by J A Fielding
“Well, he has a spot open in his studio here in town, and I gave him my personal recommendation to hire you. You would be free to let your inner creativity shine through and allow your imagination to run wild. The pay is in your range and you would have great benefits.” Mike said.
Taunya's jaw dropped on the floor. Was this guy for real?
“Are you serious?” she asked, nearly choking on her wine.
“As a heart attack.” Mike replied, “I told him that you were decorating my bedroom and that he would have to fight me to have you. That only served to make him more interested in having you on his team.”
This was impossible. There was no way that this was happening. There lay the opportunity for Taunya to work for one of the most prestigious interior designers of her time and all she had to do was say “yes”. Wait. There was more than that. She would have to quit her job, leave all of her grueling work behind, live more happily than she'd ever been... The job was starting to look better and better the more that she thought about it. But still. How could she know if she would do a good job? Perhaps she would be hired and fired in the same day? Perhaps she would be nowhere less expendable than one of the lowly temps in her office? There was simply no guarantee, no matter how good Mike made it sound.
“Mike, this is very tempting. Believe me, but I just don't know if I can take it.” she said.
“Just think it over and enjoy dinner. No rush.” he said.
They continued their meal – she had a delicious veal piccata and he had a juicyrack of lamb – and talked about nothing too big. After Mike had laid that offer on the table, it was hard to think of anything else, but Taunya did her best to indulge in the conversation and learn more about Mike. He was the youngest of four children and had two sisters and a brother. He got his high school diploma at 17 and started college immediately after. He worked his way up the corporate ladder until deciding that he wanted to do something that he would enjoy more and one day quit his job out of the blue to pursue a dream career. Taunya shared a little bit about herself too. She was an only child who worked hard in school and managed to score a temporary job right out of college, which had led her straight down the path on which she found herself today. As she talked, even she could hear the sadness in her voice. After downing another glass of wine, she thought she might just tell Mike her entire life story.
They left the restaurant and sat in Mike's car, trying to decide where the night should take them.
“If you would like to come to my place for a bit, I can make you some coffee and we can talk some more.” he offered.
She knew that she shouldn't, but couldn't resist. She thought of the granite countertop and the big plush bed and could not wait to get back there. She accepted his offer, and they drove off into the night.
By the time the elevator reached the eighteenth floor – the two of them being its sole occupants – Taunya's panties were already in Mike's jacket pocket and he was fingering her under her dress. Taunya was too hungry to want to simply “talk”. They stumbled out of the elevator and into the hallway. Mike went to push her up against the wall, but she hesitated.
“Let's go inside.” she said.
Taunya was tipsy, but very sure that she wanted to be exactly where she was just then. She assured Mike that she had her wits about her and he picked her up and carried her off to his bed. He turned her around in front of her and slowly unzipped her dress, kissing her neck as the dress fell to the floor. He undid her bra and let it hit the ground. She stood naked before him in nothing but a pair of black pumps. He picked her up and laid her down gently on the bed, standing to the side and working his way out of his suit until he was equally naked. He reached down and caressed her dark skin, his hands massaging all of her stress away. She could no longer think of anything else but the increasing body heat between the two of them as he climbed into bed next to her and kissed her deeply.
“I'm telling you, Taunya. It's fate that we met this way.” he said.
“Shhhh.” Taunya said, putting a finger to Mike's lips. “Quiet now. Just make love to me.” she said.
He was happy to oblige her request, but first, he could not resist tasting her once more. He bent his head down between her legs and licked every inch of her dripping wet pussy. He reached up to kiss her and give her a taste and she licked it from his lips. He slinked back down her body and continued to lick until she was begging him to let her come, but she was not to get off that easily.
He straddled her and she gently stroked his cock until it was standing at attention before her. He entered her, agonizingly moving inch by inch until he filled her completely. He fucked her slowly but kissed her hard, caressing her face, neck, and breasts all the way down her torso. He flicked her clit as he pumped in and out of her. With each thrust, Taunya grew wetter and she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him into her. He was deep inside of her now, her body angled underneath him. She moaned into his ear when he leaned down to kiss her and yelped as his thrusts grew more rapid. Soon he was slamming into her with full force, hitting her G-spot and bringing her close to the edge. She rocked her hips in time with his, getting closer and closer until she came hard, biting down on Mike's shoulder and moaning into the void. Mike continued to thrust until he was on the brink. He looked deep into her eyes and she studied the look of twisted pleasure on his face as he exploded inside her.
The two were spent, but Taunya knew she would have to get back home to her own bed and face the music the next morning.
“Mike, I need to go home. I'm sorry.” she said.
“I wish you could stay, but I understand. I'll drive you back.” he said.
The two sat in silence for most of the car ride, save for Taunya giving a couple of directions for a short cut. She did not know what to say. Part of her had wanted to stay in his bed, blowing off work forever, and allowing herself to fall madly in love with a new man and a new career. But there were realities to face. They kissed goodbye at her door and she slumped back into her apartment, tossing off her rumpled clothes and pulling on a pair of sweats to combat the chill in the air. She fell asleep, hopeful for the promise of a new day ahead of her. She dreamed.
Chapter 7
Taunya was lying in her own bed, but there was a canopy hanging above it. The fabric was a sheer white and it blew in the breeze coming from her open window. She was lying on black silk sheets, wearing a red lace nightgown and Mike was next to her, his arms wrapped around her. She sat up and left him sleeping next to her. She climbed out of her bed and walked to her vanity to look at herself in the mirror. Her skin was practically glowing and she was beaming with happiness. She felt her arms and chest and there was no blood. She looked around her and there was no darkness. Only light. “At Last” played softly in the background and she felt a certain lightness in her heart that she had never felt before. She leaned up against the wall of her bedroom and turned to feel it. She put her palms to the wall and she felt a warmth radiating from it. The warmth spread all across her body and she heard Mike stir from his sleep. He sat up and looked at her.
“Good Morning, beautiful. Is it time to clean up?” he asked.
“Clean up?” she said.
He motioned to her set of drawers and she walked over and opened the top drawer to reveal her black lace bra and panties lying at the top of the heap. She picked them out of the drawer and held them up to the light. She looked at Mike through the veil of lace and the lingerie disintegrated in her hands. She was free. Finally free.
Taunya woke up at seven in the morning. It was still early, yet a reasonable hour. Especially for the decision she was ready to make. She walked over to her lingerie drawer and yanked the matched set of black lingerie from it. She stomped into her kitchen holding the garments and grabbed a pair of scissors from her knife block, cutting them into nothing more than tattered rags. She threw them into her kitchen trash can and smiled. 'That's the end of that.' she thought. She threw off her sweats and stepped into the shower. She was ready to
truly cleanse herself of the past and pave the way forward to the future. In the shower, she sang at the top of her lungs feeling proud and empowered. Today would be the day for change. She had spent far too many years allowing herself to suppress her desires and it was high time that she took control of her life.
She picked up her phone and keyed in a text to Mike:
I've thought about it and I accept your offer if it is still on the table.
She waited, trying not to bite her nails as she stared at her phone, waiting for his answer. Her phone blinked and read:
I can have you starting in Michel's studio ASAP if you want.
It was everything she had wanted. She texted back to confirm the details of her new job. She only vaguely remembered what Mike had said about pay and benefits at dinner the previous night, but she remembered it sounding very good. Mike wrote back and reassured her that he had extensive knowledge of the design house of Michel Dubois and the conditions of her employment. He replied:
I'm a headhunter remember? :) I would stop at nothing to find the perfect job tailored to you. And Michel is a long time client of mine. This is a wonderful opportunity if you are ready to take it.
It was all that she needed to hear.
She threw on a pair of slacks and a nice button down blouse. There was no sense in quitting her office job looking shoddy. Topping the outfit off with a pair of heeled slingbacks, she grabbed her purse, keys, and phone and trotted downstairs to her car, ready to face the day. She wanted to get to her office early to make sure that she would have time to sit down with her boss and give a proper two weeks notice. As much as she wanted to leave right away, she knew that she had to do what was right. Besides, Gina wouldn't have let her off so easily if she knew what Taunya was planning.
She swiped her badge at the sensor and marched into her office, headed straight for her boss's desk.
“Good Morning, Jim. May I have a moment of your time?” she asked. Jim had always been a good boss. At times he was tough, but always fair. She knew that she would miss his happy-go-lucky attitude and friendly pep talks. The paperwork that he heaped upon her? Not so much. The two talked at length about her time spent with Systyx. She told him how grateful she had been for his ears of support, but that she had come across an incredible opportunity that she could not stand to pass up.
“I knew you weren't going to work here forever,” Jim said, “but I hate to see you go. Our temps are going to have to triple their efforts while we try to find someone as efficient and reliable as you. I wish you all the best.”
She shook his hand and set about saying her goodbyes to the rest of her team.
“You did get the job? A real job?” Gina exclaimed when Taunya gave her the good news.
“Well damn, girl. If this guy is for real, then I guess all I can say is good luck to you.”
The pair of ladies hugged and Taunya thanked Gina once again for having gotten her the job at Systyx in the first place. She had been able to build a life for herself in the past ten years that she was only hoping to improve by making the switch to her dream job.
“You will come to karaoke with us next Friday to say goodbye, won't you?” Gina asked.
“Of course.” Taunya answered.
“And I expect to see your new man there as well.” Gina teased.
New man? What a concept. She wasn't even sure where things were going with Mike, but one thing was for sure: he was her guardian angel. A chance meeting at the bar was the last place she thought would be the thing to change her life. But it had and she was intent on seeing where things would go with her inspired new path.
She went around the office saying her goodbyes and getting things set up for the temps who were less than happy about the additions to their workload. They tried to feign happiness for her and she reminded each of them that she was once in their shoes.
“You too can seize the opportunities that abound for you,” she said to her underlings, “All it takes is hard work, perseverance, and just a little bit of faith.”
She skipped back to her desk and entered data as if her life depended on it. She knew the next two weeks would be heart-wrenching and difficult, but she was prepared to do what she had to in order to set herself free. She texted Mike:
I did it. And in two weeks' time, I will be ready to start work at the Dubois studio.
She sat back at her desk and smiled. This was long overdue. Mike texted back.
That's wonderful. Dinner tonight? Your choice. We are, after all, celebrating you. ;-)
She agreed and they made plans for the evening. She saw this as the start to a real adult relationship, something that she'd been missing from her life for a while. She saw in Mike a man whom she could trust and a man who believed in her. She, too, was beginning to slowly believe in herself.
She worked diligently through the day until it was time to leave. She decided to begin gathering up some over her random desk toys that day so as not to make the process more difficult later. She took a small box from the copy room and in it, placed a few small trinkets that she had used to inspire and entertain her throughout her days at Systyx: a small paper craft spaceship and paper craft heart, a blue stress ball in the shape of a human brain, and two keychains of her favorite Star Wars characters (Yoda and Chewie) that had hung on the cork board next to her desk. She put the box in the trunk of her car and cruise home to get ready to meet Mike.
At home, she put on Ella Fitzgerald in the background while she dressed and cleaned up around the house. It was time that Mike take a look around her home and see more about who she was. Perhaps he would then have even more to tell Michel to impress him before she even started working for him.
She put on a short yellow dress and matching yellow heels, combed through her braids with her fingers, and applied mascara to her long lashes and a deep plum stain to her pouting lips.
Her doorbell rang and she went to answer it. Mike stood before her holding a bouquet of violets. Their beautiful purple color was close to the color of her walls, and Taunya smiled to see how well his tastes complemented hers. Mike was dressed in gray slacks and a forest green shirt that accentuated his eyes. He handed her the flowers and kissed her cheek.
“May I come in?” he asked.
“Please.” she answered.
She walked into the kitchen to put the flowers in water and Mike took a look around her living room. The hardwood sparkled as if it had just been cleaned and her brown leather couch faced an average-sized flat screen, housed in a wooden entertainment center. He heard Ella Fitzgerald in the background and smiled at her good taste in music, something the he already figured she possessed, given her selection at the karaoke bar, but was happy to be able to confirm for himself. Taunya returned from the kitchen and took Mike's hand, looking at him with a sense of gratitude.
“Shall we?” she asked.
“We shall.” he answered.
They were off in Mike's BMW to Mystic, a restaurant to which neither of them had ever been before. Taunya had wanted to try it for years, but had never seen a reason to diverge from her usual takeout routine. Being on the arm of a man like Mike, though, she thought 'To hell with the usual.' and they walked inside.
There were upside down lace parasols on the ceiling and dark blue walls with gold swirls all over. The two sat at a table near the kitchen, from which they could smell delectable scents wafting through the air. The two toasted Taunya's new career with a glass of champagne each. Taunya felt as if she was flying and it wasn't just the alcohol.
“Mike, I can't thank you enough for this opportunity. I still am sorry that I am unable to be the decorator for your home, but I hope that perhaps–”
Mike interrupted her, “While I may not be able to hire you as my decorator, I was hoping that you might just do me the favor as my girlfriend.” he said, “That is, if you want to be.”
She was overjoyed at his words and nodded with a smile.
“I would certainly love to be.” she said, “It's not often t
hat a man like you comes around to sweep me off my feet. I didn't really believe in miracles until the night I met you.”
They continued to enjoy their meal and discussed where they wanted to go in life and with each other. At the end of the meal, they left the restaurant and walked out to Mike's car.
“Would you like to come back to my place?” Taunya offered.
“I'd love to.” Mike said and they set off.
In the car, Mike played a selection of Billie Holiday and Taunya closed her eyes, feeling the music within her and relaxing in the crisp night air.
They returned to her place and Taunya spared no time leading Mike into her bedroom. She was on fire both excited by the future that lay before her and by the man who had made it all happen with her. She pushed him onto the bed and turned on some blues to play low in the background. She slowly stripped out of her dress to reveal a pair of maroon colored satin panties and a matching bra. She slowly unbuttoned his shirt and pants, revealing all of him to her. They each discarded their clothing on the floor and Taunya straddled Mike, his cock beginning to harden. She bent her head down and sucked his cock slowly yet dutifully, leaving a trail of plum lipstick in her wake. He moaned and ran his fingers through her braided hair, enjoying the way that her tongue rolled down his shaft. She caressed his thighs and hips as she pulled him further into her mouth, taking all of him in the back of her throat. She continued like this for a while and Mike began to tense up.
“Oh god that feels so fucking good.” he sighed.
She kept sucking, knowing that she was bringing him to the edge. She wondered if she should let him finish in her mouth or be as merciless as he was to her the night before and make him wait. She decided it would be more fun to watch him squirm underneath her and just as his body got especially tense, she withdrew and mounted him, rocking slowly back and forth while he grabbed her hips and dug his nails into her sides.
“Do you like that?” she asked, her hips bucking against him.
“Don't stop. Please!” he cried.
