“Bob will slap your ass, just ask him. Now slap and tell me what it looks like!”
Jill slaps my ass hard. I feel the sting left behind. “Hot! Your ass is hot.”
“What about cellulite?”
“None, its firm. I mean it’s sexy. You have like a melon butt, like two melons.”
“Melons! That’s not sexy.” Appalled at the description.
“Small melons, tiny melons but round and juicy. Like those Orange ones.”
“Cantaloupes.”
“Yeah, like cantaloupes.” She breaks into a mock fucking session from behind me like she’s riding a bull. I drop on my desk laughing. Just as I’m ready to pee my pants, my office door swings open. Jill and I jump up. I squirm as I adjust my panties and skirt.
Faces red, tears in our eyes as we stare at Nick and Joe standing in my office doorway. Nick is behind Joe with his mouth open, but he closes it, and gives me a smile like he was aware of what was going on.
Jill doesn’t skip a beat. She is on this like white on rice. “Hi boys! Alex wanted me to help test out a campaign idea she has for pantyhose.” Jill is always quick with an excuse, good or not. “Nice seeing you both, I have to get back to work, need to call housekeeping and get this lock fixed.” She gathers herself and retreats to her desk.
Joe turns to me his face distorted from confusion “What campaign is that?”
“Oh, I’ll tell you later. It’s, um, its progressive, yeah, very progressive campaign. It’s in the infantile stage.” I clear my throat while my face burns crimson.
Nick tries to help me out, “I think it will be great.” He pauses. “I’d buy them, pantyhose that is, or whatever it is your selling with that ad.”
Joe looks at me than at Nick. He looks confused.
“Thank you, Mr. Ryan, I’m glad you like what you saw so far.” I try to compose myself by sounding as formal as possible with a little hidden innuendo. “Please sit down.”
Joe sits down still looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. He shakes his head then breaks into the real reason they are in my office. Within seconds, it seems its business as usual. We go over account changes, upcoming meetings, and some numbers. Nick is even sexier when he is in work mode, controlled, calm, and intense. I feel myself getting wet between my legs as I watch him handle the pen between his fingers, rolling it back and forth. His stare deepens as he talks numbers and the way he licks his lips when he transitions from one thought to another makes me hot. I take in a deep breath, and I think Nick realizes that my mind might not be focused on business. He looks at me under hooded eyes and licks his lips. “Alexandra, is there anything you’d like to discuss?” His one eyebrow arches in curiosity.
“No. No, I think we’ve covered it all. I’m good with the changes, and I think the numbers outlook is doable.” Recovering quickly from my dirty thoughts of Nick.
“Joe, if you have nothing more to add, I think we can leave it here. I need to get to an appointment.” Nick stands up and Joe follows.
Thankfully, it’s over. Joe walks to the door, “Okay, Alex, we’ll talk later.” He gives me one last questionable look before leaving.
Nick lingers slightly behind. He leans into my ear as I walk towards the door with him. “I hope Jill enjoyed it as much as I did.”
I take in a ragged breath and smile as I stand in the doorway seeing them both out. I give Jill a quick eye roll. She mimics me in agreement.
As Nick walks past Jill, he stops for a second. Jill is looking up at him, with a tilt of her head and a closed mouth grin she shrugs her shoulders. Nick taps his index and middle fingers on her desk, “Nice, Right?”
Jill giggles, “You are one lucky man.”
“I know.”
Jill is out of her seat as soon as the elevator doors close on Joe and Nick. I walk back in my office and Jill follows behind me. We take one look at each other and break out into a fit of giggles.
“Oh Alex, Mr. Nick Ryan has it bad for you.” Jill becomes serious.
“And I him.”
“Really?” Jill’s voice sounds hopeful.
“He’s an incredible man. I feel very fortunate to have met him.”
Jill reaches her arms out to hug me. She gets so emotional so easily. It’s an endearing quality of hers. As Jill sways back and forth with me in her arms the phone rings. She releases me to answer the phone, “Alexandra Adams office how can I help you?”
Jill pauses, “May I ask who’s calling?” Jill waits. She places her hand over the receiver and mouths, “Bob Bernard wants to talk to you.” I shake my head.
“One moment please, Ms. Adams will be right with you.” Jill places the phone call on hold. “I feel like he calls every month.” She sounds annoyed.
“He does, he’s persistent. Very persistent.”
Jill leaves my office and closes the door behind her. I have a seat at my desk and clear my voice before I pick up the phone. “Hi, Bob Bernard, long time no hear.”
“Hilarious, Alex. What’s my favorite creative director up to?” Bob is always cheerful. I don’t mind him calling every few weeks. I enjoy talking to him.
Bob Bernard works for one of the top firms in New York City. He’s wanted me on his team for the last nine years. He’s a nice guy and very professional when need be, but I’ve never entertained the thought because I have always followed Joe. Joe and Bob hate each other. In a parallel universe, they could be great friends, but in this universe, it’s not an option.
“Same old…working hard.”
“I heard you have a new owner. Are they dumping Joe?”
“Yes we do, and no, they are not dumping Joe.”
“Alex you know if you’re not happy with the changes to call me.”
“I know, Bob, if I ever need a job you will be the first person I call.” I mean what I say, Bob is a great guy, very talented. I wouldn’t mind working for him, but I would never do that to Joe.
“I hope that’s true.”
“It is true, Bob. So, let me get back to work. I’ll talk to you next month?”
I can hear Bob laughing into the phone, “If you don’t call me before then.”
Two more hours left in this day. I can’t wait until I’m driving home with Nick…
Chapter 16
Nick
When I see Alexandra walking through the doors, I step out of my car. I love this time of day when I get to be with just her. She smiles just as she was this morning when we said goodbye. Because of her, I smile more.
I consider for a moment teasing her about what happened earlier in her office but decide against it. I loved seeing Alexandra and Jill’s faces when Joe and I walked in on them. Better yet, Joe’s face. Joe was the only one in the room who had no back-story to the spanking.
I meet her on the passenger side, kiss her then hand her the keys to my car.
“Baby, do you mind driving I need to send out time sensitive emails?”
“Not at all, I love to drive.” She grabs the keys and does an almost unnoticeable skip as she walks to the other side of the car.
Inside the car, I give her a quick tutorial. “You drive manual right?”
“I learned on manual, my Range Rover is the first car that’s automatic.”
Before Alexandra turns on the ignition, she reaches into her bag. I watch as she pulls out an eyeglass case. “I didn’t know you were glasses.”
“That’s because I avoid it as often as possible.” She puts her glasses on and glances in the rear view mirror. “They make me look like a nerd.”
She’s right, but what she doesn’t get is that they make her look like a hot, sexy nerd. I’d love to see her hair in a bun, tendrils hanging loose around her face with those dark, thick-framed glasses, and one of my white shirts and heels…fuck I’m hard again.
She pulls out into traffic while I get busy typing on my iPad. It takes only a few minutes when I realize my body has been jerked forward, backward, and side-to-side more often than normal for one car ride. I look up from m
y tablet when Alexandra is merging on to the West Side Highway.
Her hands are on ten o’clock and two o’clock on the steering wheel unless she shifts gears. Her face is calm, she sings low to the soft music playing in the car, trying not to disturb me. Her posture seems relaxed, nothing out of the ordinary. She looks happy; she looks very Alexandra.
As she merges into traffic, she speeds across three lanes. Still her expression doesn’t change. Then she weaves in and out of cars at a rapid speed. She hasn’t stayed in one lane for over five seconds. I look over at the speedometer…eighty-five! Again, nothing has changed about her, still singing, still easy, relaxed Alexandra. She checks her mirrors, but shifts her body to do so. Looking at her you would never think she drove like she was in Nascar.
Now as for me…not so much! I put my tablet in the door pocket then grip onto the door handle with one hand while I clench down on the console with my other hand. My feet dig into the floor bracing my body. I fear for my life. I don’t want to criticize, but I need to say something.
“Baby, you just passed a cop.”
She turns to me. “I smiled and waved.” She sweetly answers me. I’d rather she keeps her eyes on the road, so I point to the front window. “He smiled and waved back.” She innocently explains.
“Honey, but you’re speeding just a little.” I keep my voice non-judgmental.
“But he doesn’t know he needs one of those speed gun things."
“You mean radar. But baby, you flew past him.” Still no judgment here, I look back, but am surprised when he’s nowhere in sight.
Alexandra takes her right hand off the wheel to rub my hand that grips the console. “Nick, don’t worry I’ve never gotten a ticket."
How is that possible?
I gently take her hand and place it back on the steering wheel. The rest of the ride home my sweaty palms grip anything I can find while my feet ground to the floor, my girlfriend still singing and weaving in and out of traffic at an impressive speed.
She comes to an abrupt stop in front of her garage. My body juts forward then back into the seat, I turn to look at her.
Like a bouncing, playful puppy, she looks at me. “We’re here!”
I release my sweaty, cramped hands, open the door, and step out. I have never been happier to have my feet on solid ground. I meet Alexandra on the driver’s side. With my palm out, she drops the keys in my hand and smiles, oblivious to the fact that she is a God awful, scary driver.
“That car is fun to drive.” Alexandra reaches for my hand as we walk towards the front door.
I’m still a little shaky. “Yes, but I think your Range Rover is the right car for you.” I'd rather her drive an army tank, but the Range Rover will have to do.
Chapter 17
Alexandra
Nick looks up from his newspaper. “We should go away. It’s the end of the summer we should plan something. What do you think about that? A little vacation?”
“Ooh, I would love that.”
“Where would you like to go?” Nick rests his newspaper down on the table between his lounge chair and mine.
“We could go to my lake house?”
“Come again?” Nick sits up on the side of his lounge chair. “You have a lake house?”
“I never mentioned it?”
“No, you never mentioned it.”
“It was my aunt’s property in Lake George.” I stand up. “I have pictures.” As I walk into the house, I can hear Nick talking.
“I can’t believe you’ve been holding back this little golden nugget.”
I reply, “We’ve been very busy, it slipped my mind.”
On my return, Nick has already done an extensive search of Lake George on his iPad. “I’ve never been to Lake George, but I hear it’s beautiful.”
“Oh, it’s stunning, especially where my house is at the Northern end of Lake George away from all the touristy spots.” I shuffle through the pictures and hand them to Nick. “I’m right near Lake Champlain, only a few miles from Vermont. This is the original house.” I show Nick a picture. “And this is the house I had built.” I hand him a different picture.
Nick looks through the pictures. His face lights up like a little boy at Christmas. “When can we go?”
“Whenever. When I go to work tomorrow, I’ll check my schedule.”
The three and a half hour trip up to Lake George flew by. Being in a car with Nick for that amount of time was entertaining. Even though I could drive that trip with my eyes closed, Nick insisted he drive.
As we get into Lake George, we stop at the Wal-Mart to pick up a few essentials for the week. It is Nick’s first time in a Wal-Mart. I keep him focused on the food, or he will buy out the store.
“Look at these nice jeans for 19.99? And tee shirts for 9.99!” Nick holds up a pair of jeans for me to see as he points at the rack of various colored tee shirts. That thought lasts only a second as his eyes look around. “Hey, we should buy a kayak.”
“I have Kayaks. I have everything you could need for a house on a lake.”
“Do you have wood for a fire so that we can have Smores?"
“I have the wood delivered, but we need the fixings for Smores.” I try to refocus Nick on the food aspect of this Wal-Mart trip. The one thing my house doesn’t have right now is food.
Three hundred and eighty-nine dollars later, Nick, and I leave Wal-Mart. I direct Nick where to turn, and just as we are half way up the long road to my house, I ask him if he is ready.
“Why are we almost there?”
“Turn right and then the next left. I’m the long driveway on the left.”
Nick turns into my driveway. As he makes the bend, we can see my house. We pass the barn structure that is my garage, and off to the right of the barn is the house. I watch Nick as his mouth drops open.
“Alexandra, this place is incredible.”
“I know. It’s my favorite place on earth. Wait till you see the water side of the house.”
“How big is this place?” Nick asks in shock.
“A little over forty-nine hundred square feet on five acres.”
“Who was your aunt?” Nick sounds shocked.
“The longest relationship I had with another human being was with my aunt. She was old before her time, a proper woman. She married a man twenty-five years older than her, and he passed away very early in the marriage. He left her with a rather large fortune. My aunt wasn’t an affectionate woman. She showed her love by raising me to be polite and proper. She was all about good etiquette. When I was seventeen, the doctor diagnosed my aunt with lung cancer. By that time, the cancer had spread to her spine. In the end, it had taken over her brain, and she became very abusive. The doctors reassured me it was the cancer causing her to behave like that, lashing out with obscenities. It was so out of character for her. I remember laughing most of the time. The last thing she ever said was to her doctor. She called him a blue ball prick. I almost peed my pants.
“She died a few weeks before my eightieth birthday. I never cried, not once, and to this day, I can’t explain why I didn’t cry. Months later I received a call from her lawyer. I sat in his office not having a clue why I needed to be there; I was young and naïve. He came in with a folder and placed it down in front of him. He looked at me with a straight face and said, 'Well Ms. Alexandra Adams, you are the wealthiest eighteen-year-old I have ever met'. My aunt left everything to me. I was my aunt’s only living relative. Her penthouse condominium that we lived in together, her house at the lake, her jewelry, and all the stocks, CD’s, IRA’s, life insurance policies, cash, and a letter that she wrote after her doctor diagnosed her with cancer. At the young age of eighteen, I knew I had to plan for my future. I hired an advisor and mapped out my future.” I turn to look at Nick, and my voice changes from somber to teasing. “So my dear, you are dating a very wealthy older woman."
“I knew that when you picked me up using your Black American Express.” He taps the tip of my nose.
�
��That’s not quite how I remember it.” I tease him as I reach for the door handle.
“What did she say in the letter?” He asks.
“A lot. Maybe I’ll read it to you one day.” I answer as I remember back to the one and only time I read the letter.
“I hope you do.”
Nick and I step out of the car. He looks around and points to the barn.
“I had that built a few years ago. I wanted a place to house my four wheelers, snowmobiles, and dirt bikes away from the house.”
“You have quads?” Seeing Nick this excited makes every year that I spent alone in this house so worth it.
“Baby, we have quads.” I reach for his hand. “I’m telling you I have it all covered. We'll have fun. Come on, wait till you see the inside.”
Upon unlocking the door, the beep, beep, beep of the alarm goes off. I disarm the security system while Nick drops the bags on the bench next to the front door.
We stand still in the middle of my custom post and beam home. Greeted by the cathedral ceilings and what I like to call the wall of windows. “Nick, press that button to your right, please.”
Nick presses the button, and the windows at the back of the house go from frosted white to transparent glass. The entire front of the house from the roof to the bottom floor is floor to ceiling windows looking out at the most beautiful, crystal clear lake and lush mountainous trees. It feels like you are outside in nature.
Nick walks through the house towards the windows to my world, “I will never want to leave.” Nick turns to look off to the right. “You have a boat house.”
“Yep and boats. There’s a wooden Chris Craft boat, a Sea Ray, a pontoon boat, and even a row boat.”
Nick turns with eyes wide open as a look of shock crosses his face. “I don’t know what to do first. I feel like a little kid.”
“This house can do that to a person. I’ll give you a tour of the inside, and we’ll get a cocktail, and then head outside.”
I show Nick around starting with our bedroom. He drops our bags and stands taking it all in. There is only a king size bed flanked by side tables and two large walk-in closets. I then take him by the hand into the bathroom. There is no shower enclosure just a drain in the middle of the floor. The shower jets come out of three walls, and a large rain showerhead hangs in the center.
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