Lies and Innocence (closed for cnuveau)

[Ravishing]

Amanda Rafe was 68 years old. With silvery short curls that flattered her face and good enough genes, she actually looked closer to her mid-50s despite the hair-do and colour, which made her eye-catching in her own right. Amanda peers at him through her gold-rimmed glasses, one manicured pearl-coloured fingertip tapping at her chin as she held his 'resume' with one hand while reading it. She wore a white silk blouse with a grey pinstripe skirt.

"Now it states here you graduated from Lionsgate. In the field of Information Technology. IT. yes?" His resume stated that he'd finished that degree a year ago and that he'd done a course on office management in the year since. Which should have given him all the skills needed for this P.A. Job. The course was a lie. A complete fabrication. But after four months of looking for work in his chosen field and getting beaten out by people who had on-the-job experience and weren't fresh out of university. he was sick of not getting anywhere. So. The lie.

"So you are well versed in keeping to a schedule, rescheduling appointments, reaching out to new contacts. Typing. Filing. Mailing. Personal errands? You are aware yes, you'll be living with Katherine and be at her beck and call whenever she needs you. Day or night. You will have the obligatory Saturday every week to yourself, but Sunday is when Katherine will start the preparation for Monday, at least from the afternoon onwards?" Her voice rapid firing off the questions, that didn't really sound like questions. They more sounded like points. "Every month you'll get the last Sunday and Monday off."

Amanda paused watching his expression. "As you'll be living with Katherine a certain dress code will be necessary. You'll be measured when you arrive by her personal tailor and things will be bought for you. Work clothing. Formal clothing. Casual clothing. Work out clothing. Potentially even things to go horseback riding. Oh, and Swimwear." Another pause this time for her to take a small sip of water. "Your wing will have your own personal kitchen if you like to cook. Two bathrooms. Two Bedrooms. A walk-in-robes for the Master Bedroom and Master Ensuite. A personal gym for you to maintain your fitness. I'm sure there are also a few rooms I've forgotten."

She seems thoughtful. "The grounds have its own horse riding ring and jumps. A trail. Indoor and outdoor swimming pool and hot tub. Indoor badminton court and squash court. Outdoor tennis court, basketball court. A track for running or jogging. Trails one can walk. Katherine is well taken care of." Clearly, Amanda doted on her in an extreme way.

"Do you have questions?" Amanda asked, without really mentioning his name. Then again with her sitting right there holding his sheet of lies, she really did hold all the cards and clearly would do as she pleased. "Also, one minor thing. I'll expect a weekly email report of how things are going."

 

[cnuveau]

Brett nodded along as Ms. Rafe ticked off the list of his responsibilities. He’d very little clue the extent of many of the responsibilities she’d listed but he didn’t lack the confidence to figure it out. He was sure being a personal assistant had it’s challenges but if he was able to master full stack application development he was sure he’d be able to work this out.

After a year of being unemployed he needed this opportunity to pan out. Honestly it was his last option so he’d agree to mucking the stalls at the stables if that’s what it took.

“I’ll be sure to put together a detailed weekly report on things and make sure you’re aware of everything. I believe you’ve covered all my questions. I’m eager to get stared and thankful for the opportunity. “. Falling back on the one management class he took in college he knew he needed to try to close with an affirmative next step so he follow with “I’m ready to start whenever you’re ready.”

Regardless of whether he thought this job aligned with his career goals he was truly excited for any kind of opportunity because, frankly, the next step for him was likely finding someone’s sofa to sleep on. He fixed his hazel eyes on Ms. Rafe waiting for that moment he knew he could breath easier.

 

[Ravishing]

Amanda listened to him there and finally nodded. Rising to stand she offered her hand to him. "Brett, You've got the job. Personal Assistant to Katherine Rafe. Congratulations." A smile finally out of the silvery-haired Aunt. Releasing his hand then. She glanced over his resume, flipped it over and put it in front of him. "There'll be a formalised contract ready for you to sign when you arrive. Right now I just need your address, and you to tell me how long it will take for you to be ready?"

She listened to his answer and smiles again. "Wonderful, then, at 8 am tomorrow a car will be there to collect you, and your things. Your everything else will be handled by removalists who'll put it all in a storage locker for you on the grounds of Katherine's Estate. Thus there won't be fees for you to worry about for it."

A pause by her as she takes that paper back from him looking at the address. "The contract will be for a three-month period, and at the end, you have the option to decide you wish to move on. If you wish to stay, then it can be renegotiated for the next year. I will say if you decide to stay on, there will be a bonus year's salary for you. Yes. You heard me right. A full year's salary as a bonus. You see, I do not particularly want to be doing this again in three months' time. But, I feel I must give you both three months to see if you do indeed enjoy the work and want to continue."

 

[cnuveau]

Brett was elated as he took her hand and shook it. I’ll be ready at 8:00. With that he turned for the door. As good as it all sounded her last words rang through his head ominously. 3 month contract…. If I want to stay….. huge incentive to stay. There was no mention of whether my performance warranted a renewal. Hmmmmm

The thought sat with him as he drove home and began to pack the things he’d need to take. Was it odd that they didn’t introduce him to the person he was to be assisting? Doubts started to creep into his head as he finished packing and prepared for bed. One way or another though, his things were going to be moved out of this house. It’s either to the estate or the curb and his choice was clear.

The next morning he anxiously waited at the window for the car to arrive. At 8:00 sharp a black Range Rover came to a stop at the curb. Taking one last look around his shabby apartment he closed the door and into the unknown.

 

[Ravishing]

The drive through the city took perhaps thirty minutes. Until eventually the range rover began to slow and turn into a long driveway with trees. It showed grounds which was vast, at this point there were little but glimpses of lush green lawns and such. As it slows further there was a stop there around a large fountain, with grand front steps. The Estate House was huge. The sort of thing he might have seen in movies. The driver popped out and open the door for him.

The front door opened moments later by a man in a suit. A butler. "Brett, yes? I'm Harry. Miss Rafe's Butler. I'll show you along into the front sitting room, where her tailor has set up to measure you. I'll be along shortly then to take you to Miss Rafe. She's currently in her study." The walls are high, and elegantly display grander paintings of perhaps the estate's grounds.

The sitting room was furnished in a classical lemon shade, the plush carpet was lemon, and the couches and armchairs a deeper shade of lemon. Throw pillows with fringe. Tall lamps with lemon lampshades. The painting here is of a young girl. Blonde, pretty, with big violet-blue eyes that stole the show. In one she was on horseback, racing towards a jump. In another, she was laughing with bubbles in the air about her, hints of a pool seen there. The kind with stone edging, and a waterfall cascading down a designed backdrop of plants, into the water below.

A small platform of grey looked out of place on a carpet that was gloriously deep red with lemon fringe. While standing near it was a woman who he might judge to be about 35. "Brett? Hi. I'm Jen, if you'll slip your shoes off and stand here, I'll get your measurements without fuss." A bright smile was offered to him. She was very professional as she did it, doing it all rather quickly, precisely and scribbling down the numbers as she went. "Done, and thank you."

It was about then, Harry showed back up as if he'd been waiting to hear Jen was done and ready to pass him on. "This way if you please." Harry led him out another door and off through a passage with various other doors off it. Finally, he turns and knocks at one. "Miss?" From within there was, "Come in, Harry." To which came his reply, "Certainly Miss." Opening those double doors he was greeted to the sight of a very large room. With two large desks dominating the middle. Around the outer walls were custom bookshelves that went from the top of the filing cabinets about it to the ceiling. It was all a dark stained wood. The floor was a pale blue. Which matched the upholstery of the chairs there, which while on a swivel were also clearly custom designed. A ladder on wheels went drifting along the back wall, and he found himself looking up. He'd see red louboutin shoes with matching shade stockings which trailed up a delightful calf, little butterflies up the backs of those stockings. It met the edge of a grey pinstripe skirt with a silver blouse. Blonde curls messily held up by hair combs.

As Harry took in the sight of his employer up the ladder he paled. "Miss, Miss please get down." While from above a soft chuckle was heard. "The ladder is perfectly secure Harry, I recall you had it double-checked for structural soundness two weeks ago." A pause, as Harry seemed to step further into that office. "Yes, but Miss, Heels." Katherine seems to use a hand to delicately catch the edge of a bookshelf and stop the ladder from moving. One dainty foot was removed from a heel that thudded to the floor, as she put that foot then on the rung again. "There. One foot on the ladder."

Harry gave Brett an almost unreadable look then. "But Miss, your Personal Assistant is here. He can climb the ladder." There's a "Hrm?" Out of her as she half turns peering back over her shoulder. Two things Brett could note easily. Working for someone who looked that good with only lipgloss on, and seemingly no other makeup, might be a distraction. Two, that she'd also clearly gotten herself up there, in heels, but that also that ass in that skirt, he didn't think he'd seen an ass look quite that good.

"Oh. Hi. Katherine." She said with a hint of a smile, then a wriggle of a foot out of the other shoe, as that heel plummeted. Once both were gone she began descending that ladder, and Harry gave him a frustrated look and waved him in that direction. "Harry, go see to his things, yes? Thanks. Oh and tell Mattie we'll take a snack in an hour. Here please." A, "Yes Miss," heard, before Harry departed. Leaving Brett alone with the girl who looked a few years younger than him, still carefully climbing down.

 

[cnuveau]

Brett was suddenly very aware that the clothing choices he made this morning might have been inadequate based on Harry’s attire. Though he had dressed in slacks and a dress shirt, had he known he’d be meeting his new employer right off he would have chosen his one suit typically reserved for weddings and funerals.

His eyes tracked her ass as she descended the ladder then darted away when he sensed she was about to turn to him. Correcting his posture he stepped forward as she made it to the bottom of the ladder. Offering his hand he introduced himself again “Brett Wells ma’am. Very much a pleasure to meet you. I’m really honored to have the opportunity to serve you any way I can.”

She turned and took his hand. As their eyes made contact he couldn’t help but get lost a little in her beautiful blue eyes. Snapping out of it he continued. “Did you get what you were after up there or do you need me to go fetch it for you?”

 

[Ravishing]

A smile on her soft glossed lips. "Top shelf. Third from the left. Second bookshelf, third row, 8th book. Then second row, same bookshelf, 9th book."

Releasing his hand she turns smoothly bending to collect one high heel, then moving four steps to collect the other, she took a moment to slide her feet into them.

"If you don't mind, Mister Wells, you can put them on that corner of your desk. Then find my schedule. Thank you." She moved to her desk picking up a set of silver oval glasses and perched them over her nose, pushing them up with a finger.

As the phone rang she hit a button on it and spoke: "Katherine speaking?"

"Kitty! It's good to hear from you. Now when are you and I meeting up." The voice was male, charming and sounded a little older than them.

Katherine gave a vaguely annoyed glare at the phone. "Charles. No. Not happening. I don't have time." As she hit the hang up button, then looks to Brett and pointed at the phone. "Will you note that number and never put it through. Thanks."

 

[cnuveau]

As Katherine barked out the location of the books she required Brett listened intently to be sure he didn’t make a mistake on the first task of his employment. He also couldn’t help but be impressed with the precision of the directions. Even if she looked it up in a card catalog earlier, it was impressive.

He was turning to ascend the ladder when the call came in. It was short but he gleaned some insights from it. He suspected he’d be fielding calls from a number of suitors and also being asked screen for one’s that missed the cut. Not a problem. Also…. “Kitty.” He wouldn’t dare try using the pet name but it spoke to a more casual side of her. No way of knowing if his use of it is why he’s being blocked now or it’s something she embraces though.

He jotted the number down from the caller ID then up the ladder he went to fetch the books. As he grabbed the last one he turned to let her know he got it. As his head swung around her head moved quickly down and to the papers on her desk. He recognized that move as one he performed earlier when he wanted to avoid being caught looking at her ass. He put it out of his mind and descended the ladder placing the books on his desk then pulling up her calendar. Printing a copy he brought it to her desk. “Here you go Katherine”

 

[Ravishing]

A desk that was huge. She had a stack of things. Loose papers. Papers in those cardboard folders. Envelopes, of all sizes. Shoved willy nilly in a pile. This was to the left. The right side had two stacks of sorters five high. Categories on them.

Looking up and to the paper in his hand. She waved it back to him. "Personal things are green. Business red. Bills blue. Engagements I might attend are black,.." Stepping from about her desk she moves to behind his. Opening the top left drawer. Pulling out a stack of highlighters, blue, green and red. Then a stack of pens in those colours, blue, green, red and black. "What's...."

A distracted look as there was a knock on the door. "Miss?" Harrys voice floating through. "Its an thirty minutes to..." Katherine stares for a moment to the door. "Thanks Harry." "Always Miss."

She seems to take a moment finding her train of thought, in it she looks back to Brett. Those blue eyes locking to his face. "Right. 10 o'clock. What's then?"

10am he'd find had overlapping things. Three. Two red appeared marked as out-going calls: De Winters and Novu. While there was also a blue name written. Tess.

10:15am appeared to have in blue: walk.

10:50 cool down. Also blue.

And it would seem at Ten am a snack would be incoming.

He might also realise in the twenty minutes he's been here there was an item in red marked as: Ring board. Should have happened when she was up the ladder.

 

[cnuveau]

Brett felt a scowl creep over his face as she waved the schedule at him scolding him like a child. He understood the purpose of the color coding but to expect it’d somehow be innate knowledge was absurd. He caught himself quickly though and regained his composure.

Struggling to remember the color coding she rattled off Brett studied her days calendar.

Wait, wasn’t Bills blue and personal green? He thought to himself somewhat confused. He dared not ask her to repeat it rather he made a mental note to find some past items and hope the context would help him sort it out. That problem seems less pressing than other issues he’d noticed. He’d feared she’d missed a call with the board but decided it required a more delicate approach than to just blurt it out.

“Assuming you’ve already rung the board, we seem to have a conflict at 10:00. Business call to De Winters and Novo then we have Tess.” Leaving out the nature of Tess to conceal his confusion. “You want me to call and move some of them around?”

The snack sounded appealing to him as well. He’d been so amped up to start the day he skipped breakfast and his stomach was grumbling. Though as staff assuming he’d be provided snacks may be presumptuous.

 

[Ravishing]

Noting his scowl she finally seemed to have worked out a response. "I didn't mean for you to think I didn't want to see it. I have a minor condition you see. I've never really processed the passage of time. It's... abstract to me. Even with a watch." Showing the diamond white gold watch on her wrist. "I could read I need to do x thing at y time. But unless I look at the watch frequently. Five minutes and two hours feel the same to me. It's why I'm here, not in the office. I tried. For six months. I had five people who always seemed to me, be telling me conflicting things. They weren't. But I frustrated those below me. I never turned up anywhere on time." She sighs.

"I need someone who can track the time, and get my attention and remind me. And no, I didn't ring the board. I didn't know that time came and passed." It must frustrate her and yet it didn't seem believable.

"I don't expect you to believe it. But maybe you may as the day progresses." Lifting the phone them she rang a number. "Yes I know. I'm late. I've sent though....." As she spoke she moved to her desk shaking the mouse and clicking a few times. "My revision of tomorrow's things. Pass it on, get it done. We need that acquisition contract for FM 7600 by...." As she then pulled up her calender flicking days by. "Tuesday 3 weeks time."

Hanging up she exhales. "Let's try and start right from now?" As she looked to him curious.

 

[cnuveau]

He listened to her describe her challenges with keeping track of time. He knew many people who struggled with that to some degree. It always annoyed him as he was chronically early for everything. Some who just never could get their shit together. Some who lived in their minds and just lost track of time like she described but none of them seem to be as self aware and mindful of its impact to others as she. That impressed him very much.

“Agreed. And now that I know more about what you need of me I’ll be sure to keep you on track. Who would you like at 10:00 and who should I push to later?”

He wasn’t the type to hold a grudge and, if he was honest with himself, even if he was he was sure those eyes would make it nearly impossible.

 

[Ravishing]

"All three, They'll overlap into walking time but that's okay, I was going to be wearing my Bluetooth and just getting them done." She pauses then looks at him intently with those blue eyes behind those silver oval glasses. "I'm still not sure you get the scope of my condition. I'll be straight. In the car accident that killed my parents, I was thrown from it as it flipped. That's the only reason I survived. But, I was in a coma for a year because of neurological problems. When I came out. Time's been an abstract concept to me, ever since. In all other ways, I'm okay. But time. I exist as if every single moment is simply: now." She nibbled at her lower lip a moment, clearly nervous about saying so much about herself and past events.

"When I was told they were dead. It was as if they'd always been dead. The gravesites were surreal to experience because as my mind saw it. They'd always been there. Not that it happened a year ago. I've worked my ass off in all the studying I did to get to where I am. It helped Amanda get my private tutors for everything. I never attended boarding school from that moment on." She drew a breath then and seemed to close her eyes recentering herself. which after so many emotional subjects touched on should have been more difficult. But those eyes opened and instead of being emotional she was calm and back in control. As if, she'd never lost control.

She glanced at the watch on her wrist. "Let's go bother Mattie. Coffee, and whatever snacks she's made might be ready, worst case we're fending for ourselves for it." A smile was given to him then. "At least there's this. If you find this too difficult. You've only got three months to go through it." With a half-shrug of a shoulder, she walks for that door. He might notice her Bluetooth sitting on the edge of her desk. She'd spoken about it, but clearly, that mind simply didn't kick back her need to grab it. For 10 am, especially if they were leaving the office.

Opening it and stepping through she waited a few steps from it for him to come with her.

 

[cnuveau]

He found the story of what happened to her and her family heartbreaking. As she spoke he pondered the old saying about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes. It’s one thing to empathize with someone’s situation that you at least have a frame of reference for. It’s another thing entirely when dealing with how the mind processes things. He recalled being equally as mystified when he heard about synesthesia. Just something you’ll never fully understand.

The way she moved from her story to getting a snack he didn’t feel she wanted or needed his condolences.

Noticing her headset on the desk he snatched it up and followed behind.

Her pace was quick and with purpose. He didn’t often find himself rushing to keep up but he did with her. As they walked he broke the silence. “I’m not expecting this is going to be too challenging for me so you need not worry. It may take me a day or two to hit my stride but I’m confident it won’t be too much.” Pausing, she didn’t really acknowledge his words but he decided to continue anyway. “As a personal assistant I think it’s going to be far more rewarding working for someone who truly needs me vs. working for someone who just wants me to do take care of the things they don’t feel like doing.” He realized he was rambling so he decided to wrap it up. “Will I be going on your walk with you?” Though his dress shoes were comfortable enough, if this was her normal walking pace he suspected his heels would be a bloody mess after a lengthy walk. He hadn’t seen his bags since he arrived and he didn’t suspect there’d be time to track them down. He was finding he loved to watch her walk though so some sore feet seemed worth it.

 

[Ravishing]

As they breeze into that Kitchen she notes two plates with mini omelettes awaited them, Millie putting the final garnish of parsley on it glances up. She's a larger lady but with a warm ready smile. Someone who you could easily see having kids who'd had a happy home and had been well fed with love and food both. "Miss and Brett is it? Wonderful. Now. Coffee, cappuccino, latte? Or orange juice? Whatever your hearts want with it."

Millie then looked at Brett. "Now there's bacon, eggs, a few herbs and shallots in it. Nothing artificial. It should tide you both over till Lunch. Which is promptly at 12. Today there's a choice of Lamb or chicken, which I can add either baked pumpkin, potatoes and that cauliflower with cheese sauce the Miss likes, with English dumplings on the side?" She appeared to be asking Brett if he wanted it. "Or I can whip you up a salad to go with it. The Miss tends to have a salad at night and hot veggies during the day. Excepting Thursdays." Millie pauses a moment offering him a thoughtful look. "As for breakfast. You tell me what you what choices of and we'll give them. Miss tends to have half a grapefruit if one can get her to pay attention to it."

Through everything Katherine just seemed to patiently let Millie say her piece, only to softly laugh. "Millie hates it when I send it back and I've had like a spoonful." A half-shrug. "I think today I'll have an orange juice Millie. Thank you."

She moved to the breakfast bar there in the kitchen where the two omelettes were sitting and lifted a fork. "Only if you want to. If you want to use the time otherwise. I don't mind. It'd give you 45 minutes to yourself. If you do. I'll show you to your wing, and how to head downstairs again, to find where I'll be." As she took a forkful of that omelette and mmm's over it. "Tomorrow maybe a leftover lamb with peppers and onion and that bread you make that's flatter?" Millie chuckles a little, nodding. "I can do that for you, and Brett here can work out if he needs your mid-morning snack after a few days."

"Thanks for grabbing the Bluetooth, Brett. And you'll have the same time I do, to get changed. I'll be talking while I change." Then she ate another few mouthfuls from the omelette. Those blue eyes strayed to the watch a moment, even as Millie put down their drinks. Lifting her orange juice. "Oh, Water for the walk Millie." To which came the reply. "Already waiting out there, in that holder which keeps them cool." They, since Millie prepared for in case Brett decided to walk.

 

[cnuveau]

“Thank you so much Millie. I’m going to try not to be too difficult. Any kind of eggs and bacon work for me. And whatever she is having for lunch and dinner. “ Brett, never having had been around staff was uncomfortable being too particular with his requests. He was staff also so who was he to cause her extra work. If there were things he wanted to eat in particular, they could wait until he days off.

Turning to Katherine. “For the foreseeable future, consider me your shadow. When I get a better handle on things I’ll sort out when I need to break away.” He really did feel like he was needed and he liked that feeling. He was determined to become an indispensable asset to her.

Brett dove into his omelette as if he hadn’t eaten in days. Millie was indeed a superb cook.

 

[Ravishing]

Millie smiles at Brett. "You are welcome. But I do mean it. if there's something special you like. I'll make it. It'll do the Miss good to try other things sometimes."

Katherine, yes, rolled her eyes at that moment at Millie. "Okay, so maybe I'm a little set in my ways on what I eat on what days." Having been alone with just the staff, she'd customised it rightfully to what she wanted. But there was clearly not the same level of Staff and Boss, relationship at work here, because of all those long hours and years they'd had with her. He'd come to work that out in time. They treated her like Family.

Katherine seems to think over Brett's words about him wanting to be her shadow. "Alright, if you believe that'll let you figure all this out better. I'm okay with it." She polished off that omelette and stretched her arms over her head momentarily in a stretch. It prominently showed off those lush curves of breasts under that silver silk shirt she wore. "Right, then, if you are go--" "Juice Kitty." There was that term the male called her. Katherine paused at Millie's prompt and scooped it up drinking half in a few long swallows. "There." As she put it down and turned back to Brett. "As I was saying if your okay now, I'll show you to your wing. Your bedroom is the second door along the left. Mid-way along there on the right there's a staircase which wraps down and comes out on the back patio. Which is where I'll be," She looks at her watch. "In 15 minutes. I'll probably be talking already with De Winters or Nuvu."

As she rose and headed out of the Kitchen, waving at Millie. Through a room that seemed to just be for artwork, then up a spiral staircase. They came out on a wide corridor above which was at least four people wide with various vases along. "This is your wing. It was added later when I was 18." So it is an addition that was planned in after.

She points along a wide section of the floor which seems a cris cross of various halls meeting up. "I'm the first one there. Uh, End of it there are double doors and that's my bedroom. The rest are well for other things. Some are designated for holding winter gear. See you in," Another look at her watch. "13." A smile then she was off and striding along in those heels. Vanishing eventually out of sight, but he'd have found it a sight to admire.

Within his room when he got there. The bed was a king-size, four-poster with dark blue drawn-back drapes on it. A desk for personal correspondence perhaps. An armoire of elegant make. Two doors in one direction had his bags sitting empty and all his clothing covering a third of one side of the walk-in robes there. He might have time enough to walk towards it before Jen flew in the doors of his room holding in her arms actual workout clothing. "I went out buying it from the place Miss gets hers at." It was some top brand-name workout gear. "New sneakers too. For some reason she loves Skechers. I think it's the brighter colours they have. Now I'll get out of your hair. I've got pants and things in the works for tailored events, and right now there are people out picking up brands Miss uses for everything else." So he'd find himself in silk, a whole mess of soft silk trousers, shirts, boxers and softer socks. With shoes that were built to let him move about without it rubbing.

As Jen, went to go dashing out, unless he stopped her to ask questions.

 

[cnuveau]

Brett marveled at the room he’d been provided. It was a far cry from his previous residence. He could get used to this he thought as he began to strip.

He was glad she’d shown up with exercise clothes. He didn’t really have exercise clothes so had she not shown up he’d be in khaki shorts and sneakers and not looking the part at all. The thought back to what Jen said about all the silk. He liked the look of it. It always seemed to have kind of a sexy appeal but he’d never have been comfortable wearing it. It strayed so far from what he typically wore he would have been self conscious about what people thought. In this setting though, he felt he could reinvent himself without judgement or ridicule.

Changed and ready to go he looked at his watch noticing he had 5 minutes. He flopped back on the bed to relax for a moment. He liked the idea that she was just down the hall. He closed his eyes and allowed his fertile imagination to run free for a moment. His mind flashed to a stormy night. The thunder and lightening playing havoc outside. A creek of the door registers in his mind but not enough to wake him. A subtle movement of the mattress then a warm body snuggles in behind him. An arm draped over his side. Fingers tracing across his chest then finding there way into his pajama pants. Stroking him. Lips against his neck. His head turns to find its Kitty. Their lips meet as he rolls to his back. She throws a leg over him then settles, straddling him. Her hair flowing around his face…..

His eyes snap open and back to reality. “I should get going.” he thinks as he stands and adjusts himself to make his erection less noticeable until it subsided.

Out the door he decided he should stop by her room to make sure she hadn’t lost herself. Lightly tapping on the double doors with his knuckles. “Katherine, are you ready?” He paused for a moment to see if there was a response.

 

[Ravishing]

His light tap was missed but he could hear beyond that door there at the end, Katherine's voice. She sounded authoritative and totally in control. "..winters, there is no use attempting to talk your way out of it. The merger went through this morning. Your board sold you out. Why? Because I gave a better offer. Better pay. Better hours, better service packages. You. Well. I'm sure they'll be ringing you right about now to tell you, that your egomaniacal hold over the place is over." As she said this she flung open the door ... and totally missed seeing Brett there since she was looking to the ceiling with a hand gesturing upwards dramatically. She smacked into his chest, eeeked loudly, went back up and tripped right over her purple sketches sneakers clad feet, he could see her falling in what seemed to be slow motion...

 

[cnuveau]

Bursting through the door he tried to step out of the way but was too slow and she ran squarely into his chest. As she stumbled backwards he took a quick step forward and wrapped his right arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest to support her before she fell. They froze for a brief second, her stunned face just inches from his as they peered into each others eyes. He wanted to speak, to apologize for getting in her way but she was on a call so he chose to be silent.

 

[Ravishing]

Katherine blinked multiple times, while even he could hear the male voice: "Katherine what in the nine hells are you doing screaming in my ear!?!" She blinked again, and seemed to move slightly only to feel exactly what Brett had been trying to get rid of there, pressed firm to her thigh. "..making a point." She said faintly and managed to press the button and hang up the call. A distinct small shiver through her then, and a close of her eyes to try and calm herself. But with those eyes closed and him so very very close, warm, smelling all masculine and those muscles all against her. The lick of her lower lip, in a nervous action, licked his lower lip too. Which had those eyes spring open, blue eyes wide and huge as she stayed against him. Then a subtle cross-eyed expression, as she managed to look and realise how close they were. A subtle, kiss brushed then over his lips. Before she seemed to force herself to slowly step back, "..t...thank you, for not, not letting me fall..." Now whether he let her go given she sounded unsteady and wavered on her feet as she'd gone to move.

 

[cnuveau]

He froze in that moment. Her body pressed against him. He could feel her warm breath cross his lips followed by her lips brushing against his. Then she stepped back. He continued to support her letting his hands travel from her back to her hips until he was sure she had her footing.

“I’m… I’m so sorry. I was just coming to see if I needed to gather you and I didn’t have time to move.” He stammered as he released her. For the life of him, in that split second, he couldn’t be sure if she kissed him or he kissed her. He prayed silently for the former so that he wasn’t thrown out not even halfway through his first day.

 

[Ravishing]

Once Katherine was sure she could stand there was a slow step back. A lift of a hand, "It's, uh, it's fine. I probably should slow down. I need to remember there's another person in the house." A pause as she steps much slower forwards. "One who did say he'd shadow me."

It also gave him a moment to take in the fact of what she wore. A dark purple singlet shirt, which had a sports bra in black under it, with cute little clingy spandex shorts which barely hit mid-thigh. Then her white socks and purple sketches sneakers. A phone is attached to a sports cover on her right upper arm, and the Bluetooth device is in her right ear.

"...shall we go down now? I think I could do with water, before hand. Millie has them on the bench down on the patio where the stairs come out."

 

[cnuveau]

“Lead the way” he replied with a hint of relief in his voice. His eyes traveling down her body as she led him down the hall. Hidden in her business attire were beautifully toned if not slightly muscular legs that just made those spandex shorts scream out. “I need to get ahold of myself.” He thought as he willed his eyes forward and down the hall.

Passing onto the patio they stopped to grab the water bottles left out by Millie. Took a drink then off they went as she connected her next call.

He couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the beauty and expansiveness of her estate as they walked. It really was a sight to behold and he could hardly believe this was his home now.

 

[Ravishing]

Athletic. Not muscular in a manly sense! Ahem.

Katherine held the water bottle in one hand, as she connected her next call. That breathing is unhurried as she walks along at a brisk pace. Not faster than in her heels, but it was perhaps fast enough. "Nuvu? Katherine."

He might also come to realise, Katherine never bothered giving her last name. She totally expected her business contacts to know who the hell she was by the sound of her voice. He couldn't hear the other side of the conversation. "Right, so De Winter's FM 7600 is mine. Yes, the tip worked perfectly. Thank you. I'll be forwarding along your fee for it in two hours." Then, she hung up. In that time, that short time, they'd actually travelled quite a way. Katherine paused then to put the water on the bench which was on the grass as she stretches a little. "Forgot about doing this.." Because she'd run into him. Most likely.

As she moved through her stretches he could certainly see that she kept herself fit, trim and in excellent shape. It was perhaps easy with the amount of things she had about to help her achieve it. Right as she was bent over and touching her ankles there was a ringing sound. She straightens, touching the earpiece.

"Katherine speaking?"
*Listening*
"Oh, Liam? When did you get back?"
*pause as she listens.*
"A week ago? Really?"
*As she turns he'd see her frowning then.*
"No, actually, just no Liam. If you actually cared, you'd call me the moment you got back. You'd want to see me, not wait this long before deciding to call. I know don't.."
*She blinks then and seems to deflate as her shoulders drop, a small shudder then she turns and sits on the bench.*