Work Experience Ch. 03

"Two rounds of golf at the weekend and up the girlfriend's arse on Sunday afternoon." he said to a group of his male colleagues at the table adjacent to mine. They all laughed dutifully.

"Work hard, play hard, fuck harder, is my motto!" he continued to appreciative comments.

Suddenly he caught my eye.

"'ere...'ere you...whats-ya-name....Steve, innit?" he said with an affected wideboy accent.

"Yes." I said, "And you are?"

"Smithy!", he said, "They all call me Smithy." The guys at his table laughed and all stared in my direction. "So, what's it like being that old tart's little bitch?"

There was a few intakes of breath from his colleagues and two of them excused themselves from his presence. That left 'Smithy' and two mates.

"You mean Mrs Gregory?" I asked, keeping eye contact.

"Yeah, mate...."

"I'm not your mate. In fact Mrs Gregory is at least three management levels above your immediate boss and I am her assistant for this trip, so that makes me no one's 'bitch'."

Smithy's face went very red and his mates remained silent.

"Aww mate....I didn't...I mean." he spluttered.

I finished up my lunch and stood to leave. I put on my suit jacket and started towards the bin and tray area.

"Wait! Wait!" Smithy said, sounding desperate.

I stopped and walked back to his table. His mates got up, mumbled and left him.

"What?" I asked, calmly, though my heart was pounding.

"I...I'm sorry, okay?" he said, "I say stupid shit sometimes, it just comes out. I think it's a medical condition, or something."

"Or you do it just to impress your mates?" I said.

He looked down at the table top. "Yeah, well....that too, I suppose."

"Yes, well, stop doing it." I said and turned and left him at the table.

Later that afternoon after a great deal of soul searching I decided I had to report what happened to Mrs Gregory. She listened calmly and dispassionately to everything I said, including about his apology.

At the end of it she sighed. "What do you think we should do about it?"

I was conflicted. I thought the guy was an arse, but also didn't want to be responsible for getting someone fired.

We discussed it some more and then Mrs Gregory had the HR department summon Smithy to the office we were using.

He entered extremely sheepish and white faced when he saw who was there to meet him.

"So, Mr Smith," said Mrs Gregory, "it has been drawn to my attention that you have been using sexist and misogynistic language within this building during working hours."

"It was lunch...." he started but tailed off.

"I have discussed this matter with Mr Roberts here, and Ms Jones from HR. We all consider this to be a very serious matter."

"I'm sorry." he said, weakly.

"Are you though?" asked Mrs Gregory.

"Yes. Yes I am sorry, it was stupid." he said

"There are two courses of action we can take here." said Ms Jones, "One: this incident is recorded on your permanent record and may then be used to terminate your employment should any future infractions occur."

She looked at Mrs Gregory and I.

"Or Two." she continued, "You can apologise, and agree to attend a corporate sponsored sexism awareness course that will take place over five evenings. Then no record will be included on your file."

Ms Jones was not entirely happy with this, but it was something Mrs Gregory had come up with.

Smithy's face brightened. "Really?" he said.

"I assume you want option two?" said Mrs Gregory.

"Yes." he said said enthusiastically, "Yes, Mrs Gregory!"

"In that case we need your apology and then Ms Jones will sign you up for the course. If you fail to attend or it is felt that you're not engaging then the report goes on your record. Agreed?"

"Yes. Yes." he said and looked directly at Mrs Gregory, "I am very sorry for the words I used and my attitude today."

"Not to me." she said, dismissively, "To Mr Roberts. It was he who came up with this approach and has allowed you to keep your job."

Smithy turned to me, wide eyed.

"Ermm....thank you, Mr Roberts, I....I don't know what to say...Just...thank you."

"Ahem!" said Mrs Gregory.

"Oh and sorry! I am very sorry!" he stammered.

When Smithy and Ms Jones had left I turned to Mrs Gregory.

"Why did you do that? Make him apologise just to me and say it was my idea?"

"Because, Steve," she replied, "Now he owes you. You have someone on the inside here and that could be useful. He has a mortgage and a girlfriend he apparently intends to marry. Losing this job would be devastating to him, but if he smartens up, and believes you did him a favour, then that will benefit you.

Corporate life is about collecting favours. Think of it like 'The Godfather'. You do a favour for someone, even if it's easy for you, at some point you may want that paid back. Useful to remember that!"

And with that we completed our work day.

The drive to the next hotel wasn't as arduous as the first one had been, but the hotel itself wasn't nearly as nice, but it was serviceable.

We checked in to our respective rooms, washed up and changed and met downstairs for dinner.

After the dinner the evening was our own, and I hoped it would involve more sex!

But Suzanne had an interesting proposition for me.

There was small pub across the road from the hotel. She wanted us to meet up there separately, as if we didn't know each other. She wanted me to chat her up.

"Smart casual." she said, and left me to go and get changed once again while she headed for the pub.

I got to the pub about 15 minutes after Suzanne and looked around for her. It wasn't particularly busy in there being mid-week, but there was enough lively conversation going on and people enjoying a drink for us to not stick out in the crowd.

I saw Suzanne sitting at a table on her own, reading something on her phone with a gin and tonic on the table in front of her.

I went to the bar and ordered the same. It was interesting how being smartly dressed and confident seemed to avoid me being asked to prove my age when buying a drink.

I sat at the bar sipping it for a few minutes and then decided to go to her table, but without much of a game plan in mind.

"Hi" I said, feeling a little silly, "Mind if I sit down."

Suzanne looked up at me.

"There's plenty of other seats." she said and returned to her phone.

I was a bit at a loss and just stood there.

In the end Suzanne looked up at me again.

"Sit down Steve." she said, sighing, "We'll have to work on your chat up skills."

I sat opposite her.

"I don't have any, that's apparent." I said.

"What if it was someone you really wanted to get to know?" she asked.

"I don't know." I said, exasperated, "I guess....I'd probably fail to get to know her."

"Look Steve, women are going to be defensive in a place like this. If you approach someone they're going to be on their guard, so you have to do better than just asking if you can sit down."

"What do you suggest then?" I asked

"Observe." she said, "Look for something to comment on, something innocuous perhaps." she leaned back in her chair, "What was I doing when you came over?"

"You was on your phone."

"Right. So, did I look bored and was just idly scrolling or was I actually reading something?"

I thought back. She had looked engrossed in something. I got her point.

"But how was I supposed to pick you up if your obviously engaged in reading your phone?" I asked.

"Well, I'm not going to be doing it all night, am I? You have to watch and wait." she said, "In fact, go back to the bar and do it again."

I felt silly returning to my seat at the bar but no one really noticed except the bartender.

I watched Suzanne reflected in the mirror behind the bar and after a few minutes she put down her phone and picked her glass up.

I quickly slid from the barstool and made my way back to her table. The time waiting had given me a chance to plan a strategy.

"Hello." I said, "My name is Steve. I saw you from the bar and thought you looked a bit lonely....."

Suzanne started to laugh.

"Stop. Stop." she said, "Sit down."

I sat, a little deflated.

"Oh dear." she said, "What am I going to do with you?"

"Well I have a few...."

"Not that!" she said with a chuckle. "Look, you could have said something like....you saw me sitting here on my own and you know how awful it can be killing time in a bar on your own so you wondered if I wanted to have a conversation. And you wouldn't be offended if I said no, but you're here on your own too and it's a bit boring sat up at the bar as the bartender doesn't know any good jokes."

I nodded at her suggestion.

"Okay....does that mean I have to tell some jokes?" I asked.

"Well, the thing is women like it when a man makes them laugh. Doesn't have to be too much to begin with, but show her you have a sense of humour. Especially if it's at your own expense, she'll respond to that. It's a conversation starter."

"You mean, you respond to that. Doesn't mean all women do."

"True." she said, "But it's a good place to start."

I sat back sipping at my drink and considering what she had said. In my experience it was the cocky lads who seemed successful with the women, but Suzanne had given me a different view on this.

"Anyway." she said, finishing her drink, "Get your coat, you've pulled."

We went back over the road to the hotel laughing about my amateur chat up technique and ended up back in Suzanne's room.

Suzanne had taken a red silk scarf from her case and draped it over the single bedside lamp that was on, casting the room in a subtle pink hue.

"Come here, loverboy." she said and draped her arms over my shoulders. "You did very good today at work, I'm very pleased."

We danced together to some unheard music, both enjoying the familiarity of our closeness.

Then we started kissing. It was passionate and fast. It was like the release of a days worth of tension as our lips and tongues rubbed together. Suzanne was pulling my shirt out of my waistband and I was tugging down the zip on her dress.

I shrugged off the shirt and she stepped out of the dress and then her hands went to my belt and trouser fastener while I unhooked her bra.

My trousers fell to my feet and we simultaneously pulled down each others underwear. My cock was hard and her pussy was wet.

Suzanne wanted me to sit on the edge of the bed, and I quickly kicked off my shoes so the trousers could be discarded and sat awaiting her.

She stood in front of me, naked and bathed in the pink light. She placed her knees either side of me on the bed and pressed her body close. Her hand went down between us and grasped my cock and held it as she lowered her pussy to it until the head was just inside her and then she let go and sank down onto me.

Her breasts were directly in front of my face and I kissed and sucked her nipples, moving from one breast to the other while supporting her back with my hands, and she raised herself up and down on my shaft.

Then I let myself fall back upon the bed and pulled Suzanne with me so her body was on top of mine. I started thrusting up into her as she held herself steady and we kissed.

Suzanne gripped me tightly and her breathing quickened as her climax approached. I tried to keep up a constant rhythm with my thrusts until she moaned out loud and pressed herself tight to me stopping my movements.

We rested like that for a few moments and then she rolled off me and turned her body and took me in her mouth. I watched her sucking and licking my cock that had seconds ago been buried deep inside her.

I reached over to her bum with my hand and stroked between her thighs at her sopping wet pussy. I still wanted to fuck some more so I pulled myself from her mouth and rolled her onto her back.

I kissed her mouth and then worked down her body, kissing and sucking at her hard nipples and then down over her belly, tasting her salty perspiration until I got to her pussy. Her fragrance was strong after her orgasms and I lapped at her smooth skin and then pushed my tongue into her and up to her clit. I teased that for a while and then felt her wetness increase, so I pulled away and positioned my cock at her entrance, and slid into her while raising her legs up and on to my shoulders.

I was now above her, looking down into her face as my cock moved slippery in and out of her. Her whole body moved with every thrust I made and her eyes were half shut as she enjoyed her pleasure zone.

I could now feel my climax building and increased the pace of my thrusts, our bodies slamming together with each forward movement.

Suzanne grabbed me again and gasped as her body tensed, and then relaxed as the orgasm rolled through her.

I was now on the edge and pulled out of her just as my spunk shot from my cock, laying a thick ribbon of cum from her neck down to her belly, followed by three more of diminishing force until just a couple of weak squirts indicated I was spent.

I rolled to her side and we both lay panting. The smell of sex was thick in the air.

After a few moments she sighed. "Messy boy." she said and we both started laughing.

We cleaned up in her shower and then parted company for the night.

I went back to my room feeling good about the day and lamenting that we only had two more days to go.

Thursday

We were up early the next day to get to the third office which was another two hour drive away.

We discussed our itinerary in the car and listened to the radio.

A thought suddenly occurred to me.

"Mrs Gregory, do you have kids?" I asked.

She paused before answering. "I did, Steve." she said, "A girl. Jessica. We....errr...we lost her when she was eleven. An.....accident."

Fuck!, I thought

"I....I'm so very sorry." I said. I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Thank you." she said simply, and stared at the road ahead.

For some reason my brain now started firing questions and my mouth decided to verbalise them.

"Was she yours and Roger's?" I asked.

"Yes." she said

"How long ago did....I mean, did the accident occur?" I stumbled.

"Oh about twelve years ago, now." she said.

That would have made her daughter older than me, had she lived.

I sank back in the chair and tried to think of something else to discuss.

After some minutes of silence Mrs Gregory spoke. "It's okay talking about it, you know? I mean, you never fully get over the loss....the loss of a child but as time goes by.....it gets a little easier. People avoiding talking about it makes it worse because it's like it's a dirty secret, to be hidden away."

"You mean like me?" I said and cringed at the words coming out of my mouth.

But Mrs Gregory just chuckled at that and smiled at me. Then she started telling me about her daughter and how good she had been at school and what music she liked, and then about the terrible day she was hit by a drunk driver.

I tried to imagine how much of a blow that would be to a parent. How do you come back from such a thing? Perhaps it was what made her so calm under pressure. After experiencing the loss of a child surely nothing would seem so important as to get worked up about again.

We arrived at the next office in quite an up-beat mood, considering the conversation we had just had. I think Mrs Gregory felt good about sharing the story. It was a way of keeping the memory alive.

This office was smaller than the previous and was due for closure. We were there to assist with preparations and help arrangements for the transfer of some staff to the next office we had on our agenda.

I sat through several meetings that day dealing with redundancies and relocation expenses, as well as Planning for redevelopment of the site, which I didn't understand a word of but took copious notes on Mrs Gregory's laptop.

At the end of the day we made our way to the final hotel and checked in.

It was already getting late so we dumped out stuff in our respective rooms and made our way to the restaurant for dinner.

As our meal was ending Suzanne had a new task for me.

"I want you to go into the bar fifteen minutes after me and pick up a woman." she said.

"You mean 'you'?" I asked.

"No, I want you to find a stranger and chat her up."

She looked at my face. "Oh come on Steve, it'll be fun!"

"Why do I have to go in after you? If you're there you'll put me off!" I said.

"If you go in first you'll end up talking to the first middle aged hag who approaches you. No, I want to see you apply some technique."

With that she rose and left the dining room. I looked at my watch and waited.

When I entered the bar I quickly looked around. Suzanne was at a table on her own, looking at her phone. There appeared to be several groups of businessmen noisily discussing their escapades, some middle aged couples, a couple of families with children and a young woman sitting by herself at a side table.

I made my way to the counter and ordered a drink. I glanced over at Suzanne and she was nodding her head in the direction of the young woman.

From stage left a tall, grey haired man arrived in the bar and approached the young woman's table. It looked like she was now out of contention.

I kept watching. He didn't sit down and I began to feel that they actually didn't know each other. While the young woman had the trace of a smile on her face she shook her head 'no' several times and then sat staring at the table top until the older man walked away.

I got up off my stool and wandered over to her.

"I hope you don't mind," I said, "But I couldn't help noticing that man appeared to be bothering you. Are you alright?"

The woman appeared reluctant to engage but decided to be polite.

"Thank you, I'm fine." she said.

"Look, I know you are probably sick and tired of strange men chatting you up in here, but I'm happy to just sit with you if it helps keep them away. You don't have to talk to me if you'd don't want to."

She looked up at me and stared for a few moments and then looked out at the room of businessmen.

"Okay." she said finally, and then added "Thank you."

I sat and placed my drink on the table. I noticed her wine glass was almost empty.

"I'm Steve Roberts" I said, "I'm just here one night on business."

I waited as she stared at her glass.

She either would respond or wouldn't.

"Vanessa." she said finally and seemed to relax a little.

"Are you waiting for someone?" I asked.

"No, I just got bored watching TV in the room and....well, I'm not into clubbing. Not really into bars either, but thought it would be okay in the hotel."

"It is tedious being in a bar on your own. I don't like it either." I said.

I looked again at her glass.

"Can I get you another drink?" I asked.

Vanessa looked at her glass and then me.

"What are you drinking?" she asked. I told her it was a Gin and tonic.

"I'll buy you one." she said and rose from her chair. "Wait here."

I watched as she walked up to the bar. She was quite petite, with a nice figure. She was wearing tight blue jeans and a white tank top under a dark brown waist length jacket.

I looked over at Suzanne who gave me a grin and a subtle thumbs up.

Vanessa returned with two glasses and placed a fresh Gin in front of me.

"Thank you." I said, "If I'd known I'd have said 'Cognac'!"

She laughed at that and sat back down.

"Men buying drinks sometimes expect something in return. This way we keep it even. You can buy the next round." she said.

"Fair enough. I wouldn't want you taking advantage of me!" I replied.

We chatted. She was at college not too far from our main office.

"What are you studying?" I asked.

"You'll laugh." she said.

"You mean you're studying to be a clown?"

She laughed at that.

"Fluid Hydraulics." she said.

"Wow." was my reply. "That's not funny at all.....unless you know some fluid hydraulics jokes?"