Young Stud Meets the CEO's Wife

Tate stood against the back wall for another minute, sipping his beer and admiring this nameless woman's beauty until her group broke up. The two couples she had been talking to all said goodbye and veered in opposite directions. The woman was standing alone and Tate's heart jumped into his throat. He'd never had a problem talking to girls. Ever. But this one was different. He guessed that she was in her early 40s. She was not a sorority girl at a college bar but an adult at his dad's company's Christmas Party. Despite this wave of anxiety, Tate only hesitated for a few seconds. He knew that if she disappeared into the crowd his chance might be lost. He took one last swig of beer to fortify himself and started to walk over.

Before Tate could make it more than a step or two beyond the back wall, the woman began turning, looking for someone. She walked forward and strained her ahead away from Tate. It looked as if someone was calling her, but it was impossible to hear through the noise of the party. And then, on a dime, she turned towards Tate. For a brief second her eyes continued to scan the party for whoever was calling out to her but without much delay they alighted on Tate.

Feeling his heart race, Tate did the only thing he could think to do. He smiled. She smiled back. Her face was small but square, her nose was likewise small but with a cute, rounded tip. Her eyes, however, were the clearest, most penetrating green Tate had ever encountered and her smile was a perfect flash of straight white teeth underneath thin, red lips.

The woman pointed at Tate with a questioning look as if to ask: "Was that you?"

"Me?" Tate mouthed back, in slight confusion.

The woman threw her head back and laughed, flashing another mocking smile towards Tate, as if to say, "Yes, of course I mean you!"

The two admired one another with smiles and half-laughs on their faces for a few seconds more until their meeting was cut short by a loud voice cutting through the din of the crowd.

"Viviana!"

Tate smiled and shrugged his shoulders while Viviana Nicholson laughed once again and motioned to Tate to stay where he was. She turned around and this time it was clear who it was with the loud voice. Tate recognized him too. Emerging from the crowd was the tall and handsome figure of Mark Harrison. As Viviana turned to meet Mark, her hand shot out behind her back and rapidly waved at Tate, motioning him to come over.

Tate was slow to move, slightly confused by the request, and Mark got to Viviana before he could.

"You look stunning as always Viviana. So how long till you dance with me tonight?" Mark said a little too loudly and with a slight slur as he enveloped Viviana in an awkward, far too intimate hug that she only reluctantly acceded to.

But as Tate quickly walked over, he could see Viviana peeking out of the hug and back towards him. She untangled one of her hands from the embrace and used it to wave Tate over even more vigorously than before.

As soon as Tate was close, Viviana pushed herself away from Mark and immediately turned towards Tate. Placing one hand on his chest and wrapping the other around his waist, Viviana looked up into Tate's face, batting her eyes and smiling sweetly.

"Oh good, sweetie, you are just the person I've been looking for. You got here at exactly the right time."

"Happy to help," Tate said. He was confused but more than willing to try and play along now that this beautiful woman had literally fallen into his arms. Reciprocating Viviana's advance, Tate wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and pulled her into his body. Tate could feel the amazing sensation as her breasts squished up against him and had to mentally steel himself against staring down at her cleavage.

"My dear," Viviana said looking up at Tate, "do you know Mark Harrison? He's the vice president of sales."

"Sure, I've known Mark for years," Tate said confidently, sticking out his left hand to greet Mark, since his right hand was firmly wrapped around Viviana's waist and he had no intention of letting go.

"I'm Tate Armstrong. Jonathan's son. We've met a few times over the years. I'd shake your right hand, but you know, first things first," he said giving a playful nod towards Viviana.

"Oh yeah, hey Tate, I didn't recognize you," Mark said, as he tried to fight through the drunken confusion that was growing in his eyes. "Last I remember you were a lot smaller. Just a kid in high school."

"Yeah I guess I saw you at my graduation party, but you may not remember that. There was a lot of booze. I'm in my 3^rd year of college now. I got a full ride scholarship to swim at Berkeley and am just back for Christmas."

"Jeez Mark," Viviana chimed in with a mocking disdain, "I've only been here a year and I knew that. Be careful or I'll tell Jonathan you entirely forgot who his son was. Not great to completely forget one of your coworker's family members. Maybe next time I'll just forget your name, Mark."

Viviana made her comments with a playful smile. She and Tate both laughed. But beneath the smile it was a threat that she made little attempt to conceal.

The confusion and fear in Mark's eyes mounted. He was not only being called out by his boss's wife, but also by a huge, handsome young man who happened to be the son of his biggest rival in the firm.

"Sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt or anything. I've probably had too much to drink. I was just on my way to get some food anyways. Tate tell your mom and dad hi if I don't see them. Thanks for the party Viviana."

"Oh, it's no worries, Mark." Viviana said sweetly. "I was just looking for Tate anyways. I forgot the party favors and giftbags in the garage and they're in a big box that I can't lift myself. So, I needed someone strong who could hold their alcohol to help. We were just leaving. Enjoy the rest of the party Mark. And say hi to your wife Cynthia for me!" At this point, Viviana grabbed Tate's hand and confidently led him away from Mark without a second thought.

"See ya, Mark." Tate said, slapping him on the back as the pair passed him.

Tate's heart was still racing as he followed Viviana through the dense crowd. He could feel the stares of confusion and jealousy on his back as the CEO's drop-dead gorgeous wife led a seeming stranger at least twenty years her junior through the party. Luckily, the pair arrived in the safety of the kitchen without Tate having seen either his parents or Terry on the journey through the great room.

As soon as they were in the quiet confines of the kitchen--empty aside from two caterers prepping some plates and readying a box of wine to be delivered to the bar--Viviana dropped Tate's hand and breathed a sigh of relief. Her immaculate posture slumped and she turned to Tate with her hands on her hips and her face shorn of the happy front she had kept up when talking to Mark.

"Well thank god for you!" she said with a relieved laugh.

"It was my pleasure."

"I can't stand Mark. We've had a few parties like this one since Terry and I have been here and they've all been exactly the same. Mark gets drunk, either abandons his wife, leaves her at home, or doesn't care if she sees, and then tries to grope me or dance with me. He's a total sleaze. The worst part is I think Terry kind of encourages it. I don't mean he tells Mark to try and feel me up," she said, glancing somewhat nervously at Tate, "but he encourages the drinking and the bawdiness. He certainly doesn't discourage it anyways. I was just having a glass of wine in the living room the other night after Terry, Mark and your dad were celebrating closing that deal, and Mark came in, drunk out of his mind, sat down next to me and tried to put his arm around me! In my own house and not even during a party! The nerve of that man. Maybe I'd be fine with it if he could at least handle his liquor and not be so obvious about it. He's a handsome guy after all, but he just has no tact. A total drunken boor. And Terry was, of course, nowhere to be seen."

Tate listened sympathetically as Viviana got increasingly incensed. Her faced scrunched up and was flush red with anger. As her rant continued, Viviana's breathing became increasingly labored and she was bordering on hyperventilating. Tate tried his best to muster a look of care and compassion while also being utterly transfixed at the sight of her breasts heaving and jiggling with every angry breath.

"I'm so sorry about all that. I'm just glad I was at least there to help this time. Maybe together we scared him off, so it won't happen as much in the future?" Tate asked, doing his best to communicate his concern.

"He nearly shit his pants when he realized who you were," Viviana said with relish. "That was great. Your dad's such a sweetheart and I think Mark pushes him around a little bit, but you," she said, staring up at Tate and gesturing at his body with her hands, "he couldn't push you around if he tried."

"That's what years of swim practice and some good genes will do, I guess." Tate said laughing. "By the way, we still haven't officially been introduced. I'm Tate Armstrong, obviously."

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I just pulled you into all that, I was just desperate for a buffer, no matter who it was, and you were right there. I was so relieved when I heard who you were! I'm Viviana Nicholson, obviously," she said, laughing in return and shaking Tate's hand.

"Well Viviana, it's a pleasure to meet you officially. Can I get you a drink?"

"Boy do I ever need a drink right now, Tate. But let me ask you something first. No offense, but are you actually old enough to drink?"

"No offense taken! I turned 21 a few months ago. But, you know, with college and all that I've been drinking for a while, so I'd say I'm a much more seasoned pro than our friend Mark over there. I can handle my liquor."

"Not that it would take much to be better at drinking than Mark!" Viviana added.

"Alright, so hang on I have an idea, stay here for a second."

Tate left Viviana standing by herself near the table while he crossed the long, ornate kitchen to where the two caterers were preparing to depart with their plate of appetizers and box of drinks.

"Excuse me you two, do you mind if I snag one of these?" Tate looked in the box and grabbed what seemed to be the nicest bottle of wine. "Thanks!" he said, without waiting from an answer from them. He spotted a bottle opener and some spare glasses sitting out with other catering supplies on the counter, popped the bottle open, and poured two glasses for himself and Viviana.

By now the caterers had left and Viviana had crossed over to his side of the kitchen with a big smile on her face.

"Nicely done. You know, I have tons of wine of my own in a fridge in the walk-in pantry. It's literally right there. But somehow nabbing a bottle from the caterers just feels more right."

"Actually," Tate said, handing her a glass, "I think it felt more wrong than right. The whole point of having caterers is that they pour you the wine and serve it to everyone in standard proportions. Liberating a bottle before it even has a chance to get served feels a little...transgressive. That's why it's fun."

"Transgressive," Viviana said with a smirk. "That must be one of those 5-dollar words you learn at a fancy school like Berkeley. Well cheers to the fun of transgression."

"I couldn't have said it better myself, Viviana."

The two clinked glasses and sipped their wine in a companionate silence for a moment. The din of the party was distant within the cavernous and enclosed kitchen. Viviana blew a huge sigh of relief as her breathing slowly began to return to normal. They were both glad for the reprieve.

"So," Tate said after a moment, "how have you been finding life in our quiet little slice of suburbia? Must be quite a change from New York."

Viviana looked up at Tate with suspicious eyes.

"First you got me going on Mark Harrison, now New York. You really have a penchant for bringing up all the things that make me uncomfortable Tate," she said with a laugh. But her laugh was hollow. She sighed heavily--Tate couldn't help but keep watching her breasts heave as she did--and continued.

"I loved New York. I'm from New Jersey originally so it's always felt basically like home. It's such an alive and busy place and you can be anonymous whenever you want..." Viviana said, her voice tailing off. "I miss that sense of anonymity here. Everyone knows everyone. And obviously there's just less happening. So yeah, it's been a tough move."

"If you don't mind me asking, what pushed you guys to come out here? From the way my dad tells it, he thought you could've stayed in New York. I think everyone was a little surprised when Terry took the job with our firm."

Viviana shook her head and thought about the question for a minute. And then downed what was left in her glass of wine and held it out for Tate to refill.

"You really know how to ask the hard questions, young man. If anything, I'm the one who should be grilling you!"

"I'm an open book," Tate said with a broad smile as he refilled her glass.

Viviana took a long sip and then stared at Tate sympathetically.

"Honestly? Terry blew up a really big deal with his last firm. They were close and couldn't get it over the edge because he did some stupid things. So the board pushed him out. It became pretty well known in all the business circles around there and no one wanted to hire him. It wasn't the first mistake like that he'd made. The only offers he got were from places--and I mean this with no disrespect--places that were second tier and lower stakes. We had a decision. Terry's north of 60 years old now. He could have retired and we could have stayed in New York, or he could take a job in a place like this. And he's such a workaholic. It's the only thing that really keeps him going. So here we are."

"I'm really sorry to hear that, Viviana. It sounds like Terry made a bad decision, which cost him his job in New York, and then made another decision based on whatever was best for him, which brought you all the way out here to Kansas without much of a say in it."

Viviana smiled sadly and took another deep sip of her wine.

"Pretty much."

"What were you doing in New York before you came out here? Are you working anywhere now?"

"Not really. I managed a small art gallery in New York. It was pretty boutique. Most of the artists whose stuff we dealt in were mid-tier, but occasionally we'd get some high-end pieces too. I mostly liked it because it was fun. A lot of parties and a constant stream of new and interesting people. Obviously there is not a booming art market here in Kansas and so I haven't really been doing anything since we've moved here. I know I should try but like I said, it's tough. This place has felt so claustrophobic, you know?"

"Oh man, I totally know. I grew up here and went to high school here! That's why I left, really. The swimming scholarship was a nice bonus, but I was determined to get out of here one way or another, and really wanted to get to California rather than the east coast. It's nice not having much in the way of winter."

"Has California been everything you expected? I mean, it certainly looks like you've made the best of it..."

"Oh this?" Tate said gesturing to his body, "That just comes with the territory from years of swimming practice. Not California specific I guess. But yeah it's been great. A ton of fun."

"Oh this?" Viviana said mocking Tate with an animated look on her face. "As if you don't know what you look like! I'm sure all the girls in California like you."

"Well yeah, that part has been nice too I'm not gonna lie..."

"I'm sure it has," Viviana said, hiding a smile behind another sip of wine.

The pair smirked at each other from behind their glasses. But before anything else could happen, a loud voice intruded.

"Viviana! There you are! I've been looking for you! And ah, Tate my boy! You two have met I see haha!"

Terry had busted into the kitchen fresh from the party. His face was beet red and the sweat was visible from across the room. Tate was struck at the massive disparity in attractiveness between Terry and Viviana. That was what money could do for you, he supposed.

"Hi sweetie," Viviana said softly, as if she was simply trying to appease him.

Terry trundled over and in a very uncoordinated manner put his arm around Viviana's shoulders, while she put hers lightly on his back.

"Having a good time my dear?" she asked.

"Oh yes, the best!" he said too loudly for the context. "But I need you Viv. We're taking company pictures. We want one with everyone, and then also need some of the executive team and their wives. Mark and Cynthia are planning to leave soon so we've got to do it now."

"Ok, I'll be out in a minute sweetie. But I need to finish my conversation with Tate." She said sternly.

Terry looked confused for a second, his eyes glancing between Viviana and Tate.

"Right, Tate my boy, how are you!" he asked boisterously, leaving Viviana's side and gripping Tate's hand as hard as he could.

"Doing just fine, Terry. It's a lovely party. Just getting to know this beautiful woman a little bit. You're a lucky guy, Terry."

Terry's face got even more red and he cracked a somewhat embarrassed looking smile, while Viviana looked as if she was going burst out laughing at any moment.

"Oh of course, incredibly lucky, huh sweetie?" he said turning back to Viviana, who placed her hand on his back as reassurance.

"I'm the lucky one, dear," she said to him sweetly. "Now, what did I say? I need to finish up my conversation with Tate and then I'll be out for pictures."

"Ok, right, right." Terry said as he began to trundle through the kitchen and back out to the party. "Tate my boy, great to see you! Let's have a scotch when this is over!"

"If he can even still stand by the end of the night," Viviana said under her breath.

"Sure thing Terry! See you soon!" Tate called out.

Once Terry was fully out of the room, Tate and Viviana exchanged a knowing look.

"He's had quite a bit to drink this evening, hasn't he?" Tate asked.

"Don't get me started."

"So..." Tate began, somewhat hesitantly, "what else did you want to talk about?"

"You don't miss anything do you?" she said with relish, smiling at Tate and setting her wine glass on the counter.

Viviana put her hands on her hips and sized Tate up for a good thirty seconds without saying anything. She smiled mischievously as her eyes roamed up and down Tate's body.

"What are we going to do with you, Mister?" she said, hands still archly on her hips while she bit her lip in concentration.

Tate smiled and shrugged.

"You tell me."

Viviana moved in closer to Tate. She placed both hands on his chest and rubbed them up and down, clearly impressed at the muscles that were barely hidden by the thin fabric of his shirt.

"There's a small mudroom connected to the kitchen. Inside is a door to our back staircase. As soon as you get upstairs, there's a bathroom across the hall. Go up there now while everyone is taking pictures and I'll meet you there when I'm done."

Tate could feel his heart beating faster than it had all night.

"Wait what? Do you mean...the whole company's here. Terry, my parents..."

"You think I don't know what I'm doing, Tate? And if you're too scared to fuck a woman in the same house as her husband and your parents, you're not the guy I thought you were."

"I'm not scared, I just...wanted to be sure, you know? I've had some wild hook ups but I've never done anything like this" Tate said uncertainly, losing some confidence for the first time all night.

Viviana didn't hesitate. She moved her hands up his chest and wrapped them around the back of his neck.