by Jade West
“And…?”
“And it’s a lot to take in. I was honest, he knows the situation.”
“Shit,” she said.
“No,” I argued. “It’s not shit. It’s a relief.”
She shrugged. “Honesty’s the best policy, right?”
“Always, Katie.” I smiled. “Always.”
“He’s still here.” She looked over at him. “That’s got to be a good sign.”
“He is indeed, and I hope so.” I pulled her close, took her hand in mine. “And a little birdie told me you may well have an envelope to match your crown. Maybe you’ll even appreciate it this time.”
“Maybe I will,” she said.
I handed her a champagne and we raised our glasses to David across the room.
He only hesitated a second before he raised his in return.
We stayed on late to clear up, the least I could do for the cleaners. We’d made quite a mess of the buffet, and someone had been thoughtful enough to bring party poppers, the whole room was covered in coloured strings.
Katie mucked in, and she was giggling, happy on champagne.
“When am I going to spend my vouchers?” she said, casting paper plates into the recycling bin. “I’ll be able to buy a whole winter wardrobe at this rate.”
I gave her a smile. “Whenever you want. Rick will love that.”
“And you,” she said. “Mr Suave.”
I gathered up the last of the streamers, dumped them in the bin. Finally the place looked respectable, respectable enough for a regular clean at the weekend.
“Weekend calling,” I said, and Katie downed the rest of her drink, tossed the plastic flute in the recycling.
She moved back to her old desk, dropped into her seat, and spun around and around as she laughed.
“That’s probably not the wisest move,” I said, and stopped her.
She stared up at me with a grin. “Spoil sport. I’m just saying goodbye.”
“I don’t want a sick-splattered car, thank you very much.” She poked out her tongue and I pinched it. “This isn’t the end,” I said. “You’ll be back on Monday, the marketing suite is only downstairs.”
“But it’s the end of all this.” She gestured to the room. “Of us working together.”
I shook my head. “I’ll still be involved, Katie, this is still my programme.”
“Yeah, but still,” she said. “You know what I mean.”
I did know what she meant, but I didn’t say so.
She reached up for my tie, smoothed it down. “I won’t be able to perv over you anymore.”
“You’ll have to get your fix in the mornings.”
Her eyes twinkled. “Do they have any hot studs in marketing?”
I pretended to think about it. “Maybe one or two. If you like redheads in heels.”
Her fingers wrapped around my tie, pulled me down as she smiled.
“What?” I said.
“We were interrupted. I didn’t get the rest of my kiss.”
“You can get it at home.”
But she shook her head. “It’s a celebration, I want it here, where we’re celebrating.”
I kissed her quickly, but her fingers tangled in my hair, and her breath was warm. She held me to her, and her lips opened against mine, her tongue needy and demanding.
My resolve crumbled, and I kissed her back. Between us the chair was pushed away, and she was in my arms, hitched onto the desk, her ankles hooking my legs, her fingers on my belt.
“Wait,” I said. “Rick.”
“I want you in the office,” she said. “I’ve wanted this since day one. I’ve wanted this every day from day one.”
And so had I. Fuck how I’d wanted to take her at her desk since day one.
“We shouldn’t,” I said, but her lips were still hungry for mine, her fingers already inside my boxers to wrap around my cock,
“We’ll make it up to Rick when we get home,” she said. “We can suck him off together, you and me. He’d like that.”
So would I. My dick twitched.
“It’s not right… behind his back.”
She took her hands from my cock and I groaned, but she was only reaching for my phone. She took it from my pocket, worked my cock in one hand as she scrolled through my recently dialled list.
“Call him,” she said. “Ask him if he minds.”
My breath hitched. “This is a line we haven’t crossed, Katie.”
She shrugged, worked my dick a little bit harder and it felt too fucking good. “Call him, Carl. If he minds, we’ll stop.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
She smirked. “If he doesn’t, I want you to fuck me, right here, right now. Over my desk with my knickers around my knees and my skirt hitched around my waist. Just like an office fuck should be, Carl. Just like I dreamed of.”
“Shit,” I groaned, but I was dialling. The tone was ringing.
Katie dropped to her knees as Rick answered, sucked my cock into her mouth as he said hello.
“Rick,” I said, and my voice was ragged. “I’ve got to ask you…”
“Fuck,” he said. “Fuck, Carl, are you fucking her?”
I closed my eyes, tried to still my thrusting hips. “No… yes… we can stop…”
He was quiet for a second.
“We can stop, Rick. Just say the word.”
But he didn’t.
“Don’t fucking stop!” he said. “I was just getting my fucking cock out.”
I smiled, took a fistful of Katie’s hair.
“Loudspeaker,” he said. “I want to hear everything.”
I put him on speaker and dropped it in the IN tray, and Katie let out a little squeal as I pulled her from my cock and onto her feet.
I hitched up her skirt, and pushed her back against her workstation, toppling her onto the desk as I dropped to my knees.
I pressed my mouth to her sweet cunt and she was wet. Her knickers were soaked through. I pulled them down slowly and she moaned for me, moaned for Rick.
And then I licked her, long strokes of my tongue until she was bucking. Until her clit was a hard little bullet, and she was spread wide open. I sucked her between my lips and grunted my approval, and her pussy ate up my fingers as I pushed them inside. Three, straight to the knuckle, and she squirmed and begged for more.
I could hear her sweet little murmurs, and I could hear Rick’s breath through the speaker.
My cock pulsed, and I wanted in, all the way in.
I sucked and grunted and ploughed her wet little pussy with my fingers until her drink-relaxed limbs tightened up for me, until her hands were in my hair and she was crying out, begging for more.
Until Rick was grunting, too, his breath ragged.
“Make her come,” Rick groaned. “Make her come, then fuck her, Carl. I want to hear you fuck her.”
I curled my fingers, and she grabbed my wrist. “Fuck,” she hissed. “Right there.”
She wouldn’t let go, guiding my hand as my fingers worked her from inside. She tipped her head back and arched her spine, and her cunt made such lovely wet noises.
“Come for me,” I said. “Rick wants to hear.”
“Yes…” she rasped. “Oh fuck…”
I picked up pace, and circled her clit with my tongue, and the girl was delirious, all limbs and gasping breath, her leg resting over my shoulder, her heel digging into my back.
She came like a banshee, and it was beautiful. She came loud enough that she drowned out Rick on the loudspeaker, and the world was only Katie and her gorgeous wet slit in my face.
And then I fucked her. I flipped her onto her front and I fucked her before she’d even caught her breath.
She grunted and groaned as I slammed my way inside, and I was grunting, too, and my phone was dancing around the IN tray.
“Fuck me,” she hissed, gripping on to the edge of the desk. “Fuck me hard, Carl. I want it fucking hard.”
“My fucking pleasure.”
I took her hair and twisted it in a braid, then wrapped it around my hand and pulled, enough to tip her head back.
“Tell Rick how it feels.”
She let out a little whimper.
“Tell Rick how it feels,” I repeated, and licked up her face, angled my breath to her ear.
“It feels… deep…” she said. “Oh, fuck, it feels… hard, so hard… it aches… it aches so fucking good…”
“Fuck her.” Rick’s voice was raspy.
My flesh slapped against Katie’s, her body shunting into the desk with every thrust.
“Fuck her, Carl. Fuck that sweet little cunt.”
I changed angle and she cried out, but she was wriggling, bucking her hips right back at me.
“I’m about to shoot my fucking load,” I growled, and she moaned for me.
“Fuck her, Carl,” Rick repeated, and I could hear the edge in his voice, his own ragged breath.
“Shit…” I growled. “Oh, fuck…”
I came hard, pulling Katie’s hair tighter than I should have, but she didn’t care, didn’t even let out a squeak.
I slammed balls deep and pumped my load right the way inside her, as she tightened and bucked and milked me fucking dry.
I rested my forehead on her shoulder, and she leaned back at me, kissed my temple.
“You still there?” Rick asked, “I just jizzed all over my desk.” He laughed. “Fuck, guys, that was fucking something.” He paused. “Told you that was a good idea, Carl.”
“Arrogance isn’t becoming, Rick. Nobody likes a smart arse.”
I pulled out of Katie and she moaned, giggled.
“You’d better be ready for round two,” I said. “We’re on our way home.”
“Just hurry the fuck up,” Rick said.
Chapter Thirty
Katie
I used to think dreams were constant and unchanging, that they’d last a lifetime. Maybe some dreams do. Maybe others ebb and flow, dull and fade to be replaced by others. Maybe some dreams return from the ashes.
The dream of a father who loves you, for instance.
I took a breath, cherishing the moment, head collar in hand as I made my way across wood-chippings to fetch my furry boy. Our big day. The day we’d been training for. The day I’d been waiting for.
I tried not to let Jack’s words dampen my spirit, ignoring the sadness in my belly. I now knew with certainty my dream of this place was really over. I’d seen the letter, in black and white, the bank’s intention to repossess in twenty-eight days should a buyer not be found. The little girl in me cried out that I should take Carl’s generous offer and have this place as my own, but I’d never do that. I’d never swap my dream for one of his I may never be able to fulfil.
I called my boy, and he came running. I slipped on his collar and led him to the yard, and there were butterflies in my tummy to cancel out my hurt.
“Just us, Samson,” I said. “Our special time on our special day.”
I’d wanted to do this alone, determined to do it all under my own steam. My trailer was ready, all hitched up to the battered old brute, and his tack was soaped up and gleaming to perfection. I shampooed and brushed him down and braided his tail, fastened up his travel boots and loaded him up ready to go. He chomped on his hay, his ears pricked, and I bolted up the doors, taking just a moment to plant a kiss on his furry nose.
“I love you,” I said. I stroked his blaze and he butted me. It made me smile. “This is it, boy. Our big moment. It’ll be fun, I promise.”
He butted me again like he understood.
I took the drive slowly, but we still arrived with plenty of time to spare. I pulled up amongst all the other trailers, and there were riders everywhere in their fancy gear. I spotted Verity’s right at the end of the row, a huge gleaming lorry with the Faverley crest on the side. I caught a glimpse of Fleetwood Fancy — Verity’s prize mare — through the other horses warming up. Her mane was all braided, and she was in high spirits, restless as one of Verity’s minions walked her around. The prospect of beating her time seemed much more untenable here, a ridiculous pipe dream, but fuck it, we’d be going for it anyway.
I was unloading Samson when the guys arrived, and my mum was with them. She looked great — in a rich peach lipstick and a dark green summer dress, her hair bouncy and light. And so did, Carl and Rick.
In fact, they looked really fucking great.
“It’s not the races.” I laughed as I looked Carl up and down. His suit was impeccable, his hair too styled for a cross country course.
“Thought I’d make the effort. No law against looking smart, is there?”
I shook my head. “No, no law.”
“Only social conventions.” Rick elbowed him. “But we’ve never really taken much notice of those.”
“Thanks for coming,” I said, and kissed them both. I gave my mum a hug and she was quiet but smiling. “You’ve met, then?” I asked, and she nodded.
“Carl and Rick kindly picked me up this morning, so I can have a glass of bubbly when you come in first.”
I laughed, gestured across the field to Verity’s camp. “I doubt we’re up to that, but we’ll give it our best.”
“You can do anything,” Carl said. “Just give it your all.”
“Go Sammy!” Rick said, and gave Samson a hearty pat. But he was more interested in mints than encouragement. He dug his nose straight into Rick’s trouser pocket, and left a smear of horsey drool. “Cheers for that, boy.”
He wiped it down, tried to hide it with his shirt, but it made me laugh. “Teach me for dressing up,” he said.
“Teach you for bribing the horse with treats,” Carl said. He took a step forward and Samson didn’t flinch. “The beast likes me for me, Richard, not for cheap mints. We have a mutual respect.”
I rolled my eyes at my mum. “Horse rivalry.”
She didn’t say a word, but her eyes were happy. Maybe she liked them.
Maybe she even approved.
I could hope.
Verity was up in the listings early. I kept my distance as she took her position at the start of the course, nervous as I saw the Faverley posse out in force to see her off. My dad looked smart, almost as smart as Carl, and Olivia had a stupid purple hat on. Seb and Dommie were in slacks and jumpers, their hair all posh-boy ruffled. I made sure they couldn’t see me, ducking out of view as Verity’s name was announced over the tannoy.
Miss Verity Faverley riding Fleetwood Fancy.
Her brothers gave a cheer as she prepared to ride. The horse was already warmed up, she was raring to go, dancing on the spot, her head up high in Verity’s face.
They didn’t know each other, not really. Verity looked slightly awkward, her shoulders way more tense than they should have been.
A sliver of hope warmed me. Maybe, just maybe.
They took off like a rocket, the mare charging at a gallop right from the start. I held my breath as she took her first jump, a simple brush fence, and they cleared it easily. The horse had a beautiful pace, and a beautiful jump. She landed with ease and motored along and my heart dropped a little. I pushed it aside.
Rick wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “How you feeling, pretty lady?”
I squeezed his waist. “Excited. Nervous.”
Carl appeared at my side, kissed my hair. “You’ll be great.”
I stood happily between them, pulled them both close, and Mum looked curiously, but didn’t comment.
“There’s David,” Carl said, and he held up a hand before I could stop him.
My father approached, with his proper family in tow, and my stomach tightened. Olivia and my mum faced off, and you could have cut the air with a knife.
“All set?” my dad asked regardless, and I nodded.
“I hope so.”
Olivia looked twitchy, she took his arm. “We should get going, darling. We can catch Verity at the water jumps if we’re not tardy.”
Urgh.
Seb and Dommie looked at me
, and looked at Carl and Rick. They didn’t say a word.
“You could go ahead,” my father said to his wife. “I could catch you up.”
She looked like he’d slapped her, and the shock hit me, right in the belly.
“But we should go together…” she said.
“I’ll stay with Katie awhile. I’d like to meet Samson.”
“But David,” she hissed. “Verity is riding.”
I smiled at my father. “Go,” I said. “See Verity. I’ll introduce you to Samson later, after we’ve ridden.”
“I can stay…” he said, but I shook my head.
“It’s cool, I’ll see you in a bit.”
“If you’re sure.”
“Very,” I took hold of Rick and Carl’s hands. “I have chaperones.”
He grunted, but smiled. “So I see.” He patted Rick’s arm. “Good to see you, Rick.” He shot Carl a grin. “As for you, I see too much of you already.” He slapped Carl on the back as he left, and Carl was smiling.
“I think that went well,” he whispered.
“Hope so,” I said.
And maybe it did. Even Mum didn’t look too bothered. She was more interested in the riders coming onto the final straight than she was in my father.
Maybe, just maybe, things would work themselves out after all.
I was nervous as our time slot arrived. I fastened myself into my body protector and tied my numbered bib, put on my helmet and mounted up for the warm up. I worked Samson through his paces, walk then trot, loosening him up in a slow canter, and slowing him back down again. Carl, Rick and Mum looked on, and I tried to appear more confident than I really was. We’d done a few courses before, Samson and I, but nothing quite like this. Not competing.
Verity’s time came in. It was good, but not great, not really.
Just shy of twelve minutes.
My spirits soared.
I waved to the guys and Mum as I took up position at the start, and the officials counted down from ten and we were off. Samson opened out into a gallop, ears pricked forward as we charged towards the first fence. We cleared it easily and the spectators let up a cheer which made my heart sing. I gave him a pat and tried to relax, keeping his pace fast but steady as we headed for the first of the water jumps.
