A Long Wait

Nothing further was said about their past relationship, but it seemed to hang there between them; it was like a ghost in a haunted house that neither was prepared to admit that they could see, each waiting for the other to say they could see it.

If during those years when they had not seen or heard from each other they had come to believe they had, as people say, "Got over each other," after meeting again they were quickly disabused of this.

They had not got over each other. In the depths of the night when her professionalism fell away from her, and Stella became a woman open to all the emotions she held in check at other times, she wept for the love she had never revealed.

For his part Kirk, instead of being his usually exuberant self, seemed to become grim, as if he was holding something inside him that was struggling to get out.

Nick watched them, faintly amused. He could see from their behaviour that these were not two people who had been casual acquaintances in the past. It was almost as if they were grieving in each other's presence. "They were once in love with each other," he thought, "and probably still are but won't admit it."

Rather than a deterrent to getting into Stella's bed, he saw this as an opportunity. For a long time he had sought for a weakness in Stella's emotional armour. If he was right and Stella was still in love with Kirk, then the fact that neither would acknowledge this might give him the opportunity to console Stella.

The opportunity came sooner and more conveniently than he expected.

It was late one evening and Stella had been in a protracted argument with Kirk over some relatively petty matter of costing that normally would have passed without comment. The old saying, "You always hurt the one you love," applied here. Stella in her increasing emotional frustration chose this matter to try and get under Kirk's skin, and she succeeded.

Finally Kirk stormed out of her office after accusing her, quite correctly on this occasion, of behaving like a "Petty minded, nitpicking idiot who left to her own devises would spoil the whole project to the sake of a few dollars."

For once losing control Stella yelled after him, "Get out...get out of my office, and in future send one of your minions to negotiate with me, they're likely to be more intelligent."

Nick had gleefully overheard this commotion and waited for a few minutes after Kirk had left and then entered Stella's office. Stella, having once given way to her feelings had continued to do so, and was sitting at her desk weeping.

"Hey, what's this," Nick said in a soothing voice, "crying?"

"You heard?" Stella sobbed.

"Of course I heard. It's just as well everybody else has gone home or the whole office would have heard. Now come on sweetheart, what's it all about?"

He went to her and kneeling beside her took her hands in his.

"Oh Nick, he's so unreasonable, and the things he called me, I...I..."

"I heard," Nick said, "if you like I'll deal with him in future. I'll get you to brief me on the financial situation and you won't need to have anything more to do with him."

"Oh Nick, you're so good to me, but it's my job and I..."

"And I'm the CEO and I'm telling you that you needn't be bothered by him in future. You know how I feel about you Stella; I'd do anything to keep you happy."

He kissed her tentatively and in her distress, and taken off guard, Stella responded. Years of sexual restraint added to her emotional turmoil and Stella became aroused, her mouth clinging to Nick's as their tongues meshed.

He was unbuttoning her blouse and then his hands were on her naked breasts.

"Oh Nick...Nick...I'm so unhappy," she gasped.

"I know...I know," he said in a smooth seductive voice, "you need some tender loving care and I'm going to give it to you."

His hand had slipped up her skirt and he was gently massaging her pudendal cleft. Her vagina was lubricating and she moaned again, "Nick...oh Nick..."

He moved her, unresisting, to sit on the desk, and pulling down his zip and taking out his penis, her parted Stella legs and standing in front of her and pulling aside the thin strip of panty cloth covering her groin, penetrated her vagina.

"That's better isn't it, it feels good doesn't?" he said soothingly.

"Oh yes...yes...I need this...I need it Nick..." Stella wept.

Nick began to move in her with increasing rapidity. Stella felt her orgasm rising and taking over.

"Oh Nick...Nick...harder...do it to me harder...I want it...don't stop...I'm coming...I'm...I'm...oh...oh...ohwaa...ohha...ha...ha...ohwaaaa."

She felt Nick's sperm being spurted into her and she screamed as she reached her climax.

As she came down from the heights Nick kept whispering to her, "Better now...better now...that's what you needed...what you've needed for a long time, isn't it?"

"Yes...oh yes...do it to me again."

Nick grinned inwardly, and cynically thought, "They all come across eventually given the right situation."

He said, "Not here darling, let's go back to your place and we can make a night of it."

"But...but your wife..." Stella said.

"That's okay," Nick replied easily, "you know how it is for high powered people like me; we get called away at a minutes notice to deal with some problem or the other. I'll just give her a call and tell I've got to go upstate overnight."

The Morning After

Stella woke the next morning and looked at Nick still asleep beside her. He had demonstrated his expertise; in fact he had been a little too expert. Her nipples were sore and she had bite marks on her neck where he had sunk his teeth into her.

For a while she had experienced the consolation that sexual intercourse can give at times of distress, but in the end he had become so demanding, asking her to do things that she found abhorrent, she had pushed him away saying that she was tired and wanted to go to sleep. He had persisted for a little longer, but in the end gave up.

Now, in the light of day, Stella at first felt uneasy about what she had done, and that unease developed into a feeling of self-loathing. There had been no love, only raw lust. She got off the bed and looked down at Nick with distaste.

"My God, what have I done," she thought. "I've given him what he has always been harassing me for; he got me at a weak moment and used me, stupid fool that I was."

She made her way to the shower and there washed away the smell of their couplings, but she couldn't wash away her self contempt for letting herself be used.

"Suppose he's made me pregnant," she thought apprehensively, "what will I do then...what will he do?"

If she needed confirmation of how Nick felt she got it soon enough. He came into the kitchen asking what was for breakfast and saying, "A great night, Stella, we must do it again some time."

He looked at her closely, grinned and went on, "Better not come into the office for a few days with those marks on your neck."

"I'll cover them with makeup," Stella replied, "and anyway no will know who gave them to me, so you'll be safe."

Nick laughed, "They'll probably think that architect who's so hot for you made them. No, you stay away for a couple of days, that's an order."

"Nick, suppose I'm pregnant will you..."

He laughed again and said, you'd better get the architect to screw you and then you can blame him, or alternatively you can have an abortion, I'll pay for it."

Stella gasped, "My God Nick, you're utterly callous. I..."

"Hey, what's this," Nick said, "you surely didn't think that last night amounted to a lifetime commitment did you? It was a bit of fun and I didn't notice you resisting -- except over anal penetration. I gave you a good time, so why start griping now?"

"You bastard Nick," Stella said quietly, "you utter bastard. You got me when I was at a low ebb and..."

"Oh, so I'm to blame am I?" Nick said viciously. "That's the trouble with bitches like you; you can't wait to spread your legs and afterwards it's not you fault. I'll get my breakfast elsewhere, and you stay away from the office, understood?"

With that he slammed out of the room and the apartment.

Stella, left with not only her misery over Kirk, now had added humiliation and self-disgust.

The Ego Trip

Nick in fact cared little whether anyone knew that he'd spent the night with Stella or anyone else. There were a number of women who unlike Stella owed their rise up the promotional ladder to nights spent with Nick. It didn't even matter if his wife knew about his sexual infidelities since she enjoyed the financial advantages of being a CEO's wife, and also enjoyed a few infidelities of her own. "An open marriage" she and Nick called it.

Nick reveled in his conquests and was not hesitant about dropping hints that he had enjoyed this or that woman's body. Now he had a particularly target in mind.

Aware as he was that Kirk had some longstanding emotional attachment to Stella he had been jealous. The fact that he had reached the goal before Kirk gave him immense satisfaction, and he was going to play it for all it was worth.

He had made sure that Stella was out of the way and that Kirk would have to deal with him.

Nick's office inWhen Kirk, much to his surprise, was led into stead of Stella's he was about to ask where she was when Nick got in first.

"Ah, Kirk my dear chap, that little misunderstanding between you and Stella over costs; she told me about it and it's quite ridiculous. Of course you can go ahead; I'll see to it that Stella is informed."

"Well, thank you," Kirk said, relieved that the matter was settled. "By the way, where is Stella?"

Nick smiled and instead of answering Kirk's question, sat back in his big CEO's chair and said, "Attractive woman, isn't she."

"Yes, very attractive, but where is..."

"Wouldn't blame you if you fancied her Kirk, a lot of men do."

"Fancy her...?"

"Yes of course they do, and she knows how to enjoy herself."

"What do you mean?"

Nick laughed and said confidentially, "Well, man to man, you wouldn't refuse it if it was on offer, would you? Come on, admit it."

Kirk made no answer, and Nick went on, "Come on old chap, admit it, you'd be happy to get into her knickers, and if you want a tip from me, it's easy enough, she's hot for it."

"What the hell are you getting at?" Kirk said furiously.

"No need to get worked up Kirk, just because others have been there before you."

"Including you?" Kirk snapped.

"Well of course old chap, she's gasping for it so you can hardy blame me can you."

"Why the hell are you telling me this you're betraying her and..."

"Oh come on Kirk, the days when gentlemen don't kiss and tell are long gone. I'm just trying to tip you off, if you do fancy her, then she's easy."

He winked salaciously and went on, "I've had my share so I'm just being friendly and letting you know she's available to anyone who gets horny over her. Now, we've settled that little matter you and she argued about, so is there anything else?"

Kirk, stunned by what Nick had revealed, his illusions about Stella shattered, said, "No...no...not now..."

"Good, don't hesitate to drop in any time to see me," Nick said airily.

The Aftermath

Kirk left Nick's office feeling as if he was living a nightmare.

"Not Stella, not lovely Stella, she wouldn't, she couldn't." But why had Nick told him those things about her if they weren't true, what possible motive could he have?

He had no idea what she had done over those long years when they'd had no contact, so why shouldn't she do those things if that was what she wanted. He was all too aware of the promiscuousness of women -- he had good reason to know.

It was just that he had always a carried an image of Stella in his mind that was completely contrary to what Nick had revealed.

He told himself that he had been no better than Stella; that he'd had his share of women -- no commitment, no responsibility, but now he knew with the utmost clarity that Stella had almost from the beginning been the love of his life.

He stayed away from the offices of McGregor Constructions for as long as he could, but finally he had to go and see Nick. He intended to avoid Stella but stepping out of the elevator she was standing there. He was shocked by her appearance.

The normally well groomed, well dressed professional woman looked almost bedraggled, her hair untidy, dark rings under her eyes and her complexion gray and he could see dark marks on her neck even though hidden under heavy makeup.

He looked at her questioningly, "Stella?"

Her eyes were on him but as if not seeing him. She made no attempt to get into the elevator; the doors closed and the elevator descended.

Again he said, "Stella?"

Her eyes seemed to flicker into life and she said dully, "Kirk, if there's something you need you must see Nick."

"Yes, but you, what's the matter, you look terrible, are you ill?"

"No...no...I'm fine, just see Nick."

The shutters seem to come down over her eyes again. Kirk stood for a few moments longer looking at her. The elevator returned, she stepped into it, the doors closed and she was gone. He went on into Nick's office.

"Ah Kirk old chap, what can I do for you?" Nick said cheerfully.

"What the hell's the matter with Stella?" Kirk asked.

"Stella? Don't really know old boy, except she's making a bloody nuisance of herself, dripping around like a wraith. She hasn't done a scrap of work and she'll be for the high jump if she doesn't pull her self together. There's plenty more where she came from. If you want to know what the trouble is you'd better ask her."

"I did," Kirk said sharply, not liking Nick's tone, "and all she said was to come and see you."

"Yes, of course, after your little fracas with her I thought it best if I dealt with any business you have in mind, so what is it?"

"It's about the concrete pour scheduled for Friday. When I asked the site manager if it was okay he said that it couldn't be done in one day, and it's got to be, we can't have a second pour the following day it breaks up proper setting. I said that the men would have to work overtime to do it in one, and he said that he had no authority to allow overtime."

"Is that all," Nick said, "You could have phoned that one in. I'll tell the manager to go ahead with the overtime."

"Well actually I also wanted to apologise to Stella about our row, but..."

"Oh well, go and apologise by all means, and see if you can find out what's bugging her."

Kirk left Nick and made his way to Stella's office. Her secretary informed him that Stella wasn't there, and she thought she'd gone home.

"She doesn't seem at a well," she said.

"Any idea what's wrong with her?" Kirk asked.

"No; I did ask, but she looked as if she was going to burst into tears and wouldn't say anything."

"Kirk left the office and drove to Stella's apartment block. Having arrived there he sat in the car for a while, wondering if he should get involved.

He thought of their years of their friendship, and steeling himself entered the building and went up in the elevator to the third floor and made his way to Stella's door.

It was opened by Stella who if anything looked worse than ever.

"Kirk," she said drearily, "what do you want? I told to see..."

"Nick, yes I know, but I want to know what's wrong with you."

"I told you, nothing."

"Lair," Kirk snapped, "do you know you're close to getting fired by Nick?"

"Bastard," Stella snarled -- or it would have been a snarl if she hadn't sounded so dreary.

"I want to know what's wrong with you, have you been diagnosed with breast cancer or something?"

"I suppose you'd better come in," Stella said, stepping aside to let him pass.

The apartment was well furnished, but was in a disheveled state, rather reflecting the condition of its occupier.

"Sit down," Stella said ungraciously, indicating an armchair, and then flopped down into another armchair.

"Come on Stella, out with it, and don't tell me there's nothing wrong because there obviously is."

Stella gave a tremulous sigh and said, "I suppose you might as well know because soon everyone will. I think I'm pregnant."

"You think you are!" Kirk exclaimed, "Don't you know?"

"Well not for sure, but I'm a couple of days late with...you know."

"Do you...do you know who the father is?" Kirk asked hesitantly.

"Who the father is?" Stella said tersely, "of course I know who the father is."

"Well which one; and I'm surprised that an intelligent woman like you didn't make sure you were on the pill before you started your promiscuous sex life."

Stella suddenly seemed to spring into life. My promi...what the hell are you talking about, how dare you accuse me of...where did you get that from?"

"Well, I was...I was just told."

"Told...told...who told you."

"Well I don't like to..."

"Oh, so it was some guy; trust you guys to cover for each other; well you don't need to tell me, it was Nick, wasn't it, what did he tell you?"

"Well, he said that if I fancied you, you'd come across..."

"He what...it's your fault anyway."

Kirk was utterly bewildered. "Me, what did I do?"

"You upset me."

"Upset you, when?"

"The other day when we had that argument about..."

"Are you telling me that it was because of the argument that Nick now says you're promiscuous? That's crazy, Stella."

Tears were welling up in Stella's eyes. "Nick heard us arguing and after you'd gone he came in to see what is has all been about. I was crying and he started to comfort me and...well, to cut it short, we ended up in bed together for the night."

Kirk said slowly, "We had an argument and so you ended up in bed with Nick; it sounds like a pretty thin reason for going to bed with someone. What are you saying; that Nick is the alleged father of the uncertain child?"

"Not alleged father; he's the only one who could be the father."

"The only...but Nick said..."

"You've already told me what Nick said," Stella wept. "I don't know what he's up to, perhaps hoping to give himself an escape route if I am pregnant, hoping I wouldn't go so far as to have tests to prove he's the father."

Kirk sat back in the chair staring at Stella. "Now let me get this straight, Stella," he said with deliberation: "We had an argument that upset you; Nick heard the argument and came in to ask you what it was about; you were crying; he comforted you and ended up in bed with you; now you think your pregnant and he's the father; Nick it seems, is now spreading the story that you're an easy screw so people won't think he's daddy, and it's all my fault. Have I got it right?

"Yes," Stella said between sobs.

"It still doesn't make sense Stella. What we argued about was really rather petty, but it can happen in any business negotiations. One of the people gets annoyed and before you know it there's a silly argument going on, but it doesn't usually end up with a pregnancy."

"It does if you're in love with the person your arguing with."

"Ah well," Kirk said thoughtfully, "I suppose if personal emotions enter into...what did you say?"

There was a long pause and then Stella said forcefully, if a little unjustly, "You deserted me."

"Me, deserted you," Kirk said with equal force. "Who was it that went off to New York and left me?"

"You wanted to go to the prom with that slut Courtney just because you thought you'd get an easy screw."

"I wanted to go to the prom with you but..."

"No you didn't, you never asked me, and why not? Because you didn't think I'd let you screw me in the back of your car."

Guiltily Kirk said, "You may be right, I did know that Courtney was an easy screw, but if it's any satisfaction to you, I didn't get to screw her anyway."

"Oh, why not?"

"Because I was so upset about you leaving I couldn't be bothered to pay her any attention. You left me, and now you blame me because you're pregnant; it's your own fault."