Chapter 13
Thirteen
I t was almost ten o’clock when Steph’s message alert sounded.
Good morning. Sorry I didn’t text earlier, but when you sleep in the middle of nowhere and your phone is desperately searching for a signal all night the battery dies very quickly. You are not a sulky 14 yr old but a sulky 25 yr old and I did not try to drown you. I will be in the office by 11. Are you on evening visiting tonight as I was going to ask you to attend the Brooker Foundation Gala, not a problem if you can’t make it, but I have to go. Jon x
She smiled at the message and then reread it and realised that she was invited to the gala, but not to accompany him, that would be Lucy’s job. However, he had not suggested that she bring a plus one. She reminded herself of her resolve to be a better mistress and decided to mull it over and check with Eddie on the visiting timetable before making a decision. She replied with a simple ok and returned her attention to work. Her conversation with Martin had actually made her realise that she knew very little about her department, assuming accounts was hers. She needed some serious clarification on exactly what her job was and where she fitted into the bigger set up. She picked up her phone and phoned the extension for Andrea.
“Hi, Andrea, it’s Steph again. Would it be possible to make an appointment to see Mr Brooker?” Hearing those words made her realise how odd it sounded to make an appointment with your married lover.
“Oh, I am sure he will see you without an appointment, but if you would rather . . .” she said cautiously.
“I would rather it was a proper appointment as I have some points that I need to discuss thoroughly rather than in between planned meetings. Does he have any availability today?”
“He is in back to back meetings this afternoon until three, so I can put you in then,” offered Andrea.
“Sorry. I can’t do after half past one, what about this morning?” Steph wondered whether this was something Rosie should arrange with Andrea.
“He has nothing in this morning, but he isn’t here yet and I am unsure what time Mr Brooker is due,” replied Andrea.
“Book me in for eleven please because that’s when he’s due.” Steph thought there was a distinct advantage in knowing your boss’ plans.
“I don’t know if I can. Mr Brooker may have other plans that he hasn’t told me about,” said Andrea nervously, “And in the event he was delayed . . .”
“Okay, what about if you book me in with him for eleven and if he has other plans or doesn’t arrive, you can call me and cancel, would that be better?” Steph was unsure how this was any different, but it seemed that Andrea considered it that way.
“Of course, that’s done for you.”
Steph opened her note pad again and made another list, but of questions for Jon about her new job.
What is my main role?
What departments am I responsible for?
Where do I fit in within other departments and managers?
What is my role on a day to day basis?
Who do I submit my holiday request to?
Why is my picture on his desk and does he really want his on mine?
Who is Isaac Robertson and why am I meeting with him?
Richards deal???????
By ten thirty, as Steph studied her list of questions Rosie appeared in the doorway, “This is just like old times now. He really could deliver these himself.” She laughed. “And if they could arrive in vases that would be helpful.”
Steph looked up and found Rosie peering at her around the side of a very large display of yellow roses and green foliage.
“Isn’t it?” laughed Steph as she took the flowers from Rosie and set them down on the cabinet behind her desk, but before she could pull the card from them Jon’s voice came from behind a now flustered Rosie, presumably worried about what Mr Brooker might have heard and if he felt it appropriate.
“I believe you summoned me, Miss Pryor,” he said dryly making her smile at him.
“I wouldn’t have phrased it quite that way, Mr Brooker,” she replied as Rosie grew increasingly uncomfortable. “Sorry, Rosie, could you get us some tea please.”
“Coffee for me, please,” Jon corrected her before a relieved looking Rosie headed for the safety of the coffee machine.
Jon fully entered the office and shut the door. He stood in front of Steph who was now perched on the edge of her desk where she instinctively allowed her legs to spread and wrapped them around his thighs.
“Andrea assured me that this was real business, not another ploy to tempt me back onto the carpet with you.” He grinned as he traced a finger around Steph’s knee and up her inner thigh, beneath the bright blue shift dress she was wearing.
As Jon’s hand reached the lace top of her stocking, Steph replied, “I have no intention of going back onto the carpet with you and I think you will find it was you that tempted me down there,” she said with mock sternness.
“I stand corrected. No frolicking on the carpet then, Miss Pryor.”
“No, but I could be persuaded to lose a little underwear,” she said coyly now.
“You are seriously bad for my concentration,” he replied pulling her groin against his, the hardness there clear to them both. “I really didn’t fully think through the perils of employing you full time and on the same floor as me, did I?”
“I think you knew exactly what you were doing, Mr Brooker,” she said seriously.
“Maybe, but here I am chasing around after you again,” he said as Rosie knocked on the door and waited to be called in by which time Steph was sitting behind the desk and Jon was sitting opposite her.
With thanks expressed, Rosie quickly turned and left.
“So, this is business?” asked Jon seriously.
“Yes.”
“And is that the reason why you went through Andrea rather than calling me yourself?” A strange expression clouded his face.
“Yes, what other reason would there be?”
“I don’t know, maybe that you are still mad at how we parted yesterday,” he told her honestly.
“I was upset, but I gave myself a talking to and I understand that you have commitments, but we are getting side tracked by the personal stuff again. While we are, is it okay if I nip out later and do the afternoon visit to the hospital?”
“Of course, now talk business to me. It makes me horny when you turn all corporate.” He grinned salaciously making her laugh.
“Please concentrate on work otherwise we are going to be shagging on the desk if you keep looking at me like that.” She realised that despite her protests to the contrary, she had little to no objection to that.
“You started it when you wrapped your legs around me and suggested losing your underwear, which I am still considering. Now, Miss Pryor, business,” he said, picking up his coffee.
“I have some questions about my role here. I know that you and Grant talked through the new aspects of the job, but I must admit I am confused, so I made a list of questions,” she explained as she picked up her notebook.
“Fire away, darling.”
“What is my main role? Overseeing finances or new business or what?” She grew increasingly confused with her first question.
“I don’t know that you will have a main role because if there are no new deals on the horizon I can’t have you sitting idle, you’d be sure to get into trouble then. If there’s a new deal happening, then that would be your priority, or quarterly figures time it would be that and at other times it may be ironing out problems in other financial departments. We’re all on the same learning curve, but I have no clear idea on what you should be doing and when. I trust you to manage your own workload without me breathing down your neck.”
“Fair enough. Grant said that I would have responsibilities for my departments, but I have no idea which departments are mine.” She wondered whether she had tried to run before she could walk by taking this job.
“Accounts and finance for sure and new business would be an area I would expect you to have some responsibility for, but we have another new business manager, Sophie Marley, that we are meeting with at nine o’clock tomorrow so she’ll be a new member of your team too. Anything else?” Jon stretched over to look at her list.
“This one will sound really conceited I’m sure, but where do I fit in with the other departments and managers?” she asked feeling a little embarrassed.
“Nothing conceited there, darling, you want to know whose opinions you can ignore and those that you have to at least pretend to listen to.” He smiled making her shake her head. “You fit in above departmental heads, but below me.” The arching of his brow made her laugh.
“Which as we both know is where I like to be and where you like me,” she replied.
“Oh, darling, don’t sell yourself short, sometimes I like you against me or over me, but usually and certainly managerially you are beneath me. There’s a level of hierarchy between you and me, but due to the nature of your role I would expect you to see me as your line manager. Next?” He smiled.
“My day to day role, I think you have covered that, so who do I submit my holiday request to?”
Jon laughed loudly. “Your line manager, me.”
“Who is Isaac Robertson and why am I meeting with him next week?” she asked next.
“He is the brother of Peter Robertson from Richards and is a senior shareholder there, so he is being sent here by them to renegotiate a possible deal, but I would be reluctant to offer what Richards wants and he knows that, so I think they are more in need of my money than I originally thought, meaning I need you to dig a little and then we will meet to discuss before we meet with them. Anything else?” Jon glanced down at his watch.
“Am I keeping you from something more important, Mr Brooker?” Steph smiled, enjoying this playful side of him.
“You are indeed, Miss Pryor,” he replied, laughing at her expression. “And you want to know what that is I suppose?”
“If you want to tell me.” She aimed for nonchalance, hoping to sound more convincing than she felt. Although the glint in his eye led to suspicion or perhaps hope that she might know what was more important to him.
“One more question, Steph, before I assist you in losing some underwear and then I think I can hear your desk calling to have you shagged across it.”
She swallowed hard at the bluntness of his suggestion, such as it was, because there was no option of discussion, not that she objected to his plan.
“What’s with the picture on the desk?” she asked.
“It’s a picture of you and me at our friend’s wedding and I have one on my desk and you have one, which was your idea,” he paused to look around her desk and continued, “Well, you do have one, but not on your desk it would seem. Are you ashamed of me?” he asked but she was unsure whether he was being serious or not.
“No I am not ashamed of you . . . but people will know about us if we broadcast it like that.”
“Point taken, Steph, but not for the reasons you think. However, until you are established in your role I will attempt to be a little more restrained. Now can we address the issue of your excessive underwear?” he asked making her laugh as he pulled her to her feet and lifted her onto her desk before suddenly pausing to say, “Nice flowers.”
“Yes they are, thank you.” She stroked his face and moved up to kiss him.
He moved back from her kiss. “Why are you thanking me? They’re not off me.”
“Of course they are, they have to be.”
“Darling, I can guarantee they are not off me and if they were they wouldn’t be yellow roses. I send my mother yellow roses. So, if they are not off me I would really like to know who is sending you flowers.” His demeanour and tone bristled now as he paced across to them and pulled the card from them. “Shall I, or would you like to?” He offered the card to her.
“Feel free,” she told him still confused as to who had sent them, but knowing she had nothing to hide.
Jon opened the card and his face went from intrigue to confusion to irritation and then to absolute rage. Steph frowned at him before he read the card aloud, “Thank you for a wonderful evening, a real trip down Memory Lane last night with lots of laughs and dancing too! You really are one of a kind Stevie. Love Chris, kiss, kiss”
“Ah, that’s nice,” said Steph flatly hoping that Jon would see the innocence of the gesture, if it was innocent.
“Nice? Nice! You are fucking joking! What is nice about Dr Smarmy sending you flowers? And what is nice about you going out dancing with him all the way down Memory fucking Lane last night? I warned him to back off,” said Jon angrily and before she had the chance to continue he said, “And another thing, what the fuck is with Stevie? Maybe you should fill me in on your little night out. The one I was so clueless about.”
Steph stared across the desk at Jon and considered how to proceed and decided to go with calm and innocent, because she was, she had done nothing wrong, except by not mentioning it to him, but there must be lots about Lucy that he didn’t share with her.
“Will you please stop shouting and swearing, Rosie will hear you,” said Steph calmly.
“Do I look like a man who really gives a shit, Steph?” he asked, raising his voice a little more making her shake her head.
“Shall I explain last night and the flowers or not?” Sadness dripped from every word as she realised that the light-hearted banter from just a few minutes ago had now dissipated completely as he ran his fingers through his own hair.
“Go on,” said Jon sulkily with a wave of his hand to signal that she should continue.
“I went to visit Dad who reckons that there is something not quite kosher about us, well you. When I left I ran into Chris who asked if I wanted to go for a drink and as you were busy I didn’t see any reason not to. We went to a pub round the corner from the hospital and had two drinks, neither alcoholic, but we just talked and laughed and the thing with Stevie is just that Chris used to call me that because he used to tease me about having a blokey name, no more than that. Like when people call me Steph or Stephie. Happy now?” She got to her feet and moved around the desk to stand in front of Jon again, hoping her accurate account of the evening, told with flatness would calm him.
“I am far from happy, Steph. You went out with an ex-boyfriend and didn’t even mention it until I opened the card on the flowers he sent you,” replied Jon with a mixture of annoyance and concern. “You didn’t explain the dancing,” he suddenly said as if just remembering it.
“It was daft really, Chris put a song on the jukebox, something we used to dance to and then he managed to get me to briefly dance, in the beer garden of all places,” she explained, even offering a short laugh in the hopes of conveying the innocence of it all. It had been innocent, hadn’t it?
“What song?” he asked immediately surprising her.
“Does it matter?”
“Obviously it does if you’re avoiding answering the question,” he replied curtly.
“What do you want me to say, Jon? We went for a drink and chatted about old times and we laughed a lot and then we danced to Truly, Madly, Deeply . Then he walked me back to my car and I went home where I chose to text you and then worried all night in case anyone else could see your messages. And as for you trying to warn Chris off, I think that was really unfair to draw Mr Wright into it too. He is in my past, firmly. I ended things with Chris years ago and I am with you, and usually happy with that.” She was tiring of the conversation and his shouting and objections.
“Why has he sent you flowers?” asked Jon, his voice quieter, but accompanied by a pout now.
“How the fuck do I know, maybe for old time’s sake or to say that he had a pleasant evening. I don’t know, but you are overreacting to this Jon, and if I did this every time you spent time with another woman I would be in a permanent state of annoyance, starting with your evening and breakfast with Lucy.” She almost spat the last couple of words out.
“Right I am absolutely sick of this now. You will be attending the Foundation Gala tonight and we will be putting all of this bullshit to bed once and for all. I will be talking and you will be listening because this, us, needs to be clarified and aired.” He didn’t even pause before turning practical. “Buy something nice, a gown, formal. Get a cab and be there at seven, no arguments or excuses,” he said firmly and dead seriously filling her with a mixture of dread, fear and excitement in equal measures.
“But what about . . .”
“I have just said no excuses, Stephanie, and I mean it, but if you really want to push this,” he said and got to his feet to leave. “I still don’t like the idea of that smarmy git trying his luck with you and I intend to tell him when I next see him.”
“Just leave it, please,” she pleaded holding her head that was pounding courtesy of the cold that was struggling to either break fully or clear up.
Reaching into her desk drawer she pulled out a bottle of pills and threw some into her mouth followed by some water.
“Are you still taking those fucking herbal things? You need to see a doctor, a real one who can prescribe drugs if you need them, not ground up wheat, rhino’s penis and whatever other shit they can throw in,” snapped Jon angrily.
“It’s not wheat,” she retorted. “Just natural ingredients that help to balance your body and aid health and wellbeing.”
“Bollocks, Steph. I am personally going to throw them away if I see them again and if you’re no better in the next couple of days you are going to see a doctor, even if I have to drag you there myself and as for Dr Smarmy, well, it won’t be him you’ll be seeing.”
“Jon, please, leave it,” she repeated.
“No chance, you have lost all rights to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do when you went to the pub with that dickhead and attempted to conceal the details from me, now I have work to do,” he said before Rosie called through to Steph as she said partially to herself.
“Did I ever have such rights?”
Steph pressed the intercom button on her phone and heard the nervousness in Rosie’s voice immediately as she said, “Sorry, Steph, but Jack Baker is on the line and I wondered if you were free or if you just want me to take a message. I told him that you were in a meeting but he was rather insistent that he speaks to you.”
“Did he say what he wanted?” asked Steph, the colour draining from her face as Jon sat back down.
“No, just that he had some business to discuss,” replied Rosie.
“Rosie, did you tell him that I was meeting with, Miss Pryor?” asked Jon.
“No, Mr Brooker, I just said that she was in a meeting.”
“Good.” Jon frowned and then added, “Maybe you should put him through and Steph can put him on speaker.”
“Put him through,” said Steph as she sat back in her own chair now. “Good morning, Mr Baker, what can I do for you?” She really hoped there was a real business reason for his call.
“Good morning to you too, Stephanie, but why so formal? I thought we had passed that stage in our relationship, we’re old friends you and I,” said Jack Baker making Steph feel physically sick at the memory of the pass he had made at her, his hands on her.
Steph looked across at Jon who shook his head at the phone but looked up at her and smiled.
“I don’t know about that, but I am sure that you haven’t phoned me to discuss the status of our relationship.”
“No, of course not and you are as direct as ever I see. I will get straight to the point then. I have heard about your little promotion over there, you and Rosie, and I was thinking that we hadn’t parted on the best of terms and was wondering if you had any plans to influence Brooker’s decision on our contract when it comes up for renewal?” Jack Baker’s voice was less confident and she detected nervousness.
Steph laughed before replying, happy in the knowledge that Jack was worried. “Look, Jack, it is not really in my remit to influence Mr Brooker’s decisions about contracts unless there is a financial package that needs putting together and so long as the deal you offer is value for money, there should be no need for me to become involved. Now whilst I am flattered that you think that I have that much sway, I think you may be barking up the wrong tree.”
“I don’t think so. I think you have quite a bit of sway with Brooker, far more than you are prepared to admit. Do you remember that first meeting we had with him and I was rather taken with that secretary of his and thought that he must be more than just her boss?” asked Baker making Steph laugh until she looked across at Jon’s expression of annoyance at Jack’s confession.
“I do recall that particular conversation, Jack.”
“With hindsight I think I was way off the mark there because he couldn’t take his eyes off you and I am now wondering after he poached you from me whether that was the plan all along. He even had you included in the contract and now you have yourself a nice new job and a hefty pay rise I should think.” Jack sounded rather bitter.
“Jack, I have no idea what you are talking about and less of a clue as to why you have called me. I have assured you that I have no intention of trying to influence Brooker on your contract, so if that’s all, I have a lot to be getting on with,” she said genuinely confused.
“You know exactly what I mean. You have found yourself a rich boss that you can fuck to promotion and in some ways I admire that, but I could have promoted you, I told you I would have made things worthwhile for you, but I promise you that if you use your time and knowledge from here to harm me, I will crush you. I hope we understand each other,” he almost snarled at her.
Steph stared across her desk at Jon and shook her head unsure what to do. Jon frowned and drew his finger as if he were cutting his own throat as a gesture that she should end the call.
“We have nothing left to say to one another, Mr Baker, goodbye,” she said and terminated the call.
“What the fuck is his problem?” Jon had already made his way behind Steph’s desk and pulled her to her feet where he embraced her gently.
“I have no idea. Do you think he was drunk?” She remained confused by the whole episode.
“I don’t know, darling, but he is seriously out of line and I haven’t forgotten that he attacked you and tried to force himself on you and now this, he really will be getting what’s coming to him.” Jon pulled her ponytail back so she was looking up at him and then gently kissed her on the lips.
“Can we just forget about it, all of it?” she begged him seriously.
“I can’t speak for you, but I can’t forget any of it, so no,” he said seriously. “Do not take any more calls from that dick, do you understand?”
“Yes sir!” she said dramatically and saluted making him laugh at her as he spanked her behind.
“Oh, darling, I like the sound of that, but I suspect you’re playing with me, Miss Pryor, however, I may insist on that more formal approach later.” He grinned wolfishly.
“Why wait til later?” asked Steph as she felt the familiar ache low in her belly and the burn between her thighs.
“What are you suggesting?” Jon asked flatly.
“You need me to spell it out?” She got to her feet and pushed her chair across the room.
“Maybe not, but I think I might like you to spell it out for me,” he replied, arousal clear in his expression and his voice catching slightly in his throat.
Steph made no reply but unfastened the zip that ran the length of her body and removed the blue shift dress to reveal black lace underwear comprising a front fastening push up bra and matching Brazilian brief. Turning to face Jon she smiled as she watched him standing before her, studying her intently, starting with her eyes before lowering his glance to her lips, breasts, the curve of her belly and hips, her knickers barely hiding her sex and then down her legs to the lace topped stockings before finally resting at her heeled shoes.
“I thought you weren’t going back to the carpet with me?” he asked with a wry smile and an arched brow.
“Oh, I’m not,” she replied firmly before unclipping her bra and after allowing it to flap for a few seconds discarded it across the room, revealing her breasts that she cupped briefly, hoping to ease the ache. She continued to strip making short work of her lace briefs that she somehow managed to kick where Jon stood before her. “I was thinking,” she said biting into her full, pink bottom lip. “That I really would like you to fuck me across my desk and I will even let you decide whether I am flat on my back or face down.”
A growl of arousal and excitement left Jon’s lips as he pulled his tie off and undid his belt and trousers. Within split seconds he had pulled his trousers and jersey briefs down his thighs and was spinning her to face her desk.
“Oh, darling, I am going to fuck you so hard it’s gonna make your teeth rattle,” he told her, pushing her over from the waist so that her body lay across the desk while her arse was lewdly in the air, totally exposing everything she had and was greedily inviting him in.
His fingers immediately found her hot and wet entrance. First one finger and then a second entered her, arousing her further as they stretched her, briefly preparing her for him. She barely had time to think about anything else before he was ramming into her forcefully, any coaxing and stretching had gone, this was rough and hard.
A loud cry broke the silence, Steph’s cry at his sudden invasion.
“I told you it was going to be hard, but you love it, don’t you? Never so happy as when I am filling you with my dick and fucking you senseless.”
“Oh God, Jon,” she cried into her arms that she lay across.
“I’m going to make you sore, Steph, so sore that you won’t forget this, darling. Every time you move you’ll think of this, I intend to ensure you never forget it.” His breathing was becoming more ragged and rapid and that along with the twitching of his cock and his thighs that were pressed against her were all signs he was close to losing control.
“You belong to me, Steph, nobody else, these are mine,” he told her as his hands roughly reached around and found her breasts.
She leaned up and back slightly, allowing him access to her, her breasts that were tight and painfully aroused. He pinched her nipples, gently at first, then more firmly before twisting them, making her cry out in pain, but then the pain became pleasure, pleasure that was pulling against her clit making her moan even more.
“And this, darling, this is definitely mine,” he added as his hands left her breasts and one dropped to her hip that he gripped firmly, while the other found her clit. “You are so wet, wet for me, I could drown down here.” He used her overflowing moisture to coat his fingers that were now circling her clit, slowly and deliberately.
“Please, Jon, please, I need to come,” she begged.
“Oh, darling, you will be but not yet, soon, together,” he assured her as he moved his fingers back into her juices and then removed it from her completely.
She was just about to protest when both of his hands began to pull her cheeks apart. His wet fingers were now loitering at her tight anus, but only briefly before he pulled her cheeks apart more firmly and impaled her on a finger.
“Jon!” she mewled hoarsely, her arousal off the scale.
“You like this don’t you? How does it feel Steph?” he asked as his thrusts slowed, indicating that he would lose all control if he continued at such a pace.
“Full, I feel fuller than I have ever been, it feels good, but can you touch me, please,” she pleaded.
“Where? Where shall I touch you?” he asked knowing that she still found this kind of dialogue a little embarrassing at times.
“You know where,” she said but got no reaction at all. “Fuck, you shit, you know what I want. Please,” she cried.
“Ask for it Steph, ask me for what you want?”
She knew he was enjoying this, her discomfort and decided that the power she had displayed as the aggressor in this was a distant memory and he was definitely in charge now.
“Please, touch me, touch my clit, make me come,” she added and his hand holding her hip quickly lowered further to cup her sex gently before finding her needy clit. “Thank you,” she cried out as he began to circle it as he pumped his finger in and out of her behind while still fucking her at a furious pace until seconds later in a sea of stars and loud shouts, she was coming all around him as he came inside her.
They lay together across her desk for possibly only a few seconds before Steph said, “Whoever said men can’t multitask really needs to meet you.”
“You’re welcome.” He laughed as he pulled free of her and began to redress leaving her still sprawled across her desk. “I welcome our next trip not onto the carpet, darling.” He gathered her clothes and passed them to her to redress before he left her with a chaste kiss.
“Now, I have work to do and so do you so I will see you at seven. Don’t forget formal wear,” he called pulling his phone out and hitting dial. “Kramer, I’m going to need time frames,” he said as he left Steph alone in her office.