Adventures in the City Pt. 01

I sat up straight and said, with an edge, "Well, he's put two Americans on this one who don't have any intention of failing."

Her eyes stared at me speculatively, "My, you've got some Yorkshire spunk. Let's order."

Over warm brie and crackers, she sketched Greystone, and the derivatives area we would be working in. "My boss, Geoff, is not officially in their chain of command, but as the CFO, the Board expects him to keep an eye on risky lines of business and make sure the diligence guidelines are followed."

"Is there already an analytics unit in derivatives?"

"Not exactly. The partners were originally slow on the uptick about quant things, but after they lost several big deals to Wall Street, the word came down to find some good people. Of course, with your incredible compensation practices, the cost was astronomical. Partners were seeing thirty year olds making more than they were."

"But they are smiling now, or you wouldn't be talking to me?"

"Yes. You seem to know your way around this subject." The eyes were still trying to figure me out.

"Just enough to be dangerous. My partner, Tony Calabrese, wrote his senior honors thesis on market volatility, which should give us a little boost."

"You are just two of Reggie's new students?"

I laughed. "The world is a small place. He sat next to me in the first class, and turned out to be one of my college roommate's boyfriends. We went out last night, but I'm not into moving fast over guys. Had a big thing going my senior year, but he went to Berkeley for grad school and that was the end of us. Is there a guy in your life? I don't see any ring."

She glanced down and rubbed her ring finger. "No. No ring, and no guy. I'm on this very fast track in my career and can't afford to get diverted by love. At least, that's what I keep telling myself. My folks

met at Cambridge. They got Firsts and she became a professor. He is a lawyer here in London. I am an only child and there is a lot of expectation I have to live with."

My fingers ran over the top of hers. "You have beautiful hands. I've always been unhappy with these stubs." I held up my hand to hers. Almost half an inch difference.

She giggled, "Oh dear, I'll have to call you Stubby."

"Not on your life, but do call me Cam, or Cammie."

"Ok. You can use Penny, but never around the office. I'm playing the senior PA role for all its worth."

"Where do you go from PA? What about all the nasty rumors that PA's spend their time jumping in and out of bed?"

She glared at me in mock outrage, "Why Cammie, how could you say such a terrible thing?"

I played back at her, "Sorry, it was nasty of me to say that, but with your body..."

"Now you are in real trouble. Eat up, we are going back to my place for more conversation, if you are determined to get so personal." The eyes were dancing and held a promise. I wondered what promise.

She offered cognac or liqueur. I chose the latter with an ice cube. She brought them back from the kitchen and crowded me into a corner of the sofa and applied a soft kiss. I kissed her back and licked her lips.

"You are something else." she breathed.

"You've been trying to figure me out all evening. Getting anywhere?"

"Smart, pretty, extroverted, curious, like to make friends, not afraid of challenges. Probably good in bed."

"Ooh. That last is guessing."

"We could find out."

"We could, but I don't do girls fast, just like I don't do guys fast. What about a few days to get to know one another?" I could feel the plug and the hypocrite it was making me.

"Do I get one more kiss?"

I reached out and took her glass, leaving both of them out of the way. I pushed her down on her back, enjoying the strong muscles. This might be a woman after my heart. Full out, our lips collided. It lasted a long time. She wiggled under me, and I pressed my mound against hers.

"God," she said, "I can't believe this. I am so turned on, and I've known you for all of two hours."

I leaned back and pulled her into my lap. The next kiss was slow and gentle.

"Maybe there's some chemistry, do you suppose?" I pulled her short hair and licked her eyes.

"Will you stay with me tonight?"

"We would have sex and get in deeper than we should. Before I left, my mom warned me about easy loving over here. Then she laughed and admitted she was in bed with my dad the day after they met."

Penny closed her eyes and made no move to let me up. I kissed all around her head and whispered, "This is Zenda and you're my prisoner..."

"Yes. Just let me go and get my cuffs..."

I pulled her up with me and kissed again. "This is a school night, young lady, and there is lots of work waiting in the morning."

"When do you want Tony and me to show up? We don't have classes tomorrow, but the next day is a problem."

She shook her head and tried to focus her eyes. "I'll lean on Geoff for an entrance interview late tomorrow and text you as soon as I know."

She went to the door with me, rubbing and elbowing. "I want a date."

(cont'd in Part 2)