Then he inserted a finger inside of me, pumping it in and out. I bit my lip hard to avoid making too much noise. I could feel myself getting wetter as he lapped at me. I was panting and bucking my hips.
It was all too much. The sensations were causing a building pressure that was escalating. Heat spread throughout my body and I was close to going over the edge.
“Oh my god, Judy,” J.D. murmured from between my legs.
That did it. Hearing his voice, so full of desire yet muffled because his face was pressed against me, caused me to finally reach the climax I had been working toward. The world seemed to explode in a burst of light as I orgasmed into his mouth.
When I finally came back down to earth, after several minutes of riding the high, J.D. looked up at me with a cocky grin stretched across his face. My whole body collapsed into a blissful relaxed state. I couldn’t believe how much I needed that.
“I hate to break it to you,” J.D. said, standing to his full height and unbuttoning his pants, “but we’re not done yet.”
Chapter Ten: Connected
I hadn’t planned this. Despite my musings on the topic of “friends with benefits,” I wasn’t going to act on it. Then she had to bring up the elephant in the room.
For some reason, the second she acknowledged the attraction I could barely hold myself back. That verbal confirmation amped up my desire for her. If I could’ve dropped her at work and left, maybe it would have been possible to bury the attraction again. I couldn’t do it, though. I didn’t want to.
She was too tempting. Now, in the dimly lit board room, with her spread out on the table before me and the taste of her orgasm still on my lips, I couldn’t stop until I was inside her. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were curved in a satisfied smile as she watched me kick off my pants.
I stood before her, my hard length bare to her gaze. She sat up, her eyes glued to my erection. Pulling her off the table, I kissed her again, moaning when she ran her tongue along my lips, tasting herself. She was too sexy, I couldn’t stand it.
“I need you,” I said, turning her around and directing her to bend over the table.
She obliged, and I wasted no time in lifting her dress up. I quickly pulled out a condom, glad that I carried one in my wallet. Slipping it on, I stepped closer to Judy. She spread her legs for me and I guided my tip to her entrance. I paused, and she turned her head, looking at me over her shoulder. There was a hunger in her eyes that told me she wanted this just as much as I did.
I slammed my hips forward, joining us in a rough motion that caused us both to cry out. Distantly hoping no one could hear us, I withdrew and immediately thrust forward again. I was overloaded with sensation as her body took all of me in, but I still wanted more.
Establishing a pounding rhythm, I reached forward and pulled the tie out of her hair. Grabbing a fistful of her long blonde hair, I pulled slightly while working myself in and out of her. She mewled in pleasure, meeting each of my thrusts with one of her own.
It was rapid and almost brutal, but we needed it. We had been yearning for each other for too long and this was the result. The desperate craving was overpowering. My body had taken over my mind and I felt like I was just along for the ride.
“Yes, J.D. Yes, yes, yes.” Judy was whimpering, and I felt her tightening around me. Gripping her hips, I thrust even harder than I thought was possible. I could feel myself getting closer and closer to the orgasm I needed.
“Oh, fuck,” I cried out as I felt myself explode at the same time she reached her second orgasm. I held her tightly as I emptied myself within her. My heart was racing in my chest and I was panting. For a moment, the only sound in the room was our labored breathing. I had never felt more satisfied.
Then, just as I pulled myself from her body, the deep reverberating tone filled the space. The rumble caused us both to freeze for a second, then the sound of cheering erupted from the office. Judy giggled.
“Very good job Mr. Stallworth. The office seems to approve,” Judy said, turning to me with a mischievous smile.
“What the hell was that?”
“The gong. One of our couples must have gotten engaged.”
I considered her response for a minute, then let out a deep belly laugh at the timing of such a thing.
* * *
After the gong sounded, I got dressed as much as I could. My shirt was ruined, but I couldn’t care less. It just showed how much Judy wanted me. Having never removed her dress, she pulled her panties back on and tried to smooth her hair. It still had a noticeable disheveled look to it, but our options were limited here.
“I guess now we should have that talk,” she said, taking a seat and folding her hands on the table in front of her. It was ironic to see her like this, with her obvious sex-hair, in the room where we had attended so many meetings together.
“I suppose,” I replied, taking a seat myself. I really wasn’t looking forward to a where is this going conversation.
“I know this doesn’t change anything.”
Once again, Judy was demonstrating her unique skill of knowing what I was thinking. It was slightly unnerving.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “This was so fucking amazing, but it can’t be more than sex.”
She nodded. I thought I saw a flash of sadness cross her face, but it was gone as quickly as it came. I hoped I had imagined it.
“I didn’t expect more from you.”
I didn’t know what to make of Judy right now. She was agreeing with me, but she seemed subdued somehow. I didn’t particularly like it.
“Would you want to continue with this? On a casual basis?” I asked, hoping she would agree. I’d had a taste, and now I wanted so much more. It was just as good as I remembered, maybe even better.
“Yeah, I think so. At least until one of us gets into a relationship,” she replied thoughtfully.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” I said, not liking that thought one bit. Yet, I flat-out refused to examine the feelings behind it too closely.
“Just one more thing,” Judy said, with an uncharacteristic seriousness. “I don’t think we should tell anyone about this.”
“Why?”
“Gigi, your brother, everyone else…they’re gonna expect this to be more than it is. It will become speculated over and analyzed to death. You want-we want-to keep this casual, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then no one needs to know but us.”
I couldn’t disagree, but I felt like I was her dirty little secret. It wasn’t a great feeling. I couldn’t help thinking that the afterglow from this encounter had faded fast. It was disappointing, but I was pretty sure that I was somehow to blame.
Chapter Eleven: Opening Up
“This is gorgeous,” I said, looking around the botanical garden. There were plants and trees carefully placed throughout the space. The flowers had bloomed, and bright colors were dotted among all the greenery. Tall trees along the periphery of the garden provided plenty of shade.
It had been a week since our romp in the boardroom and J.D. and I were scouting locations for the engagement party. Most places had been booked for months, but I had pulled some strings and called in a few favors.
This particular location was owned and maintained by Stanford’s Botanical Club. They had thrown a fundraiser last month and part of the event’s success was because of So Good’s clients volunteering. They were happy to accommodate my request to use their garden.
“It is nice,” J.D. said, looking around with his hands in his pockets. There was a small retention pond behind him that would provide a gorgeous backdrop to the party. A white gazebo at the edge of the pond was strung with small white lights. It was lovely.
“We have to have the party here,” I declared, looking around and imagining where we could place the round tables. They’d be covered with white tablecloths and the centerpieces could be candles. It would be perfect for a party at dusk.
“There’s no stage for the mus
ic,” J.D. pointed out.
“We can have one built, right? Maybe over there,” I gestured to an open area between two trees.
“The club will let us do that?”
“You underestimate how charming I can be. I’ll take care of it.”
“But the party’s in less than two weeks. Is there enough time?”
“I’m sure we can find a contractor that will make it happen. Money talks, babe.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“Yeah, don’t even try. You should know by now that I’m always right.”
“Sure,” he said, patting my shoulder condescendingly. I shrugged him off and stuck my tongue out at him. “Very mature.”
“Mature is boring.”
J.D. didn’t reply. I guess he couldn’t argue with that either. I looked around again. Gigi would love this place.
“I just had a great idea!” I said, gesturing toward the pond. Lifting my arms and spreading them wide, I shouted, “Fireworks!”
“Fireworks?”
“Yep, over the pond at the end of the party. The water will reflect them. It’ll be epic.”
“Hmm, okay. I’ll arrange that. I have a guy.”
“A fireworks guy?”
“Of course. You don’t have a guy for that?”
I rolled my eyes at him. We started walking toward the car. We had met at my house after work and taken his car here-about an hour later.
We had accidentally tumbled into the bedroom before leaving. It took us a while to find our way out. My body ached as a delicious reminder of our carnal activities. I was finding that my desire for him was insatiable.
Alone with J.D. in the car, I found myself wanting a make a connection with him, something outside of the physical. Despite being friends for so long, there was so much I didn’t know about him.
He kept an invisible wall up between us. It was like he was afraid to let me in too much. Sex was one thing, but his heart was off-limits. I wanted to know him better.
Well, I told myself, you’ve got to give a little to get a little.
“Have I ever told you about my parents?” I asked.
“No, I don’t think you have.”
“I come from old money,” I said. “My great grandpa started a business making football helmets back in the day. They were one of the first ones to do it when the NFL was founded. It eventually expanded into various sports equipment and he died a very rich man. Anyway, that money has taken care of my family for generations. Sounds great, right?”
“Yeah,” J.D. said solemnly. He must have picked up on something in my voice. He could tell this wasn’t a happy story.
“It wasn’t great. Yeah, I didn’t have to work. I didn’t even have to go to college. The manufacturing company is still around. Men in my family have been serving on the Board of Directors for decades, but the women aren’t expected to do anything like that. They have a whole different set of expectations.”
“Such as?”
“It’s all about how you present yourself with them. Girls in my family are raised to marry rich and continue the cycle. You have to fit into their society to do that. I took etiquette classes as soon as I could talk. There was a ton of pressure growing up. It was all drilled into me during my childhood. How to shake hands. How to eat. How to talk. How to hold myself.”
“As a little kid?”
“Oh yeah, it was most important to impart those lessons early. Kids must learn proper behavior, after all,” my voice sounded bitter and I hated it.
The only person that knew all this about me was Gigi. I wanted to share it with J.D. though. I trusted him.
“What was proper behavior?”
“Ladies are meant to be seen, not heard. Poised and perfect at all times.”
J.D. shot me a look and I couldn’t help but laugh. It helped break the tension in the car.
“I know, I know. It seems the lessons didn’t take, right?”
“Well, I didn’t want to say it,” he grinned.
“It’s hard to break free from suppression like that, but every teen goes through a rebellious phase. Around fifteen I started acting out in any way I could think of. I wore crazy and revealing outfits to my parent’s parties, just to show that I wasn’t like the girls there with beige sweaters and soft voices.
“I blared ‘offensive rock music’ from my room every day. I ran with a ‘bad crowd.’ They were just regular kids, not richie-riches. I drank and even dated an older man that worked for my father as a driver.”
“Yikes.”
“Yeah, I rebelled. I acted out in public. That one was the worst in their eyes. I besmirched the family name by behaving like a bratty teenager instead of the privileged princess they wanted. Those were a rough couple of years for all of us.”
“Do you still talk to them?”
“No,” I confessed. “It’s sad really, but we are just different. As I got older I grew out of the rebelling just for the sake of rebelling thing. But it had changed me. I found that I liked dressing in a way that made me stand out, for instance. No more fading into the background, no matter how much my parents may want me to.
“I enjoyed speaking my mind. Removing the filter that had been forced upon me my entire life was a liberating experience. I couldn’t go back to stifling myself. I decided to make myself happy, no matter what. So, when I was ready to go to college, they paid for it, but the unspoken agreement was that I wouldn’t come back home.”
“That’s terrible.”
I nodded. My life hadn’t always been a joy ride, but it made me who I am. I purposely looked for the brighter side of things because of it and I wouldn’t trade that for anything. I knew how to love myself now. Silence settled on us like a heavy blanket and I hoped in vain that he would break it. I felt vulnerable after sharing the carefully guarded details of my life.
“Does anyone else know this?” he finally asked.
“Just Gigi.”
J.D. continued to stare out the windshield, his eyes focused on the road. He wasn’t going to open up to me, that was clear. With a resigned sigh, I sat back in my seat and stared out the window, watching the cars we were passing with no real interest.
“Thanks for telling me,” he said softly, reaching over to grab my hand. I smiled as he intertwined our fingers. It wasn’t exactly the reaction I was looking for, but I’d take it.
When I returned to the office, I was surprised to find Keith there. He was walking around the office when I entered, examining the decor.
“Any messages?” I asked Elliott, stopping at his desk.
“No, but you have a visitor,” he was frowning slightly.
“I see that. You can go to lunch.”
As Elliott grabbed his fedora and headed out the door, I made my way over to Keith. He was standing in front of our company logo, which we’d had made into a huge decal and placed on the wall directly across from the entrance.
The logo had been designed by Gigi and myself, working with a graphic artist. It was just the words So Good, but the S and G were large and white giving the logo a contained circular appearance, while the -o and -ood were smaller and black. It was simple and classic. Underneath the logo were the words: Do good to feel good, so good.
“Hi, there,” I said, stopping beside Keith and crossing my arms.
“Ah, Judy. There you are,” he said, turning to regard me. I saw his eyes sweep quickly down my body, then back up.
“I didn’t know you were stopping by today,” I said, trying not to sound annoyed. I wasn’t even sure why his presence here was getting under my skin.
“I was in the neighborhood and you were on my mind,” he said, slipping his hands into his pockets and leaning against the wall, casually.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. In fact, you’ve been on my mind since I met you.”
I couldn’t say that I was entirely surprised by this. The man freely let his eyes linger, but he was nice, with a certain appealing charm. The flirting felt a little t
oo practiced, but I did respect the boldness of going for it like this.
“That’s very flattering,” I responded. I couldn’t exactly return the sentiment. My mind had been on someone else for a long time now.
“I can tell you’re something special. So, I have to ask, are you seeing anyone?”
Wow. What a loaded question. My immediate impulse was to say yes, but that was a lie. There was the cryptic it’s complicated option, but was it even that? The relationship itself was pretty straightforward. My feelings were the real complication, and what was the point in letting that hold me back?
I must have hesitated too long, because Keith shook his head with a chuckle. “I should’ve known a woman like you wouldn’t be available. Just my luck.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. Technically, I was available, whether I liked it or not.
“Sorry,” I told him, and I really was. Things would be so much simpler if I could make myself forget J.D. and take Keith up on this. At least he didn’t seem too disappointed.
“Tell ya what,” Keith said, holding out his business card to me, “I wrote me cell number on the back. Just save it in your phone. Then, if circumstances change, you can hit me up.”
I took the card, stupidly feeling like I was betraying J.D. Pushing that feeling aside, I pulled out my phone, adding Keith to the contact list as he watched. I couldn’t see myself ever using it.
Chapter Twelve: Risky Business
I was in a great mood, and who could blame me? Life was good these days. I had a nearly endless supply of money, an amazing woman to share my bed, and a new business idea. Hopefully my intuition would pay off once again.
I had the ambition to expand SXz’s services into producing music instead of just streaming it. Working with major labels had proved to be problematic time and time again, and I wanted to cut out the middle man. If we had contracts directly with the artists, it could be mutually beneficial to both parties.
Labels took a substantial cut of our payout, resulting in artists getting a pittance for their work when it was streamed. There was too much bad blood between SXz and musicians because of this, and it caused problems down the line. Musical artists were the life of our business; without them, we couldn’t even exist.
Tech Titans: The Complete Billionaire Romance Series Page 26