She ran onto the platform just as the train pulled away from the platform.
"No!," she exclaimed, her hands raised in despair.
A few onlookers smiled knowingly as they appraised the young woman. Her dark skirt suit was slightly disheveled from the run to the platform and her skirt had ridden up to show the lace tops of her thigh highs. She wore her chocolate hair just off her shoulders as it framed her face. Her green, piercing eyes shown from under her bangs with a fire fueled by anger, frustration and desperation. I had noticed this woman before on several previous occasions on the train platform. She was always composed and carried herself professionally. I had always considered her a sexy woman, controlled and demur. In her current state, however, she was sizzling hot. Her eyes were wild and her movements nearly out of control as she watched after the departing train. I watched as she finally gave in to the inevitable, sighed deeply, and pulled a cell phone from her purse. Her heels clacked as the strode towards me and sat next to me on the bench. She must have just been connected as I heard her say,
"Yes, Mr. Reyes please." A pause and then, "Yes. This is Shana Parfel. I have an appointment with him today.
I knew a Mr. Reyes. Quite well actually as I had worked for him for six years now. But I doubted that they were the same person. The woman, Shana, looked at me and gave me one of those tight lipped smiles that said 'I see you, now mind your business.' I cast me eyes forward and down but continued to listen, my interest piqued.
"Good morning Mr. Reyes. Yes, this is Shana Parfel and I am calling to tell you that I won't be able to make our eight o'clock meeting. Well, yes sir, it is very important. No sir, I pride myself on being on time. No sir. Could we possibly reschedule for later in the day. Perhaps I could buy you lunch. I am sure you would be very interested in my company's newest product. No sir. Yes sir, I understand. Good bye."
Shana turned to me, feeling my gaze on her, "Do you mind?"
I felt my blood heat my face and sweat started forming on my forehead.
"Look, I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear you call the man on the other end of the line Mr. Reyes. I work for a Mr. Reyes so it caught my attention, though I'm sure they are not the same person. I work at Meditech Industries. Sorry to intrude."
I couldn't help but see the disbelief wash over her face.
"Meditech Industries? The Meditech. What do you mean you work for him? Like you work in some cubicle and see him in the hall on occasion?"
My contrition quickly turned to annoyance at her attitude as I scoffed.
"I am Mr. Reyes's assistant. For six years now actually. And what is your deal? Obviously you are having a bad day, but point that attitude somewhere else!"
As my face reddened with anger, hers flushed with embarrassment. She fought to compose herself as she explained.
"I was due at Meditech at eight o'clock for a very important meeting with Mr. Reyes. I was going to pitch a new product to him. This is a very important account. If it falls through, my company may not survive. You said you were his assistant. You mean, like his secretary?"
"Sort of, I guess. But more like a personal assistant. Mr. Reyes is my mentor. Actually, I know of your appointment. I made it with your secretary, Natalie, I think. You work for, let me think...IPF. Wait, you said on the phone that your name was Parfel. As in Bart Parfel?"
"Yes, I'm his daughter. I guess that you could say that he is my mentor. He was counting on me to make this sale, but now I just don't know. Mr. Reyes seems adamant that he will not see me now."
"Being late is his biggest pet peeve. He absolutely loathes when people are late. Says it shows disrespect."
"That sounds like my dad. But really I had no control over this. I had an emergency this morning and, well, missed my train. Is there anything I could do that may make Mr. Reyes reconsider?"
My mind, devious and male that it was, raced with possibilities. The whole 'I'd do anything if you can do me this favor' fantasy was playing over in my mind. I could think of more than a few things this woman could do to make me want to help her.
"What exactly did you have in mind to get him to change his mind?"
"Well," she said, "I thought that maybe you could talk to him and get him to see me."
A smirk lingered on my lips. "I could do that, but why exactly should I? You told me that this was a huge account for your company. How huge would it be if I got you in the door?"
"I wouldn't know how to repay you. I would be in your debt big time. Anything you could do I would appreciate."
I sat back and smiled knowingly and waited. Shana watched me for a few seconds and slowly as realization came to her, I watched her eyebrows arch before she spoke in a hushed tone.
"Are you thinking what I think you are thinking?"
I tilted my head in her direction and raised my eyebrows in response.
"There's no way I'm going to sleep with you to get this account. Hell, you can't even give me the account!"
"No, but I can guarantee that without me, your account, and from the sounds of it, your company are both doomed. So either you do exactly what I tell you or we can part ways and you can go tell Daddy how you single handedly brought his company down."
Shana crossed her arms and huffed. I almost smiled at her childish response, but my newfound power over her kept my face stern and body rigid. After thirty seconds, I inched forward on the bench and started to rise to my feet. Shana's arm shot out to catch my shoulder.
"All right!" she hissed. "I'll have sex with you, but that's it. And only after I talk to Mr. Reyes."
I continued to my feet and took a step away before she bolted to her feet and grabbed at my elbow.
"What! What else do you want?"
