An Offer He Shouldn’t Refuse #WickedWednesday

“You promise to watch yourself tonight, Mark? This dinner is a big deal to me. An invite to the boss’s house is a huge opportunity for me.” Laura took one last look in the bathroom mirror, hating what the lighting did to her skin tone. She wouldn’t admit she was hoping this dinner would lead to more attention from Mr. Price, her very hot boss, during office hours, too. “Please, Mark. No drinks tonight. You know how you are once you start drinking. If you can be good, I’ll make it worth your while when we get home.”

The only response to her sexual bribery was a grunt as he swiped at his hair and checked his teeth in the mirror next to her.

“Mark? Did you hear me?” Laura’s tone bordered on a screech, an undignified sound she hated, but he could be such a loose cannon, and this was one night she couldn’t afford his drunken antics.

“Laura, I’ve got your back. I know what you want, and I’ll make sure you get it.” He leaned down and buried his nose in her neck, breathing deep. “Trust me, babe?”

God, she loved it when he touched her neck like that. Her stomach fluttered. Her knees softened.

“Mmmm, yeah, Mark. I trust you.” Gone was the shrew. All that was left of her was a puddle at his feet.

The drive was quiet. Laura couldn’t take her mind off of her boss, imagining what he’d be like in the comfort of his own home. At the office, he was all three-piece Armani suits and brilliantly colored silk ties. On the last staff retreat, she’d seen him in a pair of slacks and a cableknit sweater. Thinking about him dressed in any fashion made her drool. Although the thought of him naked made other parts of her body wet, too.

“Laura?”

Shaken from her reverie, she was surprised to find Mark staring at her. Smirking, actually. He couldn’t possibly know what she was thinking. Could he?

“Yes, babe?”

“Are we here? Is this the right building?”

She looked out of the window and straight up. The Price Building was emblazoned with his name. “Uh, yeah? He’s Mr. Price of Price Enterprises, the bajillionaire I work for. Jeez, Mark! Get a clue!”

With an angry shrug, she jerked open the car door and slammed it before walking towards the main entrance. She didn’t look behind to see if Mark was handling the valet or driving away. Sometimes he got on her damn nerves!

By the time she felt his gentle touch on her elbow, she’d managed to control her agitation and breathing. It wouldn’t look good if she was snapping at her husband while trying to gain access to the top floor.

She approached an intimidating front desk area, unsure of who she should speak to. “We’re here to see-.”

“Laura?! So glad to see you made it already!” Her boss’s voice boomed out over the lobby.

Laura forced herself to breathe and to maintain her composure. Showing her desire for her boss to him or her husband wasn’t a good idea. Turning, she smiled her “work” smile – the professional, cool look she’d perfected over the years. “Mr. Price! I didn’t expect you to be down here.”

She walked towards the tall, muscular man who’d been center stage in all her recent fantasies. Mark gripped her elbow, halting her in mid-step.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me? Dear?” Laura gritted her teeth before flashing an angry look in her husband’s direction.

“Mr. Price, this is my husband Mark. Mark, meet Mr. Price.”

The men exchanged pleasantries, none of which Laura heard as she alternately seethed with annoyance at Mark and tried desperately not to inhale the intoxicating spicy scent of her boss.

“Laura, Mark, this isn’t business. Call me Conor.” They smiled and nodded. “Before we go up, join me at the bar. Let’s get a drink and just relax a moment.”

Knowing there was no polite way to refuse, Laura smiled her acquiescence. As the couple followed Conor towards the bar he’d clearly been enjoying before they arrived, Laura shot Mark a warning look. Behave!

Mark winked at her and guided her to Conor’s table. He turned to the server hovering nearby and said, “I’ll have what he’s having and make it a double. Bring the lady a pinot noir.”

“Wow, Mark, you’re a man who lives on the edge. I’m enjoying a bit of Jameson to mellow me out before dinner. Sure that’s what you want?” Conor’s voice wasn’t mocking. To Laura’s relief, he seemed unwilling to let Mark have too much. Maybe the night would go well after all.

“Even better. I want to talk to you about something, and it’ll go easier if we’re both feeling no pain.”

Laura’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline. What did he have planned? What the hell was he about to do?

“Good man, Mark! I like to chat over drinks. Less formal and sometimes more fun that way! What did you have in mind?”

The waiter arrived with the men’s whiskey. Mark picked his up and swallowed in one quick gulp. Laura’s eyes widened as Mark cleared his throat and indicated he wanted another. He winked at her before turning his attention to Conor.

“Well, Conor. Laura has a problem, but she’ll never admit it to me or you. Between us, I think we can help her out.” Mark sat back in his chair, propping one elbow on the back.

Conor leaned forward, his eyes gleaming, as if he was anticipating Mark’s next words.

Laura glared daggers at her husband and tried to shrink down in her chair. She stared at the deep red of her wine and pretended to be invisible. She would not make a scene in front of her boss, but when they got home, she was going to let Mark know exactly what she thought of his bullshit antics.

“My wife wants to fuck you. After one look at you, I can see why. Wouldn’t mind hitting that myself, actually, if you were interested, of course.” Laura gasped and choked. Conor chuckled. Mark grinned. “So what’s say we stop pretending this is a dinner to get to know your employee better and make it what it really is – an attempt to seduce my wife. With my full support, of course.”

For the first time in their marriage, Laura was shocked into total silence. She was afraid to make a single sound. Conor’s response would determine her entire future, and she refused to ruin it with her own stupid nagging. Eyes round and wide, she looked from man to man, wondering what the hell was going on, and what would possibly happen next.

Conor downed his drink in one gulp, just as Mark had. Setting his glass down on the table, he stared at the rim for a moment before lifting his gaze to Laura, then Mark.

“I like how you think, Mark. Grab your drinks and let’s talk about this more upstairs. I’m sure we can find an arrangement that works for all of us.”

Welcome to Wicked Wednesday! This week’s prompt was “She wants to make a good impression when having dinner at her boss’s house, but her husband has a tendency to say exactly what is on his mind if he has one drink too many…” Okay, so maybe he didn’t have that much but he used it as liquid courage. Whatever works. I’m pretty sure the resulting “conversation” will be good for everyone involved. Ha!