Love Under Construction (The Love Under Series Book 1) (6 page)

I pounded her harder again and again until her scream pierced the air as she fell over the edge of ecstasy. I removed my thumb and gripped her hips, chasing my own orgasm, banging her walls until the only sound was my grunt as I spilled my seed into the condom. I kneeled on the couch with one leg and held onto the back to brace myself. As my essence drained from me, so did the energy to support myself and I draped myself over her. I reached up to release her arms, untwisting her t-shirt and bra from her hands and retrieving my belt. Her hands were free, but she didn’t move, and I could feel the gentle rippling aftereffects as her pussy continued to spasm around my softening cock. 

I reached down to my base and secured the condom before pulling out slowly. Jenny yelped beneath me at the loss. I stood up on wobbly legs and pulled off the condom trying not to spill anything.

“Where is your bathroom?” I asked as Jenny laid curled on the couch with a glazed sated look on her face. She lazily lifted her arm, pointing to the bedroom door. I shuffled through her bedroom, my pants still around my ankles, to the adjoining bathroom and threw the condom in the toilet, flushing it down. 

I washed my hands in the sink with the white bar soap instead of the pump. I didn’t want to smell like strawberry margaritas. I rinsed off my cock and washed my hands again. I dried off my dick with her frilly, pink, embroidered towel before pulling up my pants, tucking in, and zipping up. I looped my belt into place and walked back out into the living room. Jenny was still curled in a ball on the couch but her eyes were open. 

I walked over to her and pushed her hair out of her eyes with my hand. 

“That was fun.” I pet her hair and tucked a loose strand behind her ear.

She lifted her head to nod and look at me.

“See you around, Jenny,” I said and left a well-fucked Jenny on her couch. 

I descended the stairs and walked the two blocks back to the bar to pick up my truck and head home. As I started up my truck, the dash lights came on illuminating the odometer and the clock above the air vents. I couldn’t help but laugh out loud as I read the time: 10:09 PM. I was only a few minutes from home. With any luck, I could catch the weather and sports scores before I went to bed. 

It was time to face the music. The weekend was over, and I should have been going back to work. I used the automated system to call off the night before, but I had a decision to make. I wasn't ready to go back to work and Dallas. I wasn't ready to face Bill. I couldn't stand the thought of seeing him every day. 

I had been at my office for seven years before William Smith III took the seat of head of corporate sales. Even though his office was on the floor above mine, he always found an excuse to come downstairs after we crossed paths a little over a year ago. People always say you shouldn't date coworkers, but we worked on different floors and in completely different departments. 

A year later, everyone knew we were dating, there would be questions raised that I wasn’t ready to answer. As it was, those jealous, clucking chicken gossip heads we're always gabbing how I got to go to all the corporate parties and events and the little guys didn’t. If they only knew the real Bill and could see my face right now, maybe their opinions would be different. I decided to call human resources and see what my options were. I dialed the number to the office and hit #-4-2 to get transferred directly into human resources.

“Human Resources, how may help you?”

“Hi, this is Suzanne Pierce. I have a question regarding time off.”

“Yes, Suzie. It's Marie. I got your sick call, are you okay? Feeling better?”

“I'm okay. Just a bit of a stomach flu I think,” I lied.

“That's what Bill said when he came in this morning.” The sound of Bill’s name sent a shiver down my spine, ironing my resolve that I wasn't ready to deal with him.

“Marie, I need to know about taking a leave of absence.”

“Let me pull up your records. Let's see if you have time coming to you. Is your stomach that bad?”

“Well, I will probably take a few days just to be sure, but I have some family business to attend to and was wondering how I could apply for time off.”

I heard the faint clicks of her keyboard through the receiver of the phone as I imagined her navigating the company database.

“Suzie, you have plenty of time to take. You have been here seven years and have never taken a vacation. So at the current contract, first year is one week, years two to five are two weeks per year and year six to seven is three weeks each. So, that's fifteen weeks of vacation you have on the books.”

“Wow, I didn't realize it was that much!”

“You also get three sick days unexcused per year of what you've only used four in the last seven years. That makes seventeen. How much time do you need? Depending on what it's for, there are a few options.”

“I just need to sort out some personal stuff.”

“Is anyone long term ill that you're taking care of? There is a FMLA act if that is the case.”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Okay, well you already called off today. I can excuse the rest of the week in paid sick days and start vacation on Monday. This way all your benefits will remain intact and you're covered.”

“I appreciate that. Thank you. How much notice do I need before I return?”

“Give me a call a week in advance. If anything changes or you need more time, let me know, or else I will see you in four months.”

“Thanks again, Marie.”

“Feel better, Suzie,” she said, and she hung up.

Seven years without a vacation and I was in Oklahoma. My salary would be directly deposited as usual, and it was Bill's apartment so he was responsible for the rent. I googled the USPS on my phone and asked that my mail be held at the post office. I didn't have any credit cards or utility bills in my name to worry about. So all the junk mail could wait. 

I took a deep breath and looked around. Aubrey started her life in this house. I wondered if I could do the same. She had her family and a job waiting for her there, I didn't even know where to begin. I had four months to figure it out.

A soft knock at the door roused me from my thoughts. I walked to the screen door and found Kelli standing on the porch dressed in a floral frilly apron protecting her clothes.

“I didn't disturb you, did I, Suzie?”

“Oh, no, Miss Kelli. I was just making a few phone calls.”

“I was just about to sit down for lunch and thought I would come over and see if you were hungry.”

My stomach hurt at the mention of food and growled loudly, answering her question before I had a chance to respond. Kelli giggled and grabbed my hand.

“Come on, let's get some food in you, dear.”

“Thank you, Miss Kelli. I don't have a vehicle here, so I haven't had a chance to get any groceries yet,” I said as we crossed small divide to the main house.

“Well, I'm sure you'll be spending time with Aubrey, but in the meanwhile, one of the guys can deliver some groceries for me. Make a list, and one of them will bring them by.”

“That would be great. I will do that”

“Now sit and eat. It's nothing special since I wasn't expecting company. If you tell me what you like I can make it happen; I love to cook. I am used to cooking for these boys every day, but I am usually alone for lunch.”

“Oh, you don't have to cook for me. Once I get some groceries, I will be fine.”

“Don't be silly, Suzie. I'm glad to have some company during the day. It's chicken salad sandwiches and some pasta salad.”

I looked down at the” nothing special” meal Kelli had prepared and smiled at the trimmed crust and fresh parsley sitting on the plate. It was a plate fit for restaurant service.

“Do you have any plans for tomorrow?

“No, not yet.”

“Well, I have a doctor's appointment in the morning in Oklahoma City. So I will be gone most of the day. Feel free to take one of the horses out for a ride. Buttercup or Sunshine are really calm. They won’t throw you.”

“I haven’t ridden in a long while. I’m not even sure I would be able to saddle them.”

“I can have one of the guys saddle Buttercup for you. Even if you decide not to ride, it won’t hurt to have her saddled.”

“Won’t that bother her?”

“No, it’s good training for her. She doesn’t get ridden too often these days. It prevents her from getting fussy when we do want to ride her. You can take her to town if you need anything. There are tie downs at the auction house. Kristi knows Buttercup.”

“It's okay. I can walk.”

“Don't be silly, it is nearly three miles into town.”

“I will think about it, but I don’t think I need anything from town.” I didn't want to offend Kelli after all the kindness she’d shown me. I didn’t want anyone seeing me a mess. 

“Now let's eat.”

We ate the rest of our lunch and chatted in-between bites. Kelli was so energetic and easy to talk to. I know she saw my blackened eye and cracked lip, but she didn't mention it and never pressed for an explanation.

I devoured my sandwich with gusto and enjoyed popping each twisty noodle of my pasta salad in my mouth as I tried to capture the diced bits of peppers, cheese, and vegetables scattered within.

After spearing the last bit with my fork, I helped Kelli clean the dishes and she invited me out to the back porch. We brought our drinks out with us and sat in the patio chairs.

“So how long are you staying, sweetie?”

Oh no. I have overstayed my welcome.
“I hadn't given it too much thought yet. I've taken a leave of absence from work.”

“Oh, so you're on vacation then,” Kelli asked.

“Something like that. I have a lot to think about.”

“The right answers will come to you in time. You're welcome to stay as long as you like, but what about your home in Dallas?”

“I'm not sure where home is anymore. It was my ex’s apartment.”

“If you decide to stay, the guest house is yours. The rent is $500 a month with everything included.”

“I’m getting vacation pay and not paying on an apartment in Dallas anymore, so I will have rent to you later today. I’m on vacation for four months, what will happen beyond that I'm not sure.”

“Welcome to Oklahoma, for four months. You make me that shopping list, and I'll make sure you have groceries by tomorrow afternoon.”

“I will get on that right away.” I left Kelli on the back porch to finish her tea, and I went inside make a shopping list and write her a check.

I slept in Tuesday morning. It was so quiet on the outskirts of town. The occasional faint neigh from the horses in the barn in the distance was the only sound. I was showered and dressed and simply curled up with my Kindle on the edge of couch. I didn't want to lose track of time, as it often happened, so I got dressed to make sure I was ready ahead of time. I wanted to go into town and look around.

The sound of a truck pulling up the gravel driveway grasped my attention away from the motorcycle club in my latest book. I went to see what all the noise was about. I opened the front door to find a man banging on Kelli’s door with his elbow holding a big box with grocery bags sticking out of it. He had a blue Mohawk that stuck straight up high above his head, well-worn jeans, a black t-shirt, work boots, and a sleeve of colorful tattoos.