by Ana E Ross
Her Perfect Valentine Birthday Surprise
Copyright © Ana E Ross 2011-2012
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotes used in reviews, no portion of this story may be used or reproduced in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or any other device now known or invented hereafter without the written permission of the author. These forms include, but are not limited to xerography, photocopying, scanning, recording, distributing via Internet means, informational storage or retrieval system.
This story is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any similarities to actual events, locales, business establishments, or persons--living or dead--is purely coincidental.
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HER PERFECT VALENTINE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE
It was my first day as an entry-level accountant at Tanner Enterprises, a computer software company in Boston, Massachusetts. And I was late.
“Hold the elevator!” I called as I squeezed through the revolving doors leading from the outside of the building. Either the blonde man in the elevator didn’t hear me, or he opted to ignore me and push the button, anyway. I didn’t know the answer to either of those questions, but I knew he looked extremely attractive in his dark tailored suit.
As I waited for the next elevator, my mind wandered back to the past as it always does when I see a curly-haired blonde man in a suit.
It was Valentine’s Day, and my twenty-third birthday, six years ago, and I was sitting at the bar in a North End restaurant, dressed to kill, and all alone. I had recently broken up with my boyfriend and my very best friend was supposed to celebrate with me, but a last minute emergency caused her to cancel. So there I was, spending Valentine’s Day and my birthday alone, when Mr. Tall Blonde and Painfully Handsome walked in, wearing a suit.
My mouth dropped open and my heart stopped beating the second I saw him. I didn’t know if it was love or lust at first sight. It didn’t matter. All I knew was that I wanted to know him in the Biblical sense of the word.
His eyes cased the room for a few seconds then finally came to settle on me. He started across the floor.
As he walked toward me, I imagined his hands stroking my flushed skin as he slowly removed my clothes, his bare arms circling my naked trembling body, his lips brushing mine. I didn’t even know the man’s name, and I was already in his bed.
I pivoted around on my stool as he came to a stop beside me. His eyes were the deepest blue, his mouth sensuously wide, his lips full and kissable. He looked around thirty-years old, and very experience in knowing what he wanted.
He flashed me a heated white grin and said in a deep husky voice, “I’ve been looking for you all night.”
“Just all night, or all your life?” I jested, offering him my most seductive smile.
His grin deepened and his eyes glazed with passion. Without further preamble, he pulled me off my stool, into his arms, and kissed me deeply. My arms wrapped about his neck, and I held him tightly. He smelled wonderful, and his breath tasted like champagne. As his mouth devoured mine, I wondered where he’d been before he walked into the bar, and my life.
He came up for air and gazed deeply into my wide brown eyes. “Would you be my Valentine tonight?”
You don’t even know this man. You’ll be crazy to leave with him, my head spoke up. But you’re lonely and he seems okay. Have a little fun, my heart retorted. I decided to go with my heart. “Absolutely,” I managed between my ragged breaths. “It’s my birthday, too.”
“Then think of me as your Perfect Valentine Birthday Surprise. Come with me,” he said, interlacing our fingers.
In a haze, I picked up my purse and followed the strange sexy man out of the bar, through the restaurant, out the door, and across the parking lot.
“I’m not protected,” I warned as he helped me into his Mercedes. Since I hated the thought of putting hormones into my body, I never started the pill. My ex and I used condoms and a diaphragm. Since I wasn’t intending to make love tonight, I’d left my protection at home.
“Don’t worry. I have it covered.”
“I bet you do.”
A feeling of wild excitement and abandonment coursed through my body as we drove off. I’d never done anything so reckless in my entire life. I didn’t know where we were going and I really didn’t care. I just wanted to live in the moment. Maybe I could blame my reckless behavior on the two Tequilas I’d been drowning my loneliness in. I don’t know.
He took me to one of Boston’s grandest hotel. Up to this day, I have no idea if my lover was in town on business, or if he lived here and it would have been awkward for him to take me to his place. He wasn’t wearing a ring, so I assumed he wasn’t married. All I knew was that I wanted to make love with this man whose name I still didn’t know. Didn’t want to know.
Even after six years, I still tingle with desire each time I remember the feel of his warm hands on my body, the uncontrollable tremors that ripped through me time and time again, the husky rumble of his voice in my ears as he told me how delectably sweet and beautiful I was. We made love until dawn when I finally fell into a deep slumber. When I awoke, he was gone.
I’d felt a deep sadness that he’d left without saying goodbye, and that our time together had come to an end so quickly and quietly. But after all, that’s the way it had begun. Quickly and quietly.
I never saw him again, but it was impossible to forget our impromptu passionate encounter.
Not long after, my boyfriend, David, came back into my life. I wrestled with telling him about my one-night stand, but decided that we weren’t even together when it happened. So why bother? Besides, I knew he’d been seeing other women while we were separated. So we were married and had a daughter.
As I stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for the twelfth floor, I forced all thoughts of my secret lover out of my mind. I had work to do.
“Hi, Liz,” Sandy, the receptionist greeted me as I stepped off the elevator and into a spacious waiting area. “Late on your first day? You’d better not make this a habit. The boss is in already. You never want him to beat you here.”
Sandy and I had become friends during my two interviews, so I knew her chastisement was a friendly warning. “I know,” I responded, not bothering to explain why I was late, even though it was a legitimate reason. “Joyce in yet?” I signed the ‘sign-in sheet’ as I enquired about the woman whose job I would be taking over when she left on maternity leave. Joyce had talked about not returning to work at all, so there was the possibility of my staying on permanently—if I did an excellent job.
“She’ll be in later,” Sandy said. “An ultrasound, I think. She left some work on your desk.”
“Thanks, Sandy. See you at lunch.” I hurried down the corridor to my office, thoughts of the man in suit already out of my mind.
Joyce and I were elbow deep in figures from a company Tanner Enterprises was thinking of buying out when Sandy buzzed me that the CEO wanted to see me. She also told me that he’d just looked at the ‘sign-in sheet’ and hadn’t seemed too thrilled that I was fifteen minutes late.
The CEO was in the Bahamas at a conference when I was interviewed then hired by Human Resources, so I hadn’t met him yet. I didn’t know what to expect as I walked nervously down the corridor to his office. Although my daughter’s illness was a legitimate reason for my lateness, I realized it still looked bad for my first day on the job. I glanced at the name on the door: Sheldon M. Tanner, Jr. So he was the boss’ son, I thought as I straightened my skirt. I knocked on the door.
“Enter!” a dee
p voice said from within.
For some unexplained reason, my heart jumped at the sound of his voice. I turned the knob and walked in. He was sitting in a huge leather chair with his back to the door. He said nothing for a long time, and I thought he must be admiring the Charles River through the glass wall, which was fine, but I had a project to finish before four o'clock when I had to leave to pick up Marisa from daycare by four-thirty. I cleared my throat. “Mr. Tanner, I’m Elizabeth Ryder. You wanted to see me.”
“Oh, yes,” he said absentmindedly, as if he had forgotten he had called for me. He still did not turn around.
But again, my heart jumped. “Mr. Tanner,” I said in a tentative voice. “I can’t stay past four and I have to finish a report—”
“You were late on your first day, Ms. Ryder. What makes you think you still have a job?”
His cool blatant threat really shook me up. I never thought he would fire me for being late. I shifted my weight and cleared my throat again. “I’m sorry I was late. It was unavoidable—”
“I’m not interested in your excuses. I’m interested in your ability to be responsible, efficient, and punctual. You are being paid to be here at eight o’clock. I do not tolerate tardiness.”
“Yes, sir. It will not happen again.”
“See that it doesn’t.”
I was about to leave, when he suddenly swiveled around.
I almost collapsed when those sapphire-blue eyes pierced me to the core. My hand flew to my throat, as my heart seemed to lodge there. He was the man in the elevator this morning, but he and I went further back than two hours ago. No wonder my heart had been jumping at the sound of his voice. It recognized him, even if my mind refused to.
“So it’s Elizabeth,” he finally said, his eyes roaming the entire length of me.
I saw the same desire I’d seen in him, six years ago when our eyes first locked across that bar. At five-four, with long brown hair and big brown eyes, I’ve been told that I’m very attractive. I wet my lips and gazed at those intense blue eyes and wide sexy mouth that had haunted me for years. He was still the kind of man a woman wanted to take home for some passionate loving even if she didn’t know his name. But he was older, more mature, and far more irresistible.
Even as wanton desires mounted inside me, I feared him. He’d turned my world upside down five years ago. It was because of him that David and I hadn’t worked out. I mean, I was perfectly happy and contented with my life until he strolled into it, gave me a glimpse of Paradise, and left me forever craving for more. This time it would be far more devastating. I had much more to lose.
My eyes inadvertently wandered toward his left hand. I felt a stab in my heart when I saw the bright platinum gold band wrapped around his ring finger. My gaze landed on a picture frame on his desk. Yep, he had a wife and two adorable little daughters who looked about three and one-year old, respectively.
Given the delicate situation, I thought my best defense was to act as if I didn’t recognize him. “Mr. Tanner, it’s nice meeting you, at last.” I held his gaze, unflinching. I didn’t dare offer him my hand.
“I expect you to work an extra fifteen minutes to make up for your tardiness.”
My pretending to not recognize him had clearly annoyed him, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t start harboring stupid fancy notions about him. The past needed to stay in the past; besides the man was married. “I can’t do that,” I said as diplomatically as possible. “I will give up my lunch hour, but I cannot work past four.”
“You keep saying that.” He finally rose and walked toward me. “What is so important that you have to leave at precisely four o’clock?”
I wanted to tell him that it was none of his business. I wished he had stayed seated, because his nearness was disarming. What was it about this man who had the power to knock all good common sense out of my head like he’d done that night, six years ago?
“I never forgot, Elizabeth. Even after all these years, I can’t get you out of my head. I remember every single moment we spent together in that hotel room. You infected me that night. You’re in my blood.”
Don’t trust him, my head screamed. He’s married. For all you know, he was married that night he made love to you then disappeared. It’s because of him why your marriage didn’t work out, why you can’t commit to any other man.
“Are you seeing someone?” he asked. “Is that why you have to rush out at four?”
He almost sounded jealous. But I quickly squelched that thought. I had nothing for Sheldon Tanner to be jealous about. Or did I? “I really have to get back to work, Mr. Tanner,” I said, edging toward the door.
He cocked his head and stared at me. “You really don’t remember me, Elizabeth?”
I realized that it would be foolish to continue acting as if I didn’t know him, so I decided to clear the air and prevent future awkwardness between us. He was my boss, and I didn’t want to have to walk on eggshells around him for the rest of my temporary employment.
“Yes,” I said, softly. “I remember you and our night together. But that was a long time ago, Mr. Tanner. I’ve moved on, and you obviously have, too,” I added, pointing to his family picture.
“But you’re not married. I noticed you’re not wearing a ring.” A hopeful light flashed in his eyes.
Was he a player? “I’m divorced. But there is someone very special in my life,” I answered.
He winced as if I’d struck him across the cheek. “I see. I hope he knows how lucky he is.” He rubbed his temple as if his head hurt. “It’s good seeing you again, Elizabeth. You can leave at four, and you don’t have to give up your lunch hour.” He waved me away and went back to his big black leather chair.
I raced out of there and back to my office. I have no clue how I got anything done after that encounter, but I kept busy until four without even breaking for lunch. I would not have been able to keep anything down, anyway.
I couldn’t sleep that night, and laid in bed thinking that if the economy wasn’t so bad, I’d look for another job. By dawn, I realized that I had no choice but to get up, go in, and tackle whatever challenge life threw me that day. The pay and benefits at Tanner Enterprises were the best out there. And if Joyce didn’t return to work, my financial future would improve exponentially. Since David wasn’t paying child support, I had to think of my daughter’s wellbeing. I would wrestle the devil for her.
The next day I went to work, determined to avoid Sheldon as much as possible. I didn’t have to try too hard. He wasn’t even there. He’d gone on a three-day business trip. I breathed sighs of relief the first two days. My luck ran out on the third day, though.
I was on my way out of his office when he walked in. A shiver ran through me, and my knees buckled at the sight of his muscular frame in the doorway. “Mr. Tanner. I wasn’t expecting you until tomorrow.”
Joyce had told me that the one thing I must never do is get caught in his office when he wasn’t there. Even though he knew we dropped off files for approval in his absence, for some reason, walking in on us annoyed him. He had invasion of privacy issues, I supposed. This was strike two. I held my breath waiting for the hammer to fall.
“It’s okay, Elizabeth. No need to panic.” He walked over to his desk, dropped his briefcase on it then turned toward me. His gaze was as soft as a caress as our eyes met.
I dropped my gaze. What the heck was he doing? He was married. “Look,” I said, meeting his stare again. I felt I had the right to voice my opinion. “I don’t know what kind of games you’re playing, or what kind of woman you think I am, but I don’t do married men.”
“What kind of man do you think I am, Elizabeth?”
“I don't know. But please don’t judge me from our one-night stand, six years ago. I’d never done anything that reckless before, or since.”
“I never judged you, Elizabeth.” He dropped his weight into his leather chair and picked up the file I’d left on his desk. “How’s it going? I hope you’re settling in nicely,�
�� he said, keeping his eyes on the folder.
“I am. Thank you for asking.” I edged toward the door.
He raised his head, and stopped me with his intense blue eyes. “I wanted to see you again, you know. But I didn’t realize it until I was having breakfast with my father later that morning. I raced back to the hotel, hoping you’d still be there, but you’d already left.”
My stomach muscles crunched, painfully. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You did?”
“We didn’t talk much that night. I didn’t even know your name. I had no idea where to begin looking for you. “But here we are again. Do you think we—”
I didn’t want to think about anything concerning us. One part of me wanted to ask him if he’d been married and cheated on his wife, but the other part didn’t want to know. I cringed at the thought. I looked at the clock on his desk. Thank God it was almost four. “I have to leave, Mr. Tanner.”
“Would you please call me Sheldon?”
I forced a smiled. “Okay. I have to leave, Sheldon.”
He gave me a puzzled look. “What is it you rush out of here to do at four o’clock everyday?”
I was spared from answering when his phone rang.
I made my escape.
I was late the next day because I forgot to set my alarm. Sheldon called for me just before noon. Fear knotted in my stomach as I walked to his office. He didn’t tolerate tardiness. I was ready to pour my heart out and beg him not to fire me. I knocked on his door. Upon his response, I opened it, and stepped into his office. “You wanted to see me, Mr.” I caught myself. “Sheldon?” May as well be informal to offset any displeasure he may have over my tardiness.
“Hi, Elizabeth.” He looked up from a folder he was studying. “How are you?”
“Fine, thanks,” I answered skeptically.
“It’s not about you being late,” he said as if sensing my fears.
I let out my breath.
“I was just going over the report you did on Gleason Software and I’m very impressed. I want you to work with me on the buy-out.”
