Undercover Ch. 06

"Damn," Cade swore to himself as he tried to put his clothes back on again. That did get way out of hand - again. He had never meant for it to go that far. He had only wanted to warm her up a bit and transfer some of his frustrations onto her.

Instead she had been so responsive he could not contain himself. And the following release had simply been earth shattering. He had never before experienced anything like that. This obviously had some potential, he thought. But perhaps it was best to give her some space before pounding on her again. He would give her a few hours. That was all. Then they would have a serious discussion. He was not letting her get away from something that felt so good.

Now where had his pants gone? No way if he was going to let Mrs. Anderson or Sam catch him wearing only his boxers. That would surely make their tongues wiggle even worse than they already did.

***

The cold air hit Erin as soon as she walked out the door. Only a pity her sanity had not returned earlier. How on earth had that happened? She had fucked the boss right there in his office and in the middle of lunchtime. Geesh, how had she managed to forget that? Anyone could have walked in and caught them both butt naked while fucking their brains out. Or heard her screams as she gained her release? What would people think of that? She had never behaved this wanton before, and she was not sure she liked this new personality trait. Maybe it was the clothes?

No, of course it wasn't. She was a grown woman and she knew far better than to blame some innocent clothes. Well, innocent was perhaps not the best word and they were hardly whole anymore. She chuckled. They had practically ripped their clothes off each other. Talk about randy hormones. Maybe the coffee was spiked after all. Either way, this had to stop now. No more dalliances and no more men - especially not the hot and hard muscled type that was also their main suspect of criminal offence. No way.

She sighed. What a loss. The man was a great lover with good stamina and a body one could kill to possess. Under any other circumstances she would have thrown herself head over heels and fought for a chance to be near him, but there was more to a man than met the eye. A lot more, and she was aching to possess him one more time. And maybe there was a chance she could?

Still, she was old enough to realise this would not last. They could have some great sex for a few weeks and that would be it. Her relationships had never lasted long, and she did not anticipate this one to last either. In the mean time all they had to do was keep the sex and work separate. Or perhaps it would be best to simply avoid the man all the time? It was only two months left of her assignment here, and she was still not sure of his innocence in the embezzlement. She had simply forgotten about the whole thing when he had started touching her. How could she have fucked their main suspect? What if she had disclosed anything during their passionate encounter? Oh god, what an amateur she was.

What would Warren think if he ever heard about it? She could always tell Warren she seduced the man in order to make him confess. He would certainly find that hilarious for a few minutes before firing her butt. Or she could simply tell Warren the truth. That he was the sexiest man she had ever met and that her panties simply caught fire every time she met him. Well, that would surely convince Warren about her madness and give her the dismissal she wanted to avoid.

All right, there was really only one option open to her. No more fraternising with the enemy -- at least until he was cleared of suspicion. After that...who knew what would happen then. Most likely she would tie him to her bed and fuck him day and night until she tired of him. Yep, that did sound like a nice plan or at least a tempting fantasy. But for the time being she had to stay as far away from him as she could.

***

The next few days passed with an ice front between Cade and Erin. She had refused to speak to him when he had come to see her at the evening of their encounter. She was angry about something. He had gathered that much from her brief responses and testy manners. Typically female, he thought. Always getting furious over tiny details. And typically enough he had no idea what that tiny detail could be.

Lasting relationships was not something he knew much of, as his affairs rarely lasted more than a few months. But he had understood that women did not think logically and that they were even more difficult to interpret for a mere man. He was not likely to find out what the problem was either, because every time he asked about it she closed down immediately and told him to let it rest for a while as she was thinking.

"Thinking about what?" he had asked but never received a reply. He found it terribly frustrating. What could possibly be the problem with them having wonderful sex together? It was not like they were getting married or something...

Now, wait a minute, he thought. That wasit. Of course, that was just what the problem was. She wanted them to have some sort of relationship. For him to confess she meant more to him than a common one night stand. She probably wanted to get married as well. They'd had sex and in a woman's mind that usually meant they would have to marry. Or at least she would want him to confess to feeling more than just lust. Of course.

Why hadn't he thought about that sooner? It was so typical female that he should have caught the scent of it days ago. But did he want to marry her? He was not sure yet, but he would like to know her better. Much better. And in a bed the next time. He would have to tell her as soon as possible.

***

"Marriage? You're joking, right?" Erin was standing in the doorway of her apartment as she had refused to let him inside. That should perhaps have given him a clue. She was still angry, was she? Oh well, she might have misunderstood what he was trying to say.

"Well, I said that we might get married some day," he explained. "Not that we had to do it right away." She just snorted and he tried to explain what was crystal clear to him. "So, you see there is no reason why we should not continue to be together."

She still looked at him as if he was completely daft. "You actually want us to get married, is that it?" she asked him straight out. But before he managed to answer past the lump in his throat she continued. "You're not one of them Christians are you? The one's that can't have sex before marriage?" He shook his head. "Because it seems we have to clear up a few things," she continued. "I never intended to keep you, you know."

"You didn't? It was just sex, is that what you mean?" He was getting annoyed now.

"Yes, it was just some fun and uncomplicated sex," she answered looking him directly in the eyes. "I like your body and your stamina, and I have decided that I would not mind prolonging our affair, but that's all there is to it."

"You like my body?" he growled through clenched teeth.

"Yes, of course I do. And especially a certain part of it," she stated while giving his crotch a tell-tale look. Now his anger had mounted to a higher level. The woman was a man-eater by the looks of it. A goddamn shark was she, who slept her way to the top of the corporate ladder and he had fallen for her head over heels, even thinking about marrying her. Damn, how could he have been so stupid as to let her reel him in so easily? He was used to women wanting him for his money, but for his body? Well that was a new one. He barely controlled his anger. He didn't want her to think she had hurt him in any way.

"And you would like to prolong our affair? Fuck me whenever I want to?" he asked crudely.

"Sure."

"H'mmn, I'll have to think about it. Decide whether I want another taste or not," he stated while roaming his eyes over her body as if he was contemplating if she was worth his time or not. She did not like that one bit if her heightened colour and the anger growing in her eyes were any indication. He forced a laugh and left her standing in the doorway.

***

"So, how is it going?" Warren's voice beamed through the receiver a few days later.

"Terribly," Erin answered truthfully in a depressed tone. "I can not find the least proof of any embezzlement having occurred at this company. Everything seems to be in perfect order and I've looked through all the files and checked everything I could think of. Everything seems to be in perfect order and nothing indicates Mr. Mason as anything other than an honest businessman."

"H'mmn, well then maybe I was wrong after all," Warren admitted. "Perhaps the embezzlement is at the supplier instead?"

"I don't know," Erin admitted. "At least I have not found anything yet. But I can keep on searching if you want me to. Although I would prefer to go home now."

"What? You don't like the wilderness?" Warren asked laughingly.

"Oh, the wilderness is fine. It's so quiet here you can almost here yourself think and the fresh air is refreshing. It's the people that are the problem. That Mason fellow hates me, for instance."

"Cade? But he always seems so friendly?" Warren interjected.

"He hates women, so it's no surprise you have not noticed, Warren. You are of the wrong sex, after all," Erin teased him.

"I suppose so. So you're not hitting it off very well?" Warren asked carefully.

"Nope, he hates me."

She did not care to elaborate everything that had taken place between them. Warren would never understand. He would only think her crazy and believe she did not have what it took to complete this job. Besides, Cade was just another man, and so far she had never met a single man that could measure up to her standards. She doubted Cade would be any different in that aspect even if she had wanted to know him better. And since men had seduced their secretary's in all centuries, there should be nothing wrong with turning the tables, should there? Still, when she had offered him an affair he had blankly refused her -- looking affronted as if she had suggested he jump off the nearest cliff. Men! Who could understand them?

***

"Cade, what is going on?" Warren demanded in the tone that indicated that he didn't want to be gainsaid.

"Going on where?" Cade answered evasively. "You can have that secretary back, by the way. I can manage now."

"Don't evade the question," Warren said warningly over the phone. "I know something is not right, so tell me? Why are you and Erin quarrelling?"

"Now, sothat is the problem. Rumours spread fast around here. It's really none of your business, Warren" Cade said icily.

"Is that so? She's my employee and you're my partner. Of course it's my business. Do you want me to take her back or will you keep her forever?"

"What? You can not let me get stuck with that man-eater a minute longer than I have to."

"Man-eater?

"Yep, that's what she is. She eats men for breakfast - then chucks them out as soon as they have done the deed."

"What deed?"

"Stay out of this, Warren."

"Cade, you'd better not do anything stupid now!"

"Who saidI was the culprit. It wasshe who dumpedme on my ass -- not the other way around. So don't call me unless you're taking her back."

Warren thought about it for a while. No, it would not do to let her leave now. Then they would never work out their differences. The best was obviously to let them fight a bit longer and then hopefully they would sort it out. So far it seemed Cade was the one that was hurt most by their encounter. He wondered what had actually happened. He had never heard Cade like this before. Oh well, the man could do with some heartache for a while.

"You just keep her a while longer," he told Cade. "And try to give her the benefit of the doubt. She is really a nice woman once you get to know her."

"I doubt it," Cade said and slammed the phone down.

***

The next few days, Cade was behaving like the perfect dictator as far as Erin was concerned. He complained about all and everything, and particularly about his clumsy secretary who suddenly had become even clumsier. Well, he did deserve it, she thought to herself.

Now it was not nervousness that prevented her from doing everything correctly. It was pure spite. What was wrong with the man anyway? Any man liked to sow his wild oats, didn't they? And here she had offered him a nice little affair and he had declined like some affronted virgin. She was sure he had not been a virgin, although his testiness certainly gave that impression.

No, he had shown too much control and known exactly which buttons to press at which time to be unfamiliar with sex. He was definitely not inexperienced in that department so what was bothering him now? He still behaved as ifhe was the affronted party.

Oh well, the man was definitely in great need of some teasing, and she was not above giving it to him. That was why she was currently spiking his coffee a little. One more spoon of sugar and he would just love it. That would make the tenth spoon. She looked into the cup. The sugar was barely dissolving in the warm liquid. H'mmn, maybe nine spoons had been enough after all?

Oh well, he never looked twice at his coffee these days. Only complained about her total lack of cocking skills, in addition to all her other lacks. Poor man. Hopefully the sweetener could sweeten his temper as well as his coffee.

"Is the coast clear, Sam?" she asked her accomplish in a low voice.

"Yep, still clear."

She quickly hid the sugar can and stirred the coffee with a spoon.

"That would do it," she said aloud. "He will enjoy this one. It might even sweeten his temper a bit."

Sam sniggered and went to hand the cup to Cade. He had learned enough in the last weeks to know never to accept a cup from Erin any longer. The suspicious lout.

***

"Here you go, Boss." Sam handed the cup to Cade.

Unsuspecting, Cade mumbled a thanks and took a large sip of the content. A bizarre expression came over his face, before he spit the content onto the desk.

"What is this crap?" he yelled.

"Coffee," Sam said in fake confusion. "You did not like it?"

"It has been tampered with. Again. That damn woman can not seem to let any opportunity escape her to mess with my life or my coffee." Cade was growling out each sentence while walking around his office.

"Huh?" Sam asked.

"And not only my coffee, my lunch as well and my clothes. She doused my shoes with water just before the last board meeting so they made a perfect squishing sound when I walked. It was extremely embarrassing. And then was that incident with my car when all the plugs had been pulled out. Damn that woman!"

"Are you sure she's causing all this? She doesn't seem to have time for all that, if you ask me," Sam intervened.

"Who else? I've never had so many pranks pulled on me as when she started working here." Sam could explain that. There were three of them doing the pranks. Only he had not known the others had been this busy. Maybe they should tone it down a bit. The boss did not seem the grasp the fun of it.

"I'm sure it's just for fun, boss. None of those pranks has damaged you, have they?"

"Not yet. But, I'm sure it's only a matter of time. And I'm doing something about it before lives are lost. Where is that damn woman? Tell her to come straight away!"

***

"Trouble is brewing," Sam told Erin. "He wants to see you. Maybe it's time to tell him about the pranks, don't you think? I'll come with you."

"Nope, I can handle this alone. Better if a stranger gets all the blame," Erin chuckled. "Don't worry. He'll not kill me or anything." Or so she hoped. In fact, she hoped he was now so angry he would lose control again and take her standing up against the wall or something. That had not been her plan at the start, but the idea certainly had some appeal. H'mmn, maybe that had been her agenda all along, her sub-conscious agenda. Oh well, she had better see what tortures he had in store for her.

***

"Now I've really had it with you. You're a walking disaster area," Cade said. "All these accidents occurring lately could only been caused by one person. Just remember that poor fellow you fell on. He has still not recovered."

"Oh, yes, poor Mr. Hansen. How is he? I was so sorry to hit him. I was actually aiming for someone else," she said while staring at him and added teasingly. "He is so thick-headed he would not have noticed."

"Anyway, we have a problem here. I can't fire you and you're turning this whole place upside down. So, I'll give you some other task to botch instead."

"Oh? And what task is that?"

"You are hereby promoted to caretaker and your job consists in clearing out the hunting lodge. Hopefully the fact that you will be sleeping there will prevent you from tearing down the roof, but I have my doubts."

"Thewhat?" She could barely believe her own ears. How was she going to catch any frauds from the mountains? Besides, she was a city girl. What did she know about mountains or wilderness or wild animals?

"Yep, you heard me. Starting tomorrow. I suggest you find some other clothes to wear. It can be quite cold up there."

"No! No, you can't do this. My contract doesn't say anything about mountain climbing and hiking trips. And I'm not cleaning any cottage! I'm a secretary!"

"It's a hunting lodge -- not a cottage. Be ready at 7. My office. Dismissed."

"Huh?"

"Off you go, Missy."

***

She left, thinking heavily on how to solve this dilemma. Maybe she should call Warren? No, he would never trust her with anything like this again if she came running at the first sight of trouble. And just maybe she had caused it all by herself, she had to admit. Cade was angry, really angry. H'mmn, maybe those pranks had got a little out of hand, or maybe he simply lacked the humour to see then fun in it. The thickheaded brute.

Oh well, she had managed to drag herself out of worse situation before, and it was only about a month left of her assignment. Which suited her just fine. She longed to get back to the civilised world of the city, and into her own warm and comfortable apartment. She could always survive a month in ahunting lodge or whatever it was called. She wondered if it had electricity and water installed. Of course, ithad to have. Every modern building had electricity, didn't they? Anyway, it was time to dig up a lot of warm clothes and some hiking boots otherwise his Highness would probably have another fit.

He really seemed desperate to get rid of her, but she had never thought he would banish her from the company altogether. She had never thought he would dare to cross Warren like that. Still, if he thought she would cooperate fully, he would have to think again. She had an assignment to complete and she was determined to get results before her three months was up. And if she happened to trample on some male pride while she was at it, then so be it.