I Knew They Were Fucking

The division chiefs had a meeting with Mr. Johansen the next day. Christine was in his reception area as we left. "Paul. Do you have a minute?" she asked. The other division chiefs looked at me. Two of them smiled as they left. "Let's walk down the hall."

We left her father's office complex and started down the hall. "I'm glad you weren't upset yesterday."

"I thought it was funny." I said.

She smiled. "I thought that if I bailed you out, you might have dinner with me and I could apologize again for my stupid comments."

"Another apology isn't necessary. Let's just forget it."

"In that case, will you have dinner with me, anyway?"

I stopped, looked at her and spoke. "The short answer is no."

She looked at me. "That's final isn't it?" she asked. "You will never go out with me, will you?"

"No, I won't. You have to know that I would never know for sure if you were just going out with me to try to make up for what you said, or if you genuinely wanted to go out with me."

We just looked at each other for a long time before she nodded and walked away.

Three months went by and I only had glimpses of Christine as we moved through the building. I'd called Julie, the TV reporter and we started seeing each other. We had sex on our third date and two or three times a week after that, but we were just fuck buddies.

Christmas was coming and Mr. Johansen was having a party for his division chiefs. I had been there about thirty minutes and overheard Mr. and Mrs. Johansen in the kitchen as I passed it on my way to the bathroom.

"She won't come down as long as he's here. I told you not to invite him."

"Christ, Lucy, he's one of my best people. He has the planning division way ahead of projections. How could I avoid asking him? Besides, I like him. Chris just fucked up, that's all."

"What have I told you about your language, Fred?"

"I'm sorry, but your daughter's mouth has gotten her into trouble with him at least twice. Is it any wonder he doesn't want anything to do with her?"

"I know, but she really likes him."

"That's too bad, but I'm on his side."

"But she's your daughter. Can't you do something?"

"Like what? Fire him if he doesn't go out with her?"

"Well......"

"For Christ's sake, Lucy. Go see to our guests."

I ducked back to the living room and forgot about the bathroom. I was talking to one of the other guests and his wife when the Johansen's came in.

I made it through the party, but found myself glancing at the stairs wondering if Christine would make an appearance, but she didn't.

A few more dates with my fuck buddy, Julie, and some more rolls in the hay and I found myself thinking more and more of Christine.

It was Christmas Eve and I was just leaving to spend the evening with Tony, Sophia, and Diana. I was in my car and backing out of the garage when a car pulled into the driveway beside me. I got out just as Christine got out of her car and walked around it to face me.

She spoke first. "What do I have to do to convince you?" We just looked at each other. "What do I have to do to convince you that I didn't mean what I said; that I am just a woman who likes a man and wants him to like her back?"

I looked into a face with makeup streaked from tears and realized that she didn't have to do anything to convince me; she just had. "You can go with me to spend the evening with Tony and his family."

She smiled. "Really?"

"Come on." I walked around to the passenger side of my car and opened the door for her and enjoyed the view of her legs as she sat.

She sat on her side during the ride over and neither of us, being lost in thought, spoke. We had spent some time with them when we were dating, so they knew each other. Tony and Sophia were a bit surprised to see her, however.

It was an evening with good food and laughs as Diana entertained us with her antics. She was allowed to open one present and was thrilled with the doll house the big box contained.

After she was put to bed, the four adults sat and enjoyed drinks as we assembled the toys for Diana that Santa was going to leave while she slept.

On the way to my house, Christine still stayed on her side of the car. At my house, I invited her in and we sat and talked until 2:00AM Christmas morning. I walked her out to her car and asked her to dinner on the day after Christmas.

I spent Christmas alone, but Christine joined me for dinner the day after. We had dinner together three times that week and spent New Year's Eve watching old movies, eating popcorn and enjoying root beer floats. At midnight we kissed.

We had kissed before, but there was something in that kiss that heightened my senses; it seemed to promise more if that makes sense. My cautious mind harkened back to her comments and I wondered if she was making a promise of things to come, and if that promise was real or just a down payment on her trying to make up for what she said.

After the third kiss, I didn't care what her motives were. I only knew I wanted more, and felt that I could have it, but I collected myself and sent her home.

The next couple of weeks we spent most of our non-working hours together. During the two meetings I was involved with her father during that time, he and I never spoke privately, but I saw him looking at me several times.

It was Valentine's Day when we had sex the first time. We were at my house, sitting on the sofa, watching a movie. I had thought about it and decided it was time. Up until then, she had made all the moves. It was she who apologized at least twice. It was she who had me arrested for the tutor program hoping I would have dinner with her. It was she who came to my house asking what it would take for me to like her again; so I decided it was my turn to take the lead.

We were sitting close on the sofa. I had my right arm around her and she was snuggled into me with one hand in her lap with mine covering it, and the other on my leg just above my knee.

I lifted my hand away from hers and moved it directly to the top button on her blouse. There was not going to be any subtle brushing of my hand against her breast or slow, gentle squeeze. I was going straight for the good stuff; soft, warm flesh.

I never hesitated when I got to the button. It was undone in a flash; as was the second, third, fourth, and fifth ones. She signaled her consent by jerking her blouse out of the jeans she was wearing and off onto the floor. Then she leaned forward giving me her back and the hook on her bra. As soon as it was off and before it hit the floor, she took my hand and put it on her breast and kissed me crushing our bodies together making sure my hand didn't lose contact with her breast.

If I thought that moved fast, the rest went even faster. In less time than it takes to describe it, we were moving toward my bedroom, undressing as we went.

Once there, she was on her back on my bed and I was on her and in her. It was like the line from a movie I've seen. The man asked the girl what she thought of foreplay. Her response was to say she thought it was overrated. Chris and I never bothered with it.

My ex was good, as was Julie the TV lady. And Cynthia was excellent, but Christine was head and shoulders above them. If her intent was to try to prove a point, or convince me she was truly sorry, she succeeded. The enthusiasm with which she threw herself into sex was more than I had ever dreamed was possible; and she did it over and over. That first week we had to have had sex in every position The Kama Sutra described.....maybe a couple more. At work that week, we either had lunch in her office or mine, but we never had sex at work.

The Monday after that marathon week of sex, I was called into her father's office.

"It appears the rumor mills have started again," he said.

"Oh? What about this time?"

"Cut the crap, Paul. Before I fire you, I need to know how long you intend to do this."

"Do what?"

"Make Christine pay for saying what she said. She really thinks you forgave her, but I'm not so sure. I've seen the way you operate in business and you're pretty rough. I'd hate to think you're leading my daughter down a deadend road."

"Mr. Johansen, nothing could be further from the truth. She's quite a woman as you know, and my intentions toward her are nothing but honorable. In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with her."

That took him aback. "Well, uh, I don't think I was expecting that. Have you told her?"

"No, sir. The fact is, I didn't realize it myself until just now when I said it."

He smiled for the first time. "Funny how that happens."

"Yes, sir, it is."

"So what happens now?"

"I guess I'll clean out my desk and go talk to Barnes to see if they can use me."

He stopped smiling. "Why would you do that?

"Because you said you were going to fire me."

"That was then...this is now. Go back to work."

That Spring, Christine and I vacationed together. We flew to Greece and cruised through the islands.

The following Christmas, I proposed to her. We had dinner with her parents two nights later and we've had dinner with them at least once every couple of weeks for the last seven years. Four years ago we gave them their first grandchild; last year, their second.

We don't plan on giving them any more.