Fuck it, sleep with a coworker. Maybe it doesn't matter. It's a work trip, it won't go on outside of that. Have some professional misconduct, as a treat.
It’s not going to be in a specifically siren-y kind of way, like seducing him so I can get a good dose of vitamin jizz, but in a fun, I deserve to have a little bit of closeness with no strings attached. I would define everything else that’s happened between us as pretty casual anyway.
If Kathy from Marketing can get her rocks off with someone from work, why can’t I?
I'm tired of watching other people sleep with their coworkers without thinking of the consequences. I wish I could hold myself to a standard a little less than perfect without worrying that someone will think less of me for it.
Well, the decision comes less from taking a note from Kathy's book, and more from this morning’s events.
I did not attend breakfast with the rest of the company like I had the other days—I intended to, but I saw Vlad in the lobby this morning and he fucking smiled at me. I immediately went back to my room and stripped down and used the entire battery on my vibrator in order to get through today. No, I'm not ok. I've never experienced a numbness and aching need like this at the same time.
It's not enough. I feel like every time I let my mind wander, I'm thinking about Vlad, being pressed up against him. I can't remember the last time I felt like this. I don't know how this is going to go away unless I sleep with him. I never would have been so turned on by a Peak District Suit like this, but he's charming in a way that's disarming.
Seducing him is how I'm going to get it out of my system. It'll be ok if it's just the one time. Work trips and all. Just one and done.
I don't really know how I'm going to go about it. I don't think I know how anyone actually does it, either.
I did spend a few minutes wondering if I should text my mom. She's a siren, she would know these things. But that might be considered actual torture.
So, I looked it up online. Did about ten minutes of reading. Set off with half a plan, because with more of one I might chicken out.
Pulling into the conference room, having entirely missed breakfast, I'm not confident I can pull off the whole seduction thing. I spent a lot of time leaning over the too-wide sink in my room's bathroom, attempting to draw symmetrical cat eyes, and they're still a little uneven.
“Baby girl, your highlighter is so good!” Deanna coos as I stop by the coffee table in the conference room, and it’s sweet of her, if I were wearing highlighter. Guess my face is just always oily.
Confidence in this endeavor goes down a point.
“Uh—thanks, baby girl.” I give her as big a smile as I can manage, because it’s less emotional labor than letting her know that it wasn’t the compliment she thought it was. I hate that “baby girl” is starting to enter my vocabulary from how much time I’ve spent around her. “Your hair looks great today.”
She beams and turns around to her next victim at the decaf coffee station, and I take the opportunity to head to the other end of the conference room, escaping with my coffee and my life.
Even approaching him, now that I've made up my mind, I don't know how to behave. A sigh almost like a moan falls out of my mouth, and he turns to look at me.
I glance around and hope no one else heard that, not that there's anything I can do. We exchange quiet good mornings that feel achingly intimate, and yet not nearly enough. It’s a bit weird, us playing around our coworkers like this.
“I saw you’re on the schedule for presentations today,” I tell him in half a whisper, because there had been an update this morning; an email sent out by Lily saying that there had been some changes made. I can't really squeeze my knees together standing without it being obvious, but behind the unimportant folder I picked up, I pinch my nipple in the hopes it will provide some small relief to the need between my legs.
“Miguel had to go home early, it sounds like his kid got sick,” he nods, murmuring back in an undertone that makes me salivate.
Dark Lord, save me.
I bite hard on my lower lip to keep myself under control until I realize I need to reply. “And you already had one prepared?”
Because, of course he would. He has his life together; he’s been in the corporate world a lot longer than I have.
“We collaborated on his presentation last week, but I added in a few more slides last night. Took a page out of your notes,” he adds with a wink.
It’s meant to be more casual banter than flirty, I think, but it still sends my heart skipping.
I chose a seat up front that's been vacant, a little off from the center. It makes a little sense that on the third day of hangovers, people's enthusiasm has died down and plenty are keeping their nose in their notes to hide their inattention.
“Well, I can’t wait to see it. I bet you add all the best clip art to yours,” I offer, then shake myself. Too office casual, I need flirtier banter. More seductive. I should have done more research.
“Well. I'll be up front. Give me something to take notes from,” I wink back and immediately feel silly, but he smiles, and a herd of butterflies take off inside me. “Teach me something I don’t know.”
“Nonsense. I bet your presentation will blow us away,” he says, as he watches me set my things up in the front row of tables of the conference room, my notepad and laptop claiming the centermost seat. I don’t think I’ve ever sat in the front row before at one of these meetings. It’s a lot easier to get through the day doodling and not paying attention from the back of the room.
“I’m not on the roster for today,” I shrug, and it takes all of my willpower not to literally, actually, leap onto him like a pro rock-climber. “But it will.”
