by Kim J. West
We heard the vacuum cleaner buzzing downstairs and Lena suddenly sat up looking concerned.
"It's housekeeping, she’ll stay downstairs until we go down," I assured her.
I headed for the bathroom and she followed me a moment later, stepping into my shower. Was I ever going to get enough of seeing her body naked? Despite another all night sex marathon, just seeing her coming to me like that with those dangerous feminine curves was already waking me up again.
She came into my arms and I kissed her deeply and lovingly while she put her arms around my neck and pull me to her. I soaped a sponge with a lemon and lime body wash and scrubbed her body all over, running it over her luscious breasts and ass while she smiled, obviously enjoying my attention.
When we’d both scrubbed ourselves clean, I kissed her again, and bent her over then fucked her leisurely, with her body glistening in the cascade of water. By the time I’d finished making love to her, she was limp and I had to hold her to me for several minutes while she regained her strength.
“Finish up, baby; let me get breakfast going,” she finally said and she stepped out of the shower and headed to the bedroom.
I leisurely finished up my shower then dried myself and changed into a pair of long black shorts then headed downstairs shirtless. As soon as I came down and said good morning to the housekeeper Rosanna, she headed upstairs and I headed for the kitchen from where the most amazing aromas were wafting.
My fridge was mostly bare, so she must have shopped for groceries with her own money; a totally unfamiliar experience for me. I felt a tinge of discomfort at her efforts but I’d more than make up for it. As far as I was concerned, she was mine now and would be taken care of.
When I entered the kitchen, Lena was whisking something in a bowl. She had worn a mini strapless dress and I could see she wasn’t wearing a bra. The sight of her in there making our breakfast when she didn’t have to, gave me an indescribable feeling. I snuck up behind her and put my arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck.
"You’re spoiling me, Lena. I have you in my kitchen barefoot already," I joked, turning her around for a kiss. I discovered she didn’t have any panties on and I tried to lift her dress to smack her ass while she giggled and scuttled out of reach.
“Jonathan,” she complained, retreating to the other side of the counter ready to flee, “get out, I’m busy!” she scolded laughing.
Eventually when I realized I wouldn’t catch her, I gave up and took off for my home office to see what I needed to get done. I’d been away for a long unplanned period and knew that my to-do list would be hectic.
First I called my father to update him on my trip, telling him I’d see him the next day. I knew Lena never liked spending Sundays with me, preferring to spend the day with her mother. I admit, it did make me feel a little jealous that she wouldn’t spend all weekend with me, but at least I always spent almost every Sunday with the folks or else they’d complain about being neglected.
Next I called the CFO Pike to get an update on the issues we’d discussed on the phone while I was in Zurich to map out a plan for the following week.
“Everything is fine except for the final documents on the Miami deal,” he explained. “I asked Janice to send them over to you the minute you arrive, so I’m sure a courier will be along this morning.”
“Sure, Pike; I’ll sign the documents, then have the courier return them to you immediately.”
Whenever I was home, the office regularly sent a courier or Jackson with documents that needed signing. I hoped I’d get it done before I got distracted by that gorgeous woman in my kitchen whipping up a breakfast for us.
Not long after I ended the call, Lena called me to come and eat breakfast.
She’d prepared a feast in less than forty minutes. I couldn’t help marveling at the spread; creamy scrambled eggs, waffles and crispy bacon and a pot of coffee to boot.
“Lena, is this all for us?”
She laughed at my awed expression.
“Yeah, what’s wrong? I thought you’d be hungry after last night,” she replied, looking at me coyly while she poured the coffee.
“I am but had no idea you’d prepare a feast; thank you, baby,” I said kissing her.
I filled my plate with her delicious food and sat down at the kitchen island, while she stood opposite me picking at her plate while watching me eat like a wolf.
We chatted about our childhoods and she told me a little humorous anecdote about the night she hid behind the couch on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa Claus, only to catch her father stuffing stockings and leaving presents and how she believed for a long time that her dad was the actual Santa Claus who brought kids all their presents.
We were laughing and chatting animatedly when the phone rang from the residents’ desk in the lobby and I went off to answer it.
“Yes?” I asked, when I’d picked up the receiver.
“Good day, sir; it’s George. I have a courier here with documents to deliver...”
“Send them up immediately,” I interrupted. It would take me at least ten minutes to sign everything and I wanted to get it done and go back to my weekend.
I’d noticed Lena looking anxious when the phone rang and I went to reassure her.
“Don’t worry it’s just the courier,” I explained. “I’m expecting documents to sign.”
She visibly relaxed while I went to the front door to answer it as soon as the buzzer rang.
Chapter Thirty-Five
I opened the door and was momentarily confused; it was Janice. She stood at my entrance smiling brightly, reeking of copious amounts of expensive perfume. She was dressed in a silky blouse that had too many buttons open and a short skirt whose length ended where it began. Completing her ensemble were her signature stiletto heels.
She tossed her hair back and fluttered her unnaturally long eyelashes at me, looking at my shirtless torso up and down before fixing her eyes on mine. In her hands was a large folder; that’s when I realized she must have brought the documents. I hadn’t waited to let George finish explaining to me the identity of the courier.
“Janice!” I said not concealing my astonishment at having her there. “What a surprise.”
“Hi!” she responded much too flirtatiously. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”
“Only if you don’t have the Miami documents,” I quipped.
She smiled and waved the folder in front of me. I invited her in and we headed to my home office, with me slipping on a T-shirt on the way from a pile neatly folded by Rosanna.
I wanted this done as soon as possible and went to sit behind my desk, retrieving my pen. She looked slightly flustered as she opened her folder and began to arrange the multiple documents for me to sign and initial.
When she had the documents lined up, she came behind my desk and stood beside me, leaning a tad too close over my desk as she pointed to each place I had to sign. I knew she didn’t have to come in person when she could have sent a courier or Jackson as she normally did. She was obviously here for other nefarious reasons; I’d have to deal with her once and for all. As I signed, I intended to call Lena for Janice to see I was with her and to make it clear that I was taken.
When I finally finished signing the countless documents, Janice leaned over the table to retrieve them, brushing my arm in the process.
“So,” she began smiling flirtatiously, “did you have a good trip to Switzerland?”
“I did,” I replied without elaborating. An awkward silence stretched out before she spoke again.
“Ashley Maddock called wanting to speak to you as soon as possible, but I told her I didn’t think you’d be available any time soon,” she offered, watching carefully for my reaction.
“Noted.” I decided not to elaborate on that point. Ashley had been trying to reach me lately and I hadn’t returned her calls; but that was a private matter. Which reminded me:
“Listen, Janice did you manage to talk to Herbert in the Bahamas about my
trip next Thursday?”
She gave me her megawatt smile. “Yes, I did. Whoever you are taking is going to get an amazing birthday surprise,” she said knowingly.
I frowned for a moment. Then suddenly it made sense. Janice’s birthday was next Saturday, a day after Lena’s. Did she think I was taking her? This was awkward. I was irritated but decided to leave it; she’d find out soon enough. I changed the subject while standing up and heading to the door.
“I spoke to Pike about these documents,” I said heading out into the hallway. “He and Dixon need to have one more look through them today before they’re sent back to Miami so please make sure he gets them.” She nodded along and smiled as I spoke.
Just then I noticed Lena on her way upstairs, apparently trying to sneak off. Perfect.
“Babe,” I called out to Lena. “Janice was just dropping some documents off; she’s leaving now.”
She stopped, hesitated for a moment and came down, all smiles. That’s my girl, I thought proudly as she descended the stairs looking so pretty. I hoped her being there would send a clear message to Janice; she’d tried to cross boundaries in Miami but coming to my apartment on the pretext of work was just a step too far. It would not happen again; I really didn’t want to fire her.
“Hello, Janice,” Lena said with a smile, while I paged through my copies of the documents.
“Err… Hi, Lena,” Janice replied nervously, glancing at me looking confused. It was time to get her out of my apartment and make sure she never tried to pull a stunt like that again. I opened the door for her to leave, then deliberately pulled Lena to my side and put my arm around her waist, leaving no doubt in anybody’s mind that we were together.
“Thanks, Janice,” I said in a clipped tone. “Although you didn’t have to come with these on your day off. Maybe I never made it clear before; but please see to it that from now on, any documents that need to come to the penthouse must come with Jackson or a courier.”
She blinked in disbelief and stared at me; while my jaw was set, making sure she was getting the message.
“Err... these are the confidential Miami documents, Mr. Carter,” she said anxiously. “They arrived while you were in Switzerland and I wasn’t sure I could trust them with anybody else.”
“Jackson can be trusted with everything; you know that,” I reprimanded her tersely.
I watched as a crimson flush of humiliation stole over her features, then she coughed a little forced cough, attempting to compose herself.
“My apologies, Mr. Carter,” she said, looking anywhere but at me and Lena.
“No need to apologize; thank you,” I replied, opening the door wider.
I watched her teeter at high speed towards the elevators, wondering how her tiny skirt didn’t ride up to completely expose her to the world. I came back inside and shut the door.
“Okay,” Lena began, with a deep sigh. “Someone from the office has seen me here.”
I took her hand in mine and walked with her towards the living room, dropping my copies of the documents on a table.
“So?” I shrugged dismissively.
“So?” she repeated incredulously. “We talked about this, that I wasn’t ready for people at work to know about us.”
Oh yes, that. I didn’t care at all. I sat down on my couch and pulled Lena into my lap, enjoying the feel of her soft figure on my hard body.
“Janice is my PA. Her job, among other things, is to make sure she protects my privacy and anyone who concerns me.”
As far as I was concerned there was nothing to worry about. Janice was brilliant at her job; I never had to second guess anything she did for me and she knew confidentiality was one of her key roles. She was just tripping for the last couple of weeks but she’d soon get over it as she’d done before. I watched Lena shaking her head in disagreement and kissed her temple, pulling her closer to me.
“I don’t want you worrying about this,” I said adamantly. “Forget it.”
Just then the housekeeper came downstairs headed for the kitchen and we headed upstairs.
Immediately, Lena began to pack her stuff, getting ready to leave. Why was she always so keen to leave before I was ready to let her go? I was about to ask her to stay longer but my cell phone rang; it was Wallace and I had to take it.
I spoke on the phone while watching Lena flit around the room packing up; getting ready to abandon me. I didn’t like that. After I ended the call I went up to her and pulled her into my arms, giving her a gentle kiss on her lips. I wanted to distract her.
“It’s your birthday next Friday,” I began.
She gave me a frustrated look. “You’ve been snooping in my employee file again,” she retorted.
“I have a surprise for you,” I said smiling down at her.
Instead, she suddenly surprised me by pulling out of my arms.
“I don’t want anything, Jonathan. The chocolates were hard enough to accept. Whatever it is, please return it.”
I was startled for a moment, noting her face was serious. I would definitely be getting her a gift but technically that’s not what I was about to say; and why shouldn’t I buy her a gift anyway?
“I haven’t bought anything yet; that’s not the surprise I had a mind.”
She looked embarrassed.
“Okay, sorry; I thought you meant you’d bought me a gift or something like that.”
I noticed she was blushing but I didn’t care. Her independence was charming but I had to draw the line somewhere; which woman on this planet didn’t like gifts? And she wouldn’t accept a gift from her boyfriend? I didn’t like it one bit.
“So if I bought you a gift, you wouldn’t accept it?” I clarified.
“No, I wouldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because it just wouldn’t sit right with me. I’m not with you for gifts.”
I ran my fingers through my hair processing what she’d said. It was totally unacceptable.
“That’s crazy, Lena. If I bought you something and you refused to accept it… that would really upset me.”
“I don’t need you to spend money on me,” she argued. “You are enough.”
I wasn’t buying it. Here she was, spending money on me, shopping for my home but if I spent anything on her she didn’t like it. She clearly didn’t know me.
“To me, it’s not about spending the money,” I told her. “It’s the thought that counts, isn’t it? People who like each other, buy each other stuff sometimes.”
“My decision is final, Jonathan. No stuff; I can take care of myself.”
I could tell she was thinking about what I’d said but she was stubborn.
I looked at her for a moment then stalked off to grab my wallet from the dresser, pulling several hundred dollar bills from it. She’d get a taste of her own medicine.
“Since you feel that way,” I said stuffing the money into her purse, “I have to return the money you spent on the groceries you bought for us this weekend.”
She snatched her purse and took the money out, placing it on my bed.
“No, Jonathan, I don’t need you to reimburse me for the groceries; that’s crazy. It was my choice to buy them.”
“And if I bought you anything, it would be my choice too,” I snapped, stuffing the money back into her purse.
She dithered for a moment searching for something to say. Eventually, she took a deep breath.
“Okay, I apologize. I get it,” she conceded.
I had to make it clear.
“It will go easier for you if you don’t fight me about this. You’re my woman and I might want to buy you stuff. I can afford it, okay? I’ve already held back for as long as I could but you’re mine now, Lena; and as your man it’s my right. Deal with it; for me.”
“I know I can’t compete, Jonathan,” she retorted sassily. “But I’ll always try to even the score. So just so you know, please don’t make it awkward for me.”
Oh my God, this woman is maddening, I thought sighin
g dramatically for her benefit. She smiled in response, melting my heart instantly.
“So what’s the surprise?” she asked, coming back into my arms. The tension melted away and I relaxed and lowered my head for a quick kiss.
“I’m taking you away on Thursday for a couple of days and we’ll be back Saturday.”
“I don’t think I can take time off.”
I snorted. “Well, I’m the last person to give that excuse. You have your passport, right?”
“I’m not sure it’s valid,” she replied, clearly stalling. My smile disappeared.
“Lena, your job file says you have one. Can you please stop this? I want to spend time with you away from everyone.”
“Okay, okay,” she conceded. “Where are we going?”
“The Bahamas.”
“That sounds amazing,” she smiled. “What can I pitch in for the cost?”
When will this woman stop driving me crazy? I asked myself in my mind.
Lena never came quietly; she always had a challenge for me and while it irritated the hell out of me, it made me value her all the more. This is what it felt like being with an intelligent, independent woman who made you fight for her; someone you could build a life with because they never just gave you the answer you wanted to hear. She constantly had me stumbling after her; I just hoped I wasn’t being a fool.
“Not this again, “I complained irritably. “It’s your birthday for goodness sake.”
“Okay!” she finally gave up. “What’s the plan?”
“So tomorrow night I’m going to New York to be there for an early Monday meeting. I’ll be back Wednesday. So we leave Thursday afternoon. But take the whole of Thursday off; I want you rested. I’ll pick you up around noon.”
I braced myself for the next argument but as always, Lena was unexpected.
“Okay, thanks for inviting me; I look forward to it.”