A Long Time Apart

The first victim was the young pup. Jake grilled the boy relentlessly and when he realized he had no choice but to hire him for the company he was annoyed. Another under achiever was not what he wanted in his office. The way the young man talked to him was like they were best friends from the "Old Neighborhood". That pissed him off so he got a cruel smile as he came up with his fate. He decided to give him to Lionel Richards for destruction. Lionel had a reputation as a meat grinder for new people, and that thought made him smile all the wider.

The next interview went a lot better as he saw the man had talent, but it needed to be focused. He saw Tyrone had a genuine want to be a productive member of the team in his eyes and body language. After hearing his eagerness shine, Jake decided to hire him and pair him up with another of his heavies; Myra Jacobson. She was a killer with a no nonsense regime of doing things. Jake knew she would make him a good member of the staff, plus it didn't hurt she was single and he seemed like a possible match for her. He didn't mind office relationships as long as it didn't affect the job performance. If it got to become too much drama he'd fire both people as he had done a few times.

After Tyrone left, Jake sat back in his chair for a while as he looked at the last file. So far two down and now came the one he actually wanted to do. He knew Adele Simmons was outside his office. A part of him wondered if she remembered him or if she even knew he was the Executive Officer here. Thinking it was time to find out, Jake indicated on the intercom for his secretary to let her in. As the door opened he turned the chair around to look out the window as she walked in.

Adele was not so nervous of the interview. She knew the manager of the office here was a harsh man, but fair from what she heard. She walked into the office wearing a navy pin stripe suit with a matching pair of heels. Her legs were in matching stockings since it was very cool today. As she came up to the desk the man sitting in it was turned away from her. She came up and as she was about to speak he started the conversation.

"It's been forever and a day Adele." Jake said as he slowly turned around. Adele's eyes lit up as she saw Jake Ross sitting in the chair! She couldn't believe that Jake, the small fry with huge ambition, had made it to the top at last!

"Oh my God, Jake! How the hell have you been?" She said smiling as he got out of the chair and came to her. They shared a hug and a cheek kiss and he looked at her. Damn she had gotten hot. She smelled so nice it was amazing. A quick glance and Jake saw she had grown out her hair. It was barely past her ears then and now it was way down past her shoulders. He took in the sight of her and she was stunning.

Adele saw Jake for the first time in almost three years and she was impressed. He filled out his suit nicely, which indicated he was in way better shape than he was all those years ago. The look in his eyes indicated his more serious nature today, probably a necessity for doing the job he did. She noted his office was simple yet efficient. It had a treadmill and a weight set on the side along with a pull up bar and a fridge next to it. She saw his table on the other side of the room showed nine chairs for people to sit at for meetings and his own desk was a large simple wooden one with a computer and a simple high backed chair. He was obviously doing very well indeed to be where he was.

His top floor office had a nice bird's eye view of the great city below and the bay in the distance. Obviously he had a great time in his office if he felt like doing nothing. She smiled and noted he politely took her chair for her. She sat down and crossed her legs very lady like. He walked back to his desk and sat on the edge of it, very informally.

"So I don't have to say anything other than, yes you're hired," he said with a grin.

She laughed at the speed of the hiring process and asked him, "I don't need to show you my qualifications?"

"We worked together and I remember that you give your all in everything that you do, so I don't need to be reminded of how good you are Adele. I think you may be up for a position available if you prove yourself." He said smiling.

"Of course Mr. Ross. What is the position if I may ask?" She asked professionally.

"Head of the Legal Department, I know that most of my guys are good at their jobs, but most aren't the leader quality. They are hungry go-getters that want to make a name for themselves making deals, not doing the end result work." He explained.

The Head of the Legal Department wasn't an easy position since in most cases you got to become the scapegoat if things went south. It was a serious job, as that person was the one that was taken up if things went bad. She knew that she could do it, but she didn't want to leap frog people if they were already lined up for it.

"But enough of this, it's lunch time. Shall we continue at lunch or do you have other plans?" He asked.

"Lunch is perfect Mr. Ross," she said smiling.

Jake held out his hand for her and she took it, then he led her out of his office and informed his secretary he was going to lunch and would be back at two. Jake escorted Adele down the elevator to his car. She laughed as she saw it. It was the same one as before. She and Jake had driven to many functions in the car and she couldn't hide the chuckle at seeing it still.

"Still have her huh?" She asked.

"Yeah, she is the only thing that hasn't let me down." He said solemnly.

Adele sighed at that. She knew his life before had been very painful. A quick trip into a memory of him coming to work nearly in tears reminded her of the torture he went through during his divorce and the after effects. At times she wished she could have helped him then since he needed someone to just let him know it was going to be all right. In a moment of compassion she patted his shoulder. He turned to see her and she noted the pain in his eyes. It wasn't obvious, but deep down under the surface it was there. She knew he was hiding his pain well and didn't push the issue.

They drove to a very classy bistro in the city and she was blown away at the freshness of the food. New York had its sterling reputation for being the best in the USA for food, but she was simply taken by the here and now freshness of the city. Adele had a very delicious salad with fresh greens and a light strawberry vinaigrette. A casual glance at Jake saw that he was enjoying a lobster roll sandwich and it looked delicious as well. They ate leisurely and joked of old times. She was shocked to learn his ex had died, a fact she hadn't heard. As he went on he told her of when the lawyer, Lauren, he had shacked up with had wanted him to take the baby they had. He told her he wouldn't touch it as it was not his and likely not even the lawyers. Adele laughed at that and let it go. She was pregnant once, but had a miscarriage at eleven weeks. That was a miserable time for her as her fiancé left her for that. Feeling it was her turn she told him of her recent break up and he chuckled. Deciding to one up her he told her of his life with the girls.

Adele was stunned at what he told her. She couldn't believe that he had two young women under his thumb and they still left him. He smiled to prove her wrong, he showed her the baby pictures and there was no doubt that they were his. The reason they gave him as to why they left upset her.

"You should get those kids back and raise them yourself!" She said angrily.

"How can I? They won't let me see them. Plus, if I tried they would get the ACLU and GLAAD lawyers down on me for discrimination. Let them have each other!" He spat out.

Jake was angry at them for leaving him like that, but he was more depressed that he had children and wasn't allowed to see them at all. He looked up from his food suddenly not hungry and saw Adele was looking at him with a pained expression. They shared a long soul touching look, but said nothing else. They finished their lunch and he decided to drive her around the town. She was in awe of the architecture of the city as well as the winding roads and hills of it. Adele saw the famous Lombard Street that turned eight times going downhill and watching him control his car, showing he was as precise as always. Jake thought about the good time he was having and then decided to have fun today. He called the office and told them he was out for the day. Adele looked at him curiously as he drove her out of the city and to the edge of the hills overlooking it. They drove to a point overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and he stopped the car. Jake got out and motioned her to join him.

Walking out he stood on the edge of the bluff and breathed in the air. It was clean and had a hint of sea salt to it. She smelled it and realized why he came here. Jake had called her a friend before and it was time they shared a friend moment for the first time in years. Looking down he saw a sight she should see, so he pointed to the bridge. Looking down at where he was pointing, she watched amazed as a Navy warship sailed beneath it. Jake stood motionless watching until the breeze picked up and finally turned to face her.

"It's really good to see you again Adele. I missed you a lot believe it or not." He said softly.

Adele smiled and walked to him. She gave him the hug she knew he needed for a long time. They were good friends then, and hopefully they could still be now. She noticed he hugged her tight and didn't want to let her go. She shook her head softly registering the pain she felt in his body and put his head on her shoulder. She knew he needed this in the worst way possible. The feeling of a good friend just to let him know it was not so bad and he could move on was what she gave him. After a few minutes she patted his arms and he let her go. She didn't realize it, but she enjoyed the feeling of him against her. It was unconscious at first, but her nipples had hardened when he held her. She brushed it off as nothing as they sat on the hood of his car and watched the shore as the seals played in the water. They sat for a few minutes in silence then she looked at him.

"What are we doing here if you don't mind me asking?" She asked somewhat confused by it.

"I took the day off and figured to show you the town. This is just a relaxing method for me. I get so bored at my house so I figured to come here and take in a sight. Hope you don't mind me being weird." He explained.

"It's not weird...just unexpected. Thanks for showing me this, Jake, it's really pretty," she said smiling. Jake nodded his head.

They sat there for a few minutes then he decided to go over business with her. They talked about what she wanted to do with her time there and it was a good conversation. She just wanted to get away from New York and her ex. She also had an ulterior motive for leaving.

"Mr. Blackley's son would not leave me alone. He was stuck on me and every time I'd go somewhere he'd show up. It was creepy," she said.

Jake knew full well of the man she spoke of. The man was a creep of the highest order and a borderline sociopath. Jake remembered him from time spent at company parties and he wanted to shoot him. Darrel Blackley was a very handsome man. At six feet two and a cut figure he could make many women stare at him. But deep down he was a little spoiled brat trapped in a man's body. A relieved smile came across Jake's face that she now had a country's worth of distance between them. He got off the hood of his car and offered her his hand. Jake helped her off the hood and opened the door for her. Adele smiled at the gentleman he was being and as he shut the door she gave him a wink. He's still a nice guy after all, she thought to herself.

They drove through the city for a while until she decided to call it a night. Jake drove her to her hotel after stopping off at a cafe so she could grab dinner. They got takeout and when she got to the hotel he handed her a card with his personal cell on the back. Smiling she took it and as the doorman opened the car door she leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"It's great to see you again Jake. I'll see you at the office tomorrow." She said smiling brightly.

"Can't wait," Jake said back with an eager smile on his face.

Jake drove home after making sure she was safely in her hotel. He inhaled the scent of her perfume that lingered in his car and smiled, she was still just as amazing as before. They had a good chemistry back in the day and he hoped they could make it work here. Jake went home and made his dinner. He sat back with his shrimp and scallops as he thought of the upcoming work day. Deep in his mind Jake hoped he could make the company work better now with her there. They had made some huge deals in the past and he only hoped she and him could find that spark and make a fortune in the process.

A deeper feeling for him was he also secretly hoped they could rekindle their friendship as he treasured the times spent at bars going over numbers and the laughs they shared. Jake smiled as he thought of her as she would be tipsy and leaning on him laughing as he dragged her to her doorstep. There was a time they almost kissed, but he wasn't ready for it and did nothing. He kicked himself silently for being a fool, but he hoped to make their time better now. Watching the ball game on TV, he ate his dinner while he thought of the day. It was a good day and he wanted to make more of them, but he felt insecure at the moment. Jake gulped his wine, finished his dinner, and went to bed. Tonight the smile on his face was a genuine one.

******

Adele sat in her hotel and smiled brightly as she knew that Jake was still a nice guy. As much as he tried to be a tough, mean executive he was still a sweetie at heart. She remembered when he stood up for her when a supervisor had gotten into her face for missing a document from her laptop for a conference. Jake had not only ran back to her office ten floors down to get her laptop, but when he came back he tore into the man for being unprofessional. To make it more memorable after he got his deal closed, he had the man fired for ethics violations. Adele's mind also wandered back to their near kiss.

They had celebrated a great deal that she had closed in record time. Jake had set it up and she used a simple legal maneuver to make the deal not only stick, but made it beneficial for both sides. Not only would her company make their profits from owning a car parts manufacturing center, but the center itself would keep its doors open and fully staffed. They drank a lot and both knew they couldn't drive. He got them a cab and they giggled in the back as she flopped on his shoulder. They cuddled in the cold back seat of the cab. She enjoyed the feel of his body against hers in the cab. When they arrived he led her to her apartment and she gave him that sweet longing look. Her big brown eyes peered into his light blue ones and they shared a long moment. He leaned in, hugged her and said good night to her. She was frustrated that night since she would happily have gone to bed with him. Adele didn't realize that at the time he was still hurting over his ex-wife's betrayal and that was why they didn't have a chance.

As she sat back and kicked off her shoes she smiled, maybe this time they could make something work. She stripped and bathed. Thinking as she lounged in the tub, but for some reason her fingers would not stop twisting her nipples. Her thick dark nipples stood out against her dark skin. Adele's fingers found the buds and tweaked them softly making a slow gasp escape her lips. Her head lolled back as she felt the pleasant sensation wash through her.

Adele tweaked her stiff nipples harder and whimpered as they sent a jolt to her slit. Her finger slipped down her body and found her clit. Without thinking she stroked it softly making a moan escape her lips and before long her moans became gasps. Her slow strokes became faster twists and deeper rubs. Her legs tensed up as she felt a jolt rush through her body. Adele came softly and a pleasant feeling settled in her belly. She hoped indeed they could make something more happen. As she dried off and got into her pajamas the thought of the hug they shared today came to her mind. She curled into the pillow and her own smile was a happy one. She still could smell his cologne and that thought sent her mind into a happy slumber.

******* The next three weeks were simple for the both of them. They worked and made sure to keep each other in the others thoughts. He sent her a bouquet of flowers as a welcoming present. She sent him a bottle of good wine. Adele made a splash in the office as she negotiated a settlement between the company and a smaller firm they had purchased. She kept the employees in their positions and negotiated a pay raise for a better price of goods. Jake was stunned at how easily she made the process go. It was a simple matter for him to appoint her as the new Legal Head a few days later. The current one was more than happy to step down. Not much of that happiness was left when four others and himself were released for poor performance. She was every bit a butcher when it came to people's performance than Jake was. She, in less than a week, turned the offices policies upside down and made things flow smoother. Again Jake was very impressed.

Adele had just secured a small respite after setting the workload evenly amongst her people. She went to Jake's office to find him in gym clothes and hard at work on his pull up bar. She took a moment to watch as he did his pull-ups and saw how his body had changed radically over the years. She remembered he was pudgy around the waist and his chest had sagged a bit. But she also remembered he was in a massive bout of depression at the time. The man before her was not the same person she knew then. She saw a built man with a good cut. His arms were not bulging, but she was able to see the trained muscles in them. His chest was decently thick and his legs showed their tone. She watched as he did about twenty or so pull-ups then dismounted the bar. He grabbed a towel then turned to see her standing there.

"That was impressive," she said staring intently at his body.

"Thanks." He said back drying his face. He didn't notice the lick of her lips she did as he had the towel over his eyes. Had he had seen he would have known then and there she still had thoughts for him.

"I have the Hakoto account finalized and on its way to Tokyo for review. And Global Paper wants a status on their new purchase of the Oregon Mill." She said duly.

Jake nodded his head and walked to her to see the papers she had. As he approached her the smell of lavender flooded his nose. He took the papers and began to read them. While he was reading the reports, out of the corner of his eye he noticed she was staring at him. Slowly Jake smiled a sly smirk as he read the file with his head slightly low so she couldn't see him. He looked up to see her walk away from him. He was puzzled as she walked to his desk and sat on the edge crossing her legs demurely. He noticed the knee boots she was wearing. They were black with three gold buckles on the sides with a decent heel. Her legs looked silky smooth under the black skirt she wore. Her crisp white blouse strained against her very ample bust and the sight of her in total made his lips suddenly get wet. The way she leaned back on his desk made his breath catch.

"So why is it you always sit here in your office when you have a whole world out there to see?" She asked noting that during the time she spent in the office he was always there late and never socialized with anyone.

"I go places," he replied somewhat defensively.

"Yeah, home and to the restaurants. Jeez Jake what happened to that fun guy I knew back then?" She said in lament.