Julia's Second Collection

by McAvoy, Bridy

  “How many today?”

  “I counted fourteen.”

  “I think you missed a couple. Those two in the far corner didn’t take their eyes off you the whole way.”

  “Call it sixteen then, but my record here is thirty-one heads turned.”

  Julia and Josie raised their glasses of coffee to her in silent salute and they all giggled. They all turned toward Andrea, waiting as the secretary took a sip of her coffee before carefully placing the cup down and leaning forward.

  “What? This is important, and confidential, okay? You didn’t hear this from me.”

  “Okay, okay. We’re all ears.”

  “Look, there’s some gossip.”

  “All this cloak and dagger stuff just for gossip?”

  Andrea shook her head. “No, it’s important. The whole of the third floor is buzzing with it, especially management. Simon’s been getting quite uptight.”

  “What about? Gossip?”

  “Yes. Specifically about you three.”

  “Us?”

  Julia looked around the table. Josie and Karen seemed to be just as shocked as she was.

  “Why the fuck does management get concerned about gossip surrounding three of its staff?”

  “Because the gossip involves another staff member, a male staff member who has been…shall we say…somewhat indiscreet.”

  “What sort of gossip?”

  “Well, you know how the top management frowns on relationships between staff…”

  Josie mouthed one word, about one second before Julia did. “Tom.”

  “I wasn’t going to name names.”

  “I’ll kill the scrawny little bastard!”

  All three of them turned to look at Karen’s face as the youngest member of the quartet exploded with anger.

  “Tom? You?”

  Karen frowned then took a deep breath. “Well, I could say the same about you two, couldn’t I?”

  Josie reached across the table and patted the woman’s hand. “Talk to us, sweetie.”

  “You remember the debacle of the casual dress Friday, six months back?”

  Julia blushed. Yes, she knew all about it, and she didn’t think Karen knew that was all her fault—well, a bit of Josie’s fault too. She was pretty sure Andrea was the only one who knew about the novel way her boss and Josie’s boss had handled the situation. Karen’s own indiscretion had been caught on the CCTV camera and she’d received a formal warning.

  Julia hoped her thoughts didn’t show on her face as Karen resumed talking. “Well, Tom told me he could get the warning toned down, if…”

  “Let me guess. …you went to his flat and, shall we say, performed for him.”

  Karen blushed. “Look, I needed the help. He is kinda handsome, and I was worried I’d lose my job.”

  “We’d already taken care of that.”

  “You had?”

  “Yeah. We argued them down to a warning that would expire after three months and not sit on your permanent record. By the time you found out about the CCTV footage, the fix was already in. Tom had nothing to do with it.”

  Karen sat there open-mouthed for a few seconds. “I’ll kill him. I’ll fucking kill him.”

  Andrea was watching the byplay between the three women. “Did he pull something like that with you, Julia? You’re a married woman.”

  Julia bit her lip and slowly nodded. She’d admit to that one, but not the event following the Christmas party a couple of months later. That little hotel room gangbang might be one of Max’s favorite fantasies, but she’d happily forget it.

  “You too, Josie?”

  “Yeah. About a year ago. I knew about Julia. I didn’t know about you, Karen. I wonder how many others he’s pulled that one, or something similar, with.”

  “The slimy little bastard!”

  Julia joined Josie in looking at Andrea, surprised at her outburst, but the executive secretary just blushed and said nothing. Julia picked up the thread of the conversation. “So what’s he been saying?”

  “Not a lot, but I gather he’s been boasting in the wrong ear. You know how management gets, and they’re uptight over this warehouse bonus thing as it is.”

  Josie spoke up for all of them. “So what are we going to do about our loose-lipped accounting supervisor?”

  * * * *

  “Come on. Spit it out. I’m not talking about the lasagna. You haven’t actually put any of it in your mouth for the last ten minutes. Since it’s your favorite, and I’ve eaten mine without dying, so there’s nothing wrong with it, there’s something bugging you. Talk to me, honey.”

  She looked up at Max, seeing the concern written large on his face and dropped her fork to the plate. He was right. She was chasing the food around and around the plate. She just had no appetite.

  “Trouble at work.”

  “Well, tell me then.”

  “Let’s get a bit more comfortable first, okay?”

  He chuckled. “If that’s code for telling me you want to change into something slinky, see-through, or outrageously sexy, that’s fine by me.” He paused, sensing her lack of reaction. “And if that means nothing more than snuggling up on the couch, that’s also fine with me. Why don’t you go through to the den while I clear away?”

  “I’ll help.”

  “No. Den. You go. Now.”

  “You don’t have to use words of one syllable like that.” She frowned at him.

  Max just laughed. “That’s more response out of you than I’ve managed to get for half an hour. Go and sit down, honey. I’ll be through in two minutes. Would you prefer wine or whiskey?”

  “On an empty stomach, I suppose I should say wine.”

  “But whiskey by preference, so whiskey it is.”

  She sank onto the couch and leaned her head back. She hadn’t been able to concentrate on work at all during the afternoon and she’d felt dispirited, almost depressed about the way things were starting to implode on her. Tom had promised to keep his mouth shut—but obviously he hadn’t—and on top of that he seemed to have pulled similar stunts with her friends at work. Even Andrea. She hadn’t exactly admitted it, but it had been implied, if not alluded to. The fact Julia wasn’t the only one just made it worse.

  Max joined her five minutes later, a large tumbler of whiskey in each hand. The slight color change between them told her he’d watered his. She always drank hers neat. There again, it was mid-week and, if she was honest, drinking wasn’t the best idea. After the revelation at lunchtime, her perception of that had changed a little.

  Once in possession of the glass she took a long swig, feeling the burn as it travelled down to her stomach. Leaning across, she placed her glass on the side table next to her then turned. Max, his sixth sense working overtime, had already put his own glass down, so was able to wrap both arms around her as she hurled herself at him.

  Over the next half an hour, in between sobbing, she told him the whole story, before finishing curled under the warm protection of his arm. Max sat silently for a while, and Julia had to admit that pouring it all out, even including the tears, made her feel better about things.

  Max hugged her then used his free hand to tilt her chin up. His lips felt warm and comforting as he gently kissed her. “Better?”

  “I must look a fright.”

  “You do, but that’s not what I asked. I asked if you felt better?”

  “Yeah. Thanks.”

  “Your make-up can always be repaired, but at this time of night, removal is probably a better option.”

  She allowed herself a smile. Typical bloody engineer—practical answer for anything and any situation. “But what am I going to do about Tom?”

  He shrugged. “Get your own back, what else? Only, you do it in such a way he has no comeback, and make sure he knows if he tried, he’d be high and dry.”

  “How the hell do I know the answer to that?”

  He shrugged. “Given the inventive way you tend to manage your life outside of the marriage, I�
��m sure you can come up with an answer.”

  “What? Tie him up and fuck him to death.”

  “I thought you wanted to get even, not provide him with a perfect exit strategy.”

  She was deep in thought, only just registering his words, her own quip having fallen on fertile ground. She fell silent for a couple of minutes and then allowed a slow smile to cross her face.

  “What if we could?”

  “Could what?”

  “Tie him up, and leave him gagging for it.”

  “Oh, not kill him then?”

  “Death would be too good for him.”

  He laughed and she couldn’t help the infectious grin she answered him with.

  “That’s my girl. What are you thinking?”

  “Just the germ of an idea at the moment. I need to let it grow a bit…talk to the others.”

  “Something devious and, therefore, interesting then.”

  “Yeah. Don’t worry. I’m not going to break any laws.”

  “Glad to hear that.”

  “Hell, he might even enjoy the beginning…just not the end result.”

  “Come on, spill.”

  She shook her head. “Best you don’t know the details, I think. I need to talk to Josie, maybe even Karen, too.”

  “Not Andrea?”

  “No. If she was in a room with him tied up, the first thing she’d reach for would be a knife. After that it would get kind of messy.”

  “I bet.”

  “You’re a lifesaver, darling. Now, are you going to let me make it up to you?”

  “How?”

  She tiptoed her fingers across his chest. “You give me ten minutes to remove the makeup, and then change into something—what did you call it?—more comfortable. Then lock up and come upstairs. I’ve got something you’ll want.”

  “You have something I always want, and you know it, minx!”

  “Stud! Ten minutes.”

  Max grinned at her. “Deal.”

  * * * *

  It took two days of hurried conversations, whispers in corridors, and late night telephone conversations but then they had a plan. Since Max was away for three days again the following week, leaving on Monday, they set Tuesday as their target and it was all down to Julia to bait the hook, and then reel in their fish.

  “You okay, girlfriend?”

  Julia looked up from where she’d been pretending to morosely stare into her coffee.

  “Yeah. I suppose, Josie. I suppose.”

  “Come on. What’s got you down?”

  “You know. Max is away again next week.”

  “Shit! Does that guy ever not fly out of town? He’s got more air miles than Boeing.”

  “I get, you know…and well, he’s away.”

  “Horny?”

  “Keep your voice down.” Julia lifted her gaze above Josie’s head and stared straight into Tom’s eyes. She blushed as she caught him staring at her with an expression that, at best, could only be described as lusty. At worst—well, even her shiver wasn’t feigned.

  “Sorry, but you do, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, but…well, he’ll call me every evening this trip to make sure I’m home. I think he might suspect…”

  “You’re shitting me, girl. He doesn’t suspect a thing.”

  Julia rolled her eyes and moved her head closer to Josie’s. “You know that time we went out on a Friday night…”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, I think he heard a rumor about me and Ted…”

  It was all Julia could do not to laugh—that part was entirely fabrication. That night Josie had hooked up with a guy named Ted, Julia had been on her best behavior and nothing happened between her and the guy who tried to pick her up. Which had been a good thing as it had turned out—he was Max’s new boss. Max hadn’t been pleased and had wreaked a punishment on both of them. Memories of that made her shudder again. She hoped her performance was giving Tom the impression of a woman in heat.

  They left the conversation there, and over the rest of the week Julia caught Tom looking at her several times. He didn’t, however, make any approach. When he did speak to her about work matters, he kept the conversation purely work related, although she did notice he seemed to be eyeing her up more, leaning over to get a peek down her top, or standing back staring at her legs. A real lecherous leer, creepy even, but she didn’t, couldn’t, react. She’d deliberately been more provocative in her wardrobe choices—a more revealing blouse that gaped at the neck as she moved, and a skirt with a side split that ran a little too high. Nothing outrageous, but enough to convey a message.

  It was Monday before Tom approached her in the break room. “How’s things?”

  “So, so, I guess. You?”

  “Pretty good. What’s dragging you down then? Max away again?”

  She sighed. “Yeah.”

  He looked around the break room, making sure there was nobody else there. It was so theatrical she almost laughed out loud but caught herself just in time.

  “Well, if you need a stand-in…”

  “A stand-in?”

  “You know…a little…relief.”

  “Tom!”

  He laughed. “Why not? You did before.”

  “I can’t, not tonight.”

  He chuckled. “Why? Washing your hair?”

  “No.”

  “Pity. I’d come and help, you know. I’m an expert in making a woman’s hair fly around as she cums.”

  “Tom, stop it.”

  “Why? You’re horny. I know that. You know that. We’ve been good together in the past. I remember watching you shimmy out of that little Charleston flapper dress in the hotel…”

  “Stop it.”

  “Well? You know I can sex you up, baby.”

  He was being so corny she almost blew it there and then by laughing.

  “As I said, I can’t. Not tonight.”

  “Then how about tomorrow?”

  “Don’t you ever give up?”

  Karen walked into the break room and went straight for the coffee machine right next to Tom. Tom smiled at her and nodded to Julia as if they’d just been discussing a work thing rather than him desperately trying to get into her pants.

  As soon as he left the room, Julia put her hand over her mouth and sagged against the wall, giggling with helpless, almost hysterical laughter.

  “That good?”

  “Poor sucker.”

  “Is it on, then?”

  Julia shook her head. “No, not yet, but it will be. Your timing was perfect. Tomorrow his ass is ours.”

  Throughout Tuesday morning, Julia was careful to keep looking Tom’s way. If he lifted his head and caught her eye she’d quickly look down and away, thinking of something that would make her blush. Sometimes he was looking at her, in which case she’d bite her lip and then look away.

  By lunchtime the fish was all the way on the hook.

  “So are you going to come round to my place for a bit of fun?”

  “Tom!”

  “Well?”

  “No. I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, even though there was nobody else within earshot. Tom leaned closer.

  “I told you, Max will ring me at home. If I’m not there all hell will break loose. I’m not going to risk that.”

  He pouted then brightened. It was such a transparent act she found it hard not to giggle. “Well, how about I come around to see you, sex you up at home?”

  “I can’t do that.” She hoped her breathless look, the way she bit her lip and dropped her eye line as she blinked, would convey the right message. “What if he rang while we were…you know?”

  “If the phone rings I’ll be quiet as a mouse. Now, how about it? You know we’re so good together.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Sure you do.”

  She raised her gaze and stared him straight in the face. “Look, Tom…I…”

  “You w
hat?”

  “I’d like to but…”

  “But what?”

  “I guess you could say, since that night in the hotel I’ve been…well…a little kinkier?”

  “Kinkier? You mean different positions?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “Well, tell me what you mean then.”

  “Like…cuffs, ropes…you know…”

  “You want me to tie you up?”

  “Shush! Not so loud.” He’d made sure nobody could hear, but the protest gave it an authentic ring.

  “Sorry.”

  “No. I don’t like being tied up.”

  It took a few seconds for the meaning to sink in.

  “You want to tie me up, is that it?”

  She bit her lip again. “Yeah. I kinda like to be in control…then lose it, you know?”

  She watched as he dropped his hand to the front of his trousers and adjusted his sudden erection. He didn’t even seem fazed by her watching him doing it. If anything, her watching him had made his grin wider still. Julia knew she had him now.

  “So you want to do that. tonight?”

  Julia dipped her head as if ashamed of what she was suggesting to him, but inside she was elated. The idea of having Tom right where she, and the others, wanted him, to teach him a lesson, sent a spike of arousal rocketing through her system. Her nipples peaked inside her thin top, and through her half-lowered lashes she could see he was noticing them. The arousal brought a flush to her cheeks, and his observation of her taut breasts sent a shudder down her back. It was perfect. He was hers for the taking.

  Julia bit her lip and nodded.

  “That’s fine by me, baby. I’m up for anything. Shall we say seven?”

  She shook her head. “No, if I’m going to…well, you know…I want to look right, so I need time for a shower, my hair…” She lifted a hand to her red locks and bounced a handful of curls in the time-honored flirting movement. Her voice dropped in pitch. “…and my underwear.”

  “So what time, sweetheart?”

  “Make it eight, and do not get there early. Give me time. Besides, that way I might have got Max’s call out of the way.”