Personal Training Ch. 11

Dear Readers,

Thanks for your patience as I finish up the chapters for this story. The last five chapters are done, except for a couple scenes, so I'm posting a chapter every other day until they are all up. You've all been great, and I appreciate all the feedback I've received.

My next story is a science fiction one, that I'm calling the Non-Standard Man, so I hope you'll join me for that in about ten days.

******

The story so far: Annie Lloyd is a widow who suffered the loss of her husband while sustaining a near crippling injury. Her recovery takes her back to the gym, where she notices a new personal trainer, Abel Williams, who is twenty years younger than her. Abel notices Annie as well and Abel appreciates an older woman.

However, before he and her can get together, an old boss and friend of Annie's, Jack Colson, sweeps back into her life, proposing marriage. Annie, knowing Jack is an incorrigible womanizer, doesn't accept his offer, but does take him up on his second offer, temporary employment to help him get ready for an audit called by the companies' board of directors.

Before she leaves for the temp job, she literally runs into Abel at the gym and as one thing leads to another, they go to bed together. Abel makes it clear that he wants to see her again. Annie is confused by Abel's and Jack's attentions and doesn't know what she wants.

She goes to Syracuse, where Jack's company is located, and immediately is confronted by Jack's lover, JuJu. Jack introduces Annie as his fiancé. But Juju doesn't accept defeat easily and continues to pursue Jack. Annie discovers that someone is stealing from the company and she wants to meet the board of the directors that are so hot to audit the company. Jack arranges a cookout with his family who also sit on the board, and introduces Annie to them. Annie also meets Jack's father, and he takes to her immediately. Jack decides that even if Annie won't have sex with him he was going to make sure he is in her bed each night regardless.

Meanwhile, back in Annie's hometown, Abel finds out from his boss, a friend of Annie's family, that Jack proposed to Annie. Lynn, Abel's ex-girlfriend shows up looking for a reconciliation. Abel tells Annie goodbye over the phone, though he isn't happy about it. We pick up the morning after Abel and Lynn sleep together, though the first scene in this chapter is with Annie and Jack.

******

The trill of an iPhone woke both of us. Jack clutched the thing and answered it.

"Yeah," he said. "Yeah, I'll be right there."

"What?" I said.

"Dad had a bad night."

"Oh."

"I've got to get over there."

"Sure."

"It shouldn't take long. It's Midge's day with him anyway. She never misses those."

I rolled my eyes.

"After, how about you and I take a drive."

"What? To Saratoga?"

He laughed. "You know me too well." He gave me a kiss on the cheek. "That's what I like about you."

"Yes, you always do know the hot things say to romance a woman."

He gave me a grin as he put on his slacks. "Later, I'll find a use for that smart mouth of yours."

"Promises, promises."

He grabbed my shoulders and gave me serious kiss.

"Not a promise, a threat," he said.

"Get out of here!" I said laughing.

But my laughter only lasted until he shut the door and I was alone in my hotel room. I took my own phone and scrolled through the messages. My son thought it important to tell me the cat threw up a hairball. Gina messaged "no problems" for the restaurant. Dad asked when I coming home. Then there was a rare one from Carl. "Sorry. I told Abel about Jack. Don't know what my problem is."

Shit.

Well, now I knew. Gina must have told Carl, and he, the idiot, couldn't keep his mouth shut. I knew Carl was dating Gina, though for reasons known to only them, they kept it quiet. And maybe for the friendship he shared with Eddie he thought it his job to "protect" me. But that nonsense had to stop.

"Carl," I texted back. "Cut the shit. I'm a big girl."

As for Abel, I needed to set him straight. Maybe nothing would come of him and me, but he should know the truth anyway.

I dialed his number. A woman answered. Well, now, the boy doesn't waste time.

"Can I speak to Abel?" I said.

"Who is this?" the woman said.

"Annie," I said.

"And you know him how?" The woman's tone was sharp and tinged with suspicion.

"I'm a bill collector. Now is Mr. Williams available or what? If he isn't, I'll mark that in his file."

She hung up.

#

"You answered my phone?" After getting out of the shower, I heard the ring of my phone, but I let it pass. If needed, I'd call whoever it was later. But I heard Lynn's voice and it made me more than a little pissed. She knew how I felt about that shit.

"Who is Annie?" she threw back at me.

"None of your business."

"She said she was a bill collector. But last I knew, you didn't key bill collectors into your contacts."

"You're right. I don't."

"So?"

"So what, Lynn? Are we back to this crap again? You worried what I supposedly do when you are the one that does it?"

Her eyes got very wide. She grabbed her purse from the counter, and made a dash for the door.

"And don't come back!"

The door slammed. Bitch.

I never learn.

#

Abel's phone went to voice mail. It was the third time I called but he wouldn't pick up. Well, if he didn't want to talk to me, that was his business. But I wasn't going to let him think things that weren't true.

"Abel," I said. "I'm sorry you got the wrong information. Jack's an idiot, it true, and did propose to me. But I never agreed to marry him. And I won't. If you want to talk, call me. Otherwise, well, I wish you the best."

#

It really was too much to expect that Lynn would leave the car. Never mind. I needed a run anyway. I put some work clothes and a towel in my backpack. I'll take a shower at the gym. My feet hit the street, the road stretching before me. It wasn't a long run and I should be at the gym soon.

I never made it there.

For whatever reason I decided to take the long way to the gym, the way that did not include the shortcut that Annie showed me. As I trotted down the road, an ambulance streaked by me trying to get around the stopped traffic on the road. I ran past the traffic. Ahead was the flash of police lights.

And my car crashed into a telephone pole.

"Lynn," I yelled running to the car. A police officer stopped me.

"Easy there, buddy."

"That's my car! Where's Lynn?"

"They've taken the driver to the hospital. Is she your wife?"

"What? No. Is she okay?" I was beside myself.

"I don't know."

"Which hospital?"

"Look. Was she drinking?"

"What? No. She was on in her way home."

"And she has your car."

"What the hell. Look, she spent the night with me. I let her take it okay. I don't work far and she lives two hours from here. Look, I have to get there."

"Is there someone I can call. You shouldn't drive."

"Do I look like I have a car to drive?"

"Okay, settle down. You can call a cab."

"Yeah, good idea," I said though I was fuming at the officer and his insane questions.

It took fifteen minutes for the cab to get there, and while I waited the wrecker came and took the car. The officer gave the me the location of the wrecker company.

I was frantic with worry by the time I got to the hospital. They wouldn't let me see her.

"Look, I'm her emergency contact."

"Your name?"

"Abel Williams."

"Let me check."

More waiting. I paced the reception area like a madman.

"Mr. Williams?"

"Yes."

"Step through these doors. She's just gotten back from x-ray."

Lynn lay on hospital bed, the stupid policeman asking her questions that she was barely able to answer.

"Abel," she said her words slightly slurred.

She looked pretty banged up, dried blood on her forehead.

"Hey," I said. "You gave me quite a scare."

"I'm sorry," she said. "Your car."

"Don't worry about it. You'll buy me another one."

She smiled weakly.

"I'm more concerned about you."

"Nothing too bad. A few cracked ribs. My head hurts. They say I have a concussion.

I looked at the policeman. "Do you have what you need? She's obviously not up for any questions."

"Yeah, I guess so. It was pretty straightforward. She lost control of the car. Here's the ticket, speeding. She's lucky she didn't get reckless endangerment."

"Yeah, thanks."

They kept her in overnight, and I stayed with her. She was in no condition to be alone for a couple days, so I took her home, to my apartment.

Really, what else was I suppose to do?

#

Monday morning, bright and early, I woke before Jack did, and I went to the doctor. Funny thing about community health centers, but even though they didn't have my records from college, they were still willing to see me. I was set to go a round with the noxious antibiotics that goes with a trichomoniasis infection, but I was declared clean. Thank goodness.

Having dodged that bullet I was feeling good as I entered the office. And stopped dead in my tracks. My roses were gone. The only one in the office Friday after I left was Jack. And he pillaged my desk, finding the ring in the back of the top drawer. I took the ring box, ring inside and went into his office and opening the pencil drawer shoved the box there thinking how much of a bastard he was.

When he showed up, with his usual grin, I didn't look at him.

"Morning," he said brightly.

I didn't answer.

"I had fun at Saratoga."

"Yeah, great." It was a fun time for us. Jack enjoyed making his bets. I liked seeing the ponies run. But right now I wasn't thinking of good times.

"Annie? Something wrong?"

"Where the fuck are my roses?"

"Who the fuck is Abel?" He glared at me then, and the mask was ripped away from the man who acted so happy all weekend. And that's what it was, an act. He was pissed at me, but rather than show it, he pulled this shit.

"None of your business, is who."

"Now you are being childish."

"As childish as throwing away someone's flowers?"

"Yeah, as childish as that. Who is Abel? And why is he sending you roses?"

"A friend. A REALLY good friend."

"Oh, it's like that. Is he the reason why you keep saying you won't marry me?"

"Jesus, Jack. Just look at you. You are the reason I don't want to marry you."

"What the fuck is your problem?"

"Really? Do I need to count the ways? You can't keep your hands off your employees, and you can't mind your own fucking business. And you want marry a woman you don't love!"

"I don't know what the fuck you are talking about. I am keeping my hands off you!"

"Not by choice, you're not!"

Just then there was a knock at the glass door. It was a courtesy knock, because no one ever knocked to enter this office.

Three people stood at the doors, two men and a woman, carrying thick brief cases and large coffee cups.

I opened the door. Jack introduced himself and me. Their names were Jerry Ryan, Bob Roberts and Casey Ryan, no relation we were told with a grim smile.

"Nice to meet you," Jack said, shaking their hands. "Ms. Lloyd will provide whatever you need, and answer any questions. Check with her first, but don't hesitate to ask me anything."

The look on Jack's face was somewhere between wooden and calcified. I had never seen him so cold meeting someone for the first time. I didn't know whether it was from the exchange with me, or them being here, or both. But Jack was definitely off his game. He walked stiffly into his office and shut the door.

"Here," I said quickly, "I've got you set up in the conference room, " I led them to it down the hall to the right. "Whatever documentation you need, please see me, and I'll get it right to you."

"We need to see your profit and loss statements," said Mr. Ryan.

"On the table, in triplicate. The only thing we ask is that you don't go on the production floor. For insurance purposes only employees are allowed. If you need anything else, please let me know. I'm in the office you first came to.

The woman, Casey moved towards me as I left.

"Could you show me the ladies?"

"Yeah, sure," I said. When we moved away from the door she sidled up to me.

"Looks like you and your boss don't get along so good."

"Everyone has their bad days," I said noncommittally.

"I understand. You don't want to say anything bad about your boss."

"I never do," I replied. "Here is the ladies room."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

I returned to the office. Jack had his door open.

"Ms. Lloyd, I'd like to speak to you."

"Oh great," I thought. But I went in.

Jack got up from his desk, and shut the door, his body inches away, his arms at either side, keeping me from moving away. He stared at me.

"Why are you so fucking stubborn?" he said.

But before I could say anything he crushed my lips with a kiss. He pinned me against the door, leaning into me. I couldn't move. I couldn't breath. I tried to push him away, but he kept kissing me, his tongue forcing his way in my mouth, playing with my tongue. My breathing sped up and did his. Why did he have to smell so damn good?

His hand pulled up my skirt to my thighs, and he reached to rub my clit. His finger circled coaxing my excitement and I felt a rush of wetness. So did he.

Jack groaned a bit, pushing against me, and I felt his hardness against me. His hands went to my ass, cupping and kneading both cheeks.

It wasn't fair. Jack was playing dirty. To get me to do what?

His hands pushed up my skirt, and then pulled down my pantyhose and panties. Sliding down to his knees, he buried his nose in the space between legs, and lapped the crease. He did this gently, at first, breathing in deeply as if he savored just the scent of me.

"God," he muttered. His tongue lapped between the lips of my pussy, hitting just the right spots that made everything feel comfortably warm. Warm and sexy. Warm then hot. This was wrong. We shouldn't be doing this here. And somehow the wrongness made the feelings all the more intense. My ass cheeks tightened, and my body shivered as tingles of pleasure shot through my body. Damn, the man had a talent.

Then pulling my hips forward with his hands, he speared his tongue through the center of me, running his tongue in circles inside me. I grabbed his head intending to push it away, but just then he pushed up with tongue, and eased up, then speared me again, fucking me with his mouth.

A little noise escaped from my throat, which only encouraged him more. Now he buried his lips into my pussy, nibbling, sucking, working his whole mouth at the center of my heat. Fucking shit. I couldn't think, couldn't bring to mind what I should be doing. All I knew was here, now and Jack's incredible mouth buried in the center of me. I started to rock back and forth building, magnifying the pleasure I felt. Heat shot through my body, and I couldn't get enough, needed more, wanted more. His tongue pushed up one more time, and my clit bucked against his upper lip. Bam. I couldn't see anything as lightning flew through every nerve ending. I may have rocked my hips, I don't know. I didn't know anything then except how good everything felt. He kept sucking as my orgasm washed away, but now the ministrations of his mouth felt more hurtful than pleasure.

"Please, stop, Jack. I can't take anymore."

He leaned back on his heels, and bending forward gave my mound a little kiss.

"Okay then, help me up."

I must have given him an incredulous look.

"I'm not as young as I used to be," he said. "And there is something I want to do."

"What," I said as I held out my arm which he used to help push himself up.

"This," he said. His mouth descended on mine again, only this time I tasted myself with my tongue, smelled my scent dripping on his cheeks.

"Oh," I moaned like some goddamned porn star.

"You taste so fucking good. I wanted you to taste it too."

He pulled away, bent down again and worked my panties and panty hose up over my hips. Jack then tugged my skirt down, and smoothed it down with his hands. Pulling me into his arms he gave me a slap on the rear.

"Now, get back to work, Ms. Lloyd. And don't make me have this talk with you again!" He said this with such seriousness I have to stifle a laugh.

"Oh, so this is your secret to human resources success? You eat out your employees to discipline them?"

"Yes," he said with a wicked smile. "And you should see my production manager's face when I do it to him."

This time I did laugh. "You are so fucking wrecked, Colson. No wonder you need me here to help you."

His smile eased into a thoughtful look.

"Precisely what I've been telling you all along."

#

I went back to my computer, crunching numbers, with a little smile on my face while I did that. In the tiniest part of my heart I felt a warmth there for Jack Colson that wasn't there before. That should have been a big read flag with me, but I was still tingling from what happened in his office.

An hour later, he came out of his office.

"We're having dinner tonight," he said as if he was announcing there was a business meeting I was required to attend.

"We are?"

"Yes. Be ready, five sharp. I'll pick you up here."

"And where will you be?"

"Out. Call me on my cell if you need something."

One hundred percent Jack. Even if I pressed him, he wouldn't tell me more.

"Five, then."

He nodded casually and strolled out the office like nothing out of the way happened between us.

The bastard.