Team Building

After a year of working on a stressful and important new project, Saoirse and Neil's company wanted to recognise the hard work of the staff and celebrate the success by throwing a party at a brand new hotel in the city centre. They organised a massive spread of food, a free bar and everyone was strongly encouraged to attend.

In their respective office groups, Saoirse and Neil agreed to go along. It started at 8pm but Saoirse didn't like to be too early, she hated work functions and usually found an excuse not to attend them. She met her colleague and friend Evelyn in the city centre for a drink first and then they went to the function together. They walked into the ballroom and looked around. They were surprised to see so many people there. The room was lit by dimmed wall lights, candles on the tables, and decorated with arches of pearlescent balloons in soft metallic colours. A DJ in the top corner of the room played trendy house music and already quite a few people were on the dance floor in the middle of the room. Half a dozen large, half-moon shaped booths provided seating along the right-hand side looking onto the dance floor and the rest of the room was filled with large round tables and chairs. The bar dominated the top of the room, well lit with bevelled mirrors behind it and very stylized to match the modern glamour of the hotel. On the left-hand side of the room, the food was being set up at a long line of heated and chilled buffet servers stretching down the room.

Saoirse and Evelyn went straight to the bar and ordered a cocktail each, taking the opportunity to try something they'd never usually order. "Good evening, Evelyn. Good evening, Saoirse. How are you both?" Matt's voice behind them rose above the music. They turned to see Neil's boss smiling at them and greeted him. "We've managed to nab a booth over here," he said, pointing towards the middle of the right-hand wall. They followed him to the booth where their colleagues from Neil and Saoirse's offices were sitting chatting, laughing and drinking. "I found these two loitering at the bar and asked them to join us!" Matt said to the group. All 8 of them looked towards them, clapped and cheered. Evelyn and Saoirse laughed, embarrassed, and tried to discourage them.

Matt ushered them to sit down amid calls of "Finally!" and "What time do you call this?!" from their colleagues. Matt stood back to let Evelyn sit down on the left hand side of the booth as the others moved along the seat to make room and then he sat beside her. Neil was sitting on the right hand side edge, he put his left arm round Saoirse's hips, stood up, kissed her quickly and let her sit down to his right, opposite Evelyn, then slid back down onto the seat beside her without speaking. Saoirse and Evelyn greeted all their colleagues as they settled into their places. The group clinked their glasses and toasted themselves, chatted, laughed and joked with each other as they relaxed into the evening.

Saoirse felt slightly apprehensive being at a work function with Neil for the first time since their relationship had become public knowledge when Neil collapsed at work 6 weeks earlier. She was the more outgoing of the two of them but she could feel the awkwardness like static around them as they sat beside each other, uncomfortably stiff in posture, not speaking to one another. Some of their group moved out of the booth to mingle at other tables, dance or go to the bar and everyone shuffled along the seats, seemingly oblivious to the atmosphere between Saoirse and Neil.

Saoirse turned to Neil who was looking across the room, holding his drink in his right hand. "Are you nervous? I feel really..." she started quietly, trying to be subtle.

Neil couldn't hear her over the music. "Hmmmm?" he hummed. He looked at her and tipped his head as he swallowed a gulp of his pint. "What did you say?" he asked loudly, interrupting her. Saoirse bowed her head and took a deep breath. Neil leaned his head down towards her and Saoirse lifted her head to speak closer to his ear.

"I said are you nervous?" she asked again, louder and slightly irritated. "We're sitting here like strangers!" she said with an awkward laugh. Neil swallowed another gulp of his pint and tilted his head to look in her eyes as he licked his top lip to brush the Guinness from it. He lifted his head to look straight ahead but didn't answer her.

Her face flushed. "It's just..." she took a breath. "I feel really self-conscious or something." she said sheepishly to him then looked down, wringing her hands on her lap under the table. Her mind raced with thoughts and worries and she was stricken with self-doubt about coming to the function.

Neil set his glass on the table, rubbed his palms discretely on his smart dark denim jeans then squeezed her hands in his right hand to stop her fidgeting. She looked up at him cautiously, her eyes shifting frantically to read his face. He nodded softly, exhaled slowly and smiled a small, closed-lip twitch of his mouth then put his right arm around her waist. He turned his body towards hers and hugged her into his embrace. "Don't worry, we've got this!" he said in her ear, looking down at her and squeezing her right hip reassuringly. He held out his left fist to her under the table and she reciprocated, bumping it with her right fist. She smiled shyly, took a deep breath to try and ease her anxiety and looked him in the eyes. "You look stunning." he said in his soothing voice, leaning in to her, and a slow, charming smile spread across his lips. "I was nearly all Roger Rabbit eyes when you came over." he said in his low tone. They both giggled quietly.

She looked down at her green satin cami top, black leather-look skinny trousers and green suede stilettos. "Thank you, Evelyn helped me pick it." Saoirse smiled shyly and gazed at him.

"Good call, Evelyn!" Neil said softly, smirking and raising his eyebrows.

"You look dapper. As usual." she said, licking her lips as she looked down at his pale coral-coloured linen shirt, smart dark denim jeans and boots. "I like your shirt, fit's perfect. And the colour really suits you!" she smiled, stroking her hand down his chest over his shirt. "What is that - boyfriend material?" she asked with a cheeky grin.

"Oh...really?!" Neil groaned at her joke then laughed his cheeky, giddy chuckle. "There she is, that's more like Saoirse!" he said, smoothing his shirt with his left hand. "Isn't that nice, Matt?" he asked Matt loudly across the table. Matt looked over and raised his eyebrows. "Saoirse's just admiring my shirt." Neil said with a defiant nod.

Matt shook his head and chuckled. "I don't know if it's more pink or orange, mate. Either way it matches your skin or your hair!" Matt jested. "I can't believe you let him out like that, Saoirse!" he teased, holding his hand out towards Neil and looking at her. "It's the same colour as your drink!" Matt pointed to Saoirse's cocktail. They all laughed as she held her drink up to Neil's shirt to compare it.

"It's called style, Matt. Google it!" Neil joked, puffing out his chest. "Or maybe it would be easier for you to look it up in the dictionary, old man? You'll find a picture of me in this shirt!" Neil goaded.

"Fuck sake, Neil. I thought that was a picture of Ed Sheeran!" Matt replied with a laugh.

Neil took a breath, shook his head and pursed his lips. "Nah....nah... only if Ed Sheeran was over 6ft and built like a tank!" he laughed, flexing his arms. Saoirse laughed, looking between them as they spoke. "He thinks I look like Ed Sheeran." Neil said to Saoirse. Saoirse frowned and looked at Matt.

"No?" Matt asked Saoirse.

"Just because he's ginger?" She frowned and shook her head. "...well...I don't fancy Ed Sheeran so...!" she smiled coyly.

"Oooohhhhhh!" Matt and Neil cooed in unison as Neil squeezed her against him and she laughed.

Soon the company's management team made speeches recognising the work of all the teams on each floor of their building then the food was served, they all ate, drank, danced and sang the night away.

Saoirse decided to make an effort to make the most of the evening, she went round the other tables talking to colleagues, she danced with her colleagues and with Evelyn. She knew Matt and his wife enjoyed ballroom dancing so she asked Matt if he would show her some basic dance steps. Matt agreed after asking permission from Neil, something Saoirse balked at, but Matt was a perfect gentleman and she respected that. Matt taught her some steps and they danced together to a number of songs during the evening.

Neil surveyed the room for a while before getting up from his seat to move around the room chatting to people at other tables, get second helpings of food, chat to anyone who approached him and dance with colleagues on the dance floor.

Finally, close to midnight, Neil came across to Saoirse and Matt on the dance floor and asked to dance with her. Matt excused himself and Neil took his place. "Alright gorgeous. I hope you put in a good word for me while you were flirting...I mean dancing with the boss man in those heels!" he commented, sliding his arms round her waist and hugging her to him.

Saoirse frowned, shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Jealous?" she asked. Neil frowned. "Why say that then?" she asked, indicating she didn't understand him before wrapping her arms round his neck as they danced. Neil nodded apologetically and mouthed the word 'sorry' as he hugged her tighter against him.

A photographer making his way through the crowd on the dance floor stopped with them and took their photograph. They posed for the third and fourth clicks of the camera before the photographer moved on. "Fancy a drink?" Neil asked Saoirse, gesturing a drinking motion. She agreed and he reached for her hand, holding it as he led her through the crowd over to the bar. "Do you want another cocktail?" he asked. She made a face, thinking for a moment then shook her head. "The usual then?" he asked. She hummed in agreement, smiled and nodded. "Pint of Guinness and a double Jack and Coke, please mate." Neil asked the barman. They got their drinks and stood at the bar for a while.

"Are you having a good night?" Saoirse asked. Neil nodded, waiting for his pint to settle. "Shall we go outside for a bit?" she asked, gesturing to the noise in the room. Neil agreed, they walked out of the ballroom and found a small seating area on the mezzanine by the window overlooking the city. Neil sat down in the armchair opposite Saoirse and began rolling up his shirt sleeves. "It's much quieter out here." Saoirse sighed. "And cooler, thank God. I was melting on the dance floor." she said. Neil nodded. "Cheers to our first work function together, unscathed." she said, holding up her glass to clink his.

"Dave from Accounts asked me if we had split up, if that's why you're looking so knockout tonight and if I was gutted." he said in a hushed voice, leaning over the table as he spoke and smirking at her.

Saoirse stopped, her eyes widened and she put her glass down on the table. "Do you want some ice for that burn, Neil?" she asked with mock concern. Neil smiled and shook his head. "As if this is a revenge outfit!" she said, leaning back in her chair and holding her arm out to display herself. Neil shook the collar of his shirt as if he was too hot as he looked at her and Saoirse laughed.

"When I told him we hadn't, he said I was punching anyway," he nodded, raising his eyebrows and gesturing towards her.

Saoirse smiled wickedly, turning round in her chair and throwing her legs up over the arm of the chair while playfully running her hand up her leg to her hip to pose for him. "You definitely are!" she teased.

Neil shifted in his seat and took out his phone. "Yeah, baby. Just like that!" he mocked in a low tone, giggling as he pretended to take pictures of her posing. She laughed, turned back round in her chair and sat forward, sipping her drink as Neil put his phone back in his pocket.

"How do you feel about that?" Saoirse asked, trying to be playful, as Neil finally took the first sip of his pint.

"I mean, yeah I'm punching..." he said taking another gulp of his pint. Saoirse pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. Neil shook his head and swallowed his drink. "But nah, I raised my glass, said 'Cheers' and told him he was a wanker." Neil sniggered.

Saoirse winced and shook her head quickly. "Of course you did." she said dryly. "You're just gutted 'cos that's your bromance over now!" she teased. "No more creaming your pants cos he wants to go mountain biking with you at weekends." she giggled.

Neil looked at her with a straight face. "Yeah alright fuck off, Saoirse!" he said, sourly.

"No need to be embarrassed now Neil." she mocked. "I'm not jealous." She held her hands up and tried to disguise a smile. He clenched his jaw and glared at her. "Fucking hell. Chill out, would you! I'm taking the piss!" she hissed, lifting her drink and sitting back in her chair. They sipped their drinks while Neil's ego recovered. She stretched her leg under the table to nudge his foot with hers. "Psssst!" she hissed. Neil looked at her and she blew him a kiss but he said nothing for a few moments. She could see his mind working but even after almost a year together she didn't know what he was thinking.

"C'mere," Neil said, tipping his head and sitting back in his chair. Saoirse looked round to make sure they weren't partaking in a PDA in front of their colleagues, stood up and walked round the table to sit on Neil's lap. He groaned a sigh and she felt his cock stir against her thigh as she settled across his lap and crossed her legs. He rested his left hand over her thighs and his right arm snaked round her hips. "Seriously, you look smoking!" he said in her ear in his low voice, becoming entoxicated by the smell of her perfume on her neck. She glanced at him and gave him a coy smile. "So I'd fucking hate to see 'Saoirse's fucking revenge outfit'!" he laughed his giddy giggle. She put her left arm round his neck, stroking the back of his neck and tracing soft circles up into his hairline with her nails. He leaned his head back against the chair and looked at her. They gazed at each other intensely, smiles teasing the edges of their mouths. "Can't wait to get you home," Neil drawled as his right hand stroked up her lower back.

Saoirse smirked and leaned in to kiss him softly. "Fancy getting your dick wet tonight?" she whispered as they maintained their gaze, their faces barely inches apart.

Neil's forehead creased, his mouth pouted and he shifted in his seat. "Ooffft! That's some mouth you've got on you, Evans!" he said in a low groan. Saoirse smirked then stuck her tongue out playfully.

"What clothes have I left at your place?" she asked, sitting back and trying to calm the situation. Neil frowned and shrugged, shaking his head as if it was an odd question. "Well, I didn't bring anything else with me tonight apart from this," she gestured to her outfit. "I assume we're going to yours cos it's closer than mine and we usually go there?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. Neil half shrugged, half nodded. "What am I gonna wear?" she asked.

Neil's forehead relaxed as he smiled. "Wear?! Nothing apart from those heels, I hope!" he teased. Saoirse pursed her lips at him, failing to hide a smile. "What?" he asked as he laughed.

"Tomorrow? I can't go home in this, like I'm walk-of-shaming it!" she hissed.

"Tomorrow?! Saoirse, I'm not even thinking past tonight and if we can get away with leaving here really fucking soon!" he sniggered, looking around quickly before stroking his hand over her ass. "I dunno, there's probably quite a lot since you're there so often. Anything of yours I find, I just throw it all in the drawer you leave stuff in anyway." he said. "But I was kinda hoping to have you all weekend..." he raised his eyebrows, looking at her.

"Oh yeah?" Saoirse asked. "Is that to make up for the fact that you've hardly been near me all night?" she teased, stroking his beard. "Or just cos you're at a loose end after Dave...?" she teased. The warmth of his hands on her thighs and back and the tease of his cock and his thighs under her made her feel weak and lustful and she just wanted to collapse round his body.

"Excuse me!" Neil tried to hide a smirk. "I've been playing hard to get." he said quietly. "Looks like it's working!" he laughed. Saoirse looked at him. "Anyway, it's not like you've been near me either!" he teased, tickling her.

"Stop it!" Saoirse squirmed and squeaked. "Yeah, OK." she said apologetically. "But I've been team building... isn't that the point of this sort of shit?!" she joked, gesturing with her thumb towards the ballroom.

Neil tipped his head and squeezed her ass. "Yeah, ignore your boyfriend to further your career!" he joked.

"Oh maybe that's why Dave thought we'd split up." she gasped.

"Nah, he was just looking for an opportunity to get into you." Neil said. "That makes two of us!" he teased and stuck his tongue out playfully at her.

"You AND Dave... interesting!" Saoirse said, thoughtfully, looking at him as she raised her eyebrows.

Neil shook his head. "Nah, nah, nah! I don't want a threesome THAT much!" Neil said quickly.

"I definitely wasn't serious there, by the way. I don't think of Dave like that just in case you're wondering" Saoirse said, panicking her joke had been misunderstood.

"You'd better not, for fuck sake!" Neil laughed.

Saoirse laughed. "So Dave thinks you're punching then?" she teased. Neil nodded and smirked. "You look good, Neil. You are always dapper." Saoirse said softly, hugging him round the neck with her left arm. He looked up at her. "If anything, I'm trying to keep up with you." she shrugged with one shoulder.

"We're just one hot couple, aren't we?" Neil teased. He smiled and gazed at her as he leaned up to kiss her.

"Obviously!" Saoirse laughed. "Yeah, OK, you can HAVE me all weekend." she teased, stroking his beard. "Right, come on. We'd better go back in here and carry on 'team building' before someone comes looking for us!" she said, pushing up off his knee to stand up. They lifted their drinks and walked back into the ballroom. The music was still loud. Neil stopped to talk to a group of male colleagues. Saoirse greeted them, walked on past then stepped back and leaned up to Neil's ear. He leaned down closer to her. "When we get home?" she asked. He nodded. "Will you fuck me from behind?" she asked. Neil stood up straight, rubbed his beard as he smirked then glanced at her coyly and nodded. She smiled widely and went to sit with Evelyn, feeling giddy at their rekindled playful flirting.

****Two hours later****

"I'm going to wet myself!" Saoirse wailed comically as she hurried awkwardly up the stairs into Neil's apartment in her stilettos. She discarded Neil's jacket and her clutch purse on the carpet in the hall and clip-clopped into the bathroom, flinging the door behind her. "Wooohooo thank God, I made it!" she sighed as she peed.

Neil stood out in the hall chuckling to himself as he took off his boots, hung up his jacket and lifted Saoirse's purse onto the console table. He heard the toilet flush and Saoirse's heels on the tiles as she fixed her clothes, and her jewellery jangled as she washed her hands. "Hurry up!" he said in a sing-song. "Saoirseeee!" he groaned, poking his head round the bathroom door.

"Saoirseeee!" she mocked him as she looked at him, puzzled. "Erm...there's another bathroom if you need to go that badly!" she said, nodding towards Neil's bedroom as she dried her hands.

He pushed the door open and stepped purposefully towards her, his eyes fixed on hers. Saoirse stepped back, slightly alarmed until he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her back against his chest and kissed along her left shoulder up to her neck before looking at her in the mirror as they stood in front of the sink. Saoirse sighed a giggle. "Finally got you all to myself, gorgeous!" Neil said, unbuttoning his jeans and pulling his jeans and pants down to his thighs. He exhaled loudly while he stroked his cock slowly with his right hand, looking at her in the mirror and grabbing her ass with his left hand. "I've been waiting all night..." he said in his low voice as she watched him in the mirror. She undid her trousers and moved to step out of her stilettos. "I meant what I said earlier. Leave your heels on." Neil demanded.