Bourbon & Branch Water

by Patricia Green

  Jeff was trying to be patient, but the sound and hostility was grating. Both the clients were late and that left Jeff and Stormy marooned in the conference room together. He reached over and put his hand on hers, stilling the awful ticking. She quickly snatched her hand away and frowned mightily at him, her high-arching black brows drawing into a tight knot on her forehead. “Don’t.”

  “Do you have to drum the table, Stormy? The sound is irritating.”

  “Hmph.” But she didn’t return her hand to the tabletop. Mumbling low, she said, “Not as irritating as some people I know.”

  “I heard that. What do you mean by that remark?”

  “Nothing,” she wouldn’t meet his gaze with her own.

  “You meant something. I’d like to know what.”

  “Well you know what?” she asked. “I want to know things, too. I guess we’ll both have to deal with the mystery, won’t we?”

  Wow could she be a bitch. It made him want to spank the nonsense out of her. He briefly had a vision of her bent over his desk—a desk that was only a few yards down the hall—with her prim little skirt up over her ass as he spanked her. Yeah, that would be gratifying.

  “I don’t much like mysteries, Stormy.”

  “Too bad.”

  Jeff flashed over angry for a moment. “What’s gotten into you? Last night you were affectionate and caring. You were polite. And today you’re a termagant. Have I done something offensive?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Are you breaking up with me?”

  “Would you care?” she said, bitterness dripping from each word.

  “Yesterday, I would have said yes, I would care. But today, I’m not so sure.”

  “Fine, be that way.” She went on to murmur, “fickle bastard.”

  “That’s enough!” Jeff picked up the conference room phone and dialed a four-digit number. After the person on the other end answered, he said, “Marny, have you got an ETA on the Portermans or the Randolphs? They’re pretty late.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I should have called you. I forgot you were in the conference room waiting. I’ve been thinking you were in your office.” She giggled and Jeff tried to cut to the chase.

  “And?”

  “Right, so the Randolphs can’t make it. Something about a sick horse…or was it cow? Anyway, the Portermans will be here, but they’re having trouble finding us. I gave them directions, but they’d gone way off track.”

  He might have just enough time. “Thank you. Please show them into the conference room when they arrive. I have to do something in my office and it’ll take a few minutes.”

  “Okay, Mr. Hand.”

  Jeff put the phone down and looked at Stormy. She was watching him, a look of suspicion on her face. It kind of went with the frown. “Come with me to my office. You and I are going to hash this out.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Your behavior is rotten today, and damned if I can think of why you’d be so pissed off at me.” He paused and her cheeks flushed. “We’re going to talk in my office.”

  “I don’t want to go.”

  “Stormy, I don’t much like the hostility you’re showing. Either you want to be with me or you don’t, but you ought to have the decency to tell me outright.”

  She stood and picked up her briefcase.

  “You can leave your stuff here. It’ll be safe.”

  “Oh right! Until one of your minions steals my case notes!”

  “Minions? Baby, are you listening to yourself?”

  She blew an errant strand of hair off her face, continuing to clutch her briefcase to her chest. At least she had the grace to blush. “I’d rather take it along, thank you.”

  “Fine, if it makes you feel more secure.”

  She nodded, still not meeting his eyes.

  Jeff opened the door for her and led her down the hall to his office. It was a spacious office, with a modest view out the one set of windows. His desk was black lacquer and spotlessly tidy.

  “Have a seat.”

  “I’ll stand.”

  Shaking his head at her obstinate behavior, Jeff came right out with it. “Why do you hate me today? You didn’t last night, but this morning you’ve been mean-spirited, rude, and anything but affectionate. Tell me why.”

  Stormy bit her lower lip, and then squared her chin. “I don’t like being two-timed.”

  “Two-timed? Where did you get that crazy idea?”

  “You must think I’m stupid. You had a call with the other woman last night, practically right in front of me. The dinner date you had with her didn’t work out because I was a ‘situation’ to be ‘handled’.” Her fingers were white-knuckled on her briefcase.

  The only phone call he’d gotten the night before was from Kelly. Realization struck him and he laughed. It was so funny that he laughed until his eyes watered.

  Stormy took umbrage, if her stiff body posture meant anything. “Yeah, laugh at me. I’m the biggest joke in the world. I thought you were special, that we were starting on something. But you had me fooled. You’re still seeing Kelly.”

  He tried not to chuckle, he really did. “You’re right. And I intend to keep seeing Kelly. I see Kelly every day, in fact.”

  She snorted, but her eyes got wet. “I knew it. You bastard.”

  “Now, now, babe. No need to call names.” He gestured toward the door. “Follow me for a moment.”

  Stormy quickly swiped at her eyes, and clutched her briefcase as though it was a lifeline. Jeff realized that if she was this upset, the briefcase might be the only thing holding her together. Reluctantly, she followed behind.

  Jeff opened his office door and stared straight ahead at the office right in front of him. The door was open, but the plaque on the wall near it said, “Kelly Macintosh.” There was a tall, slim black man in a navy suit moving around inside.

  The pair took a few steps toward the office. “Hey, Kelly, how’s it goin’, bud?”

  The man turned. “Hey, Jeff, I’m good. Who’s that with you?” His smile was genial.

  Stormy dropped her briefcase.

  Jeff immediately bent to hand it to her again, and then turned back to his friend. “This is Stormy Stillwater. She’s the opposing attorney on the Porterman/Randolph case.”

  “Ah. Those water disputes are nasty. I hope you two can resolve it amicably.”

  Nodding, Jeff put his hand on Stormy’s shoulder in a professional; follow me, kind of way. “Let’s finish our meeting, Miss Stillwater.”

  Apparently, she’d been struck dumb.

  * * *

  Stormy’s face was hot. She was sure she was blushing to her roots. If she’d been the fool before, she was a total ignoramus now. She stepped into Jeff’s office and he closed the door.

  “So now you’ve met Kelly.”

  “I’m sorry. I assumed Kelly was female.”

  “That’s one thing, presuming I’d cheat. But why couldn’t you come out and ask me about it?”

  The tears that had threatened before spilled down her cheeks and Stormy realized miserably that she’d botched the whole thing. The relationship was probably over. Jeff must be steaming mad. His usual calm demeanor must be hiding a terrible anger. And it was no more than she deserved. “I’m sorry. I should have asked, but I assumed. You sounded so friendly. And you talked about meeting her…I mean him…for dinner.”

  “Yeah, we have guys’ night out for burgers, beer and billiards about once a week.”

  She tried to control the tears, but words would not form. This situation was so embarrassing, she couldn’t have been more humiliated if she showed up at court naked—a dream she’d had more than once. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, as if an apology would do.

  Jeff nodded and turned to move a stack of files off his desk and onto the floor. He pushed his pens to one side, over by the computer monitor. Stormy watched though watery eyes, wondering what he was up to.

  “What do you think we ought to do a
bout this situation?”

  “I-I don’t know. Can you forgive me?”

  Jeff appeared to think about it for a minute. Stormy wasn’t holding out any hope. Even if he forgave her, she figured it was the end of their relationship. It was too botched up to fix.

  “I can forgive you, but there’s a price.”

  Whatever the price was, she’d gladly pay it to make amends for being such a ninny and for being rude to him. Inwardly, she groaned over all the nasty things she’d said to him and her awful attitude. “Okay.”

  He arched a dark eyebrow. “Don’t you even what to know what it is?”

  Stormy shook her head. It wouldn’t matter.

  “A spanking. I’ll spank you’re ass until it’s good and red, and we’ll call it even.”

  This time she groaned aloud. It would be awful, but she’d humiliated herself so much by now, what would a hot ass be in comparison? “Okay.”

  Jeff nodded sharply. “Put down your briefcase—unless it’s so stuck in your hands that I have to pry it out of your fingers.”

  She set the briefcase on the sofa in his office. “Okay.”

  “Now raise your skirt and lean over the desk.”

  “What if someone comes in?”

  With five strides, Jeff went to the door and quietly locked it. “They won’t.”

  “What if someone hears?”

  “The office is soundproof for client confidentiality. Nobody will hear so long as you don’t scream.”

  Reminding herself that he’d spanked her before, including spankings that made her excited, Stormy pulled up her skirt and bent over the desk. Fortunately, she was wearing bikini panties that covered everything up.

  Jeff, however, was having none of that. His thumbs slid into the sides of her panties and he pulled them down to her ankles, tapping each ankle to indicate that she should step out of the underwear.

  Heat washed over her face again. Here she was, half-naked, bent over a man’s desk in the middle of a work day. What could be more embarrassing?

  The panties removed, Jeff walked around his desk and got something out of the drawer. It was a wooden ruler. He slapped his palm a few times with it, testing its strength. That was going to hurt badly. Maybe this was more than she deserved. It was an honest mistake, after all. If only she’d brought her concerns to him instead of sniping at him… Well, she deserved the punishment, so she’d pull up her big girl panties—though she wasn’t quite sure where they were.

  The ruler was cool as he slid it over her naked behind. “This is going to hurt, Stormy.” He leaned over the desk and gently put a thick hankie into her mouth. “You can spit it out whenever you want, of course, but you will probably rather use it to muffle any noises you’d be inclined to make.”

  The whole idea that she’d be punished that much made her cringe but she was determined to pay her penance. Stormy nodded.

  The ruler hit with a sharp smacking sound and a line of fire rose on Stormy’s butt. She grunted into the hanky and flinched. Another three spanks made her groan. The painful spots were growing, spreading all over her fanny. Each new stroke, and there were quite a few, shot over her body like a torch.

  “You will come to me if you’re confused or hurt about our relationship, Stormy,” Jeff lectured. “Nod if you agree.”

  She did. But the spanking didn’t stop. He planted several sharp cracks on the place where her bottom met her thighs and she couldn’t help but cry out into the kerchief. Tears were pouring out of her eyes and dripping on Jeff’s desk blotter.

  “You will not call me names or treat me rudely. I am not rude to you and I expect the same polite behavior from you.”

  More smacks made her squirm. The edge of the desk was hard against her belly, but she crossed her legs anyway. She could spit out the hanky and tell him the magic word, “stop,” but she didn’t. This was her punishment and then they’d be even. She hoped that this would be the last time they’d need to go to this painful place. Jeff sounded like there was a future for them, but it was possible that too many of these punishments would turn him off.

  Another ten strokes of the ruler and finally it stopped. Jeff put the ruler down on the desk and his cool hand soothed her aching behind. After a moment of rubbing, his fingers delved between her legs, gently searching, coaxing.

  “Your red ass turns me on,” he said, leaning forward to speak softly in her ear.

  Stormy shivered, and not with pain. He knew exactly what to say to turn on her libido, even under this kind of circumstance. Jeff was amazing. He unbent and increased the exploration of her pussy, rubbing her clit slightly and then pulling back over her lips.

  “You’re getting wet baby. You like your hot ass too?”

  No answer was required but a small moan. Jeff had spanked her during sex, and although it was always with his hand, not a ruler, it had heightened her excitement considerably. The idea that punishment like this could lead to something as enjoyable as sex had never occurred to Stormy.

  “Yeah, you’re getting plenty wet.” He slipped two fingers into her and moved them in and out for a minute. She could hear the wet sounds. The sound and sensation of him inside her made her arch, offering more.

  “You’d like me to fuck you, wouldn’t you?” It was a statement requiring no answer. She had none to give. Yes, she wanted him to fuck her, but she couldn’t come to grips with how they’d gotten to this point, here in his office, with that rotten ruler on his desk.

  And what if she went along and joined with him? Was it one last time for the memory album followed by good-bye? There was no reason to think Jeff was going to put up with continued misbehavior, even if he forgave her this time. But why would he correct her with a spanking if he was going to send her on her way? He wasn’t a vengeful kind of man and he hadn’t seemed angry when the truth had come out.

  Oh, his fingers felt divine. Between the emotional turmoil and the fact that she was wildly attracted to him, it was no wonder she was putty in his hands.

  He spread her wetness around and over her clit, manipulating the bead firmly and gently, repeating the movement until Stormy couldn’t take anymore. She moaned into the handkerchief, putting her hot cheek down on the cool surface of the desk.

  Harsh breaths warmed the kerchief in her mouth, and she gritted her teeth as the rising pleasure spread from her pussy to her flattened nipples and back again.

  Once again, she moaned, this time a little louder, lifting her hips to encourage him to touch her screaming clit a little more, a little rougher.

  He read her like a book. “Baby wants to come.”

  Stormy tossed her head and bounced on her toes.

  “Come for me now, Stormy.” Jeff rubbed harder and faster and Stormy emerged from the long tunnel of excitement into the light. Her body went rigid, muscles tense for a heartbeat, two, but finally the light softened.

  She heard Jeff’s zipper and sensed him leaning to speak to her again. “I put a fresh condom in my pocket this morning,” he whispered. “I was thinking of you.” The empty foil wrapper landed on the desk about a foot from Stormy’s face a moment later.

  Within seconds, there was a welcome prodding at the mouth of her pussy. She wanted to groan, but she had to be quiet. It was quite hard to do. Jeff slid home and let out a soft sound of pleasure.

  “That’s good. It’s such a joy to take my Stormy.”

  His Stormy. Was that what she was? Was there more to this interlude than a souvenir? She spit out the kerchief.

  “Yes,” she breathed. “More. Take it all.”

  He chuckled and pumped his hips, his rhythm building like the slow, steady progression of a steam locomotive. There was power in his thrusts, barely leashed violence that made Stormy thrill. She squirmed.

  Jeff put his hands on her hips and lifted her pelvis a bit. “Mmm, even better.” His breath was quickening and Stormy’s had never quite recovered.

  She had to be quiet. Quiet. Stormy let go of the far edge of the desk and stuffed the hanky ba
ck into her mouth barely in time to stifle a loud moan.

  “Good girl,” he said. Their bodies made the desk thump, thump. Not so loudly that they’d be caught, but with a rhythmic drum beat that sped up as they came together.

  Jeff’s hand connected with her still-smarting rump and she squealed into the gag. The pain drove her to a deeper sensual space.

  “I’ll bet you can make me come just by squeezing those wonderful pussy muscles, babe. Show me how you can steal the orgasm from me.”

  That was all she could take. He’d said exactly the words that toppled her over, and she squeezed her pussy tight, relaxed, pulled tight again, and repeated the sequence. Jeff groaned softly, never stilling.

  “Good girl. Good, good girl. Oh yeah…”

  One last hard squeeze and soon she could feel him pulsing within her. She used her pussy muscles to milk him, stealing his ejaculation like a bandit.

  Jeff relaxed against her, stroking her hot behind absently. “We might be onto something, Miss Stillwater.”

  She giggled, though her breath was only barely beginning to slow.

  He patted her bottom gently and withdrew with a soft sucking sound. They cleaned up with most of a box of tissues and tried to comport themselves like professionals, though Stormy could sense his warm gaze on her and the remaining sexual tension was slow to dissipate.

  She reached up and gave Jeff a kiss, hoping with all her heart that she hadn’t been so offensive that he’d rethink their relationship, and grabbed the handle of her briefcase. “I’m ready, Mr. Hand.”

  “Very good, Miss Stillwater.”

  Stormy took a deep breath, calming herself, and exited Jeff’s office. They walked down a few paces and Jeff made a soft sound. She looked over at him and, grinning, he pulled her panties half-way out of his suit coat pocket.

  All she could do was gasp. Had anyone seen her bright blue underwear peek out from his pocket. She could tell Jeff was pleased with himself, the teasing smart-aleck.