Be With Me in Silicon Valley: The Juliette Trilogy (The Princesses of Silicon Valley - Book 3)

by Anita Claire

  Chapter 26 – Skipping Swimming

  Waking up to my alarm, I can feel the heat from Nate, who is now an arm’s length away. Pulling me to him before I have a chance to escape, he kisses my ear, down my neck, then licks the same path back up.

  I giggle from the sensation. “Nate, I’ve got to get up and go swimming.”

  “Stay in bed with me, I can find plenty of other ways for you to get a workout this morning.”

  “But it’s a slippery slope, you miss one workout then you start thinking it’s OK to miss another workout. The next thing you know, you haven’t worked out in months.”

  Chuckling, he says, “I get it; you’ve got an obsessive need to train.” He moves his kisses down my throat. Gathering my breasts in both hands, he smashes them together and burrows his nose in between.

  “You’re not letting me up,” I moan.

  He licks my breasts, then lifts his head. “Monday we did it your way, and I regretted it all day. Today we start off our day my way.” he says, and then sucks the top of my breast, into his mouth causing me to arch my back and moan.

  Coming up for a breath, he says, “This is your choice: bed sex or shower sex? You don’t have a third choice.”

  Laughing at my choices, I respond, “We should probably do shower sex, that way we’ll kill two birds with one stone.”

  “You are the practical one.” he says as he kisses and licks my stomach.

  I squirm from his prickly beard.

  He says, “Give me a couple minutes so I can take care of business and shave.”

  As he licks my nipples, I say, “I thought you were going to the bathroom?”

  Holding a breast in each hand, he confesses, “These are my heroin. You have no idea what they do to me.”

  Running my fingers through his soft, brown, curly hair, I suggest, “We can always just take care of business in bed.”

  Shaking his head, he says, “Give me a minute.” He scoops up a few condoms.

  At the door, he turns back to me, “Do we need to dress or do you think we can make a run for it naked without Cassie seeing us?”

  “Cassie’s never up early; we can definitely make a run for it.”

  Lying in bed, I feel guilty for missing swimming, but not that guilty. After I hear the toilet flush, I give Nate another minute as I straighten up the bed sheets.

  Nate’s finishing up shaving as I enter. Giving each other eye contact in the mirror, I grab my toothpaste and share the sink with him. Standing behind me, he rakes his hands over my curves as he looks at my naked reflection in the mirror. I think to myself, guys are so visual. Nate likes the lights on when we have sex, and he sure goes out of his way to look at me naked. Once I’m done, he turns me around then crashes his mouth into mine as he lifts me so I’m sitting on the sink. Wrapping my legs around his hips, I can feel him already hard. We finally break our kiss as he says, “Let’s finish this in the shower.”

  As he moves towards the tub, I find myself mesmerized by the way his muscles flex as I watch him bend to turn on the water. Releasing my sleep braid, I jump off the counter, then take his hand as he helps me over the tub and pulls me close for another deep kiss. The water feels tingly as it splatters over my skin. Nate grabs the soap, lathering it up in his hands and applying a layer of suds, making sure my skin is clean and stimulated. Pulling the soap from his hand, I reciprocate. We kiss again, deeply, as our tongues dance and our slippery bodies rub against each other. As we release our kiss, Nate runs his thumb gently down my cheek. Turning me around, we’re now both facing the faucet. Running his hands over my breast, he instructs softly into my ear, “Juliette, bend over and hold onto the tub spout.”

  My stomach flutters as I grab the spout with both hands. The water feels good as it pours down my lower back while Nate gently massages my hips and butt.

  “Bend your knees for me, babe.” he says. Holding onto my hips, I can feel him coming in from behind. Using one hand to help me keep my balance, he uses the other hand to stimulate my clit. Thrusting into me, I’m forced to lift one hand up to keep my head from hitting the wall. His thrusts get stronger and deeper, shattering me from the inside out. At some point, he releases my clit. Then he uses that hand to hold onto my chest. As I release the faucet, he pulls me back so that my back conforms to his chest. While he continues thrusting in an up and down motion, my hands grasp for something that will steady me as my legs twist around his calves. An orgasm shivers through my system as my insides grasp him. Hearing his moans, I know he’s done. He stills and just holds onto me, both of his arms are now strapped across my body. The warm water runs down our heads and torsos. Carefully he lets me down, bending, so his forehead is now on my shoulder.

  “It just gets better,” he breathes into my back as I stand in the shower leaning with my hands on the tiled wall nodding, and whispering “yes”.

  Dragging his condom off, he pulls the shower curtain aside, and throws it into the toilet. “You’re on the pill, right?”

  Still recovering from my orgasm, my head is laying against my arms as I wonder if I’ll ever move from this spot.

  “I saw the dispenser,” he continues.

  I nod.

  He rubs his hand down my back. “If we both get a blood test to show we’re clean, can we forgo the condoms?”

  “I take it your planning on being around for a while?” I say half in jest.

  His body stills, “What have I done that would make think I’m half way out the door.”

  Closing my eyes and breathing deeply, I say, “Nothing, I just want to make sure we’re on the same page.”

  “I’m not making any promises, but I’m not leaving. I want you. I thought I’ve made that clear.” He says in his quiet, serious voice.

  Turning around slowly, I look into his eyes, “You have been clear. I just needed to ask. I needed to hear your answer.”

  Pulling me close, he kisses me deeply, “You know, an IUD has a much lower pregnancy rate than the pill. You should consider changing.” Now this is something to get used to, a guy who talks about contraceptive choices with me, as I think I actually gasp.

  While still standing in the shower paralyzed from my orgasm, Nate turns off the water and wraps a towel around my shoulders. Pulling the towel tight around my goose bumped skin Nate rubs my back and in his warm bedroom voice says, “This has been a great booty call, but I want you to know I want more than a booty call with you. I really enjoyed last weekend.”

  Leaning my forehead into his chest, I’m smiling but I’m unable to find words for how I feel. I really like Nate. I, too, want more than a booty call. Maybe fate gave me the right choice.

  “Come on, let’s get dressed.” he says, as he kisses the top of my head.

  By the time I finish my bathroom routine, Nate is dressed and sitting on my bed checking his phone. As he watches me dress, I ask, “What’s Monday and Wednesday?”

  “What?” he says in confusion.

  “You said you were free on Tuesday and Thursday, I was just curious what happens on Monday and Wednesday?”

  “Hockey, over at the Shark Center. I’m too late to play on a team this season, but they have an open practice from nine to ten thirty. It just feels good to be on the ice.”

  “I guess you can also use it to recruit new patients.”

  Chuckling at that comment, he says, “This medical practice is busy. They have a big pediatric practice. There’s a lot of pressure on kids to compete here, lots of injuries from young bodies working past their competency. I’m more interested in the adults, and this area is swarming with weekend warriors. I’m assisting on a hip replacement for a forty-five year old ultra-marathon runner today.”

  Looking at him in surprise, I say, “You really do that?”

  He chuckles. “What did you think I do?”

  Realizing I never really thought about what Nate does at work, I answer, “Feel up women’s legs, shine flashlights in their eyes.”

  This gets a big smile. “That worked
out well for me.”

  Sitting down next to him as I pull on my boots, he says, “Oh, before I forget, my boss is having a holiday dinner party at his house this Saturday night for the other docs. It’s not optional.”

  He works late on Friday, now all we have is Sunday, and I need to show my face at work too.

  “Will you be my date? I know it’s a lot to ask, you barely met a couple of the docs at the hockey game last Sunday, but I’d really appreciate it if you’d join me.”

  Relived that I’m part of his plans, I immediately respond, “Sure.” Then I think about it. “Do you know what the women are going to be wearing?”

  With a complete dumfounded look, he shrugs his shoulders. “I’ll ask.”

  “If I’m going to your party then you’ll need to go to my party. It’s a week from Saturday at the Tech Museum. Guy dress code is…” looking him up and down in his dress slacks and pressed shirt, I say, “what you’re wearing now.”

  “Thursday?” he says, as he elbows me, “Am I invited for another booty call?”

  Standing up and grabbing my warm coat from my closet, I scrunch up my nose and give him a sexy smile. “Mmm, let me think about it.” Walking over to him, I stand between his legs, placing my hands on his shoulders and look down. “You’re not going to let me swim again, right?”

  Smiling, he pulls on one of my wet locks of hair. “But I’ll give you fun bed sex, instead of fun shower sex.”

  “I have a feeling you’re going to be very detrimental to the regularity of my swimming workouts.”

  Rubbing the back of my thigh with his hand, he smirks as he says, “Yeah, that’s my objective. I heard through the grapevine that you have an obsessive need to work out. My goal is to take you down, one sport at a time.”

  “You must be in cahoots with work then. Mark, the senior guy I’m partnered with, told me that ‘it was noticed’ that I don’t work nights and weekends. He said I need to be showing more face time. I’ll work late or on the weekend, if I can’t get my work done during the eleven-hour day I currently work. But, just showing up on the weekend so they can see my face? That really annoys me.”

  “Babe, you’re not going to get any sympathy from me. I work every other Saturday. My hours are noon to eight, but that’s just the hours they schedule patients and surgery. It doesn’t include paperwork, meetings, and following up with patients. On top of that, everything always runs late. If I want to stay on top of things, I’m working a twelve-hour day.

  “I guess this is when reality over fantasy takes over.”

  “Just in your work life, not in your personal life. We can keep the fantasy going in the bedroom for as long as you want.” Nate says as he stands up and gives me another one of his wonderful deep kisses that get my juices flowing.

  As he walks me to the garage, he asks, “fencing tonight?”

  “Yes, fencing and a late dinner with my parents. I usually have dinner with them on Sunday but—” Leaning against my door he kisses me again not letting me finish my sentence.

  Chapter 27 – Cocktail Dress

  Nate: Cocktail dresses.

  Juliette: Oh, you like to play dress up…which one of us gets to wear the high heels?

  After work, I’m thrilled when Isabelle shows up for fencing. After, introducing her to the other women, she gets all giggly as she attempts to parry and lunge.

  “You really have no rhythm.” I tell her.

  “But I’m fierce,” she says, “I really should have been Mulan, since I have a true warrior’s spirit. Jennifer should have been Belle.”

  Really? This conversation again. I tell her, “You realize it was just a Halloween costume from a party our freshman year.”

  “Yes, but it’s also a character lesson. I might be little, but I’m the true warrior.”

  Later, at my parents, the homey smells of my dad’s cooking greets me. As I set the table, dad asks about my latest project.

  My mom comes home just in time to join us. Telling my parents about what Mark said, my mom explains, “Form is very important. What he’s really talking about is commitment; management and your co-workers want to see that you’re committed to the job and the company.”

  “The only way to get ahead is to work late and work weekends?” I ask.

  “It’s not only showing commitment, the people I know who got to the top of the organization were capable people. What separates them from all the thousands of other capable people is their ability to understand politics and to have compatible personalities with their executives. I never saw that kissing up got people very far; it just makes you a sycophant. Understanding what your management is looking for, and dependably providing it, that’s what gets you promoted. Also a lot of luck.”

  “How do people in this valley have families? You can’t work nights and weekends if you have kids.”

  “The celebrity executives talk about how they eat dinner with their families. Unless you’re a celebrity, you’re never going to become a C level executive in this valley by going home at five thirty and having dinner with your kids. And don’t think you can do what Marissa Meyer can do either. She has three full-time nannies and a nursery next to her office. At fifty thousand a year, only the very rich can afford more than one full time nanny.”

  “It costs fifty thousand a year to hire a fulltime Nanny? How does the average woman even afford that?” I sputter in shock.

  “That’s why a lot of women leave work during the pre-school years. Most women find that the cost of daycare negates their take-home pay.” My mom explains.

  “You’re a Vice President and you were always there for us, how did you do it?”

  “I worked crazy hours before you kids were born. After proving myself, I had a number of coworkers and managers who knew they could depend on me. When I had you girls, I mommy tracked. When you were babies I worked part-time. When you girls were little, I made it clear to my management that I was going home at a reasonable time, and I wasn’t going to travel. My goal was just to stay in the game. I got passed up for a lot of promotions and visible projects, but it was worth it. When you girls got older, I wanted to take on more responsibility. Your father and I agreed he would rework his schedule so he would be the one who was home at a reasonable hour and deal with homework.”

  Nodding I say, “I remember dad making dinner and helping us with our homework.”

  “Your aunt and uncle both had big jobs with lots of travel. I remember calling over there when they both were traveling. Your cousin was so sad; he told me he felt like an orphan when he spent the week with the nanny. Your father and I never wanted that for our children.”

  My father interrupts, “You don’t even have a boyfriend, why are you worrying about this?”

  My mom answers, “These are the questions you need to ask now. When you meet a guy, how do you know if he’s right, unless you know what you’re looking for? If you’re with a guy who expects you to carry the load at home, you’ll just burn yourself out. Communication is key. If you have kids, one of you needs to be making concessions. Over time, which of you that is may change.”

  As we clear the dishes, I ask my mom “What about those cocktail dresses?” I might dress youthful, sexy and flirty when I go out with my friends, but for these work events I need my mom’s sophisticated closet.

  Dad just smiles as he says, “I’ll leave that to the two of you, I’ll clean up.”

  Mom and I head back to their bedroom as she asks, “Why do you need two dresses?”

  Keeping my answer simple, “A friend of mine is escorting me to my party, while I’m going to his.”

  Mom smiles, “The guy you had dinner with two weeks ago?” Not wanting to get into the whole Zach and Nate thing I just smile and shrug.

  Explaining to my mom the venues for each party, she looks through the dresses in her closet. “You can go a little sexier to the friend’s party,” she says, as she pulls out a designer, black, sheath dress with a sweetheart neckline and a dotted Swiss illusion t
op. The dress fits like a glove. It’s simple, the hem is just above my knee, but the cut highlights my curves—showing off my chest without being trashy—something I know Nate will like.

  “Mom, this is a rather racy dress for you.” I say as I admire myself in the mirror.

  Mom chuckles, “I might be in my fifties, but I work hard to keep my figure, and I’m sure not dead. Anyway you fill it out better than me.” as she eyes my chest. She then walks around me looking at how the dress fits. “I wear the most industrial strength full body Spanx, and I don’t look half as nice in that dress as you.” She then pulls out a pair of strappy black sandals and a sparkly black clutch. “If your friend is on the fence about dating you, he certainly will be interested after he sees you in this.”

  Smiling, “Yeah, I think this will work.” I say, putting on the shoes and admiring how the dress shows off my small waist.

  Pulling out another dress, she says, “I just picked this up from the cleaners. I wore it this past weekend at a holiday party. It’s dressy and conservative, but stands out in a crowd. You don’t want to be showing off too much skin around co-workers.”

  It’s another sheath dress cut to highlight curves. This one has a jewel neckline and long sleeves. What makes it stand out is the material looks like cut lace and the color is a wonderful deep holiday pink.

  My mom pulls out silver strappy sandals and a silver purse. Heading into her bathroom, she comes out with lipstick and nail polish the exact same color deep pink as the dress, and some sparkly jewelry. “These are Swarovski. I wore this cuff with the black dress.” She holds out a two inch wide sparkly bracelet. “You don’t want to wear a necklace with either of these dresses, but if you pull your hair back, the chandelier earrings will look great.”