Saving Suzy
New City Series, Book Two
By Stefanie Simpson
For the woman I could have been.
One. Coincidence and fate
Suzy looked in the mirror, she was fairly pretty and had a good body, she glanced back at the guy behind her, he was okay, cute, served a purpose, only he really wasn’t servicing her very well. Her dark hair fell forward as she dipped her head down, trying to feel something. She looked at him again, he looked like he was counting pennies.
She’d met up with him a few times, a few glasses of wine, and he seemed nice enough. She’d done a little digging into his life, and he was fairly innocuous from everything she could find on him. Admin manager for the council, never married, no kids, no criminal convictions, no arrests. Social media was fine, though he was a bit dull. Dull was good, unfortunately he was also a very dull lover.
He was rather unenthused all told.
She looked back over her shoulder, his eyes were closed, he was somewhere else as he barely moved inside her. She let out a very slow breath and stifled a yawn.
“Whatcha thinking about?” she smiled wickedly as he opened his eyes.
“Huh?” he stopped moving altogether.
“You don’t seem with me. Don’t you want this?” she wiggled her arse and pulled herself to and from him.
“Um, well, yeah.”
“So you want something…less vanilla?”
“I um, like anal.”
“Oh. I’m not prepared for that. I mean, you have to get your arsehole bleached, and then, you know, have a good clear out, because, honey, I’m not dealing with an accidental scat situation. Look, you can be honest here, and I’m going to honest with you. Have you ever made a woman come?”
“Um, yeah.”
“Really?”
“Can we just get on with it, I’m going soft.”
“Going something all right.” She eased off him, and pulled the condom off him. “May I offer you some advice?” she pulled on a robe and opened the window wider, it was too muggy for sex anyway. “I like sex, I don’t get enough of it, but I love it, and know what I like. I’ve had sex with men who don’t like me, and they’re selfish, and self-pleasing. I’ve been with women who, like me, are just interested, and I’ve been with bi, and gay men, well, you know, men who are still figuring stuff out, and that’s fine.
“So, I’ve had some experience when I ask this, were you thinking about a man? I only say it, because you almost seem unwilling to touch my tits and pussy, the only thing you were interested in was having me on my hands and knees. I thought I was going to get kink, and all I got was a half-hearted half a fuck. And if you were, that’s perfectly okay, I’m not angry or pissed, really, it’s fine.” She gave him a warm open smile.
“Yeah, maybe, a bit.” He paused as he pulled his clothes on and sighed. He looked confused and defeated.
“I know a few guys you could hook up with, they love teaching men how to suck cock.”
He went maroon. “I…er…”
“Listen, no pressure, let me know if you do. But, do me a favour, don’t date women, not until you realise what you want one way or another. Fooling yourself will hurt others down the line.”
He blinked at her. “You’re very forthright.”
“I wasn’t always, it’s been a long steep curve for me, I will not waste time on things that are no good for me in the end. Well, I try, anyway.”
“Thanks, for you know, not being…I’m just not very good, I don’t know why. The older I get, the more I think of…”
“It being a man that you’re doing.” He nodded. “There’s nothing to be afraid of, nothing to be ashamed of. Really. I’m serious about hooking you up.” She offered him a warm smile and kissed his lips.
“You’re pretty cool.”
“No I’m not, I’m fucking spectacular.” He laughed.
Ten minutes later, he was gone. She opened the curtains a touch. She put her hands on the frame, savouring the night air as it cooled her face. If he’d have gotten her off first she might feel less shitty. She sipped her glass of wine.
“There has got to be someone who is not either a dickhead, or crap, or gay that I can fuck, a nice arse would be good to. Thanks, if someone could get right on that.” She sighed and necked her wine.
Nathan sat in the chair next to his open window, naked, at first debating whether to bother having a wank or not, when he heard the sounds of sex drift out of the window beneath him, he laughed and sat forward, then stood and went to close the window, when he heard the conversation take place.
He was riveted to the spot as he heard her speak, she was something else. It had been a long time since he had any real interest in a woman. He purposefully went for women that were so far away from his type he could get, that way was too painful.
But she was right up his street. He had seen her collect her post once, the woman that lived right below him. She was definitely his type, she hadn’t even spared him a glance, she was too intent on her post. She had the perfect shape, she was short, and dark haired. His dick twitched at the thought. Hearing her talk, made him want to lean out the window and make her wish come true and say hello.
He wondered what she would have done, and lost himself in a very pleasant fantasy.
Suzy stifled a yawn. She didn’t look tired, her cream blouse was immaculate, slightly sheer, high necked with long tightly buttoned cuffs, it was seventies vintage. She wore a pale grey pencil skirt and her heels were more like scaffolding. Her hair, always neatly styled for work, and that Monday it was in a bun. She was pretty, but understated. But she felt like utter crap. After the disappointment of Saturday, she managed a wank, but she was unsatisfied, and restless.
She attempted to pay attention.
The only part of her job that she hated was this, the eight forty five to nine a.m. Monday morning meeting. The meeting room table was large, dark, and polished. She rolled her coffee in her hands. The lights were too harsh for her, and she was more successful in hiding her next closed mouth yawn.
She blinked, making her contacts blur. She cleared her throat something was going on.
“Thank you everyone.” Mr Hulston was a dream to look at, and to work for. Suzy was assistant to Carol, accounts manager at Hulston Logistics and Solutions for three years. Carol was a bitch, but Arthur was lovely.
He looked like crap. Things had been rough for him recently, personal problems, not that she knew what.
“I’m sorry to have tell you this on a Monday morning.” Oh shit, even his buttery velvet voice couldn’t make this better. “I have taken the step of selling the company.” Stunned silence. “Now, I know you have questions, but let me reassure you first. Your jobs are safe, I negotiated a fair deal for you all.”
Everyone gave Toby the company solicitor some serious side eye.
“The company will continue as it is, they bought it because it is successful, and we make money, and they want to keep it that way.”
She tuned out of the conversation a little shocked. People were speaking. She focused.
“Mr Hulston?” she asked, raising her hand. “What are you going to do now?”
There was a look of sadness that flashed over his face. “Sleep.” He gave a weak laugh.
“I wish you well Mr Hulston.”
“Thank you Suzy.” She liked the way he said her name.
Not that she was interested in him, but any attractive man was like a beacon to her and Arthur was lovely.
Everyone was a bit shocked when they went back to their desks, it would all happen quickly. No more Mr Hulston. She hoped they wouldn’t get some lecherous old fart, or someone like Caro
l.
Carol came over, of course, because why wouldn’t she.
“Suzy, if our department is audited, we have to check everything…”
“Carol that would be the definition of an audit.”
“I think we should go over all the…”
“No, I’m sorry, I’m swamped, I’ve six accounts to check, if you want to pre-audit, you do that.”
For the first time ever, Suzy wasn’t having it. Carol had used her for too long, did fuck all work, and made her do it.
She really was swamped, and frustrated.
She opened the first account, and got to work.
Wednesday brought a host of suits, with Arthur, Toby, and Mr Davis, the general manager, who Suzy didn’t like, because he only talked to her tits, into the meeting room.
Everyone made sure they had a look at the serious procession.
Suzy hadn’t bothered with her contacts, she wore her glasses, thick roundish dark plastic frames, a similar outfit, and heels. She only ever had variants of the same thing for work. Find a thing that works and stick with it.
She reflected she was in a rut, her whole life was in a rut. She thought about going shopping after work. If she still had a job.
Mr Hulston left, for the last time. At lunch, there was cake, and Carol, bitch and suck-up, gave him the gift they’d had a whip round for.
It was a large cut crystal bowl. He liked it.
The new suits didn’t join them, maybe they thought it impertinent.
On Thursday, Suzy attempted to get out of her rut by wearing a new navy blue skirt and pale rose blouse. It didn’t work. She knew what would put her in a good mood, and there was little chance of that.
The suits, three of them, came onto the office floor, gathered everyone’s attention, and they piled into the meeting room.
There were twenty-three people working on the office floor, and with legal and management, they totalled twenty-nine, and they all were squeezed into the meeting room.
“Thank you everyone.” The man who spoke was in his fifties, lean, balding, but not unattractive, he had a gentle voice, but Suzy thought him hard if he needed to be. “My name is Peter Townslee, I run a logistics company in London, and we’ve been looking to expand our business. Hulston Logistics is a good way for us to do that, and for us to branch out into IT systems. This means that for you, things will go on as they are, pretty much, but we will need to make some changes. Mr Davis will remain general manager, he’ll work closely with our London office, and for the main, for you, things won’t change drastically.
“The accounts department will be required to work with our accounts department, and for your team Carol, it means some reshuffling.”
All the blood fell out of Suzy’s face.
“We need to link you to our system, and have a central base for the accounts. You will deal exclusively with the IT system accounts, which will be easier for your workload. That will be the focus of Hulston’s, software and IT systems, while we focus on the physical logistics. There will be crossover, and any new positions, reshuffling, will be in house.
“First thing we need to do, is an audit. Yes, I know, but we need to do it before we move on. So, let me introduce you to Mr Maxwell. He will be your oversight during transition, this is what he does, so trust him, he and I will liaise. Any problems go to him. Someone from HR will contact each of you, to discuss new contracts, and switching payroll. And to payroll…”
Suzy zoned out. Everything would be audited. Carol would be a nightmare. The unsaid thing was, if you suck, you’re out.
It was a long meeting. Suzy looked over at Mr Maxwell and blinked, this guy was beautiful, off the charts drop dead, knicker wetting gorgeous.
Tall, fit, hot, tanned. He wore a good well-tailored suit. Short dark blond hair, sculpted face. She swallowed, and then, because her life sucked, he caught her drooling.
She looked down and died inside.
Nathan couldn’t fucking believe it, she’d left before him that morning, she was pulling off the carpark when he exited. She was so gorgeous with her perfect hair, perfect clothes, there was something so restrained in her. It made his dick twitch.
He caught her looking at him, and wondered if she recognised him. She looked down, and hid. He wondered at it, she was so forward from what he heard on Saturday night.
He wanted her, he wanted to know her, he wanted to be the one that made her come. He focused, there would be time for that, he had a job to do.
Two. People are strange
“Any questions?” nope, not her, she was outta there. The meeting was at an end and people were muttering as they filed out.
She sat at her desk wondering if she should update her CV, when Carol was called back into the meeting room.
In less than an hour, the office was in chaos. Account files were in piles, and everything was being checked. Carol was ensconced in the meeting room with Mr Maxwell.
At lunch, she went into the little kitchen, opened her lunch box, and pulled out a giant chocolate eclair.
Mia, a nice mum-like woman, who always looked harassed, laughed as Suzy shoved the end in and groaned. She loved making Mia laugh, and dirty innuendo always worked.
Mia worked in payroll, her job was changing, and she looked terrified. Mia was laughing, along with Suzy when she abruptly stopped.
Suzy turned on instinct, expecting to see Carol, only to see Mr Maxwell with a surprised look on his face.
Suzy had a gob full of éclair, still holding it is a suggestive manner, she bit the cake, leaving cream on the side of her mouth, she tongued it off, he looked at her mouth and swallowed.
Oh shit.
Suzy did what she always did. “Tea?”
“Coffee.” He tore his eyes from her mouth. Suzy wanted to actually die. She grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth.
She put her cake down and rinsed her hands, setting out cups and the like while the kettle boiled.
“Suzanne.” The bright chirpy voice came from Kelsey, who thought she knew everyone and what was best for them, and she grated on Suzy as she waltz in, her amazing mung bean salad in a jar made Suzy want to hit her. So up her own arse.
“Suzy.” She always corrected her, and she never listened.
The woman wrinkled her nose. “So vulgar,” Suzy made her eyes wide at Mia who rolled hers, “Suzanne sounds better.”
“It might, but that isn’t, has never been, nor will be my name.” She did not add, as she always wanted to that Kelsey wasn’t exactly posh. But still.
Mr Maxwell was just leaning on the wall watching everyone come in and out, and he saw how maligned Suzy was, they all ignored her even though she made them a drink, or they were rude. He guessed it was jealousy, she was gorgeous, and seemed nice. He couldn’t reconcile the woman he had overheard and the one in the office.
The only person who didn’t treat her like shit, was Mia. Carol, her direct manager, had told him within five minutes that Suzy was incompetent, so he started with her, he really couldn’t not.
“Ms Martin?”
“Um. Yes.”
“Shall we start with you? Bring your files in when you’re ready.”
He took his coffee and left. She shoved the rest of the cake in her mouth.
With him was an IT guy, named Dave. He didn’t say much.
He was working away as they looked through her files. Dave, it turned out, had access to her work computer, and he was checking her machine.
Suzy went through each file, explaining what she had done in each account. After the third, Mr Maxwell stopped her.
“I think that’s enough, you know your job well by the look of it.”
“I’ve been doing it a while.” Her voice was soft and gentle, just like he overheard.
“You’re Carol’s assistant?”
“Yes.”
“But you check all the accounts personally?”
“Yes. I check for errors, and that everything is in place before the account goes live.”
“You know that’s Carol’s job.”
She frowned. “No, her job is to oversee all the accounts, not to deal with them.”
“Who else goes through the accounts?”
“Just me.”
“In the whole department, no one else does this?”
“Well everyone works on their part, and they go to Carol, and she gives them to me.”
“Okay, well thank you.”
“Have I done something wrong?”
He looked at the panic in her eyes. “No, not at all. Can you send in…Malcolm?”
“Of course.” She took her files and put them away after sending Malcolm in. She got back on with her work, a little confused.
At five, when everyone else was packing up, she rubbed her eyes and cleaned her glasses, then carried on.
The last account file she had been working on had some things missing, things that Malcolm, the lazy oink, hadn’t put in, but that was her job, to do everyone else’s job.
She looked up a short time later, and saw Janet, their cleaner, vacuuming like a crazed bandit.
“Hey Jan!”
She offered a cheery hello, and resumed her over enthused work. Janet was a big woman, but was changing her life, so she said, and wanted to lose weight. She was on a healthy eating plan, not a diet, and exercising like a badass. She was also running.
She’d lost three stone so far.
“Looking good Janet baby.” Suzy followed it with a wolf whistle, Jan paused and posed, then carried on.
“Yeah, I’m getting there.” She grinned, she had a bright happy look. Suzy suspected she had found a man.
“Who is he?”
“How did you know?” she stopped working.
“One can tell. You have that look.” She made her voice very low as she peered over her glasses at Jan, making her laugh.
“Yeah, he goes running in the park. We’re both in the same boat, we’re cheering each other on.”
“Ha! I’ve never heard it called that before. I could do with ‘going running in the park’.” She used air quotations and Jan snorted, and then because the universe hates her, Mr Maxwell stuck his head out his office door.
Saving Suzy (New city Series Book 2) Page 1
