouse then gently eased it off her shoulders. Her breath was coming in quick little gasps. For once she had worn a bra, something she usually discarded as soon as she got off work.
It was so unusual for her that Bob couldn’t resist asking her, “Why did you wear a bra tonight?”
She smiled a smile that was as old as the caves. “So you could take it off me.”
“You planned this?” He was astonished.
“Me? Of course not. I was just going to wait, modestly and patiently, like the lady I am, for you to suggest it. I’d never bring it up.” She turned and pulled down the colorful quilted bedspread, and the crisp white sheets.
“Sweetheart, you brought it up the first time we met.” Bob gave her a lecherous leer, then grinned and reached out to unfasten her lacy, mauve bra with exquisite slowness, his hands staying to cup her breasts from behind as he whispered in her ear, “And I saw you looking, so you had to know.”
Discarding the bra, he turned her around and bent his head to take first one and then the other breast into his mouth. He was gently sucking and licking them until both her nipples stood out. She pulled his polo shirt over his head then trailed her own set of kisses down his muscled chest, pausing to lick his nipples.
“Where’s the shyness I thought I would have to ease you through?”
She whispered, in a breathless tone, “It seems to have disappeared on its own. Isn’t that amazing?”
“It means that we’re right together.” He whispered, “This is meant to be.”
He slid her shorts down her long, smooth legs almost causing her knees to buckle and fail to support her. She stepped back, and sat shakily on the edge of the bed, and reached for his belt.
In a timeless moment, his eyes widened and his breath seemed to catch in his throat. She slowly unbuckled his belt and then undid the top button and slowly, carefully eased down the zipper of his jeans. She pushed his jeans down to the floor and he stepped out of them, pausing just long enough to get rid of his tennis shoes and socks.
He lovingly took her hands, pulled her up, and slowly, tenderly eased her dainty lace underwear down her legs. She returned the favor ridding him of his plain white jockey shorts, carefully easing them over his arousal. He lifted her out of the tangle around her feet, and laid her on the bed.
He laid down beside her, looking at her, filled with wonder at the many women she was. A hot combination of shy girl and bold woman, of delicate refined lady and fiery vixen, of tender mother and passionate lover.
He reached out and took her into his arms, showering kisses all over her face and hair then finally claiming her mouth in a searing, passionate kiss. His hands roamed all over her body, down past the fullness of her breasts to the curve of her stomach. Slowly, tantalizingly he slid one hand lower still, past her waist, down until he came to her soft curls. He began to make love to her with his hand, gently stroking the center of her femininity. His mouth left hers, and went exploring, searching out a delicate ear, and nibbling at her succulent neck.
All the time he murmured soft love words, between the kisses and nibbles, praising her body and telling her how wonderful she was. She arched her back and closed her eyes, letting all the sensations wash over her and drinking in his words. Her hands slipped down to his manhood and she lovingly began to stroke him. Suddenly they both froze as they heard a small voice cry out.
“Mommy!”
She held her breath for just a second then called out, “I’m coming Sarah, just a minute. God, I’m sorry, Love. I’ll be right back,” she said, giving him a light kiss and quickly pulling a nightgown over her head.
Kate went in to find out what her daughter needed. She found the little girl crying from a bad dream, so she sat on the side of the bed and talked to her. She gave her a sip of water and calmed her fears and held her until Sarah went back to sleep. Kate kissed Sarah’s forehead and then went back to her bedroom.
“How is she?” Bob asked, with gentle concern.
“Sarah’s fine, it was just a bad dream. I hope it wasn’t too much of a mood killer.” She winked at him as she slowly pulled the nightgown up over her head.
Her actions were simple and uncalculated, but the effect she achieved was as sensual as any movements of the most expert exotic dancer.
“Sweetheart, an atom bomb couldn’t kill my mood right now.” Smiling slowly and lovingly he asked, “How about you?”
“All I know is that I want you so badly, I almost wanted to strangle the poor little dear.” Kate got back into the bed. “Coming?”
“I will be, soon.” He grinned and moved over beside her. “So, where were we?”
She flipped her hair back over her shoulder and lowered her mouth down almost to his manhood. She whispered, “Right about here,” before taking him into her mouth in an intimate kiss.
His hands tangled in her hair. He laid back and let the sensations flow through every fiber of his being for a long, luscious moment.
Finally,
he pulled her up to kiss her mouth. “I love this, I especially love having you do this but I want to be inside you.” He rolled her over onto her back and stretched out on top of her, gazing at her raptly.
“I love you,” he whispered as he entered her, sliding into her warmth and wetness, filling her completely. “We fit together beautifully don’t we, love?” he murmured in her ear as he began to move inside her.
She gave herself over to the sensations that were flooding her senses, murmuring incoherent love words into his ear. She met the motions of his body thrust for thrust, her rhythms and passion matching his perfectly. It was magical, there was none of the awkwardness lovers can have when it’s their first time together, nothing tentative or held back.
She was past rational thinking, moving quickly towards her climax. All speech was beyond her now; she was only capable of little gurgling sounds in the back of her throat. Together they reached a peak of pleasure that left them both breathless and shivering.
She was breathing heavily, recovering from the pleasurable exertion, when she finally found her voice. “Bob, this is so incredible. Have I told you that I love you, too?” She pulled him to her for a tender kiss.
“No, but I hoped you did. I knew what we had was more than attraction. You’re not the kind of woman to go to bed with someone for plain old-fashioned lust or we’d have found a way to do it the first day we met. Instead, we waited forever.” Bob gently stroked her hair off her damp forehead.
“It was more like a week and a half,” she protested, teasing.
“It seemed like forever to me. How did we ever get so lucky?” He kissed her hair.
“We both have a dear friend who is a world champion matchmaker.” She kissed him.
“I still say I owe her a raise,” he agreed, nibbling on her neck.
“No, I’ll just offer babysitting services for her sometime after her baby is born,” she mumbled dreamily
“Baby?” He was surprised. A second later the word seemed to register with him and his head shot up. “Oh no!”
“She hasn’t told you yet?” Kate was puzzled at his expression.