She looked over at Travis and couldn’t help but chuckle at the face he was making. Syrup dribbled down his chin slowly as he chewed the huge bite of pancakes.
“Smaller bites Travis.”
His eyes opened and looked over at her. His face split into a huge grin while he chewed and nodded his acknowledgment at her words. By the time they were done eating, Charlotte was able to throw the dishes in the dishwasher before going back to her room to get dressed.
Her thoughts instantly went to the dream she had the night before. She needed to find something appropriate to wear for the day.
It didn’t take her long to find the dress she wanted and the matching black heels. Pulling the wrap around the dress out, she shrugged it on and quickly tied it around her waist. She pulled her hair back in a loose ponytail and then went to the mirror to put on her makeup.
She normally didn’t wear much of any but today she decided to pull out all the stops. She didn’t know why she wanted to take extra care with her appearance for the day; she just knew that she needed to do something.
It was ten minutes later when Britney showed up. And kissing Travis goodbye, Charlotte made her way to work.
Chapter Two
The day was going by normally just like any other day when Jeff showed up. His first stop was her office. When she looked up she couldn’t help but smile as his eyebrows rose at her appearance.
“I’m glad to see you are here, Jeff.”
“Really. Good. I wanted to come by so we could get started on the inventory.”
“Alright. Give me just one moment. I have called a mandatory meeting with all department heads. I would like for you to be there as well if you don’t mind. It will be addressed in the meeting.”
“Oh. Ok.” He nodded and then smiled as he waited for her to finish up the report on her computer and then stand.
“Follow me please.” Charlotte stood and watched as his eyes cast over her breasts in the low hanging dress. It also came to just above her knees and she watched his eyes look over her legs as well.
She began to walk forward and he instantly fell into line behind her. They made their way over to the other side of the store. There was a huge room there that held a conference table. At the conference table, there were multiple people sitting around. Jeff made his way to a chair and sat down to wait for Charlotte to start.
“First, I want to thank all of you for coming. I know it was short notice and although this is your job, you also have lives outside the store. I apologize if it caused any conflict there.”
She looked around to see all the heads begin to shake telling her that nobody had a problem coming.
“Ok then. First things first. As we all know the holidays are coming up on us fast. This is the busiest time of the year and we have a lot to do to prepare for it. I want you to know that I am here if you need any help. I also have five manager trainees that will be pairing up with you this year. I want them to see the busy season through your eyes.”
She looked around and watched as her words sank in. Most of the people around her were excited about having the help which was the reaction she thought she would get.
“Many of them have come from your position before signing on to be a general manager and have been in your shoes. The one thing I can say, however, is that none of the stores they have come from has made anywhere near the sales that we do every year.”
She looked at Jeff then and saw the way his eyes roamed over her body. She suddenly felt naked and her skin seemed to burn with the intensity and heat that came from his eyes. She quickly averted her attention back to the other people in the room.
“The company as a whole wants to help the new stores that are coming be like us. There are a lot of other department stores in the area. We like to think that we have the best deals and are the most shopped store. Although this may not be true, we can still push to try to be that. Our store outsells everyone else in the town we are at. We need to help these people do the same for their stores.”
“Will these managers be working the same hours as us or will you be constructing a schedule for them?” The woman who spoke had short blonde hair. Beverly was good at her job, but Charlotte knew that she had the hardest one of all. She didn’t just have a section like most of the others.
Beverly was in charge of department 82. That department covered the whole store. All of the candy in the checkout aisle was her department as well as all the fixtures and displays that were on every aisle.
“Actually, Bev, you guys will work with the trainees to sort out what is best for your department. I know that many of you put in many hours over the next two months. I am here to tell you that this year will be different. Use the trainees to help you so that you don’t have to be here as much. Some of you have had to work 50 hour a week last year. I am hoping to put a stop to that.”
Charlotte couldn't help but smile at the relieved looks on everyone's faces. She understood how they felt. Working in retail was hard during the holiday season. When other people were able to take off and enjoy the holidays with their family, they were stuck at the store.
She knew that Beverly had three kids and last year she had worked on Christmas Eve way into the middle of the night. Her hour lunch break was spent at home putting her kids to bed.
Charlotte looked at the other woman and saw the joy on her face. Beverly was one of the managers that worked 50 to 60 hours a week during the holiday. Not that she didn’t like the money, she wanted to spend it with her family more.
Charlotte looked around and decided that Jeff would be the best person to put with her. He didn’t have any family and was always more than willing to stay late and do what was needed to get the job done. He was also smart and fast and would be good for her department.
She knew the next part of the meeting was going to upset some people, so she prepared herself for the backlash before she continued.
Chapter Three
“Now. The next part of this meeting is not so good. I have found out some information with the help of Jeff here.” Her outstretched hand was pointed in his direction as she continued.
Jeff smiled around at the people around him. He had met some of them she knew and seemed to get along with everyone.
“There were two pallets of merchandise that were found in the overstock department. This is the reason that the numbers have been thrown off so bad. This causes a problem that we need to get fixed before the season gets here. I am sure that you all know what is going to happen next.”
She heard the groans and sighs as the managers caught on to what she was saying.
“I know it is a pain and I apologize. Like I said, use the trainees to help out wherever they are needed why you all clarify this for me. I have called in some baggers to help me and the trainees today put up the pallets. They do not know the store like the night guys do, so it may take them a little longer. Have patience and know they are here to help.”
“Do you have the printouts for the inventory check?” Marlin sighed as he stood. Marlin was in his fifties and had been with the company for many years. He was the dairy manager and she knew that he would be in the freezer and walk-in fridge for most of the week now.
“I will hand out the paperwork in the morning. Take today to clear up your schedule for the next few days. Again, I apologize, but it has to be done.”
“I can assume that you are going to handle it with the overnight weasels that did this right?” Marlin’s voice was gruff with displeasure.
She smiled and then gave him a look of knowing. “Yes, Marlin. I will handle them.”
He smiled at her then. “I know you will, sweetheart. You hate slackers as much as the rest of us do.
“That I do. Please, you guys let me know if you need any more help in getting this done. I will do what I can to help you.”
She watched as they all began to get up and walk out of the room. She could tell that many of them were upset, but then again she couldn’t blame them. She knew she
would be upset as well. This one person had just added on days of work to their already busy schedule. The store had two times in the year when they did inventory. Once in the spring and once after Christmas at the end of January.
There were a lot of extra items that were coming into the store at this time because of the holiday which was one of the reasons why they did it afterwards. Now they would need to do one now and then turn around and do another one in a few months. She needed to find out who the worm was.
“I know that look.” She turned to see Jeff standing there smiling.
“What look?”
“The one you have on your face right now.”
“And what kind of look is that, huh?”
“The look my mother used to get.” He chuckled.
“Oh really?” She smiled at him.
“Yeah and it told me that I was in some deep trouble. Real trouble and real fast.”
“So what did you do?” She asked as her head cocked to the side.
“What any kid would do.” When she waited for his answer, he smiled. “I ran and hid.”
She laughed outright at his comment. “I thought you’d have told me that you took your punishment like a man.”
“Hello no. That paddle hurt like hell.” He laughed.
She smiled and then began talking again. “I was going to see if you would work with Beverly. I think she has one of the hardest departments. She is department 82. Last year she was here on Christmas Eve and took a break long enough to go say goodnight to her kids. I didn’t know or I would have had someone help her.”
“Wow. Yeah, I will help her. There is no reason why she shouldn’t be home with her kids on Christmas.”
“Thank you. I need to go figure out some stuff on those pallets. She does not like to ask for help and can be a pain in the butt sometimes, but she is a very hard worker and sweet woman.”
“Oh, ok. Thanks. I will go see what she needs.”
“Thank you.”
Charlotte made her way to the other side of the store. She needed to put some distance between her and Jeff. Her strict policy of mixing business with pleasure was real and every minute she spent with him had her wondering more and more why she made the rule.
She was becoming closer and closer to him. It had been a long time since she had been with a man. The last man she had been with had been her husband and that was a long time ago.
It seemed like forever ago since he left her for another woman. She realized that the saying about cheaters was correct. They always cheated with someone who was less attractive and worthy than the person they were already with. Now she agreed with that sentiment exactly.
Sighing, she sat down at her desk and looked over the list in front of her. It was going to be another long day.
She quickly called Britney to see if she could watch Travis a little late that evening. And like always, she was more than happy to help. Charlotte settled in for a long day of work.
Chapter Four
Charlotte spent all day and afternoon in her office going over numbers and trying to straighten out the inventory sheets. She needed to make sure that the scanners were correct compared to the data in the computer.
She had known that it would be a long and tedious job, but it didn’t make it any easier to do it. The managers had each come to her to let her know that their departments were ready. She had told the grocery manager to put a hold on the truck as well.
The last thing she needed was to have a 17 pallet truck come in right when they were counting. She knew that if it was dropped then the guys on night crew would put it out. That was their job, but it was the last thing she needed.
She also knew that she would need to see the night crew the following night. No one was due in tonight because there was no truck. She slipped her heels off her feet. She knew there was again nobody else at the store and she could relax.
Slowly, she leaned back in the chair and laid her arm over her eyes. She just needed a minute or two to relax and let her eyes adjust. She had been staring at the computer screen for so long that her eyes had everything blurring together.
“You ok?”
She looked up to see Jeff standing in the doorway again.
“You have a tendency to be around anytime that I relax huh?”
“Good timing I guess.” He chuckled. “You are always so tense. You need to let yourself relax more.”
“Yeah.” She looked at him for a minute and then looked away. When her eyes came back to him, she saw where his eyes had dropped. She felt the heat burn on her breasts where he was staring and her pussy suddenly felt hot. “What can I help you with?”
His eyes came up to meet hers again and he just stared at her for a moment. There was a deep intensity in his eyes as he looked at her. A burning need and passion that gave her a tremor of desire.
She felt the moisture gather on her panties as her pussy began to clench and she quickly folded her legs.
His eyes traveled to her legs and he gave her a look that said he knew exactly what she was doing. She stood then and decided it was time to go.
Gathering her purse, she made her way around the desk to where he was standing.
“You know what, you can help me with Charlotte. You want to help me, but you are fighting it.” She looked up at him at the words.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” She heard her voice as it became light and airy. It was also deeper than it normally was and was unrecognizable to her own ears.
She stood there looking at him for a moment, trying to find the right words to what she was trying to say. She couldn’t get anything to come from her mouth then. It was like all her words wouldn’t form or come out.
“I need to get home.”
“Is that why you are running or is it because of how you feel Charlotte. Let’s be honest here. You want it as much as I do. That’s why you wore that today.” He nodded his head in the direction of her dress.
She knew then that what he said was the truth. He was the reason she wore the dress. She wanted nothing more than to get naked on the floor and let him fuck her silly. “I don’t’ mix business with pleasure.”
“Well, it’s a good thing that we won’t be doing that then, huh?”
“If this happens, then yes we will.”
“Oh honey this is going to happen. You know it as well as I do. And we are not mixing. In a couple of months I will be at my own store. Then the only time we will see each other is personnel.”
“You need to let me past so I can get home.” She looked at him and said the words although she made no move to pick up her purse or move forward. She knew then that she wouldn’t get out of there easily and she felt her panties soak with even more of her juices at the thought.
He continued to stand there looking at her and then he began to move forward. As he came forward, she stepped backwards until she felt the wall at her back. He continued to move forward.
She felt his body mold into hers as she pushed her against the door. Nothing was said as his lips dropped to hers. His mouth didn’t give her time to breathe as he kissed her hard and intense. He began to thrust his tongue in and out of her mouth. It was the same motions that he wanted to do with his cock inside her.
She moaned deeply when his hands gathered hers by the wrists and lifted them above her head. He continued to ravage her mouth fiercely as if he couldn’t get enough. She felt herself begin to kiss him back until he broke it off at once.
“Tell me you don’t’ want it. Tell me you don’t want me deep inside you. That you don’t’ want me to fuck you like crazy. Tell me. Tell me and I will walk away now.”
Her eyes traveled slowly over his face as she took in the deep look of passion in his eyes. Suddenly she didn’t care. She didn’t care about anything but the way he made her feel at that moment and she was tired of fighting it.
She pulled at her hands and he quickly let them go. He waited and continued to look at her until she wrapped her hand around his ne
ck and brought his lips back to her own. She kissed him deeply and smiled at his groan.
Chapter Five
She felt his body press into hers again. This time, it was softer and sweeter, but the urgency behind his kiss was still there as he continued to kiss her over and over.
His hands went to the tie that held her dress shut.
“Is there anyone…” She couldn’t finish the rest of the question as he just shook his head.
“We’re alone. I promise.”
She nodded then and looked down as he undid the sash in her dress. His hands came up to her shoulders and dove under the material to slowly slide it down her arms. It finally rested in a pool of black silk at her feet.
She looked up at him to see his eyes feasting slowly on her body. He moaned then as his hands slid over her lace covered breasts.
“I want to suck your nipples.” His tone was husky and deep as he slowly unhooked her bra and let it fall as well. When she was naked but for a pair of black lace panties, he smiled before bending his head.
She gasped at the first touch of his lips as he sucked a nipple deep into his mouth. His teeth scraped the tender bud and she moaned loudly at the intense pleasure that shot straight to her pussy. Her panties were soaked with her need now and she tried to grind herself against him.
Knowing what she wanted, he lifted a leg and ground his cock against her sopping wet pussy. She pushed back as well groaning with her need.
“Fuck me, Jeff.”
“All in good time. With that dress, it’s like I’m opening a Christmas present early.” He chuckled. She let her head fall back as he continued to suck on her nipples. Her hands dove into his hair pulling him closer and closer to her. He ground against her pussy harder and harder with his cock as she searched for the friction she needed.
He stepped back and pulled her to where her desk was. The papers were quickly picked up and stacked behind him on the extra chair as he brought her in front of him. She now stood between him and her desk.
Man of the House: An Older Man Younger Woman Romance Page 103