Under His Thumb (closed)

[Bevatoria]

This was an important day in more ways then one for Brent Walker. As his two assistants - Tanya, a short redhead dressed in her typical grey business suit and skirt with long curly red hair that flared out past her shoulders, and Darrell, a bald, black main with an intense look, carrying a black briefcase - flanked him, he found his thoughts wandering away from the contract he'd come here to compete on. It was an important one to his company's future - Preston Industries was thriving well enough, but it never hurt in the business world to get more - but it wasn't so important that he couldn't take some time for a little fun. And if it was a little 'fun' at a certain someone else's expense, all the better.

It was hard to ask for more at thirty two years old, having been so successful so quickly.

If this 'device' worked as it was supposed to, he'd be having a lot of fun. The opportunity had come up several months ago, with a certain device someone had been testing on...well, no matter what his friend had been testing it on. Randy Coates was a bit of a weird apple, but he'd also bailed Brent out of a bad spot a few years ago, and since then he'd taken every call from the rather eccentric experimenter. And most of the time, been polite, smiled and nodded, which was followed by him not calling the man back. Ever.

At least until a couple months ago.

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

"Listen, I'm telling you, we've been testing it on-"

Brent shook his head. "No, don't tell me that. I don't need to know what you've tested it on. Just tell me if it'll work on humans."

"Yep. Get one of these in someone, you can make them aroused, only able to get off if...well, if you let them. I just need to put the chip in someone during surgery, and then finish my device."

Brent was about to hang up again, when a thought came to him. She was supposed to be in for some dental work soon, and if he could bribe a few people. "...how soon can you be ready?"

"Just say the word."

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

The elevator dinged, and the three of them went inside silently. Well, Brent was silent - Darrell and Tanya knew better then to talk to him unless they had something really important, and they had all of the meeting notes ready; their chatter now consisted of last minute preparation. Brent fidgeted a bit, straightening his tie, and checking his pocket, ostensibly for his phone, which was there.

And the other device. Which looked like a phone, except that it only had one function now: to hopefully manipulate a certain someone who'd had the chip implanted into them a few months ago. Randy had just finished the device a few days ago, and literally ran it into his hands this morning, getting a significant bundle of cash in exchange.

"Jeez Brent, I didn't ask for-"

"Don't ask questions. Just..take it. And don't tell anyone about our arrangement."

If this worked on her, it'd mean more then just the deal for him. For all he knew, it wouldn't, as he led his subordinate down the hallway towards the meeting room. It was a large room, at the corner near the end of the hallway of the fourth floor of this building. The whole building was owned by Tait Group Inc., and as Brent strode through the door confidently, clad in his black suit, pants, perfectly shined shoes and red tie, he extended his hand confidently to the older man, sitting alone at the head of the table.

"Good morning, Simon." Randy shook his hand, and looked around. "Where should we..."

"On the left, please." Simon Tait, owner of the Tait Group, extended his hand precisely. "Your...competitor should be here shortly."

Tanya and Darrell sat down, but Randy had barely taken his seat before the oak doors had slid open again, and he looked to see her walking in, her shoes clicking off of the polished marble floor.

He kept his look professional, as much for appearances' sake as it was for the fact he was, for once, glad to see someone who'd consistently gotten the best of him.

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte Banks wasn't exactly looking forward to this meeting. She pulled anxiously on the cuff of her hand-tailored jacket and checked her watch as she waited for the elevator to take her to the top floor of the Tait Building. She didn't mind Simon - in fact, she got along with him rather well. It was, instead, Mr Brent Walker that she didn't want to deal with.

Charlotte was only 28 years old and had, four years ago, become the CEO of her father's company, Verasoft Inc. She remembered the business analysts predicting the downfall of the company as a result of Charlotte being placed in charge so young, regardless of her experience. And she remembered in particular the comments of one Brent Walker, a man who had started his own company at the same age Charlotte had joined her father's company. A man who could have recognized that she was as capable as he had been, but couldn't pass up a chance to make a stab at his rival company, fair or not. It might seem a small thing, but it stuck with Charlotte and she made a point to display her business acumen for him every time they met, which usually resulted in her company winning some contract or another the he wanted.

She walked briskly into the meeting room, shooting Simon Tait a charming smile and shaking his hand as soon as she entered. Then she turned her attention to Brent, her smile turning a little cooler. He had that smug look on his handsome face again, and she looked forward to wiping it off his face as the meeting progressed.

"Mr Walker," she greeted briskly, taking a seat across the table from him.

 

[Bevatoria]

"Miss Banks." responded Brent, trying to keep the look off his face and refraining from using her first name. They weren't really on a first name basis, and there was no gain in needling her here, or taking any chance in offending the much more uptight Simon Tait. It'd do him better to win the contract, and he could do that by listening attentively to what Simon had to say.

But everything she did gnawed at him. Her picture perfect dress code which always seemed to mirror and outshine his own sense of style. The smile she wore most of the time in her meetings and gatherings where he often saw her at. And then there was the ways she always seemed to one up him. If he wanted a contract, she got it. If he ended up winning a ten million dollar bid, it was because she'd nabbed a twelve or fifteen million dollar one that he had no knowledge of. If they both presented at a seminar, he got the loud claps, she got the standing ovations. Then there was the way that his own employees seemed to admire her even as they obeyed him, Brent couldn't help but fight th feeling that they might just jump ship if they offered her a job.

And maybe it was because she always came to these meetings alone, without any staff. All while still besting him time after time. He saw it as a status symbol, whereas Charlotte just didn't seem to need anyone. Fuck, she was annoying. And good. And, if he were being totally honest with himself, just a little bit attractive, even in her cold, professional business outfits.

More then just a little.

Back to it, he chided himself, running an idle hand through his hair as Simon began. "I'm sure you're wondering why you're here...or, at least, why you both are here. You've both bid on my contract, and it's not usually my method - or anyone's method - to invite competing companies to the same meeting. However..."

Brent nodded, his assistants both taking in the presentation attentively while he pulled out the control device. To anyone watching, it looked like a phone, and he knew that even here, someone like him would have to be careful about how much he used it. But Randy had told him there was a 'test' button before turning on any arousal; if the device had worked, the subject should just scratching the back of their neck once. A nervous tic anyone could have, for any reason, and he couldn't help but give Charlotte a quick look before he hit the 'test' button.

Then he turned back to Simon, attention on him even as he kept an eye on his rival in his peripheral vision, to see if the chip had been successfully implanted or not...

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte was so focused on Simon's presentation that she didn't even recognize that she was scratching her neck until several seconds after she'd done it. She frowned slightly, lifting her fingers back up to soothe the skin. She wasn't sure why she'd done it - there was no itch and now her skin was hot and red from her long nails.

She lifted the mass of dark auburn hair off her neck and rubbed the skin idly. She couldn't help but notice the fact that Brent kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. He seemed... nervous, or perhaps a little excitable. It made her wonder what plans he had up his sleeve.

 

[Bevatoria]

Brent still wasn't totally sure Randy was completely off his rocker. There could be any number of reasons Charlotte reached up to scratch her neck just then, but there were some subtle body tics that told him that the gesture hadn't relieved any kind of pressure there, simply irritated her. But it could be a nervous gesture, a habit, or any number of things. It was only a small bump crossed, and the real game could begin soon. But even this little thing, the tiniest possibility of Charlotte acting at his whim, excited him greatly. More so then he thought possible, and he couldn't hide just a bit of a smile.

An inappropriate one, he knew, as Mister Tait was all business as he spoke. "This job is very important to my company, so we decided we would...do something a little different." At this point, Brent was forever grateful he'd bought his assistants with him. They'd take all the details, and fill him in later. He was here for show, and to make the big decisions. He'd never thought about that being the reason Charlotte would beat him for all of those contracts, as he let his expression settle, looking down idly at the 'phone' that held the control to Charlotte's arousal.

He got it ready, his finger poised over the button as he idly slipped it in his pocket. Brent wanted nobody to suspect anything about what was going on, and one of his habits was to one hand in his pocket, the other on the table, as if he was unsure of what to do with them. Excitable, energetic, full of life. It wasn't just an image he put off, it was who he was.

About fifteen minutes into Simon's presentation, Brent hit the button, leaning back so Charlotte was in his peripheral vision as he turned her arousal up to level 1. There were five levels, and as much as he wanted to test all five of them today, he had a feeling that wouldn't be the case...

Even if he decided to keep his options open.

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte felt oddly uncomfortable, like the room was a bit too warm and like she needed to stand up and move around. She crossed and uncrossed her legs twice in the span of only a few minutes and kept catching herself fidgeting with her pen while she took notes on Simon's presentation.

It took her several minutes to even recognize the source of her irritation was arousal. She made a small frown, wondering why she was feeling this way now. She supposed it had been a while since she'd gotten off, but she usually needed some kind of trigger to start feeling this way. There was no discernible trigger in the meeting... Her eyes flickered quickly over to Brent and then back at the screen. No way. There was no way he was the cause of this. Sure, he was objectively an attractive man, but she disliked him so completely that the effect was lost on her. At least, that's what she'd thought. But what else could it it have been?

She gave her head a small shake, as if physically shaking the thought away, and tried to pay attention to the presentation. She was not usually so easily distracted, but her thoughts kept drifting off, and she found herself thinking about going home after the meeting for an early lunch and using her new vibrator to release some of this pent-up tension. Her hips shifted against the chair, seeking some kind of friction, at the thought. Then she forced her mind to focus back on the presentation. She wasn't going to lose this contact because she was distraction by the thought of sex. Especially not when she suspected it had been triggered by her rival.

 

[Bevatoria]

"...and if you look at these figures, it's made clear. Or, more to the point, it was made clear to me..."

One of the benefits of being so smart was the ability to listen half attentively while focusing on something else entirely. And Brent's gaze was entirely focused on Charlotte, his eyes still at the front of the room as he watched to see her struggle, her subtle cues that her mind was elsewhere. Maybe this could help him get the contract, too. In addition to other concessions. He felt his own adrenaline beginning to show itself, but he was far from the need to shift and fidget as much as Charlotte was doing right now. Simon hadn't noticed, still droning on about the need for perfection on this deal, on the very important contract that at least two of the people in the room had stopped thinking about at this moment.

His finger was idle in his coat pocket, only thinking now of getting her out of this room, where it'd be safer to test the device's limits...but how to think of talking to her, of making up an excuse to confront her privately. He might try the second level then, he wondered, his attention drifting back to Simon as he seemed to be building to his point. Finally, he thought, even if Brent had been in meeting several times as long, he was anxious to move forward.

He could only wonder how anxious Charlotte was. It had probably been close to forty five minutes of level 1. Maybe it was time to give her some reprieve, he wondered, but he couldn't as Simon seemed to be looking at both of them intently.

"That's why I've come to this decision that I'll be giving neither of you this consulting contract."

It took him a moment - probably everyone in the room - as Brent looked around nervously before looking back at Simon, who was still smiling at them like a doting grandfather who'd given his favored children some candies. "Then...why are we here?" replied Brent, keeping the anger and frustration out of his voice with practice as Simon kept on glancing between them.

"Well, neither of you exclusively...." He clarified. "I think the two of you should work together on this project."

This time, Brent couldn't hide a sidelong glance at Charlotte, not really sure what to say for the first and only time in his life. But he was still doing better then she seemed to be, between this news and the manipulation he was unknowingly putting on her. They'd have to work together? See each other every day?

Oh, this was going to be glorious.

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte froze at Simon's announcement, her uncomfortable arousal temporarily forgotten . Her mind raced, seeking some reason to argue with this plan that didn't make her seem petty or anything less than completely competent. She was sure her company would do a much better job on its own for a variety of reasons, but if she said them aloud, she'd just sound like a sore loser.

She turned to look at Brent, who looks shockingly gleeful at this development. She studied him subtly, wondering why he was so pleased. As far as she knew, he disliked her as much as she did him. The more charitable part of her considered the idea that maybe the sourness of their rivalry was only on her end. The suspicious part of her was wondering if he was planning some way to sabotage her.

Smiling politely and as diplomatic as always, she turned to Simon. "If you're sure, Mr. Tait, then I'd be happy to work with Mr. Walker on this joint contract." The customer was always right, after all. She smiled at Brent. She could still come out ahead in this, by looking like the bigger person and the most willing to set aside old rivalries for the sake of doing the job.

 

[Bevatoria]

Brent frowned, not wanting to give in as quickly and yet wanting to make sure that he did get the deal he could. Simon was measuring both of them, and Charlotte's quick acceptance gave him a bit of a grimace. This was still a competition, and as far as he was concerned she'd just gotten a leg up by looking more eager to please. We'll see who's more eager to please when I'm done with you, he thought darkly.

"Now, I know you two are rivals, so I've linked the contract incentives to however the other party does as well. Meaning, you each have some motivation to do good not only for yourself, but for the other party as well...I trust this won't be a problem?"

Silly eccentric old man. Simon produced a couple of contracts from the briefcase. It was light on particulars, as many consulting contracts were, but the profits would be split 50/50 between Preston Industries and Verasoft Inc. Brent looked it over, and then let Darrell take a gander as well; his sharper legal mind could spot things that Brent's didn't.

But after a bit of a long read, he nodded, and Brent took out his brown pen with gold features and signed with a flourish. "We'll do a good job for you, Mister Tait." One hand in his suit jacket, he extended the other towards Charlotte. "Want to shake on it?"

On the device, he was ready to turn the arousal up to a 2 the instant his hand touched hers.

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte read carefully over the contract and signed it. She had to admit, the section concerning the way each of them would be rewarded based on the success of both themselves and the other was quite the intelligent addition. It certainly eased her initial concerns over deliberate sabotage. Of course, natural incompetence was another the entirely and she disliked the idea of having to carry Brent and his company.

She stood, smiling when Brent offered his hand. The instant she took it, she felt a wave of arousal overtake her and she drew in a sharp breath, trying to maintain her serene, professional smile. It was him that was getting her so hot and bothered. When the hell had she become to attracted to him? And now she would have to work with him? Her thoughts drifted back to the vibe waiting for her at home. She needed to get out of here.

God damnit.

 

[Bevatoria]

He had to give her credit; she managed to maintain most of her demeanor even as her arousal level was ramped up. Had it not been for the slight breath, the seizing up of Charlotte's body as if she was trying to hold something back, Brent wouldn't have noticed anything. But his eyes were locked on her now, in more ways then just the professional. His assistants strode out of the room quietly, Simon sending a couple of texts quietly in the corner as he strode over to Charlotte, careful not to give anything away as he spoke.

"We'll need to coordinate who's doing what." A simple request, with no need to clarify what it was he was talking about. "You're busier then me, so..." He ably pulled out a business card, extending it to her. "Give me a call when you want to meet up, or if you need anything...no need to go through my intermediaries." If they were actually working together - and they were - this was how he would handle it. And he was determined to do a good job. Half contract or full contract, he wasn't about to let petty jealousy get in the way of their work environment.

"I'm sure you'll be in touch." He smiled, looking briefly at her before he turned to walk out the door. If she didn't stop him, he'd turn the level back down to one when he left, and then maybe off entirely. Or he'd drive her crazy all day. Brent wasn't sure yet.

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte accepted Brent's card politely and then excused herself, anxious to go home and deal with her 'problem'. She got into her car and drove the relatively short distance to her condo in the middle of the city. It was beautiful, with high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows and plenty of space. She dumped her purse and folder down onto the couch with a sigh when she walked in, heading straight to the bedroom where she stripped and stretched out comfortably on her bed.

Hidden in a drawer in her bedside table, there was a smooth black egg shape with a small remote sitting next to it. She lifted it out of the drawer and squirmed a little, finally allowing her mind to focus on the surprisingly intense arousal that had soaked her panties on the way home. She licked her lips, turned it on, and slid it down between her shaven push lips, sighing in pleasure at the sensations.

 

[Bevatoria]

So lost in conversation with his assistants, Brent found himself forgetting about his little 'game' he was playing with Charlotte until much later, shaking his head at his forgetfulness when he was on his way back to the office. Although not usually someone who did anything on his cell phone on his car, he thumbed the level back down to 0, not knowing how long he'd left it on. You don't want to turn her into some sort of sex craving maniac.

At least, not yet.

He had left the impetus with her to contact him, but later on in the day, as they were deciding who'd be on site and who'd be off, he knew he'd need to consult with her about some specifics. A smile grew on his face...it had been about an hour since the meeting, and the more he thought about it, the more he knew he'd need to get her somewhere. Alone.

A not entirely unallurring prospect even before this newfound control he had over her. Still, he waited until about 2:30 in the afternoon before he picked up his phone and called her. Maybe she'd let it go to voicemail, but he hoped not, as he needed a chance to imbue certain conditions in her brain.

"Charlotte?" The moment he heard her pick up, he turned the arousal level back to 1 at the sound of his voice. "I'm thinking we need to get together to coordinate some things about the project...how about dinner tonight?" Another beat. "We'll need to set up meetings between our people, obviously, but I think that to start, it should be just the two of us."

Up to level 2 now. Maybe tonight he'd toy with three, but he'd see how she dressed first. The all too brief sight of her shapely calves earlier in her business skirt had not gone unnoticed, and he hoped to see that...and much more of her...tonight.

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte was frustrated. She had spent near an hour at home playing with herself but, no matter what she did, she could not bring herself to orgasm. By the time she finally have up, she was covered in a sheen of sweat and had practically exhausted herself. And yet, her pussy was still throbbing for more and her clit ached to be touched. She ended up taking a long, cold shower. It seemed to do the trick - her arousal dialed down until she felt herself finally able to think of something other than her pleasure. She couldn't have known the shower had nothing to do with it, that it was simply the result of Brent turning the chip off again.

She dressed and returned to work, feeling a vague sense of annoyance that she chalked up to pent up sexual tension. She was seriously considering demanding a refund on that vibrator. Some part of her knew there wasn't objectively anything wrong with it, but she needed something to blame for her inexplicable inability to orgasm.

The phone rang when Charlotte was partway through going over a proposal for another contract. She picked it up and felt her still-sensitive pussy react immediately to the sound of Brent's voice. When he suggested dinner together, her hips shifted involuntarily and she could feel her panties getting wet again. What the hell was happening to her? The sound of his voice should not have this kind of effect! It seemed she had it far worse for him that she ever would have thought.

"Dinner sounds great," Charlotte answered. She was trying to be civil but cold, so she hated the way she sounded slightly breathless. "Meet me at my office at 7:30." She was trying to regain that brisk, business-like tone she usually used. It wasn't working. Her hips rolled, seeking friction against the chair, and she had to swallow a moan.

If she couldn't even handle a phone conversation with the man, how was she ever going to survive dinner for two?

 

[Bevatoria]

"Okay." He replied evenly. "Look forward to seeing you...make sure you're dressed nicely." He hung up with that, laughing at his own forwardness. It was a calculated risk, something that could be seen as part of the back and forth banter they always shared, and Brent wanted the thought in the back of her mind with her inexplicable arousal for him.

At least this time he remembered to turn it off, giving Charlotte a brief break before the torment that awaited her tonight. He'd have to be careful, she'd be watching him the whole time so it wouldn't do him any good for her to catch him doing anything remotely suspicious. Business people were on their phones a lot, but she'd be smart enough to know that the device was not his usual phone.

Still, the rest of the day passed as his own anticipation built even as he busied himself with what needed to be done. His building was pretty close to hers, but he drove anyways, a few people giving him sideways glances. Apparently Charlotte wasn't the only person at Verasoft who had some disdain for him, or at least some uneasiness about him being around.

They weren't foolish enough to question him, though. The sight of Brent Walker striding through their office was crazy enough that they knew he had to have a reason for being there, and he politely knocked on Charlotte's office door.

"Hi Charlotte." He said easily. "Ready to go?" Still nothing on her arousal, as he'd have to wait for her back to be turned...

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte's heart was beating out of her chest when she opened the door. She was dressed more for a date than a business meeting. She had on a little black dress, short enough to be riding the border between barely appropriate for work and completely scandalous. Her hair was down, falling in loose tousled waves over her shoulders (something that was completely unheard of for her in the office). She had switched her sensible, low-heeled pumps for a pair of silver, strappy stilettos that had to be 6 inches high.

She had convinced herself she was dressing like this to knock Brent off balance and take control of this 'partnership.' She was a woman willing and able to use all her available assets to ensure her success in whatever she was doing. It was easy for her to ignore the little voice in her head that suggested maybe she was dressing so provocatively for another reason entirely.

She smiled at him and stepped out of her office into the hall. "Shall we?"

 

[Bevatoria]

Brent was not some naive young man going on a first date with his high school crush. He was a well schooled businessman, perfectly kept, five o'clock shadow on his face and shoes and suit still perfectly kept. He was walking into this fully prepared for anything, for whatever surprises and curveballs life threw at him as he peered into Charlotte's office. He could manipulate her through her arousal, he was sure of.

At least until he saw that she'd taken his advice to 'dress nicely' very seriously. She was wearing a black dress that showed off her shapely calves and thighs, perfectly framed by the tall shoes she wore. Those have to be six inches, he thought appreciatively as his eyes drank her barely clad frame as she strode over to him. Charlotte had done her hair up, too, and he couldn't help but smile a little at the sight of it. She was trying to keep him off balance, and he would do nothing but admit she'd done just that. First round to her.

But there was more to the game then she knew.

"Yes, we should." He replied, gesturing gallantly for her to take the lead. He was a gentleman, after all, and this would allow him to get a peak at her barely covered ass. "There's an Italian place close to here, but I don't mind driving somewhere else if you'd prefer..." He wasn't about to make her walk in those heels, enemy or not, and he was hoping she'd keep them on for...well, most of the evening. "I'm pretty open minded when it comes to food."

His hand brushed her shoulder, and as he did, he turned her arousal up to 2, her back to him. Just for a few seconds, before he turned it off again, as if his touching her bare skin was the cause of it. Another smile, as he looked her over again while the elevator went down to the lobby, and they headed for his car.

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte nodded, shocked at how suddenly her arousal had returned the instant he touched her. "Italian sounds great," she said, once she was sure her voice wouldn't crack.

There weren't that many employees left in the office by 7:30, but those who were there stared at the pair of them as they left - especially Charlotte and her outfit. Some were subtle, many were not, and just about every one of the men (or women that apparently were interested in other women) gaped at Charlotte's long legs as she passed.

They got into his car and she let her skirt ride up slightly against the seat as she crossed her legs, revealing more than a little of her thighs. "So now that we're not in Simon's office," she began, her tone conversational, "tell me honestly: what do you think of this shared contract?"

 

[Bevatoria]

His mind was on the question, but it took Brent a moment for his eyes to pull off of her legs and back onto her eyes as her short skirt rode up. He hoped he'd be able to be subtle, but it was clear Charlotte knew what she was doing, even as she probably had no idea why she was getting so hot and bothered. He gave the question some thought as they drove down the road, their destination only a few blocks away, but downtown traffic meant it would almost have been quicker to walk.

But not nearly as convenient. Or fun for him to steal glances at her.

"It seems a strange move on Simon's part." He began, totally honest. "It's apparent to me that his advisors thought that our two companies were both stronger at different aspects of consulting." Another truth that he could come close to admitting to someone like Charlotte even if he'd never do it to a client. "Whether it's different analytics or just an old man going with his gut, we have to find a way to make this work." A brief smirk passed his face as he pulled into a parking spot. "I'm sure had either one of us refused he would have simply given the full contract to the other. He's a kind man, but ruthless if he's spited."

And neither of the could risk offending Tait. He knew that.

They walked into the restaurant, and they were guided to a booth in a quieter part of the restaurant. "Are you a wine drinker, Charlotte?" He asked, opening the menu.

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte could appreciate Brent's response to his question, particularly the last comment - she'd picked up on the fact that refusing would have resulted in the loss of the contract immediately, which was why she had agreed to it so quickly. All in all, she found it response to be remarkably insightful - it eased her worries a little to hear him speak both candidly and intelligently. She had been rather worried he was actually as useless as she liked to make him out to be. It was a pleasant surprise to find that he seemed quite savvy, maybe even as savvy as she.

She was also rather impressed that he seemed to be able to continue holding an intelligent conversation with her while simultaneously ogling her legs. He wasn't being particularly subtle about the way his eyes wandered, especially when the car was stopped in traffic or at a light. Many of the men she'd dealt with (and generally had wrapped around her finger) could barely string a sentence together when she was trying to distract them, like a bunch of teenagers playing at being men. Brent was not playing, evidently.

The restaurant was lovely, a location Charlotte had often wanted to try but never had the opportunity to before now. She slipped into the seat opposite Brent and began to peruse the menu.

"Are you a wine-drinker, Charlotte?"

She smirked, glancing up at him only momentarily before returning her gaze to the menu. "Only when I'm out," she said honestly. "I prefer gin or rye at home."

 

[Bevatoria]

He nodded at her statement. "Well, you're out now, so if you wanted some I'd order a bottle. Otherwise, I'll just get a glass, since I do intend to drive home." Just an offer, as he was pretty sure she had to drive too. He made sure her look was at the menu as he subtly slid his hand into his pocket, again thumbing his 'phone' before looking down on the menu. He knew what he wanted - cheese capeletti was always a favorite of his - but it wasn't the food he was thinking about as he got ready to have some fun with Charlotte again, and doing it to her when she was dressed so forwardly made it more exciting for him.

"You do look lovely tonight, Charlotte." The smallest of smiles lit his face as he looked at her, turning her arousal level up to 1. Just a tease, and to make her think she really liked his compliment. "But I promise to stay on business talk as long as you want the conversation to stay there. We'll be working and seeing a lot of each other, so I think it'd be good for us to get used to the idea now, and set a good example for those working under us." Their two companies were used to being rivals, even if it had never broken out into outright hostility or contempt.

He gave a brief look up at her as he looked back at the menu, his thoughts turning to her doing something else entirely under him as he watched her subtle reactions to the chip.

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte shifted subtly as her body reacted way too strongly for her liking to his compliment. She was not some blushing schoolgirl. It was ridiculous that she should react this way to him. Her heart fluttered more than a little as he talked about keeping the conversation on business, as long as she wanted to. She didn't miss the implication that he was open to talking about other things.

How bad of an idea would it be to sleep with her biggest rival? She shook her head. Very, very bad. But she couldn't exactly pretend like she didn't want to. She was beginning to think this dinner for two thing had been a bad idea.

"Well," she began, pleased with how comfortable and casual she sounded, "before we get down to business, what do you recommend? I've never had the pleasure of eating here before. And I do think I'll take that glass of wine." She was going to need it to calm her nerves if she wanted to keep her wits about her tonight.

 

[Bevatoria]

He let the question linger, not wanting to rush their time or straight into their meal with the chip working its technology on the unwitting Charlotte. "The lasagna's a good choice for a first timer." he replied quickly, an easy yet devious smile growing on his face. Brent was glad with how things were going, with Charlotte trying to control himself as their waiter came by. "A bottle of white Pinot Grigio, please, two glasses." He started easily. "Caesar salad for me to start, and the Capeletti." The easy, dimly lit atmosphere let him sit back, enjoy himself as slight, soft music played.

"And for you, miss?" The waiter turned to her, letting her order as Brent stared at her easily, alternating his gaze between her and the waiter. He felt like he could sense her struggle, could feel what she was feeling. It was tantalizing. Their waiter let her order, and then took their menus, their courses set as he let the moment pass, as if he was comfortable with the silence.

"You look a little tense, Charlotte. We don't have to start with business, if you don't want to." He said easily. "If you'd rather talk or think about something else, enjoy the evening." Brent looked around, reluctantly pulling his gaze away from her as he easily looked elsewhere. "Our companies might be rivals, but I've always had a certain amount of respect for you."

He wondered if he should turn off the chip, but he liked watching her fidget.

 

[slut_in_white]

Charlotte sighed, trying to decide what else she wanted to talk about. All she could think about was the throbbing desire that was starting to soak her panties. The ache for attention was all the worse from the fact that she'd played so long with herself this afternoon without any kind of release. She felt like she was going to go crazy if she didn't deal with it soon.

Still, on the surface she was keeping calm enough that he shouldn't have noticed anything off with her, or so she assumed. She smiled. "Honestly, Brent, I don't really even know that much about you. I know plenty about your position as CEO and what that means, but I really know very little about you personally. If we're going to have to work together, it might be wise to know a little about each other as people. So... why don't you tell me about yourself?" she asked, amused by how much it sounded like an interview.

 

[Bevatoria]

Fair enough. It might do them both good to start with something casual. Brent nodded back at her, leaning back and draping his arm over the wall of the booth as if he were taking questions from three or four people sitting across from him. "As you wish, Miss Banks." He paused only to let their wine arrive, and for the waiter to pour them both moderate sized glasses before leaving the bottle at the table. "I'm Brent Walker, CEO of Preston Industries. Thirty two years old. I've only been with the company for six years after my startup, Titan Spoke, was bought out by Preston." He smirked.

"I started Titan while taking my business degree from Duke, barely managing to graduate since I was making money hand over foot between consulting contracts and people who were just looking for simplified IT solutions. I decided to focus more on the consulting part of it and then was rewarded handsomely when Walter Preston noticed my expertise, deciding I and my colleagues had to be a part of his company." He looked at her squarely. "I didn't take the money, though, instead asking for a post as his right hand man. He thought he was the one conning me, but five years later when he stepped down, I was the choice to replace him."

"I have two sisters who both live out of state, as well as my parents." He took a sip of his wine, knowing he'd been talking for a while, and also wanting a chance to amp up the game a bit. "Work leaves me little time for other things, so I'm currently single." With that, his hand slipped into his jacket to amp up her arousal to level 2 at that comment, and he wondered whether to leave it there or give her some reprieve. Seeing her in her provocative outfit was pushing him to a certain conclusion, though...