Work Hard, Play Harder Ch. 01

Copyright © March 2021 by CiaoSteve

CiaoSteve reserves the right to be identified as the author of this work. This story cannot be published, as a whole or in part, without the express agreement of the author other than the use of brief extracts as part of a story review.

This is a work of fiction. The events described here are imaginary; the settings and characters are fictitious and are not intended to represent specific places or living persons.

Author's Notes

Foreword #1: All sexually active characters in this story are over 18.

Foreword #2: This is a story and intended purely for pleasure.

Foreword #3: The inspiration behind this story are the two entries I made for the 2021 750 Word Event. You'll find them on @Literotica entitled "Sophie's Invitation" as that was the snippet of the full story which managed to fit into so few words. I have entitled this one "Work Hard, Play Harder" as I wanted to build more on Claudia and Sophie as the main characters and the dynamics between them as their lives unintentionally collide.

Foreword #4: Please bear with me. Although the story will end up revolving around Sophie and her new boss, Sophie will not make an entrance until the fourth chapter.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The board room was buzzing. Every seat around the U-shaped table had been taken, with a few stragglers having to stand at the back. It was Friday early afternoon which meant the regular programme review session was in full flow, two hours of in-depth scrutiny of every project status report. The atmosphere ebbed and flowed, sometimes heated, other times frosty, but always with a sense of passion for the job in hand.

The dynamics were interesting. There were those who would speak; project managers trying to defend their latest status, especially those not flagging green. Then there were those who would be spoken to; innocent parties who became scape goats for anything untoward. Then there was the one who would be listened to. Despite the male dominated forum, it was one woman who commanded respect, who quietly considered every argument, who directed every member towards a common goal... success.

Claudia Webber sat at the head of the table. She was what you expected of a senior manager; smartly dressed in jumper and skirt, reserved in presence, calm and collected in focus. She'd worked her way up the organisation over many years and now headed up the programme management organisation.

Focus came with a reputation. Within the office, Claudia had one aim in mind, which was to deliver. Quietly and efficiently, she would strive for success. Those who knew her very well, and there were a few, would manage to tap into the inner Claudia, but for most it was the clinically direct, sometimes chilly exterior which they recognised. She'd picked up an unwarranted moniker of being the ice maiden, but Claudia didn't mind. She had one ethos which was to work hard... and play harder.

As the meeting came to a heated end, attendees started to drift back to their respective teams. There was the usual tutting, even the odd shake of a head but they all had direction, whether they liked it or not. That was Claudia Webber's style. She would give direction and expect it to be followed. Outside of the office she was a very different character, but the one trait which persisted was that Claudia still liked to be the one in control.

"Bit of a heated one, was it?"

Claudia smiled at her administrator as she sat back down at her desk. For sure it had been one of the more vociferous of meetings, but that went with the territory. Deadlines were looming, and so were the plethora of excuses for not meeting them. This was where Claudia came into her all. She'd been there long enough that there were few challenges she hadn't experienced before.

It hadn't always been plain sailing. She'd had her ups and downs along the way. Some four years back she lost her partner. She kept it private, only a select few knowing of his illness and the speed with which it had consumed his increasingly frail body. They never married, but he had been Claudia's soulmate. For those not in the know, they may not have noticed any difference, such was her professionalism. A short break--the company dressed it up as personal rather than compassionate leave--and then she was back, focused more than ever on the job, using her work to manage her pain.

"Sure, Janet," Claudia responded. "You know what it's like. When the water gets choppy, you need someone strong at the wheel. Deadlines are getting close, but they'll make it."

"I'm impressed," continued Janet.

"With what?"

"With the way you keep your calm. I couldn't do it. The pressure would get to me and I'd be biting heads off."

Janet was right about the pressure. It had been a long week and Claudia was feeling it already. She needed to recharge, and the weekend couldn't come soon enough. A glance up at the clock confirmed another three hours or so to go.

"It can be tough, but that's why we have weekends, isn't it?"

"You got plans, Claudia?"

"I'm off to the cabin. You know, to get away from this place for a couple of days."

Every time she thought about the cabin, a warmth built deep inside. It had been a spur of the moment decision, but one Claudia had never regretted. She'd bought it a couple of years after her partner died, and to be honest it was his legacy which gave her the idea. The one thing he had said, even ordered, before his demise was that Claudia should continue to live life to the full, to take pleasure in everything they had enjoyed together. One of the things they really loved was being one with nature, so it seemed only natural to get a place of her own away from the city lights. The other of their great passions... well, suffice to say that needed a modicum of privacy, which the cabin gave in abundance.

When he passed away, he left her a nest egg, which made the purchase possible, even leaving a bit more for renovations and upkeep. She was so happy with her home from home. The cabin ticked all the boxes. It was the most stereotypically rugged log cabin you could imagine, situated deep in the woods, nestled close to the edge of a lake. It fitted in with both the idea of being close to nature, and the need for privacy.

Work hard, play harder was the motto Claudia lived life to, and what better way to play hard than to get away from it all, with a little private time out of public eye. Oh yes, outside it was the typical log cabin, but inside she had made it hers.

"I heard the weather's not going to be so good. They say it's gonna rain Saturday afternoon through Sunday," Janet continued.

"Don't worry about that. I've got a friend coming. We'll grab a little personal time together. You know; two girls having a bit of fun."

A smile ran across Claudia's face as she realised the unintended innuendo in her response. Yes, she had a friend coming to the cabin. Kirsten was her name. She had been the lawyer who had done all the paperwork to get the sale across the line, and now... well... now Kirsten enjoyed a little time in the country just as much as Claudia did. You see, the cabin was all about the play harder side of Claudia's life, and the one thing that Claudia was going to guarantee was that they both would be cumming a lot this weekend.

She'd always had a passion for life, especially out of the public eye--or would it be better to say her life outside of the public eye was all about passion? ... passion and control. Her partner used to love her being in control, calling the shots, deciding the outcome. It was never Claudia's intention to move on, to find somebody else, to forget about him, but the more time went on, the more she felt the need.

Her partner lived on in spirit in the cabin itself. Kirsten though... well, that sort of happened, and Claudia was so happy for them to be spending another weekend together.

Even at forty-four, in fact not far off being forty-five, some girls just wanna have fun, and Claudia was one of those girls. What's more, the cabin and the weekend were made for fun, and that's just what Claudia had in mind... albeit the sort of fun which didn't lend itself to being broadcast, at least not across the office.

"What about you, Janet?" Claudia continued.

"Mmmm... well... I guess nothing special. Just me and Roger... a little shopping... some housework... a walk if it doesn't rain too much. You know, the usual sort of stuff."

Claudia smiled again. Janet had summed it up so well. That was the reason she had bought the cabin, and the reason why, after a couple of years without her partner, Kirsten was so right. Claudia couldn't imagine the thought of succumbing to the usual stuff, of becoming Ms. Predictable.

'How old was Janet?' Claudia asked herself. She couldn't have been much more than fifty, and here was the highlight of her life, doing the usual stuff. The one thing that Claudia could guarantee was that this weekend most definitely wouldn't be usual. She had been thinking about it for some time and knew just what she had in mind for her and Kirsten. Oh yes, Kirsten was in for a most enjoyable time.

Should she feel guilty? Claudia was a middle-aged executive, and Kirsten was a fair few years her younger, and in a relationship of her own. Claudia had loved and lost, then loved again. Her partner had said to continue to live life to the full, and that's all she was doing. It's not like she was selling herself. This was all about desire, about passion, about lust, about control... but most definitely nothing to do with money, and not about forgetting him. As for Kirsten... well, it took two to tango, and whatever Claudia was offering must have supplied the tune for them both to dance to.

Claudia glanced back up at the clock. She willed the hands to turn faster, and for the week to come to an end.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was a two hour drive up to the cabin. The light was already fading by the time Claudia pulled off the country lane and up onto the gravelled driveway. Reaching around the back of the car, she grabbed a small travel bag out of the boot. She had decided to come straight up to the cabin, as it sometimes took a while, and a good roaring fire, to take the chill off the place. Kirsten would arrive the day after and Claudia so wanted her to be comfortable when she got here. There was nothing worse than a chilly cabin to dampen the spirits.

The cabin was a fantastic place. Built over two floors, it wasn't much smaller than a four-bedroom house. It was though, just what you expected when you thought of a cabin in the woods, plus much more. This really was a log cabin. Every wall was made from solid tree trunks, giving the building a true sense of stability. It would take more than a big bad wolf to blow this house down.

A large decking area, surrounded by a low wooden fence, led up to the front doors. On the patio, covered over to protect from the elements, sat both a patio table and chairs, and a large hot tub. The lower floor stood back a little, nestled beneath a large upper balcony, a couple of tree trunks--you would struggle to wrap your arms around them--holding it up in place. If the ground floor was understated--other than the large double bi-fold door at the front, the other windows were small and insignificant--the upper one was exuberant. Floor to ceiling glass covered the front of the floor, doors leading out onto the large balcony from both sides. All of this nestled under the high-pitched roof of the cabin.

In daytime, the golden nature of the bare logs gave a most welcoming glow in the sunshine. As the sun faded behind the trees, there was still a welcoming look to the building, and Claudia couldn't wait to get inside. It was her home from home, her little oasis of pleasure from a pressure-filled professional life.

The one question you wanted to ask, but the one Claudia never answered, was how much this place had cost. All she would say is that it was worth every penny. Everyone needed an outlet, a means of supporting resilience and wellbeing, and this was hers. Cost simply became immaterial when compared to enjoyment, and Claudia thought that everyone who came to the cabin left having enjoyed their time together.

Don't get the wrong idea. This wasn't a procession of guests enjoying their time in the country, nor was it every minute of Claudia's non-working life. She was discerning with whom she shared her private life. There had to be an attraction, along with a mutual desire to reach the same goal, even if the roads to get there were different. In Kirsten, she had found somebody who ticked both boxes, and for now that was all she wanted.

Moments later, Claudia was standing at a side door, fumbling with the keys. 'One day I'll have to get this one looked at,' she thought to herself as she struggled to work the key in the lock. Finally, it gave, the door swung open, and Claudia walked into a large open plan area. With the last remnants of daylight fading into dusk, there was an eeriness to the shadowy shapes inside. A flick of a switch put pay to that, artificial light now flooding the inside of the cabin, reflecting off the polished internal wooden walls.

Claudia had been right. Even dressed in her work clothes--she preferred the traditional when it came to the office, choosing that day to wear a below knee-length full skirt, opaque tights, and a soft feel jumper, covered up by a woollen overcoat--Claudia could feel the chill in the air. It had been a few weeks since she last came up to the cabin, so she was expecting to have to take the edge off the temperature.

An hour later, a fire roared downstairs. It served two purposes, supplying heat to the lower floor as well as hot water, the latter also heated the upper floor through radiators and the outside hot tub. After a hard week in the office, the one thing Claudia wanted more than anything else was a long soak, but that would have to wait. It would take another hour or so for sufficient water to warm up, and she still didn't have any food in the cabin.

A quick drive sorted out the groceries problem, Claudia returning with sufficient provisions for the whole weekend. It took no time at all to unpack, the empty fridge now just about full, but still with space for a bottle. Claudia glanced at the label. It was expensive stuff, but Kirsten had expensive taste. Claudia smiled. Oh yes, Kirsten might have been one expensive girlfriend, but she was worth every penny. If she had favourites, then Kirsten would be up there.

Up there? Yes, for sure there would be hot water by now, and Claudia still needed to make ready the rest of the cabin. If downstairs was the stereotypical holiday home in the country, upstairs was a little different. After she bought the property, Claudia had a few modifications made, both to the layout and then to the furnishings.

Everything she had done, had one thing in mind... enjoyment, both hers and her guest's. Some of the furnishings were throwbacks to her younger years, before her partner passed away. You could say he had introduced another side to her life, a side she had never looked back from. Some of the furnishings had been his. She'd kept them under wraps in her city apartment after he died, but now they had pride of place in the cabin. Other items were new, bought specifically by Claudia to satisfy every fantasy.

Claudia climbed the stairs--built from similar but smaller logs, a sturdy staircase curved around from the centre of the back wall, disappearing up to the shadowy upper floor. Upstairs the space was split into individual rooms, each of which Claudia visited in turn. She started at the front of the building. A large master bedroom ran two thirds of the width of the building; a smaller guest bedroom occupied the other third. Both had doors out onto the patio, along with an internal connecting door--this was one of the modifications Claudia had made, as she really wanted to make sure her guests were looked after well.

She dropped her travel bag onto the bed in the master room. It was spacious enough, with an en-suite bathroom and walk in wardrobe. A smile ran across her face as she strode into the wardrobe. To anyone glancing in, it was full of business attire, or at least the visible rails were. Hidden at the back though were several outfits which were very much not safe for work, the ones she chose to keep out of the public eye. Claudia did like to look and feel the part when she was at the cabin.

It wasn't clothing that Claudia was looking for this time. Her attention turned to a chest of drawers where she rummaged around before picking a long, curved object out. Happy, Claudia passed back through the bedroom, dropping her chosen object onto the bed as she passed by. She headed through the connecting door into the guest room.

To the naked eye, this was a standard double bedroom. There was a large bed filling most of the room, and the usual wardrobe and chest of drawers. Nothing strange about that, until you peered a little closer. The bed itself was a four poster, but not your usual decoratively carved affair. This one was more functional than aesthetic. Large square wooden posts linked the equally substantial bed frame to overhead beams. The footboard was low, coming a matter of inches above the mattress, whereas the headboard was a full-length latticework from mattress up to ceiling.

Then there were the loops. All over the frame, there seemed to be loops, some at mattress level, others halfway up and even more along the top bars. It had taken some effort to get in place, but this sure was a great bit of kit. Finally, purely for self-admiration, there was a ceiling mounted mirror staring back down at the mattress. Once more, Claudia smiled as she thought about the guest who would be occupying the bed the following day.

On the inner wall of the guest bedroom were two doors. One led out onto the landing, and the other into what she termed the secret room. Okay, so the room wasn't exactly secret. It had windows to the outside, albeit fitted with blackout blinds, and its own door to the landing as well as the one to the guest bedroom. What was secret though were the contents. Claudia put her head through the door, took a quick look around to make sure all was in place, then returned to the master bedroom.

Weekends with Kirsten were always full on, and with the things she had in mind, this one would be no different. Kirsten was going to arrive around early afternoon the following day, so now was the perfect opportunity for a little personal time first. It wasn't only the guests who expected to enjoy their time in the cabin.

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The sound of running water filled the bathroom as Claudia glanced at herself in the mirror. At forty-four she still looked good. Okay, so the drop-dead gorgeous looks had faded, but her skin was still blemish free, even if there were one or two minor creases where they shouldn't have been. She ran her hand through her hair, fingers tracing lines through the shoulder length wavy bob. That was one thing she was happy with, the colour was all natural, a glossy black frame to her pale skin tone. Years ago, it would have been looks alone which drew attention, now though it was a mix of appearance, charm and just a hint of make-up. Eyebrows and lashes were carefully toned and shaped to tie in with the hair, and a touch of blusher gave the slightest warmth to her otherwise paleness. Claudia smiled, the reflection matching her every move as plump soft-red lips first pouted then spread wide.

'Oh yeh,' she thought to herself, 'you got it babe.'

Claudia was still staring into the mirror as she started to undress. She'd looked after herself over the years and wasn't afraid of looking at her own nakedness. The skirt was first to go, then her tights, revealing smooth pale legs running up to a pair of practical black panties. She liked her legs; after the hair they were her favourite asset. They were well toned--okay so by now the inches of thigh gap had reduced, and there was enough ass cheek to take a grasp of, but Claudia thought they looked good. She'd managed to avoid the orange-skin dimples of older life.