Newlywed's New Desires

The Seattle skyline emerged through scattered clouds as their plane began its descent. The flight was a lot shorter than Ashley had anticipated. She was a nervous flyer and was happy to see they didn't hit any turbulence. Her mind raced with thoughts of yesterday's parking garage encounter with Clayton. She'd spun that moment into a seductive story for Chris, watching his reaction carefully, still uncertain if she should reveal the truth. His enthusiasm both thrilled and confused her. Could she really be the person he wanted her to be? Would he really not be upset?

Clayton's demeanor was equally confusing. She was sure he was going to ensure he got the seat next to her and she would be fighting him off the entire plane ride. Instead, he was seated in the row behind them and barely said two words to her. He seemed to be in work mode and not paying any attention to her. Something stirred inside her that felt a lot like jealousy, but she pushed it aside as she took Chris's hand.

Chris squeezed her hand, mistaking her thoughtful expression for anxiety about flying. He was glad she was coming on this trip with him. He knew Clayton was going to try something, and that same delirious cocktail of shame, jealousy and arousal blended in his gut. He kept playing Ashley's story back in his head asking himself if there was any way it could have actually happened. She hadn't mentioned anything before Chris told her that Clayton left the office early, so it seemed to all be part of her game; however, that didn't stop all of the blood in his body from rushing to his groin every time.

"I can't believe we're finally here," Ashley whispered, her head pressed against the window of the plane watching the ground inch closer. She'd spent the better part of the morning studying tourist guides, mapping out spots she wanted to explore with Chris. She knew Clayton had said they had a full day ahead of them, but she had spent the plane ride coming up with a plan around that.

The plane touched down with a gentle bump just after noon, with Clayton immediately taking charge. "The car's waiting," he said as they made their way off the plane. "Meeting starts at two. I'll get the driver to drop us first and then take Ashley back to the hotel." He shepherded them through the terminal barely looking up from his phone to see where he was going.

Ashley set her plan into action squeezing Chris's hand one more time as they waited at the baggage claim for their items. "Will the two of you be coming back to the hotel after the meeting? I'd hate to think you brought me all this way just to leave me behind in the room." Her eyes met Clayton's and for a slightest second she thought she saw him fluster, but he was back in business mode before she could know for sure.

"We have a busy day. Tom wants to get drinks after dinner. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you joined us."

Ashley glanced at Chris then took the three steps toward Clayton so she was pressed against his arm, her hands holding his wrist. From this angle she was pretty sure he could see down the front of her loose-fitting t-shirt. The thought sent butterflies to her stomach. "But I'll be so lonely," she whispered biting her bottom lip seductively. "Couldn't Chris come back after the board meeting? I was really hoping we'd get to see the city a little before going back."

Clayton couldn't help but smirk. He knew exactly what she was doing, and while this meeting may have been more important than anything he had planned for her, even though the entire thing was brought together by false pretenses, he couldn't help but admire the beauty in front of him. He cut his eyes away from her two lumps of soft flesh to Chris. He was watching all of this unfold without saying a word, however the way he shifted back and forth on the balls of his feet spoke volumes.

"I don't know, Ashley. We have a pretty full day planned already. After the board meeting, Tom wants to sit down to discuss some new feature requests by his team and we have to go over the cost analysis of trying to get those in. It's going to take some time."

Ashley nodded like she understood. Her tongue slid across the front of her top teeth as she considered her next move. "I know, but... it's just that Chris and I would really be appreciative if you gave us some time to explore the city. You know, reconnect." As she spoke, she let her hands move from Clayton's wrist to his chest. Her pulse quickened as she realized how hard his body was. That was a detail she'd forgotten since their last encounter.

Clayton felt his own arousal spike when Ashley placed her hands on his chest. Where exactly was this going to go? "You would, huh? And how... appreciative are we talking?"

Ashley smiled, looking back at Chris again and raising her eyebrow as if to ask if he was ok with where this was going. The strain in the front of his pants told her he was fine with it. "Oh, I think we'd be very, very appreciative. Right, baby?" Her hands slowly slid down Clayton's chest, across his abs, feeling them contract against her touch as she inched closer to his waistline.

Chris couldn't think straight. He couldn't believe Ashley was doing this in the middle of a busy airport. His mouth felt like he'd swallow sand as he desperately tried to form words. "I... um.. y... yeah, we would be. Very... a... appreciative."

Clayton's laugh turned into a groan as Ashley's fingers slid over his length with tantalizing delicacy. He held her gaze as he chewed on the side of his cheek. "I could probably handle the feature request meeting with Tom by myself. But..." He reached down, grabbing her wrist forcing her to apply more pressure to his hardening cock. "You're going to owe me, and I take my debts very seriously."

Ashley did her best to suppress a moan as she felt Clayton's racing heartbeat through the swell of his shaft. "I'm sure you won't be disappointed," she said, never breaking eye contact.

"Very well, I'll let Tom know. Perhaps, he'd like to see how appreciative you are."

This time Ashley couldn't stifle the gasp as she felt her core ignite.

"N... no," Chris injected a bit louder than he intended. "No Tom. I don't trust him."

Clayton turned his attention to Chris, releasing Ashley's hand in the process. He studied Chris for a long moment, his usual smirk gone, replaced by something darker. "Fine, but he's not going to be happy that you're blowing him off."

"I have a feeling he'll get over it," Chris said with a sudden burst of confidence.

Ashley stepped back to Chris, buzzing from both successfully manipulating Clayton and Chris's protective response.

After collecting their bags, they made their way through the bustling terminal to the waiting black SUV. The driver hurried to load their luggage while Clayton finished his calls, coordinating the day's revised schedule.

Ashley slid into the plush leather seat first, Chris settling in beside her. Clayton joined them in the rear-facing seat, his earlier businesslike demeanor softening into something more playful.

"So," Clayton started, eyes dancing with amusement, "It wasn't easy but Tom agreed it should just be the two of us going over the new requests. He did however insist that the four of us checkout some new club downtown."

Ashley's eyes lit up. "Oh, I haven't been dancing in forever. That sounds like so much fun." She nestled against Chris's side hoping he would agree with her. The earlier nervousness from the flight had completely dissipated, replaced by a familiar warmth of excitement.

"Um, yeah. Dancing could be fun," Chris said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. His mind flashed back to the company party, the way Tom's predatory eyes had followed Ashley all night, how his hands had lingered just a bit too long during their dance. Sure, Tom had respected boundaries then, but something about him didn't sit right with Chris. Yet that familiar fire stirred in his gut as he imagined Ashley on the dance floor, all eyes on her. He pulled her closer, his grip slightly possessive.

When they pulled up to Larkin's headquarters, Chris turned to Ashley. "I'll see you in a few hours," he murmured, pulling her into a deep, lingering kiss. Ashley responded eagerly, her fingers threading through his hair.

"Good luck in there," she whispered against his lips.

As Chris stepped out, Clayton paused at the door. "Hey, what about my kiss? I did rearrange my whole schedule for you."

Ashley laughed, her eyes roaming Clayton's body. "Nice try. But I think you'll have to wait until you've earned it."

"Promises, promises," Clayton chuckled, following Chris into the building.

Ashley watched them disappear through the entrance, a smile on her lips. The day was already shaping up to be more interesting than she'd anticipated and she wondered if she could maintain this new sense of control she had over both men.

****

Larkin Industries' marble foyer seemed larger than he remembered as Chris noticed Tom's massive form by the security station. His throat closed up, for whatever reason, Tom's presence always put him on edge, though he couldn't quite figure out why.

"I thought we were hanging out today," Tom said, squeezing the life out of Chris's hand with his grip. "I was sad to hear you were cutting out early."

"Change of plans," Clayton cut in effortlessly. "But tonight we'll make it up to you."

Chris lost himself as they rode the elevator, presentation notes blurring before him. Far from reviewing key points, he couldn't help but envision Ashley's fingers tracing down Clayton's chest, her promises of thanks. The recollection of her openness at the airport chased blood from his head.

"BitGuardian integration has been flawless," Chris began, his voice trembling. He dropped his papers, losing his position. Sweat beaded on his forehead as board members exchanged glances. With each struggle to focus all he could think of was Ashley and how comfortable she had seemed with Clayton, which added credence to the hospital story.

Clayton moved forward. "What Chris means to say, is our distinctive network penetration abilities. Once one device is enrolled, our software can scan silently across your entire network."

"Forming an impenetrable web of security," Chris contributed, shaking off Ashley's thoughts and gaining traction. The familiar sales cadence began to flow. "Any device that joins your network automatically gets our protection measures."

"And that's just what our issue is," one board member cut in, advancing several printed-out articles. "These pieces suggest your 'silent deployment' provides unauthorized access to personal data. One even goes as far as claiming that you're stealing information."

Chris's heart was pounding. He'd seen the news stories, and heard all the rumors. But, nobody ever took any of that seriously before. Why now did these executives appear so baffled by it?

"If I may," Clayton smiled, "these allegations are hypothetical. Our track record speaks for itself. Since we started deploying BitGuardian, Larkin's security lapses have been zero. Bad actor incidents are practically nonexistent."

"But the potential abuse--" a board member began, his voice laced with uncertainty.

"Is nonexistent," Chris broke in, shocking himself at the force of voice he employed. "Our methods of encryption are impenetrable. Unauthorized access is simply not achievable. I know what the press are speculating, but our team would be unable to hack into your information even if they wanted to. We have white papers that explain our zero-knowledge stance."

"Written by your own people," the board member cut in, displeased with Chris's attitude. "If there is nothing to worry about, why not open source it, or have a third party audit it?"

Chris's heart rate accelerated. He had a valid point. They could have a third party audit conducted and put all the accusations to bed, but Clayton was continually stalling, why? "Have we not been proceeding in good faith since we established this arrangement? We fully intend having the code audited there've merely been competing schedules. Such as, flying out to our clients and reassuring their minds." The remark hurt more than Chris would have liked, and he donned his best friendly smile in a bid to mellow the barb. "These articles? They're nothing but rival propaganda. If there were even a hint of scandal, the authorities would be all over it in an instant. right, Clayton?"

The false claim was sour in the mouth, yet Chris kept his stare resolute mimicking Clayton's unshakeable confidence. Together, they radiated a bubble of invincible protection that even the skeptics dared not pierce.

Clayton smiled wider as he watched the board members share sheepish glances. They were embarrassed, like having just asked someone's salary at a dinner party. "Not a word. But we'll try a bit harder to get an audit arranged to put your mind at rest," he promised with a smile.

Reluctantly, the board members nodded. "All right," one of them finally spoke, "we appreciate both of you coming in today. Thank you for easing our minds."

In the hallway outside the boardroom, Chris's sense of triumph eased as he overheard Tom's low, angry whisper to Clayton. "This wasn't what we agreed on. Get him out of here and--"

"Later," Clayton cut in, looking at Chris with a grin. "You actually delivered in there. That nervous start had me doubting." He tightened his grip on Chris's shoulder. "But we were a great team after you got warmed up. I was impressed."

Chris couldn't tell if Clayton was complimenting or criticizing him, but before he could determine that, Clayton continued.

"Head back to Ashley. We've got this in hand. We'll see the two of you in a bit."

Tom's frown softened into something that came close to a smile. "Well done in there. Always a pleasure getting to observe your work." He pumped Chris's hand before adding, "Tell Ashley I'm looking forward to dancing later."

Chris's stomach churned as he watched them withdraw into a conference room. Why did Tom's fascination with Ashley feel so threatening even after all that with Clayton? But as he flagged his ride back to the hotel, thoughts of Ashley drove away his fears. She was waiting for him, and they had an afternoon of discovery awaiting them, perhaps in more than one way.

****

Chris's key card softly clicked as he swung open the hotel room, his mind still whirling with questions about the board meeting. The sound of the water running and Ashley humming filled the bathroom, drawing an automatic smile out of him.

"How'd it go?" Ashley asked as she heard him open the room, her voice echoing off of tile.

"Good as can be," he said, unfastening his tie and dropping down onto the end of the bed. "Though there was something odd with Tom and Clayton."

The water cut off, and Ashley came out wrapped in a pink plush hotel robe, her hair wet around the shoulders. "Odd how?" She fussed over her makeup bag, but Chris saw her glance up at him in the reflection in the mirror.

"Just... tense. Like they had something else planned." He watched her apply mascara, impressed that she could look so beautiful so effortlessly. "I don't know, maybe Tom just got under my skin."

"You don't like him, do you?" Ashley asked, turning to look at her husband.

"There's just something about him I don't trust. I don't know how to put my finger on it."

"And you're sure it's not because the way he looks at me?" Ashley smiled smugly as she read Chris's body language.

Chris fidgeted uncomfortably. "That's. part of it. The fact that he never quits asking about you. The fact that he stared at you during the company party." He trailed off, his mind racing back to those moments.

"Like the way Clayton looks at me?" Ashley teased, but there was a strand of actual interest in her tone as she watched the front of Chris's pants bulge with his erection.

"That's different," Chris said quickly, then hesitated. "With Clayton, it's... controlled. Tom is hazardous."

"Nothing about Clayton is controlled, but I see what you mean." Ashley smiled, giving Chris one last knowing look before facing the mirror to finish her makeup.

Chris watched Ashley mechanically add the top coat of mascara to her eyes, filling them with a smoky sheen. "About this morning, at the airport."

Ashley's hand suspended mid-stroke, her eyes meeting his in the mirror. "Was it too much?"

A thread of vulnerability crept into her voice, at odds with the assurance she'd shown earlier.

"No," Chris said quickly, then corrected himself, "Maybe... I don't know. You just... surprised me. You seemed... familiar with him."

Ashley spun around to confront him, chewing on her lower lip. "I surprised myself," she confessed. "I just... I wanted to feel in control for once. After everything that's happened, it was such a rush feeling like I finally outsmarted him."

Chris watched her more closely as she fought into a snug pair of blue jeans, hopping up and down and shimmying to slip them over her hips. "You were amazing," he whispered. "Watching you take charge like that."

"But?" she prodded, catching the doubt in his voice as she fought into a snug t-shirt showing only a glimpse of her abundant cleavage.

"But nothing. I just want to be sure you're not doing too much for me. We can stop here if you're not comfortable."

Ashley stood up and laid her head on his shoulder as their fingers intertwined. "Did I look uncomfortable?" she inquired, smiling. Before he could answer, she continued. "How about we table the big questions for now? Give me something touristy and remind me why I loved you to begin with?"

An hour later, they waited in line for the Space Needle. Ashley bounced on her toes as the afternoon sun fell below the Seattle horizon. the wind picked up giving a faint scent of ocean and coffee. The observation deck glowed amber in the dissipating light, casting a staggering view of the city below.

"I just can't believe we're actually here," Ashley smiled, snapping photos with her phone. She stood rigid over the camera as Clayton's text message lit up her screen: "Can't wait for tonight. Dress in something that moves." She stuffed it aside hastily, but not before Chris caught the flash of color in her cheeks.

"You Okay?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind, noticing her studying her phone screen.

Ashley rolled over in his arms, waving her phone. "Clayton just messaged. Said to dress light tonight." She saw the look on Chris's face and how he hesitated over breathing. "Should I let him know I already have something in mind?"

Chris's mind reeled. When did they start texting one another regularly? Were they texting since that night at home? His stomach knotted in familiar conflicting emotions, the angst quickly slipping away from him. "What... what else does he text you about?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Ashley teased, but seeing the expression of skepticism pass over Chris's face, she relaxed. "Usually just things like this, outfit ideas. Nothing terribly interesting at all." She rested against him, her lips in his ear. "Though sometimes he does try to get... creative." She continued to watch him, afraid that she had gone too far. "I can tell him to stop, if you'd like."

The door closed in, forcing them apart. In the elevator full of people, Chris pushed Ashley against him and talked softly. "That thing you felt at the airport. That's kinda how I feel. Seeing you with him." He paused and swallowed heavily. "Fantasizing about you texting him."

Ashley watched his face as the elevator ascended, observing the combination of need and exposure in his eyes. Her hands dropped to his hips as she leaned in closer. "You're a complex man, Christopher." Her fingers tracing sensually along his belt. "But I believe I am beginning to understand the charm. Even if I believe you are mad for bringing us down this road."