The day wore on.
She spent the better part of it in the enormous research library, which occupied the entire third floor. The place was filled with books and magazines and microfilm and microfiche, stuff that the company apparently owned and could use in their ad campaigns. A lot of it was older and she’d never worked with the technology before. So the crabby old librarian had to show her how to use it all.
It was tedious, tedious work.
Every so often she’d break and look at her inert cell phone, then go upstairs to her cubicle and check her email and phone. There was nothing.
Somehow she’d failed him. Didn’t he at least want to see her essay? Should she go up to his office and barge in, demand to be seen?
That was crazy thinking. But she was growing desperate with her need to see him and talk to him. She wanted to feel his strong, insistent hand grabbing her hair and pulling her head back. His lips against her ear, his deep voice whispering. Taking control.
She bit her lower lip as this fantasy took hold. It was after four p.m. and still no word from Red.
Nicole took a break and went to the handicapped bathroom for privacy. Once inside, she locked the door and sat on the toilet, legs spread. Her eyes closed, she pictured Red in between her legs, his tongue delicately licking her in the most tender way. She started to rub herself through her panties.
The orgasm was delicious in its quiet intensity. She came while picturing him sucking her clit.
Please let it happen. Please God.
Afterward she had a surge of self-loathing. Here she was, coming alone in this bathroom its florescent lights and the smell of cleaning solution in her nostrils. It was the opposite of Red’s opulent office with the smell of aftershave and leather.
This wasn’t how she was supposed to be. A girl who degraded herself alone in a company bathroom wasn’t what Red would desire. She needed to be above such weakness. She would wait for his touch and his touch alone to satisfy her intimate cravings. It would make it so much more exciting when she finally was allowed to climax.
For the first time, Nicole wondered if he had secret cameras hidden throughout the building. It seemed the kind of thing Red would do. Maybe he was watching her even now.
Part of her thrilled at the notion, another part was terrified. She didn’t want to disgust him with her animal like lust. Red was refined, calculated, poised and strong. He didn’t simply grope her like a college boy, fumbling with her bra straps. He was seducing her—taking his time and making her want him more and more.
She needed to learn from his example. Be patient, she told herself.
Finally, the workday ended.
Heartbroken, she left the Jameson International building and walked to her train. She kept thinking he’d appear behind her in a limousine, honking until she noticed him, then pulling over to let her inside.
Of course it didn’t happen.
Her roommate Danielle was home when Nicole arrived.
“Oh, look at you! Hattie alert, hottie alert!” Danielle cried out, as she cut cucumber and onion and carrots on a plastic cutting board at the kitchen counter.
Nicole tried to smile. “You’re cooking?”
“Just making a salad. Want some?”
“No. I’m not really hungry.”
Danielle looked more closely at her. “You’re exhausted, Nicole. You’ve got dark circles under your eyes.” She walked from behind the counter as Nicole flopped onto the couch.
“I’m fine. Just hard to get used to my new work schedule.”
“I woke up last night at like two a.m. to go pee and saw your light on,” Danielle said carefully.
“Oh. I must have fallen asleep and forgotten to turn it off.”
“And I heard you moving around. You were awake.”
“Haven’t you ever heard that spying on your roommate isn’t very nice?”
Danielle folded her arms. “I wasn’t spying. The bathroom is right next to your bedroom.”
“I had a…a work thing. It was important.”
“What kind of work thing? You’re an intern.”
Nicole sighed. She felt a headache coming on and pressed her fingers to her temples and rubbed in small concentric circles. “Don’t worry about me, Danielle. I’m fine.”
“Sure you are.” She walked back into the kitchen and began aggressively chopping veggies. “Don’t say I didn’t try and help,” she called out as Nicole retreated to her bedroom.
***
Her phone was buzzing.
Nicole swam out of a deep, dreamless sleep, struggling to wake up. She knew it was imperative that she answer her cell, but she was so tired. So awfully, terribly exhausted.
And then she woke up, as if breaking the surface of a dark lake. It was very late at night—that much she knew. Her heart was pounding.
The phone buzzed.
She’d fallen asleep with it right next to her. The number was private, which could mean only one thing. She answered it fumblingly. “Hello, hello?”