Derailed II (6 page)

I was only up to last Tuesday’s expenses when Catherine came barging out of her office. A file marked “Competitive Boys’ Toys” was under her arm.

“Ike just called an emergency meeting with the design team. He wants me to demonstrate the top-selling boys’ toys.” Her voice sounded panicked as it always did when Ike pulled this kind of stuff. “I need you to come with me.”

I straightened up. This was not the first time I had to accompany Catherine to a meeting and be her puppet. Maybe she had great success creating the bestselling girls’ line of toys of all times—Poutz—but she didn’t know the first thing about boys’ toys. As I followed her down the hallway to Ike’s boardroom, I anticipated assembling robots and Transformers and demonstrating how they worked while my wretched boss sat back in her chair and fluffed her hair.

Ike’s boardroom consisted of a long mahogany table, a dozen black leather swivel chairs, a giant flat screen TV, and ad posters of Ike’s mega-hit toyline, Ike’s Tikes. Ike Abrams, a burly man in his early 50’s, and his motley design team, that included Fernando, were already seated around the table when Catherine and I entered the room. A dozen popular boys’ toys were scattered on the table, including a Power Rangers Zord, Transformers action figure, and Beyblade battle set. We took the two empty seats next to Ike, who was seated at the head of the table.

Ike got right down to business. “So, Catherine, can you please show me how little boys play with these toys.”

My evil boss smiled coyly. “My assistant will show you. She’s such a boy at heart.”

Her words made me cringe. Okay, I might have been a tomboy growing up, but I wondered if she knew that I could fuck a man’s brains out. And not just any man. A god. An Adonis. Ari’s beautiful face filled my mind and a tingling sensation coursed through my body, intensifying at my crotch.

With confidence, I demonstrated each toy, complete with POW! ZING! VROOM! sound effects. Ike watched intensely, nodding his head throughout my presentation. When I was done, he thanked me and returned his attention to Catherine.

“So, Catherine, what do you think we should be developing for the boys’ market?”

“Robots are always a safe bet. So are dinosaurs,” she said with authority and self-assuredness.

Ike furrowed his bushy eyebrows. “But there is such a glut of robots and dinosaurs in the market. We need something new. Something different. Something that will breakout.” He turned to me. “Do you have any ideas?”

Me? He wanted to hear from me, a lowly assistant?

Catherine shot me a dirty look. I wasn’t intimidated.

“Mr. Abrams, I think parents are looking for something that is high-tech, yet educational and not too violent.”

Ike’s face brightened. “I totally agree with you, Ms.—”

“Greene. Sarah Greene,” I said proudly.

Catherine was smoldering. I could practically see puffs of smoke coming out of her nostrils.

Ike turned to my evil boss. “Catherine, by Thursday, I’d like to hear at least six concepts for a breakthrough boys’ toyline. Please work with the design team.”

“Not a problem,” retorted Catherine with an air of faux confidence.

Ike thanked everyone, and the meeting was adjourned. As he exited the boardroom, he shot me a smile.

Catherine marched down the hall back to her office at hell-bent speed. I trailed behind the click-click-click of her Chanel pumps. When I got back to my cubicle outside her office, there was a large box from Bergdorf’s sitting on my desk.

Catherine’s pillowy, Chanel-red lips slithered into a smile. “Oh, that must be the special order I placed at Bergdorf’s over the weekend.”

I read the label. “Um, uh, it’s for me.”

Catherine’s cat-green eyes almost popped out of their sockets. I wish I’d had a camera to capture the expression on her face. It was a combination of utter disbelief, disgust, and disdain.

She scoffed at me. “I want you to stay glued to your desk at lunch and come up with some ideas for a new boys’ toy.” She threw the competitive analysis file at me and stomped into her office. “And don’t forget to confirm my lunch reservation at Cipriani’s for two,” she called out before slamming the door behind her.

Despite how much I wanted to open my package from Bergdorf’s, I spent the rest of the morning studying the file. There was definitely a need for something new, something different in the boys’ toy arena. At noon, Catherine popped out of her office.

“I’ll be out of the office for two hours. Please screen all my phone calls, and remember, do not give out my cell number to anyone.”

After refreshing her Chanel red lipstick, she paraded down the hall toward the bank of elevators. I sighed with relief. She was gone. I could finally open up my package.

As I was about to lift off the lid to the box, Fernando stopped by my desk. I had totally forgotten we had made a lunch date.

“Ooh, fancy shmancy Bergdorf’s box. Since when have they been paying you the big bucks,
mí amor?”

“It’s a gift.”

“Ooh. Señorita Sarah has a hot sugar daddy.”

I felt myself flushing. “No, not exactly.”

“Come on,
mí amor.
Open, open! Let me see what you got.”

I twisted my face in frustration. I knew I wasn’t going to get rid of Fernando. He was somewhat of a leech, albeit an admittedly loveable and not hard to look at one. A dead ringer for George Chakiris—Bernardo in
West Side Story
. With his jet-black hair, exotic face, and tight little ass, he could have easily been a male model. I opened the box. Inside, under layers of tissue paper was a drop-dead gorgeous hot pink strapless dress with a slit extending from the bottom hem to almost the waist. A pair of strappy silver stilettos accompanied the dress. This time everything was Alexander Wang. Fernando made me hold up the dress against my body.

“Ooh, that is so fucking hot.
Bebé,
you are going to get some major action.”

My cheeks heated further. You could always count on Fernando for brutal honestly. And that’s why I loved him from the day I met him. He had become my best friend and confidant at Ike’s Tikes. I knew everything about him, including his long relationship with one of the city’s top window display designers whom he hoped one day to marry. I, in turn, could tell him anything and everything. He was one of the few people in the world who knew about my ambitions, financial woes, mother’s illness, and my bitch boss. I, however, was not going to tell him anything about Ari. I could not jeopardize my relationship with him or his cherished privacy. I just wasn’t sure how I was going to get away with it with tell-me-everything Fernando.

Fortunately, luck was on my side. “Fernando’s tight tummy is screaming, ‘
Tengo
hambre
.’”

I told Fernando that my evil boss had ordered me to stay at my desk at lunch. I could not leave in case she came back early even though that was unlikely.
No problemo
. Fernando offered to go the commissary and bring back lunch for both of us. We could eat and talk at my desk.

Over chicken tortillas, we gossiped mostly about Catherine. Fernando lived for gossip and had collected a lot of dirt about my evil boss. Her background was a little sketchy. She lived in Europe for a while, worked at a major European fashion house, and then was recruited by an up and coming toy company to develop a girls’ lifestyle brand. The Angelina Jolie look-alike Poutz dolls she developed took off immediately, knocking Barbie off her throne. Rumor had it that she stole the idea for Poutz from a rival designer but it could never be proven. Ike Abrams hired her with the hope she could work her magic with a breakout boys’ toyline for his company. Supposedly, to lure her away from the other toy manufacturer, he had to give her the title of President, Boys Toys and all the perks that came along with that title—including limo service, an unlimited expense account, and a three-year one million dollar a year contract with bonuses. Boy, I wished that would happen to me one day. I just had to work hard. And be patient. “
Good things
happen to those who wait,”
my mother always said.

As we came close to finishing lunch, the phone rang. “Boys’ toys,” I answered.

“Saarah, do you like your dress?”

I could feel my face reddening. “It’s lovely.”

Know-it-all Fernando knew right away who I was talking to. “It’s him,
sí?”
he mouthed, pointing to the dress still on my desk.

I nodded like one of those bobblehead toys, pressing a finger over my lips that said: “Shut up.”

“I thought you could use a little more color,” said the voice on the phone.

If Ari could see my face now, he might think differently.

“I look forward to seeing you in it.” CLICK.

With a shaking hand, I hung up the phone.

“Okay,
chica,
spill the beans,” said Fernando, eager for a gossip-fest.

I took a deep breath. “Okay, I met someone. He’s very rich and very nice.”

“And
muy bueno
in bed?”

My blushing silence gave away the answer.

“Fantástico!”
Fernando clapped his hands with the glee of a child getting a sweet. He was genuinely thrilled for me. That’s what I loved about him.

“What is going on here?”

It was Catherine. She was back unexpectedly early. I quickly hid the box with the dress and shoes under my desk.

Venom poured from her eyes. “Sarah, I thought I told you to work over lunch.”

Words were trapped in my throat, but fortunately, Fernando came to my rescue.

“We were brainstorming. We have some really good ideas for the next big boys’ toy.”

“Very well. I look forward to hearing them.” She marched into her office and slammed the door behind her.

Fernando went back to his cubicle, and I spent the rest of the uneventful afternoon finishing Catherine’s expense report and thinking about my date with Ari. She spent it behind closed doors. I had no idea what she did all day although I imagined she spent most of her time online scanning www.Chanel.com.

At five p.m., Catherine emerged from her office, all spruced up. “I have cocktails and dinner tonight.”

Her sinister eyes locked on me.

“And I can assume, you got all your work done?”

I flashed a fleeting smile at her. “Yes. Your expense report is all done, and I’ve set up your waxing appointment for Friday.”

“Good.” There was no thank you as she stomped off toward the bank of elevators.

Good on my end too. She was gone for the day. I could get ready for my Trainman who would be meeting me soon. My heart fluttered.

With Catherine gone, I was able to use her office as a changing room. The antique-filled space had a large gold-leafed mirror. I gasped when I saw myself in the hot-pink dress with the thigh-high slit and the silver stilettos. This was still a Sarah Greene I was not used to. Or might ever get used to. Beneath my slinky dress, I was stark naked. No bra. No panties. Trainman was right again. I did look better with color.

High-heeling my way to the elevator, I passed by Fernando’s cubicle. His eyes popped when he saw me. “Holy Fuck! Is that you,
chica?”
I smiled at him.
“Bebé,
you are going to do the walk of shame tomorrow morning.”

The bright smile on my face grew melancholic. I knew that I would not be spending the night with Ari. Not now. Not ever. “I don’t think so,” I sighed.

“I want to hear everything,” called out Fernando as I continued to the elevators.
“Todo!”

I descended the elevator with all eyes on me—male and female alike. I felt uncomfortable and was relieved to find Ari’s limo waiting for me in front of the office building. Upon catching sight of me, Andre immediately leaped out of the car and opened the passenger door. I slid into the car, this time more gracefully than before. I was getting good at this.

Ari was dressed in an expensive dark blue suit and pale blue tie that matched the color of his eyes. His business uniform. God, was he gorgeous. So, so gorgeous. The dizzying effect he had on me was always the same. It was as if I was encountering him for the very first time.

He gazed at me. His eyes glimmered with approval and a hint of something else. Lust. In that deep breathy voice, he said, “Saarah, you look hot.”

I felt hot. My temperature was rising out of control, with the heat wave centering in the area between my legs. Holy shit. I was already dripping with desire.

I jerked a little as he moved his deft hand onto my thigh—the one the slit exposed. He caressed my flesh. “So smooth. So sexy,” he purred as his hand made its way upward.

My pussy was tingling with anticipation. It didn’t have to wait long. His fingers massaged my honeyed folds, arousing me with pleasure. I dug my fingers into the leather seat to stop from squirming.

“You’re always so deliciously wet,” he whispered in my ear after nibbling the lobes. He moved the tip of his velvety tongue into my ear, making swirling, succulent circles while his middle finger mimicked the motions down below. I closed my eyes and moaned as my bud hardened into a marble.

And then I jumped. He had inserted something high into my tunnel. I could feel it pulsating against the walls.

“I thought we’d share a couple of appetizers before dinner,” he said, his voice deep and sexy.

“What’s that you just put inside me?” I managed between moans.

“Just a little vibrating egg. I hope it won’t spoil your appetite.”

If anything, it was making me hungry. Ravenous for his member to sate me.

As if he read my mind, I heard him unzip his pants. He placed my hand on his rod; it was already thick, hot, and hard. My fingers curled around it “I know you’re hungry, Saarah,” he growled. “I prefer women with a healthy appetite.”

Without interrupting the flow of motions between my legs, he slid off the leather seat and onto to his knees on the carpeted floor before me. My eyes, now half-open, met his. They twinkled with wickedness. His sizeable member was pointed at me.

“I’m hungry too,” he growled. “Suck!”

Another first. I bent over and wrapped my lips around the head of his member. My tongue rolled around it. The sweet-salty taste was like a delicacy, the skin like velvet. Urging me to explore, he pushed my head down the shaft with his free hand. My tongue ran along the back of it, savoring the flavor and smoothness. Yes, I was hungry, and I was going to eat him. My head bopped back up and immediately went down again, this time deeper. I gripped my hand around the base and worked that area as my mouth slid back up and then right back down again to meet it. His member swelled inside my mouth, filling the hollows of my cheeks. My eyes glimpsed his back arch as he groaned. “Oh, baby, you suck me so well.” His words were music to my ears.