When Ordinary Isn't Ch. 04

"Eric," he heard through fuzz.

"Eric, baby," he heard and felt his shoulders being jostled.

"Erriic ," Peggy sang.

"Just five more minutes," he groaned into his pillow.

"Wake up, sleepy-head. We gotta get moving, don't we?"

"Why?" he said without moving.

"Didn't you tell me the meetings start at nine?"

"Yeah."

"It's 7:45."

"Oh, crap !" he yelped. "My alarm didn't go off!"

She chuckled. "Don't blame your phone, dude. I forgot to set mine, too."

He quickly rousted himself out of the bed, and the two shared a shower, refusing their mutual urges for a little morning hanky-panky.

Eric shaved at the sink while Peggy shaved her legs in the shower. He finished dressing as she began to style her hair. When she joined him back in the living area of the suite, he was brewing himself a cup of coffee from a Keurig.

"Want a cup?" he asked her.

"Absolutely. Just like yours, please." She smiled, seeing he prepared his with cream and no sugar. "I've gotta finish putting on my makeup."

"Hold up a second," he said, stepping toward her. He loosened the cinch-knot at the top of her towel and it fell to the floor around her ankles. He held her warm, dewy, naked body close and kissed her softly.

"Good lord you're so beautiful."

"Why'd you do that?" she asked and smiled sweetly.

"What. Kiss you?"

"Yeah, but like just right then."

"Because that kind of kiss would mess up your makeup if I waited until after."

The threads continued to unravel. Others followed in an incessant tug.

"I'm hands off from this point on. I promise," he added.

"Oh? I'll bet you a thousand dollars you can't."

"Can't what?" he asked with arched brows.

"Keep your promise."

"You're on in five seconds."

"Why five sec--Ow !" she shrieked with laughter when he playfully but firmly swatted a cheek of her bare bottom. "You're on!"

He left her alone to finish her morning routine. She didn't replace the towel, so he watched her beautiful naked body work its magic as she preened. He couldn't take his eyes off her tush. Its cheeks were so firm and tight. Her little pecan-colored pucker just an inch behind her bare vulva was beautiful. The sight of it made him want to tackle her and have his way, but he decided it'd have to wait.

She pulled two business suits from her case.

"Which one?" she asked him, holding up two blazers.

He looked at the pairings then pointed to the one she held in her right hand. She brought it under her neck.

"Yeah. That one's color sets off your hair and eyes."

"Really? It's dark. What does it have to do with my eyes?"

"Just telling you what I think. You've got those incredible green eyes and flaxen hair. Light versus dark. Rebels versus Empire. Sweet versus savory. Yin and Yang. I should stop now."

She laughed at his comical comparisons.

She pulled a pair of tiny black cotton panties from her suitcase and slipped them on, then a lacy bra. She saw him smile as she put it on, hiding her little breasts away.

"Want to go downstairs and get some breakfast?" Eric asked when she was finished dressing and re-packing.

"A light one. Maybe just a piece of fruit."

"Perfect. Lead the way."

She started walking toward the door, then stopped.

"What's wrong?" Eric asked.

"Nothing," she said. She unzipped the back of her skirt, pushed her panties over her hips, then re-situated her skirt. She slipped off her thong, folded it, and secreted it in the zippered compartment in her purse. She checked herself in the mirror one more time.

"Ready," she said with a wicked grin, and walked out the door with him following.

"I think I'm going to need to stop at the ATM on the way out of here," he said with a chuckle.

She returned a simple, innocent, coquettish smile.

"Hand-holding doesn't count," she offered, taking his as they walked down the corridor.

They each selected a piece of fruit from the complimentary buffet in the restaurant and headed out for the day.

Eric found it intensely distracting knowing the delightful, incredibly attractive and wickedly intelligent woman sitting a few seats away from him at the conference table, being completely professional and insanely well-postured and poised, was not wearing anything under her skirt. It was a choice she made spur-of-the-moment, and purely to cause those very thoughts.

When the dozen or so doctors and other professionals rose for a break, Peggy turned in Eric's direction and crouched to pull something from her soft-sided leather briefcase. Her posture and position were modest and ladylike, but she knew he was watching.

There was no one near him, and no one either in front of or behind him. She caught his eyes with hers and parted her knees very slightly. He caught just the slightest hint of what was bare there. From the slight grin on her face, he knew she was aware of what she was doing. He noticed the guy behind her watching what was probably, for him, a very nice view of her hips and bottom without the faintest hint of a panty line under the taut fabric.

Eric saw the man's eyes widen slightly for a few seconds before he politely averted his gaze, and it took every ounce of his own self-control to not let his own mouth go agape or show any sort of untoward reaction. It would certainly not be very professional for him to display what was happening at his midsection, so he decided to return to his seat and distract himself with case reports and charts until his anatomy returned to baseline.

He heard Peggy chuckle when she walked behind him, as if she'd heard something funny.

"Your visuals are helpful," Eric said, turning a page as she passed, wondering if she'd catch his double entendre.

"I try to ensure the reader's interest is piqued," she said as she leaned just close enough to him he could smell her delicate perfume. "I try to keep the fluff in proportion to bare information. I want the reader to be left with a rigid understanding, wanting to penetrate the morass of detail, and to be prepared to dive hard and deep into the conclusion."

She had certainly caught it, and her own multiple delivery made it where he wouldn't be able to stand up again for a few minutes.

Both during and after lunch, the conversations and discussions delved deeper into Peggy's background and experience. The meeting continued for several additional hours.

At close to four o'clock, a staff aide asked Peggy to follow him to another room. Eric went with them.

"Please, wait here. The board needs some time to talk privately," he said before he closed the door to the room to which he'd escorted them.

"Eric, what's all this about?" Peggy asked.

"I have no idea. I guess they want to talk without you in there."

"Yeah. Obviously, but it makes me nervous."

"Why?"

"I know they're talking about me, and they'd be doing it whether I'm in the building or not. But stashing me in another room? Yeah. Just makes me feel great," she said, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

The team room in which they sat was walled with floor-to-ceiling glass on one side. Eric wanted to take Peggy in his arms and offer her a reassuring hug, but felt it wouldn't be appropriate where they presently were. They sat and idly chatted for about thirty minutes before they were fetched and returned to the conference room.

"Doctor Foreman," Doctor Shields, the chairman of the hospital board, spoke. "Consider this hypothetical. If you were offered this position, and you chose to accept it, please describe to us what your departure from OC Regional would entail."

There it is , Peggy thought to herself. There's the magic question.

She knew it was a mildly loaded one. He was tacitly asking what she would do if, while working as the director of research at his hospital, another exciting opportunity were to cross her path. He was enquiring how her prospective new employer would be treated if she was wooed away.

"My time at Regional has been intensely satisfying and both personally and professionally fulfilling. I've made a number of friends there, and it will be very difficult to say goodbye. Please understand, I say this with no ego in mind, but I like to think my departure will be noticed, that I'll be missed.

"I'm sure I'll face questions, and it will be easy and honest to explain how my time at OCR has provided many invaluable experiences, but it's time for me to travel another avenue.

"It should come as no surprise to my peers. Not only do we seek to improve patient care, we want to better ourselves as physicians to ensure it. I will certainly strive to maintain professional contact and continue to network with them from whatever distance.

"I think it fair to offer one month's notice of my resignation. I might be prepared to offer another if appropriate incentives were provided."

Peggy had collected a small stack of papers and a few folders. She straightened them by tapping them on the table as a final punctuation mark to her answer. She didn't think about such actions consciously, but her skill and diplomacy in interacting with decidedly bureaucratic personnel guided her instincts.

She watched as Dr. Shields scanned the board members seated around the table. Peggy observed seven subtle nods. Dr. Shields smiled.

"Doctor Foreman, thank you so much for spending your valuable time with us. I'm to understand you're due back in Orlando this evening?"

Peggy nodded. "I'm on call tomorrow morning at seven o'clock."

He chuckled. "I definitely don't miss on-call rotations. I think we have everything we need, so we'll let you go on your way. The board has some other items to discuss before we can make it official, but I don't think it's terribly premature to say you might want to think about broaching the subject of your departure with your... perhaps... former employer."

She stood from the table as Doctor Shields rose and walked around it toward her. He shook her hand and the rest of the participants stood as well to offer presumptive congratulatory handshakes.

Peggy collected the remainder of her papers, closed her laptop, and put everything in her attaché. Eric followed behind her as she exited the room.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as she slowly walked the corridor toward the elevators.

"What. Just. Happened?" she whispered, stopping almost mid-stride to lean against a column.

"I think they might have said you have a new avenue ahead of you."

"I'm numb," she said. "This all happened so fast. I think I need a bit of a drink."

"Sure." He relieved her of her attaché and offered his arm. She placed her hand through it and resumed walking.

"What am I supposed to do now?" she asked when they boarded an elevator.

"Nothing is set in concrete yet, Peggy. Don't panic."

"I'm not panicking. I'm just kind of reeling. But really. What am I supposed to do now?"

"I guess you'll start by going home. Hopefully your on-call won't be busy and you'll have plenty of time to think. Remember. Nothing is set in motion until they send you an official offer letter. And you can still say no."

"I wonder how long they'll let me think about it."

"I imagine they'll give you a few days to sleep on it. They've done what I asked, so the endowment is locked in. They'll be anxious to see it getting put to use as quickly as they can."

"Are you surprised they gave me a wink-wink just now? I am."

"I'm trying to decide. I don't know how it works in this business, but yeah, I've never done it immediately after an interview. You must have impressed the absolute hell out of all eight board members for them to give the nod so quickly. I'm not surprised they liked you. I told you before I thought you were a shoo-in for the role. Your passion and drive were infectious, and everyone caught it."

The elevator reached Level B2, and the pair disembarked into the parking area. Only a minute later, they were back in Eric's truck and headed onto Interstate 35.

"What should I do?" Peggy asked.

"About what?"

"Should I take it? The job?"

"What is your gut telling you?"

"My gut is saying, 'Hell yes .'"

"Well, listen to it. But also listen to your brain. Your gut is your instinct, right? But your objective side should be part of the conversation until the two of them can come to an agreement."

She chuckled ruefully. "You sure are good at answering without answering."

He smiled. "I know."

"So, what's next?"

He drove wordlessly for a few moments. "Sweetie, I asked you last night if I could go back to Orlando with you."

"Yeah."

"I'm wondering if it's a bad idea."

She stared at the car in the lane next to them, in thought. She took his hand in hers and held it firmly.

"Eric, come back with me, okay? Please?"

"Are you sure I won't be a distraction?"

"Of course you will. That's kind of the point."

"Whatever you say. I'll follow you anywhere."

Those words caught her off guard. Her heart sizzled. Innumerably more threads were unraveling. Light was beginning to shine through her inner fabric.

Eric parked his Silverado in his reserved parking spot at the hangar about ten minutes later. When the two exited, he carried their bags and placed them directly onboard, then came back out of the plane.

Monica approached the pair from a small office.

"My apologies. I didn't know what time I should expect you. How'd it go today?" she asked Eric.

"Very well, I'd say," he answered.

"Excellent. Congrats, Doctor Foreman."

"Thanks, but I don't want to jinx anything just yet."

"Have you filed a flight plan?" Eric asked.

"Not yet. It won't take more than twenty minutes to get one into the system," Captain Sanz added. The copilot began the pre-flight while Monica returned to the pilot briefing room in the hangar.

"No Danny?" Peggy asked, climbing the airstairs.

"No Danny." Eric's eyes twinkled as he followed her on board.

She took the rear-facing seat on the port side and Eric sat across from her. She popped up the LCD screen, but it had no route mapped since the flight plan hadn't been entered into the flight management system in the cockpit.

"Want something to drink?" he asked.

"Yeah. Something strong, and some cold water, please."

"What would you like?"

"Got any Jack Daniel's?"

"Let me check."

Eric went to the galley which was located behind Peggy's seat and opened a drawer. He removed a small plastic bottle and showed it to her. "Sure do. Jack and Coke?"

"Nah. Just pour one over ice."

He pulled two of the single serving bottles of the liquor from the drawer, then filled two rocks glasses full of ice the copilot had just refreshed. He poured them, discarded the empties, and handed both glasses to her so he could return for bottles of cold water.

He sat across from her and took a sip of his whiskey with a sigh.

She took a healthier sip from hers and crunched a chip of ice which came with it.

"You've been a very good boy," she said with a wink.

"Oh?"

"Yes," she whispered as she slowly parted her legs and shifted slightly forward in her seat.

Her knees were a foot apart. The fabric of her skirt prevented more. She saw his gaze drift lower, and his involuntary smile as he stared at her plainly exposed blonde fur-topped pussy.

"You're evil," he said with a grin.

"Am I?"

Peggy startled and reflexively closed her knees and restored her modest posture when she heard feet climbing the airstairs. It was the copilot who took his seat on the flight deck.

The pilot wasn't far behind him. She came to Eric and Peggy's seats. "We're good to go, sir. Y'all set?"

"Yeah, Monica. Thanks."

"ETA at Orlando Executive is 9:15 eastern," she said, turning to the stairs which she pulled up, sealing the door.

A small tug drove past the window, and a few moments later, they felt the plane being pushed away from the hangar building. Eric saw the LCD come alive with new data.

"Crap," Peggy whined.

"What's wrong?"

"I meant to change clothes before we left. This outfit isn't the best for flying."

Eric laughed. "It is from where I sit."

She playfully threw her water bottle's cap at him. It struck him squarely in his chest, increasing his laughter. He peered out a window. "You probably have enough time."

He unbuckled and trotting to the back of the airplane where he opened the lav door and yet another she hadn't noticed behind it. He grabbed her suitcase and brought it forward, placing it in the seat on the opposite side of the aisle.

"You've got maybe five minutes." He chuckled as the airplane began taxiing under its own power. "Can't close the cockpit door yet because we're not airborne, but if you stay behind the galley bulkhead, they can't see you."

She jumped up, opened her suitcase, then pulled out a pair of denim shorts, a pair of paisley-printed cotton hiphugger panties, a simple V-neck tee, a more comfortable bra than the lacy underwire she was wearing, and the same sandals she'd worn the day before. She shucked her clothes quickly, rolled the items carefully, and stuffed them into the case along with her dressy shoes.

"Better hurry," he whispered, seeing the bright yellow sign marking the intersection of Taxiway G. He knew the airport like the back of his hand and estimated they had less than two minutes before they'd reach the runway's threshold.

"Here!" she said when she'd closed the suitcase. He took it and re-stowed it aft as she quickly donned her clothes.

"You're not going to change?"

"I'll wait until we're airborne," he answered, returning to his seat. He took a long sip of whiskey. She did the same as she almost breathlessly returned to her own.

"Whew! I've never changed clothes in a moving vehicle before, let alone a taxiing airplane!"

He smiled. "A first time for everything."

She felt the craft turning onto the runway. She cinched her seat belt and watched as their rocket departed to the north. The plane shuddered as the gear was retracted.

"There have been more firsts for me in the last few days and weeks than I can count," she said.

"I know how you feel."

"Really ," she scoffed. "This is your way of life. What kind of firsts are you talking about?" she challenged.

"Well, let's see. Yesterday was the first time a woman bought my dinner at my favorite steakhouse. You and I had the same first yesterday in this very seat," he said with a chuckle.

She smiled and twirled a lock of hair around a finger, sipping slowly at her whiskey before taking a drink of water.

After about twenty minutes, the Citation had leveled off at thirty-seven thousand feet.

"You're killing me," Eric softly whimpered.

"How?" she asked.

"I don't like losing bets."

"You've been a very good boy. You've won the bet."

"Yeah? You sure?"

"Yes." She smiled sweetly. "I'll pay up as soon as I get my check."

"Nah, don't worry about it. You bought dinner yesterday, and it was a fun challenge. Call it even."

When he unbuckled and knelt on the floor in front of her seat, she anticipated and earnestly hoped he'd reach for any of her pleasure-points, but he simply wrapped his arms around her waist, settling his forehead on her sternum.

His actions seemed different to her. The contact was certainly welcome, and she realized it was what she needed in the moment. He'd somehow sensed her need before she had.

He sighed as she ran her fingers through his hair and softly stroked the edges of his ears with her thumbs. The tenderness of her touch was unlike those of any other woman he'd known.

Eric's inner voice shouted, She's not one of those artificial  leeches. She's  real, you ignorant, stupid, blind fucking  moron! Margaret Foreman is  real!

He lowered his head into her lap, resting it on her warm thigh. She stroked his hair tenderly but with gentle tugs he felt at every follicle. She could feel his breath against her skin.