“You are not funny and I hope you have thrown Mr Mason’s number away.”
The sound of his annoyance made her laugh. “I have had some holiday details come through from your people,” she said changing the subject.
“Good change of tack, darling. I know you will choose the right one,” he commented before telling her. “I am waiting on a call and if it pans out I will be at your disposal tonight, but I have got to go to Dublin in the morning.”
“Dublin? How long for? I like seeing you around the office,” she told him.
“I like seeing you around the office too, although I can think of other places I prefer to see you,” he said and she could sense a smile on his lips. “You could always come to Dublin with me.” His suggestion took her by surprise.
“I can’t I have work to do.”
“But this is business and you work for me,” he said beginning to reason aloud.
“Jon, do you need an accountant in Dublin, honestly?”
“No, but I need you to be with me and in my bed,” he replied.
“Then sort your plans for tonight and I will happily occupy your bed, shower, sofa, floor and table, anywhere you want me.” She almost panted at the thought of it.
“That’s a very nice thought, especially if you are still wearing those amazingly sexy shoes,” he said huskily making her lean back in her seat and close her eyes as her own fingers traced a path from her face down her cheek and neck towards her chest.
“I could keep them on,” she suggested. “And the stockings and suspenders,” she added, imagining her own touch belonged to him.
“Fuck! That is definitely a date then, in fact, maybe you should finish work now and then you could be waiting for me at mine in just the stockings and shoes,” he said quite seriously making her laugh.
“But you haven’t had your call yet,” she reminded him.
“I don’t give a shit, I just know that I need to see you tonight.” The seriousness of his tone took her by surprise, rendering her speechless. “Steph, are you still there?”
“Yes, sorry. Look I really do want to see you, but if you can’t change your plans I do understand that you have stuff to do and other commitments and we will have other times.” She wanted to reassure him, to not cause waves, but at the same time could have kicked herself for giving him a get out on their night together.
“That’s very sweet, Steph, but I want to see you later, just you,” he told her. “I have missed you more than you realise and my plans are pressing, but nothing is as pressing as spending some time together, darling, just the two of us. No interruptions, nothing and nobody else.”
Silence hung between them, Jon whose feelings and thoughts were out in the open. Then Steph who felt slightly stunned by the intensity of his words and the possible depth of their meaning. When he said ‘nothing and nobody else’ she couldn’t help but wonder if he was talking generally, or specifically.
“But right now I have to go so I will call you later.” His words halted her musing and wonderings.
“Okay,” she replied and smiled far too much at the notion that he wanted to see her as much as she wanted to see him.
It was just beforefive o’clock when her phone rang.
“Hello, Stephanie Pryor,” she answered.
“Hi Steph, Grant from H.R.” came the reply.
“Oh hi, what can I do for you?”
“We need to schedule a meeting to discuss your contract,” he told her.
“Oh, okay, when?”
“Tomorrow is a no go as Mr Brooker is out of town, what about next week, erm, Monday, first thing and Mr Brooker has requested that we meet upstairs in his office,” Grant said matter of fact.
“Why?” Steph was confused as to why the contract negotiation was such a big thing.
“It’s not my place to question Mr Brooker’s decisions,” said Grant sounding panicky and slightly thrown by her question.
Steph laughed as she explained, “I actually meant why are we waiting on Mr Brooker’s attendance at the meeting to merely discuss my contract?”
