The Project

"I'm very pleased to announce the project came in on-time and under budget," he stated. The project team cheered but that was probably more due to the alcohol than any particular love of budgets. Then a DJ took over from the CEO and the party really started.

Julia mingled with the Gensoft employees. She was glad that the project was finished, but also a bit sad that it was over. She had got to know the rest of the team quite well. When she wasn't chasing them down for status updates they were generally a good bunch of people.

Steven appeared at her side, holding her drink. He looked good in jeans and a smart black shirt. Smiling, she took the drink from him. "You know," she said softly, "as at this moment I am no longer a Gensoft employee. Do you know what that means?"

He looked somewhat confused. "No, what does it mean?"

"It means I can now do this in front of your colleagues." She pulled his head down and kissed him. At first, no-one noticed. But then he wrapped his arms around her and deepened the kiss. She heard a couple of wolf-whistles and the conversation around them stopped. When they finally broke apart Steven grinned at all the astonished expressions.

One of the other developers approached Julia. "Hey, I logged more hours on the project than Steven. Do I get a kiss too?" he teased.

"Get lost Richard, she's mine," Steven growled good-naturedly.

The only person who didn't seem surprised was Derek. When Julia talked with him later in the evening she asked how long he had known. "Oh, you were very discreet," he reassured her. "But when he stopped following you around like a lost puppy and started looking so damn happy all the time I figured something must have changed."

"Oh," was all she could manage in reply.

"I'm happy for you both," Derek added. "Don't be a stranger now, we expect to see you at the company Christmas party if not earlier."

Julia smiled and gave him a friendly hug. Then she went to find her boyfriend. She suspected she's find him engrossed in conversation with the other developers about his modeling software again. They were just starting user-acceptance testing of the beta version and everyone was really excited about it.

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The moving van arrived at Julia's house late the next morning. She and Steven watched as the men moved everything he owned into her house. The desk went in the spare bedroom, which was to be his new study. They'd had to compromise on some things, since it wasn't possible to fit everything in one house. And Julia did compromise, a fact which she was rather proud of. Surprisingly enough it had been the easiest decision in the world to ask Steven to move in with her.

Steven unwrapped his antique side-table and placed it beside the marble-topped console table. "See, they do look very good together," he observed.

Julia grinned. "Ah, so you discovered the real reason I asked you to move in. So I could have your table," she teased him.

"And my cat," he added with a grin. Sasha was walking around sniffing the furniture with feline disdain and acting like she owned the place already.

Julia watched her get comfortable on the couch. The process consisted of turning around several times and giving it a tentative scratch. Julia winced. The couch was going to need a protective covering. "Poor Sasha," she commented. "She's only going to have a week to get used to her new home before we leave for Indonesia".

"She'll be fine in the cattery for a couple of weeks," Steven reassured her. He picked up one of his boxes and took it into the bedroom. "I'm going to need a bit more space in the wardrobe," he called out.

Julia pouted. "I already gave you a whole quarter," she complained. He appeared in the doorway and just stared at her reproachfully. "Alright, I'll clear out a bit more," she relented. "But a third is as high as I'm willing to go".

She followed him into the bedroom and started pulling clothes out of the wardrobe. "How about you help me decide what to give away, and what to keep?" she suggested.

"I could do that," he said amicably. "But you'll have to model them for me. Starting with this" Steven held up something which looked like a scrap of pink satin trimmed with fake fur.

"Oh god," Julia said in embarrassment, snatching it out of his hands. "Where did you find this?"

Steven just laughed and put his arms around her affectionately. "I love you." He kissed her on the forehead

It wasn't the first time he'd said those words but they still made Julia feel weak at the knees. "I love you too," she replied. Then she whacked him on the backside with her satin panties. "Now, get your clothes off the bed," she ordered.

"Why?" Steven asked mildly.

"So they won't get creased when I have my wicked way with you, of course." She smiled at him and started undoing the buttons of her shirt seductively.

Steven responded with a startled grin and swept all his clothes onto the floor. He jumped onto the bed and held his arms out for her. "Ready when you are," he declared.