The Lethal Encounter

by Amy Alexander

  Katie paused for breath and stared at Peter, hoping that he was going to say something, say anything that would clear this whole matter up. Instead he just stared at her and Katie felt herself drawn into that gaze.....his eyes seemed to be boring into her very essence, heightening her senses to an almost uncontrollable level. He had a way of connecting to her in a way she never thought possible and it worried her and excited her in equal measures. She continued on, even though she was aware that the best strategy was probably to sit back and shut up.

  “Anyway, I just wanted to say that I am more than up for this deal in France and any impression you might have got from my pathetic display in the boardroom was entirely wrong. I'm very good at my job and......that's what I wanted to say.”

  “But why on earth didn't you tell me up front who you were?” Peter repeated. “You knew who I was.”

  Katie paused. This was moving off work and into other areas - areas she did not really want to get into.

  “Well. It was fun to start with, you not knowing who I was, and then I thought how people might talk if something happened between us and how that would affect my job and so after a while it just got really difficult to tell you.....” Katie tailed off.

  “But this thing about people talking would only be problem surely if we had finished what we kind of…..started.....and then, anyway, people would have had to find out, wouldn't they?” Peter responded gently.

  “Yes, you're right but…..” Katie realised the trap she had fallen into. She had as good as admitted that she had not told him who she was because of a potential relationship - before anything had really happened. She relaxed and smiled.

  “Oh god. Alright then. I give in. I was enjoying our drink and your company. And the more time went on, the more difficult it was to say anything. But anyway, that was last week and now we are back here and we have work to do and I just want to kind of forget about that and move on. If that's OK with you.” Katie added hurriedly.

  “And that's what you want is it?” Peter stared at Katie long and hard and she felt her pulse hammering in her throat and the side of her head. No, of course that's not what she wanted! She wanted to go over to him now and run her hands through his hair and kiss his face all over and feel his arms around her, crushing her body to hers once again - just like he had done in the hotel room in Cannes. She wanted for him to whisper wonderful things into her ear and then whisk her off to his bedroom! Katie started, realising that her face had probably gone red and her hands were shaking slightly.

  She stared back at him and, summoning all the will power she could muster replied.

  “Yes, I think that's best, don't you?”

  “Well, I'm not sure…..and you haven't answered the question! Is that what you want?”

  Katie paused before responding. She took a deep breath and replied in a quiet voice.

  “Yes it is.”

  There was a long pause during which time Katie refused to look up at Peter….she knew her resolve would falter if she did that. He cleared his throat.

  “OK. If that’s what you really want. And don't worry about the work thing. I know you can do it.....and your bosses have assured me you can, so that's fine.” With that, Peter got up and went around his desk again to sit down. He looked at her again.

  “Goodbye Katie, and keep me posted on the French deal.”

  With what seemed to Katie to be a terrible finality, he looked at the monitor and picked up his phone. Katie opened her mouth to respond but did not. Instead she stood up and went to the door. As she opened it she turned back, but he was not looking at her. She left the room and smiled at Nancy, who seemed to smile sympathetically back.

  Oh god, thought Katie. She probably sees these sorts of meetings all the time. Love struck employees trying their luck. She glanced to her left and to her horror, saw Julie Cantor sitting in the small reception area. Julie looked quizzically at Katie but said nothing. Katie nodded at her and hurried away to the stairs. She had to get away from here as quickly as possible.

  Back safely at her desk, Katie set about her tasks with vigour, finalising the project timelines and clearing her in box with an enthusiasm that would have surprised even her closest friends. She kept re-living the conversation in Peter Jarvis' office and, by the time lunchtime had come around, she had almost convinced herself that she had done the right thing, even though Peter’s easy acceptance of her decision and then the brisk goodbye made her feel almost physically sick.

  Then, just as she was getting up to nip out and fetch some lunch, she had a ping from Sue, asking her to go to her office. Katie immediately feared the worse and imagined that Sue and Julie had been talking about her and her future on the project. Julie must have thought it strange that she had been having a meeting with the Chief Executive.....she might even have thought that Katie had been trying to undermine her own position, perhaps by saying that Julie was not up to the job or something. Oh God, thought Katie, they could all be about to gang up on me if that's true and it was with a heavy heart that she entered Sue's office and sat down.

  “Hi, Katie. So what's all this I hear about you going to see Peter Jarvis then? I've told you before that if you have an issue with anyone, there are procedures to follow, and that means speaking to me first, not running off to the boss.”

  Katie was a bit taken aback with this outburst and her first instinct was to respond in kind, but then she realised that was probably not the route to take, so she decided on the next best thing…..she lied.

  “Hang on a sec, Sue, it’s not like that, not like that at all. For a start Pater Jarvis called me in. He wanted to talk about someone at the French company I've been dealing with…..something about whether or not I thought he would be good to employ on the French team. That's all. There's no secrecy or furtiveness here and I would never go above your head.”

  Katie paused to see the effect she was having. She felt guilty about the lie but also felt sure that Peter Jarvis would never go against her on this. After a slight pause, by the look on Sue’s face, the slight deception had worked because her face relaxed and then smiled. Katie wondered what her reaction would have been if she had come right out and said the truth.

  “Well, Sue, when I was in France we got together and I almost had the most amazing sex with him and so just went up to his office to sort stuff out…..you know what I mean!”

  She shuddered inwardly at the very thought as Sue responded.

  “It’s OK, I was only kind of joking. After all it is not every day that Peter Jarvis entertains junior members of his sales team in his office and Julie was just interested.”

  Katie relaxed and smiled back.

  “No problem, I just don't want you to think I did anything wrong. Oh, and I did take the opportunity to apologise for the idiot I made of myself in the meeting…..and he seemed fine about it.”

  “Great,” responded Sue. “Look, do you fancy a quick drink after work today? Just a quick one.”

  “Yes, that would be good,” said Katie thinking there was almost nothing she would rather do less.

  She got up and left the office, walking back to her desk. She felt better than she had done anytime in the last few days and was convinced that her actions earlier had been right. Still, she thought with a sigh, she couldn't help feeling let down, as if she had lost something which she may regret, at the end of the day, losing.

  To Katie’s relief, the rest of the day passed relatively quickly. She had a good call with her point of contact at Logistics France and it was decided that she should go out there as soon as possible to start the implementation of the project. Katie knew that all this would have to be done in conjunction with the legal and technical departments and she looked forward to getting into the real detail of the project. She fired off an e mail to Sue and copied the travel department in order to get the purchase of tickets and hotel reservations underway. Just as she finished the last message, her mobile phone rang. Checking the ID, she saw Josie's name and gratefully pushed th
e answer button.

  “Hi Jos, I was just about to ring you. Do you fancy meeting up tonight. I need a chat.”

  “Ah, Katie, it sounds like there have been developments in the “shall I shag my boss” saga. Alas, I cannot make it tonight for I too am embarking upon a potentially lethal adventure of my own. What about Wednesday?”

  “That would be fine.....and it sounds like there's more than just me to talk about now! I'll ring you during the day and we'll sort something out. I would talk now, but walls have ears and all that.”

  “Understand. Can't wait. Speak tomorrow or the next day.” And then she was gone. Katie smiled at her phone. Josie was a positive whirlwind and Katie sometimes wished she could be more like her. There was many a time that she had pondered and ruminated over a next move, whilst Josie just got straight on and did something…..for good or bad.

  Later, she and Sue made their way to a pub a bit further away from the office. As they stood at the bar ordering, Katie made some small talk about the office and then they sat down together at a table by the window.

  “By the way, that travel is OK - in fact I was going to suggest it. Perhaps I should come too. What do you think?” Sue started off.

  “It's up to you Sue. I think I can handle it. We are just going to talk about project implementation with the techies anyway.” Katie responded, thinking that the last thing she really wanted was her boss breathing down her neck. She continued.

  “Perhaps you should hold off until we get fully underway?”

  Sue stared at Katie.

  “Did you know Julie had handed in her notice?” she started.

  Katie had not heard anything and responded as such.

  “Well, she has and I have decided to try and go for her job. What do you think? Now that you are a pal of Peter Jarvis, I thought you could put in a good word for me.” Sue said.

  Katie was nonplussed for a moment and wondered if Sue knew more that she was letting on.

  “Well, good for you, but I don't know what you mean about being a pal of the big boss. We've only met at the meeting yesterday and then again today. I'm sure he wouldn't listen to me.”

  “But you'd give it a go.....if the opportunity arose, that is.” Sue smirked conspiratorially and Katie could feel her hackles rising. She took a deep breath.

  “Sue, it won't.....and I really don't know why you would think it would. I told you that this morning was just because he wanted to ask me some questions - not for any other reason.”

  “But why did he want to see you? He asks me lots of questions about this and that, but I never get to go to his office…..so how come he asks you?”

  “Oh I don't know! And to be honest, it’s none of my business. I just do as I'm told.” Katie retorted, her voice rising as she finished the sentence.

  “I just thought you'd like to know what’s the hottest topic of conversation on the rumour mill at the moment.” Sue replied with a hint of glee in her voice.

  Katie held her breath.

  “And what would that be?”

  “Well, you know, that you and Peter are having some kind of fling.”

  “That's ridiculous. How would I get into that position? I've hardly ever met the man, let alone been in a position to have a fling with him. Who's saying that anyway?”

  Katie’s voice was getting higher and higher. Christ, she thought she had left all this behind when she went to Peter's office this morning and now her fears were being realised. How she wished she had never gone for that last drink in France......but as soon as the thought entered her head, she realised that she was kidding herself. Whatever the outcome, she was glad she had met Peter that night, even though nothing did come of it and nothing now would. Clinging onto that thought, she calmed down.

  “Oh, I don't know why I'm getting annoyed. It's just the thought of everyone whispering behind my back.....particularly about something I'm not actually doing. God, chance would be a fine thing.....only joking,” she added as she saw Sue's eyes open wide.

  “Going back to the job thing, I think you would be good at Julie's job, so go for it. But then who would replace you?”

  “Well. I don't know. There are several possibilities - and you would be one of them.”

  “Oh, I'm not sure I'm ready for such a move at the moment. I'm still only really learning the ropes.”

  “Don't do yourself down Katie. You could do it easily,” said Sue, gesturing at her empty glass. “Do you fancy another?”

  Katie returned to her flat at about 9pm and happily kicked off her shoes before wandering into the kitchen to put on some supper. Later she would have a long bath and get to sleep early.

  However, it was past 11pm when she finally pulled the duvet around her. Various things had delayed her, including a rather mournful call from Hugo who tried to persuade her to go round to his flat and chat. Despite her feeling a bit sorry for him, she had politely refused, and made some more small talk for several minutes before thankfully hanging up.

  Now, as she lay in bed, she thought about her earlier conversation with Sue. Despite her hating the idea of being the centre of any sort of gossip, she kept going over and over her decision not to take things further with Peter. She relived the time in his office yet again and, as she imagined him, she felt herself becoming aroused. God, she thought, this was totally out of control, but, as her hand crept up to cup her breasts, the image of Peter Jarvis sliding into bed with her loomed large in her mind. And, as she gently pinched and kneaded her rapidly hardening nipples, it was Peter's fingers that were gently rubbing the delicate buds as they rose up in response. She heard herself groan as the other hand traced a path downwards towards her pubic area. She imagined pushing his head down and almost felt the little licks as his tongue left a passionate trail down past her belly button and into the little tangle of hair below. She now had one hand massaging her breasts and nipples as the fingers of the other gently parted her swelling lips and felt the rush of moisture cover her aroused labia.

  The image of Peter Jarvis continued to loom in her mind as she imagined his strong hands caressing her body. In her head, she reached down and grasped his swollen cock in her hand, wanting more than ever for it to be replacing her fingers as they explored inside her.

  She felt her breathing quicken as the intensity of her feelings became centred on her throbbing clitoris. Her fingers worked quicker and quicker and her stomach started to turn to molten lava as the first waves of orgasm hit her.

  “Peter,” she heard herself cry out as her body shuddered and writhed. Her climax seemed to go on forever as her juices flooded over her fingers. As the tremors subsided, she still had the image of the man in her head, his eyes gently smiling at her as the passion diminished.

  She rolled over, hugged the pillows to her, and wondered what all this meant. One thing for certain, Peter Jarvis was still very much in her life – whether she liked it or not.

  CHAPTER 7

  Whilst Katie was occupied with her very private thoughts, the object of her passion had just finished a very successful dinner with a prospective client and had taken a taxi back to his apartment. He was now sitting, as was his habit these days it seemed, in his favourite chair, nursing a large Scotch. He looked back on the day and, in particular, the surprise visit from Katie.

  To be honest, he thought to himself, he had been very glad to see her. The initial shock as a result of their boardroom meeting yesterday had subsided somewhat – to be replaced by an oddly comforting feeling of familiarity and he knew he would have to make contact with her again. So saying, even he was not oblivious to the startling fact she was an employee at his company - and one several layers below him. Had she not been, he was sure that their liaison in Cannes would have been eventually conclusive and undoubtedly mind blowing. But the fact of her position DID make a difference.....not to him maybe (it would not have been the first time he had had a fling with a member of staff after all) but definitely to her.

  What was it about this girl that attracted
him so? Although she was undoubtedly beautiful, Peter had enjoyed his share of gorgeous women and, whilst they were physically satisfying (or not as the case may be), more often than not they had something missing. Katie was that elusive combination of beauty, sexiness, intelligence and independence that Peter was finding increasingly interesting, and, seemingly, hard to find in the other woman who were attracted to him. It was also an undeniable fact that the social circles in which he moved seemed to produce a certain type of woman, who now suddenly appeared to him to be hollow and simply after one thing. Despite the fact that there were many girls who would testify that this description described Peter rather than themselves, the irony of this passed Peter by completely.

  Yes, he concluded, of course he wanted to have sex with Katie, but he also wanted to get to know her. He grinned to himself. What on earth was happening to him?