Turbulence

by E. J. Noyes

  The grin widened. “You only have to exist to do that…” Her eyes tracked me as I approached and stood astride her leg.

  “Oh really?” It was time for her reward. “I’m far too dressed for this. Unzip me?”

  Eyes locked with mine, she reached up under my armpit, sliding the zipper down with exquisite slowness. I stepped out of the dress, being careful not to rip it with my heels, keeping eye contact with her the whole time. She broke before I did.

  I win.

  “What is that?” she demanded.

  “What’s what?” I asked innocently, turning around to drape my dress over the coffee table and I admit it, show her my ass.

  “That,” she said hoarsely.

  “Underwear?” It certainly was. Scant amounts of blue satin and lace, a garter belt and a balconette bra that pushed my Bs to Cs.

  “You’ve been wearing it the whole night?” Her words pitched high with indignant accusation.

  “Mhmm.” The lingerie had been a delicious secret. Every time I thought about her reaction when she saw it, another level was added to my excitement. It had been like hours of delicious foreplay. Perhaps not the greatest idea, given I was about fit to burst. “You don’t like it?” I asked, feigning surprise.

  “I…if I’d known what was hiding underneath that dress, I’d have taken you into the bathroom and fucked you senseless.” She held out her hand. “Come here.” Her voice had gotten deep and husky, the way it did when she was aroused.

  The change in her set me off, freeing all my pent up excitement from the evening. Anticipation sent an electric current under my skin. I stepped toward her and placed a leg on either side of her thigh, clamping myself in place. Her hands came up to my ass. Audrey finally took her eyes off my body, looking up at my face. “I almost don’t want to take them off.”

  “Then don’t,” I whispered. “Fuck me while I’m wearing them.”

  Audrey fingered the suspender clips attaching my seamed stockings and I could sense the change in her. She’d become almost reverent, running her hand down my stockinged leg like it was a piece of art she was scared of breaking. My arms were slack at my sides as I was explored, studied, worshipped.

  My breath caught as she bent to kiss my hip, loose hair trailing over the bare skin of my stomach. Her hands were busy, nails scratching softly over my back, fingertips running lightly over my skin. Then, she did the thing that always got me. She slapped my ass and reached between my legs to run her fingers along the length of my wet heat, front to back. A quick pause at my entrance to tease through the fabric, then knuckles slipped over my clit.

  I moaned, jerking like I’d been stung. “Again,” I begged. “Please.”

  The second time, the pressure was harder and the pace slower. My breathing nudged toward hyperventilation. There was no way I could remain standing. My hands on her shoulders for balance, I straddled her.

  A thumb brushed over my lower lip. “You are so fucking sexy.”

  I smirked. “Do we need to start a no you are argument?”

  She shook her head. “I’ll win.”

  My answer was smothered by a hot kiss. Nipples hard against hers, I claimed her tongue. She groaned when I took a fistful of her hair and rocked forward, trying to find something to keep pressure against my aching clit. Audrey took my cue, reaching between us. Fingers pushed my panties aside to touch me, deftly sliding through my folds.

  I groaned at her touch, my bundle of nerves sensitive from her earlier teasing. “Harder,” I whispered. She gave me what I wanted, circling my clitoris and sending me closer to the edge. Her breathing was ragged, muscles taut against mine. I bit her neck then apologized with a soft sweep of my tongue. Capturing her ear between my teeth, I begged, “Fuck me.”

  Audrey filled me before I could form another thought, fingers slipping easily through my arousal. I gasped when she burrowed deeper, finding all the landscapes she knew so well. Kisses along my jaw, a tongue tracing over my ear. She added another finger and made another thrust, gentler this time. “Baby, you are so fucking wet.”

  “Oh God. Oh—”

  Audrey wrapped her free arm around my waist, twisted and in one quick motion, I was lying on the couch. Squirming, desperate for her to finish what she started, I tried to pull her back down to me but she was tugging her panties off and unhooking her bra.

  I reached for her, cupping her breasts and rolling her nipples between thumb and forefinger. Audrey unclipped my stockings. Teasingly. Achingly slow. I groaned. We’d gone from frantic to sensual in a matter of seconds. Now, she was taking her time, keeping me out of reach. Some distant, rational part of me knew that when I came it would be worth it, but in that moment I was frustrated as all hell.

  I moved to kick my heels off, but she held my leg to stop me. “No. Leave them on.” The look she gave me sent sparks of pleasure shooting into my stomach. I was dragged forward and spread apart. She hesitated, then slid my panties down, carefully easing them over my heels before flinging them aside.

  “What about you?” I managed to ask.

  “Don’t worry, baby. You’re going to give me what I want when I’m done with you.”

  The thought made my throat tighten and my pulse race even faster. She moved backward, settling her shoulders between my thighs. Before she put her tongue on me, she said one last thing that turned me to a quivering mess.

  “Isabelle, I’m going to make you come so hard, you’re going to wish you’d worn this lingerie sooner.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Monday morning with coffee in hand I strolled through Mark’s open door, psyched up and ready to tell him about Audrey and me. Between the success of Saturday night, the hot sex that followed and our sweet, lazy Sunday I was so loved-up that I wanted to shout it to the world. Mark glanced up as I closed the door quietly, but said nothing about my sudden appearance in his office.

  Sitting opposite him, I noticed the disarray of his desk. Sales and purchases ready to be finalized, and various contracts among the chaos. He looked tired, but most surprisingly was the shadow of dark stubble adorning his cheeks. I set my coffee down on his desk. “Pierre’s closed this morning?”

  Mark had been getting his morning shave from Pierre for years, adhering to a strict facial hair ritual. In all the years we’d been friends, I’d only seen him with stubble a handful of times. It was akin to someone forgetting to get dressed in the morning.

  “No, I was just running a little late,” he explained in a tone that told me I’d get no more from him.

  I tried for some levity. “You look swarthy.” And also totally unprepared for the meeting we were supposed to be having in less than an hour.

  “Good, that’s exactly what I was going for,” he replied without taking his eyes from his laptop.

  Nope, I was being shut down. Fine. “So, I just wanted—”

  “Belle, I’m really sorry but I’m trying to organize shit for our meeting.” Finally, he gave me his attention. Or part of it. “Can we talk later?”

  Frowning, I agreed with a drawn out, “Sure…okay.”

  “I’ll see you in the conference room in forty minutes.”

  Forty minutes later when I opened the door to the conference room, Mark wasn’t there. Instead, I was more than a little alarmed to see not only Tom but also Quentin seated at the large round table. Our corporate lawyer as well as Mark’s personal lawyer. One on their own was strange enough, but both together sent a shrill peal of alarm down my spine, and I had a sudden uncomfortable feeling that I wasn’t going to like what this meeting was about.

  The uncomfortable feeling was quickly replaced by annoyance at Mark for tossing me overboard without a lifejacket. I brushed my hair over my shoulder, switching automatically to polite hostess. “Gentlemen, this is unexpected, but a pleasure nonetheless.” Straightening, I crossed the room with my hand outstretched, suddenly grateful I’d put on a pair of four-inch Jimmys this morning. Without the extra height, I’d have felt even more at a disadvantage.
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  After exchanging the usual handshakes and greetings and ensuring they had a beverage, I added, “I hope you haven’t been waiting long. I believe Mark was just getting a few things ready.” I set my tablet and phone down and sat opposite them just as Mark walked into the conference room and closed the door.

  The men repeated the same handshake, greeting, refreshment-check ritual before Mark sat down on the same side as me, leaving a chair between us. Odd. He made eye contact with each of us in turn. “Thank you all for coming.”

  There were damp patches on the front of his light blue Oxford shirt. Sweat. In air-conditioning. My business partner folded his hands on top of the table, his knuckles white. “Well. Where to start?”

  Inside my head, Obnoxious Isabelle raised her hand and mumbled a snide How about with what the hell is going on? I pushed her down. Clearly this wasn’t my meeting and I just had to sit and wait and watch. I pulled my focus away from him to look at the lawyers sitting opposite. Their expressions were unreadable so I concentrated on my friend.

  Mark exchanged looks with the lawyers before spinning his chair to face me. “Isabelle.”

  “Mark. What’s this about?”

  Mark gestured to Tom who pushed a document across to me. I used my fingertips to drag it closer and as I read the first line, Mark said quietly and in a not entirely steady voice, “I would like to sell you my share of Rhodes and Hall.”

  “Pardon me?”

  Apparently he thought my question meant I hadn’t heard, rather than the fact I was having a what-the-fuck moment. Mark’s face was impressively neutral when he repeated, “I’d like to make you a sale offer for my share of Rhodes and Hall.”

  “No, I got that, Mark. I just—” I had to stop speaking. There were no words. There was nothing except a strange hum in my ears.

  Mark passed me a stack of folders. It seemed that having made his initial pitch, it was easier for him to get the rest of it out. “If you don’t find it agreeable, then we need to discuss dissolution of the business. Here is a full valuation, audit and report on our financial position.”

  “I know our financial position, Mark,” I snapped, then clamped my lips together on the stream of anger that was about to spill.

  God, I wanted to yell at him so badly but he’d maneuvered me expertly by having two other people in the room, and holding the meeting in our not entirely soundproof conference room. My body was tight with tension, almost trembling with the effort of keeping my fists unclenched and my posture confident but relaxed. I couldn’t appear to be anything but in control. Not here. Not now.

  “So that’s it?” I asked quietly. “That’s what this meeting is about?”

  His gaze was steady. “Yes.”

  Tom and Quentin remained silent which made it easier to ignore them. I stared at my old friend. My business partner. A man I thought I knew but apparently didn’t know at all. Looking at him answered none of my questions but as Mark stared back at me, the sadness in his eyes was unmistakable. He leaned forward a fraction. “Do you have any questions, Isabelle?”

  Aside from why? Nope there’s nothing I can say here. I think I’m golden thanks. Shaking my head, I squared my shoulders. “Of course I’ll need to have my own lawyer look at this before I can discuss anything further.” I barely managed to keep the bite from my voice. My lawyer should have been here with me for this meeting. Mark should have told me that he was considering leaving our partnership. The acid burn of bile turned my stomach.

  Tom lifted his hands to rest atop the table. “Of course. We can set up another meeting when you know how you want to proceed.”

  I nodded my assent, suddenly overwhelmed by a crushing mental exhaustion. Tumbling around my head were all the implications of this maneuver. Either I threw away what I’d worked my ass off to build, or I took the reins.

  Mark gathered his papers. “Isabelle has all the information she needs, so I think that’s all for now. We’ll meet again once she’s had a chance to go over things with her lawyer.”

  Dimly, I registered Mark saying, “I’ll see you both out.” He touched my arm, startling me into motion.

  I stood with the others, and said automatic goodbyes along with firm handshakes. The moment Mark and the lawyers left the conference room I sank into the chair again. The whole thing had taken less than five minutes. Five minutes for my life to be flipped completely on its head.

  I turned the document around and flicked through the pages to find Mark’s magic figure. Compensation for backing away from everything we’d built together. I scanned the page, and noted right away that most surprising of this whole thing was that what Mark wanted wasn’t a fifty percent split. It was more like forty-seven.

  The door closed again and Mark crossed the room to me. “I really would rather you buy me out than dissolve everything we worked so hard for.”

  “I see.” I pushed the proposal away, not wanting it anywhere near me. The money wasn’t the issue. Taking full control of the business wasn’t the issue, although that seemed pretty daunting. The issue was that I’d been blindsided by his announcement. By him. Why didn’t he discuss such a life-altering change with me before getting the lawyers involved? “Why now? Why throw this at me without any warning? What’s happening, Mark? I don’t understand it at all.”

  “I didn’t want you to worry. And I didn’t want you to be pissy at me for weeks while I finalized all the details.” He smiled, and for a moment he seemed like the twenty-two-year-old beer-loving nerd I met in college. The guy who’d babbled about taking New York by storm with such enthusiasm that I’d been carried along with him. The guy I’d shared an apartment with while we were interning with the two largest companies in the city, working our asses off and both loving and hating every moment. The guy who’d been right there with me as we’d risked everything to go out on our own. “I’m tired of feeling like I can’t do anything right, Belle. I love running a business but I don’t like being a stockbroker. I can’t pretend anymore.”

  “That doesn’t…it…that’s not a reason, Mark.”

  “To me it is. I need a change, of pace and scenery.” Both his hands came up placatingly. “Look. I want you to succeed. I know you can do it. While I’m here you’re just going to keep doing what’s safe.”

  “Don’t even bother, Mark. Don’t get all sanctimonious like you’re doing this for me.” I raised my chin.

  He broke eye contact with me and I knew immediately that there was more. How fucking wonderful. I made a give it to me gesture. “Spill,” I said wearily.

  “A client wants to sue.” He laughed humorlessly. “Actually, that’s not entirely correct because thanks to Tom’s excellent contracts, we can’t be sued. I should say, the client wants arbitration.”

  The wording of these contracts flitted through my head, particularly the clause where the client waived their right to litigate, and where it specified either Mark or I as solely responsible for the client’s portfolio. But we operated under the umbrella of Rhodes and Hall, and the company should be liable, if not legally, then at least morally. I’d never even considered such a thing possible because both of us had always done the right thing. “What have you done, Mark?” I had to swallow before I could speak again. “Who is it?”

  “David Oldham. Mismanagement of funds.”

  I managed a squeaky, “Fraud?” The bile started churning again. This wasn’t us! We didn’t do things like that. We were good people, clean people and from the very beginning, Mark and I had prided ourselves on that fact.

  “Not exactly, no. He’s alleging I didn’t act according to instructions.” He looked up, expression earnest and said firmly, “Me, Belle, not the company.”

  “Alleging?”

  Mark waved a hand. “Semantics. He’s right. I fucked up.”

  “Fucked up how? Or more importantly why? Mark, what the hell is going on? Stop screwing around and tell me.”

  The silence in the room stretched out uncomfortably but I didn’t fill it because there
was nothing else for me to say. Mark squirmed. “I missed out on some important deals and lost him a decent amount of money. There’s no defense, I just…stopped caring.” All of this information was mumbled to the floor.

  “I see.” I was impressively calm. I didn’t look away from him, as much as I wanted to.

  He met my eyes. “I was never as smart as you. You have the gift. I’m a fucking snake oil salesman, not a moneymaker. I didn’t mean for it to get so out of hand, I swear, but it just slipped away. Then the longer I left it, the worse it got.”

  “And how does this affect the company?” I needed facts, not emotion.

  “It doesn’t impact Rhodes and Hall, not legally, because I’m taking care of things. David has agreed to a settlement which more than covers his loss. In return, he won’t be pushing for an arbitration hearing which we know would damage the company’s image.” He drew in a breath, squared his shoulders. “The settlement is coming from my pocket. It’s my mistake, and now I’m fixing it.”

  “Fixing it…” Everything clicked into place. He’d wanted out for a while, he’d screwed up and now he was falling on his sword. For me. Because he felt guilty. But I was furious that he’d done all this behind my back, chosen how to handle it like I didn’t even rate being in the loop. We’d done everything together, the good and the bad and now he was going it alone when we should have been dealing with it together. I was even more furious that months ago when I’d asked him if everything was all right, he’d lied.

  “With my departure and a non-disclosure cause, I expect fallout for the company to be minimal. Some clients will leave, but that will be because I’m leaving not because they’re worried about integrity.” He spoke as though it was a done deal, that I’d buy him out instead of dissolve.

  “Right, of course,” I snarled. “Who’d stay without a man at the helm?” All my insecurity I’d felt before now magnified exponentially. For the past decade, I’d consistently outperformed him but it was like nobody else could see it. How was I going to convince those people that I was far more capable than him?