Fringe Benefits Chapter 6: Veronica
"You're here early."
Tom turned at the sound of Veronica's voice as he waited for the elevator. "You should talk," he replied. "What are you doing here at this ungodly hour?"
"Probably the same thing you are," Veronica answered. "There always seems to be more work than there are hours in a day."
Truth be told, the workload for most of the staff was usually overwhelming. The major regional arts organization they worked for was well known and busy but was actually run by a relatively small staff. As key people in their respective departments, Veronica and Tom bore the brunt of the demands from the board of directors, and their interlocking functions worked in unison to keep the organization afloat.
Today was no exception. It was 6 a.m., a full three hours before the rest of the staff arrived, on a cold and drizzly day in late November. "I swear," Tom opined with a wry smile, "the paperwork seems to grow by itself overnight." The limited means of an arts organization meant they were several generations behind technologically and perpetually short staffed. They boarded the elevator together.
"Well, if your people would do their jobs, we could buy that automated system and get rid of all that paper," Veronica lightheartedly chided Tom.
"Oh yeah, it's all my fault, huh?"
"I have to blame someone, and you're handy." Veronica smiled and gave a short laugh.
Tom couldn't help but smile back. Even wrapped in fall clothes, a long coat, and a knit hat, Veronica was appealing as hell. Thin and very tall for a woman - every bit of five nine - she had a smoky, sultry sexuality about her that had immediately caught his attention. Her height was complimented by her dark, deep set eyes and her longish face, which itself was surrounded by long, straight brunette hair and bangs cut straight just at eyebrow level. Her voice was a soft alto, so smooth and sexy. Her name said Eastern Europe, but her looks said a mixture of exotic cultures. Tom found her intriguing and had had a thing for her since they had met a year earlier.
They continued to chat about work in general as they exited the elevator and turned down the corridor. Arriving at her office first, Tom waited as Veronica unlocked and opened her door. She turned and asked, "You want some coffee? I have my own Keurig in here so I don't have to go all the way up to the break room for my caffeine fix."
"Veronica, you are a woman after my own heart." He followed her into her office and the door shut behind him. She snapped on a small desk lamp that illuminated the immediate area but left most of the office in shadow.
Veronica pulled off her knit cap and stuffed it in a coat pocket, then unbuttoned and shucked off the heavy garment. Under it she wore the kind of garb Tom love to see on women - a beige silk blouse tucked into a knee length, pleated wool skirt, with over-the-calf boots. A stylish watch adorned her left wrist, a Pandora charm bracelet her right, while a copper pendant on a silk cord around her neck added to her tasteful jewelry selection. Delicate stud earrings completed the package, enhanced by her long brown hair. Slim and long limbed, she was lightly built but with all the right curves and features; she was a sight.
Damn,
he thought.
She is one fine looking women. And I do love those fall colors.
Her voice broke his reverie. "Here. You hang this up while I make us some coffee." He took her proffered coat and walked to the back of the office to hang it. Returning to the front of her office, he saw Veronica standing at her desk, looking down at a printed report as the coffee maker gurgled in the corner.
"I was going to e-mail a copy of this to you later, but I keep paper copies as a backup for Gabe, who hates computers. I wanted you to see some stuff I found." Tom stepped up next to her and scanned the report.
"Look at this," Veronica said and pointed to a column of numbers. "These are the recent donations from the B and C groups. They're down over 40% from this time last year." The groups she referred to were the organization's key donors, the large core of modest contributors that kept the place going. A 40% drop meant significant reductions in revenue.
"Any idea why that's happening?" Veronica turned toward Tom slightly and placed her hand on his shoulder as her other hand pointed to different entries. "It's across the board."
Tom pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut, seemingly frustrated at what the report showed. The reality was that he was having trouble concentrating on the report because of Veronica's proximity and scent of her perfume. Her right breast was actually pressing against his arm and he was becoming completely distracted.
Damn, boy, concentrate. This is no time to be a horndog. Does she know where her boob is?
Gathering his wits, he opened his eyes and finally responded. Turning his head to look at her, he asked, "Have you seen any patterns? Anything to help us find the source?"
"Nothing," Veronica answered. "It's like every mailing and every call is bringing in less revenue than the same group did before. That's the only pattern I see." Her hand was still on his shoulder and her eyes were locked on his. Their faces were less than a foot apart. He spoke haltingly. "I'm going to have to do more research on this," he said softly.
Veronica swallowed and took a breath. "Yes," she almost whispered. "You do that." Their faces had drawn perceptibly closer.
Tom started to speak. "I..." His words were cut off by Veronica closing the gap between them and softly kissing him, lingering just long enough to bring his heart up into his throat. Not hard, not overly passionate, just a seconds-long pressing of her soft, full lips against his. The kiss ended and she drew her face back a few inches. Tom could barely breath.
"That's sure better than a cup of coffee," he said softly with a slight smile.
"Then you're going to love this," Veronica said back, using her hand on his shoulder to turn him towards her. Her arms snaked up around his neck and she pulled herself tight up against him. Her hand on the back of his head pulled him to her.
He next kiss was explosive, lips mashing and tongues wrestling and teasing passionately. Her breathing quickened as Tom lost himself in her. Part of his brain noted that her mouth tasted deliciously of mint.
Their embrace tightened as they seemed to mold into a single person. Tom's hands were on her hips, his palms cradling her delicious curves, his fingers feeling the tight muscles of her lower back. Almost as if acting on their own, they moved slowly across her waist, down almost imperceptibly until his fingertips brushed against the very top of her quite remarkable ass. She gasped slightly and broke the kiss while still holding him tightly against her.
"I can't tell you how long I've wanted to do that," she exhaled huskily.
"I had no idea," Tom replied. As appealing as he found her, it had never occurred to him that she might be attracted to him in return.
"You should now," she laughed. Turning momentarily serious, she dipped her head ever so slightly. "I've wanted you almost as long as I've known you." She kissed him again, even more passionately, her body pressed entirely against him, her pelvis grinding against his growing erection. Tom's hands dropped slowly onto her ass cheeks as he returned the kiss and Veronica moaned into his mouth. He pulled her toward him even tighter and imagined he could feel the heat of her mound through her clothes. The motion of her pelvis against him grew more pronounced and her breathing quickened.
Tom broke their kiss and dropped his hands, backing away from Veronica. His eyes still locked on hers, he shed his own coat and threw it on a chair. Moving back to her, he nuzzled her neck, planting soft kisses in that sensitive area and occasionally flicking her ear with the tip of his tongue. Veronica felt chills from his ministrations.
How did he know that I love that?
