Chapter 5

“THE COMPANY ISN’T HOSTING a general holiday party for all employees,” Bruce explained. “Instead, we’re just doing individual group parties. With Christmas on Monday, we figured Friday night after work would be the best. No big venues, and it’s employees only, without a plus one. Since we see each other almost every day, it’s not likely to be a late night. I’m going to take a cab from work, though, because I’ll probably have a few drinks.”

“I suppose that’s the way it is,” Erin sighed. “Do try to get home early if you can. I have a special party planned for just the two of us.”

“You know I love your special parties,” he said, kissing Erin. “Don’t wait up, though. I’ll wake you when I get in.”

“Better wake me before you try to get in. I want to be an active participant.”

“You bet!”

Erin worked her four-hour shift Friday and then stopped with her fellow waitresses in the back of the kitchen to exchange modest gifts. Everyone was in a happy holiday mood and it was beginning to look like they might have snow for Christmas.

“Big plans for your first holiday in Jerico City?” one of the waitresses asked her.

“Oh, I guess it will be pretty quiet. Might even spend the whole weekend in bed,” Erin giggled.

“Now that sounds nasty. Cheaper than buying the guy a present, though,” Penny said. Erin didn’t know any of their real names. They all went by their diner name badges.

“You know that’s all guys want anyway,” Debbie said. “I mean, unless you’re giving them a choice of sex or a 50-inch TV. I think most guys would take the TV.”

“Not my guy,” Erin laughed. “I’m not sure there’s anything I could offer him that he’d prefer. We’ve only been married seven months.”

“Newlyweds! Give it another five months. If he wouldn’t trade sex for a 50-inch TV by then, he’s a keeper,” Penny laughed.

The women hugged each other and Dolores gave each a $50 gift card with her wishes for a happy holiday. Erin decided to walk around downtown and look at the decorations. Downtown didn’t have all that much in the way of retail. It was mostly offices and support businesses. The real decorations would be found at the mall. She thought about it a while and decided to drive out and do some shopping with her $50 gift card. Maybe even have dinner.

Bruce knew he wouldn’t get home too early. Shannon had promised lots of slow dancing and plenty of booze. She’d even asked him for his favorite and said she’d have it there.

Most of the work groups at JeriCorp weren’t having a holiday party at all. Shannon had taken care of discreet invitations and no one on his team mentioned the party at all. Bruce had tallied up the ten people who were eligible to attend and saw they were evenly divided between men and women. At least the slow dancing wouldn’t be with another dude. His last trip to St. Louis had been rewarding with Shannon cuddling up to him for the night. What a fiery redhead!

He knocked at the door of the hotel suite where the party was to be held and Shannon opened it for him.

“Come on in, sugar,” she said. “Let’s party!”

It was only eight o’clock, but Shannon acted like she’d been partying for quite a while. She met him with a very sloppy kiss just inside the door. Bruce was surprised and was afraid the other people on the team would react, but as he looked over Shannon’s shoulder, he saw the room was empty—none of his team was there.

“Am I early?” he asked.

“Any later and I’d have finished without you,” she laughed.

“Um ... Shannon?”

“Oh, come on, Bruce. I didn’t invite anyone but you. Have a drink. I got your favorite scotch,” Shannon said.

She poured him several shots over ice and handed it to him. He quickly took a sip before Shannon was pressed against him again, probing his mouth with her tongue.

“I shouldn’t really...”

“Bruce, remember St. Louis? We can pick up right where we left off. Don’t tell me you don’t want to have sex with me. I can feel that you do.”

“I’m married.”

“Me too. Lucky girl. Does that mean we can only make it when we’re out of town?”

“I ... uh ... Oh wow!”

“If you take any longer, my clothes are going to start removing themselves. Show me what you give the little missus when she wants big bad Brucey.”

“Geez, Shannon. I didn’t expect this was how we’d spend the night.”

“Eat, drink, and be merry. Who knows what the New Year will bring?”

“Right. Oh, Shan!”

Bruce knew he’d been set up. If he was any kind of husband at all, he’d have turned around and walked away. It was hard enough keeping his slip-up in St. Louis a secret. Shannon could be so damned persuasive—especially when she started removing her clothes. Facing the prospect of a night of unbridled sex with the stacked redhead, all the things he ‘knew better than’ flew from his head. He filled his hands and his mouth with her breasts.

They’d been flirting ever since Bruce joined JeriCorp and they were assigned to the same team. On their last trip to St. Louis, the two had bad news. Mackenzie couldn’t meet their next payment. It was likely the company would pull the plug on the project before they sank any more time and energy into it. He and Shannon had sat on the sofa in his room commiserating with each other. That mutual comfort had taken the form of kissing and then petting and then stretched out right there on the sofa screwing.

He’d fantasized about her before then, but never imagined she would be available. ‘Available’ seemed an understatement now. He liked it when a woman took control and he could give up all initiative and responsibility. This whole encounter wasn’t his fault. He was a victim here. Yeah.

Bruce woke up, drunk from the night of debauchery and sex. His hand was still on one of the redhead’s big breasts. She was pretty, but with her carefully applied makeup and hairdo in a mess, he could see how much of that was artificial. What had he been thinking?

It was two in the morning. He needed to get out of the hotel room and get home. He’d make a plan on the way. Erin had said she had a surprise for him. It was probably too late for that.

He started to push himself up when Shannon looked at him through heavily lidded eyes.

“Oh, good. Ready for another round? Come here, big guy. Make this girl happy.”

He didn’t leave until after three.

Erin hadn’t waited up for Bruce. She knew how office parties went. She’d certainly been to enough of them in her days of working. Once people got into an unsupervised environment where human resources couldn’t see them, there was bound to be some flirting, close dancing, and maybe even a few shared kisses. She wouldn’t hold it against Bruce.

After all, he had no idea what she had planned. She’d been off the pill for thirty days. She’d had a period, even though it was light. Maybe they wouldn’t be successful at making a baby the first time they tried, but trying was half the fun.

After scrubbing the house thoroughly so there wasn’t a speck of dust to distract them, she went to bed, looking forward to the return of her husband.

Was she sure this was right?

She’d asked herself that question a hundred times and always arrived at the same answer. Bruce was a good man, even with his faults. He treated her well and was looking forward to having a family. He was kind and exhibited all the traits Erin considered herself to have. She only planned to be married once and this was it.

She was sound asleep when Bruce stumbled in and took a shower.

When Erin awoke in the morning, Bruce was snoring next to her. She slipped out of bed and made coffee the way he liked it. This was sure to bring him to life. She opened the blinds and the late morning sunlight streamed in through the window. She held the fresh cup of coffee to the side while she kissed him slowly awake.

“Mmm. Smells good,” he said. “Um ... I’m a little hung over.”

“What kind of party would it be if you weren’t hung over the next morning? But it’s almost afternoon now. Here, have a cup of life.”

“Oh, that’s good,” he sighed, sipping at the coffee.

“Now just relax and let me do all the work. I’m ready for my party now.”

She began working her way down his body and found the arousal she knew she could inspire.