Business or Pleasure?

"Collin Halloran, you have no idea how sexy you are, do you?"

"I don't think of myself that way."

"I know. That's one of the things that makes you sexy... you don't think about it, and you're not stuck on yourself," she said. "Let's see, you're handsome," she counted off on her fingers. "Just enough gray to make you distinguished. You take care of yourself. You're confident and self-assured. You're in charge. You make a habit of treating everyone well... what else?" she seemed to consider it for a moment. "Oh, yes, and you're rich. What else could a girl want? Women are sending you signs that they're available to you all the time, and you're oblivious. It's so cute."

"Women are not sending me signs, clearly, that I would notice."

Deni laughed. "Oh, you are so funny. You are out of practice, dear. You didn't notice today that woman who works in the marketing department... what was her name?" Deni made a show of trying to remember, with a huge grin on her face. "Lindsay, I think. The art director? It could have been her here in bed with you tonight instead of me, if you had wanted. She was literally throwing herself at you at lunch."

I was honestly shocked. I knew that Lindsay liked me, and she had made a point of sitting next to me at lunch, but throwing herself at me?

"She's young enough to be my daughter, for Pete's sake."

Deni laughed out loud at that one.

"So am I, love, or hadn't you noticed?," she grinned at me. "But if age is your hang-up, there's always your friend Judith from the Children's Fund. If looks could kill, I'd be a goner."

With that, Deni climbed on top of me, pressing our bodies together, and giving me a long, deep kiss, then started kissing my neck, and working her way down my body. By the time she took my cock in her mouth, I was already hard.

She stopped for a minute and looked up at me.

"I love doing this... it is so intimate, and turns me on so."

"Ash..." I said, as she took me deep into her mouth again. "Turns me on too."

After a couple of minutes of mind-blowing oral sex, Deni climbed back up beside me and we lay on our sides, facing each other, touching and kissing each other. Her face had little trails of moisture on it from my cock, and she was perspiring a little at her hairline. She smelled like sex and sweat, and like me, with hints of red wine and maybe a little garlic from the Caesar salad she had at dinner. She threw her leg up over my hip, and reached down and pulled my cock to the very wet entrance to her pussy. I pushed, and was able to enter her in a single stoke, she was so wet from our last coupling.

We lay there facing each other, never breaking eye contact, and slowly made love with none of the crazed urgency of the first time, taking time try to maximize our partner's pleasure. I bent over at one point, and sucked a still erect nipple into my mouth while my hand played with her ass and pussy in a way that I knew was making her clit move against my pelvic bone. For the most part I tried to stay as deep inside her as I could, moving only the minimum. For her part, Deni was building quickly to a climax, both arms around my neck now, her hip moving constantly now against me, her motion becoming more irregular and more frantic.

She came with a loud moan, her arms pulling me so tightly that I could barely breathe. I returned the favor almost at once, picking up my pace as she was still coming, working into my own little frenzy holding her tight.

We lay like that for a long time, fully sated, pleasurably exhausted, kissing and just holding each other, neither of us wanting this moment to end. Eventually, I fell asleep, and woke a short time later to the sounds of the shower running, and Deni, utterly natural and open in her nakedness, came out to see if I would join her.

I stay at this hotel when I'm in Dallas in part because the bathrooms in the suites have enormous shower stalls and big Jacuzzi tubs. While Deni stepped into the shower, I started the water to fill the Jacuzzi, and joined her.

At another time, showering with Deni, standing behind her and soaping her breasts, running my hands all over her magnificent body would be an incredible turn on, but now, after making love twice inside two hours, I was too spent to be aroused by it. But was still an incredibly sensual and intimate act and I felt like I should pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming it. As soon as the Jacuzzi was full, we transferred there, and sat in the frothing hot water holding each other and just being together. I don't know where Deni's thoughts took her, but I just let go of all my concerns and worries, about my work, and my boys and even about Amy, and lived in the moment until the water began to cool.

Chapter Six

Deni and I made it back to our home airport by about 5 p.m. on Friday, after a morning of detail meetings about the PR aspects of the project and another meeting about Karen and what we had learned about her. So far, this project was going very smoothly, and it was exciting to be working with Deni on this, as she really knew her stuff.

On the plane, we talked mostly about work, but enjoyed a couple of nice private moments as well when she held my hand, and put her head on my shoulder. I was still acutely aware of the difference in our ages and was slightly self-conscious during those moments, wondering what the first class cabin attendant must have thought, or what the couple across the aisle was thinking. For her part, Deni seemed unaffected by our age difference, and I tried to put it out of my mind.

In the arrivals terminal, Deni mentioned something about calling a cab.

"Don't be silly. I'll take you."

"I don't want to trouble you."

"It's no trouble. In fact, why don't you come to my place? I have to get Max before the kennel closes, and we could grab some takeout and spend the evening at my house."

"How do I know you're not going to try to take advantage of me?" Deni asked, with that twinkle back in her eyes.

"Rest assured, I will take advantage of you to the greatest extent you will allow."

"In that case," she said with a little laugh. "I definitely accept."

Max was happy to see me, of course, but seemed happier to meet Deni again and needed no coaxing to jump in the backseat of my car for the ride home, as it meant he could stick his head up between the front seats and use his nose to figure out who this creature was. Deni was appropriately silly with him, and when we got to my place, Max leaped out of the car and ran to the back door and barked at it until I let him in. Inside he inspected every corner of every room to reassure himself that all was as he had left it on Wednesday.

"Welcome to my home," I said to Deni, as I held the door for her after Max raced in.

"Collin, it's beautiful."

"It's home."

We entered into a small vestibule that was off the kitchen, dining area and family room, which was where I spent most of my time at home. Amy and I had added these rooms to the house shortly after Tommy was born, and together they were nearly as big as the rest of the downstairs. My boys grew up in these rooms, and they were full of memories. Most of the memories had Amy at their center, for in these rooms Amy was the boss, marshalling homework and school projects; dinners and lunches; snacks in front of the television in the evening, and weekends at home. It felt very odd for me to see them in this new context, with Deni setting her purse down on the counter just where Amy always did, then walking around the space, looking at the photos on the wall, admiring our little collection of authentic Pueblo Indian pottery.

"No, Collin, I mean this is really beautiful," she said, stressing the "really." "I just love this kitchen - it's so big! I'm not sure I've ever been in one like it. And this room..." she waved her hand at the expanse of the family room, "it is grand - it's the only word for it. I love these exposed beams."

Our addition was designed with post-and-beam construction, or what some people call timber frame. It allowed for large open areas. The fir beams were finished in a natural stain and varnish which had mellowed over time to a beautiful shade of amber. On the gable end of the room there was a massive field stone fireplace, and all around the outside were windows that exposed an expanse of lawn leading up to a dense woods. I loved this space, and it warmed my heart to hear Deni admiring it.

The evening had a late spring chill to it, so I picked up the remote control and flicked on the gas fireplace, which added another dimension to what I had to admit was a lovely atmosphere.

Deni walked up to me and put her arms around my neck and kissed me briefly.

"Do you mind if I go change?"

"No, of course, the bathroom is just over there, or you can use my room up the stairs to the left."

Deni grabbed her overnight bag and made her way to the downstairs bathroom and emerged a couple of minutes later in form-fitting skinny jeans and a pullover sweater. I had just enough time to put out two plates and a couple of wineglasses, when she was back to me, arms back around my neck kissing me for real this time.

"Mmmm... I've wanted to do this all day," she said, leaning back with her arms still around my neck. She studied my face for a few seconds.

I slid my hand down her back and pulled her into me as we kissed some more. At that moment, Max returned from his house inspection tour and made a beeline for me and Deni, barking somewhat menacingly at Deni, and trying to insinuate himself between us.

"Oh, I should have mentioned, Max has a jealous streak," I told Deni. "He likes you just fine, but it will take a while for him to get used to the idea of sharing me with someone else."

She kneeled down by Max and tousled the long hair on his ears and head and gave him a little kiss on the top of his head. "It's alright, Max. We can share. We'll get along just fine."

Max wagged happily and followed Deni's lead as she pointed to the family room and said "Go lay down." She must have been some kind of dog whisperer, because he did as he was told with no further coaxing. Lord knows he never did that for me.

"Now where were we?" she said, putting her arms back around my neck. "Oh, yes, I remember"

Deni drew me into a long, luxurious kiss, pressing her body against mine as I leaned on the kitchen counter. I allowed my hands to slide down to her hips, which I used to pull her still closer, so that my hardness was pressed into her belly, just above her pubis.

When we came up for air, I nodded at the bag I had set on the counter, with containers of Moo Shu Pork, Lo Mein, Szechuan Beef and Fried Rice that we had picked up on the way home. "Our food is getting cold, and I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

"Are you starving, really?" she teased, "Let's see if I can distract you."

Deni kissed me again, as she deftly unzipped my pants, unbuckled my belt and slid my pants and boxers down over my hips. Dropping to her knees, she kissed the top of my cock and licked it all the way from its base up to the tip, where she took the tip in her mouth , running her tongue all around the tip multiple times.

"Or would you rather eat?" She was still smiling as she took me back into her mouth and literally swallowed me whole.

"God Deni, you are so good at that," I whispered, as my neurons were overwhelmed with sensation. Throughout the long day together, my mind had never been too far away from thinking about sex with her, and now she was driving me crazy.

She kept teasing me, bringing me right to the edge, then backing off, over and over or what seemed like an hour, but was maybe 10 minutes. As she did that, she worked my shoes off, and somehow we were able to get my pants and boxers completely off. That done, she started kissing her way up my belly, unbuttoning my shirt as she went, eventually sliding it over my shoulders, and down over my arms, pausing for just a minute as she unbuttoned my cuffs, and then I was naked. We kissed some more, and I pulled her sweater up over her head and off her arms, then kissed her some more as I fumbled with her bra. Finally, it was gone, and I pulled her to me again and just enjoyed the sensation of her breasts against my chest for a few minutes, holding her fiercely. Then I unclasped the front of her jeans, and struggled getting them over her hips so she could step out of them. I held her away from me for a minute and took in the sight of her standing there naked but for her thong panties and I knew I had to have her right now.

I stepped around her and pushed on her back so she leaned over the kitchen counter. She gave a little cry of surprise as her breasts came into contact with the cold granite, but it changed to a low moan as I began to kiss her ass as I worked my way down to her pussy. I licked the area on either side of the thong, which barely contained her labia, before working my tongue in and under the fabric, earning a couple of sharp intakes of breath on her part. I grabbed the thin strap of fabric at the top and yanked them down, then literally buried my face in her pussy, licking and nibbling and just grinding into it sending her into state of arousal like I hadn't seen from her before. My face was soaked with her juices and when I finally found her clitoris, she exploded, clamping her legs around my head like a vise as she stood there trembling and twitching as the orgasm rolled over her.

As soon as her legs allowed me to, I stood and entered her in one stroke, grabbing her hips and pounding into her relentlessly. I had forgotten about her pleasure, or even her comfort in my passion and I just slammed my cock into her over and over. But she must have liked it, because as I neared my climax, she began approaching a second orgasm, without ever completely coming down from the first. We climaxed together, and I collapsed over her back without pulling out of her. We stayed that way for just a minute, and I stood up and withdrew from her and sat on a nearby stool while my breathing returned to normal. Deni stood between my legs and we kissed again, as Deni's hand dropped down to my still hard and now insanely sensitive cock and played with the tip between her thumb and forefinger until I had to tell her to stop. It was just too sensitive.

"Wow...I wondered if you were always a gentle lover," she said, kissing me again. "I'm glad to learn that there's a little animal in you."

"I'm sorry if I was too rough."

"Oh, don't be sorry. I'm not." Deni was positively glowing, her dark skin shining with just the lightest sheen of sweat, heightened by the blush of blood flow to her face. "So, now I'm starving." She grabbed the bag of food in one hand and the wine glasses in the other and ordered me to grab a bottle of wine. I detoured a couple of steps to the laundry room and grabbed a towel as well and found Deni seated in the middle of one of the leather sofas in front of the fireplace. She motioned me to a seat at the end of the sofa, and then arranged my legs so that she could sit between them and lean back against my chest. She took the towel and dried off a little then tossed it to the other end of the sofa.

"Your job is to open the wine and pour us some," she said, "Not play with my boobs."

"But this is so much fun. "

"Later. Wine and food now."

She took out one of the paper cartons of Chinese food and opened it to discover it was Szechuan beef. She grabbed a pair of chopsticks out of the bag and deftly captured a piece of the beef and raised it up and fed it to me. I was struggling with the wine and a corkscrew, but eventually got it open and poured a glass and handed it to her for sip, then took one myself. We ate and drank this way, naked and nestled together on the sofa for a good half hour till all of the beef, most of the Moo Shu and Lo Mein and even some of the fried rice were gone. Deni dropped a couple of pieces, but no worry - Max had relocated once he realized we were eating and happily slurped up whatever we dropped. She dribbled some sauce on her breasts as well, but I was able to lean over and take care of that myself. The room was warm with the fireplace running, just perfect, really for two naked people

"So this is definitely the best dinner I've had in ages," she said.

"Being fed your dinner on chopsticks by a naked black woman is underrated, for sure."

"There is a service charge, you know."

"Really? Whatever it is, it's worth it."

"Mmmm... You're paying up, I see."

I had begun massaging her shoulders as she had leaned forward to put the remainder of our dinners on the coffee table.

"Just a little lower.. Oh.. right there. Mmm.." Deni put her arms around her knees and pulled herself into a tight V so that I would have access to her whole back. I rubbed and kneaded and massaged as best I could in the circumstances. I occasionally slid my hands around her so I could squeeze her breasts as well and she never objected. I could see Deni's face in profile, and she looked content and happy with a little smile and her eyes closed as she rested her head on her knees.

"Being massaged by a naked white man is underrated as well."

Eventually she uncoiled and half turned so she could kiss me. I pulled an afghan off the back of the sofa and threw it over us and put my arms around her and held her tight - safe and warm and intimate in our little cocoon.

We talked well into the night, lying there on the sofa naked under the afghan. Deni told me about her family, about her worries about her mother's health, about her father's pride in her achievements, then his acute embarrassment when she was fired.

"I think my father had bragged about me so much that he didn't know how to explain things to his friends when I wasn't there anymore. I feel like I let him down."

"You didn't let him down. You can't keep beating yourself up for what happened to you. You were a victim of an unscrupulous man. End of story."

"I know that up here," she said tapping her forehead with a finger. "But here in my heart, I'm never sure. I keep going over it in my head, trying to make it come out differently. If I had been more clever, I feel like I could have avoided it."

"Deni, what you just described is a symptom of post-traumatic stress. Every time you do that, you need to remind yourself that you're not to blame for his behavior. What I take away from your story is that you persevered - you could have become just what you fear - a woman whose success was based on using her sexuality. But you were stronger than him. You have succeeded without trading on sex, and people who know you admire you for it."

"Thank you. That's a very nice thing to say. Yet here I am, sleeping with the boss.." She said that in such a way that I couldn't tell if she was being serious, or ironic, or just trying to be funny, but she had a very serious look on her face. I felt a little bit like I was in a mine field, any way I stepped could blow up on me. So I charted what I hoped was a safe path.

"Two big differences. One, I wasn't your boss when this started and; two, there's no coercion. You can stop anytime you like and your job isn't at risk." I put my hand under her chin so she needed to look at me. "Look, Deni, this is messy, for sure. But life is messy. We can't help being attracted to each other. That just is. There's a million and one reasons we shouldn't be doing this and none of them mean a goddamn thing to me right now. Right now all that matters is you."

She climbed up a little, so she could put her arms around my neck and looked at me with that serious look on her face, then slowly it melted into the smallest of smiles.

"The danger of sleeping with an articulate man is that he always knows exactly the right thing to say," she said, and kissed me and held me tight.