The Reconstruction of Cyprian

by Michelle Love

  Douchebag. No way in hell was he working here.

  “I wasn’t into either of them,” I said casually as they all stared at me.

  “What the fuck, Damon? She’s great, and that track record is flawless. She’s a hire, not just an intern.” Ryan argued as I took a sip from my cup.

  “Elisa was young and Pete…seemed like an asshole,” I said as I stared at the table.

  “Last I checked, they’re college students and naturally younger than we are,” Brent pointed out as I tried to find someone else to bring up instead. Inside of my heart, I knew that it wasn’t going to happen.

  “Elisa is hot, but we know the rules here. Don’t shit where you eat. She’s fantastic,” Ryan acknowledged as I fought not to give him the same look that I gave Pete.

  A couple of delivery guys that we knew brought in trays of food and some plates and my managers reacted enthusiastically. I was the last to get my plate and fill it with a few pieces of sushi before I sat at the end of the table. “So we’re all on board with Elisa, right?” Ryan checked and slowly looked at me.

  I had to think of the company and nodded slowly as I chewed around some salmon. Once I’d swallowed, I spoke up about Pete. “I don’t want him, though. He was a dick in the elevator, and I didn’t like him at all.”

  “Okay, he’s off the list. We’ll finish up today and see if we can find a second.” Brent said as he slipped another roll into his mouth. We lingered for a while in there, not wanting to be back doing more interviews. The guys were probably just tired in general. I was thinking nonstop about Elisa and what I could do to have her work here without running into her.

  Interns generally worked on the fifth floor with the teams, right in the action. While the managers had offices on this floor, they spent lots of time down there whereas I didn’t necessarily have to. I could cut back how much I was down there, and it could work. Hell, I was the CEO and could send emails all day and jack off if I wanted to. There was stuff for me to do that was less involved.

  The other interviews passed in a blur and we called it quits at four o clock. They were talking about a guy named Devin that seemed great for the company and from what I could remember, he was. I agreed just to be able to get to my office and be alone for a moment, though I wasn’t certain why.

  At least we didn’t have to suffer through this again tomorrow. I walked in and closed my door as I trudged to the desk with my shoulders tense and aching. I needed a drink. I needed a massage. I needed to come and get this out of my system, and I dropped into my seat and pulled out my phone. I set up a private massage in a local room that I used for such events and headed over there to shower and pour some scotch to ease my mind. Sharon was a good masseuse and familiar with me. She wouldn’t mind working naked and letting me pinch her ass before she gave me one of the best hand jobs to date. Sharon would probably do anything that I wanted her to since I tipped so well on top of paying her fee.

  I answered the door with a towel wrapped around my waist about two glasses of scotch into the night. She gave me a curious look with her topaz eyes that were done in dark makeup, and her hair was blonde and brown now. “That’s quite the welcome, Damon. I can’t say you’re not ready, though.”

  I let her in and watched her move towards the bed as she lay down the thick towel that she used to protect the blankets from the oils that she used. Sharon was dressed in a tiny black skirt and boots that she removed before she placed her jacket on a chair. Her shirt was a thin tank top that hinted at her red lace bra, and I pressed my lips together.

  “Take everything off,” I growled as she looked up at me with wary eyes. She looked into my face, probably to make sure I was sane and not going to turn into a serial killer on her before her eyes drifted to my cock tenting against the towel. “I’m just incredibly horny, Sharon. I don’t want to hurt you, at least any more than usual.”

  I could see that my words turned her on, and she removed her clothing with eager hands as she told me to get on the bed. She loved the tease of a sensual massage, and I jerked the towel off and moved onto my stomach as the need to come throbbed between my legs. I smelled her oils as she slicked them over her hands, a mix of peppermint and citrus as she stroked my muscled back with firm hands.

  Once she was beside me, working my shoulders I reached over and palmed her ass as Sharon moaned. I gripped hard, and she fumbled against my skin before she found my neck and rubbed it hard. I hated that I pictured Elisa standing there and closed my eyes as I massaged her before finding her clit with my hand. I wasn’t normally this forward and almost always made it about me but fuck if I wanted to hear a woman come tonight, even if it wasn’t the right one.

  Sharon grabbed at me as I stroked and teased her with my thick finger, crawling on the bed to part her legs further for me as slid a long thick digit inside of her. She rocked against me, and I pictured Elisa with her skin flushed and her lips parted when I heard her moan my name.

  She came with a wash of warmth over my fingers and pushed me over onto my back, forgetting all about the oils. “Mother fucker, what’s gotten into you? Normally you’re good for a hand job after a mostly professional massage but that? That was hot.” She bowed her head over me and took my cock into her mouth as I pulled her closer by her hair.

  “Eat my cock, Sharon. I want you choking on it,” I murmured as I let my imagination take over for me, replacing Elsa in every image.

  Elisa

  I heard my alarm go off too early in the morning, considering I’d been dreaming inappropriately of Damon all night. I was with him an hour tops if you combined both times during the day but there was something there. Every man in there was young and good-looking, but he made an impression in the elevator even though I wasn’t sure what happened in there.

  If I had a room of my own, I’d just get myself off and sleep all day, but I was me. I would go to class and do the right thing, groaning softly as I made my way out of bed to try and sneak in a quick shower. It wasn’t easy in an apartment with five girls, and I needed it after sweating all night. I rushed back into the room in a towel to pull on some jeans and a comfortable sweater, way over being modest by now in front of Melody. My hair was half dry, and I tugged it into a ponytail before I grabbed my backpack and headed out of the door.

  My phone rang somewhere in the depths of my bag as I locked the door and I almost didn’t answer it, but I remembered the interview. It was utterly presumptuous to think it was Elkus or even Damon calling. It hadn’t been twenty-four hours, and I wasn’t sure if the panel went that well if I was honest. I was nervous and felt like I was babbling through the entire thing.

  I didn’t get calls from a lot of people, though.

  I slid the bag to the ground and dug around my front pocket for the phone, not even looking at it as it rang a fourth time. “Hello,” I breathed into the phone as I struggled to get the keys into a pocket.

  “Can I speak to Elisa Moore?” The voice was masculine and calm as I tried to determine if it was Damon.

  “Yes, it is,” I replied as I bent over and got everything I needed before walking to the bus stop. A car wasn’t happening even with a scholarship and a little money. My mom barely had a vehicle that worked so she could get to work at the local Walmart.

  “This is Brent from Elkus Manfredi. We met yesterday.” Brent. Cute blonde guy but not the greatest guy that I’d ever seen.

  “Good morning, Brent. How are you?” I asked as I waited anxiously.

  “I’m excellent. I’m pleased to be able to offer you a position as an intern here, working with my brilliant team. You made it.” He sounded happy, and I felt my mouth drop open, reminding me how chapped my lips were feeling.

  “Oh sh…wow. That’s wonderful,” I corrected myself quickly and smiled. “Thank you so much!”

  “There’s the usual paperwork to be done, so if you could come in soon to sort through that it would be great. I’d like to get you started as quickly as possible,” Brent told me as I fast forwarded through
my day.

  “I can drop by this afternoon. Will that work?” I asked, and I heard him tapping on something.

  “Perfect. Ask for me where you checked in for the interview and we’ll get you started. I’m looking forward to making you a part of my team.” Brent ended the call, and I sat down on the bench at the bus stop as I stared forward for a long moment.

  This was surreal. I was going to be working at Elkus Manfredi. Well, not working but closer to that than I was before. I watched as my bus pulled up and stood up with an impulsive spin on my toes before I blushed and got on with a nervous giggle. I found a seat in the middle and reached for my phone as I googled the place that I’d be interning at soon. I clicked around their site and found staff listings and read through it, looking for Damon’s name. I’d forgotten his last name, but he’d mumbled the first when he introduced himself the day of the interview.

  There it was! I read down and looked at his picture for a blissful moment before my eyes widened, and I gasped. Damon was the CEO? He looked to be in his late twenties at the oldest. I slumped back into my seat and sighed before I shook my head. A girl like me doesn’t have a shot with Damon as a regular architect, much less anything else. I surrendered the fantasy that I had for a fleeting moment and kept reading about the company as I pushed Damon to the back of my mind.

  It was a good company with a great future as I already knew. I would get wonderful benefits if I were hired, an excellent wage and a lot of perks. I thought back to the interview and tried to recall my impressions of the panel. While they were guys in suits, they seemed friendly and welcoming towards me, willing to help me as needed. All of them had been talkative apart from Damon, and I wondered if he just assisted in the decision making.

  Did Damon choose me?

  I watched as we approached the beautiful buildings and sat up and took a deep breath. This internship is what mattered. My future and being able to help with my mother is what mattered. Not some school girl fantasy about Damon, who could have anyone and probably did. Some of those girls were beautiful at the office, if not a bit cold. He was probably some seductive player that could melt panties with just a breath. The idea made me laugh, and I waited until the bus stopped before I got off and followed the cluster of students on the campus.

  I thought a lot about the internship and what it could mean for me during the three classes that I had that day, which wasn’t the best idea. Everything moved fast at school, and I would end up jobless if I blew school off, so that needed to stop. I forced myself back into the moment and took some better notes and paid attention until I was leaving for the day.

  I caught the bus again to go downtown towards the Elkus building as I looked at my clothes doubtfully. I was just doing paperwork, and this would give me a chance to see what the dress code would be for me as well as a few other things. It was all right to go straight from school this time.

  I hoped that I didn’t have to dress like I did for the interview every day since that could get expensive.

  I got off at the stop across the street and walked over as I stared at the building. It was exciting to think that I’d be spending my time here after all of my hard work. I glanced over to see Damon walking with a girl that had multi-colored hair in shades of blonde and brown that looked upset as she talked to him. He seemed frustrated, and I watched as he swung his head around and met my gaze as I looked away and rushed into the building.

  I nearly ran to the elevators, bypassing the desk this time and slipped inside of an empty one as I watched Damon enter the building alone. The doors closed, and I jerked as it moved up and hoped that I’d avoid him today, at least. He was too gorgeous to even deal with.

  I made my way to the desk on the sixth floor and asked for Brent as she looked me over. Same girl with the same expression, making me think that it was a good thing that I wasn’t here to make friends. She typed something into the computer and told me to sit down in the same chairs. I walked over and looked out of the windows, comfortable in my jeans and converse today, feeling like myself. The other day was uncomfortable but today I was here after seeing all of the other people interviewing.

  I’d made it.

  Brent came out in Docker style black pants and a blue button-up that matched his dark blue eyes, smiling and welcoming me with a handshake. He seemed casual and comfortable today as he led me to the corner of the building and into his office. It was spacious with a fantastic view, and he watched me take it all in with wide eyes. “It’s nice, isn’t it? You’ll have a view in the rooms that you’re working in on the fifth floor as well.”

  “Good. I love this,” I said as I sat down in the seat across from him and smiled. “I’m sorry. This is just…overwhelming.”

  “You earned it. Everything about you impressed us yesterday, Elisa. You’ll be a great fit here.” Brent reached for a folder and smiled ruefully as he handed me a pen. There was a lot of the common information needed that I wrote in carefully as he typed something on his computer. I noticed a section asking for tax information and asked him about it as he smiled at me. “That’s for later if you get hired. We like to have information on file.”

  “Okay,” I replied as I filled it out and moved on to the next paper. It seemed like forever before I was finished but realistically, it might have been an hour or so. Brent gave me a tour of the sixth floor and took me down to the fifth to show me where my break room was located. He also showed me where the restrooms were, introduced me to the team that I’d be working with and gave me a badge to get in.

  My schedule was based on school, so I’d be working a few afternoons and one full day on the weekend. He made sure that I was fine with that and I loved the idea. Everyone on the team was so kind and enthusiastic so it would be great to spend time with them learning. There was a part of me that wanted to ask him why the receptionists were so bitchy, but I bit my tongue.

  I left with a smile and hope for my future, knowing that I had a four-hour shift the following day.

  Damon

  Sharon was a pain in the ass today. Things got out of hand the other night, and we fucked, which was something that I started to regret, It was never my intention to go that far with her.

  Apparently, she got attached in the process and suggested seeing one another on a more serious basis, which I immediately dismissed. I didn’t date like that, and I only fucked her because I was so turned on by Elisa.

  Of course, the sex was good for her. I knew what I was doing, and she liked things rough, but a relationship wasn’t happening between us. It was turning into a fight as I headed back to work from a late lunch and I looked away for a moment, only to see Elisa going into the building.

  Our building…one we would be sharing. She was officially an intern and more than likely here to fill out her paperwork. Shit, she looked younger today, and I felt my body respond. “Sharon, I have to get back to work,” I said as I looked into her angry face. “You’re a massage therapist, and I seriously doubt that you’ve never fucked a guy before. You had your hand on my cock since the very first time.”

  “You’re such an asshole. I don’t sleep with clients, Damon. I thought that you wanted something more with me when we did that.” Sharon looked like she was going to cry and I shook my head.

  “I don’t do relationships at all. Not with you or anybody else,” I told her before I turned to hurry into the building. Elisa had run in after I met her gaze and I wanted to catch up with her. I threw away the idea of seeing Sharon again for a massage, but there were plenty of girls out there for that. I could replace her with another warm body. That didn’t matter right now though because I wanted to see Elisa.

  I was just walking towards the elevators and watching the door close with her inside when someone called out my name. I turned to see one of the investors approaching me with a smile, and I smiled back as I cursed him silently. We shook hands as he launched into his business and I faked that I was intent on his every word.

  We scheduled a lunch the following w
eek to go over one of the events, and I told him to call me to remind me. I was a busy man and in the state of mind that I was in, I could easily forget and fuck up my company.

  Finally, I went upstairs and took a look around. Elisa was gone, and I resisted the urge to check Brent’s office since he’d chosen her for his team. There was a fight over it yesterday, but Brent won with his seniority over the others. He was thrilled afterward when he followed me to my office and closed the door with a cocky smile. “She is going to rock the team, Damon.”

  “I agree with that. She had an impressive history,” I fed him the general talk as I walked behind my desk and looked over the city.

  “I’m going to call her tomorrow and set up the paperwork,” Brent told me as I looked at him. “I want her to start.”

  I knew that Brent had a steady girlfriend, but I couldn’t help but wonder if he was interested in Elisa. Ryan was the one that pointed out that she was hot, but Brent would have a direct link to her, and I felt something inside of me that I was unfamiliar with.

  Jealousy. Fuck that. I wasn’t a jealous man.

  We decided that Ryan would get Devin on his team, who was right up there with Elisa, only as a Harvard student. He would be a good fit as well and seemed like he had a natural personality.

  Everything was set, and I could focus on running the company even though I wanted to focus on Elisa.

  I came back to the present as I went into my office and sighed. I probably wouldn’t see her too much, and this would fade away.

  I tried to do some work on the computer and made a few phone calls, including taking the one regarding my upcoming lunch. Lincoln was persistent, or maybe he sensed that I was distracted. Who knows?

  I stayed past six and finally gave up on trying to work. I headed out, finding the building emptier than when I arrived. The sky was darkening as I walked out of the building and walked towards the car that was parked at the curb. I slipped inside and saw Mark look back at me. “Early night for you, Boss man.”