"It would seem Sarah and one of our Senior Executives entered into…”. She paused then, searching for the word. “Intimate relations this summer." Shane listened, understanding even behind closed doors. Sarah's name was spoken, and the Senior Executive’s name was not. “The relationship has gone public, and his marriage is in ruins. Sarah was unable to maintain her professionalism." Amanda leaned in now, sharing secrets and a warning; her blue eyes drilled into Shane’s. “And quite frankly, her dignity." Amanda shook her head. “She was a good girl. She had a place here. The indiscretion cost her the job, and any relationship she had with him.” Amanda shook her head. “They never leave their wives.”
Shane said nothing, doing her best to guard her true reactions. She nodded instead, a gesture she hoped would convey understanding without judgment. Shane knew Sarah. They had worked side by side before she’d been moved to tend to the biggest producers. Jesus. Poor Sarah. That girl was levelheaded, dedicated to the job, and selfless. Worry in her belly twisted again; Sarah was like Shane. Shane was grateful Amanda pressed on with her agenda.
“This is not information to share. It’s no secret that the company does not tolerate…” she paused, “interpersonal relationships with a co-worker.” Shane nodded again. Her eyes were solemn. “I need you to step in and take her place. Ryan has always been a steady producer, and with this deal, he’ll be launched straight to the top. I know you have a good working relationship. He’s always spoken highly of you. I also know you spend your free time here problem-solving like no other. You are a natural choice to support Ryan in a time of growth and crisis.” Shane’s eyes grew bigger with each bit of praise. What. The. Fuck.
“Amanda…” she began, not quite knowing where to start. The company in growth and crisis? Ryan’s deal may or may not succeed even though he had solid connections with these men. Not to mention, Sarah, who had been dismissed because of the exact behavior that she and Ryan were exemplifying? And they wanted her to travel with him? Irony bubbled up in her belly, threatening to overflow in a gale of hysterical giggles. This was going to be a slippery slope.
Shane took a deep breath. Hoping the hysteria did not show in her eyes. "Amanda," she began again.
Amanda cut her off. “Shane, my presentation may seem like a request. In all reality, it’s not. It’s a directive. It is one I hope you are interested in and excited about. If you accept, and I have no doubt you will, we anticipate you and Ryan would be traveling to Las Vegas within the next few days to close the deal.”
Shane nodded again. She couldn’t stop herself. There was no reason not to take the offer of travel and work hard to support client acquisition. She worked countless hours to accomplish much less. Ultimately the deal was Ryan’s. She would do anything to support him, as she had over the years. She wouldn’t let him down now.
“Of course, thank you for the opportunity.”
Amanda’s relief was evident. She’d come seeking a solution, and Shane provided it. Where to go from here? That was another story. Amanda was reaching for a binder.
“Thank you, I hoped you’d agree. I’ve put together some things to aid in the success of this deal. I hope you don’t mind.”
Shane smiled. Reaching for the gift of information, she could not wait to be the recipient.
It was after six before she reached her desk; the afternoon was lost to planning and strategizing. The office was quiet now. The cubical city lay still as its residents had left. Shane’s half-eaten lunch sat on the desk. She dropped it in the trash and slid into her chair. Her email box was full of requests and pleas for assistance. They would have to wait.
Her IM to Ryan was still unanswered. She guessed he had had quite a day as well. Shane wasn’t sure now how long she’d be gone, but she wanted to leave her things in order. Shane straightened and shredded, loading her laptop and Amanda’s beautiful binder into her messenger bag. She wandered through the quiet office space and dialed Ryan. Her call went straight to voice mail.
“Give me a call. I have news and want to hear about your day.”
The elevator doors opened with a quiet swish, and she stepped in, taking her place in the back to lean against the mirrored wall. Shane tipped her head back and caught a glimpse of her indigo eyes before she closed them. The girl in the mirror looked tired.
Instead of down, the elevator began to rise toward the executive suites in the sky. She breathed in, ready to be on for whatever Senior VP she was about to encounter. When the doors slid open, it was his eyes she saw first. His beautiful blue eyes sparkled with surprise as Ryan stepped into the elevator.
“This is a happy surprise.” He moved into her space as the doors closed behind them. She put her hand up to slow his greeting as he came toward her. She glanced up.
“Cameras?” She whispered, raising her eyebrows.
“Hope so.” He was grinning now, a wicked grin.
She shook her head, barely perceptible to anyone watching. He winked and hit the button for the ground floor. Ryan leaned into his own mirrored wall, his eyes never leaving hers. “How was your day?”
Her mood had improved by his presence. “Informative.” She paused. “How was yours?”
“Well, I didn’t close the deal.” She absorbed his words. His words matter of fact, no disappointment. Simply stating the obvious.
“I heard. You have plans to close it.”
“I do.” She loved his confidence. “Will you help me?” Her lips curled into a smile as pride swelled in her chest.
She nodded. “You already know?”
He laughed. “Do I know? Silly girl, I requested you.”
***
They left her car where it sat; she swung into the cab of his truck. It was easier in trousers and boots. She laid her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. “Where to?”
"My place."
Shane didn’t open her eyes. “Okay.” The truck purred beneath her, the silence between them comfortable, like her favorite jeans. She felt the truck shift and turn as he navigated out of the parking lot. His hand rested high on her thigh by the time he hit the interstate. His place sounded lovely.
Shane didn’t open her eyes until the car slowed to a neighborhood pace. They were on the west side. Large trees lined the block, creating a canopy over the road. The sun filtered down in golden coins that shimmered as the wind shifted. The houses were set back from the road, small brick bungalows each a bit different. The last time she’d been here, she’d been nervous and a little drunk. Okay, so drunk, she could not remember the house. This time she soaked in the details.
Ryan turned into a narrow driveway, coming to a stop parallel from the house. He made no attempt to fit his monster truck into the attached garage that lay behind the house. Instead, he shifted into park, and the purring engine was silenced.
“Honey, we’re home.” He flashed her a wink as he slid out of the driver’s seat. Shane smiled back, not quite ready to move. He called her through the closed door.
“I’m coming.” I’m coming. She climbed out of the truck messenger bag and purse in tow, to find him waiting for her just in the side front door.
"Want the tour?" The grin on his face was reflected in his eyes. "Last time you were here; I don't know if we did that.”
She laughed. “I’d love that, and how about dinner?” Her stomach rumbled as the words left her lips.
“Yes, of course.” He took her messenger bag from her as she followed him through the side door and up the narrow stairs leading to the kitchen. The stairs groaned in protest under her feet.
CHAPTER 3
Sleepover
H is space was male and minimal. The kitchen sported a six-burner gas stove and stainless-steel appliances. The counters clear and clean. Hardwood floor spread from the kitchen to a living room with oversized leather furniture and a giant television.
Ryan had the phone in his hand and lowered his voice as he spoke to her. “I’m ordering food, make yourself at home.” He waved to the open doorway to h
er right. "Remember, the bedroom is over there, next to the bathroom" He turned away from her as he spoke to the person on the other end of the phone. “Yes. Yes. Delivery, please.”
Shane moved past a narrow stairway through the open doorway. The small bathroom lay directly in front of her. His bedroom was to the right.
The bathroom was simple, like the kitchen and living room. She loved the pedestal sink and clawfoot tub. Subway tile spread across the floor and climbed the walls. Shane moved through the small hallway into his bedroom. The hardwood floor continued on throughout the house. In his room she found a tall black dresser, small nightstand and king-sized bed unmade no less. The bed looked like it was made for a nap. Soft shades of grey and blue plaid crisscrossed the thick comforter while grey sheets dressed the bed underneath. Beyond the dresser was a closed door she assumed to be a closet. It was in the bedroom she found traces of his personality. The top of the dresser held a jar filled with coins, a few watches, cufflinks, and a small wooden bowl. The bedside table was piled with books. She wondered what he was reading and stopped short of going to look. Another room lay to her left, past the small bathroom. She hadn’t remembered that room, and her curiosity drew her to it. The floor creaked gently under her feet as she moved out of his room to check out the other bedroom.
Where a bed should have been was a weight bench. Free weights peppered the floor. Ryan’s golf bag and clubs leaned against the wall in the far corner, and his bike took up space against the wall next to her. He loved the bike. She’d listened for months while he researched and window-shopped the purchase. It may have been his most cherished possession, well after the truck and giant TV. Honestly, she loved the room; it kept him fit and fine. Shane heard the floor creak under his weight as he approached from behind. A moment later she felt his hand come to rest on her hip. Shane leaned back into him and felt his chin against her shoulder. “What do you think” he paused, “for the second time?”
“I think I like it.”
He dropped his hand to her belly and pulled her against him, "I'm glad."
“What’s for dinner?”
"Tony's."
The name of the restaurant made her mouth water. “Mmmmmm. Love Tony’s.”
He laughed, “Which is why I ordered it.”
Tony’s had the best Philly’s in town. The restaurant delivered mouthwatering prime rib covered with onions and peppers and bubbling cheese nestled into a buttery toasted bun, and thick fries.
“Yeah, you love Tony’s too.” She said, giving him a gentle elbow to the ribs.
“Yeah, yeah, I do. Want to work a little before the food gets here?” He asked.
“I do.” She said. And she did.
They settled in at his small kitchen table and Ryan brought the names in her research to life. He shared his experience with Vino and the Rossi family. Shane slipped out of her boots when the food came, and at some point, he lost his tie. He liked to be comfortable when he worked, and eventually the white crisp button-down shirt was unbuttoned at the collar and he rolled his sleeves up.
As they went through the company’s web presence and goals, Ryan served dinner…and whiskey. And then Shane stopped caring about anyone's web presence. She wanted to hear more about the people and the lives behind the business. The warmth of the drink spread through her belly, making her sleepy; her focus becoming unfocused.
“Ry, I think I’m done. Maybe less whiskey while we’re working.”
He laughed. “This is not exactly working. I’m just filling you in on the details. It’s more of information sharing.” He refilled his glass, ice clinking in the dark liquid. It made her mouth water. When had she started loving whiskey? He tipped the glass into his mouth, and she watched as he drank, his throat working as the burning liquid made its way to his belly. When it tasted like Ryan's kiss, that was when. He made his way to the living room and turned on the television “Share?” He asked and tipped the glass to her and with a raised an eyebrow.
“Sure.” Shane closed the distance between them, slipping into space next to him on the big leather couch. The leather was cold; he was not. She nestled against the warmth of his body as his warm hand slipped over her. He had chosen a movie with fast cars and big guns, something about that guy’s dog. Shane was too distracted to follow. She could only focus on his touch; on his lazily attentive hand that slid over her body and found its way to the bare skin just under her shirt. The hand that toyed at the waistband of her pants. She curled into him while his fingers trailed along her spine, dipping low under her waistband, following the curve of her back up to the nape of her neck only to descend again.
The touch alone was hypnotic. Paired with the whiskey, she melted in his hands. Shane dozed lightly through the action-adventure flick, missing the movie’s essence and the end. Shane awakened to rolling credits. Ryan had fallen asleep too with her snuggled into the crook of his arm.
“Ry,” when she spoke her voice sounded sleepy. “Ryan” She kissed him gently and felt him stir, tightening his hold on her.
He opened his eyes, returning her kiss, "Hey."
“Hey.” She pressed her lips to his again. The kiss warm and soft “We fell asleep.”
He shifted in a stretch, "What time is it?"
She glanced down at her wrist shifting her wrist into the television’s dim light. "About twelve-thirty."
“Want to go to bed?” he asked.
“Sleepover?” She teased. He was still coming around; sleep and the whiskey make him drowsy. His grip on her had not loosened. "I'd like that."
“Mmmmm” He breathed into her hair, “Me too.” Searching in the darkness for the remote, he snapped off the TV and grasped her hand, "Come on, sleepover girl."
Without the television, the house was dark. The only light, the soft glow cast from the streetlights that lined his block.
He had opened the windows sometime during the night, and now a light breeze moved open the curtains. The moon and streetlights cast a low light over the bed. Shane knew he was going to kiss her before she felt his lips. His hands roamed over her. She still wore her work clothes, button-down top, and tailored pants. His fingers found the buttons and began to unbutton. The silence and the darkness enhanced the intimacy as his fingers worked one button at a time to bring her skin to skin with him. Her hands resting lightly on his hips; her need growing as he took his time. The heat of the day dissipated with the sun. The light breeze through the window, coupled with his fingers, had her shivering.
He’d reached the bottom button. Her top hung open exposing her lacy bra, along with the pale skin of her breasts and belly. He slid the silky top over her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. He kissed her again, this time, his fingers found the buttoned button on tailored pants, and she drew her breath at his touch. Shane wrapped her arms around his neck, stretching up on her tiptoes in an attempt to match his height. He’d unzipped the zipper, and the pants fell to the floor with her top. Naked now except for her bra and panties, he gathered his full height, and her feet left the ground. In a few strides, she was touching down in his bed.
Shane knelt on the bed, seeking him in the darkness. She wanted him free of clothing as well.
“I’ll be right back.” He said, his voice was husky, and sleep filled.
“Okay.” Shane said and slid across the rumpled comforter until she felt plump pillows at her back. Feeling for the edge of the covers she peeled them back and snuggled in. The cool sheets wrapped around her for a moment before they began to take on her body heat. Somewhere in the house, the hum of the air conditioner stopped. Now that the white noise was gone, her mind absorbed the silence, like sight in the absence of light.
He returned to her, a shadow in the dark. She felt the bed shift under his weight, his hands seeking her as he joined her under the covers. Ryan had shed his clothes and was naked except for the boxers that clung to his muscular thighs and the curve of his ass. He wrapped her in his arms
"Storm's coming," He said. His voice muffled by h
er hair.
She nodded. The moon’s glow was absent now, hidden behind the dark and gray clouds that blended with the night.
Shane lay on her side and felt him shift; Closer. She fit against him comfortably, tucked against his strength. Her legs entwined with his. Belly to belly, she felt his forehead rest against hers, and reached up to touch his face, fingers gently exploring. His eyes were closed, she traced over his eyelids, finding thick eyelashes that rimmed the edges, chiseled cheekbones, and full lips that kissed her fingertips when she touched them. She found the muscles in his jaw working ever so slightly and slid her fingers down his throat, over his collar bone, down his chest. He pulled her in, dipping his head to the hollow of her neck. She felt his opened mouthed kiss wet against her skin. She ran her fingers up and down his back, lazy pattern-less patterns. She wanted to please him, to give him her focus almost as much as she wanted his full attention. Somewhere in the distance, the sky rumbled, deep soothing. Sleep drew her as his breathing slowed, and his body eased into dreams. She was content to drift with him, hovering between sleep and waking before she finally succumbed to sleep.
Shane didn’t sleep for long before she was pulled from her rest by the storm. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Disoriented, she reached into the darkness with her mind, recalling the details of the night before that brought her here.
Ryan slept on, unaffected by the thunder. She had to pee. Shane slipped from under his arm, out of the warmth of his bed. The room was damp and chilly. Lightening danced beyond the open windows, a blaze across the sky. One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, four one thousand. The house shook with the breaking thunder. Shane watched out the window for a moment taking in the street outside. It was empty, lonely streetlights standing still as soldiers as the trees around them swayed in the wind.
Her bladder forced her to move from her place at the window, dazed and sleepy she answered the call. Shane moved by memory through the darkness of the house’s interior to the little bathroom. She slid down the lacy undies and sat to relieve herself. When she was done, she washed and dried her hands, moving her tousled hair out of her eyes. Shane paused, taking time to lower the window. She did not want the storm to rage into his house.
The Boardroom Series – Complete Boxed Set (Boxes 1 – 6) : An office romance turned seductive submission Page 10
