by Harper West
“It’s fine,” he said. “I’m glad you did, so that I was able to help.”
I really enjoyed that he was trying to play the good guy routine, rather than the sexy professor routine. It seemed to be working for him, as she was completely focused on his face and smiling brightly.
“I loved how HR called it a cry for help,” Natalie smirked. “I mean, to be honest, I was just out with Caitlin and had a few drinks and just kind of... surged ahead.”
“We’ve all had those kinds of nights,” Reed said with a shrug. “However, it landed on my desk, I’m glad to help.”
“This schedule is great,” she said, as she looked it over. “I wanted more afternoon seminars anyway with Professor Kennedy, so I’m happy to accept.”
“Perfect,” Reed said, and she signed the document. “Would you mind sending me what you have on your thesis so far, so that I can get familiar with the content?”
“Of course,” she said. “I mean, it’s kind of a mess and not spellchecked but…”
“That’s no problem,” he said. “I’m pretty good with wading through a mess to find the real message.”
He met her eyes, and something passed between them in that moment that I couldn’t identify. I raised my eyebrows in pride at him, but he ignored me.
“Well,” he said. “I guess that’s it.”
“I guess it is,” Natalie said, and stood up. “Awesome, thank you so much. And it was nice to meet you, John.”
“Nice to meet you too,” I said. “I’m sorry that internship didn’t work out.”
“That's fine,” she said. “I had heard such good things about Starlight's offices, I really just wanted to check them out.”
“Well, you can,” I said. “Why not? You could come by anytime.”
“Really?” her face lit up. “I’d love that.”
“I can arrange a tour, I’ll just get your details from Reed?”
“Sure,” she said. “Thank you both.”
Natalie hurried out of the office. As soon as she was gone, I turned to him with a smirk.
“Wow,” I said to him.
“Right?” he replied. “She’s certainly something else.”
“Dude, she’s beyond something else,” I replied. “If I was casting for models, I wouldn’t get any who looked like her. She’s perfect.”
“Yeah, yeah, lucky me,” he said with a grin as he sat down. I handed him my phone and he looked at it in confusion.
“What’s this for?” he asked.
“Put her details in it,” I said. “Do you think I’m just going to walk out of here without them?”
“You’re demanding,” he raised an eyebrow.
“What to see who she wants most?” I asked.
He met my eyes. “Is this a contest?” he asked, and I replied with a one eyebrow wiggle.
“Everything in life is a contest between men.”
“True, but she’s not the sort of girl I want for one night,” he said. “And what if she doesn’t want either of us?”
“Part of the game,” I said as I put my phone in my pocket. “Are you in or out? I mean, I can just whoo her and keep her to myself if you’d like. You take the business side and I’ll take the pleasure.”
“I’m in, but only because I want to make sure the rules are clear. This is not a ‘use her and lose her’ kind of thing. If she wants more, she gets more. Understood?” he said.
“Of course. You know I don’t play with women, Reed. I may enjoy having a lot of them, but I’ve never toyed with someone.”
Reed nodded, “I know, just be careful.”
“Be careful?” I asked. “Why, is she going to stab me in her sleep?”
“No, It’s not you I am worried about,” he said. “Changing advisors a third time will look bad on her—if things go bad.”
“Well, then don’t make it go bad,” I said to him. “You think you can do that?”
“You doubt me?” he asked and I saw that flare of confidence that crept up when you least expected it from Reed. “She’ll be begging for a second PhD by the time I’m done with her.”
“That’s my boy,” I said to him. “I’ll see you around. I really should get back to the office. Empires to run and all that.”
“Sure,” he said and I headed out the door.
With Natalie’s details fresh in my hand, I couldn’t help but smile. Things had been sort of dry on the woman side for a bit, and while I could have any girl I wanted, time wasn’t always on my side. But if she wanted a super special tour of the office, I could give her that.
Chapter 4
Natalie
“Guess what?” I asked Caitlin when I saw her a few days later.
“What?”
“I’m going to take a tour of Starlight,” I said. “After hours.”
“What? How in the world did you arrange that? That place is locked down to the hilt.”
“I know,” I said. “But I met the CEO, John, and he texted me to give me a tour.”
“Oh my God,” Caitlin said. “Are you going to fuck him?”
Luckily, she didn’t say it very loudly, because we were in a hallway full of people. I still looked at her in shock, though and lowered my voice
“No, of course not.” I said, as I started walking toward the staff kitchen.
She raised her eyebrows as she followed, “Really?”
I shook my head. “I’m not going to fuck him, at least, not this time.”
“But you want to?” she asked, and I couldn’t resist grinning at her.
“Uh, yes. Have you seen his pictures?”
“How did you meet him?” she said as she poured a cup of coffee from the pot.
“Oh,” I said. “I met him in Reed’s office.”
“Story, please,” she said, and I realized that I didn’t explain it was well as I could. As she filled my mug, I explained how John had been sitting there and I didn’t mind. She quirked an eyebrow.
“So, they are friends?” she asked. “Good friends. The kind of friends who share really well?”
“What?” I asked her in shock. “What are you talking---Oh my God, Caitlin no.” I’d never had a threesome but the idea didn’t bother me as much as I was acting like it did.
“No?” she asked me. “Why not? Two hot men who are ready and willing to please? Sign me up.”
“Because... because—”
“Because, that’s my fantasy, you know.”
I lowered my voice, “John and Reed?”
“No, not specifically,” she shrugged. “But a threesome. I love when that happens.”
“Has it... happened before?” I asked her. I thought I was pretty sexually adventurous, but Caitlin seemed to take things to a whole other level.
“Oh yes,” she said with a smile raising her cheek. “And damn—so good.”
“Oh my God,” I put my hands on my face. “Oh my God. I couldn’t.”
“Why not?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
“Because... I don’t know, I’m so worried about looking good with one man, and sucking it in. I don’t think I could manage looking good and sucking it in with two men.”
“Why are you sucking it in?” she asked.
“You know,” I said. “Because… I don’t know. Curves.”
“Men love curves,” she said. “Forget skinny models. They love when you look like you could survive a cold hard winter—or a cold hard fuck.”
I chuckled. “Oh my god, you are so bad.”
“And Natalie, you are gorgeous,” she said. “Don’t worry about it trying to ‘look’ good, because you already do. Any man would be lucky to have you.”
“Thank you,” I said. “But that doesn’t matter, because I’m not going to fuck him.”
“Really?” Caitlin said. “I bet you ten dollars you are going to.”
“Do you think I’m a whore?” I asked. “On a first date?”
“Is it a date?” she asked.
“Well, no,” I said. “It’s just
a tour. He’s just being nice because Reed is his best friend.”
“Sure,” she said. “He just takes time after work to do that with anyone.”
I shrugged. “Maybe he does,” I said. “Maybe that’s his charitable contribution to the world.”
She smiled, and then looked up at the doorway. Tyler was standing there, and I smiled. I felt like my cup runneth over with sexy men everywhere.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” I said. “How are you?”
“Good,” he replied. “We still on for tonight?”
“Oh.” I realized that we had rescheduled our date for tonight, and I had screwed up. “Right. I’m so sorry, Tyler but…”
His face fell. “Something came up?”
“Yeah,” I said. “And it’s to do with Professor Baron, so I can’t… cancel.”
“Oh,” he said. “I guess I understand if it’s work. Can we reschedule, or is this goodbye?”
“No, of course we can reschedule,” I said. “When’s good for you? Literally name the day.”
“Tuesday?” he asked. “For dinner?”
“Done. I’m really sorry again.”
“Sure, work happens,” he said, and walked away. As soon as he was gone, Caitlin burst out laughing.
“What?” I asked her.
“He’s so cute. Like a little puppy dog.”
“I bet Tyler doesn’t appreciate that comparison,” I said, as I finished my coffee. “But I agree. He is pretty cute.”
“Right?” she answered. “He’s just like... adorable. I think he should be following you around on a little leash.”
“You’re mean,” I said. “I think he’s adorable, but like in a ... I want to fuck him way.”
“Really?” her eyebrows shot through her forehead. “Well, that’s interesting.”
“Hey, I have a type,” I said. “All my boyfriends have been like that.”
“Dogs?” she asked, and I threw a packet of sugar at her.
“No,” I said. “Cute. Boyish. I guess I just haven’t fallen for one of those real man types yet.”
“But do you want to?”
“I have nothing against it,” I said and then thought for a moment. “I guess it’s partly a self-confidence issue. I didn’t ever think that men like that would be interested in me.”
“What?” she asked. “Why not?”
“Because I still feel like I’m the dorky sixteen-year-old,” I said. “With the big glasses and the bad haircut.”
“Well, you are certainly not that,” she said. “And you shouldn’t think like that.”
“I appreciate it,” I said. “You’re a good friend.”
“Anytime. And if you don’t want to fuck John, I’ll be a good friend and do it for you.”
“Oh my God,” I put my hands on my face. “You’re the worst.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she said. “I should get back to work. I’ll see you later.”
“See yah,” I said as she left.
Caitlin always had a way of boosting my confidence, especially when I felt nervous. Some days, I looked at myself in the mirror and I felt too curvy, or too messy, or just too dorky. I didn’t always know what to do with myself. Today, however, I was trying to make the best of the fact that I was nervous. Maybe John would find it cute.
I really did want to see the Starlight offices. They had won awards for being inviting and creating the best workplace for employees possible. They reminded me of Google offices, based on what I had seen in the pictures. I would want to go even if John wasn’t cute. But he was—and I was single. Win-win.
After work, I took a shower and took some extra time with my hair and makeup. I tried to dress professionally, with a skirt and blouse combination, and then chose shoes that weren’t very high. I loved stiletto high heels, but this wasn’t the place to wear them. I assumed we’d be doing a lot of walking, and I didn’t want to fall on my face and look like a fool.
I curled my hair so it wasn’t so long down my back, and then sprayed myself with a quick spritz of a light body spray. Hopefully, it wasn’t overkill.
I decided to take an Uber rather than driving myself, just in case.
Just in case what? I asked myself. Are you going to get drunk and spend the night with him?
I certainly didn’t have any intention of doing any of those things. But when I walked in the door of Starlight and John was standing there with two glasses of champagne, I knew I wouldn’t turn it down if he offered.
“Wow,” I said. “I can’t believe this place.”
“Thanks,” he said. “It’s still weird to me that it’s real.”
“Why?” I said with a grin. “Was your last office imaginary?”
He smiled and offered me a glass of champagne. I took it with thanks, and he kept talking.
“No,” he said. “But sometimes, I think about the fact that Starlight was once just me, in my living room, with a bunch of papers, and it’s... insane.”
‘Yeah,” I said. “Congratulations on that. I read the story in Entertainment Place, and it’s insane what you’ve done.”
“Well, I didn’t do it alone,” he said. “I mean, I have a great team.”
“You’re humble,” I grinned. “I like that.”
He smiled and took a sip of champagne, “Well, as long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
If this wasn’t a date, why did it feel like one? The champagne, the flirting, and the fact that that office was completely empty made me feel like maybe something would happen . . . if I let it.
I didn’t know if I wanted something to happen. I mean, I did, but I also knew that whatever I did would get back to Reed, and I didn’t want him to think I slept with guys on the spot. For one, it would put my complaint against Professor Kelly on a lesser level. And for the other, I didn’t want him to think I was . . . I don’t know. Unavailable? Like would Reed be off limits if John and I hooked up?
“So,” John said. “Shall I take you through the first floor? This is where visitors are the most often, so we’ve tried to make it feel very comfortable, while you are waiting for an appointment or holding a guest conference down here or something.”
“Right,” I said, and looked around. The conference rooms all had couches and coffee tables, rather than meeting chairs, and I loved it already. I knew that a lot of big entertainment personalities came through here. From the photos on the wall, I could tell that celebrities walked through here on a daily basis. “This is great.”
“But this isn’t where the real magic happens,” he said. “Wait until I take you upstairs.”
“Ooh,” I said as I finished my champagne. He noticed and he offered to get me more, but I shook my head. “Not yet.”
“Not yet?” he asked. “So... later?”
“Maybe,” I said. “How many floors do you have?”
“About 35,” he said. “And each is more exciting than the last.”
I smiled and followed him into the elevator.
How’s it going? Caitlin asked via text message, and I snuck a reply.
Pretty good, I said. But there’s now wine here.
It’s a date! She texted back.
Maybe, I replied and left it at that. I didn’t want John to accidentally see my phone, especially given that he would probably tell Reed.
I didn’t know why Reed’s opinion was so important to me, but it seemed forefront in my mind lately. Maybe it was just that he was my advisor, or maybe it was just that I couldn’t stop thinking about him when I was alone at night.
My life was radically different than last week and a half, and it made me smile.
“What’s so funny?” John asked as he saw me put my phone away.
“Nothing,” I said. “I was just thinking how awesome this is. This is like my undergraduate dream come true.”
“Happy to make your dreams come true,” he said with a sparkle in his eye. The elevator doors opened and he escorted me out to the second floor. There was a slide that I could se
e that came from one of the top floors.
“Oh my God,” I said. “This is literally the best place in the world to work.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet,” he said with a wink. “Come with me.”
In that moment, I probably would have followed him anywhere. I had no idea where this night was going, but I couldn’t wait to find out. The champagne was warm in my belly and that feeling was spreading to my lower parts. It had been too long since I’d gotten laid and way too long since it was with a real man. One who put pleasing a woman above his own needs.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I’m sure it was Caitlin asking me more questions. I ignored it as I walked, and resisted the urge to take John's arm.
“Maybe I will have more champagne,” I said. “If you have any up here?”
“I do,” he said. “I keep it stashed everywhere”
“Wow,” I said. “This really is the best place to work.”
Chapter 5
Reed
I had told John to keep me posted on how things were going with Natalie, partly because I was curious and partly because I was jealous. He always moved faster than I did, and he always managed to get the girl I had my eye on.
It wasn’t that I minded so much as I was baffled how he did it. There seemed to be some sort of special skill that I had missed out, and John had it in the bag since birth. Regardless, I was trying not to think about it too much. As much as I would like to have Natalie here right now, in front of me or preferably bent over my desk, I had other things to do, and they weren’t going to get done if I let my mind drift.
I was about 20 minutes into my work for the evening when there was a knock on the door. I looked up, and to my surprise, Professor Kennedy was standing there. I had thought he wouldn’t hang around campus anymore, but there he was.
“Hello, sir,” I said, trying to not start a fight. It wasn’t that I didn’t think I could take the old man in a fight, because I could. It was more that I didn’t think it was really professional. “How can I help?”
“I just wanted to warn you about that TA you have now,” he said. “Natalie.”
I raised my eyebrow Somehow, he was completely oblivious to the fact that I was part of the problem. He didn’t look hurt, but he did look angry.