John:
He spied her across the room and rolled his eyes. Jennifer Brandon. How he hated her. They'd known each other practically from birth. He was older than her, the same age as her older brother, so he was around her frequently growing up. They went to the same elementary school, junior high, high school, and college. It was maddening. It was almost like everything he did or wanted to do, she had to out do him. Anything you can do I can do better kind of thing. Except now, he was her boss.
He smiled in victory, watching her work at her cubicle while he sat in a corner office. She despised that he was in charge of her. Finally, he could say, "Yeah, I am the boss of you." She looked up at him as he stared at her, rolled her eyes, and looked back down at her work. He laughed and turned getting back to his.
To be completely honest, she was better at that job than him. They both worked at a marketing company, marketing being their major of choice in college. They'd applied here at the same time, had interviews on the same day...She was definitely better than him. And he knew it. But he was a better people person. I guess you could say he's a kiss ass, but he didn't really care. He was still the boss.
John glanced at her again. She really was pretty. Well, actually she was smoking hot. Honey colored curls to the middle of her back, green eyes, great smile, medium sized breasts (just big enough for a good handful) curving into a small waist, full hips over one of the sweetest asses he'd ever seen, on top of long curvy legs. He'd seen her in a bikini after they'd reached adult hood, and still couldn't get the image out of his mind. Even as he watched her that day, he could see that wet headed beauty emerging from the water.
Still, with as beautiful as she was, and as attracted as he was to her, he hated her guts. She, even from child hood, had always tried to out do him. He didn't know what it was about him that she despised so much, but she tried to get at him from day one. Biting sarcasm, rude, snobby, everything he hated in a woman. And they showed it in front of everyone. They'd either pick at each other, which always ended up in screaming matches, or would ignore each other completely, the cold silence between them thickening the air with tension. She'd stare him down with those fiery green eyes, and he'd huff in anger glaring back.
He almost felt bad about having the position she deserved, but every time she glared at him with those fire eyes, he felt absolutely proud of himself. He'd officially out done her. And there was nothing she could do about it.
***************
Jennifer:
She nearly felt sick watching his gloating eyes watching her from that shiny corner office. How the hell could she top that? He'd always been so damn snug, knowing he could kiss up to anyone with that charm and they'd listen to him.
She thought back to their coinciding childhoods, and grimaced. He was in her home every time she turned around. Her own parents cooed over him. He'd been her brother, Mike's, friend. Mike was pretty much a let down to their parents. He held onto a decent football career in high school that let him pass his classes, but when he tried to stay alive in college, he failed miserably. He flunked out, just like they'd always suspected he would, and now works at a factory. John was the son my parents always wanted. They went to every event he had, whether it be sports, academics, church, yada freaking yada. Then they'd gloat to all of their friends showing pictures saying, "He's just like a son to us...Just like a son," while Jennifer was doing every single thing he was doing, and better. No one noticed. Not one time. Her parents missed nearly every event she had. Mostly because they were at John's....and they still wondered why she was so shocked that they showed up to her graduations.
Jennifer did everything better than John. Everything. Including this job. She knew this company backwards and forwards, and ever since she went to college, she'd wanted to work here. Not anywhere else. This was the one and only place she applied to after graduation. And she didn't just want some cubicle job. She wanted his job. It was perfect for her. She had actually told him about it one day through her own absent minded idiocy, and he stole it, right from under her.
She hated John Tate with all her ever loving heart.
But even as she knew that, she couldn't help but freeze up a little when looking at him. He was very tall, about 6'2" and broad shouldered, well muscled (though not over done at all), these gorgeous sincere brown eyes, perfect, dark locks of hair that fell just right into his eyes when he turned his head a certain way...
Just thinking about it had warmth and wetness stirring in between her legs, and she cursed inwardly. No matter how much she hated the man, she couldn't help her hormones. He was so sexy it hurt to look at him.
He caught her looking his way, smiled and gave a wink. She glanced around to make sure no one was looking, and flipped him off. His look of dismay was enough to give her a satisfied smile as she turned back to her work.
***************
Two Weeks Later:
Jennifer:
"Damn it!" she cursed as she got out of her car. She'd suspected correctly. A flat tire. In the rain. In the middle of no where.
She lived in a suburb of the city, so going to and fro there was always a patch of nothingness in between. And here she was. Stranded. Without a spare.
Soon getting soaked in her work clothes, she got back in her car. She knew she'd have to call John since she'd been headed for work. She gritted her teeth and dialed.
"This is John Tate, how may I help you?"
"I'm going to be late," she said with distaste at feeling hot just hearing his voice.
"Now, now Jenny, you know we can't have that. We don't allow our employee's to be late."
"It's Jennifer. Come on John, you know I'm never late. If anything I'm always early. Earlier than you, in any case."
"Lighten up Jenny. Is everything ok? Why will you be late?"
"I don't owe you my life story John I just..." She was interrupted by a loud clap of thunder, the rain pouring harder onto her vehicle.
"Jennifer...where are you...?" he asked hearing the commotion.
She sighed at having to give up her position, "I'm in Dibol John. I was coming to work and I spun out, hit a rock or something, and now I have a flat without a spare. I just need to call Mike and I'll be fine but I figured I'd call you first..."
"Nope, I'm on my way right now don't worry Mike. It's dangerous out there in the rain. I'll be right there."
Before she could protest, he'd hung up. She felt she had no other choice but to wait.
***************
John:
He raced to get to the neighboring town, only slowing down when the rain got heavy. He couldn't believe she'd been careless enough to let herself spin out. He slowed even more further down the highway trying to see her little blue mini-cooper.
"Stupid foreign car drivers," he muttered peering through his wet windshield.
Finally he'd spotted her, and was able to pull over. He ran to her window through the rain to find out that she'd fallen asleep. He muttered and tried her door finding it open.
Taking a second, even in the rain, he stared at her. Her hair was a mess from the rain, clothes still damp and clinging to her, her light make up a little messy, and she looked more amazing than ever.
He shook her a little, and she awoke with a start, but before she could say anything, he practically screamed at her.
"Damn it Jen you fell asleep? With your doors UNLOCKED? Do you not realize that there are freaks out there! Good God you're practically begging to get kidnapped and gang raped by some freakazoids! What is your PROBLEM?!" He began to get flustered as she gasped in surprise at his outburst, then he saw the fire in her eyes.
"Why the hell do you care Tate?? God I was perfectly fine with taking care of this myself but you had to go be macho and come prove yourself or some bullshit. Just leave me alone John!"
He ignored her and grabbed the spare he'd brought from his car and began working on hers. She got out of the car to continue to yell at him, "John, I said go! Are you deaf?! Look...look you're just making it worse..."
She continued to prattled as he finished up her car and double checked to make sure everything was ok. Finally, he stood as she was still yelling at him, and took hold of her arms moving her back against the car. She was effectively shut up, and his lips came inches away from hers.
Jennifer was breathing heavy when she whispered, "What are you doing John?"
He only brought his lips down to hers, brushing them against her gorgeous pink puckered mouth, then placing them fully on hers as he began to kiss her. She felt stiff and unresponsive for what seemed like a millisecond, but then melted against him, wrapping her arms around his neck, sighing as she opened her mouth to let him in, their tongues caressing each other. The kiss began to enter the feverish stage when she broke it, looking up at him with those eyes he loved and hated.
She seemed more vulnerable in that moment than he'd ever seen her as she murmured, "John... I..."
He pulled away from her abruptly, interrupting her, "Here's what we'll do. I'll follow you to your place, you can shower if you feel the need, and we'll both change since I brought extra clothes for myself, then I'll drive you to work then back home. I want you driving on that spare as little as possible until we can get it changed."
She narrowed her eyes and hissed, "I'm perfectly capable of taking myself..."
"I'm sure that's what you thought before, and here we are. I'm taking you. End of story."
"You can't tell me what to do Jo..."
"Yes, I can. I am your boss. Don't forget it."
