“Please, step into my office,” Cole said, guiding her into the room and into a chair. He grabbed a box of tissues of the shelf and handed it to Sam before leaning against his desk, arms folded across his chest. “What brings you here today?” Cole asked, genuine concern in his gaze.
Sam told him everything. About Crystal’s abuse, her affair with Dr. Mapleton, the pictures they obtained of Sophie and Cole, and their plot to disgrace him. Once she started talking, Sam couldn’t stop.
Cole listened intently. “First, thank you for telling me this,” Cole said. “I know it must have been difficult for you.”
“Of course, Dean Armstrong,” she replied. “I respect you so much. I couldn’t let Crystal and Dr. Mapleton do this to you. Forgive my language, but Crystal is a real b-i-t-c-h,” Sam spelled out.
Cole laughed at that. “Agreed. I want to assure you that you will not face any repercussions for coming to me with this information. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Thank-you, Dean Armstrong,” she said breathlessly. Cole’s assurance gave Sam a much needed confidence boost. Her tears dried up. Sam knew the Dean would protect her from Crystal’s wrath.
“I have a plan to bring down Crystal and Dr. Mapleton, and I need your help.” Cole walked to his desk and extracted two identical looking memory sticks from a drawer. He held them out to Sam.
“I want you to create two versions of Crystal faculty council presentation. The first version will follow her guidelines. Save a copy on the blank drive and give it to her. The other memory stick has a video file saved on it. I want you to add it to the final slide of Crystal’s presentation, and then save the doctored copy of her presentation on that drive”
“I can do that,” Sam said. She took the drives from his outstretched hand. “What’s on the video?”
“Some of Crystal’s best work,” he replied with a wink. Sam looked confused. “Let’s just say that it will embarrass and disgrace both Dr. Mapleton and Crystal.”
“Oh my,” Sam said gleefully.
“This next part of the plan is more difficult,” Cole continued. “Before the faculty council meeting, I need you to switch the memory stick with Crystal’s presentation with the one you’ve doctored. You need to do this without her knowledge, which means you’ll need to switch the drives either right before or during the meeting.”
“No problem Dean Armstrong,” she said resolutely. Crystal had beaten her down for years. Sam relished the opportunity to pay her back. She wished she could see Crystal’s face when the video played at the faculty council meeting.
Sam looked up into Cole’s earnest eyes. “When this is all over, I’m going to need a new position. Do I have your promise that I’ll have one?”
“Of course,” Cole replied. “In fact, I’m in the process of recruiting a new OB/GYN Chief. I think you’d work well together.”
Sam smiled at that. “Thank-you Dean Armstrong. One more thing, I left the office suddenly this afternoon,” Sam said. “Crystal is going to be angry with me. What should I tell her?”
“Just tell her you came down with a stomach bug, and had to leave quickly.”
Sam flushed at the thought of telling someone she was having tummy troubles. Even though it was a lie, it was so embarrassing. “Okay Dean Armstrong.” She clutched the memory stick to her chest. “I won’t fail you,” she said resolutely. “I’ll switch the files, or I’ll die trying.”
Cole chuckled at the memory. Sam was dramatic, but well meaning, and she came through in the end. Before the meeting began, while everyone’s attention was focused on the free coffee and donuts, Cole saw Sam slip into the room. She handed Eric Chambers the new memory stick, and pocketed Crystal’s original one. Eric took the drive with the doctored presentation without question.
While he was thinking about it, Cole picked up his phone and checked his bank account. He wanted to make sure the wire transfer he sent to Alex Jones went through. It was money well earned.
When he received a call from Alex Jones three weeks ago, Cole was surprised. They typically communicated via email or text, and the investigator already handed over the photos and videos Cole requested.
“Alex,” he said, “How can I help you?”
“I’ve received an email from Dr. Mapleton. He’s looking for photos or video evidence of an affair between you and a resident, Dr. Sophie Benedict.”
“Interesting,” Cole replied. “Did you take the case?”
“No. You hired me first. Also, Dr. Mapleton offered me a measly $215. If I took the job, that wouldn’t even pay for my babysitter. Finally, he’s a pervert. I’ve seen the videos. I don’t work for perverts.”
Cole laughed. “I can’t believe Bruce and I both picked the same investigator.”
“I can,” Alex replied. “My ex-boyfriend designed my site. He’s a tech genius and added all sorts of search engine optimization to it. Now, it’s the first one that pops up when you search anything related to private investigators in the Seattle area. Business is good. I have my pick of cases.”
“What do you suggest I do?” Cole asked.
The line was silent for a moment while Alex thought. “If you are in a relationship with Dr. Benedict, I suggest you give Dr. Mapleton what he wants. Nothing lurid. Maybe some handholding. A shot of you two kissing.”
“Why should I do that?”
“Bait,” Alex replied. “We’ll put a time limit on the photos so Dr. Mapleton needs to use the evidence quickly. I still have his and Crystal Bridges offices bugged for audio and video, so we’ll be able to hear their plan in real time. We can figure out a way to use it against them.”
“Genius,” Cole replied. “I’ve been trying to think of a way to use the video you gave me for months. What will be our fail-safe?”
“I’ll have my ex write a kill code for the memory stick I load the pictures on. If our plan fails, we’ll initiate it.”
“I like it. I’ll be sending you a large bonus if this works out Alex.”
“I’ll be expecting it,” she replied confidently.
Cole and Alex knew the details of Bruce and Crystal’s nefarious plan before Sam came to his office, but they had yet to formulate a plan to twist it around. Sam presented the perfect opportunity.
Although Cole was basking in his victory, deep down he felt a sense of sadness. He wished Sophie was snuggled up next to him, sipping scotch, enjoying the view, and sharing in their triumph. Cole wasn’t even sure Sophie was aware of what went down at the faculty council meeting. On their final morning together, they vowed not to engage in personal communications for the next 6 months. With Bruce’s indiscretion coming to light, it was more important than ever for Cole and Sophie to wait until their relationship wouldn’t need to be shrouded in secrecy. Cole wanted to be able to court her properly, out in the open. He had Sophie’s residency graduation date circled on his calendar. Cole was counting down the days.
Epilogue
Six months later
Sophie opened her locker door and excitedly put her lab coat on. This was it! Her last day as a resident. Tomorrow she would officially graduate from her residency program and could move on with her life. She already had dozens of offer letters from clinics and hospitals around the county.
As she tucked her stethoscope into her coat pocket she felt a strange, heavy piece of paper inside of it. She pulled it out. It was a sealed envelope. Her name was written on the front in bold script. She opened the mysterious note and began to read:
Sophie,
This has been the longest six months of my life. Meet me here tomorrow at noon. It’s on a parcel of land in Snohomish recently purchased by a friend. Wear your tight little yoga outfit.
A map was included at the bottom.
Sophie’s heart started skipping. Cole! She could finally see him again. The last six months had been tough. Knowing he was near and she couldn’t see him drove her crazy. Luckily Sophie had been able to bury herself in clinic shifts. She worked so hard she dropped off each night from sheer exhaustion.
Sophie tucked the letter back into her pocket and headed out for her last shift as a resident. Dr. John Harris, the new residency director, would sign off on her final charts at 5:00pm that evening, effectively ending her appointment.
Life in the residency program had been smoother once Bruce Mapleton left the school. Sophie still didn’t know the details of what happened, but rumors swirled around the hospital. Some people said Bruce was fired for a sex scandal. Some people said he went crazy. Some people said he and Crystal Bridges eloped and ran off to Brazil. Sophie shuddered at the thought and headed off to her shift. Tomorrow she’d be free!
****
Sophie drove up the twisted mountain road towards the area on the map. As she turned the corner an imposing stone house came into view. “What is this place?” she wondered. “It looks like a castle.”
Despite the size of the place there was only one other car in the driveway, a familiar red Porsche. Sophie’s heart leapt at the sight. She pulled her own car in next to his and got out.
The large oak front doors swung open and Cole strode out onto the walkway. He was wearing his Northwest mountain man performance outfit and he looked more amazing than ever. They both froze at the sight of each other and stared. Sophie broke into a huge smile. Cole did the same. She ran at him full speed at didn’t stop until she crashed into him. Cole wrapped his strong arms around her and buried his face into her hair. They stayed like that for a long time, reveling in being in each other’s arms again. Sophie felt her eyes tear up. She was so happy.
Cole pulled her back and studied her face.
“You’re more beautiful than I remember,” he said brushing strands of her hair behind her ear.
“Where are we Cole? Is this a B&B or something?”
Cole laughed. “No, it’s not a B&B. It’s Liam MacGregor’s new home. I told you about him. Liam’s the college buddy I was trying to recruit.”
“I remember,” Sophie replied. “I’m guessing you were successful.”
“Yes. He’s starting in a few weeks. Liam bought this place, sight unseen. He’s a trusting guy. His new secretary, Sam, found it. Liam’s letting me borrow the place this weekend since he’s still in Scotland.”
Cole grabbed her hand. “C’mon.” He led her around the stone house to the back garden area. It was beautiful, landscaped with natural northwest vegetation and coniferous trees. Beyond the garden, Sophie could see the land cut up into a craggy hillside and then spread out into a wild forested area.
She grasped his hand tightly as they continued on a path leading through the trees, towards the side of the large hill. The terrain was rocky. Around the next bend Sophie saw pieces of familiar equipment trailing up the side of the hill. “Are we going rock climbing?” Sophie asked.
Cole stopped walking, grabbed her to him, and kissed her deeply.
“Eventually. But I have a better idea first.” He led her to the face of the climbing wall. A couple of ropes were dangling down from the bolts imbedded up the side.
“Ever since you took my rock climbing course at the resident retreat I’ve been wanting to see you strapped into this gear again” Cole bent down to reach a harness. “I found the sight to be incredibly erotic. This time, I’m going to assist you the way I was dying to back then.”
Sophie remembered how she’d reacted to the Dean strapping her into the harness, his fingers inches away from her core. Her nipples grew hard at the memory, drawing Cole’s eyes to them. “I’m going spend hours sucking and licking these later,” he said, touching one of her nipples with a fingertip. Sophie whimpered in response, months of celibacy making her arousal feel even more intense.
Cole tossed the harness over his shoulder, freeing up his hands. He ran them down Sophie’s body, reacquainting himself with the curves of her body. Sophie sighed, “Oh Cole, I missed you so much.”
Cole looked into her eyes. “I missed you too. More than I thought possible.” His roving hands continued to roam down her back, over her rear and up to her breasts, circling her body like a race car doing laps on a track.
“I’m so glad you wore this particular workout outfit,” Cole said. His hands changed course and cupped the warmth in between her thighs. Sophie sucked in a sharp breath. Cole felt the dampness already soaking the spandex of her fitted shorts. Cole grew painfully hard in response. “Now I get to take it off of you like I wanted to the first time I saw you in it.”
He grabbed the hem of the cropped workout bra and lifted it up. Sophie obliged by raising her hands in the air, allowing Cole to easily pull the fabric off her body. The feel of the crisp mountain air on her bare breasts caused Sophie’s nipples to contract further. Cole was momentarily entranced with what he uncovered. After looking his fill, he took one of the aching nubs into his mouth, sucking deeply. Sophie thought she would climax right then and there, the relief was so sweet.
Cole worked back and forth from one breast to the other while his hands stayed busy cupping her rear and lifting her up to straddle his rock hard thigh. Sophie eagerly clamped her legs around his and ground her throbbing sex against him. She grew wetter as her arousal rose higher and higher.
Suddenly, Cole was gone. Sophie opened her eyes, surprised to find him two feet away from her with a chest harness in his hands. He walked back to her, pulling Sophie’s arms through it and fastening the buckle tightly under her breasts. Cole stood back and admired his work. The harness framed her chest, flushed with arousal, perfectly.
“What are you doing?” Sophie asked. “Are we climbing now?! I don’t remember wearing one of these before,” she said, plucking at the straps near her breasts.
“It’s only necessary when upright stability is critical,” Cole replied with a wink. He picked up the bottom part of the climbing harness. Cole knelt at Sophie’s feet and began pulling her yoga shorts down.
Sophie stilled his movements before her sex was exposed. “Wait, Cole. We’re outside. What if someone sees us?” Sophie was open to new sexual experiences, but she didn’t want to put on a show.
“This is private land. Don’t worry. We are the only people here for miles.” He kissed her navel and licked down her stomach. “In fact, you can scream as loud as you like.”
With that knowledge, Sophie shed her inhibitions. She let Cole pull her shorts completely off and toss them aside, leaving her naked save for the chest harness.
“Now, let’s get you strapped in,” he said playfully. Cole held the harness still so she could step into it. He wrapped the leg loops around each of her thighs and buckled them securely before tightening the strap around Sophie’s waist. He then took the lengths of rope already hooked to a clip several feet above them on the hillside and tied it to the metal loops on the sides of Sophie’s harness. Cole pulled on the ropes. Sophie felt herself being hoisted in the air.
She laughed once she was suspended a few inches off the ground, her wet core level with Cole’s erection. “I swear,” she said. “If I fall down and we have to explain what happened to the paramedics, I’m going to kill you!” Cole grinned mischievously in response. He secured the ropes with a strong knot before slapping her exposed rear end, making Sophie squeal as she swayed in the air. When her shrieks stopped, Cole pulled her into his body and began kissing Sophie, tasting her deeply with his tongue. She relaxed in his arms.
Cole broke the kiss and let his eyes feast on the sight of Sophie’s beautiful curves. His cock throbbed painfully, constrained by his shorts. Cole cupped her ass, lifting while spreading her legs apart. The harness and ropes absorbed the bulk of Sophie’s weight, so he was able to easily lift her sex to his mouth. Cole began greedily feasting on her engorged flesh, tasting the essence he’d been craving. Sophie cried out loudly. Cole’s ministrations combined with the sensation of weightlessness and the thrill of being suspended was overwhelming.
He laved the pulsing bud of her clit, with no pretense of going slow or being gentle. Cole knew neither of them could wait. Sophie flew apart in his hands, howling her rele
ase into the wind.
Once her climax receded Cole released her and stood upright to shed his clothing. Sophie longed to touch Cole as she passively watched him reveal his sculpted physique, but her straps prevented the range of motion she needed. Sophie’s frustration was forgotten when Cole, now fully naked, pulled her towards him. He positioned himself so his jutting manhood was perfectly aligned with her open legs. Before he thrust inside, Cole paused to admire Sophie’s glistening flesh and total abandonment.
“Christ, Sophie,” he said, pushing the tip of his cock against her wet opening. “You’re amazing.”
“Oh Cole, I can’t stand another moment without you inside me,” she panted, swinging herself in an attempt to impale her sex on his flesh.
Cole used the momentum to glide his thick shaft inside her tight passage. Sophie cried out at the sensation. She wrapped her legs around his torso and thrusted, trying to work her body up and down his thick member but failing because of her suspension. Sophie was mewling in frustration.
The Pleasure of the Dean Page 9