Russ was looking down and watching as his cock disappeared into the leggy blonde on her knees before him, bent over, her ass high in the air to give him access to her hairless pussy. Her face was buried in a pile of pillows, and she grunted with each powerful stroke he took. He tried to keep himself engaged by tracing a hand down her trim waist to her wide hips. Grabbing them with both hands, he pulled her back on him aggressively, plowing deeper inside her. Liz moaned her approval, but Russ was rapidly losing interest. Sighing with resignation, he pulled his cock from her and flopped onto his back on the bed.
"What the fuck? Why did you stop?" Liz groaned. "I was getting close."
"This isn't working, Liz."
"What isn't working, Russ? It seemed like it was working to me."
"Us, Liz. We aren't working."
"What are you talking about?"
"What are we doing, Liz? We've been involved with each other for almost six months now, and frankly, there isn't much to us as a couple."
Liz sat up on the bed and looked down at him, confusion showing on her face.
"You're not making a lot of sense, Russ. We go to dinner, we go to movies, we go to plays, and we fuck like bunnies. That's what a couple does," said Liz with increasing agitation.
Russ shook his head. "Christ, I sound like a woman," he said with a chuckle. "There really isn't much of a connection between us, Liz. I feel like you're a friend. A friend with obvious benefits, but still just a friend."
Liz leapt from the bed and stood there with balled up fists, glaring down at Russ.
"Fuck you, Russ. Just...just fuck you. All of a sudden, you decide we don't have a connection? Just what the fuck is that?" she screamed.
"Calm down, Liz."
"I will not calm down. I can't believe this. Did I just waste six months of my life for nothing?"
"I've been thinking about this for a while now. It isn't as sudden as you think."
"Why the hell didn't you say something?"
"Liz, you're a beautiful, intelligent woman. I kept telling myself that I was just afraid of commitment, and I was being foolish."
"And now you've decided that I'm not good enough for you?" screeched Liz.
"It isn't that, Liz. It isn't about being good enough. You are a wonderful woman. That's a big part of why I kept trying to convince myself I was crazy to feel this way. If you sit here and ask me what's wrong with you, I won't be able to give you an answer. Because there is nothing wrong with you."
"There's something wrong with you, then?" Liz queried.
"I didn't say that, Liz. Look, I don't know what that little something is that clicks into place between people, but I do know it exists. I've felt it before. For us, at least from my perspective, it just hasn't happened. I don't think it ever will. It isn't fair to either of us to keep going like this."
"I see," fumed Liz as she pulled on her panties. "Who is she, Russ. I mean, that's what this is about, isn't it? Who is she?"
Russ sighed and rolled his eyes. "There is no she, Liz. This is about you and me."
"Oh, bullshit Russell. Men don't dump a woman like me unless there is someone else involved. You're a fucking liar," she screamed. There were tears flowing now, and Russ got up from the bed. "Stay the fuck over there," Liz screamed. She grabbed the alarm clock from the dresser and hurled it at Russ, connecting with his shoulder.
"Just leave me alone."
Liz finished dressing and grabbed her jacket.
"I'm going to tell you something, mister. I'm going to figure out who this bitch is, and I'm going to ruin it for you. I can't believe what a prick you are." With those words, Liz turned on her heel and burst from the room. She slammed the door as hard as she could on the way out of the house, and Russ sat alone in silence.
Russell Abbott married young and was divorced by thirty. He had spent the previous five years chasing an array of women and bedding as many as he could. During the past year, however, he began to tire of it all. In truth, he had begun to mature. He wanted more out of a relationship than a blow job. He wanted a partner to share life with. At thirty six, Russ had become an adult.
**********
Sheila swirled the wine in her glass as she looked across the table at her husband. She took a sip of the merlot before speaking.
"This is a huge account for us, Dick. If we close this one, we'll reach twenty five percent of our revenue budget with one sale."
"I still don't understand why you need to go on this trip. Mary is perfectly capable of handling this from the sales side, and Russ can certainly speak to the implementation end of things. You being there is redundant."
"I don't really understand what the issue is, Dick. I want to make sure we put our best foot forward. That is me, not Mary."
"There is nothing wrong with Mary."
"No, there isn't. She is quite capable. But she isn't me," Dick. "You know it, and I know it. What's the real issue here?"
Dick paused before answering, licking his top lip.
"You like going on trips with Russ, don't you?"
Sheila nearly spit out a mouthful of wine.
"That's what this is about, honey? Dick, where do you come up with this stuff?"
"You two have been traveling an awful lot together of late. So much so that I've begun to take notice."
"You're quite aware of how well we are doing against our revenue projections, Dick. That has been the result of a lot of hard work by all of us. We need to travel in order to close business. It's my job, and it's Russ' job too."
"That's very convenient for you both, isn't it?"
Sheila gave her husband an incredulous stare. "Are you really suggesting that I have been having an affair with Russell Abbott? Seriously?"
"I didn't say it. You did," snarled Dick.
"This is ridiculous, Dick. I love you. Why would I risk that? Why?"
"Oh, I don't know, Sheila. Russell is tall, handsome, outgoing, and funny. He is everything I'm not. Look at me. I'm a short, pudgy, balding man with little personality."
"Dick..."
"Stop. I'm not blind to how we compare."
"Dick, you are the man I love," pleaded Sheila. "Please stop this now."
"Right," Dick snapped as he motioned to the waiter. "Check please."
Dick Ambery was the owner and Chief Executive Officer of a software integration company that specialized in customer relationship management systems. He was born into money, and had used that money to acquire, build, and sell companies at a profit. He seemed particularly adept at finding the talent he needed to turn marginal companies into thriving enterprises, and he was smart enough to stay out of the operations.
Dick had met Shelia six years prior at a convention in Orlando. She was a rising sales star in a competing company. Rather than buying the competition, he courted and married their top sales person. Dick and Sheila often joked about how they got their start, teasing each other it was a business decision. Sheila was five years his junior, and only twenty five when they married five years ago.
**********
Russ and Sheila met for breakfast in the lobby of the Copley Place Marriot in Boston. They went over their strategy for the meeting later that morning, making a few minor adjustments to the PowerPoint presentation. When they were happy with the result, Sheila saved the file to the hard drive and shut down her computer.
Russ had been with the company for two years, delivering significant results. He had previously worked as a consultant in product development for several software concerns, providing him with an excellent understanding of how these systems worked and what they were capable of.
After breakfast was finished, Russ handed the valet his parking ticket and walked outside to wait for the car. Sheila joined him a moment later, and they chatted while they waited. Noticing a bit of lint on the lapel of Russ' suit jacket, Sheila picked it off and brushed her hand over the spot a few times. Russ smiled and thanked her.
The valet pulled up with the car, Russ handing him a couple dollar bills and making his way over to the driver's side. When they were both seated and buckled in, Russ began the half hour drive to the client's offices in Natick. Sheila was quiet during the drive, struggling to stay focused but drifting back to Dick's accusations in her mind. She was both sad and angry that he had insinuated a relationship with Russ that wasn't there. Furtively glancing at Russ as he drove, she found she did have to agree with Dick's point about his attractiveness. He WAS handsome, but not in a Brad Pitt, pretty boy way. He was a manly handsome, and his looks and demeanor promised just the right amount of danger. Sheila found herself blushing and had to stifle a giggle at her own expense. She pushed the thoughts away and focused on the upcoming meeting, mentally preparing herself for battle.
After arriving at the client, Russ pulled the car into a visitor's space and walked into the building with Sheila. They were escorted into a conference room that held a long, light colored oak table and a dozen chairs covered with burgundy upholstery.
"Mr. Jones will be in shortly," said the petite blonde receptionist. Can I offer you anything? Coffee? Water?"
"Water would be great," replied Russ.
"Make that two," Sheila added.
The receptionist smiled and departed. Sheila connected her laptop to the projector and turned it on, ensuring everything was in working order. A moment later, the door opened and three men walked in. The apparent leader stepped over to Russ and held out his hand. Russ stood, taking the man's hand with a firm grip.
"Bob Jones. Pleased to meet you."
"Russell Abbott. This is my colleague, Sheila Ambery," Russ said, nodding towards Sheila.
