Once Rebecca and I are inside the penthouse, I show her through the place. When you first step off the elevator there’s a foyer with two large double doors. I give Rebecca my spare key, and let her know to keep it close. Claude has a key that will work in an emergency, so Rebecca is the only other person besides Hank who has the ability to enter my home. People can get off the elevator and come to the front door, but access inside is limited.
I take Rebecca through the door and show her the open floor plan. The large living space is surrounded by windows with views of the city. I love this space, and it’s a good thing, since I spend every moment I’m not at work in it. But for some reason I want her to like it too. I want her approval.
When I finish showing her the kitchen, dining room and gym, it’s time to show her the bedrooms. I have apprehensions about this because I know I’ll feel the tension of having her in my space. No one besides me has been in my bedroom, so I am preparing for the inevitable panic attack.
“So this is the dragon’s lair?” she asks when I open the door to the master suite.
“This is where I sleep, yes,” I say, and brace myself for the anxiety.
Rebecca pushes by me and walks over to my bed. The master suite is quite large, with the bed in the middle of the room. I wanted to be able to face the city when I slept and this was the only way I could control that. She makes a full circle around the bed and then eventually sits on the edge of it. She looks so comfortable in my space. Like she belongs here. I feel my chest warm, and I almost want to laugh. I’ve caught a fairy.
“What’s with that smirk?” she asks and crosses her legs.
“Just wondering if this is what Peter Pan felt like,” I mumble.
“What?”
“Nothing. We should get you…”
Ding dong
I mentally go through my checklist for today and realize that’s probably Cindy for tonight’s event. Fuck! How did I forget about that?
“Expecting company?” Rebecca asks and I can see the confusion on her face.
“My day was thrown off a little after I was interrupted. I forgot about a work function I have this evening,” I say, and move to leave.
Before I go to the front door I look at Rebecca sitting on my bed and realize I never had one second of panic. This is a first for me, and I don’t know exactly how to process it.
“Just stay here. I’ll handle this and be back in a few minutes.”
I make my way across the penthouse and answer the door. Cindy is standing there in a black cocktail dress. She’s always the easy choice for a work dinner. She doesn’t speak much, and knows which fork to use. I wonder how it would be if I took Rebecca instead. I shake that thought off as I allow Cindy into the living room. She has been to my home a few times, but she’s always remained inside the living area. I had forgotten, in all the chaos today, that I’d scheduled an early dinner with a potential investor and invited Cindy to attend with me, as the new client was bringing his wife.
“You’re early.”
“I know how you approve of punctuality. I tried to remind you earlier when you dismissed me for the day, but I assumed our dinner was still on. Our reservations are for four thirty, so I wanted to be sure we had time to prep before the meeting.”
“Jesus, I thought I heard a cat dying.”
I turn in time to see Rebecca walking into the room with her finger in her ear. I never noticed how annoying Cindy’s voice was until she pointed it out.
“Rebecca, you remember my assistant, Cindy.”
“What is she doing here?” Cindy accuses, and I snap around at her tone.
“She’s a guest in my home, and if you can’t show her some respect, the door is directly behind you,” I say coldly. I know Cindy can be a little snotty at times, but I’ve never noticed it directed at someone before.
“I’ll be in the bedroom if you need me,” Rebecca says, and walks away leaving us alone.
“Are we still on for dinner?”
“Of course. I’ll need to change. Please have a seat on the sofa and I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”
Everyone is trying my patience today. I’m going to snap soon. I can feel it.
I walk back to the bedroom and see Rebecca lying across the bed. I stop in my tracks and turn to shut the door behind me. For some reason this feels intimate. Cindy needs to leave the building. No one should witness this but me.
Rebecca looks at me, and then stretches like a kitten on top of the covers, completely messing up the neatly made bed.
“Mind if I take a bath in here before I get ready for bed? It’s been a long day and I see you’ve got plans tonight,” she says, but I swear I catch a dash of anger. Is she upset that I’m leaving her alone for the night? I would cancel but this potential investor is big, and I want the business.
I showed Rebecca the guest room with an en suite earlier, but I never clarified that it was her room. I think in the back of my mind I wanted to see what she’d do about sleeping arrangements.
“Yes. That’s no problem. Make yourself at home,” I say nervously. I don’t know what her next move will be, and I’m terrified if I stand here much longer, I won’t be able to control myself. That I’ll want to reach out and touch her.
I move to the closet and pull out a suit. I turn around to close the closet door to get dressed but Rebecca walks in. She’s taken my shirt off, and her pants as well. She’s wearing a hot-pink thong that barely covers her pussy, and I grip the hanger of the suit I’m holding to keep my hands to myself. My attention focuses between her legs, until she snaps her fingers and I blink.