He sat at the bar nursing the first drink of the day. The ice made a sound as it melted and slightly compacted in the glass. The bartender had given him a coaster but he often set his glass down on the bar, next to the coaster, his mind on other things.
It had not been planned at all. They had worked together at the other company and they were both pleasantly surprised the morning he walked in to start his new job. It was refreshing to have a familiar face and a friendly voice the first moment of a new job. She took him under her wing, as she was an old hand in this new office. She had been working here for five weeks now.
He was happy that she was to be his assistant. It was tough walking into a management position of a new company and not have a friendly spirit that you could confide in, rely on to nullify the office politics and make you more comfortable in the new and imposing surroundings. He relied on her to help her win over those who resented the fact that he was hired from the outside. There were some that desired his failure and, while not actually sabotaging his efforts, did not assist him as much as they could have. He had seen the whispered conversations and the jealous glances in his direction. She had convinced many that he was a capable manager and that he was loyal to his co-workers. Most of the team resolved to work with him and give him a chance, and it was because of her confidence in him.
They had first started working together about eight years ago. He had just finished his work on his MBA. She had hired on at the company after getting her degree. They had discussed the reasons why she refused to pursue her MBA, but all he received were half-mumbled excuses and sometimes an embarrassed silence. He had finally learned that the money was tight since her marriage and that, although she wanted to move up in her career, the motivation was just not there to pursue her MBA
They had been put together from the first, at their old company. He was the confident, good-looking young man with the fire in his belly and she was the pretty young woman that worked well with him and seemed to be able to sense his wishes. She reveled in his successes and he shared his promotions with her and took her with him when the promotions to new departments or divisions came. He made sure that her efforts were rewarded financially as well, the salary increases and bonuses came to her regularly.
Their first project had been a resounding success and had changed the direction of the company. He was put in charge of the new product line and she became his marketing director. As the product line took off, they began to travel to customers and suppliers. Many times their travels took them to distant cities. They always conducted themselves as business professionals and there was never a hint that there was anything even remotely sexual in their dealings with each other. Other than the occasional hug between two good friends, no one had cause to suspect them.
On the fourth business trip that they took together, they both had one more drink than they should have. They had celebrated the huge sale to a new customer by having an elaborate and somewhat expensive dinner. They talked about the impact that this would have on their careers and the new possibilities that this sale had opened for them. He was ecstatic and she was happy that she had been able to help bring him to this point in his career. They talked for a long time after dinner like the good friends that they were.
After the dinner they moved to the bar to talk some more. They were both too keyed up to end the evening and neither of them wanted the exuberance to end. They talked about their future with the company and the directions that they should try to take the product line. He bounced a few ideas for a new product off of her and asked for her input. She was pleased that he had the confidence in her to share his dreams. The talk about their careers slowly became a bit boring and the conversation drifted to more personal things.
He found out that her marriage was not as good as she had led everyone to believe. There were no real problems with the marriage, only dreams that were never fulfilled, wishes that were ignored, chances for closeness that slipped away and a lack of the blending of two souls that made the desire for a child a driving force in their marriage. He found out that she and her husband had slowly grown apart until they had become like two roommates instead of partners in life. She confided that her husband seemed to resent her successes and would withdraw from her a little more with each new accomplishment.
When the tears came to her eyes, he waited until she volunteered to speak. He put his hand over hers and said the right words to her. She smiled and told him that since she had opened up to him, that it was his turn.
He told her about his marriage to his college sweetheart. She had worked to allow him to pursue his MBA. Her career was successful, but not as successful as his. She had devoted as much time to her career as he had to his and the hours apart had begun to take their toll on the marriage. She became obsessed with her career and was determined to break the glass ceiling that so many career women found in the corporate environment. He attended many of the obligatory business functions that she felt were required to advance her career. He always felt like an outsider at those functions, as she moved about the room making contact with the persons that demanded her time. He told her that his marriage was much like hers, two people living together hoping that someday a lightning bolt would hit them and make them a happy couple.
After they left the bar and went to their rooms, they stood outside to talk some more. They had reached a new plateau in their relationship, but they were afraid to pursue it. They both knew that if they had, there would be no turning back. She reached up to him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He grabbed her and pulled him to her and held her close to him. After several minutes they knew that they either had to separate or see if the new feelings that they were having were real. In the end, she moved away from him, not sure of what she was experiencing inside of her heart, and she went to her room alone.
The next day they talked as if the night before had never happened. Their conversation was just slightly more animated and he often took the chance to touch her hand or place his hand on her back as they left the room and any number of ways that a man has to show his feelings for a woman, while trying not to show the world that he cares for her. There was never another occasion where they gave into their feelings for each other, not until a year later.
They went to a trade show that was to last five days, to show off the latest offerings of the company. The new products were state-of-the-art and they both had played a major part in the development of the products. He was now the vice-president of product development and she held his old position as division manager. Their product line was well received and, at the end of the first day, they had many new leads to be followed up. The show closed for the day and he suggested that they celebrate their latest success by going to the best restaurant in town for dinner. They left to go to their respective rooms and clean up and dress for dinner.
He was waiting in the hotel lobby when she got out of the elevator. His heart jumped when he saw her. She had on a form-fitting black dress that came to a point about two inches above her knees. The pearls around her neck accented the dress perfectly. Every one of the men in the hotel lobby turned to watch as she walked up to him and took his arm. They walked out of the lobby and to the rented car.
The dinner was all that they had hoped it would be. They talked incessantly and laughed often. He admitted that he knew little about wine and let her pick the wine that best went with their meal. He thanked her for her contributions to the new products and she told him that she was only able to be of help because he was so good at motivating her. They talked about their goals. The wine mellowed them and they began to talk about how each of them enjoyed working with the other.
They moved to the bar after the dinner and he ordered a drink for each of them. They continued to talk and the conversation was different from the conversation at dinner. They talked about life, their thoughts on politics, their plans for the future and anything else that would keep them at the bar talking. Neither of them wanted to go to the loneliness of their room.
The ice in their drinks melted and the drinks started to warm. The customers at the bar had thinned out and there were only two other couples in the bar. He put his hand over hers and she looked into his eyes. Neither of them spoke but their unspoken words were heard. He took her hand and they left the bar and headed toward the elevators. He put his arm around her waist and held her to him. Her eyes looked deeply into his and she saw the depth of his feelings for her. They both knew where this was heading and they walked toward the inevitable willingly.
He led her to his room and held the door for her to enter. She walked in and turned to him as he approached her. She walked into his arms and held his head as he kissed her with a passion that she had not experienced in a long time. After they broke for air he reached behind her and pulled down the zipper of her dress. She moved away a little and let the dress fall to a pile at her feet. She stepped out of the dress and kicked it away from them. She wasn't wearing a bra and his hands gently caressed her breasts. She took his hands and held him to her as if she was afraid that he would remove them. Their lips met again and his tongue met hers and began to duel with her tongue. Their passion increased and he dropped his hands and pulled her to his body as if he was afraid that she would run away.
She moved away and took his hand and led him to the bed. She slipped her high-heeled shoes off but left her stockings on. She got on the bed and watched as he got out of his clothes. She marveled at his magnificent body. He was all that she had dreamed he would be.
He got onto the bed with her and slipped her panties off. He lay next to her and took her into his arms. He told her that he loved her. She had known for a long time that he loved her. A woman knows such things. She loved him too and she told him so. He rose over her and began to shower every part of her body with kisses. When he kissed her breasts she held his head and let the pleasant sensations fuel her lust. She found that it was becoming impossible to control her body. Her body kept moving to him to gain greater access to him and to allow him greater access to her body.
His kissed moved to her mound and his tongue traced her slit and caressed her gently while avoiding her clit. In frustration she grabbed his head and held him to her and his tongue began to caress her most sensitive spot, driving her to a point from which she never wanted to return. She felt her passion inside of her begin to culminate in the waves of pleasure that had been denied to her for so long. She held his head to her sex as wave after wave of pleasure racked her body. She almost passed out from the intense unfamiliar feelings.
He pulled away and took his place between her legs. He held himself over her, supporting himself on his arms, and told her that he loved her again. Tears came to her eyes and she grabbed his head and kissed him with more passion than he had ever experienced. He placed his manhood at her entrance and she took hold of him and guided him into her being. He entered her slowly until he had his full length inside of her. He felt a small orgasm shake her body and he began the rhythm of love. She rose to meet his every thrust and kept up with him even when the pace of their lovemaking increased. She felt him tense and she knew that their love for each other had reached its peak. He began to empty himself into her and her orgasm was triggered by his.
They lay together until he began to soften. He pulled out of her and lay down next to her and gathered her into his arms. They didn't speak as their silence told them more than any words could have. After a while, she pulled away, kissed him and went into the bathroom. When she came back, she took her place in his arms and snuggled as close to him as she could. They fell asleep in each other's arms and slept as neither of them had for a long time.
The next day was spent at their company booth at the trade show. On the few times that they were alone he told her that he loved her and she smiled and told him that she loved him also. Every evening, after the show had closed, they retreated to his room and had dinner brought to them. They spent the nights together making love and basking in the glow of their newly expressed love. Nothing was said about what their love would bring when they returned home. As lovers do, they were sure that their love was all that mattered.
He held her hand on the flight back to the city where they lived. She asked him to give her time to sort out her feelings and asked that he not pressure her for a while. They were met at the airport by their spouses and they left to the lives that they had lived a week before.
They left together on three business trips in the next several months. They reserved two rooms each time, but always slept in one room during the time they were away from home. He laughed at her for messing up her bed every morning so that the hotel staff would not know they were sleeping together. The trip home was becoming more strained each time. Neither wanted to be the one to turn away and leave first.
None of their co-workers noticed that there was something between them. Their happiness was attributed to an improvement in their home situation. When this latest trip came up he had called her into his office and told her that they had to make a decision about where their love would take them. Being away from her was tearing him up and would eventually affect his work. She agreed to meet him after work and they could leave after dinner and make the three-hour drive to meet with the customer. The business could be completed in two days but they told the company and their spouses that it would take at least three days.
That was the reason that he was here waiting for her. When he saw her enter the bar, he broke out into a big grin. His heart leaped in his chest at the sight of her beauty. After this trip their love for each other would either be out in the open or they would have to let it die.
She walked into the bar and searched for him. When she saw his face a smile came to her lips. She missed every minute away from him. A quick glance around the bar assured her that there were no familiar faces here. She walked to him and caressed his cheek and leaned to him and gently kissed his lips. She smiled and pulled a tissue from her purse and wiped the lipstick from his lips. She sat next to him and when he asked if she would like a drink she shook her head. She asked if they could leave right away and stop for dinner somewhere on the road as she had had a late lunch.
He paid for his drink and they left the bar together. She left her car on the street and they pulled away from the bar in his larger car. She moved closer to him and put her head on his shoulder. This was where she wanted to be, with him.
She became infatuated with him shortly after he started working at the company that had hired her fresh out of college. She saw, right away, that he was different from other men. He was not intimidated by a woman with brains. He made sure that she was rewarded for her accomplishments and received adequate compensation for her efforts. He took her with him as he rose up the corporate ladder. He never took credit for her ideas or her successes. He always made sure that opportunities were available to her so that no one could deny her worth to the company. She was well respected in the company and the upper-level management knew that they worked well together and that it would be foolish to separate them.
Their closeness and compatibility soon became something else that neither of them would admit. When she felt that it was becoming something that she couldn't handle, she moved to another company. She had thanked him for all that he had done for her and he had jokingly told her that his career would be over as soon as she was out the door. When he asked where she was going she declined to answer him. She wanted to give herself a chance to sort out things.
The new job was not what she had expected and she was miserable. She hated getting out of bed in the morning. Finally she decided that she could not take the job any more and she decided to give her two-week notice that day. She discussed it with her husband and his only concern was that she quickly find another job so that they wouldn't get behind on the bills.
As she walked to her office from the parking lot, she thought that she noticed something familiar about the easy, confident walk of the man in front of her. She followed a short distance behind him and, as he waited for the elevator, she walked up next to him. They looked at each other in amazement. They both asked what the other was doing there at the same time. They laughed when he explained that the old company was not the same after she left and that he had decided to move on. When she told him that she worked here now he said that it was fate that they be together. For a fleeting moment she wondered if his words had more than one meaning.
She took him by the arm and marched him to his new boss and introduced him. She told the boss what a prize the company was getting and told him about the many accomplishments of the new employee. They were surprised to find out that he had been hired to take over the department where she worked.
At lunch that afternoon, he told her that after she left the personality of the company seemed to change and he found it hard to get up in the morning to go to work. A headhunter had called a few days after she was gone and offered him a position with the new company. He accepted and gave his two-week notice. His old company made him two counter-offers, but he had decided to leave so he turned the offers down.
They resumed where they had left off in the old company. It soon became apparent to management that they had stumbled on an awesome pair. They worked perfectly together and worked like they were meant to be a team. They seemed to be able to read each other's minds and complimented each other's strengths. The promotions started coming rapidly and he made sure that the company knew that their accomplishments were, in a large part, because of her efforts.
They started to go on business trips together and they kept their relationship on a professional level. Until the night that they celebrated the big sale to the new customer. She would always remember that night. It had been the beginning of their present relationship, although neither of them knew that at the time. The dinner had gone as all of their lunches, meetings, and business tips had gone. They had enjoyed each other's company and had been content with that. After they moved to the bar, something had happened. She couldn't put here finger on what it was that changed them that night. She had never intended to talk to him about her marriage. She had always separated her personal and professional life. When she opened up to him, he listened to her and she found that he was very easy to talk to. When she asked about his life and he told her about his marriage, she was not shocked. She had always detected that little bit of sadness hidden from the public in the back of his eyes. She hadn't known why it was there, but she knew that he was not the happy person that he portrayed to the world.
When they walked back to their rooms and he had pulled her into his arms she went willingly. She allowed him to hold her and put her head on his chest and luxuriated in the feeling of closeness that they both felt. She did not try to pull away and he did not attempt to release her. She wanted to remain in his arms forever. She started to panic when she saw that he was doing what she wanted him to do, hold on to her. She knew that she was not ready to make a decision about their relationship right then and she pulled away and went to her room.
She did not sleep well that night. It was a long time before she fell asleep. She imagined that she could feel his arms around her as she laid in her bed thinking. When she did fall asleep, she dreamed of him making love to her and taking her to a place that was beautiful and where they could be alone with each other.
The night of the trade show, she knew that their relationship would be taken to the next level. She hadn't thought about sleeping with him and when it happened she wasn't surprised. They entered into this new phase willingly. He was a gentle and considerate lover. He seemed to be able to sense her needs even before she did and he made sure that her needs were satisfied before his were.
When he entered her, she felt that she had finally become a complete woman. It seemed so beautiful and natural for him to be inside of her. When they made love, it felt like this was the first time that she had ever made love with anyone. All of the other times were just sex. Making love with him was something that worldly beings seldom experienced.
When he told her he loved her, tears came to her eyes. She did not realize that she had been waiting for him to say those words for years and when he said them, she knew that what he said was true. She also knew that she loved him and had loved him for years. Why was she so reluctant to admit to herself that she loved him?
After they had made love, the time in his arms was the most peaceful time of her life. She would have been content to lie in his arms for eternity. She hated when the morning came and they had to go back to their world. She resented having to share him with the world. When he told her he loved her the first time at the trade fair, she had a hard time keeping herself from throwing herself into his arms and making love to him right there behind the booth.
On the flight home, she had asked him for time to sort out her feelings and he had agreed. He never pressured her in the next few months after that time, even when they made love on the trips away from their homes. Now it was time to make a decision. It was not fair to either of them to go on living with others and deny to the world that they were in love.
She sat listening to the accountant drove on about the SEC filing that had to be in the next day. Although this was a necessary part of her job, she dreaded it. She didn't feel comfortable signing her name on a financial report, since she didn't understand the modern accounting principles that her company used. The accountant stood up and told her that he would have the report on her desk in the morning. She shook his hand and he walked toward the entrance to the restaurant.
She motioned for the waiter and asked that he bring another cup of coffee. The dinner had been OK. The accountant was a dry sort of person and it was hard carrying on a conversation with him unless you were talking about numbers. The waiter sat the coffee in front of her and left.
Her eyes scanned the restaurant and she sipped her coffee. She could see into the bar area and it didn't seem crowded. A movement to her right caught her eye and she followed the woman with her eyes. The woman walked toward a man sitting at the bar. The woman looked familiar. The woman walked up to the man and kissed him. She saw the woman pull out a tissue and wipe his lips.
She put on her glasses and saw that the woman was her husband's co-worker and the man she had kissed was her husband. She watched as her husband and the woman walked out of the bar. When they looked at each other, it was obvious that they were in love. When they passed through the door and were outside she let out a deep breath. She hadn't realized that she had stopped breathing. Her heart was pounding inside her chest and it felt like it weighed a hundred pounds.
She sipped the last of her coffee and motioned for the waiter for the check. After she had paid the check she made her way to her car. Once inside her car, she put her head on the steering wheel and forced her mind to go blank. She started the car and pulled out of the parking lot and pointed the car in the direction of her house.
As she drove she tried to think about what had just happened. She knew that her husband liked his co-worker, but she had no idea that there was something going on between them. She probably should have suspected something. They seemed to be always together and he often told her about how good she was.
She wondered when they had grown apart. She tried to pinpoint the time but couldn't. It wasn't because she had to work so that he could get his MBA. Actually his education was financed by student loans, which had long since been paid off. Sure, she had been the sole breadwinner for a while, but he had supported her when she decided to go into the business world and make a career of her own.
She tried to think about where the marriage had gone wrong. The long hours that they had to put into their careers might have had something to do with it, but other couples had careers and marriages too. She remembered the times that he had hugged her and tried to kiss her as she rushed out of the door. Sometimes she had rolled out of his arms and protested that he was going to spoil her makeup. She would blow him a kiss as she rushed to her car. Maybe she should have paused for a few minutes and told him that he was the man in her life.
What about the down times in her life. He often was distant or not available to her. When her mother died, he had been in Europe and was in the middle of a big negotiation. She had told him that he had to stay and finish the negotiation and that she would be fine. She waited for him to tell her that his place was at her side. All she heard was a thank you for being so considerate and the phone hanging up.
She tried to think of the last time that they had dinner together that was not a business affair for one or the other of them and she couldn't think of a time. Well, they had fun on vacations years ago. It had been five years since their last vacation together?
She pulled in the driveway and shut off the car. She sat behind the wheel for a minute before getting out and walking in the house. She sat down in her chair in the living room. She didn't bother to take off her coat. Her mind began to jump from one subject to the next.
What about children? In all of the time that they had been married, the subject of whether they would ever have children had never come up. Children were not high on her list of priorities, but it should have come up at least once in the years that they have been married.
The phone rang and she walked into the kitchen to answer it. She told him about seeing her husband that night. When he asked who the woman was, she told him and said that she had never thought that he would fall for someone like that. He offered to come over and spend the night with her but she told him that she wanted to be alone tonight. He told her he would be home all night if she changed her mind and then hung up.
She had met him at a business function a year ago. Her husband had been talking to one of her co-workers all evening about the merits of their respective business schools and hadn't noticed the time she spent talking to him. He had handed her his card and had asked her to have lunch with him soon. The next day, flowers were delivered to her office and every day after that another bouquet was delivered with the directions to some restaurant. At the bottom of the note would be the time of the reservations that he had made for them.
She finally decided to go to lunch with him. There would be no harm in just having lunch. The lunch was over several hours before they left the table. He was a brilliant conversationalist and she was captivated by him. They parted and he asked for a repeat for lunch. She agreed to call him but each time she picked up the phone to make the call, she stopped and convinced herself to drop the matter.
On a boring business seminar she ran across his name on the guest register and decided to look him up. They went to lunch at the break and wound up in his room. The next three days were spent in his room making love. After they returned home they would meet every two weeks or so for lunch and then spend the afternoon together.
She had bared her soul to him about her marriage so he knew that she was not happy with her situation. He asked her to leave her husband and told her that he would marry her. For a minute she was tempted, but she told him that she couldn't just leave her husband like that. Her parents had been married for many years and she felt that if she got a divorce that she would bring shame on them.
Their meetings continued for a long time. If her husband was out of town, they would spend the weekend on his boat. She was very relaxed around him and he seemed to adore her.
He was a successful businessman and had the time and money to indulge his whims. He often gave her advise on her career and had helped her through some rough negotiations. He was constantly trying to buy her gifts, which she had to refuse. She had begun to think of him as more of a friend and a lover than her husband had ever been.
Their last meeting on his boat had been strained. He told her he loved her and he needed her. He asked her to leave her husband and move in with him. He offered to pay for her divorce and assured her that she would never have any money worries. She agreed with everything he said, but she just couldn't bring herself to admit that her marriage was over. She also feared what it would do to her parents.
She turned out all of the lights and sat in the darkness with her thoughts until the phone rang. He told her that he was coming over. She told him Ok and hung up to wait for him.
He sat watching the football game hoping that his college would win their first of the season. By the end of the game they were thirty points behind. The college didn't have the same focus that they had went he went. He smiled as he reflected on the good times he had in college.
He was known as the party boss in his fraternity. If there was a party anywhere in a fifty-mile radius he knew about it. His studies had suffered because of the parties, drinking and drugs and he had barely graduated with an engineering degree.
His wife had fallen in love with his devil-may-care attitude. She was the prettiest girl in college and she had a figure that turned heads when she walked down the street. He was constantly kidded that he had drugged her to make her fall for him. Now that they were in the real world, she was the one to realize that they had to buckle down and make a living.
After they graduated, they both got jobs quickly. She was happy with her job and constantly told him about how she had corrected this problem or had designed that program for her department. He had to admit that she was advancing pretty fast in her company. He had panicked when she quit her job, but she had gotten another job right away and was apparently doing Ok in the new job.
His job was not going all that well. All of the partying at college and his low grades had taken their toll on his career. He was hired as an engineer, but he was always given the minor tasks that any engineering assistant could do. He was afraid that he would be fired one day and be replaced by an assistant.
His salary reflected his abilities and his wife made more than twice what he did. She had never mentioned the difference in what they earned but it grated on him. His friends suspected that she was the breadwinner in the house and often questioned him about it or made snide comments about it to him.
At first he disliked her having to go out of town on business trips. Now when she was gone he felt relieved that she was not around to remind him of his inadequacies. She never said anything to him to make him feel that way; it's just that when she was around that he felt small. With her out of town, his friends left him alone when they came over to watch football.
The fact that they couldn't have children also ate away at him. A few years ago they were having difficulties and he had told her that he felt like she didn't want to bear his children. She tried to get pregnant but couldn't. They were both tested and he was found to have a low sperm count. She sat him down and talked to him and tried to convince him that it didn't really matter, but he knew better.
After that, they started growing apart. She had her career and he had a job. His abilities were the joke of his company and he dreaded going to work in the morning. That is, until they hired the new engineering assistant. She was a free spirit and they hit it off right away. Since he was an engineer, she looked up to him and worshiped the ground he walked on. He convinced her that he was only at this company for a short while and then he was off to Alaska to work on the oil fields as chief engineer. She bought his story and listened as he told her how great Alaska was and the great money that could be made there.
At a company party, she sat next to him and started to talk. Most of the others at the party were older and she felt that they slighted her because of her youth. The wives kept an eye on their husbands so that none of them got any ideas about the young girl. He talked her into leaving the party with him and they spent the night in a motel. Soon she came to his house whenever his wife had to go on a business trip.
When she saw the size of the house she knew that she had found the man for her. He saw no reason to tell her that his wife made much more than him and that the house was paid for mainly with her money. He convinced her that he had a plan to walk away from the unhappy marriage that he was in with a bundle in his pocket, so she had to keep quiet about their affair.
He was eventually put in charge of the maintenance crew because he had set the lab on fire while he went to collect his winnings from the football pool. He didn't have a clue as to what a maintenance crew was supposed to do all day and his subordinates found him out in about ten minutes and proceeded to make his life miserable.
He started writing his men up for what he considered infractions of company rules and it soon became his chief duty to sit down with the union reps and take flack from them. After he increased the number of write ups that he submitted to human relations, the union president went to upper level management and showed them the paperwork. Shortly thereafter he was fired and escorted out of the facility by a guard.
As he passed his assistant, he told her that he had a job in Alaska and he would send for her soon. She watched him walk out of the facility and out of her life forever.
He went home and sat in the living room to think. His wife would be gone for another two days. He poked around her office until he found the savings account passbook and a stack of checks. He got on line and checked the balances in both accounts. He was pleased to find that they had over thirty-nine thousand in the two accounts. He closed out both accounts and packed two large suitcases. He went back on line and booked a flight to Anchorage, Alaska. With thirty-nine thousand he would be set until he found a job.
He left a note to his wife telling her that he was on his way to
Alaska and that he would send for her in a few months. He called for a
taxi and went to the airport. As the plane left the runway, he patted
the money in his coat pocket. He was set.