by Kelli Walker
Then I pulled out my phone and started calling around to some places I knew of.
If she was going to be stuck riding around the city in a car, the least I could do was make it the best damn car she’d ever seen.
Tiffany
I woke up to the sun streaming through the windows. I stretched in the massive king-sized bed my room boasted of and felt my joints instantly relax. Free day. It was my free day. I smiled as my eyes slowly opened, taking in the beautiful sun hanging high in the sky. I wasn’t sure how long I’d slept, but I didn’t care. Not having to get up at six in the morning to prepare myself for a meeting felt marvelous. I sat up and slid from the bed, padding over to the window. I looked down at the city below and saw so many happy people walking around. Holding hands and pushing children in strollers People walking their dogs and laughing with their friends.
I couldn’t wait to get out into the city.
I took a quick shower and dressed in something comfortable. I slid a hat onto my head and put my arms through my coat, then tossed a scarf around my neck. Old Town was my first stop. I’d hit Le Dezaley whenever I got hungry. I wanted to take Paige and my mother something back. I wanted to get them some sort of gift to let them know I was thinking of them while I was out of the country.
And I couldn’t wait to take pictures to send to everyone.
I grabbed my purse and made sure I had everything. My wallet, my phone, and my room key. I splashed on a bit of makeup and ran some lip gloss over my lips, then I headed downstairs towards the lobby.
It wasn’t until I walked out of the massive doors of the hotel that I was reminded of my encounter with Kenneth the other day.
A car was sitting on the curb of the road that glistened in the sun. It was black and sleek, with tinted windows and chrome accents. There was a man who held the door open for me and I could see the leather seats shining. There was something that looked like a bottle of wine sitting off in the corner, and a brief shadow moved before a familiar face poked out.
I watched Kenneth climb out of the car before he leaned against it.
Furrowing my brow, I walked up to him. I knew he was going to make me ride in a car, but I didn’t think he was going to be with me. He held his arm out, ushering me to get into the car, and I gave him a curious look before I slid in.
Then he dipped in next to me before the driver shut the door.
“Kenneth, what-?”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
I panned my gaze slowly over to him as he crossed his leg over his knee.
“You’re what?” I asked.
“I was a little out of line last night. There were other ways for me to convey the importance of your safety without relating it to myself or getting short with you.”
“That still doesn’t explain why you’re in the car with me,” I said.
“That’s part of the apology, if you want it,” he said. “My plan was to spend the day out in the city as well. There are private boat rides along the river that runs through town and, in my opinion, Zurich houses the best bakery in Europe. I was going to fill my day with those two activities, and I figured you might enjoy them as well.”
“But I’m going to Old Town and that fondue place.”
“We could merge our days. Or not. The driver is fully prepared to drop me off at the private boat dock before driving you wherever you wish to go,” he said. “But, I figured if you wanted to experience more of the city, we could do it together.”
“Together.”
“If that’s what you want.”
Was it what I wanted? On the one hand, I understood his need to protect me. I was a company asset. An employee the company was responsible for while abroad. On the other hand, there was a part of me that was slightly disappointed at the fact that he was phrasing it that way. I wanted him to protect me because he was concerned about me. Not the company.
And then a small part of me was ashamed for even feeling that way.
“I don’t see why we can’t merge our days,” I said. “Your plans sound fun. I know my plans will be fun.”
“Then it’s settled,” he said.
“I guess it is.”
I ended up having a great time with Kenneth. We took one of the private boat rides down the river that ran through the city and it dropped us right in the back of the bakery he was talking about. We had the most amazing coffee and talked about everything that had nothing to do with work. After eating our snack we headed into Old Town and did a lot of walking around. I picked up a handmade sweater for my mother made in all her favorite colors and I got Paige a beautiful set of quartzite jewelry. Earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet. All matching, and every bit as shiny as Paige’s personality.
And oh, the pictures I took.
Kenneth offered his arm to me and I gladly took it. The breeze was kicking up and my feet were starting to hurt. My stomach was on the verge of growling, so I knew Le Dezaley would be in our near future. His warmth was wonderful, and I pressed my cheek into his arm as we walked slowly back to where the car was parked.
“Are you ready for that fondue?” Kenneth asked.
“I think my stomach is a couple of ticks away from eating itself, yes.”
“Then let’s go get warmed up and get some dinner, shall we?”
He opened the car door for me and I smiled up at him. I’d enjoyed my day out with him more than I figured I would. More than was probably deeme professional. Then again, we’d already crossed that boundary. And there was no going back.
Plus, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back. The longer I stayed in Kenneth’s presence, the more I didn’t want to leave it.
“So, is the sweater for your friend or your mother?” he asked.
“Definitely my mother,” I said. “The jewelry’s for Paige.”
“She’s lucky to have you as a friend. I don’t have many people in my life to buy presents for.”
“Do you not buy any for your parents?” I asked.
“We aren’t very close. I haven’t seen them in a few years.”
“Why not?”
“Stupid family stuff that built up over the years. I missed holidays due to flipping companies and when I tried to make it up to them, they complained. I hated their complaining, so I made more excuses not to go see them. Eventually, the rift grew and people stopped calling one another.”
“So you don’t even talk with them on the phone?” I asked.
“I talked with my dad last year?”
“Last year!”
“Yep. I think it was last year,” he said. “He had a health scare and Mom called. Said it would behoove me to check up on him and see how he was doing.”
“How is he now? What was wrong with him?”
“Congestive heart failure. He’s doing okay. I’ve got an in-home care team working around-the-clock for him. He’s in the hands of the most capable doctors in the country.”
“That doesn’t sound like the actions of an estranged son,” I said.
“They’re still my parents. I still love them. We just lead different lives. My father worked in steel mills and my mother did alterations for people in town to make ends meet. I wanted something more for my life and my father wanted me to dirty up my hands and make an honest living.”
“I think you should call them.”
“Well if my secretary requires it of me.”
I tossed a piece of bread at him and he smiled. It was easy, being around him. Talking with him. And the more we talked, the more I learned about him. But the more I learned about him, the more he didn’t fit the persona of the man I was trying to pick apart. He seemed more and more genuine. Upstanding. Truthful to his core. The epitome of a man that would hold the kind of morals stances he did in his life.
Which only left me more confused.
Kenneth picked up the bill, then the two of us headed back to the hotel. We rode in the elevator, the desire thick between us. My pinky finger reached out for his hand. Testing the waters to see what he wo
uld do. I kept my eyes locked on the elevator doors in front of us, counting the number of dings as we passed each floor. I stroked my nail against his skin, begging him to move. To reach out and take my hand. To move his pinky in time with mine.
But instead, I got something more.
Much more than what I’d bargained for.
My back was against the wall and his lips were on mine. My hands flew to his hair as his body pressed me deeper into the the elevator. His tongue slid across my lips, demanding entrance as his hands gripped my ass. I jumped, wrapping my legs around him, and when the elevator opened he went storming out of the encasement.
Our teeth clattered together and my lips swelled at the ferocious contact. He pinned me against the hotel suite door and I felt his cock pulsing against my thigh. All thoughts and pretense between us faded away as his hand cupped my clothed breast. My nipple puckered at his touch and I yearned for more. Heat pooled between my legs and goosebumps flooded down my arms. I could smell his wanton lust for me, and it made my nostrils flare. His lips trailed down my neck, kissing every single piece of exposed skin I had as my hand rummaged through my purse.
“Key,” he said with a growl. “Where’s your key?”
“I’ve got it. It’s… somewhere…”
Fuck! Where was my key?
“Got it,” I said breathlessly.
He ripped it from my hand and jammed it into the door. And before I knew it, we were stumbling into my hotel room. He dropped me to my feet and clothes started being ripped apart. He pushed my jacket off my shoulders and I ripped at his tie. My hands fell to his belt and he slid my scarf from around my neck. He tossed my hat off my head before our lips collided again, and I pushed his pants down his rounded ass.
But before we could get any further, his phone rang out.
“Forget it,” he said into my lips.
But then his phone started going crazy. Dings. Vibrations. Ringtones and clicks. My eyes fluttered open and I could see his brow furrowed, his eyes battling between looking at what the hell was going on and continuing what both of us had wanted since we sat down to dinner.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Hold on.”
I wiped at my lips as I took a step back from him and he pulled his pants back up his body. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, then picked up the call still ringing through. I leaned against the back of the couch, my hair mussed and my breasts nearly spilling out of the shirt Kenneth tried to rip down my body.
“What?” he asked. “What are you talking about?”
I watched his face drop and I knew it wasn’t good.
He held his phone out to look at it as his finger slid around the screen. He closed his eyes and sighed, and the tone of the moment between us immediately changed. He put his phone back to his ear and turned away from me, talking lowly into his cell phone so I couldn’t hear.
He hung up his phone before he looked over his shoulder at me. And when he turned around, he had his phone outstretched so I could see. I looked at the picture of us as I took his phone, enlarging it just to make sure I was seeing it correctly.
“Where did you get this?” I asked.
“It’s not on the official outlets, but it will be soon,” he said.
“Kenneth, who took this photo of us?”
It was a picture of us in Old Town with my arm threaded through his. My cheek was pressed against his arm and he was looking down at me. It wasn’t a risque photo, but it certainly wasn’t a professional one.
“Who was that on the phone?” I asked weakly.
“My Public Relations department. They’ve gotten a heads-up on an article that’s being published.”
“Kenneth, that picture’s from this afternoon.”
“The internet travels fast.”
“I thought you said we didn’t have to worry about something like this getting out?” I asked.
“It’s not a terrible picture. My P.R. department is already attempting to spin it.”
“Spin it? There’s nothing to spin. We were just walking. We were out and enjoying Switzerland!”
“Tiffany, it’s-”
“Get out,” I said.
Panic filled my chest, and suddenly I was wondering who else was watching us. Where were they watching us from. What was that article going to say? Shit. Did someone know about us? About our date?
“Tiffany, I’ve got this-.”
“Out,” I said.
“Tiff-”
“Get out!”
I pushed Kenneth out the door and tossed his coat to him. I locked the door behind me and made a mad dash for my computer. I opened up my email and saw a few of them from Paige. An update on my mother, a general email asking me how things were going in Switzerland, and three other emails. Each with a picture.
There was more than one picture of Kenneth and I out there.
What was I going to do? I was going to lose my job, that much was for sure. The second the company questioned us on it, Kenneth would fire me to protect the company. It was sickening, how quickly word traveled in the media world. I typed mine and Kenneth’s name into the search bar, and already there was an article that had been posted.
New CEO Redefines Meaning of ‘Benefits’ For Company
What a fucking headline. Born out of one moment of weakness.
I had no idea what I was going to do, but I knew things could no longer go on with Kenneth and I. Whatever we were doing, it had to stop. If I wanted answers about my father, I would simply have to ask. And I knew I wouldn’t be guaranteed an honest answer. No matter how ethical a man seemed, there was always a line. And the richer a person was, the more important their reputation was to them. With something like this floating around in the ethers about my boss, there was no way he’d slander himself more by admitting any sort of involvement into what happened with my father.
My forehead fell against my keyboard as tears rose to my eyes.
At the very least, I needed to be prepared to be moved to a different department. Maybe Kenneth would be easy on me and not fire me altogether. Maybe I could propose the idea of me moving departments before things got too out of hand and that would help with the media storm I knew would be coming our way.
Or maybe this was my downfall. Maybe this was the scandal that would make me unhirable.
Maybe my father did harass all those women.
Maybe firing him before a formal investigation was launched was an act of mercy.
I didn’t know anything anymore, and as my tears dripped onto the surface of my keyboard, I sighed.
I didn’t know what else to do other than that.
Kenneth
The media outlets had four different pictures. None of them were salacious in nature, thank fuck. But Tiffany and I were pretty damn cozy in them. One was of us arm-in-arm, two were of us laughing in a shop in Old Town, and one was me ushering her into the restaurant with my hand on her lower back. Damn it. How the hell could I have not caught something like that? I had a sixth sense for the paparazzi and people taking pictures of me.
Did Tiffany have me that distracted?
My P.R. department was already trying to swing the story. Trying to paint me as an informal escort around the country for a new employee. They were highlighting Tiffany’s lack of time abroad and using that to paint the idea of security. Wanting to keep my employees safe whenever they were with me on a business trip.
But that picture of my fucking hand on her back.
The media would definitely use that as proof to spin their own fucking stories.
The only positive thing about any of this was the fact that none of the pictures had been of me kissing her on top of the head. Because that happened on a couple of occasions while we were out the day before. But it still wasn’t good. I was the new CEO of a tanking company, and I had a board of investors I answered to. And I’d only met with them twice.
They didn’t even fucking know me well enough to make a judgement call on how this looked for the compan
y.
This wasn’t a good look for the company to start out with, and even my P.R. department knew that. I sat there on the couch at three in the morning, watching the damn television scroll like a social media feed on meth. Part of me wanted to go down to Tiffany’s suite. Or invite her up. Do something to reach out in order to see how she was. But her brutal removal of me from her room made me think twice. Her eyes when she screamed at me? It was unlike anything I’d ever seen.
She wanted me gone, and I had no right to encroach upon that.
I closed my eyes and sighed. Every single news outlet back in the States had this on their fucking evening headlines. ‘New CEO Snags Secretary’ and ‘Kenneth Weber: Web of Secrets?’ Such disgusting and idiotic headlines that took what Tiffany and I had shared together and turned it into a minefield of insults to my character and jabs at her sexuality as a woman.
All in the span of less than twenty four hours.
I turned the television off, unable to stomach anymore of it. I had no idea what I was going to do about the rest of this trip. If the national media outlets back home were reporting on it, other countries would be eventually. And with this shit originating in Switzerland, there was a good chance some of my clients already knew what was happening. They’d use it as leverage. Try to lean on me and get better deals for themselves in an attempt to undercut me during a time of reputational weakness. At the very least, they’d mock the presence of Tiffany and embarrass her further.
And I wasn’t going to let either of those things happen.
Sleep evaded me, so I got up and took a shower. I stood there until the water ran cold, then took my time getting ready. I shaved. I chose my best suit for the next day’s round of meetings. I stepped away from the television and away from the phone in hopes that I could get some semblance of peace. Give myself time to wrap my head around what was going on and figure out a plan of attack. People would assault me from all sides. The board of investors. Employees. Key opinion holders in the general public. Late night television hosts would surely add this to their docket for the night and blogs written by old men in their basements would twist the story even further.
