Workplace Romance? Ch. 02

WORKPLACE ROMANCE - Part 2

Dianne's perspective.

My name is Dianne, (and no, I didn't misspell it. My mom apparently thought that was more regal) I'm the lab and facility manager of a division of a large chemical company. I received my masters in chemistry and took this job a year after. I enjoy my work, but it has been a struggle. The division has been poorly managed since I arrived. The first division manager was nice enough and I think tried really hard but made some devastating decisions that set us on a bad course. The next division manager was worse and hardly ever came out of his office. I was sure we were on a course for closure soon or later so I started dusting off my resume.

Then the company was thinking about hiring a new division manager. It was a man who came from outside the industry, but was supposed to be some kind of turn around genius. I thought to myself I'm sure he will come in and start cutting and slashing and this is not going to be very fun. So, I started searching the web for job openings.

He asked for a meeting of the leadership staff in his interview process, so we met with him. I didn't know what to expect really and I entered the meeting with a lot of doubt and probably some disdain.

I was almost immediately put at ease. Instead of lecturing us on what we were doing was wrong and things had to change, which is what I expected, he asked us what we needed. He listened to our concerns and ideas intently. He asked each of us about our roles and what we liked and disliked about them. Then at the end of the meeting he stated he felt sure many of us had considered leaving and asked how many of us were willing to stay and help turn things around.

His name was Bob, he was an attractive man and he exuded confidence to the point it was contagious. I thought, I do want to stick around and see how this turns out. I really didn't want to leave and I was good at my job. To my surprise the entire leadership staff stayed.

He took the job and we went to work. He was a dedicated worker, diligent, intelligent, and humble. For the first month he continued to just ask each of us questions. I think he was getting a feel for the organization and each worker's ability. Then he started making strong, thoughtful decisions that started having an immediate impact.

You could tell he was a no-nonsense kind of person, all business. And he valued my opinion. He was constantly asking my opinion about this or that, even areas that were not under my direct control. I found that I really liked him and truly respected him.

He was one of the most intelligent men I have ever met. We were able to converse on a deep level, something I hadn't had at least since graduate school. Our conversations became relaxed and enjoyable. It seemed we had mutual respect for one another and even started to spar intellectually. It was all good natured and we even began to rib and kid each other.

I started to look forward to going to work and conversing with him. We often spent time together working on projects together and I thoroughly enjoyed the time. I started to realize I had a deep affection for him.

Now I don't mean anything sexual. I'm a married woman. Dean and I have been married for almost 20 years now. We married right after undergraduate school and he worked while I went to grad school. Dean is one of the very few boyfriends I ever had.

My studies always took precedence for my time. Also, I am kind of plain looking. Now I know I'm not ugly and I have never had self-esteem problems but boys were not knocking down my door either.

I think this is another reason why Bob and I clicked. He was so focused on business and being serious and so was I that we worked well together. I knew he was happily married and he never did anything even remotely inappropriate.

Well, there was that one time when I caught him looking at my breast. It wasn't his fault though. I used to dress almost frumpy. Not really on purpose, but I have never paid attention to fashion or fixing myself up. I went for comfort instead of looks. But this one day I wore this nice blue blouse I had been given as a present. I did look good in it and after Bob's almost stare, I realized it did accentuate my breast nicely.

I was shocked by my reaction when I realized what he was looking at. I glanced down and noticed it had gapped open slightly. My first reaction was to reach up and adjust it, but then for some reason I decided against it. I told myself I didn't want to embarrass him because it would have been obvious, I saw him looking. But it felt good somehow, him looking at me that way. I don't know what came over me but I wanted him to look. Get a hold of yourself Dianne, I told myself.

Anyway, we continued our work and things proceeded as normal. Our division was improving rapidly. We were gaining the respect of the company at last. And Bob was quick not to take the credit. I heard him often tell people it was our hard work and not his that had done the trick. I admired him even more.

I've been with the company a long time and I have friends in practically every department. One day a friend in accounting in the main office called me and told me we had made bonus. Our company had a liberal and tiered bonus program. Our division achieved the bottom tier one time in my time there.

This friend told me we didn't make the top tier, but Bob had demanded his personal bonus be reduced enough to bring our leadership team's bonus up to the max tier. She said he even made a scene over it. When the president of the company told him it couldn't be done, Bob threatened to quit. She said, how did you get so lucky to get him for a boss, and he's so dreamy too.

Well, when Bob announced to me the next day in the hallway that we had made bonus this quarter and had done so well we maxed it out, I almost flung my arms around him and kissed him right then and there, but got control of myself and just said, "I could kiss you right now." It was really kind of cute how much he blushed and then scampered off to his office.

One day the vice president of the company came for a visit. We showed him around and he was very impressed with our improvement. Before he left, he came to my office and told me that Bob had recommended me to be considered for a division management position once one came open. Although I get the impression, he would not let you go willingly, he said.

I thought, what an unusual man. I had never met anyone like Bob. He made me feel so appreciated, so needed, so important. It didn't feel like he was my boss, it felt more like a partner. I liked being his partner.

A few weeks later he is in my office one day. We were discussing something and I caught him looking at my breast again. I was wearing that blue blouse again. I decided I really probably shouldn't wear this to work anymore.

He was standing in front of my desk and I glanced back up right into his crotch. Did he have an erection? I quickly looked away. I must be wrong. It was probably just the way he was standing. He's still standing there so that must be it. But I had to glance again to see. Damn, he does have an erection. I could hardly concentrate on the conversation anymore.

I tried to keep eye contact with him, or anything else, but I had to glance again to confirm. For some reason I found it so erotic. Him standing right in front of me with an erection. I could feel a tingle between my legs. I must be blushing. Gosh this is embarrassing.

Finally, he left, but I could not get the image out of my mind. But honestly, I didn't try. I wanted to remember it. It stirred something within me.

But wait, surely he knew. Why did he just stand there? Did he want me to see it? Did he want me to know I excited him? It does feel good to know I can excite a man like him. No, surely he does not see me that way. I mean Lara down the hall can excite men like that but not me. Does he find me that attractive?

Well, this was awful. Now I could not get this out of my mind. We had such a great working relationship; I didn't want to ruin it by being infatuated. I almost felt like some silly school girl with a crush on her teacher. But he is extremely handsome, intelligent, and thoughtful. He makes me feel so appreciated for my mind and maybe now my body? Then I shook my head and told myself you've got to push this out of your mind.

Lilly didn't help things. Lilly was one of our vendors who came by weekly to stock our lab with supplies. She was a pip, all tatted up and punkish hair style. The first time she saw Bob she said, "who's the hunk?" She almost every week would make some sexual comment about him. Like how she would love to "do" him, or how she thought he would be good in bed.

I tried to push things out of my mind, I really did. We continued on mostly as normal, but I found myself longing to be near him. Longing to touch him. I even started paying a little attention to my appearance. I would beam when he came to my office. If we were working closely together, I would find myself leaning in to have our bodies touch even slightly, and it would be electrifying for me. I had to get a hold of myself. This was getting out of control.

Our company was purchasing some new software and everyone had to go to the corporate offices for training. Bob and I ended up being scheduled for the same three-day session. We would be out of town together for three days. This was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. But we would be doing company training and have separate hotel rooms.

Don't be ridiculous Dianne, I told myself, nothing can happen, can it? Anyway, other than the day with the erection, Bob has been nothing but professional. Although, it does seem I have seen him noticing me more. And he always seems so happy to see me. It seems our casual conversations have been more companionable lately. I realized I had to quit thinking this way.

While at the training it was practically blissful. We spent most of our time together. We sat beside each other and acted like school kids in the training. At the company dinners we sat together and we were so comfortable with each other that some of our co-workers jokingly called us a couple. And it felt to me like we were a couple and I liked it. No, I loved it. I wanted to be a couple. And while Bob usually played those comments off, I played into them.

To be sure no one got the wrong idea, I played it over the top. Making a spectacle about being a couple. I started calling him darling and giggling and laughing. Our co-workers thought it was funny, but I was enjoying playing the part. I tried to get a read off of Bob from these antics but wasn't sure where his feelings were.

One night after dinner I was having drinks with a woman from another division and she told me about the affair she was having with her boss. I was shocked, but listened intently. Aren't you afraid of getting caught I asked and she seemed to feel confident it was something that would not be found out. She was also perfectly happy with the arrangement and told me of several others within the company that were doing the same thing.

I realized I was now having these feelings for Bob, but I had never stopped to think about having an affair. Would I? Could I? Would he? I guess the alcohol clouded my judgment that night because I actually contemplated it. I mean Dean and I were practically just roommates anymore. I loved him and we enjoyed each other's company. But our sex life had always been very bland. I know I'm probably mostly to blame for that, but still.

According to articles I read, I was now reaching my sexual prime. Woman apparently hit it much later than men, and I had noticed being more sexually aroused than ever before. And all of this with Bob was not helping that.

The last night of the training, Bob and I rode up on the elevator together with some others from the company. I settled in next to him and hugged his arm. I just wanted to be close to him. The others started the ribbing, about us being a couple, so I laughed and started to just get off the elevator. And I don't know if it was the alcohol, or my desire, but I spun around and said, "oh sorry, goodnight darling." And kissed him on the lips. I laughed heartily as did everyone else on the elevator, except Bob. I think I finally saw my answer in his eyes as the door shut.

I didn't see him again until the next week at work. I decided it was best if I tried to avoid him, and not mention anything about the kiss. But we went to lunch that day with Tim. He asked about the trip and the training and we brought him up to speed on the new software.

I wanted to see Bob's reaction so I told Tim about everyone thinking we were a couple. He immediately said, "I can see that."

Bob asked him why he said that.

And Tim said, "Because you two go together. You both have the same drive, you both are very smart, and your personalities just mesh."

I looked at Bob and he looked at me. I could see in his eyes he acknowledged the truth of this statement. I also saw that same look as on the elevator. It really sent chills through me. I felt utterly flattered. I have never been the hot girl, but Bob made me feel like I was. Here was this strong, desirable, alluring man, and I surmised he wanted me. This was a new thing for me, but I liked it.

It's hard to put my finger on it, but things were different between Bob and I now. I'm pretty sure it was not just me. There seemed to be warmth and closeness in our relationship that was not there before. We joked with each other more. There were a lot of double entendres of a sexual nature in our conversations. But I had to know if I was right about his feelings and this wasn't just something I dreamed up in my head.

One day when we were implementing the new software, I had to call the woman that had told me about her affair. She was particularly good with this portion of the software and she was able to help us immediately.

Bob was sitting beside me at my desk so when I hung up the phone, I asked him if he remembered the woman. He said he did vaguely. Then I told him about her having an affair with her boss. He asked how I knew, and I told him and also told him she had told me about a lot of others doing the same.

When I said, "I guess we missed the memo," the look on his face was priceless. Then we were interrupted. I had a phone call and he had to leave. I wanted to send a little signal and to play with him at the same time, so before he left, I put my hand over the phone, and said to him, "see you later darling." He looked lost in thought as he turned to leave.

Honestly at the time I didn't really know where I was going with this. I really was just having fun. It felt good to think I was the hot girl at the office. I had never had any experience like this and wanted to enjoy it. But I could also tell my feelings for Bob were becoming something I almost couldn't control anymore. They were clearly getting deeper and deeper and it scared me a little.

I started to brazenly flirt with him. Not openly, I was always sure no one else was around or overheard. I found that I enjoyed teasing him and it aroused me. It had become a game. It was like I had a break with reality. My relationship with Bob existed on another plane, in another world and I was enjoying that world. When I was around him or thinking of him it was like there was nothing else, nothing else that mattered anyway.

One day he confronts me about the flirting. I don't remember exactly how he said it, but he made me realize that he could not initiate anything because he was my boss. It gave me the distinct impression he wanted to but couldn't. I knew him by now and what I heard was if you want this to progress you are going to have to take the initiative. That realization sent a jolt of excitement through me. I was actually dizzy. Here this captivating, fantastic man wanted a relationship with me, plain old me.

He went on to say something about how we had to be discreet. I was feeling really randy by this point, so I said, "we really should tone it down so we can keep it a secret." I then giggled and walked out.

Gosh I was so aroused I could feel that I was more than a little wet. I honestly thought about going to the bathroom and masturbating. What was happening to me? How did this man make me so horny just by being around him and talking with him? This was a completely new experience for me and I was enthralled. I came to actually crave it. I found myself thinking about him most of the time.

I had to do something about this, but what? I was not the kind of person to have an affair, was I? But this couldn't go on. I had to find a way to resolve this one way or another.

Then I felt like the perfect opportunity presented itself. We received an award from the local Chamber of Commerce and there was going to be a lunch banquet and awards ceremony in the ballroom of a local hotel. I thought this would be the perfect time to confront him, when we are away from the office. We need to talk this out. We need to address the sexual tension and get this out in the open.

The night before the event, I knew there will be pictures at the awards ceremony so I will need to look nice. And then I also realize I am going to confront Bob, so I pick out my sexiest outfit. Now by most standards it is not sexy at all, but compared to what I normally wear it is.

I realize how ridiculous I am being, here I am in my home with my husband in the other room, and I am giddy about looking nice for my boss. I feel like a girl going on her first date. And at that moment something changed in me. I didn't care. All I wanted was to impress Bob. I wanted to look nice for him. I wanted to turn him on. I even got excited thinking, I bet this will cause another erection.

When I walk in the office the next morning and see Bob his expression is delightful. His mouth literally dropped open. This sent a wave of pleasure over me and I must have beamed. At that moment I felt so alive, so desirable. We exchanged pleasantries and headed off to our offices.

Just before it is time to go Bob comes to my office and asks if I am ready. I have an overwhelming urge to tease him, so I bend down to my bottom drawer and let my blouse gap open. I actually heard him gasp, and it was all I could do to keep from jumping him right there, it immediately made me wet.

In the car on the way to the event I was an emotional wreck. I was aroused, and was anticipating confronting him about our sexual tension. I still didn't know what I was going to say but we had to get it out in the open.

He apparently noticed something and asked if I was alright and I said that I was nervous. I think he thought I meant about accepting the award.

But he says, "Dianne, you have nothing to be nervous about. You are an extremely intelligent and articulate woman. And you look gorgeous."

I doubt he realized what that simple comment did to me. But now I wanted him. I must have been blushing and it was all I could do not to kiss him right then and there. I just said sincerely, "thank you darling."

The way he looked at me all through lunch sent shivers through my body. I couldn't wait to confront him after the event. I knew we would need to be alone so when I got up to go to the bathroom, I stopped by the front desk and reserved a room. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew this was dangerous, but I was in no state of mind to be reasonable.

After the event, we were walking through the lobby. I was a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and arousal. My mind was cloudy. I grabbed Bob by the arm and drug him onto an elevator.

He said, "what are you doing?"

I pulled out the room key and showed him. I meant to say - we need to talk about this sexual tension between us.

But what came out was "isn't it about time we had sex?"