"The food here is amazing! Thank you for bringing me, but you never told me what you wanted to talk about," she asked him while enjoying dessert.
"I just wanted to take you to dinner but you were not agreeing otherwise so...” Trevor left his sentence incomplete while smiling and staring at her with eyes that seemed to grow darker with each passing second.
Celine's breath caught in her throat as she suddenly understood.
"So we are on a date and I don’t even know about it?" she laughed, nervously. “Is this a night on the town”?
"Now you are catching on" he laughed–right along with her.
Celine noticed how laughing and smiling softened his face and the dark look vanished to give way to something more light and carefree. Maybe it was the wine, but she realized how masculine and handsome he really was.
"You should smile more often," she blurted out abruptly, not even realizing that her brain-to-mouth filter had just malfunctioned.
"You think so?" Trevor smiled wider.
"Oh my, I didn't just say that aloud. Did I? I think I just had a little too many glasses of wine," she groaned while putting her face in her hands.
"We should head out to drink more often then," he said thoughtfully while taking both her hands in his and holding them down.
"You are really beautiful. I easily saw that in a crowd," he told her matter-of-factly while his eyes smiled at her.
"In a crowd?" she questioned bewildered.
"Yes in that charity dinner yesterday," he told her looking down at her hands in his.
She remained silent for a moment while contemplating the revelation and where they were both headed. She knew she was really attracted to Trevor and if they were to spend any more time together, the attraction and the chemistry between them was bound to grow.
"Tell me more about yourself" she stated while looking up at him, her chin in her thick, yet feminine hands
"Well, you would know the basic info. What else would you like to know?" he questioned searching her eyes for the abrupt question.
"I meant personal things." she replied, uncertain whether it was okay or not to ask him.
He didn't make a big deal out of her demand and soon they started with non-business related small talk and idle chat. They discussed their likes, dislikes, friends and life in general. Trevor grew much more attracted to Celine–the more time he spent with her, the more he realized she was not just gorgeous with a curvy and voluptuous body but also a very intelligent, practical and sensible woman. He loved the way her mind worked and the way she got engrossed in her thoughts while discussing her work. He could clearly see that she loved what she did and that eased his mind regarding his own problem at work.
They were sharing thoughts about each other's close friends when he told her how his best friend Connor was actually the son of a businessman whose company he had bought as he went bankrupt.
"So your friend is okay with you ruining his father?" she asked in a tone of surprise.
"I think he's smart and knows that they were actually already ruined, and I, being a businessman, just profited from it," he replied.
"What does he do now?" she asked interested in the story.
"Anyway, I hired him on. He works as my vice president now," he told her, smiling at the way her eyes grew round and large when she was really interested in what he said.
"Wow!" she exclaimed.
"He's actually really good at what he does. I didn't do him any favors," he explained before she assumed something otherwise.
"You will see him around at the office," he continued.
As they were done with the dinner and the dessert, Trevor paid and they got back outside. He escorted her to the car with a hand at the back of her waist. The ride to Celine's apartment was spent the same way, getting to know more about each other.
Trevor had never had such a romantic dinner with any other woman. Usually, they just went to dinner and ate, as he listened to the lady talk about herself the entire time, as he would insert appropriate responses where necessary. Celine, on the other hand, brought about a different side of him. He could be himself with her as she urged him to be a part of the conversation, and kept him on his toes.
As they reached her building, he got out and opened her door for her. Reaching the front entrance she said,
"I'll take it from here." Her voice though low had gotten a little raspy.
He drew closer to her while bending his head. She opened her mouth to say something when he suddenly dove right in. He kissed her with a passion and after a few seconds Celine responded with the same fire, her hands in his hair while his hands rest on her waist, then caressing her back. He tilted his head to improve the angle. The longer they kissed, the hotter the fire inside them burned.
It was Celine who pulled away first, panting heavily. If not for her body's need for oxygen, they would have just kept going. She looked up at him to find him looking at her with dark, hungry eyes. His chest labored with his breathing while his hands were still at her waist.
"I think I should get going," he spoke finally, with his rough voice.
Celine could only nod as her knees regained strength. Her mind would take a few minutes to reset.
He kissed her once more on the cheek before whispering a goodnight in her ear.
After that day, they assumed a routine of sharing lunch and dinner together while working hard for the remainder of the day. Trevor insisted on dropping her off home as they both worked quite late. They occasionally went on dates and the relationship between them grew to a new level. They were both very practical individuals, but they knew that this was more than just going out on a few dates or a casual relationship.
It had been a few weeks and Celine had made sure she went through every transaction and business deal that Trevor had done. She saw a pattern, which wasn't just vague but also very smart. The amount that had been stolen was not just a small one– and the way everything had carried out, evidence would point towards Trevor embezzling money from the company. The more Celine focused and searched deeper, the more she became sure of the fact that another individual from within the company had been involved in the heist, along with the advisor. The money had been sent to a different set of accounts each time but the timing was more than a coincidence.
I should tell Trevor about this, she thought, moving toward his office to knock on his door. Just then, another hand knocked right along with her. She turned around to find a very handsome blond man staring back at her with a smile. He was what one would call the gorgeous boy next door with a lean body, cheery blue eyes and a ready smile. He was a complete contrast to Trevor who had dark hair, a muscular body, and a serious countenance most of the time. Celine wondered who the man was as the door opened and Trevor motioned them both in.
"Celine meet Connor Hunt, my best friend, and my vice president." Trevor introduced him as she extended her hand, curious about the best friend Trevor had already spoken about.
"And Connor this is Celine Rossi, our new Financial Advisor, and also the lovely woman I am currently dating," he completed.
Connor shook Celine's hand with a firm grip while the smile that had been on his face grew a little strained.
"Nice to meet you," Connor stated while Celine couldn't help wondering if she had met this man before under different circumstances. His eyes glazed over the moment Trevor had introduced them. Maybe I'm just imagining things, she thought. Connor and Trevor interacted so easily and in the typical manner old friends would.
"I'm sorry, Celine, I can't do lunch today. I have to go on a lunch meeting with Connor today." Trevor excused himself, assuming that Celine had been there for that purpose, as it was almost time for lunch.
Celine just smiled and nodded, telling both of them that she would see them later as she exited the office without telling Trevor about the news of another person involved. She didn't know why but she felt uneasy in the presence of Connor and decided that she would tell Trevor when they were alone.
In the meanwhile, I should try and work to uncover who has actually been behind all those thefts–and if they are still continuing to do so, Celine decided. She skipped lunch to pore over the more recent files. The more she went through the files, the more she realized that the amount of money being stolen or embezzled out of the company had been increasing in small increments. It was like the person had become more and more confident as larger amounts were taken.
If this continues, all of Trevor's companies would go through a huge loss while also making him into a thief. Every transaction and transfer are being done in his name, Celine realized, looking at how dire the situation was becoming. Some action had to be taken but it would all be in vain until the culprit inside the company was exposed. “Ah, there you are” she thought to herself while pausing on a file.
That night as they went to dinner, Celine was quiet and withdrawn. She had found out who had been stealing from Trevor but did not know how to tell him. The situation was not just shocking but also worrisome. She knew sooner or later she had to do the right thing but was afraid if telling him everything would affect their relationship. She put off telling him because it would be the most difficult thing she could remember having to do.
It had been just a matter of luck when she had stumbled onto a set of accounts that the money had been sent to from the beginning. The accounts had all been in the company's name and she had suddenly decided to check out all the accounts for any pattern within their titles.
As she had delved deeper, she realized that every account had been connected to another somehow, and that the connections had all finally led her to two basic accounts. One had belonged to the former financial advisor and the other had belonged to a person very close to Trevor.
"You seem so distracted and quiet today. Are you tired?" Trevor asked her as she moved the food around on her plate, having no appetite to eat it.
"No, it's not that. I'm just not really hungry," she made an excuse while debating with herself to just tell him.
"Okay but you look really upset about something. You know you can talk to me right?" he implored while squeezing her hand.
"I know." she smiled genuinely for the first time since she had found out about the embezzling.
"That's more like it." Trevor smiled back at her.
I should just tell him, he needs to know, she thought guiltily while looking at him talking animatedly about an upcoming project.
"I have something to tell you Trev." she interrupted him abruptly.
"What is it?" he asked with a frown of worry appearing between his brows.
"I was going through the files today and I found something," she began.
"What do you mean?" he asked, suddenly sitting up straighter, his face becoming more stern with deep interest.
"The money embezzling hasn't stopped. Someone is still stealing from you and the amount has actually increased tenfold," she told him in a serious tone.
"But I fired the guy. He can't possibly have access to anything now," Trevor answered puzzled.
"Exactly. It was never just that one guy, alone. Someone else from your company is actually involved in it as well,” she informed him.
His eyes widened in surprise.
"You mean someone from the company has been aiding him?" he asked shocked.
"I think it's the other way around. The guy had been helping your employee while arranging all the evidence against you. If an inquiry was to take place, everything would point toward you," she told him, bracing herself for what was to come.
"That is utterly ridiculous. Why would I steal from my own company? No one would even believe that!" he exclaimed, a deep anger growing in his voice.
"I think you would have a difficult time convincing your board of directors," she reasoned while holding onto his hand so he could calm down a little.
"Have you found out who it is?" he asked, now seeming more in control.
"Yes, but...” she suddenly stopped, fearing his reaction.
"What? Why didn't you tell me right away? Who is it anyway?" he demanded, his tone strained.
"It's Connor," she stated, after taking a deep breath.
"What. Did. You. Just. Say?" Trevor asked in a low voice, enunciating each word separately. His face turned white in disbelief, as if he’d just seen a ghost.
Celine lowered her head, still holding on to Trevor’s hand. He sat there in a stunned silence for a moment, no longer interested in his meal. After what seemed like forever, he abruptly got up and headed towards the restroom. Celine sat there at the table, feeling terrible about having had to expose the company traitor this way.
The waiter came over and inquired if they would be interested in having dessert. Celine silently shook her head, not having the strength to muster up a verbal answer.
In the restroom, Trevor splashed water from the sink onto his face. He felt like he was in a state of shock. He couldn’t believe that all this time, the last person he would’ve suspected was the one who had stabbed him in the back. How could I have been so STUPID? he thought to himself, wiping his face with a hand towel.
“And to think, I never would’ve known about this, had it not been for my Celine,” he said out loud, speaking directly to his own reflection in the bathroom mirror. He felt a wave of affection toward his voluptuous girlfriend/bookkeeper. “Tonight I’m going to show just how much I appreciate her exposing this conspiracy.”
He fixed his face in the mirror, gave his hair a run-through with his hand, and headed out of the restroom, back to the table where he’d left Celine sitting.
She was still sitting there at the table, picking at her plate and looking as if she’d lost a part of her spirit. Trevor was determined to show her how much he appreciated her, and not just for exposing the company culprit, but as a strong, intelligent, vibrant and beautiful voluptuous woman, in general.
I apologize for my abrupt dismissal, Celine. I just needed a moment to gather my senses,” he explained, as he pulled out his chair and joined her once again at their table. He could see in her eyes exactly how difficult it had been for her to tell him about Connor’s treachery. He knew he would soon have to decide exactly what he was going to do about the situation, but tonight, he had something else entirely on his mind. He’d deal with Connor later.
Celine looked over at him, watching the pale, shocked expression on his face suddenly turn soft and serene. He reached over and took her by the hand again.
“Celine, darling, I know that was not easy for you to tell me what you told me. There are utterly no words that can explain how much I appreciate what you’ve done for me, for my company. You are truly an amazing woman.” He brought her plump, perfectly manicured hand up to his lips and kissed it gently, softly. The gesture sent chills down Celine’s spine, and she instantly knew where her night was soon to be headed.
Trevor looked deep into her eyes with a newfound fire inside of his own. Celine stared back into his, a burning desire for him forming in her loins. Trevor kissed her hand again, then her wrist and then the top of her forearm. His lips were soft and warm, and she longed to feel them all over her curvy body. She felt she’d waited long enough.
“Your place or mine?” asked Celine, before she’d even realized what she’d said.
“I’m taking you home with me, tonight, Celine,” replied Trevor.
Chapter Four
Although Celine had been working for Trevor for some weeks now, she had never actually seen the inside of his house. As the limo pulled up to the security gate, Trevor punched in a code and the gates slowly opened. The ride to his house had been quite a passionate one indeed. They had begun making out in the back of the limo right after leaving the restaurant. Celine was hot and moist with desire and couldn’t wait to get to his place.
The gate closed behind them as the limo drove up the long neatly paved driveway and pulled up directly in front of the huge, mansion-like estate where Trevor lived. Celine fixed her clothes and prepared to exit the limo. T
he driver came around and opened her door for her, and Trevor took her hand to lead her inside.
They hadn’t done much talking on the ride home, and had no desire to any now either. Tonight, they had one thing on their minds and one thing only. Fuck Connor, thought Trevor, we’ll deal with his shit after the sun comes up.
As they entered Trevor’s mansion, Celine looked around in amazement. His place was absolutely breathtaking. He had expensive paintings on every wall and exquisite statues in nearly every corner. His floors were made of the finest marble Celine had ever seen and his walls were painted with shiny, glossy paint.
“Would you like a drink?” asked Trevor, heading towards the mini-bar in one of his sitting rooms.
“That’d be great,” affirmed Celine, still looking around in awe.
“Red or white?" asked Trevor, knowing his voluptuous dame preferred wine over liquor.
“White, please,” Celine replied, following him into the room.
Trevor took out 2 champagne glasses from the cabinet and proceeded to fill them with an expensive white wine.
“Your place is amazing!” exclaimed Celine.
“Thanks,” Trevor said. “Please, have a seat. Make yourself at home.”
Celine sat down on the velvet L-shaped sofa in the sitting room. Directly in front of the sofa was a fake fireplace, exquisitely lit and giving off a very realistic fireplace glare.
She still felt moist between her thighs from their limo make-out session and she was looking forward to finishing what they had started. She felt the fireplace accented the atmosphere perfectly for the activities she had planned for the night.
Trevor walked over and joined her on the sofa in front of the fireplace. He handed her a glass of wine while he sipped his own. They couple looked into each other’s eyes as they sipped their drinks while the light from the faux fireplace cast shadows of dancing flames on the walls of the room. A faint crackling sound filled the warm room, adding to the romantic element of the environment. The sexual tension in the room was so high that Celine could smell it in the air.
The Balled And The Beautiful: A College Sports Romance Story Page 15