The Perfect Team - Jess and Harri Pt. 01

I am not sure if I am imagining it or not, but I think Jess is getting friendlier too. I swear she is letting her guard down more and more frequently with her playful comments. They never last long, but when they come they are day-makers. It never took much, the odd flirty comment or sometimes just a look, a look like she's mentally undressing me, and I am in a good mood for the rest of the day.

In one of our rare one-to-ones, Jess asks me about some figures I have produced, explaining the board questioned them. I scan quickly and realise my mistake, 'Shit, these are the wrong year. I am so sorry.'

'No drama. Let's just sort it for next time.' It is a far more chilled response than I had anticipated.

'Of course, I am really sorry, I will make it up to you,' I say without thinking.

I see her register the comment, raising one eyebrow, 'And how will you do that?' Her tone drips with innuendo.

'Oh, erm, l am not sure?' I fail to hide my embarrassment as my face flushes.

She laughs, 'I will let you think about it.' My god, did I think about it. I thought about all the ways I could make it up to her, these thoughts frequently leaving my panties with a little wet spot.

One week later — Business trip to London

Harri

I let out a little yawn, it's a little before 6 am and the sun is just starting to rise over the office buildings. I had struggled to get to sleep last night. When I did drift off, I woke in the middle of a dream with a moan. Jess had been kissing her way down my body, her lips so soft against my skin. I had woken just as she is about to dip her tongue between my thighs. The dream had left me wanting more and played on my mind now as I drove through the quiet city centre. I am meeting Jess at the office and we are getting a train to London. My stomach is doing backflips at the thought of so much uninterrupted Jess time.

I round the corner and slam on my breaks, managing to avoid smashing into some guy on a BMX bike that has darted out across the road. Fuck, the grill of my car must be inches from his leg. He looks up. Holy shit, it is not a guy at all, it is Jess. She raises an eyebrow, apparently amused, and moves back, gesturing with her hand to indicate allowing space for me to pull through. Flustered, I stall the car. I can hear Jess laugh now. She shakes her head a little, before standing up on the pedals and disappearing into the basement car park.

I put the car back into first gear and follow. Only Jess could pull off a BMX bike like that.

By the time I get into the office, she is standing in reception waiting for me. 'Thought you'd rather kill me than go to London with me?' she teases.

'I am so sorry...'

She holds up a hand to stop me. 'Don't mention it. Come on or we will miss the train.'

Jess

Being in Harri's company is distracting. I keep trying to read the papers I have printed in preparation, but she keeps breathing. I give up.

I stash the papers and look up, she is looking at me. There is something there, she must be feeling this too. But she is straight! Is anyone fully straight though?!

'Enjoying the posting at CQ?' I ask. It's a bit lame, but I smile at how Kate would be pleased with the very well behaved question. We slide into easy conversation and my leg brushes against her under the table. I am sure I see her inhale slightly deeper at the contact. There she goes again, breathing.

The train gets busier the closer to London we get and our conversation falls. The day is hectic but Harri really impresses me; I have definitely been underutilising her. She really does know her stuff and is a huge asset when it comes to convincing the investors. We board the tube to head to our hotel. It is packed tightly in rush hour as we make the sweaty journey across London. The tube lurches to a stop and Harri loses her balance. She falls hard against me. Her hand lands on my chest and I place my hand on her waist to steady her. She doesn't move for a second, looking up and I swear I can feel her breath catch a little. 'Are you ok?'

Harri

'I am fine. Oh my god, sorry,' I step back.

'Making a little habit of crashing into me today...'

'I am really sorry,' I sort of blurt out again.

She places her hands on my shoulders for a second and gives them a little squeeze as I regain my balance. I had been right to fantasize about her hands; they felt amazing against my skin.

'Relax, it is ok. Do you see me complaining?'

She moves her hands all too soon and doesn't say much more as we exit the tube and walk to the hotel. Jess does the talking at check-in, getting two keys and handing one to me. 'That's for you... Want to grab dinner at 7?'

'I-I sort of said I would meet friends for a drink...'

'Meet them after. I have the company card,' she wiggles her eyebrows ever so slightly and I am not sure if she is tempting me with free food or her. Regardless, I had already pushed drinks back in my head the second I knew time with Jess was an option.

I agree to meet her for dinner and I take my case up to my room where I lie back on the bed. I am actually giddy at the prospect of an evening with Jess.

--

1 hour 20 mins later and I am in the lobby waiting for her. She is late, as normal. I feel a strong hand on my shoulder, 'Ready to go?' I jump and she laughs. Fucker.

We walk through Camden as we chat. It's a warm evening by London standards, summer announcing its arrival with a slight heat wave. The pubs and bars are spilling out onto the pavement as smartly dressed businessmen and women enjoy a hard-earned drink on a Thursday evening.

I start to relax. Having spent weeks tongue-tied, it is nice to learn I could formulate a coherent sentence in front of her. As long as I don't look at her too much, which is easier said than done. I am finally able to ask some of the questions that have tormented me for weeks. Maybe not my most pressing questions ('What happened with Natalie and what underwear do you wear?'), but I'd take what I could get. She pauses outside a little Japanese restaurant and holds open the door for me. What a gent.

Jess

I am not just falling for her, I am free falling with no parachute. I let her lead the way into the restaurant, and not just so I could look at her bum in the sundress she is wearing, but so she can't see the grin plastered all over my face.

I order so much food that the waitress laughs, but I am determined to keep food and drinks going for as long as possible. I can deal with Kate and the bill next week. We sit and eat and laugh - I love her laugh.

As the waitress collects the last of the plates, Harri reaches across the table slowly. Her fingers brushing along my forearm, 'When did you get this?' she says softly as her fingers trace the edge my tattoo. It gives me actual goosebumps.

'A few years ago. Do you like it?'

She thinks about it, 'I do... It's sort of manly... and sexy...' as if she registers what she said, she pulls her hand back and sits a little straighter. 'Sorry, I - I think I need a water,' she blushes.

'I am glad you like it.' I miss her proximity instantly. 'Do you need to meet your friends?'

'They are meeting me at the pub next door... I... bad planning... do you... errr... want to come too?' She bites her lower lip. I want to bite that lip. I nod, words sort of failing me for a moment.

I settle the bill and take her hand as we slip out of the restaurant; it fits so nicely in mine. I keep expecting her to pull away but she doesn't. As we enter the pub she even gives my hand a playful squeeze as I lean on the bar to order us a drink.

Only when I sit down does she let go. Although, the disappointment is only temporary as she leans against me, her side pressing against mine and her hand moves to my thigh. I feel my body throb with lust, moving my arm to rest on the back of the booth as she looks up at me. My eyes are fixed on her lips; I could so easily kiss her right now. She wants me to kiss her, I think. Her hand is still there, radiating heat.

Harri

My heart is racing. I am sure she can hear it as it threatens to break ribs in excitement. Her thigh is solid muscle. Her hand moves against the booth till her fingers run down the back of my neck. The touch is so light.

She leans in, 'Do you mind if I try something?'

I nod slowly, then my brain catches up with the question, 'Wait, I mean no, not yes. No, I don't mind...'

'Double negative,' she mutters amused as she leans close enough to me that I can feel her breath. She pauses and then before I know it her lips are grazing mine, soft and knowing and perfect.

Her hand moves to my neck, her wonderful hand on my neck, holding me as her lips play with mine. For a moment I am totally lost, lost in the feel of her lips, so soft, so perfect. I have been imagining this for too long and it has absolutely nothing on the reality. Every sense receptor feels like it's on speed, as the sensation spreads from my lips through my core. I grip her thigh and she pulls me closer, deepening the kiss.

Her other hand moves to my knee and brushes up my bare leg, please don't stop, my tongue finds hers, every little flick so in sync. Her hand is running little circles on my inner thigh as I feel my pussy jolt in anticipation.

Jess

I have never wanted anything more. Her kiss is so soft, yet eager. I bite her lower lip and she lets out a little moan. I can taste white wine on her tongue as it enters my mouth. She shifts to break the kiss but only so she can straddle me. Holy fucking shit. In the back corner of the pub she has her thighs either side of my hips. My hands move to her hips, pulling her against me as I bite her lower lip a little. This is bold even by my standards, but I am totally lost in finally getting to touch her.

Her phone vibrates aggressively against the table, making Harri jump. She kisses me deeply, before twisting back to grab the phone, pushing her hips down against me as she does. I can hear a female voice, she sounds drunk as she yells, 'Hazzzzzaaaaa, where are you? We are here,' and sure enough I can hear it not just through the speaker but the other side of the bar. The moment is gone.

Harri goes instantly tense, pulling away from me as if my touch is suddenly burning her skin. 'I am here, at the back.' She slides off my lap and even further away till there is a foot between us. She runs her hand through her hair as a blonde girl appears through the crowd, bounding over, leading a small group. She pulls Harri up and into a hug. When Harri retakes her seat she looks almost mortified, there is now a Grand Canyon-sized void between us.

It only gets worse when she clumsily introduces me as her colleague. I need to get out of here. I take the last sip of my beer and stand up. 'Harriet, I better go... We need to leave the hotel at 8.40 to get to the LSE in time. I will meet you in the lobby, yeah?'

Harri just looks at me, the same deer in headlights look. 'What? Oh, sure, ok.'

'Have fun all,' and with that I make my way out of the pub and back to the hotel. My heart is racing. I have fucked up.

Harri

I make my way to breakfast. I need to see Jess and explain my reaction. I was just off guard; I didn't mean to push her away. I had been up replaying the kiss over and over in my head, the thought made me wet. That is, until the memory slipped into me jumping away from her and the look on her face turns stony. Then the warm feeling is overtaken by raging angst.

But Jess doesn't show at breakfast and my heart sinks a little. I go to wait in the lobby. She appears at 8.39, uncharacteristically prompt but reliably tailored and sexy. She is talking on the phone as she strolls over. She gives a little nod towards the doors, barely making eye contact as she continues to talk and I follow her path.

'Yeah, yesterday was fine. Yeah, ok. We'll email them across on the way back to Bristol tonight.' Then she laughs and the tone changes, 'Missing me that much? Yeah yeah, see you Monday,' and with that she hangs up.

'Kate?' I ask.

'Yeah, checking up on us,' she rolls her eyes. 'Should have come herself if she is that concerned.' Jess sounds pissed off as we step out into the city breeze. Changing her tone, 'Come on, Hazzzzaaaaa. We have places to be,' she gives a little laugh at her own impression as I cringe at my friends.

There is little room for much chatter on the tube as we navigate our way to our first meeting, and despite the joke I had the distinct impression that any mention of last night is not on the agenda.

This stays true for most of the day; meeting, tube, meeting, even longer meeting, wolf down a sandwich before a final meeting and a final tube ride back to Paddington Station. Jess has been predominately business, only letting her guard slip once or twice. But these were enough to give me a slither of hope. I'd tried to move closer to her on the tube, but every little movement seemed to be mirrored, almost like we were magnets with opposite polarity. I felt crushed and I didn't quite know how to fix it or what to do. She obviously regrets it. Was it, was I, a mistake?

Jess

The train journey lasts forever. I open my laptop, sending an email or two, until there is nothing else I can feasibly pretend needs doing. She is opposite me, glancing out the window deep in thought.

She looks up as the laptop clicks shut. 'All done?'

'Yep, good till Monday.' It's awkward now and I regret closing my laptop and pull out my phone. We will just pretend nothing happened. It was a drunken kiss in a bar, at least for her anyhow, and I wasn't going to embarrass myself any further.

We sit in silence, just like the first few months in the office. As the train arrives in Bristol we get up, collect our bags and disembark. Heading out the archway to the cooler evening, Harri pauses and I ready myself for the clumsy see-you-in-the-office comment that we both know won't acknowledge what has happened on this trip.

Harri clears her throat. 'Jess, I am really sorry.'

I shrug, 'Don't. It's fine. I get it; you are not into girls... It was a mistake... Let's just not make it awkward.'

If I had a million guesses I wouldn't have predicted what she did next.

Stepping closer she places a hand on my forearm, biting her lip a little. 'What if I want to make it awkward?' she whispers nervously, leaning closer. She closes the rest of the distance between us and her lips press against mine.

I forget to breathe for a second before I react. As if someone has lit a fire inside me, I pull her hips against mine. I part her lips with mine, really kissing her. An unbelievable mix of relief and excitement floods through me. She does want you, it wasn't a mistake. Her hands reach up and grip my neck as she floors me with her kiss.

Eventually she pulls back and smiles, her hand moving to tug on my shirt, 'Can we go to yours?'

I don't think I could say no to this girl if I tried. I kiss her for a moment, savouring the touch, then lace my fingers through hers. 'Yes!'

Leading the way to the taxi rank, I hold the door open for her to climb into a black taxi and follow suit. We continue to kiss like teenagers as we travel through the city. It's getting pretty heated and her obvious eagerness makes it hard not to start fucking her in the back of the cab. When the car rolls to a stop I pay the driver, Harri pulling on my hand.

In the elevator I place my hands on her bum, pulling her body till it is pressed against mine. She is a little breathless as she starts unbuttoning my shirt. The 'ping' announces we are at my floor and I fumble with my keys to let us inside my flat.

Harri is in my apartment, standing in the middle of the living room, giving me the sexiest come-to-bed eyes I think I have ever seen.

I have never felt nervous before, but I do now. 'Do you... err... want a drink?'

She laughs... 'Jess, I want you...,' she steps close to me and her hands move to undo the final buttons on my shirt. She plants a kiss on my collar bone.

'Are you sure?'

'Yes, now will you touch me already,' she trails her finger down my stomach.

Harri

She growls, like actually growls and my body throbs. Her hand moves to the back of my neck and into my hair as she kisses me, taking ownership of my mouth. She pushes me against the wall as she leans into the kiss and I savour the moment.

Moving her hands to my hips, Jess swiftly lifts me up and my legs wrap tightly around her. Walking us the short distance to the bedroom, she lays me back on the bed. Her shirt is open, revealing a black sports bra and solid abs. She tugs at the hem of my dress, lifting it up over my hips. I move to help, sitting up as she pulls it off and tosses it to the side. It is quickly followed by my bra. I would feel self-conscious if I wasn't so overwhelmingly turned on.

Her eyes devour me as my hands move to her belt, eagerly unbuckling it. I pull down her trousers, revealing the elastic waistband of her black Calvin Klein's. 'I knew it,' I let slip as I see the boxers clinging to her hips but before I can get any further she climbs back on top of me.

Starting at my neck, her mouth works its way down my body, sometimes flicking her tongue, sometimes ever so lightly nipping me with her teeth. Every nerve in my body is awake as I lean my head back and let out a low moan. She cups one breast, while her mouth toys with the erect nipple on the other. I arch my back and close my eyes. 'This feels so good.'

Her mouth leaves my breast, brushes over my stomach and reaches the edge of my panties. Hooking a finger under the edge, she pulls them down. I don't think I have ever been this aroused. I would let her do anything to me as long as she keeps touching me.

I feel her breath against my glistening sex and I part my legs a little. Her mouth kisses my thigh and my hips wiggle with lust.

'Jess, please,' I pant.

Her hands slide up my thighs, parting them further, as her tongue runs along me. I let out a deep, satisfied moan. Her mouth continues to flick along my most intimate part. I can feel my arousal on my thighs as my hands grip the sheets. When her tongue presses against my clit, my body shudders. 'Fuckkk.'

She moves my legs so one rests over her shoulder and buries her face between my thighs, sucking on my clit as my hips roll to meet her delightful tongue. She slides her fingers inside me and I bite my lip, her assault causing me to writhe on the sheets.

'Jess... I can't... I am going to cum!'

She rolls her tongue along my clit as her fingers fuck me. My body too tenses as pleasure ricochets through me. 'Fuckkkkkk, yes.' My hips buck against her fingers as my orgasm rips through me.

I catch my breath and pull her up to kiss me. I can taste myself on her lips.

She leans on her side looking at me. 'You are so sexy when you cum,' her hand rests on my stomach as she kisses me again.

Then smirking, as she pulls away, 'What did you know?' She raises one perfectly arched eyebrow.

Jess

Her flushed cheeks manage to blush an even rosier pink as she shakes her head refusing to answer. It's fucking adorable.

'Tell me,' I say playfully as my hand finds her nipple and gives it a little playful squeeze.

She gasps slightly. 'I - I knew you would look... sexy in men's briefs.' She almost can't look me in the eyes as she says it.

I smile, 'Oh, do I?'

She nods, biting her lip, 'But I, errr, think you would also look pretty good out of them.'

'Want to find out?' I raise an eyebrow.

She nods again.