Right, I was washing up so I looked slightly less like I was doing the walk of shame. I grabbed one of the white, fluffy squares that were folded nicely in an overly expensive cabinet, then the complimentary soap. Except it wasn’t just a bar or a tiny bottle, it was a fancy, full sized thing that I recognized as being really expensive from the one time I had treated myself with a birthday gift card at the mall.
Geeze, rich people were wild.
Shaking my head, I focused back on my task. I soaked the washcloth with warm water, pressing it to my face gently at first. It felt lovely against my skin, just soaking up all the heat and sweat from me, before I rinsed it out again and started wiping vigorously. I didn’t have a hairbrush with me, but I did keep extra elastic bands in my car. At least then I would be able to bundle up my hair for the drive home. I finished scrubbing my face and splashed some more water over it before looking myself over. Well, there wasn’t much else I could do about my appearance without a long shower and several beauty supplies, so I should just get dressed and head out.
I internally bemoaned the fact that I didn’t have any other clothes on me. It was very obvious that I would be doing the walk of shame and I wasn’t exactly excited about it. I’d never imagined myself walking out of a hotel room with a bare face, sex-rumpled hair and a gown that was clearly meant for an event from the evening before. But that was the boat I was stuck in, so I might as well run with it.
And by run, I meant shimmy into my shapewear then proceed with the rest of the process.
It basically felt like a very quiet work out, but a solid five minutes later and I felt confident enough to leave the room.
I peered back at Michael, who had shifted to the middle of the bed. My heart ached and for a moment I contemplated to leave him a note. He had been so gentlemanly, so good, that it felt a bit wrong to give him the slip.
But then I remembered that he was my boss and also maybe possibly engaged and I really just wanted to go home and soak in the tub before I died of embarrassment.
I shook my head of the thoughts and double checked I had everything before I opened the door and walked out.
I made it all the way to the elevator before looking over my shoulder, wondering if the handsome man would come swooping out to scold me for my transgressions. But the doors remained closed and just a moment later my elevator had arrived.
I stepped inside, letting out a long breath. I was in the clear. All I had to do-
The elevator came to a halt, the doors sliding open to reveal two very familiar faces.
Crap. Jim from accounting and Pamela from sales. They looked me over, Jim’s face remaining cordial but Pamela’s curling into a knowing grin.
“On your way home?” she asked, looking pleased as punch.
I nodded, not daring to say anything, and suddenly I was very aware of the hickeys all along my neck. The same pride I had felt for them earlier faded, replaced with only shame. God, I was such an idiot. Of course, I would run into someone from work.
“On your way down?” Jim asked, perfectly polite and neutral. I had always liked Jim.
I nodded, swallowing hard.
But Pamela just let out a thoughtful sound. “Going down, huh? Funny, I thought the only floors above us were penthouse sui-”
She was cut off as Jim cleared his throat, but I was already swimming in my misery. They knew. I had thought I could slip out and no one would know about me being all sweaty and naked underneath my boss, but they knew.
And maybe if just Jim knew it might just stay between him and me, but Pamela loved to talk. Not maliciously, of course, but I could already see some grand story forming behind her eyes. I might as well erect a billboard right outside of our office declaring myself the tramp of my division. The one who climbed the corporate ladder horizontally.
No! I was too young for that. I still had my whole career ahead of me, but I knew if word got out, those things stuck forever. I’d heard so many stories of women who’d never actually slept with anyone having to deal with such frustrations, what it would be like for me, someone who actually had slept with their superior?
I stood there, fuming at myself as we rode the elevator down in silence. Two more people joined us, heavy luggage in hand, but thankfully no one else from work.
While none of them had known that I was a virgin -that wasn’t really something I discussed in a workplace environment, it was pretty known that I was a bit of a prude.
By the time the elevator finally reached the office, I was burning with mortification. I rushed out and headed to where I had left my car in the garage, resisting the urge to mutter to myself the entire way. My cheeks felt like they were on fire, and not in the good way like they had the previous day. No, it was bad. Bad, bad, bad.
It was against protocol to be in a relationship with a coworker without signing some HR disclosure thing, and fraternization between managers and underlings was strictly forbidden. I knew that. I knew that! And yet I had just launched myself off that particular cliff, hadn’t I? And I was pretty sure that sleeping with the literal owner of the company was a step or two above that. Or, ya know, and entire flight of stairs.
I made it to my car and had a lovely session of self-degrading comments to myself as I drove to my small apartment to the poorer side of the city. It was a one bedroom -a step up from the room for rent I had towards the end of my mom’s life so I could be close to the hospital- but it wasn’t much to look at. Even so, it was home, and it was safe, and I felt like when I was inside, I would finally be able to think.
Opening my door, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. Stripping out of my clothes, I leaned against the closed door, trying not to think of how I had been pressed up against the wall in a similar fashion the previous night.
But the memories poured in anyways, making me flush, and I felt like I had to mentally drop kick those thoughts away so I could get back to the matter at hand.
The matter being that I had lost my virginity to the CEO and owner and all-around rich playboy at my place of work.
Good Lord, I had really messed up.
I wasn’t going to solve anything leaning against the wall, however, so I headed to the bathroom. Although I had done a quick sink bath in the penthouse, I felt like I needed a really good scrub. I turned the water up almost as hot as it could go and proceeded to take a long a steamy shower while I rationalized what had happened and all of the consequences that would come from it.
Okay, maybe it was a dick move to leave him without saying goodbye, but as far as I knew, one-night stands were supposed to end while it was still night. I’d heard horror stories about folks who had overstayed their welcome and I didn’t want to be that. I was sure that Michael was going to go back to acting as if I didn’t exist. I wasn’t anything special. Just a convenient hook up.
But it was hard not to feel special as I washed myself up, my hand ghosting over my still tender-center. If I closed my eyes, I could still see him kneeling there in front of me, as if I was his last meal and he was going to enjoy every moment of it. I could envision his face over mine as he pounded into me.
Ugh. No. I was not going to be one of those virginal type that pined over the man who she took her first roll with. He was good to me, he made it a fun time. And that was that.
Unsurprisingly, the shower brought me little relief and all too soon it went cold, leaning me to step out and towel myself off with just as much misery and confusion that I went in with. I changed into a pair of comfy pajama pants I’d had for a good seven years that still somehow fit, and a shirt I got in freshman year of college. I wanted to be comfortable as I thought.
I flopped onto my bed, arm over my eyes. I tried to think of going back to work, tried to picture it into my mind, but every time it played out it was something bad. Sometimes it was awkward stares. Sometimes it was inappropriate come on’s by my other coworkers who heard I’d spread my legs for the boss man. A couple of times it was HR firing me. No matter how I calculated it, nothing came
up Anabelle.
And right about then I realized that I couldn’t go back. I just couldn’t.
I wasn’t going to be let myself known as the office slut. It would follow me around forever. No, what I needed to do was get out and fast. Remove myself before the roots of any rumor could even set. After all, maybe it was a little manipulative, but since Jim and Pamela had seen me leaving Michael’s room, I had no doubt the rich man would do everything within his power to make it seem like he hadn’t bedded me and chased me out.
I hesitated for a moment. If I chose that route, I knew there was a chance of him looking like the bad guy and that made me feel more than a bit guilty. But at the same time, I couldn’t see another way. He was already a billionaire and beloved in his community. I was just a brand new worker who hadn’t even been there a year and spent more of her time editing emails from her manager than doing anything productive.
No. I had to go. Start somewhere fresh and, more importantly, never sleep with a coworker again. Maybe I would give up on sex altogether. Sure, it had been real nice, but maybe there was a convent with an open position somewhere.
Alright, I’d made up my mind. Sitting up, I grabbed my laptop and opened up my work email.
Ho boy, how was I going to go about this? I wanted to make it not sound suspicious, but I didn’t think there was a way to not sound suspicious considering the circumstances.
Rubbing my temples, I made up some lie that an emergency came up and I would use the rest of my vacation days to cover my two weeks’ notice. I didn’t quite ask, I more told, but whatever. It wasn’t like I had to be polite considering I was leaving.
When I finished, I sat back and looked at my screen. Funny, how a little square was holding something so important, and I wondered if maybe I was rushing things a little. Maybe I should sit back and…
No. I knew what I needed mentally, even if it wasn’t a very nice thing to do. I had made a mistake and I was going to pay for it, but I was going to pay for it on my terms. The email stared back at me as I read it over and over. It was professional and I didn’t think anyone would suspect my lie. With a shaky breath, I clicked send and with that, I was done.
I had just quit my job.
I allowed myself exactly one minute to breathe in and out, eyes closed as I imagined my path in front of me. I’d been through plenty worse, and I would get through this. Besides, a new job was always exciting.
A new tab opened, and I began to search for places I could apply. I wouldn’t last long without some sort of income after all. My mother hadn’t been able to leave me anything, almost everything of her sold to cover her treatment and other gaps in her insurance, but since her death I’d been able to save up a little. A very little. I figured -as long as HR honored my vacation time-I could go one month without a paycheck from a new job.
Considering hiring times and start dates and pay schedules, that certainly wasn’t a lot of wiggle room. Tucking my head down, I soon had lists upon lists with openings laid out before me. I was ready to jump into it and move on.
Mistakes were in the past and I only had my future ahead of me.
6
Michael
I woke with a low grumble and sunlight in my eyes. I felt so contented, so recharged that I didn’t want to move even with the persistent beam of illumination right on my face.
I felt good. Relaxed. Untroubled about my day and what was to come. I couldn’t recall feeling that way since before my father suddenly died, and it was a nice relief.
Eventually, however, consciousness began to grow more insistent and I was aware that my bladder was getting pretty adamant that I get up and relieve it. I hadn’t gone to the bathroom after sex, which usually I was pretty good about, so I wasn’t exactly surprised at the unwelcome pressure.
But still, I wasn’t ready to quite get out of bed yet. Not when I felt so blissfully unconcerned. Smiling, I rolled over to greet Belle only to find an empty, cold space.
What!?
I sat up in alarm and looked around the room. The clock read one-thirty pm. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept so long or well. It was particularly unlike me, especially considering that Belle and I had passed out only a little after midnight.
That was an awfully long time to expect her to stay in the bed with me, so maybe she had already gotten up and ordered lunch for herself. The room service menu was right out in the open, and although I hadn’t told her so, she was more than welcome to it.
Or maybe she was just taking a shower in the neat water-fall bedroom they had, or swimming in the pool that was halfway in the party-area of the place and halfway outside, overlooking the city.
She hadn’t brought a bathing suit though, which meant she would be skinny dipping. That thought made my dick perk up in interest and I just chuckled at myself. Even after last night, I felt like I would be more than happy for another roll in the hay. Maybe bend her over something, slap her ass until it was pink and warm…
Yeah, that sounded like a real good idea. I got up and headed out into the main sitting area that was attached to the kitchenette and dining room, only to see that it was completely empty. Huh, maybe the bathroom then?
I headed that way, but I didn’t hear a thing and the door was wide open and the light was off.
Unhappy feelings started to trickle into my contentment as I did a full walkaround of the penthouse. When I ended up back at the entrance to the bedroom, I found nothing of Belle’s left in the room. Not even the scraps of her panties.
I wasn’t entirely sure why she left without even waking me for a goodbye, but I didn’t blame her -even if it did sting. She had her own life and I had no idea what she got up to. For all I could have known, she might have had some plans already made for today. Or even she was just an early bird and needed her morning cup of coffee just like I felt like I could chug an entire pot now.
I sighed, running my hands through my mussed hair. Sure, it wasn’t ideal, but it was life. She’d shown me a great time and owed me nothing else. I just hoped that I would stay in her memory as a good way to step into the world of sharing her body with who she chose.
But maybe… maybe she might let me back into her bed? Normally I wouldn’t be thinking about a second go so soon, but there was just something about the woman that drew me in. There was still so much more that I wanted to do with the woman. So much I wanted to show her, teach her.
Obviously, I couldn’t approach her at work. That would be downright unprofessional, and I had told her hooking up with me wouldn’t affect her job. So I’d just have to find another way. And I knew I would. I was a resourceful guy.
Well, I had my own things to do so I needed to get in motion. Slowly, I made my way around the room to clean up. I picked up my clothes that were still on the floor and threw the empty water bottle into the recyling. After that, I grabbed new clothes from my overnight duffle I had brought then made my way into the shower.
Turning the water on, I waited for the temperature to even out before I stepped inside. The water felt amazing on my skin and took my time to enjoy the warmth. If I didn’t have to do things today, I might have taken a bath and enjoyed the deep hotel tub. Instead, I finished up and changed into a nice navy-blue crewneck and dark wash jeans.
Steam followed me as I exited the bathroom, like a cloud of comfort. I was about to head out when a thought came to me, and I paused in my exit.
Pulling my laptop out of its case, I sat down at the desk pushed up against the wall on one side of the room. With the click of a few icons, I opened up the company drive. I scrolled through the employee list to try and find Anabelle’s name. That probably could have been construed as creepy, but if I had her address, I could send her some flowers. Nothing overly romantic, but enough to show that I appreciated her time and I wouldn’t mind talking to her outside of work.
Was that being invasive though? I puzzled that as I searched. But after a few minutes, nothing came up. I figured I must have misspelled it and tried another wa
y to write it out. Nothing. Then nothing again. Then nothing a third time.
I exhausted pretty much every possible combination I could think of for how to spell Anabelle MacIntyre, but the screen perpetually remained blank. It seemed that, for some reason, her name wasn’t on the employee list. That was… really odd. Normally I would start to expect corporate espionage, but I had seen her at work several times over the past year or so.
Huh.
Logging into a different system, I checked something else, but that came up empty too. She wasn’t even in the active employee database. My brows furrowed and I couldn’t help but think that there had been some technical issues. It wasn’t possible that she wasn’t anywhere, because that meant she didn’t work for me and I knew she did.
I dialed HR’s number before I could think twice about it and had a brief moment of panic while the phone rang. I had to make up some excuse as to why I was interested in Belle. It would be pretty weird for me to call about a random employee out of the blue.
“Mr. Bishop?” I recognized the voice of Chadwicke, one of the younger HR employees but plenty competent, considering his track record with solving disputes. “What can I do for you today.”
“I’m just calling because there was a bit of an incident last night.”
“Ah yes, sir. Marcella was there and she actually already wrote up a report.”
Of course, she did. The short, dark skinned woman rarely stopped working. I was going to have to look into promoting her soon. She’d certainly earned it.
“Ah, perfect. Well, the woman who stepped in, Bel- Anabelle. She claims she doesn’t want compensation, but I’d like to do something nice for her. Perhaps something on her desk when she comes in on Monday?”
“One moment, let me look up her desk in the system. Would you mind if I put you on hold, sir?”
“No, of course. Take your time.”
Despite my calm tone, I still stood up and began to pace as I waited. In true Chadwicke fashion, he was back on the line hardly more than a moment later. “I’m sorry sir, but we won’t be able to do that.”
Baby Daddy (Forever Daddies Book 1) Page 6
