Manhattan Miracle

by Dawning, Dee

  "Oh yeah, baby. Your body feels so good!"

  On the edge, I whimpered, then pleaded, "That's it, baby, what you're doin' feels so good!" I raised my head back against the cool tile wall and thrashed it from side to side as blinding light behind my eyes morphed into a million tickly, floating feathers.

  My release seemed to go on and on and through it Brad moved within. When it finally dissipated, Brad pushed against me firmly and urged, "Don't move, baby. It's my turn," as he jerked erratically. Then a second swell of pleasure swamped me, drowning me in hot, bright incandescence.

  "My God, it's coming back stronger."

  "Oh baby. You make me feel so good!"

  Breathless, I replied, "I'm so glad we found each other!"

  I arched my back as yet another of what seemed like unending surges of pleasure, coursed through my body and mind. Frenzied, I moved erratically as a rainbow of luminance encompassed my mind and explosions of blissfulness crisscrossed through me.

  When we'd calmed, Brad set me down. "Whew, wasn't that something?"

  "Yes it was." I snaked my arms around him and gave him a deep passionate kiss.

  "Wow, what was that for?"

  "For making me happy."

  "Making you happy?"

  "Yes, you make me very happy. I never knew how real my subconscious random thoughts about being a woman were, until I became one. Now, that I am one I really do love being a woman—being you."

  He chuckled, "Don't thank me. I think you need to thank AFC Suzi Carpenter."

  "Maybe, but you supplied the glamorous body I inhabit."

  "And your body provided a way for me to break into the man's world of high finance." He took my hand. "It's getting late. C'mon, we need to get ready for work."

  ~ * * ~

  Within a half hour of arriving at work, a runner brought up the list of company clients Brad had requested. I waltzed into Brad's office. "Here's the complete list of company clients you asked for on Monday."

  Brad smiled at me, waggled his eyebrows and grabbed the folder. "Ooh, it's a fat one. Thank you." He opened the file and perused the list. He looked at me. "This'll take awhile. I'll look it over and highlight the familiar names."

  "Take your time. I'll get back to work for now."

  I wasn't back to my desk ten minutes when the intercom rang. "Yes, Brad?"

  "Hello gorgeous. Why don't you come back in here?"

  "Be there in a jif."

  I hung up and paced into Brad's office. "Yes?"

  He smiled and flipped the yellow HI-LITER underhanded up in the air and pushed his chair back from the desk. "All done. Shut the door and take a seat."

  I shut the door and sat on one of the two guest chairs, ankles twined under the chair, hands in lap. I looked up and waited for Brad to speak.

  He propped his feet up on the desk. "You know what?"

  "What?"

  "I'm still aroused from thinking about us last night and this morning in the shower."

  That was a bit off topic, but I smiled. "Mmm, that was good. I love sex."

  "Me too. We should work late some night. I wouldn't mind dining on you in the lunch room."

  "Now, you're making me wet, you naughty boy."

  He laughed "Naughty is right. Now, that I'm the one wielding the joystick instead of receiving it, I can think of all kinds of places and ways I'd like to screw you."

  I raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah, where?"

  "For starters, I'd like to bend you over my desk and take you from behind."

  Picturing Brad's scenario, my nips stiffened. "Ummm, sounds like fun. What else?"

  "I don't know it might be fun to do you in Grimes' office—on his desk, in his chair, on his couch."

  Warmth and humidity pervaded my center. God, I get aroused easy. I guess I really am a slut. "I could get into all of that, but aren't you going to tell me about the list?"

  "Killjoy."

  I snickered as he pulled his feet off the desk and leaned forward.

  Staring at me, he fondled the folder the list was in. "There are names of fourteen men who were customers of either Amber or me in the company client list."

  "That's all?"

  Brad frowned. "That's all. Just what do you think Amber and I did? Sleep with half the population and visitors of New York?"

  I shook my head. "Sorry, it's such a big list I thought there'd be more."

  "That's all right." He closed the folder and handed it to me. "Here you go. Take this list home and give Amber a chance to look over the list as well."

  I nodded and returned to my desk. When I got there, the phone was ringing."

  "Bradley Fairchild's office. May I help you?"

  "Hello, this is Grace Wadsworth. I'm President Grimes' secretary. Is this Brad Fairchild's assistant, Ginger Allen?"

  "Yes, I'm Ginger Allen."

  "Good. Please hold, Mr. Grimes would like to speak to you."

  Mr. Grimes. What's all this about?

  "Hello, Ginger."

  "Hello, Mr. Grimes."

  "Call me Milt, please."

  "Yes sir. What can I do for you?"

  "Are you free this afternoon at say…two o'clock? I'd like to discuss something with you?"

  "May I ask what?"

  "I suppose I could give you a little preview. Because of your exceptional beauty and charm, I'm considering offering you a position as my personal assistant. As my personal assistant, you would be the new spokesperson for our company. You will be involved in company promotions and social functions. You'll be on TV, the internet, in magazines and will represent our firm at various social functions. You will, in effect, become the new face of Bayside Securities."

  "That sounds wonderful, but now I have a dozen more questions."

  He laughed. "Save them for when we meet. Unfortunately, I have a meeting I must get to."

  "All right, but I'm curious about one more thing."

  "What's that?"

  "You said new spokesperson and new face of Bayside Securities. Who is current spokesperson?"

  "No one. We had a beautiful young woman in the position until a few months ago when she disappeared. I was so distraught I haven't had the heart to look for a replacement until you came along. You would be perfect for the job. Now, I must go. Can you be here at two?"

  Alarm bells went off in my head. Do I have a choice? "Yes, I'll be there."

  After hanging up from Grimes, I rang Brad on the intercom.

  "Yeah, Babe?"

  "You remember just telling me you'd like to screw me in Grimes' office? On his desk, in his chair and on his couch?"

  "Yes."

  "Well it just might happen, only it won't be you doing it, it'll be Grimes."

  I could see him frown clear through the glass partition in his office. "What are you talking about?"

  "The big boss wants to see me in his office after lunch."

  There was a pause and then he asked, "In his office. Just you?"

  "Ah-huh."

  "Is that why you called?"

  Suddenly, line one rang. "Yes, hang on while I get this."

  I pushed line one. "Bradley Fairchild's office. May I help you?"

  "Yes, hi, it's Amber!"

  "Oh, we gotta talk. I'll be right back."

  I clicked back on the intercom. "Hi hon, it's Amber. I'll talk with you later."

  "Please do. We have to discuss this."

  I pushed line one again. "Amber? Are you still there?"

  "Ah-huh."

  "I had Brad on hold. I was telling him about the strange request I had from the big boss.

  "Really? Like what?"

  "Well, Mr. Grimes, that's the president, Milton Grimes, wants to see me at two o'clock this afternoon to discuss something. He wants to see just me and not Brad. Baby, I have a bad feeling about this."

  "Hmm. Milton Grimes, why does that name sound familiar?

  "I don't know?"

  "Of course you don't. Oh well. Maybe it'll come to me. Sounds like he has something in
mind for you. "

  "He does. He talked briefly about making me his personal assistant and spokesperson for Bayside."

  "Sounds interesting."

  "A little, but I couldn't do it for two reasons. One, because I have to stick around at least until Brad gets his bearings. "

  "That's right, he's the one who's a total stranger there—not you. What's the second reason?"

  "The man totally creeps me out."

  "Hmm. That is a problem."

  "Yep. What did you call me about?"

  "I was going to tell you about my big night with Lew, but that'll wait. Can you meet me for lunch?"

  "Sure where?"

  "Meet me for brunch at The Grill by the Lincoln Center as soon as you can, okay?"

  "All right. I'm on my way."

  "Good, and bring Brad. I want my dear friend's opinion, too."

  "Will do. We'll see you in a bit."

  I waltzed into Brad's office and his gaze tracked me the whole way as I walked up to him and grabbed his hand. "C'mon we're meeting Amber for brunch and a pre-Grimes discussion."

  He stood. "Good idea."

  Chapter Sixteen

  After a ten minute cab ride we arrived at The Grill at ten-fifty. I slipped in the semi-circular booth next to and cheek kissed Amber. Brad slid in next to me and awkwardly leaned across me to kiss Amber.

  "You look dazzling," chirped Brad.

  "I agree. You have a rosy glow and look positively wonderful, hon."

  Amber's already generous smile widened. "I know. I feel wonderful. Guys, for the last two days I've had the time of my life and last night… Last night was the pièce de résistance."

  "We know. We heard."

  Amber laughed and took my hand. "And I heard you guys. But we're here to talk about your meeting, not my love life."

  "Nonsense. You've never had a love life before. It's early, we can spare five or ten minutes for you to tell us what's going on."

  Amber's grin was as wide as Fifth Avenue. "You guys are the greatest. Have I told you how much I love you?"

  I nudged her. "No and you don't need to. We know you love us as much as we love you. Now, tell us what you've been up to.

  Brad waggled his eyebrows and snickered. "Yes, especially last night, and be descriptive."

  I elbowed him. "When did you become such a dirty bird?"

  Amber giggled like a schoolgirl. "It's all right we both used to be in the sex business."

  I raised an eyebrow. "Used to be…?"

  "Yes, I'll get to that. As for last night, sex with Lew is magical. It's so much better having sex with someone you like and are attracted to."

  Thinking of Brad and me, I blurted, "That goes without saying."

  "I know, but after having sex for pay, for so long, you forget—if I ever knew."

  Leave it to Brad. "I can imagine. Tell us more about last night, you know, how part 'A' fit in receptacle 'B' and how great it felt."

  Amber giggled. "Brad, I can't describe the way it felt. We kissed, and we pleasured each other with our mouths then we screwed like wild animals. Primal urges drove me, I never felt anything like it, but the whole time we had crazy, wild sex, I felt as if I was making love. There was nothing dirty about the dirty, filthy, things we did—it was natural. Am I making sense?"

  Amber paused while the waitress brought water and took our order. I hadn't even looked at the menu, so handing the menu back, I said, "I'll have a turkey club with fruit instead of fries and iced tea."

  Amber hitched her head in apparent approval. "I'll have the same."

  Smiling with his perfect white teeth Brad handed her the menu. "I'll have Eggs Benedict and coffee."

  After the waitress left, I said, "Yes, I know exactly what you mean. I have similar compulsions with Brad and while I wouldn't describe our love making in animalistic terms, I've never felt so complete…so fulfilled. When you love someone, or in your case, when you are captivated by someone, nothing either of you want from each other is off limits."

  Amber excitedly bounced on the cushions. "Yes, that's it exactly! Then she frowned and stared. "You love Brad?"

  I glanced Brad's way and took his hand. "Yes, I think I do. I haven't told him before now, but he's become as important to me as breathing."

  Brad flashed his trademark smile. "As long as we're confessing, I confess, I adore Ginger." Brad capped his confession with a short sweet kiss to my lips.

  "Me too. I know it's only been two days, but I love Lew. Do you think it's possible?"

  "I don't know, but if there's anything like love at first sight, it's like it was with you and Lew. Sweetheart, your eyes devoured him from the first moment you saw him."

  She laughed. "That's so true. I was enthralled by him, but I wasn't sure I loved him until, I woke up this morning."

  "Is there anything else about last night?"

  She laughed. "Oh, you don't want me to go into that."

  I laughed and grasped Brad's hand. "Brad said we sounded like dueling orgasms. Last night."

  Amber grinned. "That's funny. Yeah, I guess in a way, we did."

  Brad leaned forward. "So, what's in store for you guys?"

  She hitched her shoulders. "About what you'd expect. He won't dwell on my past as long as my past is not the same as my future."

  I glanced around as a pair of women walked by. "He wants you to quit. I'm not surprised."

  Amber nodded. "Yes. I said I would think about it. In the meantime I suspended my dates for the rest of the month."

  Brad frowned. "You did? What will you do?"

  She turned to both of us, tilted her head and scrunched her nose. "I'm not helpless. I'll find a job, preferably in marketing. Lew's going to see if there's anything available at Bayside that I could do."

  "Depending on my meeting with Grimes, that may not be much of an option."

  Amber shrugged. "If not, I'll get work somewhere. I know the cut in income will be drastic, but like you, I have a nice-sized bank account. If Lew continues to make me happy, it'll be worth it. If not, I can always start having dates again. She took a big bite of her sandwich and while chewing, she asked, "Now, tell me about this meeting with the big boss?"

  "Well, on my first day, after leaving you and Lew at The Libation Station, Brad and I got in the same elevator as Milton Grimes."

  Amber sighed. "There's that name again. I wish I could remember. Go on."

  "Brad introduced us and although he didn't do anything overt other than mentally undress me, there was something about him that signaled—this is not a nice man!

  "Anyway, he called this morning and wants me to come to his office to discuss something. There really isn't much more than I told you on the phone. I'm supposed meet with him at two o'clock—just me."

  Amber shook her head. "I don't know. This sounds scary. Keep a recorder in your purse and turn it on just before you go in to see him."

  Amber paused and drummed her fingernails on the table. "Milton Grimes? Why can't I remember? Milton Grimes, Milton Gri…" Amber's eyes grew so wide her forehead wrinkled and her jaw dropped almost to her neck. "Oh, my God! Baby, you can't go!"

  I leaned forward. "Why? You remember?"

  "Yes, this is a bad man. Promise me you won't go."

  I fidgeted nervously in my seat. "Why? He's the president of the company, I can't just not go. Tell me what you remember."

  She took a deep breath. "All right. Do you remember Bella?"

  When it became obvious her question confused me, she added, "That's right, you're not really Ginger. Sorry, it's Brad who knows Bella.

  "You and I were sophomores when the economy tanked. Bella, our friend and classmate had a loft in Soho. Knowing the trouble we were having, she helped out by letting us move in with her, allowing us to pay her what we could afford, when and if we could afford it. She was a life-saver.

  "Not long after moving in with her, Ginger and I went to work for Elegant Escorts, so thanks to Bella, we got by pretty well. Then, near graduation, on one of
the rare nights we were home together, Bella got a special delivery letter notifying her she'd been accepted into Harvard Law School. She was ecstatic and of course we were happy for her.

  "Right after we emotionally hugged and kissed our congratulations, Bella broke out three bottles of delicious wine to celebrate, and we got wasted.

  "Even though Bella never worked, she never lacked for spending money or the funds she needed for rent or books and to pay tuition. It was then, when she was happily and under the influence of tasty, squashed, French grapes that she revealed what we'd secretly wondered—who paid Bella's way?

  "It seems Bella's older sister, Lily was her benefactor. Lily paid for everything."

  I cut in. "Okay, I get it. Bella's older sister helped her get through college, but what does that have to do with Milton Grimes?"

  Amber took a long sip of her iced tea and went on, "Bella never explained what company Lily worked for. We only knew what we were told, that Lily was the personal assistant to Milton Grimes, president of a major New York financial institution."

  My heart dropped into my stomach. Without thinking, I murmured, "Bayside."

  "Yes, I never knew where until I just made the connection."

  "Where is she now? Is she still there? He has a secretary named Grace Wadsworth."

  "Lily disappeared. Let me finish."

  A chill ran through me. I began to perspire.

  After the waitress refilled our iced tea glasses, Amber took a lengthy sip and continued. "Even though we no longer lived together or were in school together, Bella kept in touch. A year ago last spring, Bella graduated from law school. After passing the New York Bar Exam, unknown to Lily, she applied for work in the legal dept of her sister's and of course, Milton Grimes' firm. When they called her for an interview, Bella was thrilled and called her sister to tell her about the good news. Only Lily wasn't pleased."

  "She wasn't?"

  "No. More like outraged. She said her boss was evil and if he got one look at Bella, he'd try to get her to do bad things. She made Bella promise to cancel the interview and told her she would get her a better job."

  "How strange."

  "I know."

  "Did she? Did she get her a better job?"