Page 24 of Strictly Business
“Of course,” I say, sitting back down.
Wyatt stands up and walks around the back of my chair.
“You should have an email from me,” he says.
I open my laptop back up again and go to my email account’s inbox and scroll down, and I see the new email from Wyatt. I click it open, and Wyatt leans forward and points to my screen. As he leans in, his chest brushes my shoulder and I get a whiff of his aftershave and simultaneously, my pussy dampens and my cheeks flush. I try to ignore both and focus on what Wyatt is telling me instead of what my body is telling me.
“So that’s what I need from you by the end of next week,” he says. “Just the priority order has changed. What was number four,” – he points again, and I get another whiff of his delicious scent – “is now taking the number one spot. After number four is done, just start from the original number one and work down.”
“OK, got it,” I say.
“Great, thanks Serena,” he says. “Right, I gotta run. See you later ladies.”
We both say our goodbyes and Wyatt leaves the room.
“Well, I see you’ve been officially initiated into the company now then,” Ruth says with a grin.
I don’t get her angle, but I don’t believe for a second that she is trying to make nice or that she’s just making conversation with me. I will play along though and see where she’s going with this.
“Yeah. My first full marketing campaign,” I say. “And an acceptable pitch delivered.”
“That’s not what I mean,” Ruth says, watching me with calculating eyes.
“Then you’ve lost me,” I say, and I actually mean it. I have no idea what she’s getting at.
“Oh, come on Serena, we’re both women of the world, and we know how these things work. Wyatt likes fresh meat, and the new associates are always – how should I put this? – eager to please him,” Ruth says. “They never say no to him. Just like you didn’t.”
I think about telling Ruth she’s way off, but I know she can see the truth on my face, especially the way I blushed when Wyatt touched my shoulder. I could tell her that I find that line of questioning unprofessional and inappropriate, but that’s just another way of admitting it. Instead, I decide to turn the tables on her. Maybe that’s why she seems to hate me so much because she had sex with Wyatt when she started here and expected more and didn’t get it and now, every time he sleeps with an associate, she’s a dick to them. It certainly feels like that would be her style.
“And what about you? How eager were you to please Wyatt when you first started working here?” I ask.
“I’m not an associate,” Ruth points out.
“No, but your whole job is literally about keeping Wyatt happy,” I say.
“Well, yes, I suppose it is. And as you might have seen, I’m very, very good at it,” Ruth says.
She stands up as she talks and then she gives me another of those icy cold smiles and she leaves the conference room, leaving me sitting alone at the table. I sigh and close my laptop again, but I don’t make a move just yet. I’m sitting thinking about Wyatt and how I’m just another notch on his bed post. I should probably be angry with him but how can I be when it was me who seduced him? Wait. That’s right. I seduced him, not the other way around. If anything, he was reluctant to cross that line.
I smile. I think I have just discovered Ruth’s problem with me and her weak spot. She is in love with Wyatt. She must have read our body language right and worked out we’d fucked. And she had decided to try and throw a wrench into the works by making me mad with Wyatt so that it would be us over with.
Oh Ruth, if that’s the game you want to play, bring it on, but I guarantee you will lose.
I’m whistling to myself when I leave the conference room and head back to my office to work my way through Wyatt’s list of tasks for me to complete.
CHAPTER18
Wyatt
Iwalk past the front door, not bothering with it, and go around to the side gate. If I knocked on the front door, chances are Craig wouldn’t have heard me anyway and even if he had it would have been a nuisance someone having to come and open the door for me when everyone is in the back garden. This way makes it easier for everyone.
“Hi,” I call as I come around the corner of the house into the garden.
“Alright, Wyatt’s here,” Craig says from his spot in front of the barbecue. He’s holding a pair of tongs in one hand and a can of beer in the other and he looks like he’s in his element. I smile at him and hold a hand up in greeting.
The smell of cooking meat fills the air making me feel hungry all of a sudden. I look around and spot Craig’s parents, Norman and Sandra, both of whom wave hello at me. I wave back at them. The garden is pretty full of people, most of whom I recognize, some of whom are good friends and then there are the odd few I don’t know. Of course, I spot Serena a mile off. I think that would be the case wherever we were and however many other people were there.
She’s wearing a pair of denim short shorts and a white vest top, her hair pinned back with a clip. She steps out of the kitchen door with a glass of wine in one hand and a can of beer in the other. She crosses the garden and hands the can of beer to Martin. I feel kind of uncomfortable seeing Serena here with her family, but what can I do? I can’t just turn down invites to my best friend’s events for the rest of my life. These guys are Serena’s family, but they are also like family to me too. I remind myself that Serena is a consenting adult and what we did wasn’t wrong, but it’s kind of hard to think of it as ok here. I would feel pretty betrayed if it was the other way around and I would probably think of times when we’ve been together like this and be annoyed that they could even look me in the eye.