CHAPTER 16
Stella woke up before her alarm and, noticing that it was only five in the morning, she decided that it was probably better to leave now than to wait until everyone woke up and do it then.
She looked over at Violet, the woman who had given her four orgasms the previous night, and she couldn’t believe she was lying in her bed after a second night of amazing sex.
Had she known it would be this good, she definitely would’ve tried to get Violet into bed back then.
Violet having a girlfriend probably would’ve ultimately stopped her since she was no one’s mistress and she didn’t condone cheating, but she might have at least tried, even if it had only been to see what Violet would do.
Having slowly slipped out of bed so as not to wake Violet, Stella located her clothes on the floor.
She hadn’t bothered to put anything on after her shower and hadn’t asked Violet to borrow anything to sleep in, either.
At first, she’d worried that maybe they shouldn’t sleep naked again because she needed to actually sleep and was too sore for more sex, and just looking at Violet now had her wanting.
Them sleeping naked meant it would be likely to happen again, but then Violet had emerged from the shower and, after drying off, she’d slipped beneath the sheets without putting on clothes, either.
They’d fallen asleep not long after that, which meant that Stella had had about five hours of sleep.
That was more than she’d gotten the night before, at least.
She dressed quietly but quickly, grabbed the rest of her stuff, and unlocked the door to Violet’s bedroom.
Walking down the hallway, she pulled out her phone and was grateful that she still had ten percent left on her battery because she needed to order a car.
She went to the app and thought she’d order a car and head outside to wait for it to reduce the risk of running into one of Violet’s roommates, but that was when she noticed the alarm panel next to the door.
“Shit,” she whispered.
Stella had no idea if the alarm would go off if she tried opening the door, but she assumed that it would.
Then, she’d leave, and the door would remain unlocked, which meant that someone could get in.
The likelihood of that happening was slim, but if someone came in and stole their stuff or worse, she’d never forgive herself.
She looked around, not knowing what she was actually looking for, and when her eyes landed on the opening that led to the kitchen, she jumped back and gasped.
“Hey,” Arlowe said and sipped on her coffee. “Trying to make an escape?”
“What? No,” she replied. “And you scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry. I heard someone walking around out here.”
“What are you doing up?”
“I’m a coder,” Arlowe replied with a shoulder shrug.
“O-k-a-y,” she said, lengthening the word.
“I pull all-nighters all the time. Sarai likes to suggest that I only survive on sugar and caffeine.” Arlowe shrugged again. “She’s not wrong. Coffee?”
“No, thank you,” Stella replied. “I need to get going. I was about to order a car.”
“Does Violet know you’re running out on her before she wakes up?”
“She’s awake,” Violet said, emerging from the hallway. “And yeah, I knew. Can you give us a minute, Arlowe?”
“Want some coffee?” Arlowe asked.
“No, I’m going back to bed in a minute, but thanks.”
Arlowe nodded and disappeared back into what Stella guessed was the kitchen.
“You’re running out on me now?” Violet asked with a lifted eyebrow.
“Not running out. I figured I’d leave before they woke up. I didn’t expect Arlowe to be up this early.”
“She’s not. She hasn’t gone to bed yet.” Violet walked over and entered the alarm code. “You could’ve woken me up.”
“I know. But you were asleep, and I didn’t want to. You were also naked. I see you, unfortunately, put on clothes.”
“I don’t usually walk around my house naked.”
“No?” Stella asked. “Also unfortunate.”
“I’m sure my friends would disagree with you,” Violet replied and laughed one of those morning laughs of someone who hadn’t gotten enough sleep the night before and who’d also maybe screamed their pleasure against a wall the night before.
“Well, I happen to live alone,” Stella reminded. “You can walk around naked at my place later.”
“Later when?” Violet asked.
“Later tonight,” she replied. “If you’re free.”
“Again?” Violet asked, leaning in. “I am so sore…”
“And you can recover today and come to my place tonight,” she suggested and placed her hand between Violet’s breasts for a second.
Then, she ran a fingertip down Violet’s chest, past her belly button, and over her center.
“Stella…” Violet mumbled.
“Later?” she asked with a smirk.
“Maybe. I’ll let you know.”
“I have something I’d like to use on you.”
“Different from what you used on me last night?”
“Same concept, but mine has a vibrator in it, and it’s a little longer. You seem to enjoy it deep. I thought you might like it.” She leaned in and whispered, “And I came last night when I wore one for you, but I come even harder with a vibrator pressed to my clit when I’m inside a woman like that.”
“Fuck,” Violet whispered back.
“Exactly,” Stella said and kissed her below her earlobe.
“I’ll see you tonight.” Then, she pulled back.
“Oh, and at the risk of this sounding like I’m doing it because we slept together, I forgot to tell you last night that I talked to the CEO, and he said he’d be willing to go one hundred thousand total for your first year if you sign a two-year agreement, do a testimonial, and it’s only twenty hours of Monique’s time.
I managed to get him to commit to twenty-five hours instead.
I was going to tell you over drinks, but then we didn’t exactly do much talking. ”
Violet looked concerned.
“Violet, I sent him an email telling him your company’s situation and that I think you’d be a good client for us to have long-term before we slept together. He just got back to me yesterday afternoon. It’s not because of what we’re doing here, I promise. I wouldn’t do that.”
“If you were willing to ask him, why did you argue with me about it instead of just doing it?”
Stella leaned back in and kissed her gently on the lips.
“Because it’s fun, arguing with you. I will see you later. Come over around eight? Is that enough time for you to recover?”
“After what we’ve done the past two nights? No.” Violet chuckled a little. “But I’ll text you later and let you know if I can make it.”
“I’ll send you the new proposed agreement for you to review when I get to the office.”
“I’ll tell the team about it and see what they say.”
“Great. Now, I need to order a car before my phone dies.”
“Shit. Do you want me to order one for you instead?”
“No, I’ve got it. I’ll see you later.”
“Maybe,” Violet insisted.
Stella laughed a little as she walked out the door.
◆◆◆
Stella hit send on the email and managed to resist putting something personal in there because it was her company email, and she had already messed up once. Instead, she sent Violet a text message letting her know that the email should be in her inbox and added a little something personal to that.
Violet Russell: Really? You talk business first and then tell me that in the same message?
Stella Ross: Are you recovering well so far today?
Violet Russell: Very funny.
Stella laughed at that response just as Jen walked into her office.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing,” she lied, setting her phone down on her desk. “What’s up?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look like shit.”
“Is there a right way to take that?” she asked.
“You look like you haven’t slept.” Jen sat down in one of the guest chairs across from Stella’s desk and pointed at her. “Shit. You haven’t, have you? You slept with her again.”
“Let’s just say, she replied to my text yesterday in a favorable way.”
“And you gave her some favors back, I assume.”
“I did, yes. And she gave me some, too. It was just as good, if not better, than the first time.”
“Really? Well, there goes that theory.”
“It’s like we are just very compatible in bed. I’ve never been this compatible with someone. She’s all hot and sexy and telling me what to do one minute. Then, she’s letting me take control and do whatever I want the next. It’s just what I want, and I think it’s just what she wants, too.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re getting some good sex, Stella, but from what you’ve told me about her, you two can’t stand each other. Or, at least, you couldn’t then. Do you like her now?”
“Not really. I mean, she’s fine. I don’t really know her. It’s just sex. We talked about it last night.”
Jen leaned forward and said, “Just sex?”
“Yes, just sex. Why?”
“When have you ever done just sex?”
“I haven’t.”
“And you want to now?”
“Yes, I do. Why wouldn’t I? She’s the one who brought it up and suggested it. She doesn’t want a relationship with me, either. It could be good for me.”
“How so?” Jen asked her. “I mean, besides the apparent multiple orgasms.”
“That’s not enough of a reason?” Stella laughed.
“Not for you. You like relationships. It’s why I set you up with Amber. You were both looking for the same thing, and it wasn’t casual sex with no strings.”
“I am looking for a relationship.”
“But you’re friends with benefits with Violet Russell?”
“Well, we’re not friends with benefits because we’re not friends. We’re just the benefits. All the benefits.”
“Stella, you know this never works.”
“We wouldn’t work as a couple. She knows that, too. This way, we both get to let off a little steam with no consequences, and when I find a woman I want to date, I stop this with Violet. Or, if she finds someone, I guess. No harm, no foul.”
“Right. I’ll believe that when I see it.”
“You’re seeing it right now,” she said just as her phone dinged, so she glanced down at the screen and smiled.
“Why are you smiling?”
“It’s her. She just told me that we’re on for tonight.”
“Again? What are you two, rabbits?”
“I guess so,” she replied with a little laugh as she picked up her phone and confirmed.
Stella Ross: Tonight at eight. My place.
I’ll text you the address since I gave you directions before, and I’ll leave the door open.
Just come in and meet me in the bedroom.
I’ll be the one nearly naked except for that thing we talked about this morning.
You should be the one in a skirt with no underwear on so you can climb on top of me.
She hit send, and immediately, three dots appeared, so Stella waited, hopeful.
Violet Russell: Don’t say a word when I walk into the bedroom, and I just might.
“Fuck,” she whispered.
“Are you two sexting right now? Gross, Stella. I’m sitting right here.”
Stella laughed after she replied to Violet’s message and set her phone back down.
“Just firming up our date for tonight.”
“That’s the thing, Stella – it’s not a date.
It’s sex. What happened to wanting to settle down?
Just last month, you were telling me that you haven’t had a relationship in a while and were tired of being alone.
I thought of Amber for you, and I guess I was wrong there, but that doesn’t mean this is a good idea. ”
“It’s sex, yes, but it’s only sex, which means I can still date someone if I want. I haven’t dived into anything with anyone just yet, but that’s because of work. It’s been really busy around here lately, in case you haven’t noticed. Now, I can at least have good sex.”
“I came in here to talk to you about someone.”
“Who?”
“Someone I met on that dating app and thought would be good for you, not me.”
“You’re not my matchmaker, Jen,” she said. “You don’t have to keep trying to find a woman for me.”
“I’m not. It just keeps happening. Amber seemed like a good idea because I knew her already, but I just happened to see this woman on the app, and I thought you might be interested in checking her out.” Jen held her phone up to Stella over the desk. “Her name is Trish. She’s thirty-five. Works in–”
“Jen, no. I don’t want to meet someone on an app.”
“Where else are you going to meet them? A bookstore that doesn’t exist anymore? A gay bar that also doesn’t–”
“I meant that I don’t want to meet someone on your app and not now. If I want to go that route, I’ll download it myself and find my own possible matches.”
“Okay. Fine. But she has a new puppy that she named Starbuck after Battlestar.”
“She’s a Battlestar fan?” Stella asked, suddenly more interested.
“Yeah. And the reboot, not the original. Your favorite show. Plus, you love dogs, and she’s hot.”
“A lot of people whom I would not be compatible with like that show.”
“Well, that’s all I got from her profile, so you’d have to talk to her to learn more.” Jen put her phone in her pocket and stood up. “If you change your mind, let me know.”
“I won’t, but thanks,” she said. “And I think Violet is going to sign the agreement. I was able to get the price down enough.”
“Oh, God. Please tell me you didn’t just exchange sex for–”
“No. And I explained it to her, too. Nothing like that. It just worked out.”
“Well, congrats, I guess.”
“Not exactly the deal I was hoping for, but maybe it can still help me land a Russell-branded business in the future somehow.”
“Also, tell me that you’re not sleeping with her in order to make that more likely to happen.”
“I’m sleeping with her because I want to and she wants to, Jen. That’s it.”
“Well, you never know with lawyers or salespeople,” Jen joked and left Stella’s office.