Chapter 1

It started innocently enough. I was assigned to a work team and Phillip was on the team. We were of a similar age and shared a few common interests. It was natural that we would become closer; at least the rest of the team seemed to think so. Gary, the team lead, went out of his way to make sure Phillip and I were assigned either the same task or related tasks so we would have to work closely regularly. I knew he was throwing us together, I mean how many ‘Tracey and Phillip’ comments do you need to realize? Stephanie, the deputy, was assisting him in that endeavor. Apparently, they thought we would make a “cute couple”.

Steph and Gary were also a bit older, about fifteen years or so. All Phillip and I really had in common with them was work. The other two team members, Barry and Lawrence “Don’t call me Larry” were the junior members. Barry was fresh out of college and Lawrence was just a couple of years older than him. It was like the team was really three smaller teams.

In all honesty, we worked really well together, so well that the company didn’t split us up at the end of our first project. We were very successful on a government project that rolled into a commercial one, so they kept us together. Normally, they would have moved us to other teams, but the two contracts were so complicated that they decided to buck tradition and keep us all together. We went from there to another commercial contract and while the work was pretty easy, the challenge was in handling a very powerful but difficult customer. We were again successful. They then assigned us to another government contract which required a lot of travel, so the three sub-teams were frequently traveling. In fact, it was pretty normal for at least one of the sub-teams to be on the road any given week. Stephanie and Gary were the back-end system experts, Barry and Lawrence were the front-end programmers, and Phil and I were requirements and project management.

This week was our turn to travel. We were briefing the lead client and our continued success was based on his reception of our presentation. If he bought in, we were guaranteed the full job. If he didn’t, we were out of a six-month investment and would be on the receiving end of our company’s displeasure. We weren’t too worried because things had been going well. Our main concern was government funding shortfalls. But that’s beside the point for this story.

Now, unlike Step and Gary, I love to travel and so does Phillip. We spent many evenings exploring out-of-the-way restaurants and clubs together. We worked hard, as the saying goes, played harder. We were professional partners for almost four years when ‘it’ happened. Some people say it’s inevitable, but I disagree. I still believe men and women can work closely together and not have sex, but sometimes – shit happens!

It started the evening after a seriously successful presentation. We were tired and exhilarated and hungry and running on an emotional high. Things had gone better than our most optimistic predictions. So we celebrated and did something we hadn’t done very often, we got drunk! I mean pretty badly wasted – seriously shitfaced! We started at this club with tequila and it went on from there. We danced with each other and other people and just kept drinking until things started fuzzing out.

I woke up about 6 AM only partially clothed, and none of it covered any of my more sexual body parts. My breasts were exposed and my ass was bare. My top was around my waist, my panties were around one ankle, and I felt like the entire Marine Corps had walked through my mouth on their way to making a spectacular noise in my head! It was not a good waking up!

My back was registering a warm object next to me. Now, to be honest, this wasn’t the first time I had gotten drunk and woke up with someone in my bed. It wasn’t a habit, but it had happened before. The first time was in college and it led to a nice year-long relationship that ended pretty well. I was actually still in semi-regular contact with that former lover. The second time it also led to a relationship that ended in less than a year. We really tried, but we were just too damned alike and after a time, we both realized it wasn’t working. We ended it in a good way but have lost contact. The last time it happened was really my first and only official one-night stand. I didn’t think there was enough alcohol in the world to let that particular type of person into my bed. Leathers and motorcycles weren’t normally that appealing to me.

Since then, I have been careful to only get really drunk when I was with a trusted group of friends. That way if I end up in bed, it was with a friend (or friends) rather than a stranger. It wasn’t a big deal, at least not with my tight circle of friends. Of course, my friends were nowhere in sight on this business trip. I was taken quite aback when I rolled over and saw my bed partner.

“Oh shit! Phillip!”

I did a quick body check and realized that we most certainly had sex last night and unprotected sex as well. I had a couple of marks on my breasts and had that ‘feeling’ in my pussy that told me I had sex the night before and pretty hard sex because I felt a little bruised. That wasn’t unusual because I did love a good hard and fast fucking! But Phillip, no!

He was facing toward me and, as all of us ladies know, a sleeping male is not a really great thing to see at the best of times. If it was my home instead of a hotel I would have to wash the pillowcase of his twice ... OK, you get the picture! He was naked as far as I could see. I took a look under the sheet and saw what I expected to see. Phillip had sure as hell had sex and needed a little cleaning up. I looked around the room and realized we were in his room, not mine. Shit, Shit, Shit! I do like him, but not like this. My liquored-up brain really got me this time.

I slipped out of bed found most of my clothes, except for my shoes. Was I really walking around Washington DC streets without my freaking shoes? Shit! I must have been really drunk. No one should brave those streets barefoot.

I got dressed quietly and when I opened the door to the room I found my shoes in the hallway. A lady was getting off the elevator and smiled at me, “Some party?”

“You have no idea!” I said as the door closed quietly behind me.

She laughed. “Let me guess, woke with a strange girl in your bed?”

“No, that I could handle. I woke up with a male co-worker and it was his bed,” I said with no small anguish in my voice.

I went across the hall to my room, but my card key didn’t work.

“I think you grabbed the wrong key.” The pretty lady said. She was standing there having a giggle at my expense. Although it was a nice giggle!

I butted my head against the door, “What else can go wrong?”

She didn’t laugh at me at that point, which was nice of her. I must have looked like a complete idiot!

“Look, my room’s down the hall if you need a quick hideout and a place to get cleaned up.”

“What I really need is for him not to realize he was in bed with me.”

She looked at me up and down for a second. “I bet we can arrange that.” Then she smiled, it was the most mischievous and sexy smile I’d ever seen.

“Is he still asleep?”

“What”

“Is he still out of it?” she asked slowly like she knew I wasn’t fully tracking yet.

“Yes, but...”

She messed up her hair and started unbuttoning her blouse. “Here’s my card key. I’m in 1604. I’ll meet you there once I wake him up and convince him he was with me. Now go, shoo!”

“Why would you...”

“Later, he might wake up. Go!”

She took the card key from my hand and sure enough it was for his room. She kissed my lips and then squeezed my breast as she carded the door. I stood there like an idiot as her skirt went down to the floor and she kicked it inside. She watched me looking at her over her shoulder. My brain acted even if the rest of me was too slow. She closed the door with a wink and a blown kiss and ... I went down to her room.

I took a quick shower, which woke me the rest of the way up, and sat there in nothing but a hotel bathrobe waiting for her. She came in laughing about a half-hour later, carrying her clothes. She actually looked pretty amazing, matching panties and bra, high heels, and a huge smile.