The company party was a surprise hit; everyone was having a good time. Nikki eventually got around, thanking everyone personally before returning to her office. There was a knock.
“Yeah,” she said, not looking up.
“I thought you said no work?” Brooke asked.
Nikki looked up. “Well I need to get these done and signed before Dad gets back, so go on, I will be fine.”
The door closed and Nikki felt a presence next to her. Nikki looked up. “Brooke, I am serious, if I don’t get these done I am screwed.”
Brooke nodded and sat on the edge of the desk, her skirt riding high. Nikki noticed out of the corner of her eye and smirked.
“That’s not going to work either.”
Nikki reached across her desk for another folder and noticed Brooke’s shirt was undone and opened, her lacy bra in full view.
Nikki frowned; she was trying to fight her body’s own arousal. Nikki then cursed when she signed the wrong line of the contract.
“Blasted…Brooke please…” she looked up and found Brooke’s small, firm breast exposed. She was playing with it.
Nikki gritted her teeth as she felt her self-control slipping. She pushed her chair back and pulled Brooke into her arms and took her breast hungrily, licking around the nipple. Then forced her way into Brooke’s mouth with her tongue.
“I can’t believe I am doing this,” moaned Nikki.
“You want me so bad,” Brooke’s lips trailed down Nikki’s neck.
Brooke wrapped her legs around Nikki, trapping her. Then she began to unbutton her shirt. She began to massage her breasts as they strained through the fabric, while her tongue teased Nikki’s mouth.
Nikki put Brooke back down on her desk, her lips spilling onto Brooke’s neckline, as her own urgency began spilling.
Brooke pulled back Nikki and looked into her eyes of lust, “Take me…here on your desk, right now.”
Nikki, her hands shaking, moved aside items on her desk; contracts started falling on the floor. She started to push Brooke down and reach between her legs when the phone rang, causing both of them to jump and break the moment.
“Fuck,” groaned Brooke in frustration.
Nikki quickly regained her composure and answered the phone. “Hi, Dad,” she said, rolling her eyes.
Brooke took that as “play time over” and got off the desk. She started doing up the buttons on her shirt and putting the things back on Nikki’s desk. Brooke continued to straighten herself as she left the office, but not quite closing the door.
Sarah staggered out of the bathroom door behind Brooke. She went to call when she noticed Brooke pulling down her skirt and fixing her hair as she headed back to the party. Sarah walked slowly behind and stopped at Nikki’s door, which was slightly ajar. Her mouth dropped open. She watched as Nikki was doing up the buttons on her shirt and putting her papers back together.
Sarah stepped back and put her hand over her mouth. “Oh my God,” she laughed.
Nikki cried out loudly, the room then filled with panting and moaning. Brooke surfaced and watched Nikki continue through her throes of release, then kissed her cheek.
“You’ve been holding on to that all day,” Brooke joked.
Nikki, finally able to talk coherently, said, “Well what did you expect with that little stunt on my desk earlier?”
Brooke bit her chin lightly then looked up to the ceiling, “I hope your neighbors aren’t light sleepers.”
Nikki rolled and looked at the clock. 1:15 A.M. She groaned. Brooke rubbed her chest. Nikki rolled over and brushed Brooke’s damp hair from her face.
“You are so beautiful.”
Brooke pulled Nikki onto her lips, and ran her hand down Nikki’s back causing her to shudder.
“And you are so sexy,” she said, and kisses her longer and deeper. Brooke breaks and sees a little look of fear in Nikki’s eyes.
“What?” she asked
Nikki just dropped her head onto Brooke’s shoulder. “Nothing.”
Brooke immediately pulled her back. “You were about to say something, come on,” she urged.
Nikki’s eyes moistened a little.
Brooke herself became fearful about what Nikki was going to say. “Nikki, please, tell me.”
“Brooke, I am so crazy about you…it scares me.” She fell into Brooke’s lips and kissed her slowly, then she returned to Brooke’s shoulder.
Brooke stroked her hair and kissed her head, then whispered in her ear. “Show me,” she murmured.
Nikki needed no real enticement. Her mouth trailed over Brooke’s body, working its way down. Brooke closed her eyes and thought that if that was Nikki’s way of showing her how much she loved her, she could accept that. No more thoughts occurred as Nikki’s tongue invaded her and slowly drained her. Brooke eventually cried out, calling Nikki’s name over and over again as her orgasm freed itself.
Nikki moved up and collapsed next to Brooke, and in complete exhaustion murmured, “I hope my neighbors wear earplugs,” and then fell off to sleep.
Brooke gently stroked her face. “I am crazy about you too,” she said, and then kissed her goodnight.
Mid-morning on Monday and Nikki arrived after having finished her early morning appointment. She had just settled into her desk when the door to her office flew open and then closed just as quickly. Nikki looked up and growled.
“Brooke, do you mind?” Nikki bit, putting her phone back on the hook. The distressed look on Brooke’s face immediately got her to her feet.
“What is it?” she asked, gently moving towards her PA.
“They know…I don’t know how but they know!” stuttered Brooke.
Nikki shook her head. “Brooke…you are not making any sense. Who knows what?”
“Them,” she replied, pointing behind her. “They all know about us…you know…what we did on your desk…”she said, lowering her voice.
Nikki tried to get her head around the information. Brooke continued, “I overheard two girls in the toilet talking about us…about Friday night in your office.”
Nikki leaned back against he desk, thinking. Then she chuckled, “Brooke, nobody saw anything. My door was closed, and we never really made it past first base anyway,” she said with a smirk.
Brooke shook her head but Nikki quieted her. “It’s just gossip; it will pass in a few days. It’s nothing to worry about,” she said, trivializing the matter.
Brooke, feeling a little easier, left Nikki’s office. Nikki went back to her desk and sat down. She put her head in her hands and groaned at the predicament she found herself in. Her self pity was put on hold when the phone rang. She held it away from her ear, or else the booming voice would have deafened her.
“Yeah, okay, on my way,” she said.
Nikki slowly walked down the corridor and felt like every eye in the company was on her, making her feel extremely uncomfortable. She was also extremely numb, thinking that she knew exactly what her father wanted to discuss. While in deep thought, she accidentally collided with Brooke.
“Hey, what’s up?” Brooke asked.
Before Nikki could answer a voice boomed down the corridor. “NICOLE GET IN HERE,” came James’ voice, “and bring Brooke with you.”
Brooke’s eyes widened and she looked at Nikki with fear. Nikki ignored the glare, and cut herself off, emotionally. She was prepared for the worst.
They sat down opposite James. Brooke was gripped with fear at the thought of losing her job, but when she looked at Nikki she saw no emotion whatsoever. Brooke was saddened, because this must have felt like déjà vu for Nikki with her ex-girlfriend.
“Um, Mr. Wilson? Can I start by saying that I don’t think what we have done will have any effect on the company’s image?” Brooke choked out, summoning all the dignity and calm she could.
James looked up at Brooke and shook his head, and then he directed his glare back to Nikki. Nikki started to shift uncomfortably waiting for the tirade.
“What is going on Nicole? I go away for a week and my company is in disarray?”
“Mr. Wilson, with all due respect, it wasn’t all Nikki’s fault.”
“Brooke, it wasn’t your signature authorizing a company party. It’s not your responsibility to ensure our company runs and our clients get what they ordered.”
Nikki slumped back in her chair, a little relieved. Her throat was dry, and she was unable to speak for a moment. Brooke also felt a moment of relief that his outburst was not aimed at their relationship.
“James, we have had some minor setbacks, but I assure you, we are getting back on track,” she answered.
“Oh, and throwing a party is your way of rewarding slack performance I suppose?”
Here we go, thought Brooke as she watched the intense exchange between the two Wilsons. Nikki’s body language showed her how uncomfortable she is.
“You authorized five thousand dollars for a party! What were you trying to prove? What possibly possessed you to do something so careless as to throw away my money? For God’s sake Nicole, you are the executive manager! You are supposed to show leadership and integrity!”
“I did it for morale. Things have been a little stressed of late,” came Nikki’s excuses.
“Stress? Stress is coming up with five thousand dollars to cover your mismanagement!” growled James.
Nikki’s face went dark and Brooke sensed she was ready to blow because he had questioned her judgement, so she decided to speak up.
“It has proved a success, Mr. Wilson! We have delivered to three clients already today and by Wednesday, I am pretty sure we will be caught up.”
Nikki looked over to Brooke and shook her head against the outburst, but she was too late.
“I didn’t ask for your opinion, Brooke. This is not the way to do business. It is about the clients. A company is not successful if its executive manager throws away good money after bad. Also, I strongly suggest you keep your pretty little mouth closed about matters that don’t concern you,” he bellowed.
Brooke blushed and Nikki growled, “ENOUGH!” then reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her check book. She wrote something, tore it out, and threw it to her father.
“Here’s the money for your damn function!”
Brooke watched in awe as Nikki signed over five grand without a blink.
Nikki jumped to her feet and headed towards the door.
“I’m not done yet! Sit down,” he yelled.
Nikki faced him, her eyes giving away how she felt. “If you have anything else to say on this matter, address it to me in a memo. Brooke, let’s go,” she ordered.
Nikki strode towards her office and she noticed two staff members looking at her. They looked at her and then back at Brooke over her shoulder and smiled. Nikki stopped and snapped at them.
“Have you two got something you want to say?”
They looked in horror and went blank.
“Then get back to work while you still have your jobs! Do I make myself clear?” she yelled.
Nikki continued into her office, slamming the door. Brooke knocked and entered, finding Nikki slumped across her desk in tears.
“Oh, Nikki,” but Nikki waved her back.
“Don’t…I can’t do this anymore…I can’t work here…”
“But you are the heart of this company. EVERYONE knows that,” Brooke replied, moving closer to her girlfriend.
“Well, why the hell can’t he see it?” she asked.
Brooke touched her face lightly. “I don’t know, baby.”
Nikki fell into Brooke’s arms and broke down. The door immediately opened and they parted quickly. James walked in and looked at them both.
“What, you don’t even have to knock now?” Nikki asked, tears streaming down her face.
Brooke noticed that James’ posture had changed and his head bowed. “Nicole,” he said softly, then flashed a glare at Brooke.
“I want a moment with my daughter,” he said to Brooke.
Brooke stood her ground in defiance but Nikki nodded her out. Brooke left but not before glaring back at James.
James looked at his daughter, he hadn’t seen her in this much grief since her mother died.
“Nicole, you are going to run this company some day, very soon. You are going to have to make decisions around here that you won’t like. Trying to be everybody’s friend doesn’t work and it gets you no respect.”
Nikki didn’t look at him, she just stared blankly out the window before replying, “I thought that was why you hired Brooke?”
“No…do you really think I would hand the company over to some new, young inexperienced kid? I know I am tough on you Nicole, but believe me when I say it is for your own benefit.”
“Dad if you don’t start cutting me some slack I don’t think I want to run this company. I don’t even think I want to be a part of it.”
“Nicole…you are this company,” he said, with a painfully honest look in his eyes. “I just sign the checks.”
Nikki looked at her father. She couldn’t remember the last time he had paid her a compliment.
James walked over to her. “I just want to make you prepared.”
Nikki just nodded.
Later that night in Brooke’s bed, Nikki rested her head on Brooke’s shoulder, feeling washed out from the day’s events.
“Nikki, are you sure?”
“Brooke, for the hundredth time I am fine, just tired. Can we drop it?” she sighed.
There was a little silence before Brooke started again. “Honey, you need to be stronger with your father. Stand up to him,” she encouraged. “He walks all over you because he thinks he can.”
Nikki closed her eyes. The last thing she wanted was another lecture, and from of all people her lover. “Brooke, please. You don’t know anything about it.”
“Yes, I do. You need to stop being so soft,” she giggled. “You big marshmallow,” she teased, poking her gently.
Nikki couldn’t take it any longer and left the bed. She started dressing. She could feel tears welling up again.
Brooke sat up, “Hey, where are you going?”
She faced Brooke. “I get this crap every day from my father. I’m not taking it from you too,” she answered and stormed out of the apartment. The cold night struck her in the face, only slightly warmed by the tears rolling down her cheeks.