Rose Blood

by Jessica Miles

  She quickly deleted the offending email.

  “Mmm, you’d better get to work on that my hot little money honey… you need a lot of upward motion fast, it’ll take the pressure off” Harrison said with a big grin. “… And Rose have I told you that you have the body of a goddess?”

  “Sshh…. Harry! Not in here, okay?”

  “No one will notice. In fact everyone’ll wonder what’s up if I don’t hit on you. I’ve been doing it for years!”

  “Not too graphic then, okay? … and Harry, this little goddess is getting all worked up over your rather amazing god like body just now”

  “Rose don’t… I’m getting all excited too.”

  “Yes, men do seem to have a distinct disadvantage at times don’t they?” she smothered a little laugh as she finally pulled herself together enough to get some work done, running through her accounts one by one..

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw another email appear from Marcus in her inbox.

  “Hello Rose, If you do not have any prior arrangements tomorrow evening, I would like you join me as my guest at the Hilton at one of my company functions. Please wear appropriate evening dress, long or short will be acceptable. I will send a car to your home address at 7.30 – M”

  Oh no! This request would not go down well with Harry. Well there was nothing she could do about it. She couldn’t turn down his first offer. Work had to take priority at this early stage. She typed up a quick reply.

  “Hello Marcus, I am available for tomorrow evening. Thank you for the invitation. 16c Cheshire Gardens, off Westleigh Avenue, Highgate – R”

  “Harry,” she said hesitantly “I’m out with him tomorrow night. I’ve been summoned.”

  “I already hate that Marcus DeVere…”

  “I have to get on with this Harry. You know that, don’t you? And whatever happens, it won’t mean anything to me, okay?” She wasn’t completely and utterly convinced of that beyond a doubt, but it needed to be said just now. Harry certainly needed to hear it and she needed to say it to herself too.

  “Look, I know you’re caught between a rock and a hard place, but that doesn’t mean I have to accept it… And I really, really don’t like it at all Rose.”

  Chapter 11

  The rest of the day passed in a blur. She was very busy with her other client’s accounts and spent most of the day on the phone talking to them. The markets were absolutely dead today but thankfully there was a bubble of activity in her US stocks late in the day which thankfully helped her to add a further 0.3% to DeVeres account by the time she was ready to leave.

  She typed up an account message and sent it to DeVere..

  “Fund position 1.53 billion, +0.3% today, +2.0% on week compound – R”

  Harry had finished a while before and had gone ahead with Dec, Nick, Fridge, Epic and Keiran. He was waiting for her downstairs in the usual spot. She headed off fairly content with the day and her goal still in sight. She had another three days to make 1.0%… it was still possible… she was going to have a little bit of fun tonight, and she knew just the person to do it with.

  Mike called out to her as she left the office.

  “Ro, just took a look… you’re doing bloody well. Keep it up and don’t forget the other stuff, it’s just as important as percentages…”

  She scowled at him and walked out of the door. That had instantly riled her up. Why did he have to rub it in her face? He really was a nasty piece of shit.

  She left the building and crossed the Plaza in a now rather foul mood. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant evening and the traders were all inside and up at the bar. Her eyes fell instantly on Harry and Sam. She was draping her arms around him, pressing herself against his side. That feeling was back again, in a huge dose. Things were so different now. Her stomach churned at the sight of them together and a large green finger of jealousy poked her in the chest. She couldn’t actually barge up to him and claim him at the moment. She wanted to keep their relationship secret for a while, to see how it went, before the animals she worked with chipped in with their vile and disgusting views about it. She heard what they said about Sammy, it wasn’t pleasant… She hated the way women were viewed by some of these men…

  She stood next to Declan, one of the Proprietary traders and had a forced cheerful chat. She didn’t much like Dec. He was the worst of them all with his deep gutter language and degrading office behaviour, not to mention the dreadful things he got up to behind his wife’s back on a regular basis, but he was standing the farthest away from the Harry and Sam live act. That’s where she needed to be at this moment. She turned her back on them and engaged Dirty, as he was also known, with all the enthusiasm she could muster up, telling him a little about her new fund.

  After a few minutes Harry was there at her side. Her heart warmed instantly with relief.

  He whispered in her ear. “Miss me?” and she laughed and immediately forgave his little Sammy moment. It wasn’t like he could do much about it anyway, not without being too obvious. They carried on chatting to Dirty and the other guys for a while, mingling separately and being as disgustingly loud and lairy as the others … as normal as they could be.

  An hour later they left, individually a few minutes apart and were now heading back to her place in a cab. They sat holding hands, kissing and grinning like Cheshire cats at each other all the way back.

  “This is going to be so difficult Harry.” She admitted. “My no sex rule made life much simpler”

  “Why is it going to be difficult?”

  “You and Sam, us sitting together all the time, keeping secrets, my new problem account…”

  “Whatever happens with Sam doesn’t mean anything Rose. I’ve been with her like half a dozen times before and it never did then either. I don’t plan on sleeping with her anymore obviously!”

  “I felt more than a little jealous tonight, when I saw you together.” She really had found that little smoochy cuddling scene quite hard to take. Little Sammy’s fingers winding their way through his gorgeous silky hair like that…

  “Not as jealous as I’m gonna feel when you’re out with bigshot tomorrow Rose, think about that!”

  She had already thought of that. Quite a lot. She didn’t want him to feel bad about what was going on with DeVere. It wasn’t her choice to make, but even so… She could appreciate how awful it would feel if the roles were reversed and he was wining and dining with a sexy and beautiful billionairess who might want to have a lot of fun in the bedroom with him. She would feel very insecure and second rate… and actually completely desperate about it. It made her incredibly upset and guilty about everything. What a dreadful situation for them both.

  They arrived at her place, paid the cabbie and went inside.

  “Are you hungry… want anything to eat Harry?” She asked thoughtfully as he stood looking around her flat. She wasn’t about to cook a meal, but could throw together a quick sandwich or something.

  “No, you’re the only thing I want to eat babe…. wanna show me your bedroom?”

  “It’s just in here” she murmured taking his hand and leading him into her bedroom.

  He pulled her close and kissed her nose.

  “D’you want to eat me too? I’m quite tasty you know?”

  “That’s an understatement if I ever heard one… I think we should start eating each other right now”

  He pulled off her clothes and she dragged off his in a rough hot rush, they were glued together tightly in seconds, eating each other up. Their private feast lasted into the early hours. Real food was forgotten completely. Rose was feeling far more than lust for Harry, she had a very strong feeling swelling inside her tonight. It felt like someone had slipped their hands inside her chest and was holding her heart tightly, squeezing it over and over… Harry had taken over her mind, heart and her body in one short day. How could this have happened so fast? She would keep this to herself for a little while…

  Chapter 12

  They arrived separa
tely in the office the next day. Harry had left a half hour in front of her so he could go home and change. He lived just four stops away from her on the underground. She arrived first and made a start on her accounts and emails before his presence made it impossible to think, breathe or read a word.

  Harry arrived soon afterwards, looking wonderfully smart and fresh and a tortuous day of love-lust-love-lust began. She was completely love struck if she was to be honest with herself. It was amazing her just how heightened her senses had become and how her heart and stomach ached with want every time she thought of him or looked his way. She couldn’t ever remember feeling this overwhelmed by her previous boyfriends. Perhaps she hadn’t loved them much, or at all…?

  Maybe it was just their constant close proximity to each other in the office…

  Her face and neck were permanently hot and flushed. Rose thought that she may as well have a sign pasted on her forehead which read “Loved Up & Hot for Mr Gorgeous” and an arrow pointing his way… She couldn’t feel any more obvious to everyone around her. How she got through the day without dissolving into a pool of love on her chair was a mystery to her.

  Harry headed off to the gym at 4pm in a quiet mood. He planned to run on the treadmill until he was exhausted, hopefully his brain would be too. He felt uncomfortable and miserable and insanely jealous about the whole DeVere thing. In truth, he would like Rose to leave her job right now and find a new one elsewhere, so they could get together properly and she wouldn’t have to deal with DeVere anymore. But he couldn’t suggest that, not yet. It was too soon.

  She sent Marcus his daily results. A good 0.4% today, 2.4% on the week. There had been a rapid increase in the diamond stocks, she was pleased she had spotted that bit of news a few days back. One of the rumored mine closures had occurred and a tiny increase in the stock pricing had moved her fund up 0.3% of her day’s total. She had been extremely lucky so far with the progress. It wouldn’t grow anything like this normally, she knew that… this was just a temporary flutter in the new markets she had picked, coupled with some good trending decisions she had made.

  She wondered if Marcus would be pleased she was nearing her 3% goal. Despite his joking with her about only hitting 2.9% so he could get access to her on demand, she was absolutely sure that money was the driving force in his life. The more the better. Why he needed any more was a mystery to her in truth. He could never spend all that he had, surely?

  The on demand issue would be a real problem now if she didn’t meet her target. She just had to get there.

  She shut everything down and tidied her desk and left for home. As she got on the DLR she thought she would stop in Stratford Westfield shopping centre on the way home and pick up a new dress. She had a few at home, but nothing smart or special enough for a Hilton do with a billionaire. She wanted to make a much better impression this time, rid his memory of that disgusting suit! Why on earth did she feel the need to look good for him? She told herself it was simply a matter of pride in her appearance, but she knew deep down inside there was another reason she didn’t want to think about or even admit to, especially not now.

  Chapter 13

  Later that evening, she had just finished getting ready and had put on her new shoes when she heard the door buzzer sound. The car was here a little early. “I’ll be five minutes” she announced in the intercom.

  “Rose, would you mind letting me in please” a familiar voice spoke back.

  “Oh, Marcus… Ermmm… Okay… Come up to the second floor” She pressed the entry button. Oh no! HE was here? Now? She thought she was being picked up by his driver… Her rather modest flat was quite untidy. She wasn’t the most organised of housekeepers at the best of times… She had left rather quickly that morning, she hadn’t bothered to titivate or even make the bed. Tonight’s clutter was all over the place. She gathered all the mess up in two armfuls and shoved it in the bedroom and shut the door and quickly arranged the essential pieces in the room. It was just about decent now. She stood behind the front door until she heard his footsteps outside and opened the door to let him in.

  “Well hello again Rose” … and what a different Rose she was!

  “Hello again Marcus…” Her mind couldn’t quite take in the hot vision of male beauty that made his way through her door. Could anyone ever look any better in an evening suit than he did? The accompanying masculine fragrance tipped her senses over the edge. She was sure he could bring women to their sexual peak just by standing close to them… he was having that kind of effect on her right now. She took a deep breath and pulled herself together as a rush of guilt consumed her. She really shouldn’t be feeling this way… not so soon after Harry and she had got it together… It was quite obscene, to be enjoying her work this much. She must be a very bad woman inside.

  “You look wonderful tonight… I see I didn’t need to check up on you after all!”

  “No, I’m quite capable of dressing myself up thank you”

  “Well, I wasn’t sure”

  “So, I’m suitably attired for your special occasion, am I?” she asked and smiled a little at him.

  “More than that, you are quite sensational!” His eyes took in every little detail … her glossy hair with its curled ends, strong make up including the perfect shade of cherry red lipstick, the ankle length, low cut figure hugging black dress with its satin trim and the high heeled black satin fashionable shoes. He couldn’t have put it together better himself. He’d seen a lot of beautiful women’s outfits in his time but this one was now firmly in the top ten in his mind. Maybe it was the person in it that made all the difference. His new fund manager was giving him a flash over.

  She was starting to think she had overdone it way too much. She had wanted to look smart, sleek but feminine and unlike the person he had first met. She had wanted to surprise him and be Miss brains and beauty. Well she’d certainly done that by the looks of it. She felt her dress might be just a touch too provocative judging on his expression and where his eyes were now apparently fixed. But it was done now. She would just have to be careful tonight.

  Work first… no extra duties coming up yet, if at all… a woman of her intelligence must surely be able to keep him at arm’s length.

  She picked up her bag and jacket. She turned her phone off and put it in her bag. She didn’t want to get any upsetting little messages popping up from Harry tonight. She would deal with all that tomorrow. Tonight she had to focus properly.

  She made her way to the awaiting car with Marcus and they sat together on the luxurious soft white leather seats. They set off for the Hilton and she was somewhat excited and at the same time somewhat nervous about what this evening had in store.

  “Rose I am obviously very pleased about my fund… I can’t tell you how impressed I am… but can tonight be a more personal affair? How do you feel about that?”

  “Well I was rather hoping this was strictly business Marcus. I want you to plug my company and my top notch fund management services to all your rich friends actually. Personal won’t do much for my bank balance, will it?”

  “Really Rose… you do have such a one track mind… do you think about money all the time?”

  “Marcus it’s my job…! And you are my brand new client. Let’s keep it that way just now. I have a task to complete… remember the 3%?”

  “So I don’t get to sample anything in advance?”

  “You’re assuming I won’t deliver Marcus, you may never get a sample in fact… Anyway I don’t do samples” … whatever samples were…

  “What do you do Rose? I’d like to know.”

  “I’ve told you what I do. In your office yesterday.”

  “No… Not your job description. What are you passionate about? Tell me.”

  “Why would you need to know about that?”

  “I’m interested in what my fund manager does to enjoy life, when she’s not making lots of money for me, that’s why…”

  “Well there are quite a few things I like…” She ramb
led off listing her likes and loves “watching sci fi movies… skiing, diving in the coral reefs, ice skating, lying in the sun on a white beach, hiking through the beautiful countryside, sailing, cute furry little animals, watching formula 1 live, extremely hot and spicy food, drinking champagne, expensive perfume, reading romantic fiction, dancing, Justin Timberlake, chart music… and there’s more…”

  “Well that’s quite a list Rose I must say and you like JT huh? I know him quite well. Perhaps you’d like to meet him sometime, when he’s next over here?”

  “I’d say!”

  “I can’t see the fascination with Justin myself. He’s quite ordinary really, isn’t he?”

  “Are you joking? And it’s not just his looks at all… You’re not female anyway, you’ll never get it”

  “Well apart from Justin, I like the sound of some of those. What your list is telling me is that you like a lot of action and you are preoccupied by your senses. Maybe we could indulge in some of your passions together, what do you say?” he couldn’t stop himself smirking as he said this.

  “Funny ha ha and yes, you are quite welcome to buy me a bottle of expensive perfume…” She had to admit Marcus looked raging hot when he had that naughty smiling expression on his face…

  “Maybe I will… So I have to wait another two working days to see the real you, do I?”

  “I guess so… maybe a lot longer, maybe never…. But what’s the problem? Call one of your super models if you’re lonely.”

  “Perhaps I want more than a super model has to offer”

  “Then double date two at once! Look Marcus, stop trying to chat me up. I’m not one of your silly besotted girls. I’m an educated business woman. I am out of your league.” Maybe that last comment was a little over the top.

  “My league is a very varied one actually. You have no idea what I’m like or what I want in life.”