Chapter 4

The week in Vegas felt like an erotic dream for Chris and Ashley. Following their charged conversation about Clayton, their sex life escalated to dizzying new heights. Whenever Chris wasn’t occupied with drumming up new business leads for BitGuardian, he and Ashley remained intimately entangled in the hotel’s silky sheets, indulging in their fantasies.

Laughing, Ashley teased about the men at the convention ogling her nearly naked body, joking she should give them a show. After all, why be stingy - why should Clayton be the sole lucky spectator? Lustful nights blurred into a haze of roleplay. Sometimes, they invited imaginary strangers to watch hungrily while, other times, Chris played the onlooker observing a mystery lover pleasuring Ashley to trembling climaxes. But their sinful Vegas rendezvous couldn’t last forever. When it inevitably ended, they bid the city’s allure a reluctant farewell, promising to return one day.

In the days that followed, Chris and Ashley existed in a perpetual state of arousal and indecent longing. Smoldering looks and intimate touches were savored whenever possible between their daily routines. Each encounter seemed more uninhibited than the last, as a renewed sense of lust kept them both earning for more.

It had been nearly two weeks since Vegas. Clayton called Chris to his office to discuss a lucrative deal with Larken Industries. Chris had been in constant contact with Tom Ashford, Larken’s VP. He went over numbers and strategies, hoping for a signature. But Tom seemed hesitant. Chris couldn’t tell if he lacked authority or was simply stalling.

Their calls inevitably steered to another topic as well - Ashley. Tom never failed to ask about “that beautiful wife” of Chris’s, punctuating the word “beautiful” in a way that made Chris vividly recall the moment Tom had caught an accidental glimpse of Ashley’s playboy style photo. Chris would deflect with a simple “She’s great,” attempting to steer the conversation back, but those two simple words were enough to set his pulse racing.

Strangely, he never told Ashley that Tom had seen that photo. He wasn’t sure why he kept it from her; she likely wouldn’t have cared and may have even incorporated it into one of their racy roleplay scenarios. But for whatever reason, Chris guarded that little secret.

“Listen man, you’ve been working your ass off on this Larken deal, but I think we need to switch it up.” Clayton leaned back in his chair. “Why don’t you hop on a flight out there and surprise them at their headquarters? Show them we’re serious.” Chris was jolted back to reality by Clayton’s suggestion, sitting up straight on the plush sofa.

Chris frowned skeptically. “You don’t think that’s a bit too aggressive? We don’t want to risk scaring them off completely.”

“I think it will do the opposite,” Clayton retorted, propping his feet up on the desk. “It’ll show them how dedicated we are and prove we’ll do whatever it takes to keep them satisfied.” Clayton’s company was truly taking off, and landing the Larken deal would silence any lingering doubts about his entrepreneurial chops- especially from his father.

Running his fingers through his hair anxiously, Chris sighed. “Could you at least send Katie? She’s been a selling machine lately. Ashley can’t take any more time off work right now. She’ll kill me if I jet off again so suddenly after Vegas.”

A sly smile crept across Clayton’s face. It was true, the nightly “training” sessions had worked wonders on transforming Katie into a formidable saleswoman, as well as an obedient little minx during their after hours sessions. But he wasn’t ready to let her go off on her own just yet - he had bigger plans in motion.

“Katie isn’t the head of sales, you are,” he countered. “Besides, what kind of message would that send if we had you handling this for weeks only to put Katie in at the critical moment?”

Chris knew his boss made a fair point, but the thought of leaving Ashley’s side for any extended period filled him with dread. Their sex lives had been red hot as of late, and he didn’t want anything slowing that down. Reading Chris’s trepidation, Clayton decided to sweeten the deal.

“Alright, how about this, let’s make things more ... interesting,” He paused for effect, a playful grin forming. “Another little wager, if you’re up for it?”

Those three words quickened Chris’s heartbeat. A new bet, a new challenge - the thrill was impossible to resist. “What do you have in mind?” he asked, unable to mask his intrigue.

Clayton’s grin spread, showing his teeth. “Close this deal within twenty-four hours of landing at Larken’s, and ten percent stake in the company is yours.” Letting the words marinate, he gauged Chris’s reaction.``Ten percent, my friend. Think about what that means. With the rapid growth we are already seeing and the money from that deal, it could be a life-altering windfall if you can pull it off.”

Chris’s jaw dropped as the magnitude of Clayton’s wager hit him. Ten percent ownership could transform their lives - he pictured finally being able to give Ashley the future she deserved, free from financial burdens. Ashley could finally quit her job and they could start a family. After yearning for that for so long, how could he possibly say no?

Before Clayton could even elaborate on the potential downsides if he failed, Chris was already nodding fervently. “You’ve got a deal.” He shot up from the sofa, adrenaline coursing through his veins. “I’ll go pack my bags right now and let Ashley know.”

As Chris hurried out of the office, his head was swimming - the fortune he could accrue, the unimaginable luxuries he could shower on Ashley, the dreams they could finally realize together. He just had to nail this one pivotal pitch and their lives would be changed forever.

Ashley had just finished her rounds, checking on her last patient for the morning. As she stepped into the hallway, her phone buzzed with Chris’s ringtone. A smile tugged at her lips as she ducked into the empty hallway.

“I was just thinking of you,” she answered warmly, leaning her back against the wall. “What’s up?”

Chris took a deep breath before explaining. “Clayton wants me to fly out to Larken Industries and try to close their deal. If I can pull it off, he’s offering a ten percent ownership stake in the company.”

Ashley’s eyes widened. “Babe, that’s ... that’s huge.” She paused, considering the implications. “But another trip already? We just got back from Vegas. There’s no way I can take more time off work.”

“I know, I know.” Chris’s voice was low and calm. “But think about what this could mean for us. Ten percent of BitGuardian? We’re really picking up steam here. If the company takes off like I think it can, we’re talking about financial freedom. Maybe you cutting back at the hospital or even quitting entirely.” He paused meaningfully. “Starting a family, like we’ve talked about.”

Ashley felt her heart flutter at that last part. Having a baby together was a dream they’d discussed but had been putting off. This could make that reality possible sooner than they dared hope.

“Well, when you put it that way...” Ashley replied after considering the opportunity. “But you owe me. Big time. Don’t think you’re going to leave me high and dry while you’re gone, mister.”

Chris chuckled at her feisty tone. “Now would I ever do that to you? You know I’ll keep you ... occupied until I get back.”

“Oh yeah?” Ashley purred in a way that made Chris’s pulse quicken. “And just how do you plan on managing that from across the country?”

“Well, I could start by describing in great detail what I’m going to do to you when I get home,” Chris replied, his voice lowering huskily. “How my tongue is going to explore every inch of your body until you beg me to stop.”

He heard Ashley’s sharp intake of breath on the other end. “You’re playing with fire, mister. Perhaps I’ll have to wear some of those new outfits to work. How do you think the patients will respond when they see their nurse walking in with a low cut top on and no bra underneath?”

Now it was Chris’s turn to take a sharp intake of breath. He knew the exact outfit she was referring to and it left very little to the imagination. “Something tells me if you did that you’d have more than just a couple on lookers. Guys will be lining up to try to get a hand on you.”

With a throaty chuckle, Ashley darted a glance around the empty hallway. “Perhaps that’s what I need. A big, strong man to ravish me while my husband’s away.” She tensed, certain she heard a faint noise, her face warming at the thought of being overheard. In a lowered voice, she went on, “Letting him run his hands over me, feeling his body pressed against mine.”

As she spoke, she subconsciously closed her eyes and was squirming against the wall. Even more horrifying, when she opened them she locked eyes with the janitor, who was just stepping out of another patient’s room. His broad smile let her know he’d overheard everything she’d just said. Ashley felt her face flush red-hot as she realized he had likely overheard her entire conversation. She quickly turned to face the other way and rushed down the hall.

“Are you still there, babe? I lost you for a minute.” Her husband’s voice rang in her ear as she realized she’d been holding her breath.

“Why don’t I call you later when I’m not, uh, at work,” she said in a quieter voice, still burning with embarrassment.

“Everything okay?” Chris’s concerned voice came through the speaker.

“Yeah, yeah, everything’s ... fine,” Ashley assured him, though her cheeks still burned. “Just busy at work. We’ll talk more tonight. I love you.”

She quickly ended the call and looked nervously over her shoulder to see the janitor still standing there staring at her as she quickly turned the corner.

Less than six hours later, Chris threw his bags into a town car and put on his tie, heading to Larken Headquarters. If things went well, by this time tomorrow, he would have landed the biggest deal yet for the company and have equity to boot. He tried calming his nerves by shooting Ashley a text that he’d made it safely.

“Hey babe. Just landed. Sorry again for the short notice, I miss you already.”

The response back from Ashley was almost immediate. “I miss you too, lover. This bath just isn’t the same all by myself.” That message was followed by an image. Clayton gasped, then choked out a cough as the driver eyed him in the rearview mirror. The picture left very little to the imagination as Chris longed to push the small patch of bubbles aside that were hiding her most intimate parts.

“I hate that I’m so far away from you. I want so badly to be in that tub with you, kissing your neck.”

“My neck? That’s all you’re interested in right now?” Ashley teased wanting badly to get a release after all of today’s ... festivities.

“Oh that would just be the start of it, of course. I can’t stop thinking about your body,” he wrote, glancing up again at the rearview mirror to ensure the driver wasn’t paying him any mind. “The way you move, the sounds you make when I’m inside you...”

Ashley bit her lip, her free hand drifting down as she imagined Chris’s hands roaming. “Tell me more,” she typed breathlessly.

Chris’s phone buzzed - Clayton’s face appeared. “Shit it’s Clayton,” he typed quickly. “Gotta pause, sorry.”

Ashley sighed, reluctantly submerging into the water as Chris took Clayton’s call.

“Hey man, hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time. Just wanted to make sure you made it safely.” Clayton stifled a laugh as he read the steamy messages between Chris and Ashley on his computer screen.

“Not at all,” Chris lied. “Just sitting in the car now heading to Larken. I’m honestly shocked they were able to get the board together so quickly to meet”

“That just means they are more interested than they led on. I told you going out there would be the right move. Now, let’s go over the talking points. I want to make sure everything goes according to plan.”

Chris silently cursed his boss as he ran his hands through his hair and steadied his breathing. “Sure thing, let me just get it pulled up.”

Chris straightened his tie and took a deep breath as he walked through the doors of Larken Industries. Tom greeted him at the front desk with a warm smile and a firm handshake.

“Great to see you again, Chris. I hope the trip wasn’t too taxing.”

“Not at all, Tom. Happy to be here,” Chris replied with a smile, shaking his hand firmly.

Tom leaned in slightly, a sly grin playing across his features. “I don’t see that beautiful wife of yours with you. Couldn’t convince her to join you on this business trip?”

Chris felt a slight tightening in his chest but maintained his professional demeanor. “Ashley had to stay behind for work commitments, unfortunately.”

“That’s a shame,” Tom said, his attention suddenly elsewhere. “Well, let’s get you in front of the board.” he said as he opened a large set of double doors.

When Chris entered the room, he was a little taken aback that he and Tom were the last ones to arrive. He had expected the board members to come in after him, giving him a moment to prepare himself mentally. Instead, he stood in front of the seven-member panel and put on his best smile, running his fingers through his hair to calm his nerves as Tom settled into his chair.

Once the room was silent and Chris’s presentation was on screen he launched into his pitch, highlighting BitGuardian’s innovative security solutions and the potential benefits of a partnership. The executives listened intently, occasionally jotting down notes or nodding in approval.

As the meeting progressed, Chris sensed a positive shift in the room. The executives nodded along, seemingly impressed with BitGuardian’s offerings and potential for growth. A spark of hope ignited within him, dispelling the lingering doubts he had carried into the meeting. The CEO, in particular, leaned forward with a thoughtful expression, indicating a genuine interest. Chris felt a surge of confidence, buoyed by the possibility that his vision for how BitGuardian fit into their plans was resonating with those who could make it a reality.

However, just as he began to feel confident about closing the deal, one of the executives raised a hand. “I have a concern about your company’s relatively small size and limited track record,” he said, leaning forward. “In light of the privacy concerns already in the public eye, these raise multiple red flags.”

Chris took a deep breath and did his best to address the concern, but he could see the hesitation creeping back into the executives’ faces as he spoke.

As the final slides transitioned off the main display, the same board member cleared his throat and turned to address his colleagues. “Well, I think it’s safe to say Chris has certainly made a compelling case for why we should be taking a hard look at this partnership,” he said, pausing to meet Chris’s gaze. “However, given the potential scope and concerns I brought up earlier, I don’t want to rush into any commitment today.”

Chris felt his heart rate spike as he continued, “Let’s take a day to further review the materials in-depth as a team and reconvene to deliberate on moving forward with a formal acquisition. We can meet back here at this time tomorrow for a final decision.” The other board members nodded in agreement.

A dozen different objections flooded Chris’s mind, urging him to push for an immediate decision, especially considering the personal stakes and Clayton’s 24-hour bet. Despite his eagerness to close the day on a positive note, he knew he had to address these concerns to secure a deal.

The board member suddenly looked agitated and raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “Is that going to be an issue?” he asked. “Because if you need to head back, we can...”

No, no—of course, I can make myself available tomorrow,” Chris interjected quickly, not wanting to jeopardize the entire opportunity just to win. As tantalizing as the prospect of owning a part of BitGuardian could be, this prize was too massive to risk torpedoing by pushing his luck.

“Perfect, we’ll be in touch,” he said, a little too coldly for Chris’s liking, as they all rose from the table and began to file out of the meeting room. Chris exhaled a long, slow breath, feeling defeated.

“Helluva pitch, man. But I gotta say, you almost lost them there at the end, what was that?” Tom was back at Chris’s side offering a warm smile.

“I know it was stupid. Just exhausted and wanting to get home, I guess.”

“I don’t blame ya, man. If I had a bombshell like that waiting on me...” Tom broke into a laugh as he slapped Chris on the shoulder and began to walk him out of the office.

While not the outright, immediate grand slam he’d been gunning for, he had still taken a massive step towards landing a massive client. Just another day of strategizing and hypotheticals with the board, and he would be back home with Ashley.

An hour later, Chris fell back onto his hotel bed exhausted. As his eyelids began to get heavy, he shot another message to Ashley.

“Finally back in my room. The meeting wasn’t a complete bust, but looks like that equity stake isn’t going to pan out the way we hoped.”

“Aww I’m sorry love. Perhaps this will put you in a better mood.” The next message to appear was a close up of Ashley’s perfect chest. She was wearing a red lace bra, but her nipples were clearly hard in the picture.

Chris let out a soft groan as the photo from Ashley appeared on his phone. “Mmm you always know just how to make me feel better.” He could already feel the tension from the long day start to disappear as desire coursed through him.

Shifting on the bed, he typed out a reply. “This bed is feeling awfully empty without my sexy wife though.”

On the other end, Ashley bit her lip coyly as she read his message. “Oh really?” She let the tease hang for a moment before typing a new message. “And what would you do if I were there?”

“Well, first...” Chris’s fingers shook with desire as he typed his message. “I’d strip you down nice and slow, taking my time to kiss and lick every inch of your body.”

“I’d pay special attention to those perfect tits, sucking until you’re squirming. But I wouldn’t let you get off easy.”

“You tease! I need you inside me so bad...”. Ashley squirmed on the bed, her fingers teasing and pinching her nipple as she waited for his response.

“Believe me, I plan on burying myself to the hilt in that soaked pussy. I bet I would slip right in, you’re so wet.”

“Mmm yes, baby. God, I needed this.” As Ashley typed her free hand had already made its way down to her wet pussy. Teasing her folds as she moaned out in pleasure.

“That’s it, get yourself nice and ready for me. I’m going to devour you the second I walk through that door. Have your legs spread and waiting.”

The next photo from Ashley nearly made Chris cum - her hands pulling aside panties, glistening lips exposed.

“Like this?”

“Goddamn Ash ... your pussy looks so delicious. I can’t wait to bury my face in it.”

“Don’t stop now, I’m already close.” Ashley was panting as she sent the text, her fingers trembling with need.

“Fuck, Clayton is calling.”

“Are you kidding me? Don’t answer!”

“I can’t ignore him. He probably wants to debrief what happened today. I’m sorry baby, I’ll make it up to you.”

Ashley groaned in frustration, her climax suddenly ripped away from her. “I’m just going to go to bed.”

“Hey man, sorry for calling so late. I knew the meeting had to be over and I wanted to hear how it went.” Clayton smiled to himself, running his fingers over the picture Ashley had just sent Chris. “Soon, you will be mine,” he said under his breath running his fingers over his computer screen and her glistening lips as he dove into another sales pitch with Chris.

The next morning, Ashley practically dripped with pent-up desire as she made her rounds at the hospital. Every brush of fabric against her skin had her on edge as she counted down the hours before she could get home and relieve herself.

As she hurriedly took care of all of her patients the aching between her thighs only continued to increase. She wished she could call Chris, or better yet, go to him, to have him take her and give her the orgasm she’d been trying to achieve since yesterday. But she knew he was already preparing his sales pitch, and as much as she wanted to hear from him, or even tease him, she knew she needed to let him focus. Last night had been hard for him and she knew he needed the win. Instead she decided to seek out her favorite patient, Mrs. Johnson. Even though it’d only been a couple of weeks since she last spoke to the elderly lady she felt like a completely new person. While she still felt a little uneasy about this new adventurous side of their relationship they were exploring, she could no longer deny the thrill she got when Chris talked dirty to her. She no longer felt guilty about some innocent flirting with another man. She knew that as long as she shared those details with Chris it would only add more fuel to their sexual fire.

As Ashley rounded the corner, her steps faltered. Mrs. Johnson was gone, her bed crisply stripped and the janitor mopping the floors in her stead. For a heartbeat, disappointment washed over Ashley before a different impulse took hold.

“Excuse me,” she said, her voice friendly. “Do you know when Mrs. Johnson might be returning?”

The janitor turned, his gaze lingering on the curves hugged by Ashley’s fitted scrubs. She felt a spark of something - nervousness? Excitement?

“Discharged this morning,” he replied, his eyes still roaming. “Probably be back soon though. She’s a frequent flier.”

Ashley nodded. A jolt ran through Ashley, her breath catching in her throat. The janitor’s blatant once-over sent an unexpected shiver of excitement up her spine. She should have felt violated, angry at his brazen assessment of her body. But after the spicy conversation with Chris earlier, after the near-miss with the janitor himself ... Ashley realized she didn’t feel offended at all. In fact, a part of her found a secret thrill in being so openly desired. The thought should have shamed her, but there was no denying the warm curl of excitement unfurling low in her belly.

She moved to the cabinet, reaching for a supply bag on a high shelf. Her scrub top rode up, exposing a strip of skin at her lower back. The janitor’s sharp intake of breath sent a thrill through her.

“Allow me to help you with that, ma’am.” His voice was close - too close. Ashley turned her head to politely decline, but he was already pressed against her back. The unmistakable swell of his arousal pressed shamelessly into her backside. A sharp gasp escaped her lips as the warmth of his breath tickled her neck, forming goosebumps all along her sensitized skin. The musky, stale scent of cologne and cigarettes should have revolted her, but after the week of heated fantasies she’d endured, Ashley found herself wanting to push back against his insistent hardness.

Then her pager beeped, shattering the charged silence. The janitor blinked and stepped back. Ashley fumbled for the pager with shaking hands, grateful for the interruption.

“I have to go,” she mumbled, grabbing the supply bag and brushing past him.

Ashley ran into the staff room, locking the door behind her as she slid down to the floor trying to catch her breath. With shaky fingers she fired off a text to Chris no longer concerned if he was in a meeting or not. “I’ve never been so fucking horny. Ran into the Janitor at work, he decided to help me get something off the shelf. He was so close to me. I could feel his ... I wish you were here”

She paused, trembling fingers stroking over her screen as she hastily typed out the final damning line:

“All I could think about was you, how turned on this is going to get you when I tell you every filthy detail. This is all your fault for getting me so riled up!”

The reply was instantaneous, brief but laced with heady promise:

“Oh, I can’t wait to hear it, baby. I’m going to destroy you when I get home. Or should I say, the janitor is going to destroy you.”

Ashley whimpered softly at the words, fresh arousal lancing through her like a lightning strike. Her thighs clenched instinctively, seeking relief from the insistent throbbing between them. She needed Chris back with her in the worst way.

Chris licked his lips as he stared at the message from his wife. His cock was rock hard as his town car made its way back to Larken Industries. He couldn’t believe that his sweet innocent wife was acting this way. Even more of a mystery to him than that was the effect it was having on him. He never thought of himself as “one of those people” but he couldn’t deny the effect it was having on his body, not to mention their sex life. He just had to be sure to make sure it didn’t spiral out of control. Trust and open communication, that’s what they agreed to in Vegas.

Chris took a deep breath as the car rolled to a stop in front of the large building. While disappointed he didn’t get the deal done yesterday, he knew he had to bring his ‘A’ game today. If he couldn’t have equity, he at least wanted the bragging rights of landing such a big client.

He was once again greeted by Tom as he made it into the reception area. Tom said his initial conversations with the board this morning seemed positive and reassured Chris that if he could perform like he did yesterday he was pretty confident they were going to pull the trigger.

This was the confidence boost Chris needed as he entered the large conference room and took the time to personally shake each board member’s hand and thank them again for taking the time to consider him. He then jumped right into his presentation, this time, it was more of a live demo. He wanted the members to see the type of tools they would have at their fingertips, and helped to squash the idea that any privacy could be infringed.

As the demo dragged on, Chris was starting to once again feel unsure if they were going to actually sign or not. However, just as Chris was beginning to lose hope, the problematic board member from yesterday shot him a toothy grin. “I think we’ve seen enough. I know we’ve put you through the wringer these last couple of days, but we needed to see just how well your software, and your company, could hold up under immense pressure. I’m happy to say you’ve passed with flying colors.”

Chris stood still for several seconds. His brain processing what was being said. As the room erupted in polite applause, Tom clapped Chris on the shoulder.

“Excellent work, my friend. I knew you had it in you,” he said, his grip lingering a little too long. “Next time you’re in town you’ll have to bring that wife of yours. I insist you both join me for dinner to celebrate properly.”

Chris forced a grateful smile, though Tom’s persistent interest in Ashley made him distinctly uneasy. “Absolutely, Tom. We’d be honored.”

As they shook hands, Chris couldn’t help but wonder if he had just opened a door he might soon regret.

The drive back from Larken’s headquarters seemed to stretch endlessly before Chris. As the city’s skyline shrank in the rearview mirror, his mind raced—replaying every moment, every subtle glance and questioning if he had read too much into Tom’s suggestive comments about Ashley. After all, he wasn’t the first guy to fixate on Ashley’s beauty. Was it his own twisted fantasy telling him there was more to it than that?

When Chris returned to his hotel room he allowed himself exactly 10 minutes to celebrate. He let out a loud shout as he danced around his hotel room as if he’d just won the lottery. He knew he would eventually be able to close the deal, but the relief he felt upon actually getting it done sent him over the moon with excitement. Clayton may not have to give him equity just yet, but a couple more deals like this and it would be inevitable. He and Ashley could still start a family and live the life he always dreamed, even if it was on the exact time table he had envisioned just 24 hours ago.

Once he had worn himself out he fell back on the bed, exhausted then dialed Clayton’s number excited to give him the news.

“What do you got for me?” Came the quick reply after only one ring.

“A signed agreement and a whole shit load of happy customers,” Chris responded, the thrill in his voice evident.

“That’s incredible! I knew you could get it done. I have a couple of meetings this afternoon but then I want to dive into the details of the company and find out what really makes them tick. Can you send over your portfolio for all the major players so I can take a look?”

Chris held his breath, for a moment, he hadn’t expected Clayton to want to jump into things so quickly after signing. “Um ... I don’t actually have any of that with me. I left it all at the house yesterday in my rush to pack. But I can be on a red-eye tonight and get you the paperwork first thing in the morning.”

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone as Clayton took in what he said. “I need it tonight,” Clayton stated firmly. “I want to have their welcome packet ready first thing in the morning so we can really blow them away.” He paused, feigning nonchalance. “Call up Ashley, have her bring the files by the office.”