I pick up the phone on my desk and tap a button to call my assistant.
"Yes, Ms Farrow?" Her soft voice comes through the earpiece.
"I need you to book a flight for someone."
A lover
, I say in my mind, but I'd never suggest such a thing aloud to my assistant. Our relationship is of a professional nature. This isn't new to Chantel, of course; this is hardly the first time I've had her fly one of my lovers in on short notice. She's used to it by now and I have no doubt she knows exactly what's going on β most of the time, anyway.
I give her the date, the city of origin, and email over a scan of my friend's passport.
"Any particular time?"
"Have her arrive midafternoon, I think. Business class, and book her car service on both sides. Send her straight to the office."
"Of course, Ms Farrow. Is there anything else?"
"No, Chantel. Thank you."
I replace the handset and smile to myself.
This should be interesting.
βββββββββββ
When I arrive on Wednesday morning, Chantel is already at the office, like always, with a hot coffee for me β made just how I like it β and a list of messages. I hang my coat as she reads off the list. I pass most of them off to her and keep a few to take care of through the day; I've got a pending deal coming up that's requiring a lot of time and negotiation, but I trust Chantel to take care of the little stuff.
She's a beautiful girl. Doe-eyed, with long dark lashes and dimples, rich chestnut-brown hair a shining waterfall over her shoulder. Her style is conservative-yet-fashionable; she's wearing a forest green dress today, which complements her lovely green-brown eyes. She always has this effortlessly lovely, dewy look about her. She's twenty-six β young, but capable.
In contrast to Chantel, I am all edges. Sharp features, my hair in an angular bob that cuts across my cheekbones, my body strong and wiry. I know I'm beautiful, but in an intimidating way, a frightening way. When I was younger I used to soften myself with feminine hairstyles and pastel colours, but luckily I outgrew that. I credit part of my success to scaring the shit out of men in boardrooms so they don't dare pull that patriarchal bullshit on me.
I spend the morning in my office with my door closed, mostly on the phone, as Chantel performs triage on my phone lines and email outside. Throughout the morning she passes a few more things she can't deal with over to me, and by the time she arrives with my lunch at one β I get the same thing every Wednesday so I don't have to think about food β I've made good headway on my day.
"Thank you, Chantel," I say as she drops my kale salad with grilled avocado down on the desk and pulls up a chair across from me. I buy her lunch every day too, in exchange for her making sure I eat, and we usually sit across my desk from each other and run through anything we need to discuss while we nourish ourselves.
Chantel and I have been working together for six months. I sensed something dark and complex about her when I hired her and have seen glimpses of it simmering beneath her consummate professionalism; I want to probe it deeper. I like to surround myself with certain types of people, and I have the power to do it. I had a feeling Chantel was that type of girl.
I took her out for a glass of wine about a month ago in an effort to get to know her better. One glass turned into two bottles and by the end of the night we were sopping drunk in the Rosewood lounge, her head on my shoulder as she howled with laughter. She'd confessed all sorts of things to me in that reverie of truth that wine sometimes produces: that she'd dumped her boyfriend and just couldn't find any men interesting anymore; that she was a slut in college; that she found herself more curious than she felt comfortable admitting about what exactly I did with all the beautiful but boyish-looking women I flew in and out of the city.
I had a driver take us home, and in the backseat of the car she tried to kiss me. I sobered up very quickly and held her by the chin, my grip stern but my voice gentle: "Chantel, you're my employee. We'd both regret it very much in the morning were anything to happen." When she looked crestfallen, I tapped her chin with my finger and made her look at me again. "You're beautiful, you're smart, and I adore you. Go to bed."
I sent her up to her bed and strongly encouraged her to drink a big glass of water. When she arrived for work the next day β on time, but worse for wear β the grateful look she gave me spoke volumes. I nodded in reply and we went about our day.
While we sit and eat our lunches, chatting about work, I muse over that night. I answer her questions and she reminds me that my 2:00 pm call with a very important contact has been moved to 3:00. I thank her. "And Ms Farrow β Alex will be here at approximately 3:30."
Oh, yes. Alex. 3:30 is cutting it very tight; I expect my call with Bendix will easily go over that time. "Thank you, Chantel. That's all."
She leaves, her hips swaying beneath the forest-green silk of her dress, and I imagine her tiny waist, her creamy skin, and wonder whether she'll have those cute little back dimples above her ass. I give my head a shake and get back to work.
βββββββββββ
I'm having a loud argument β no,
discussion
β with Bendix on the phone when I check my watch and realize it's 3:45 pm. Sure enough, Chantel sent me an instant message on my computer at 3:33: "Alex is here. Should I send her in?"
I quickly type out "Yes pls" in response without taking a breath. We've been considering a very important merger and Bendix is a huge part of the deal, but he's being obstinate and greedy. I refuse to let a man defeat me just by talking over me, so my tone is heated when Alex peeks in. I gesture for her to come in and close the door behind her, and she does, and then stands in front of me.
Even with half my attention on my phone call, I feel a very physical appreciation for her. Alex and I have been lovers for a while, just occasionally when we happen to be in the same city. This is the first time I've done this specific thing with her, flown her in like this. She's one of a small handful of people I fuck every so often. I don't have time for a relationship, but that doesn't mean I don't have needs, and I've found the perfect balance for my particular tastes.
She's tall β I like them tall β with very short, dark hair, brown eyes ringed with dark lashes, dark brows that she keeps well manicured along with her short fingernails and soft hands. She has broad shoulders and strong, tattooed arms, wears Doc Martens, looks overall a bit on the tough side. I like to turn her into a purring kitten.
I look her up and down appraisingly and smile at her; she gives me a little wave. I beckon her forward til she's a foot or so in front of me. I'm standing, leaning on the desk behind me. I mute my call for a moment.
"Get on your knees."
Her face flushes pink and she gapes at me a little, but I've already unmuted my call and am explaining something to Bendix, so I just stare at her until she falls to her knees in front of me. I gesture at her to pull off her shirt. She flushes deeper, and when she doesn't do it quickly enough I snap my fingers at her. She pulls her t-shirt off over her head and smooths down her hair β she's terrifically vain, which I adore.
She kneels there in front of me, looking up at me, in her bra and jeans, the waistband of her men's briefs peeking up over her belt. I put my high-heeled foot on her chest and she leans down to kiss my ankle, but I push my toe up under her chin and use my foot to tilt her head back up to look at me. I mute my call again.
"Take off your bra. Undo your pants and pull down your underwear."
She's much quicker to the punch this time, racing through the tasks I've set her, and soon she's topless, her nipples erect; her jeans and underwear are around her thighs and I can see the pink tease of her cunt as she kneels in front of me with her legs spread as wide as her pants will let her. I smile at her and give Bendix an ultimatum; I'm tired of his shit. Then I mute the call again.
"Fuck yourself for me. I want to watch you come."