Crystal's Dilemma [Bonding Camp 5] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More)

by Christelle Mirin

  He took his seat again, looking a little uncomfortable. “I’ll have to get used to not shaking hands. It was the way I was brought up.” He laced his fingers together and held them in his lap.

  Crystal shook her head. “Don’t worry about it.” She opened one of her desk drawers and pulled out a folder, placing it on the blotter in front of her. She laid her hands on top of it and met his gaze. “Are you ready to get started?”

  He smiled, the light coming back into his eyes. “Just tell me what you’d like me to do.”

  That was a loaded statement. She flipped the edge of the file folder. “I’m going to give you the Cane, Moss and White employment speech. If you have any questions, feel free to stop me.”

  “Okay. I’m ready.” He crossed one leg, propping it on the opposite one.

  Crystal thought he looked pretty comfortable. That was good. She didn’t want him to feel out of sorts with her. “First, let me say I’d like you to see me not as your boss, but as an associate. Can you do that?”

  He nodded. “I’ll try, but you’re so impressive, it’s going to be hard not to idolize you.”

  Crystal grinned. “Oh, believe me, I love it when someone thinks of me as their idol.” She laughed.

  “Consider it done.”

  She opened the folder in front of her. “We’re going to get along just fine, Mr. Rain.”

  “Tommy.”

  She looked up. “Touché. My bad. I told you not to be formal and here I am, being just that. Call me Crystal.”

  “Crystal. Easy. You sparkle.” His eyes flashed.

  “Flattery will get you everywhere.” She lowered her gaze to the papers in front of her, doing her best not to blush in front of this young man. It had been years since someone had made her face heat beneath their gaze, and she was sure Tommy could do just that. Clearing her throat, she got back to the business at hand. She pulled a sheaf of papers from the folder and slid it across the desk toward him. “This is our standard nondisclosure contract. I want you to read along as we go, and if there’s anything you want more information about, let me know and we’ll discuss it.”

  He leaned forward and pulled the papers into his lap. Flipping through them, he cocked his head. “If it’s standard, I shouldn’t have any questions.”

  “Oh, it’s common enough, except for a few pertinent clauses.” She watched him while he looked through the paperwork. Narrowing her eyes, she was very interested in his reaction when he came to a certain clause.

  Suddenly, his hand stilled holding the paper very still and looking at the final page. “What is this?”

  And there it was. His brows were drawn together, his lips pressed into a fine line. “Are you on the last page?” she asked, knowing full well he was.

  He looked up and met her gaze. “Yes. The clause about ‘Bonding Camp’. I know it’s a practice used by a lot of companies to cement relationships between their staff, but I’ve never heard of a law firm employing it. Do all of your prospective associates go through it?”

  She nodded. “Most, yes. Unless they have some religious beliefs that won’t allow it. Some don’t attend bonding camp immediately upon employment but that is what we prefer.” She closed the file and rested her hands on top of it, wondering which way he was going to go with this. “If we hire someone on as an associate, we like them to attend so that we can see how they will get on with others of the staff. Especially the people we hire to be closet to us. Like you will be with me as my assistant.”

  “I see.” He let the sheaf of papers fall closed and laid them on his lap. “Tell me about bonding camp.”

  “First, let me ask you a question. Are you married or involved in a relationship?” It was a very personal question, but one she needed the answer to before he attended bonding camp.

  “Actually, I’m single and not in a relationship at this time. Does that make a difference?”

  She shook her head. “Not for your employment, no. It’s just something we like to know before offering you attendance at bonding camp.” She clasped her hands together, parking them on top of the file yet again. “You see, our bonding camp entails some very personal connections.”

  “Such as?” One corner of his mouth rose in a half-grin.

  “We feel that if you expose yourself to us at bonding camp, allowing us to see beneath your skin, it will create a bond between us that will serve us well inside and outside of the courtroom. If we know all of your personal preferences, your wants and desires, we can work together as one, instead of a lot of people trying to communicate who have nothing in common. Am I making sense?” Why was she having such a difficult time explaining exactly what bonding camp entailed? It had to be because she had felt such an instant attraction to him and for her, that wasn’t normal. She loved men, but her usual choice for a sexual partner was of the female gender. This time, she would definitely make an exception.

  Tommy crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, his gaze turning smoky. “Are you telling me the firm is interested in my sexual preferences?”

  Crystal let out a breath. “Well, yes. There’s nothing that bonds people together like becoming intimate. There are no strings attached relationship-wise. We do require that you be tested for anything communicable. You see, this is what makes us such a formidable force in the courtroom. Our staff is close knit, very close knit. We know each other’s likes and dislikes, each other’s dreams basically.”

  “Okay, but what happens when two people become more attached than just working together? Is that allowed?”

  “It’s allowed. There’s nothing in our contract that states you can’t become more than an associate with anyone at the firm.” She rose from her chair and moved around to the front of the desk, perching on the edge of it. “Tommy, no one will ask you to do anything you don’t want to do. We just prefer we get to know each other on a deeper level. As you have probably learned, our firm is very strong in the courtroom. Bonding camp is the reason why.”

  Tommy looked down at the papers in his lap, tapping them with one long finger. “So, you’re telling me if I become intimate with you, it will form a bond between us that will allow us to work together better?”

  “Basically.” She watched him closely. He was taking his time considering her proposition. Would he go for it?

  He looked up. “If I attend this bonding camp, who else will be there?”

  “I don’t know at this point. If you agree, I will get in touch with other members of the staff to see who is available.” She moved back around the desk to her chair, giving him some space. “It’s not only me you need to get to know. It’s the other partners also, including our staff at the compound.” She sat down and crossed her legs. She hadn’t felt this tense since her first time at bonding camp. What was it about him that made her nervous?

  “The other partners.” He reached up and rubbed his chin. “Compound, you say?”

  She nodded. “Our firm owns some acreage in upstate. We maintain a compound there, sort of a getaway for all of the staff at Cane, Moss and White. It’s where we can let our hair down and relax. If you sign on with us, you’ll also have use of it.”

  He nodded, seeming pleased. “You mentioned the others…I’ve got to know…will I have to have male to male contact?” He lowered his hand and gripped the arm of his chair.

  It was easy to tell he didn’t swing that way. “Not if you don’t want to. But, during our bonding, there will be others involved. Other men. Will that be a problem?”

  He shook his head. “Not as long as I’m not required to have a ‘relationship’ with another man.” He raised his fingers and made quotation marks in the air at the word relationship.

  Crystal smiled. “I get you. No, that won’t be a requirement, although if you ever feel inclined, it’s a possibility.”

  “Well, I’ll just get this out in the open right now. I like women.”

  “Good to know.” She swallowed, hoping he took her up on this. She wanted to get closer to him. Maybe even br
ing some of those dreams she had about him into reality. “We do practice ménage scenarios. There may be multiple men involved, but you won’t have to have any contact with them you don’t want to.”

  He nodded. “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve experienced a ménage.”

  Good. He had a bit of a background dabbling in sexual pleasures. “Well then, are you on board with this?”

  He leaned forward, sliding the papers onto her desk. With a smile that made her heart chug, he held out his hand toward her. “Do you have a pen?”

  Chapter Three

  Crystal paced the dining room, making circles around the long table.

  “Can you just sit down? I swear, Crystal, you act as if this is your first date.” Justice grabbed her wrist as she passed him. “Stop. Sit. He’ll be here soon enough.”

  With a blow of breath, she dropped into a chair beside Justice Cane, one of her partners at the firm. Pulling her wrist from his hand, she wrapped her arms around her waist. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous about this. I mean, I’m thirty-seven years old and I’ve been around the block a few times. Why does this young man trouble me so?”

  Justice pulled the bottle of champagne out of the ice it was chilling in and poured her a glass. He handed the half-full flute to her. “Drink this. Calm your nerves.”

  She took it from him and let the bubbly liquid sluice down her throat.

  “Maybe you’re more than just attracted to this guy. Have you ever thought of that?” Justice raised one eyebrow.

  “Oh there’s no question I’m attracted to him,” she said, twirling the thin flute in her hand. “I’m just not used to being so enamored. You know my preferences. I usually like to delve into my fantasies with women.” She looked up at him. “I don’t understand what it is about Tommy that has me so flustered. Do you think that maybe I’m not really bisexual and it’s just slapping me in the face?”

  He leaned over and placed his hand on her knee. “Why don’t you let it run its course? See what happens this weekend before you make any life-changing decisions.”

  Justice was always good at calming her down. Whenever she had a problem, he was her sounding board. They had known each other for years and even though they had been intimate on many occasions, Crystal knew he only had eyes for his wife, Laura. Crystal loved Justice, but it wasn’t the sort of love between a husband and a wife. Thank God Laura understood the whole bonding camp process and allowed Justice to continue to participate. Laura, being part of the firm herself, also attended on occasion. Crystal enjoyed every minute she had Laura spent together there. “Have I thanked you yet for coming on such short notice?” she asked, patting his hand.

  “Yes. You have. It was a pretty short notice, too.” He leaned back and laughed. “You just signed this guy yesterday and now we’re here twenty-four hours later. I’m just sorry Laura couldn’t make it.”

  “I wish she could have come, but I understand. Thankfully Rodgers has agreed to join us too.” Rodgers, the caretaker of the compound, lived there and was usually agreeable when it came to filling in for the partners during a bonding camp.

  “What are you going to do with three men, Crystal White? Planning on wearing us all out?” Justice winked at her.

  “Mr. Rain has arrived,” Rodgers announced from the doorway that led to the entry.

  Crystal’s hand shook for a second before she got it under control. She looked up just in time to see Tommy enter the dining room.

  “Hello,” Tommy said, shoving his hands in the pockets of his Dockers. He looked very preppy in khaki pants and a peach-colored polo shirt.

  Crystal stood, placing her champagne flute on the table. “Come in, Tommy. We were just having a glass of champagne after dinner.” She rounded the table and took his hand, leading him forward. “I’d like you to meet Justice Cane. Justice is one of our partners at the firm.”

  Justice stood and reached across the table. “Nice to meet you.” He shook Tommy’s hand then sat back down. “Can I pour you a glass?” he asked, holding up the bottle of champagne.

  Tommy smiled. “I’d like that.” He placed his hand on the small of Crystal’s back and looked down at her. “Good to see you again.”

  Crystal looked up into his warm, brown eyes and felt something turn inside her. Oh boy, she was in deep on this one. “Come and sit down,” she said, moving toward the table again.

  Tommy pulled a chair out for her across from Justice and then sat down beside her. Justice handed him a glass of champagne and he took a sip. “Mmm, nice.”

  “I hope you’ve had time to have dinner. If you haven’t, we can call the kitchen and get you something.” Crystal turned toward him, not wanting to take her eyes off of him. She couldn’t wait to get him in the playroom, their sexual playground housed in one of the buildings on the compound grounds. She wanted to see just what he was made of when it came to revealing himself intimately.

  “Actually, I had dinner before the driver picked me up.” He placed his glass on the table. “It was a nice drive up here.” He looked over at Justice. “This is a great place. Very secluded. It must have cost the firm a fortune.”

  Justice chuckled. “We got it for a good price. I hope you will enjoy all the amenities while you’re here.”

  “I plan on it. I hope you’ll agree with Crystal that I’ll be an asset to the firm and hire me for a position.”

  “Well,” Justice said, leaning forward. “Crystal seems to think you’re firm material. It will be her decision. I trust her judgment totally.”

  “But I thought all of the partners had to approve my appointment.” He looked at Crystal.

  “They do,” she said. “But if I give you a good assessment, they will usually approve you on my word alone. That’s why it’s good to have Justice here with us this weekend. It will give two of us the option of reporting your status to Morgan, our other partner. If both of us agree, Morgan won’t question it.” She leaned closer. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. I like you so far, and I think you’ll be a great assistant.”

  Tommy glanced at Justice. “You agree with this?”

  Justice nodded. “Of course. Crystal has every right to hire who she wants but we do try to make sure all of us approve of our employees. You understand?”

  “I certainly do. I hope I can live up to your standards.” He was looking directly at Crystal. “I’d hate to disappoint you on any level.”

  * * * *

  Tommy watched Crystal’s cheeks flush a pretty pink. He’d never seen her blush in all of the months he’d watched her in the courtroom nor outside of it. Seeing her now in such a different environment with the promise of being intimate hanging between them was completely different. She didn’t look like such a spitfire at the moment. Right now, she looked like a young woman in her twenties. One who was thinking about the man who would soon touch her in a very familiar way.

  “I doubt you ever disappoint anyone,” Crystal said, looking up at him through her lush, dark lashes.

  He smiled at her, a spark igniting inside him. “You’re too kind.” He sipped his champagne, trying to dowse the fire building deep down. He’d watched her for months, studying her courtroom manner. He had been surprised when she had taken on Dobbs’ case. It wasn’t like her. Crystal White was well known for only taking cases representing the largest companies and winning every one, hands down. She was a little wildcat during trial, her cross-examination snappy and her wit sharp. Something had changed with this case. She had been more sedate, softer somehow. It intrigued him. He wanted to know why. What exactly had caused her to act more ladylike instead of edgy and hard-core.

  “Can I ask,” he said, fingering the stem of the champagne flute, “what made you take the Dobbs case? Your approach to it was very different than your usual way of doing things. What made this one different?”

  Her face seemed to soften as she looked down at her glass. She ran a finger around the rim thoughtfully. “I guess it was because Dobbs reminded me of my father. My parents rec
ently passed away.” She met his gaze then with an intensity in her eyes he was beginning to like very much. “When your parents die, it makes you realize how fragile life is and how we need to pay attention to the important things. You know, the little things that matter, like family.”

  Tommy wanted to hug her but didn’t know if it would be the right thing to do at the moment. She seemed to be on the edge of tears and if he pushed too far, she may cry. “My parents are a big part of my life. I don’t know what I’d do without them.”

  Crystal nodded. “I know what you mean. I am an only child, like you. My parents were my whole family and my world. Now, I’m on my own basically and it’s made me question my choices in life. That’s why I took the Dobbs case and why I handled it differently. I feel it’s time for a change in the way I do things.” She smiled then and finished her champagne. “Let’s change the subject.” Crystal looked at her watch. “It’s getting a little late. Why don’t I show you to your room? That long drive probably made you tired.”

  Tommy placed his champagne flute on the table. He wasn’t tired at all but she was the boss, so to speak. “I’d love to see more of the place.” He rose from his chair and helped her out of hers. “Lead the way.”

  Crystal rose from her chair. The man he’d met when he arrived, Rodgers, appeared in the doorway. “I’ve placed Mr. Rain’s things where you asked,” he said, looking at Crystal.

  “Good. Thanks, Rodgers.” She looked at Tommy. “Ready?”

  God, she looked good. With her short, jet-black hair and her dark eyes that were rimmed with thick lashes, Crystal was the epitome of his dream woman. The trace of sadness he had seen in her eyes when she was talking about her parents was gone. He couldn’t wait to get close enough to her to be able to tell if her eyes were brown or darker and more mysterious. “Sure,” he said, placing his hand on the small of her back. She was so small, his hand almost spanned across her whole back. He liked that.