Warming the IcePrincess Pt. 02

I looked at the engraved letting and read "K. C. Stilwell Vice President Sales" my fingers traced over irregular surface of her name.

"You can keep that if you'd like," he said grinning, "Claire won't be needing it anymore."

My quick gasp seemed impossibly loud in the empty chamber.

Holding his hand up to stop me from jumping to any wild conclusions he said, "Now don't you worry none Honey, she'll be taking over my office as president and C.E.O."

Stunned by the good news and thrilled for Claire I couldn't help feeling a touch of melancholy with the idea Bart might be leaving us soon.

He must have seen it in my expression and said, "Don't you worry about me neither Jane, I'll be around, I'm still chairman of the board and those dipshits need some serious watching over, if you know what I mean."

I opened my mouth to tell him I was happy to hear that, but he cut me off by saying, "Your job is about to change too if you decide to accept the offer the board approved this morning."

I couldn't imagine why the board members would bother discussing my puny little job or me.

His bushy white moustache couldn't conceal his smile when he saw my confused reaction. He chuckled quietly before he started explaining what he meant with that last remark. "It'll be a whole lot more responsibility for you honey but comes with a corresponding increase in salary. The board approved something well into six figures. The position comes with this office and your own executive assistant. You'll also be getting the full benefits package, including retirement, there's an annual clothing and vehicle allowance, and a whole bunch more if you decide you want it. You'll be a participant in our EIC program, that's the Executive Incentive Compensation program. In English that means you might get a bonus at the end of the fiscal year Jane."

I could hardly breathe even with my mouth gapping open.

He paused for a second sighing then added, "There is one condition they all insisted on though, the other board members do want you to pursue a Masters Degree."

He grinned twitching his eyebrows, "I did make them agree to pick up the tab on it though. They were all real impressed with your dual majors in Economics and Mathematics, but they're a bunch of snobby shits who think that without a Master's or P.H.D. you're not worthy to sit at the same table with them."

My brain reeled with what he had already told me and my mouth was getting dry from hanging open so long. When I finally felt like I could trust myself to speak I croaked, "What's the position?" my voice sounding high and thin inside the empty room.

He straightened and started for the door and said with the devilish smile still on his tanned face, "C'mon Jane, I think I'll let them tell you."

I followed him down the hall and as we walked, he asked me a question out of the blue that further befuddled my whirling brain, "Before I forget to ask again, Jane honey do you happen to have an up to date passport?"

Trying to remember what I did with the damn thing after the one time I used it, I answered him a little uncertainly, "Yeah, I think I have it in a safety deposit box at my bank."

He nodded and said, "Good, Good you might want to pick it up, and soon," before he stopped in front of the boardroom doors where he flung them open roughly.

He walked inside quickly leaving me to stand framed in the empty opening alone. Staring like a deer caught in the headlights, I saw Claire standing inside the curve of the massive horseshoe shaped table smiling as her father made his way to its head. She beckoned me forward and I took a few tentative steps into the room but froze again when I saw all of the board members were staring, waiting for me to enter. Growing impatient with my hesitation Claire came over to where I stood frozen in place. Finally, with her hand pressing into the small of my back she propelled me toward the center of the room.

Stepping around in front of me smiling she addressed the entire room saying in a loud clear voice, "Ladies and Gentlemen I would like to introduce to you our new Vice President of Finance and C. F. O. Miss Jane De Marco!"

When the normally subdued boardroom burst into loud applause I couldn't move, my breath was short, my limbs felt leaden, chills ran down my spine, I was a statue.

Claire looked into my eyes and asked concern in her voice, "Jane, are you alright?"

The tears erupted from the corners of my wide-open eyes and I threw my arms around her pulling her into a fierce embrace. I needed the support just to remain standing as well wanting to share my joy with the one person who mattered most to me.

We stood hugging in front of the whole board for at least a minute. I cried, Claire chuckled quietly until her father broke the spell by saying to the assembled members, "I think we can take that as a yes to the promotion."

I nodded against Claire's shoulder in acknowledgement and he rose from his chair offering me his hand. Soon the whole room had risen from their chairs and the applause grew louder and more boisterous with each passing moment. I broke away from Claire and she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before pushing me toward the end of the table where I began making a circuit accepting congratulatory handshakes from all the smiling board members. Just as I reached the far end of the table, a loud "pop" echoed through the room and I saw Mr. Stilwell busily filling Champagne flutes as Claire handed them around the table.

When I had received one of my own Mr. Stilwell he shrugged and said looking at me with a grin, "Sorry Jane, no beer today, this is a celebration that calls for Champagne!"

I raised my glass to him and said, "To Continental Casualty and Insurance."

The room erupted into a chorus of happy "Hear, Hears."

Claire's father still beaming said, "Jane dear, Claire would like to present you with a little token of our thanks for helping to rid the company of Clifton Adams as well as welcoming you to your new position."

I glanced over at Claire and she held out one hand tightly closed. Her fingers slowly unfurled to reveal a set of car keys with the BMW logo emblazoned across them.

Shocked out my wits I gasped and said, "You didn't!"

She nodded with a huge grin, her eyes shining as I plucked them from her palm.

"Oh my god, you're not shitting me are you?" I gulped out, "The red one downstairs?"

She never stopped nodding and I grabbed her into another long hug and blurted, "Thank you, Thank you all so much, Oh my god this is all so wonderful!"

Bart spoke up, "It's all well deserved Jane, In fact the two of you have done more to keep this company from going tits-up in the past four years, than everyone sitting around this table has combined, ah pardon my French."

There were murmured agreements around the table and suddenly it hit me, I wasn't the only one in the room with something to celebrate today. I pulled back from my embrace with her and looking at Claire's surprised expression said, "I was so wrapped up in all the excitement I almost forgot, Congratulations to you too Madame President!"

She smiled humbly but when I gave her a quick peck on the lips and her eyes flew open and the whole room bubbled with laughter at her surprise.

Bart cleared his throat loudly and announced as left the head of the table, "Well everyone, if we are finished here I think I'd like to take a couple of ladies out to lunch, Jane dear, where are we dining?"

I answered, "Romero's," jingling the keys in my hand, "I'll get to drive a little farther if we go there."

Smiling at my logic he said, "Fine then I'll meet there in half an hour."

I said shaking the keys again, "better make that at least an hour maybe two."

Hands on his hips he started laughing at my silliness and asked, "How does two o'clock sound?"

Claire and I met his smile and said together, "Perfect."

He laughed and waved as he left the room but I knew he understood completely. We waved our own goodbyes to the rest of the board members and I snatched Claire's hand and said, "Come on lets go already," pulling her through the open door and down the hall toward the elevator.

Standing inside the garage with Claire holding my hand I just stared at "my" new car in total disbelief. I was having trouble even making the decision to touch it for the first time. So instead I read the window sticker from the correct side this time. I had to do something to give my brain time to absorb what had happened in the past hour. The inner circuitry of my mind was too near complete overload I had to slow things down before smoke started rolling out of my ears. I wasn't sure what I hoped to read on the sticker that would help me in this situation, but it was all familiar to me. Hell, I knew all the specs. and sales brochure for this car better than I knew my own dress size.

The repressed motor head in me was ready to pop as my eyes feasted on the list of features catalogued on the sticker. It had the S54 3.2-liter 24-valve inline 6-cylinder pumping out 330hp and 262-foot lbs. of torque. The six-speed manual transmission put all of that horsepower to good use through the set of low profile Pirelli performance tires mounted on18 inch spoked aluminum wheels. I knew all about the other options and equipment but it was strangely calming to read them laid out logically. Electronic Stability control, twin-tube gas-pressure shocks, BMW nav. system, heated windshield washers, and side mirrors, it even had the 8-way power front seats, damn this was just too fucking cool!

Claire nuzzled my ear and said softly, "I picked it out just for you."

I asked her in an awed tone, "How, how did you know?"

She chuckled and said dismissively, "Shit that was the easy part you've only had a picture of it as your computer wallpaper for going on two year's. I only had to pick out the color, I hope you like red?"

I said seriously leaning into her embrace, "It's perfect; just like you," and gave her a quick kiss."

Her hand groped my ass as she pushed me toward the door and said, "C'mon baby lets take it for a little spin."