by Peyton Banks
“You say that like you’re ashamed. Don’t be!” His tone lowers a few octaves, sending tingles through my body. “You should find confidence in pleasing yourself. When a woman knows exactly what it takes to get herself off, she releases a sexual energy that can be ravenous. And such energy can ooze out into her encounters with a partner. When she doesn’t know herself, it shows, and she allows him to dominate her body.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No! Not at all. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a dominant man, but there’s nothing sexier than when a woman can open up and enjoy whatever pleasure she’s receiving. If she doesn’t know herself that way, she’s just there in the moment, and yes, the guy will most likely come. But when she’s truly aroused, his orgasm will be ten times better.”
“How old are you, Kade?”
“Why? Does my age matter to you?”
His tone shifts, feeding me a sense of concern, maybe disappointment in my question. Not that age is a big factor, but it does matter some. And now, he’s probably thinking I’m judging or about to brush him off.
“You seem like you’ve had a lot of experience with the female body.”
“Ah. Fair enough. I’m thirty-three. And I’m not married, nor do I have any baby mommas,” he adds jokingly.
“I didn’t ask about—”
“I know, but thought I should tell you. But I’ve had some experience. Does that bother you?”
“No, it doesn’t! I guess you just don’t hear men say things like that, at least not men my age. They usually don’t care too much about how confident a girl feels. They have their agenda and that’s usually what they focus on.”
“Then you’ve let all the wrong men have access to your body.”
“It’s not been—”
“I don’t care! However many men it was or wasn’t, they were the wrong ones.”
I gulp.
“But I will honestly say I was once one of those wrong guys,” he says playfully.
I’m thankful for the change in pace. My body is betraying me in so many ways it’s not even funny. I like that we are having an actual conversation, but Lord knows I can’t stop thinking about the sexual aspect of it. He’s so wise and confident, and my body seems to like him for it.
“So, what changed? At which point did you go from the wrong guy to the right one?”
“I grew up and dated older women who showed me exactly the kind of power a woman possesses. And excuse me for being so blunt with you, sweets, but I think you possess that power.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I do. You not hanging up on me that first night told me just that.”
“That’s why you called me back?”
“Partly, but mostly because you didn’t let me finish. You hung up on me once you used me for what I was worth.” A smile can be heard through his words.
“I didn’t use you up,” I squeal.
“Oh yes, you did. Made me feel like a cheap piece of meat.” He laughs.
“You must like that?”
“I might.”
There’s that sexual tension again. I chuckle to break the looming awkwardness, and he joins in. It’s nostalgic to be up at this hour, blushing and talking to a man I’ve never seen.
“So.” He clears his throat. “What sort of things are you interested in?”
I smile. “A lot actually. Movies, reading, gaming.”
“Gaming? Really, what do you play?”
“Fortnite and a few others.”
“Wow, I’m honestly surprised.”
“Don’t be. I haven’t played in a few weeks. Work has pretty much consumed my days and nights.”
“Is that why you were up the other night?”
“Yes, it was. It was long hours of me trying to finalize the details on a project for a client.”
“Do you work late a lot?”
“Mostly, yes. It’s rare that I get any true rest time. I’ve been at my company for only six months, so I’m trying to make a good impression.”
“I’m sure your boss doesn’t need you around the clock to prove that. You should really consider leaving as much of your work at work as possible.”
“You know, my friends said the exact same thing during brunch. Even forced me to a club tonight.”
“I’m certain you turned many heads,” he coos.
“A few.”
We both laugh.
“Well, Ms. Jessica, it’s late over there where you are, so I’m going to let you get some rest.”
“Thank you for calling!”
“No, sweets. Thank you for answering!”
We say our goodbyes and end the call. A smile a mile long stretches my face as I place the phone on the bed. Relaxing my legs, I yawn through a smile and peel myself off the mattress. I undress and head into my bathroom for a quick shower. The night has been long, and sleep calls my name, so a hot bath is the perfect ending to my day.
Kade
I sit my phone on the table in front of me and rub my hand over my beard. It took everything in me to hold my composure and not let my imagination run wild. Talking to her is refreshing, and the conversation seems to flow. I’ve never had issues with words. As the CEO of TrainX, an international workplace development training company, talking is my specialty. But with her it’s natural, not rehearsed like some of the pitches I’ve made over the course of my career.
It’s late, and I have a big day ahead of me tomorrow, but I wanted to stay up and hear her voice. She left me hanging twice earlier, and I found myself watching my phone screen like an eager teenager, hoping she’d text me back. After a while, I said fuck it and tried my luck. So glad I did, because I get the sense she’s feeling me, too. The way she giggled and perked right up even though she was sleeping told me most of what I needed to know. She’s adventurous but most likely doesn’t trust herself to explore that side of her. The concern for Candace, not mentioning her new relationship, tells me she’s a sweetheart. And her attention to the words I chose tells me she’s a very careful and purposeful girl.
Heading for the shower, I grab my Bluetooth speaker, setting it up on the sink. The day was long, tense, and thanks to Jessica, sexually charged. Just replaying the sound of her laugh makes my muscles tighten—all in a good way. Throughout my meeting, I found myself distracted waiting for her to respond. When her little flirts came across the screen, I willed myself to remain somewhat subtle. All I wanted to do was ask her to send me pictures, and after tonight, I want that even more. I need to put a face to the name and sultry voice.
I allow the stream of water to pour over my head, the temperature is a little too much for my cleanly shaved scalp but doesn’t bother me too much. I close my eyes, letting the day flow down the drain. This is usually the time of night where I begin meditating to relax my brain so that I can start fresh the next day. Like always, I take deep breaths, concentrating on the rise and fall of my chest while thinking positive things. This goes on for about three minutes—I know because I time my repetitions with the melodic tunes coming through the speaker.
I open my eyes and reach for the soap and a clean washcloth from the styled stack next to my sink. Dipping it under the stream, I lather it up and proceed to cleanse my body. Once done, I rub my hands along my skin, aiding the water in washing the suds away.
Jessica’s giggle echoes through my subconscious again, and me to smile. Pressure pools in my gut, making its way down to my forming erection. I groan as I think back to our foreplay the other day and imagine what she would look like standing naked in front of me. Droplets of water cascading over her flesh, her nipples pert and ready to be touched. I grab the soap again, filling my hand with suds before gripping myself at the base of my dick. I moan as I jerk myself hard and fast to the thought of her.
5
Jessica
After getting shit-faced drunk on Saturday, I spent Sunday laid up fighting through a hangover. The throbbing in my head and the upset bowels reminded me exactly why I limit myself t
o glasses of wine. Me and liquor haven’t ever been the best of friends. I drink entirely too much of it, and she thanks me by knocking me on my ass for a day. But this morning, I feel refreshed and ready to start my week. There are a few new contracts for me to review, and I’m excited to finally have my own personal workload.
They were so impressed with my presentation on Friday that my boss emailed me last night asking me if I could run two additional projects. Of course, I eagerly accepted. These are smaller than the one I turned in last week, but I don’t mind at all. Work is work, and I’ll knock it out of the park as always.
“Good Morning, Erin, can you meet me in my office in about five minutes? Lauren sent over a few contracts for me to review.”
“Sure thing. Need me to grab you a coffee before I come in?”
“Nope, I already got it. But bring yourself one,” I say when I reach my office door.
Erin smiles and scurries off to the kitchen while I set my things down. I remove my jacket and hang it on the back of the door before walking to my desk and retrieving my laptop from my bag. I start it up and take a seat, sipping my coffee, being careful not to burn my lip. Sitting the cup on the coaster to my left, I scroll to my Outlook account to open the files from Lauren.
While I wait for the documents to load on the screen, my phone buzzes, and I see it’s a note from Kade. I smile instantly, letting my cheeks touch my eyes as I open it. We texted on and off throughout the day yesterday, sharing a lot about each other. We talked about my last relationship, and he talked about his, including the not-so-exclusive ordeal he had with Candace. I’ve learned his favorite color and exactly how he likes his coffee: black with one sugar. He teased me for the copious amounts of additives I place in mine and shared some childhood memories with me. To say this thing I have with him is unexpected is an understatement, but it’s fun and daring. I try to tell myself not to have any expectations, because frankly, I have no idea what this is.
Good morning, sweets!
Hey, you! How’d you sleep?
Like a log. Hope you got some rest? Finally over that hangover?
I am actually. Your little remedy helped. Where’d you learn it?
I’m ashamed to say. *Facepalm emoji*
*Smiley face emoji* Were you a bit of a party animal?
I was. Don’t hold it against me, though.
Too late…
I stare at the three dots that indicate he’s typing his response when Erin comes strolling in. Tearing my eyes from my phone, I flip it over as she closes the door and hurries over to my desk. Her arms are filled with her laptop, cellular device, notebook, and coffee, making it a little challenging for her. Quickly, I stand to take the cup so she doesn’t spill it all over the place.
“Thank you, Jessica!”
“No problem.” I sit the piping-hot beverage down beside her. Back in my chair, I cross my legs and grab my favorite ink pen with the diamond on the end.
“I still love that pen,” Erin adds, sipping her drink.
I smile. “I’m about to send you the files from Lauren. There are two contracts both due in a couple of weeks. I’d like to be able to present the demos in approximately five days. I figured we can tag team the research to move things along, but I will need you to run point on data collections.”
As I talk, Erin scribbles away in her notepad, jotting down my instructions. “Will they need a data mastery report?” She looks up at me over the brim of her glasses.
“Let’s see.” I glance to my screen, skimming the pages. “No, it doesn’t look like they are requesting one, but let’s put one together anyway. It wouldn’t hurt to have it readily available in case they ask later.”
“Sure thing. Do we know what presentation style they are asking for?”
“These are both for hospitality management companies. Their styles are more fitting to a strategical imagery.”
Erin nods and continues to take notes before opening her laptop. Meanwhile, I’m distracted by the incoming text on my phone. Picking it up, I relax my shoulders and lean back into my seat. A smile spreads across my face, and I completely forget that I’m not alone.
No fair, sweets. We shouldn’t hold one’s past against them.
You’re right! But that doesn’t stop me from being curious of your possible bad-boy days.
Haha. I’m not entirely sure those days are behind me. I’m smarter now, though.
LOL. I’m betting he’s still lingering around. You have that big meeting soon, right? Shouldn’t you get to focusing on that? *winky face emoji*
Are you brushing me off, Jessica?
“No. Gosh! Sorry, that was my awkward attempting at flirting. *facepalm emoji*
It’s fine. I’m messing with you. I do have a meeting, but I don’t need to prepare for it. I run the company, so I’m really just there to look pretty and review data.
Must be nice! I’m usually the person presenting.
What are you doing this evening? I want to call you tonight.
I’ll be working on some stuff from work, but feel free to call away.
Awesome. Enjoy your day, sweets! I’m going to get going.
You, too.
I set the phone down and return my attention to my computer. When I look up, Erin is staring at me inquisitively. “What?”
“Are you seeing someone?” she pries playfully.
“Uh, no, ma’am. Why would you ask that?”
“Maybe because you’ve been smiling at your phone for the last several minutes.”
“Oh, no! That was just a friend.” I wave her off and pull my chair forward.
“Sure! Well, Jessica, I think a smile looks good on you.”
“Thanks.” My cheeks heat up, and I hope she doesn’t sense my embarrassment. Not that there’s something to be ashamed about, because I’m not even sure what’s there. Yes, we’ve texted often and shared a few laughs with each other since that first call. But it’s all still so new, and we’ve never even seen each other. Now, don’t get me wrong, while I’ve dreamed about what he looks like, part of me is afraid this could be a catfish situation.
Erin and I move forward with our meeting, knocking out a lot of key factors to include in the training designs for each client. Once we’ve finalized those thoughts, I excuse her and focus my attention on some other projects. The day goes by pretty fast, and soon it’s time to head home for the day. Earlier, Kade mentioned he wanted to call me tonight, so the first thing I do was rush to the store for my necessities so I can be settled in by the time he calls.
My phone rings from across the room, forcing me to press pause on my TV show. Groaning, I lift myself up from the couch and strut to answer it.
“Hey, you!” I say when I realize that it’s finally him. We never discussed what time he’d call, so I chose to watch some shows to distract myself from waiting around.
“There’s that sweet voice. Sorry for calling so late. I meant to call in earlier, but a couple of my meetings ran long today,” he proclaims.
“You sure have a lot of meetings,” I say playfully.
“I do. So ready for a quick vacation. How was your day?”
I walk back to the sofa and sit. “It was pretty good. Got a lot done at work, prepared dinner, watched television, drank a glass of wine.”
“Nice. Again, I’m sorry for the delay. Hope you weren’t waiting and starting to think I’d lost interest?”
“It’s okay.” I purposely skip over his comment on being interested. It has crossed my mind at least once, but I’m not going to ask or get my hopes up. These sorts of things have unusual outcomes, and it would be desperate to expect anything too soon.
“What was for dinner?” he asks, breaking our brief silence.
“Shrimp pasta. Aside from the long meetings, how was your day?”
“I’d rather talk about you.”
“That bad, huh?” I pry.
“No, not bad. But you’ve been on my mind all day, and now that I’m talking to you, I want to focus on
that.”
I blush and tuck my bob behind my left ear. “I thought about you also.”
“I’m grateful. Would you like to know what was on my mind?”
“Only if you want to tell me.” I slouch in my seat, propping both feet on the coffee table, spreading my legs slightly. My core heats up, and I force myself to control my breathing. The conversation is just starting; I don’t want him to know he’s already turning me on with just the waves of his voice.
“One thing you will learn about me, is that I’m always upfront about what I want.”
“That’s a great way to be,” I say, running a hand over my thigh.
“It is. Are you open with your wants and desires?”
“Honestly, not all the time. I never really thought about why. I kinda do what’s necessary to get me to where I need to be.”
“That’s no fun, sweets. You can’t calculate every move you make. Well, you can, and you should make smart choices, but sometimes it’s best to live in the moment. To do the things that’ll bring you joy, fulfillment, happiness.”
“Is that what you do?”
“Yes, more so now than I did when I was launching my business. After a while, I realized that I can work my ass off, make all the money in the world, but none of it will matter if I don’t take time out to do what I want. And to be open with myself about what I want.”
“Manifestation.”
“Exactly.”
“Tell me about your work. How long have you been in business?”
“A long time. I am also a programmer of sorts. I started the company about ten years ago while in college. I developed a way for organizations to use software to edify and improve their bottom lines.”
“Something like a business coach?” I ask, curious if he’s referencing the new wave of coaching careers that have given many people the freedom to work from home.
“It’s a little more complex than that. In a way, it’s coaching, but what I do is more software and engagement focus.”
“Okay, that’s nice. Ten years is a long time. I take it you enjoy the work.”
