11

MY APOLOGIES to readers who found chapters posted in the wrong order. When I first submitted to Literotica it was possible for a submitter to retrieve stories/chapters while they were in the 'Pending' stage but that facility is no longer available. I attempted to have the wrongly submitted chapter withdrawn but it appears there was a foul-up and I received back what was an automated reply - SO, too late. Well, here are the remaining chapters - perfectly presented, I hope! As for a couple of people concerned that soft Mollie appears to be hardenING, well I'm sorry. This wasn't written as a fairy story and there is a saying, people do change. However, with the chapters now in correct order perhaps everything will unravel - Egmont Grigor

*

Chapter 7

When Mollie entered the road accident and vehicle accident injury department Gary was already in the glassed cubicle that really was too small to be called an office. An extra desk had been delivered and he was attempting to rearrange the furniture, chairs and filing cabinets in such a way to allow other people to enter and sit. He was grumpy.

"Hi, I'm almost in a sweat because of you. Whoever decided two people can operate in this space needs their head examined."

Hello grumpy. This is Mollie doing her best to fall in love with you. Why not greet me with a smile and hug me and welcome me to my first day at the office? She smiled but was ignored.

"This will not do. The deputy manager's office is larger, I'll have to tell him to swap and if he won't I'll ask Stanley to make him shift."

"No, that would be an ill-considered move if I may say so," Mollie beamed.

Gary snored like an irritated bull, but was ignored.

"Forcing Paul Rose to move would upset him and be interpreted as a brazen attempt to rearrange pecking order as he has the larger office because he's Stanley's deputy."

"I have no time for office politics."

"Don't you Gary? As a servant of the law you should have time for everything and everybody."

Mollie felt the heat of Gary's glare and realized she had antagonized the bull. She shut her mouth and stepped back to the doorway. Even that earned a glare. She stood patiently knowing he'd be the first to crack.

Gary rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Can you suggest the solution? I have no wish to have you working outside the office."

"My role is to work alongside you Gary so I'll be working nowhere else. Have you had breakfast?"

"No."

"Well you run along and fetch us coffee and bagels while I have a think about this. Smaller desks would work better but we need desks this size to spread out files and reference material."

"How can you fix the problem?"

"With my brain Gary as well you could with yours if you gave it a chance. Run along." Mollie moved aside and Gary, snorting, moved off. "No wait, you've forgotten something."

He turned and went back to her, already looking slightly more relaxed. "What?"

"You haven't kissed me good morning."

He almost grinned and then, setting his face stubbornly, whispered, "Most of our colleagues are now here. What will they think?"

"Fuck them," Molly growled deeply. She seized him and kissed him.

Gary kissed back, a little hastily, and then pulled away grinning. "You're a really hot chick."

She felt content, knowing their relationship had moved forward. Gary would know he couldn't maul her in the office but he could now touch and even kiss her lightly because office colleagues had just seen it happen and the three people including Stanley not yet in the room would be told Gary's assistant was more than a legal assistant to him.

Mollie stood in the doorway her right hand on her cheek and the left hand running just under her breasts to support her other elbow: she was in one of the classic thinking positions.

She heard the heavy tread of a male approach, turned and smiled. "Hi Paul. Care to give me a helping hand here?"

Paul looked just above her knees as if hoping Mollie had a problem with her garter belt.

"Please help me shift these desks."

For a moment Paul appeared undecided but Molly widened her smile and he entered the cubicle behind her saying, "Where's our big chief designate?"

"Sent to fetch coffee."

Paul smiled and said from the moment he first saw Mollie he'd known she'd be a tough-ass bitch.

"There is no need for extravagant compliments," she said, tossing her head.

"You're all right Mollie," Paul said, attacking the task. He manhandled the filing cabinets by himself to impress Mollie and was back in his office when Gary returned to find Mollie seated and engrossed in the King & King Office Manual.

Gary gaped and said well-done, looking at the two desks now facing each other with the filing cabinets in a line against the far wall, leaving room for two cabinets for Mollie yet to be ordered, and parallel to the outer office there was just enough room for four chairs to line the wall below glass level. Paul handed Molly her coffee and bagel filled with greasy bacon and a fried egg that made her wince but she thanked him brightly.

Paul sat on his chair. "The only thing is I'll be looking at you all day, probably staring in a manner contrary to the edicts in that manual."

"You can build a wall of desk file baskets between us."

He said they'd have to do that but he wanted a gap left.

"What, to facilitate dialogue?"

"Yes, but to see your face and perhaps some days you'll have a very low neckline."

"Are you beginning to come on to me Gary?"

"Yes, and it's your fault -- you keep kissing me and sometimes push those tits at me."

"It's polite to refer to them as breasts."

Gary grinned wolfishly. "My belief is you want me to call them tits."

Mollie face turned scarlet. There was no wall of basket files to hide behind so she said, "That round went to you Gary" and his wolfish smile returned.

Mollie pretended to be reading the manual but it was no use; her mind was in a spin. So she squeezed her thighs together and wondered what Gary was capable of doing to her, knowing she was being sexually centered and professionally in neglect of her duty. She didn't care -- the thought of Gary exploring every nook and cranny of her body sent her pulse and mind soaring. Her cell phone went.

"Miss O'Rourke?"

"Yes, Mollie O'Rourke speaking."

"We have never met but Mrs King has referred me to you."

"Mrs Elaine King?"

"No, Maureen King. We are great friends. My husband Charlie has been involved in a road accident and is in hospital under observation after suffering whiplash. The other party threatened to sue and now the office of their attorney has called asking for the name of our attorney Arthur Briggs who's rather a mild man. I thought we needed a more aggressive attorney so I called Maureen and she gave me your phone number. She explained to me you are waiting to be licensed to practice in this state. I am Alice Proctor."

"Indeed, that is the situation Mrs Proctor."

At the mention of that name Mollie noticed Gary's head jerk up.

"Mrs Proctor if you wish to hire me there is some paper work involved before we start and I must advise I must be accompanied at all times by my senior but you would pay for only one attorney at the standard rate."

"Yes, yes, I understand that. Tell me, how did you know I was Mrs Proctor and not Miss Proctor?"

"You did say your husband had been involved in an accident Mrs Proctor."

"Oh I did. That makes you sound very thorough Miss O'Rourke. May I come to your office now?"

"Yes, ask for me at reception."

As Mollie flicked her phone shut Gary was all over her.

"Mrs Proctor -- was that Mrs Alice Proctor?"

"Yes, her husband Charlie has been in a road accident and she appears distraught because the other party have threatened to sue."

"You'll have no idea who the Proctors are do you? They own quarries and are worth millions."

"So?"

"If we could land some of their legal work King & King would be elated."

"I accept that but right now Mrs Proctor needs my counseling. Your grandmother has referred her to me."

"Rather than me?"

"I would expect Mrs Proctor asked to consult a female attorney," Mollie said kindly. "I must go to reception and ensure they all are aware I started today."

"They will be. Didn't someone from reception give you the Office Manual?"

"I found it on that chair over there Gary and I must make sure reception knows who I am. I don't want Mrs Proctor arriving only to be told no Miss O'Rourke works here."

"You are so right. Come on, I'll introduce you to all front line personnel. That should have been done earlier."

Gary performed the introduction to the two receptionists and the three support staff behind them with aplomb and it also pleased Mollie to see the five women appeared to like him. The female office manager arrived and the way she fawned over Gary gave Mollie the impression Faye was overly possessive.

As Mollie and Gary returned to the office she asked, "Have you successfully hit on Faye?"

Eyes averted Gary asked, "Why would you think that?"

"Womanly intuition?"

"Rubbish! She must have whispered something to you."

"So I am correct?"

"I-I...yes."

"I thought so. Her manner with you was possessive. Katie was more restrained."

Gary turned and looked at Mollie in astonishment. "Nobody knows about me and Katie."

"Faye is not married, Gary. She would have felt compelled to tell someone. Nervous Katie is married and wouldn't want anyone to know. But it's none of my business -- you have to sow your oats somewhere."

Gary stopped walking so Mollie turned and went back to him.

"It's okay Gary. I grew up being taught to look at horses and cattle for signs of distress. It's a ranching thing. I seemed to have developed it to reading people. I watched all six of those women look at you when you spoke to them and only Faye and Katie reacted abnormally so I assumed you must have been at them -- I mean sexually. But don't fret. I see no reason to pass judgment. As I said, it's none of my business."

"Then why bring it up," he challenged.

"To put you on edge I would guess, although I was unaware I had a motive."

Gary tugged at an ear lobe. "Why would you want me on edge?"

Mollie stared at him calmly and said he might not like the answer but he said go ahead.

"Because I want you to take more than a passing interest in me. Now let's leave it at that and you begin briefing me about your workload. I need to know how you think and react if I am to have much impact on you."

"You mean just work?"

"Whatever Gary," Mollie said airily. "Come on."

As they walked Mollie thought that was it. She'd hinted enough to imprint on his brain she wanted sex -- oh yes, and his companionship. Push any harder and he might back off. If Gary continued to procrastinate she could ask Sarah or Margo to introduce her to a promiscuous guy. Oooh yes.

Five hours later for the second time that day Mrs Proctor sat in the small conference room between Gary and Mollie. On the other side of the table were Mr Mario di Prima and his wife Daniela, both in their mid-thirties, and their attorney, Ben Acland.

Ben Acland said, almost disrespectfully, "We find it difficult to believe you have come into possession of irrefutable evidence that my client Mr di Prima swerved and collided with your client's vehicle Mr King. That, of course, is exactly what Mr and Mrs di Prima claimed what your client did in causing the accident. My client can produce a credible witness whereas your clients failed to secure witnesses at the scene who saw what happened."

Gary said his associate Miss O'Rourke had gone door to door of stores within thirty yards on the side of the street where the accident occurred. He then pulled out console from the drawer beside him and pushed a button. Doors rolled back on the far wall exposing a large screen and a projector attached to the ceiling started.

"Here we see Mr and Mrs Proctor in their 2008 black Jeep Commander Sport, driving quite slowly and there on our right and about to pass the Jeep are Mr and Mrs di Prima in their 2007 2-door Cadillac roadster with the top down. Note that Mrs di Prima is adjusting her headscarf and Mr di Prima is using his phone. Now his free hand comes off the wheel and he gesticulates wildly. The Cadillac swerves and cuts across the front of the Jeep. Mr di Prima reacts, but too late to return to his lane. The collision forces Mr Proctor's SUV into the rear of a truck and that's when he suffered whiplash. Any questions."

Mr Ackland barked, "Where did you get this film?"

"Miss O'Rourke discovered the manager of a camera store was demonstrating a handycam video camera to a guy and his wife and caught the accident on video. The clients purchased a different model but we have their names and address as collaborating witnesses. Miss O'Rourke has obtained statements from all three people and had the manager produce copies of the original tape one of which you have just seen and will be retained by us and the other is here for you and your clients Mr Acland. About now the manager is delivering the original video on CD and his statement to the accident investigation unit of the Police Department. Any further questions?"

There were none. Mr Acland was given a copy of the video and copies of the three statements.

"Now that it is Mr and Mrs Proctor who are in the strongest position in respect of this unfortunate accident Mr Acland, you shall be hearing from us in due course."

After the visitors had left Mrs Proctor said to Gary, "Why didn't you say to that attorney the police would now know the statements by the di Prima's and their witness were untrue in part and that we will now sue the di Prima's?"

"There was no need Mrs Proctor. Right now Mr Acland will be telling his clients they face problems with the police and will have to answer damages claims. You and Mr Proctor have them over a barrel."

"Ah yes, thanks to Mollie."

"Indeed, she is so thorough Mrs Proctor."

"Mollie, I want you to do all my legal work from now on, in association with Gary. Gary if you win damages from those liars I'm sure my husband will turn his legal work over to King & King. I was looking at store windows when the accident happened and Charlie initially said the Jeep cut across the front of us but when finding himself against the di Prima's who claimed he had turned into them decided to shut his mouth until he had spoken to our attorney. He's not feeling like talking to anyone at present wearing that darn neck-brace. I've never known him to be so quiet. He's going to love you Mollie. You've saved Charlie from a possible dent in his reputation."

Gary took Mollie to lunch at 3:00 and told her she'd made a perfect start with King & King. "Mrs Proctor will rave about you to grandma."

"Oh, there's no need for me to complain about that."

They laughed.

"We review cases at our Friday meeting so your name will come up at that meeting," Gary said. "A précis of proceedings is sent to all attorneys including those in management."

"That's good and your name will be featured as well. We are a team."

Gary ignored that. "The précis will cover a short description of this case, the result of your discovery and the result of our client switching from defendant to plaintiff."

"Damn, but then when you win damages from the di Prima's the scalp must be shown as yours."

Gary looked pained. "You don't know our system yet Mollie. The case will now be handed to Stanley to prosecute or more likely my father will insist it be handed to a more senior associate."

"No!"

"What?"

"No, no way. We've got the Proctors this far and I want you to either have the di Prima's settle out of court or you take them to court with me assisting. I would be licensed by the time the case goes to court."

"Mollie, I'm sorry, that is now how this practice operates. We are juniors -- the big actions go upstairs. We can't stop that happening."

"Oh yes we can, at least you can Gary. This opportunity landed in our lap on Day One of us coming together as a team. It's a miracle. Don't you see it as that?"

Gary looked at her stonily. "You want me to fight to keep control?"

Mollie sighed and blew him a kiss. She stood up. "It's your decision and you know what I expect. Over to you. I'm off to take flowers to Mrs Proctor and to say hello to her husband. It's only a courtesy call and you should not regard it as interference or improper conduct. It's what Mrs Proctor a, right thinking woman of her generation, would expect of me."

"Do you think that is wise?"

"I believe it's the right thing to do Gary. I've made my decision. This is how I and many other people operate. You ought to try it some time."

His neutral look turned into a frown and for a moment Mollie wished she'd not made that last comment. But then she thought sometimes one had to be hurtful to be kind. She smiled at him warmly and walked from the restaurant, knowing before he mulled over what she'd just said he'd be looking at her ass and the back of her legs. She hoped he'd be thinking sex, if only fleetingly.

* * *

Gary almost licked his lips watching Mollie's swinging butt as she walked toward the door. A wave of flickering thoughts about plundering her body made him look around nervously, but no one was looking at him, at least not that he could see. Mollie made him nervous. He'd occasionally heard a woman could over-power a guy. He supposed she was one of those, although that loose men's talk about over-powering women had sexual overtones if not being revoltingly direct about it. Bossiness was another aspect. The thought about Mollie slamming her body against his made him grin and forget about her being bossy.

After leaving payment on the table Gary almost swaggered to the door. Never before had he experienced a woman virtually throwing herself at him like Mollie was doing. Top-shelf Mollie wanting him up her -- what was he waiting for?

Exactly! What was he waiting for? He knew what it had been -- fear that she was being overly nice to him in gratitude of what his grandmother had done for her. Mollie would have been aware there was no way she could repay his grandmother for stabilizing her life or the kindness his mother had shown to Mollie. No way would he want Mollie to be all over him out of gratitude. But that fear had faded. He'd become aware she seemed to have more than a passing interest in sex and had been without it for some time. He now understood he was first cab on the rank because she didn't know any other guy. At least not yet. He was sure Mollie, even in need, would not contemplate going into a bar and lining up some guy to fuck her. Oh the poor darling.

Gary almost stopped in shock at thinking of her so sympathetically and adding the label darling. Never had he called anyone darling. He just didn't think of women like that, not even his own mother, not even on rare occasions when he petted her when she was down in spirit.

Mollie and him? She'd spoken about him moving in with her. At the time he'd greeted that cynically, thinking she'd just wanted someone on hand to fuck as well as to have him under her influenced almost exclusively so she could mould him to fit the required specifications to elevate to associate status. God he was brain deficient, not thinking of her being lonely and also wanting a guy around her to fuss after, to talk to and to partner her out for meals and to attend social events. His mind had centered on sex whereas Mollie's mind had soared beyond that. Why hadn't his? Gary sighed and delivered the answer aloud, "Because your lights are not turned on."

Instead of crossing the street to the office Gary turned into a café and ordered a coffee he didn't really want. He became lost in thought about what he needed to do to turn his lights on. He licked his lips when he thought of the first priority -- move in with Mollie. Secondly he must stop being suspicious of her and afraid she might show him up as being deficient. Mollie was obviously like his mom -- a person generous in spirit. He must respond to her positively, be keen to change and do what she wanted, although not to ignore his own judgment of course. Mollie had accepted the challenge to iron out his deficiencies. No one else was likely to offer a helping hand. The choice was between Mollie or continuing to wallow in professional mediocrity.