New Job Explorations

-'So when I was flirting with you this afternoon you thought...?'

-'You surprised me, but I never thought this might be a casual affair. It won't be, will it?'

-'I have been fantasising about you since I felt your warm breath through my blouse. When I heard you joined the bank I was so pleased. I really wanted to get to know you. I hoped to carefully weave a web to lure you closer to me and befriend you.'

-'Just friends?'

-'That would have been the gist of it at first. Later I would lure you in even further and if you'd be open to it we might even become lovers. But then you just challenged me on my friendship intentions and I overstepped my boundaries. You know what happened further.'

-'But what will happen further?'

-'First I insist we will sleep and see what the morning brings.'

I realised I was completely exhausted so I gladly agreed.

In depth

Waking up I found myself sucking my thumb as if it was her nipple which I thought it was at first. Margot was laying on her back next to me, her arm a pillow for my head. I felt her warm gaze was on me and I decided it was about time we got around to some lovemaking. So I started to stroke her arm and turn myself around.

-'Good morning sleepyhead,' she said sweetly.

-'Good morning sweet Margot. Did you sleep well?'

-'I slept amazingly. I felt so at home holding you close.'

-'I loved it too. Thank you for staying the night, let me reward you.'

To make sure she could not misread my intentions I started kissing her mouth and had my hands on her huge boobs, squeezing them softly but urgently.

-'Ah sweetheart that feels so great,' she purred when I gave her time to breathe.

She sat up and gently touched my very sensitive and protruding nipples. I was ready for anything she wanted to offer.

-'They are so hard, so nice.'

She bent over and licked them. I moaned appreciative to encourage her. I felt I didn't need much more to reach my first orgasm and she seemed to have sensed that. Suddenly she bit me in the nipple and off I went.

-'So sensitive, ' she grinned.

I was out in heaven for some moments.

-'Jesus Margot, that was incredible. I will get you for this.'

-'I am sure you will baby, but now is not the right moment. We will be busy today.'

I looked at her completely puzzled.

-'What do you mean?'

-'I meant, hop in the shower and make it fast my driver is picking us up in 15 minutes. Make sure you wear something business casual.'

-'What is going on?'

-'I'll explain in the car.'

When I returned from the shower Margot was fully dressed and busy packing some of my clothes in my small hand luggage suitcase.

-'What are you doing?'

-'Packing clothes and stuff for the weekend and Monday, we will be staying at my place.'

My eyes darted to my toy drawer. Margot noticed.

-'I packed those too,' she grinned.

-'I am going nowhere until you tell me what is happening.'

I felt angry. Margot stopped dead in her tracks.

-'Sorry I got carried away; we will be making sure you have something to tell Mark, Evan and me Monday afternoon.'

She was not making sense and I think she knew, for she stopped to gather her thoughts.

-'Okay here is the full story. You remember the email from Evan and Mark. They are requiring a full explanation of the differences between those reports. Lena made sure my and your team are working on this. Most of them will be in the office today and tomorrow. After we dropped your stuff at my place and I have some fresh clothes we will be going there too.'

-'Do we need to be there? You are the big boss and actually part of the group asking those questions and I am miss newbie causing the problem. I do not have any knowledge.'

-'True, however you will be the one having to answer all these questions Monday. You will be studying hard until then.'

-'Okay, I said slowly: 'That one I get, but how are you involved?'

-'Formally I am responsible, but you are right, someone like me should not dive in herself normally, unless someone dear to her is involved. Your job is at risk due to a mistake I made. I should have known about the traditional lunch moment.'

-'It was our second day on the job, we are not to blame.'

-'But we will be blamed and I want to win the fight. Are you in?'

-'After you bit my tit? Sure ma'am'

-'Come the car is here.'

-'When am I getting home again?'

-'Would you consider moving in with me?'

-'Only if the sex is also working for us.'

-'I am sure it will little one. So let's arrange Monday night to have your stuff picked up.'

-'Let's not be too hasty.'

-'I was joking sweety.'

-'I knew that.'

Actually I did not think she was joking, but I trusted her.

Margot lived near Artis zoo, Henri Polaklaan, not too far from my home, according to her 7 minutes cycling distance. I wouldn't know, for I do not own a bicycle. I never learned to ride one. The drive was longer by car she and the driver agreed. Her neighbourhood is very upper-class, mine hugely improved through gentrification. Her home was impressive to say the least but she didn't boast about it. The driver was requested to pick us up again in half an hour and Margot led the way to her upstairs bedroom. On the stairs she was already stripping of her clothes.

-'Feel free to hang your clothes in my walk-in closet, so they won't wrinkle too much. I will take a quick shower. Do you mind selecting something for me to wear?'

The closet was huge and I was overwhelmed by the amount of clothes she owned. Ignoring all the beautiful lingerie she owned I decided on a HEMA sports bra, which I suspected would itch and make her conscious of her tits all day, and cotton panties, a simple white blouse with some bleached blue Levi's, matching my own choice for the day. In my bag I found a choice of underwear and both my business outfits. My toys were also in there. I had them in my hands when Margot entered again.

-'Just put them on my nightstand, we may need them tonight.'

I went there and out of curiosity I opened her top drawer. The only thing there was her rather small vibrator and a tube of lubricant. I picked up the vibe and switched it on. A strong buzz sounded through the room. I switched it off directly.

-'Are you snooping?', Margot asked appearing in the doorway with her toothbrush in her mouth.

-'Yes, sorry. I was curious. This is a small one.'

-'It is rather effective. I use it for anal play.'

I was so surprised I almost dropped it. This openness was so shocking.

-'Hence the lube. Ever tried it?' she added.

I went deep red again. Painful memories of a night when my last boyfriend convinced me to try anal. He never made it passed my ring muscle and I was in agony for the next few days.

-'Never again.'

-'So he didn't lube you up and just tried to put his dick in unprepared?'

-'Yes, sort of. He licked me there first but it did hurt like hell. He never made it in.'

-'Idiot must have been watching too much porn. Spit is not lube.'

-'Surely the wrong kind too.'

-'Don't you worry baby, I will never do anything against your will.'

-'So won't I, I promise.'

Margot had dressed in the meantime and she looked perfect in the outfit I had selected. Before we would leave for the office I felt we should discuss some things.

-'We should be on our way,' Margot said.

-'One minute please. What would you consider our relationship to be?'

-'Hmm I actually would call it a relationship in a try-out phase. I do not have a clue if it will work for us, but for now I know I want you to be happy and I want me to be happy. Let's not try to define it too early.'

-'I like you a lot, Margot. You are right, let's take our time.'

A luxury car with driver was bringing us to the office. We entered the building through the staff entrance at D-tower the only entrance in the weekend. We had to walk half round the building to get to the A-tower. I half expected her to invite me up to her office floor, but she actually pressed the number for my departments floor. It was 10 in the morning and the building appeared to be deserted.

-'Let's see who showed up. I should think Lena's message would have had some effect, ' Margot said.

On our floor the lights were on everywhere and we almost immediately ran into Johanna's boss Leonard. I only shook his hand once, a get to know meeting was planned for next Tuesday. Leonard started to say some things in Dutch to Margot.

-'Let's do this in English, you may be aware Elisa here is the person being molested by the games of my board fellows. How are we doing?'

-'Making progress. I am here to boost morale. What is your interest in this exercise?"

-'You may know that I am usually trying to prevent risk from selling their numbers to Mark. Looking at the numbers your reporting team provided yesterday I have the impression they are consistent with history and had the proper scope. Also I saw warnings on scope and data quality.'

-'I know, the numbers are also confirmed by the business lines and signed off. So why are Mark and Evan doing this?'

-'Let's talk in your room. We don't want to confuse everybody with politics. First I want to show my face to everybody who came to work in their free weekend to save my ass.'

-'Yours? I thought mine was on the line,' I said.

-'If I had you failing, I would become a lame duck never able to rely on the numbers Leonard's teams provide, unless I would say you are incompetent and have you removed. It is the reputation of reporting that is on the line otherwise. A perfect shareholder's nightmare it would be if we could not reliable report. Ultimately that is where I am accountable.'

We entered my floor an I saw that five out of eight team-members had shown up. I was number six. Next to that a different group colleagues was working on our floor. This was a noticeable more senior team. Johanna was in a discussion with one of them. Everyone looked up in surprise when they saw Margot entering with Leonard and me.

-'Ahem.. can I interrupt you all for a minute? Please gather around please.' Margot announced.

Everybody stood up, a bit in shock. I noticed several people were not looking altogether happy. Margot took her time to look everyone in the eye.

-'Thank you all for being here in your free time. I know you'd all like to be somewhere else and I suspect you have been discussing who to blame for this mess.'

Some of the angry looks of my team-mates were focussing on me for a moment.

-'I understand your hostile feelings towards miss Star, however be honest. The inconsistencies Mark and Evan point at are as old as our main reporting environment. I had invited miss Star for a private lunch yesterday to apologise for the way I had surprised her Thursday, but that plan was hijacked by my peers. They thought I would be a nice opportunity to meet a fresh face in the bank and hear how the young people view us. When El, eh miss Star told about her new team, Evan requested she'd provide us with the Business Risk reports she had named. She could not have prevented this. I saw the deadline they provided and saw you would be required to explain differences with the global reports, which you cannot do by yourself. Therefore I made sure both teams are working together this weekend to find and explain the differences and where needed to align the definitions. Leonard and I will personally review everything before we send it out Monday morning. Miss Star is required to present this so she will work with Leonard and me on a presentation she can give to Mark, Evan and me. Johanna and Alex will review this presentation tomorrow around lunch-time. Questions?'

A colleague it hadn't spoken or seen before raised his hand.

-'As you said these are actually old and known issues. Why do we have to suddenly go through this exercise over this weekend.'

-'Good question. As you know I was head of reporting before I took the role of CFO. Reporting is very important. I have been hearing business reporting and my global reporting teams blaming each other for these inconsistencies. The blame game is over. Now I need both team working together instead of next to each other. Correct data is in the lead, not the old rule that the global reports corep and finrep are always right. The challenge is given. Please make sure miss Star can twinkle Monday afternoon.'

Not a really original pun but it seemed to do the trick for most of the people around us. Faces softened and Angela gave me a thumbs up. The same guy had a second question.

-'You are aware ECB will be all over us if we need to restate those reports.'

-'So make sure you don't have to. For now this is an internal exercise. If things are truly wrong we'll have to start a project to make sure we'll improve it in the future. Facing our stakeholders with such a message will be my, rather big, problem. Not yours.'

-'Still we will have to do the work.'

-'If you can't stand the heat stay away from the fire. End of discussion!'

It seemed there were no more questions, so Margot wished everybody success and took her leave with Leonard. I lingered a bit hoping to be able to get some contact with my co-workers.

-'Elisa can I have a word with you?', Johanna said.

She looked stressed, but I had the impression she wasn't going to attack me. We entered an empty meeting room and she closed the door behind her. She sighed.

-'Today is May 3rd, your first weekend with the bank and now we all have to show up because of your talk to the board. I've sent you several what's-app messages which you ignored and then you show up in the slipstream of our new CFO. Wearing the same outfit even, what is up between you two?'

-'Coincidence?'

-'Sure coincidence, why not. Anyway Margot was never known for her weak heartedness, so be careful if you want to chase that coincidence further. Don't make too many mistakes.'

-'Thanks for the warning. I do not think I need it, but still thanks. You should actually thank me for I managed to get out team more senior management attention,' I said with some cynical intent.

-'You are right. I think you did way more than I hoped. Still be careful with Margot. Think of Icarus and the sun.'

-'Ok thanks again. I will now join said sun in Leonards room. I hope I will survive.'

-'Good luck.'

That afternoon hard work was redefined for me and I needed my full focus to absorb all the new information that was provided by the two teams and de explanations provided by Leonard and Margot. By six o'clock I was nearly asleep above my keyboard. Margot looked at me with a warm smile.

-'You have been amazing today,' she said.

-'I am so tired. Do you really think I will be able to do this on Monday.'

-'Baby don't worry. I think we should call it a day now. Everybody except the three of us has gone home. Leonard will also leave shortly. I have a booth in a nice restaurant reserved.'

Dinner was just what I needed, but I felt awkward about Margot paying for it. So I suggested that delivery or take-out also would do. Margot seemingly ignored me until she finally responded.

-'If you want to be in a relationship with me you need accept I earn a lot of money and I will spend a good bit in restaurants. I have dinner there every Saturday.'

That sounded rather harsh but her face told me that was not how she meant it. I just nodded and then mumbled in a mock tantrum.

-'Relationship, what relationship? I just want to have sex with her.'

Margot burst into a laughing fit she hardly could stop, even when Leonard came back into the room.

-'I see you found her sense of humour.' he observed.

-'Sorry you missed it,' I responded.

Somehow that made Margot laugh even harder. Leonard shrugged and took his coat and an umbrella from a small collection of umbrellas under his coat rack.

-'You can borrow an umbrella if you want, it is raining cats and dogs.'

-'We'll be fine I think,' I responded.

Margot began to recover from her laughing fit. She sounded a bit hoarse.

-'Oh my, that was something. Thank you Leonard for being here today, giving a good example to the teams.'

-'No problem, see you tomorrow.'

Every Saturday? Alone? Why? Her words kept going round in my thoughts. I didn't get it.

When he left Margot got of her chair and checked it inconspicuously. I looked at her questioning.

-'I thought I peed my pants. You looked so cute doing that tantrum thing,' she said with a red face.

-'Sorry.'

-'Don't be, you just brought out a side of me I thought died twenty years ago. I love it. I will check the damage in the ladies room and then we leave.'

-'I have to go there too.'

Hand in hand we walked to the ladies room. This evening promised the world. My tiredness was already fleeting.

Margot had us taken to the nice vegetarian restaurant in the 'de Pijp' she frequented every Saturday. The dining area had American diner style booths with separator walls to the ceiling. Our booth was only dimly lit by two candles. The staff just smiled knowingly when they saw Margot ignoring the reserved sign, taking of her coat and put it on the end of the long seat against the wall. I followed her example and took a seat opposite to her.

-'This was one of the first veggie restaurants in Amsterdam. It is less trendy than all these newcomers, but truly decent and discrete. Shelley introduced me to this place when I was pregnant. We had some interesting discussions here. She is actually my only real friend.'

A waitress brought a bottle of water and a bottle of Merlot. Glasses were already on the table.

-'Gefeliciteerd met uw nieuwe functie', the waitress said, and I understood it was a congratulation on the new job. Living in Amsterdam for 4 years does help in picking up some of the language.

-'Dank je wel Emma. We spreken vanavond Engels, voor Elisa.'

-'No problem. Hi Elisa, nice to meet you. What are you drinking?

-'I'll have the Merlot.'

Emma changed her attitude going formal a bit.

-'I think you look too young, Elisa. I need to see some ID, I am very sorry.'

Now I got annoyed, but I knew the law. Margot wanted to say something, but I waved that away. I just got my wallet and handed Emma my New York drivers-license and my ID card. Emma relaxed immediately.

-'Great fakes,' she joked; 'Sorry to have carded you. They are very active checking the restaurants currently.'

-'No problem.'

-'Will you be here regularly?'

-'I don't know yet, why?'

-'We could keep copies at the bar, so that if they do a check, you won't be bothered.'

That didn't feel right.

-'Let's not do that.'

She handed me my cards.

-'Great, are you ready to order or do you want the menu?'

-'We will be waiting a bit longer and use the menu. We have had a busy day,' Margot answered.

-'One thing.. a new girl booked this table for 9:30. Will that be a problem?'

-'I don't think so, but please tell her for the future.'

-'We did tell her again, she is sorry. Our apologies.'

Margot nodded and the waitress left. Margot looked a bit annoyed.

-'I don't want to be watching the time tonight,' she mumbled in Dutch.

-'Don't worry dear. It is a nice place but unless you want me to catch flame spontaneously we should not spend hours eating food, if you get my meaning.'

-'Is it that bad? I feel it too. We won't have to wait long I think.'

I had the impression she brought me here to introduce me to Shelley. I steered the conversation that way.

-'Is Shelley still an escort?'

-'Yes and she is doing well for herself, but that is also the reason why we always go to this place. I can not afford to be spotted with some call girl. That would damage the bank in more ways you can imagine.'

-'I believe you. Evan's introduction video was very clear on reputational risk. Will I get to meet her?'

-'Yes, you will. So you have been watching some of these video's? I thought no one did. They are so boring.'