Scarlet And Ebony Pt 02

Author's Note: All characters, events, and places described in this narrative are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Part 1 of this story was published in the Romance category but didn't get the exposure I was hoping for, so I've decided to publish this Part in Interracial Love. You don't need to read Part 1 to understand what has happened so far, but it is helpful to do so (and I did enjoy writing that Part!).

All comments and feedback are welcomed.

HF

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The legal brief sat open on the large curved computer screen -- the cursor slowly blinking, waiting for any input from the redheaded woman staring at the document. Although blessed with a sharp, analytical mind, one that had studied for a BA in Political Science with a minor in Business at Stanford University followed by several years at Harvard Law School to obtain her Juris Doctor, Catherine struggled to assemble her thoughts.

It was Monday morning. The beginning of another week at AscendTech, one of the new darlings of the tech industry. The large, clear windows of the office overlooked well-manicured lawns that stretched out towards the low buildings that made up the AscendTech corporate complex that was nestled amongst all of the other tech firms in Silicon Valley. Despite the impressive view from her office window, the comfortable chair she was sitting in, the well-remunerated job that she held, the upcoming meetings she needed to prepare for, Catherine was still unable to clear her mind. Clear Andre from her thoughts.

She sat at her desk, her fingers poised over the keyboard, but her mind kept wandering back to the events of Friday night. She still felt a sense of disbelief at what she'd done -- a night with a stranger, a one-night stand. Even more shocking and surprising, it was with a Black man, someone who's African-American heritage was so different to her own Irish-American one.

She had spent the weekend trying her best not to dwell on it, not to remember how good it had felt when they were in bed together, how much she hated herself for walking out of his hotel room on Saturday morning, but the thoughts kept creeping in despite her best efforts. She had woken up that morning with the same mix of satisfaction and unease, a lingering warmth in the pit of her stomach from the memory of Andre but also a nagging doubt about what she had done. And perhaps the possibilities she had walked away from.

What am I even doing, thinking about him? she wondered, biting her lip as she stared at the legal document on her computer screen.

Friday night was intense, unexpected, and exciting. It was supposed to be just a casual night out, an escape from the monotony of her life as a divorced, overworked legal officer, dipping her toes cautiously back into the dating game. Yet, she had found herself tumbling into bed with a Black man she had barely known -- tall, confident, successful, and, for reasons she still didn't fully understand, wildly attractive to her in ways that surprised her. Part of her regretted not staying longer. She had slipped out the next morning, half-convinced it had been a mistake or a way for her to have a release from all of the tension and anxiety that had filled her mind since the divorce. Just a one-night stand. A way to ease the pain that had filled her life since her ex-husband had cheated on her. But was it? Was that all it was?

She sighed and opened up a new window on her desktop, her fingers typing instinctively typing his first name and what she knew about him into the search bar:

Andre investment banker minority businesses Atlanta

She paused for a second, half-expecting nothing significant to come up, but the powerful Google algorithms immediately populated her screen with a lengthy list of results: profiles, articles, company websites, even a few videos.

Andre Johnson.

So that was his full name, she thought, a touch embarrassed that she'd spent the night with a man, had allowed him to fuck her in the most perfect and satisfying way she had ever experienced, and yet she hadn't even known his last name.

The first link at the top of the page was to his company -- Johnson Capital Ventures -- an investment firm that specialized in funding minority-owned businesses. She clicked on it, scanning the page.

Founder and CEO

There was his profile picture, looking as handsome as she remembered him from Friday night, a slight smile on his face hinting at his charming personality. She quickly scanned his profile; Financial Analyst at Goldman Sachs, New York, then Senior Manager at JPMorgan Chase, specializing in corporate lending in Chicago, and, finally, six years earlier, founding his own highly successful firm that was headquartered in Atlanta.

Catherine's heart sank a little. He wasn't just some random guy who happened to be charming and good in bed. He was successful -- very successful. She scrolled through the site, clicking at the links. There were articles about him, interviews with him discussing his approach to empowering small business owners, especially those from underrepresented communities, how he'd supported them, and made a generous return on the investments. She felt an unexpected wave of intimidation.

Great, nice work, Cat... she thought, closing the tab abruptly, a scowl on her face. He probably thinks it was just a one-night stand. Now if I contact him, I'll look like I'm chasing him for his money.

She leaned back in her chair, shaking her head. She'd promised herself not to get entangled in something messy after her divorce. It had taken her a long time to realize that her relationship with her ex-husband, Harry, had been built on appearances, and she wasn't going to fall into that trap again. As much as she had enjoyed her night with Andre, how well they had connected, she couldn't shake the feeling that reaching out now would make her seem opportunistic. She could hear the whispers of doubt in her own mind:

Chief Legal Officer of a tech company falls for a millionaire CEO?

How cliché, she thought to herself with an exasperated sigh.

Resolving to push it all aside, she closed her eyes for a moment. It was a fun night. That's all it was, she told herself. Well, more than fun actually. Hmm, how could I describe a night of mind-blowing sex...? Sighing again as she glanced at the time, Catherine stood, grabbing her laptop from the dock and the thick stack of papers she needed for her next meeting. Work was her focus, and she wasn't going to let herself get distracted by a fleeting encounter. She headed to the conference room, her heels clicking against the polished floors, forcing her mind back to business.

*****

Catherine stepped into the glass-walled conference room, adjusting her navy-blue blazer as she moved toward her seat at the head of the table, a more formal outfit than was usually seen in the tech sector. Perhaps it was a hold-over from her days as an attorney when she was just starting her career or, more likely, to differentiate herself and her team from the multitude of techbros she worked with who seemed to think that a torn pair of jeans and a ratty t-shirt with whatever edgy logo was popular this week was suitable corporate attire. Despite the tech-based nature of the firm, she knew that her team was the real powerhouse behind the scenes, the people that made everything work and allowed the techbros to spend their time either coding or partying up on yachts with models.

Her team was already gathered, flipping through binders, prepping for the upcoming week of meetings they were going to attend in Washington. Four days of regulatory committee hearings and meetings with lobbyists lay ahead -- not something she relished.

"Morning, everyone," the redheaded woman said, offering a brief smile to them as she took her seat at the head of the table. Hopefully, no one asks how my weekend was...

"Good morning, Cat," Sarah, her assistant, greeted her with a warm but professional tone as she sat down next to her, her laptop, and an array of papers ready for the meeting. Sarah had been a godsend, Catherine thought. Sharp, supportive, studying law at night-school, she had been a rock for Catherine whilst she was going through her divorce, keeping her boss afloat as Catherine's marriage disintegrated around her.

"So," Catherine began, glancing over the documents in front of her, "I understand we're looking at finalizing our position on the new data privacy regulations. I need us fully prepared for the hearing in D.C. next week."

"Yes," said Andrew, her compliance officer, leaning forward, his brown eyes glancing at Catherine. "We've got your testimony drafted, but there's still some grey area regarding the language around encryption standards. We'll need to clarify how it applies to the smaller tech firms that are part of our incubator program." Everyone knew this was a key aspect of the upcoming regulatory hearings and something they would undoubtedly focus their attention on.

Catherine nodded. "Right. I want to make sure we're not throwing them under the bus. We need to argue that the regulations should encourage innovation, not stifle it with overreach." She flipped through the draft testimony, her sharp legal mind quickly processing the details, already spotting a few points she would need to tidy up. She looked up at the team. "And how's the lobbying on Capitol Hill going?"

Sarah chimed in. "We've got meetings lined up for us with several senators, including those who are sympathetic to tech start-ups. We'll be emphasizing that diversity in the sector depends on access to resources for smaller firms."

"Good," Catherine said. "I'll want all the talking points before we head out. The last thing we need is to be blindsided by a question we haven't prepped for."

The team continued discussing logistics for another twenty minutes, finalizing the preparations for their time in Washington before moving onto the next item on the agenda for their meeting. As the meeting wrapped up nearly an hour later, Catherine couldn't help but reflect that, despite her fiery Irish-American heritage, she always stayed focused, disciplined, always able to navigate the complexities of tech and government regulation, keeping the company's interests protected, even though the depths of her divorce. She could always compartmentalize it all. Stay focused on the task at hand. So why did the thoughts of Andre keep creeping back in to her mind?

*****

(Washington D.C. -- The following week)

Despite her legal background, Catherine hated it every time she was here -- it reminded her of a court room, but one where she would be on trial. The hearing room was stark, with all wood-paneled walls and stiff leather chairs. Formal. Distinguished. Stifling. Despite her discomfort in the environment, she knew how to play the room, play up to the Senators sitting opposite her. But it didn't make the job any more enjoyable.

With a deep breath, Catherine adjusted her charcoal grey skirt suit, the weight of the moment settling in her chest as she entered the hearing room. Right, time for the game face, she thought to herself. She was here to testify on behalf of her company, an essential part of her role as the CLO. Her statement to the committee was ready, her arguments airtight. She hoped it would be; she had spent the best of the last week going over it, word by word. This was the part of her job she excelled at -- delivering poised, decisive, insightful statements to rooms full of powerful people. Statements and people that could and did shape the direction of the tech industry.

As she walked toward the front of the room, her laptop and binder full of notes under her arm, she glanced toward the public gallery, half out of habit, and then she froze in astonishment. What the absolute fuck?

Sitting toward the back of the gallery, looking completely at ease, was Andre. No, it can't be... she thought to herself.

Catherine's heart skipped as she realized it was him. What the hell was he doing here? A strange, somewhat uncomfortable feeling washed over her; here she was, staring at a man she had slept with; actually, a man who had fucked her in the most perfect way possible, but now they were in a professional environment, her work environment.

Andre caught her eye for just a second, raising an eyebrow in recognition, and a small smirk played at the corner of his lips. Catherine's stomach flipped and flopped uncomfortably with the thought that he was undressing her with his mind as he looked at her. Well, truth be told, she had been doing that quite a bit over the past couple of weeks -- every chance she got, her mind would return to the events of his hotel room in San Francisco. How he'd undressed her, how she'd undressed him, how she'd gazed for the first time at his magnificent black cock...

Dammit, Cat... get a grip! Focus! Focus! She quickly turned her attention back to her steps, walking forward with determined purpose to her seat at the witness table, but her mind was already racing. What was he doing here? Was this a coincidence? Did he know or realize who she was before today? How would he react? Would he want to see her again?

She was seated at the witness table, her team behind her, but all she could think about was him sitting there, watching her. Catherine wasn't sure whether to feel flustered or impressed.

The hearing began, and Catherine did her best to focus. She delivered her prepared statement before the committee moved onto the questions they had for her. Some of the questions were technical, some confrontational, but she handled them with ease. She knew the law inside and out. She answered each inquiry calmly, but every time she glanced toward the gallery, she could feel Andre's presence, his eyes lingering on her. What's he doing here? What's he thinking about?

After what felt like an eternity, the hearing wrapped up. She rose from the table and made her way forward to shake hands with a few senators, offering polite smiles, but her mind was elsewhere. She told the rest of the team that she would meet them back at their hotel later to prepare for their next round of hearings and the meetings with the respective Senators that they had scheduled. Nodding, the rest of the team made their way from the hearing room.

As she gathered her papers to make her way out, she felt a hand lightly touch her arm.

"Catherine."

It was him. She turned, her heart pounding slightly as she looked up into Andre's dark, steady gaze. He was dressed sharply, in a navy suit that fit him perfectly, and he had that same confident, easygoing smile that had pulled her when they first met in the bar in San Francisco over a week earlier.

"Andre," she said, trying to sound casual, though she could feel her pulse quicken instinctively. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he said, his voice low and smooth. "I see you're here for the same reason I am -- business."

Catherine raised an eyebrow. "Business? Are you involved in the hearings?"

"I'm not testifying, but my firm is interested in how these regulations will affect some of the businesses we've invested in," he explained, sliding his hands casually into his trouser pockets. "Figured I'd come by and see how it's all playing out."

She shook her head in disbelief. "Small world."

"Very small," he agreed, his eyes not leaving hers. "You did well in there, Ms. Catherine Donovan," he said, a little smile creeping in as he said her surname for the first time. She blushed, realizing he too didn't know her surname until now.

"Thanks, Mr. Andre Johnson," she said, a small smile equally tugging at her lips. Now they were even. "Though I didn't expect to have an audience."

"Wouldn't miss it," he said, his gaze lingering for a beat too long. He gave her another little smile. "How about we catch up? Dinner, maybe?"

Catherine hesitated, feeling the familiar pull of him but also the professional setting they were in. Part of her wanted to keep this a one-time thing, a fun memory. But another part of her, a more powerful part -- a part she hadn't felt in a long time, certainly since the divorce -- wanted to explore more.

"I don't know..." she began, feeling the weight of her hesitation on her shoulders. Should I? she thought to herself. Is this a good idea?

"Just dinner," Andre said, raising his hands in front of him as if to ease her concerns. "I promise not to make it complicated. No pressure. Besides, I owe you after San Francisco."

She laughed softly at his words, shaking her head. "You owe me?" she asked, a touch of incredulity in her voice as she smiled at him, her eyebrows raising inquisitively.

"Alright, alright... maybe I just want an excuse to see you again," he said with his relaxed, little smile.

There it was -- that easy, irresistible charm. Catherine felt her defenses crumbling. The stress of work, the weight of her divorce -- all of it seemed to melt away when she was around him. She was transported back to that wonderful night they spent together in San Francisco. The way he'd whisked her away from Kevin, officially her most boring date ever. The conversation they'd had, how it had flowed so freely and easily. The night spent in his bed, how'd he'd made her come harder than she could ever recall. Waking up next to him, playfully teasing him with her hands and mouth before she rode him to another climactic finish, enjoying the intimate feeling of him coming hard deep inside her.

"Okay," she said finally. "Dinner. But only because I don't have any meetings tonight," she told him with a mock serious expression.

"Lucky me," he said with a grin.

*****

Catherine walked into the quiet restaurant, the soft glow of candles on each table giving it an intimate atmosphere. She had finished going over the strategy for the upcoming meetings with her team later than she had expected and had quickly called an Uber to head to the address Andre had given her. Her team were going out for dinner in town themselves, but she'd waved down their invitation to join them, telling them she had to catch up with an old acquaintance, someone she'd known for a long time. Well, a week was a long time, wasn't it? she thought to herself.

She spotted Andre sitting at a table in the corner, already waiting for her. His easy smile was back, and as she approached, she felt the same pull she had felt on Friday night. He stood up to greet her, leaning forward to give her a kiss on the cheek. Safe, non-threatening, what friends would do. However, somehow, he'd managed to load it with a degree of intimacy that made her shiver with excitement.

As they sat down and began talking, the conversation started to flow effortlessly, a mix of professional banter and flirtation as they perused the menu and ordered some drinks to get started. Catherine couldn't help but wonder where this was going. She had promised herself after the divorce that she wouldn't get caught up in something that could get complicated, but the Black man sitting in front of her made it so hard to stick to that resolution.

Soon the drinks arrived, two glasses of a lovely Argentinian red. The pair touched glasses as they sat across from each other, the warmth of the candlelight reflecting in her sparkling blue eyes as she looked at him. Despite her reservations, Catherine felt a thrill just being there with him, and she gradually felt herself relax into the moment as they chatted about what had happened since they had last seen each other a week earlier in San Francisco.

"Alright, I'll admit it," Catherine said with a small, self-conscious smile, twirling her wine glass. "I looked you up online after we... well, after that night in San Francisco."

Andre let out a low chuckle, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "Oh, really? Did you find anything... interesting?" He leaned forward, a playful smirk on his lips. "Should I be worried about what you uncovered, Ms. Researcher?"