Between the Two of Us (Just Between Us #1) Read online

  Between the Two of Us

  Alice Bright

  Copyright © 2014 by Alice Bright

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Rebecca just broke up with her boyfriend.

  Calvin just got divorced.

  A business trip is just the reprieve they’re both looking for. After all, what better way to get their minds off the painful reality of their lives?

  When the coworkers find themselves together in the hotel bar one night, sparks begin to fly.

  While getting into a relationship with someone from work isn't something Rebecca thinks is a good idea, she can't help herself from wanting just one night with him.

  Will Rebecca make the first move?

  Or will she return home from her trip as heartbroken as when she left?

  Find out in this erotic novelette by Alice Bright.

  Table of Contents

  One 5

  Two 7

  Three 9

  Four 12

  Five 15

  Six 18

  Seven 21

  Eight 24

  One

  Dennis had only been gone for two weeks.

  It had only been two weeks.

  It had been an entire two weeks.

  It had been half a month.

  And Rebecca couldn’t move on.

  She packed her suitcase slowly, trying not to think of him with each item she packed.

  Her black panties went into the suitcase. She had worn them on their trip to New York City. After a night of dancing, drinking, and laughing, he had yanked them off in the elevator on the way up to their room.

  Next she tossed in her too-high heels. Five inches might sound like a broken ankle waiting to happen, but she had been wearing them the night that they’d met. They looked good on her. They looked damn good.

  The tennis shoes she packed for her morning jogs were the ones they had picked out together. Dennis was a personal trainer. Of course he would teach her to run.

  Rebecca sighed and fell backwards onto her bed. This business trip was the worst thing to happen to her this week. She didn’t want to spend her weekend in Denver. She especially didn’t want to spend it with her boring coworkers whose idea of a good time was a matinee at a discount theater.

  Three days of meetings, talks, and getting to know the people she worked with sounded like a nightmare.

  And it was one she just couldn’t wake up from.

  When Dennis had dumped her suddenly, Rebecca had been caught off guard. She had lost almost ten pounds since the breakup because she simply wasn’t eating. She couldn’t. She couldn’t even look at food, much less keep anything down. The idea of losing him to another woman killed her.

  It was all she could do to stop thinking about the what-ifs.

  What if she had been more creative in bed?

  What if she had been thinner?

  What if she had been a better listener?

  What if…?

  Deep down, Rebecca knew that there was nothing she could have done to keep him. If he wanted to leave, he would have found a way.

  But their 2-year relationship had come crumbling down with just six words: six words she couldn’t stop hearing over and over and over again.

  I’m in love with someone else.

  Two

  “You look like you could use some coffee.”

  Calvin offered a steaming mug to Rebecca at their first 7:30 meeting. The flight the night before had been turbulent and unpleasant, full of crying babies and coughing passengers. Rebecca asked herself the entire flight why she hadn’t quit her job yet.

  She wondered if it was worth it.

  This morning had been rough. After waking up at six to shower, eat breakfast, and get dressed, Rebecca barely had enough time to slap on a thin layer of makeup before rushing to the conference room.

  “Thank you,” she said to Calvin, immediately grateful for his thoughtfulness.

  They had worked together for six months, but had never been close. In fact, they’d spend the entire six months arguing with each other. Anytime Rebecca had a suggestion, Calvin seemed to one up her to their boss. Then again, she did the same thing to Calvin.

  When they weren't busy arguing, they were bantering playfully and flirting far more than they ought to. Their relationship seemed to bounce between the two extremes constantly. Despite the arguments and the bantering, Rebecca couldn’t help noticing every day just how attractive Calvin really was.

  The faint hint of a beard covered his chin, drawing her eyes upward to his dazzling green ones.

  Yes, Calvin was good looking.

  Yes, he seemed to be aware of this.

  She wondered if he was single.

  Then she laughed to herself.

  Of course he wasn’t. No one was single anymore.

  At 29, Rebecca was old enough to be married. Most people were. It didn’t make sense to be single anymore. At this age, it felt desperate to be entering the dating game again. It felt naïve. It felt childish.

  Still, Dennis hadn’t left her much of a choice.

  While Rebecca had thought they were heading toward marriage, he hadn’t felt the same way.

  Apparently.

  Rebecca couldn’t help but play back conversation after conversation in her head. How many nights had he canceled their plans unexpectedly? How many times had he been “out with the guys”? How had she not seen the warning signs?

  How could she not have known?

  “Rebecca?”

  “What?” She returned to reality and a room of her colleagues staring at her.

  “Have a seat. We’re starting.”

  “Of course,” she headed to her assigned seat. “Sorry, Mr. Montgomery.”

  Her boss was older than her, but handsome. Brian had always been a kind leader. Though he was strict with his employees, he was always fair. Rebecca admired that. She felt his eyes follow her as she hurried to her seat.

  Embarrassed, Rebecca pulled out her pen and notebook and began to listen to one of the most boring presentations she’d ever heard. She tried to stay focused on what was being said and to offer up insights and answer questions when she could, but inside her heart was breaking and all she wanted to do was to be alone.

  Three

  By the time 7:00 rolled around, Rebecca was ready to collapse.

  It wasn’t simply that her meetings were boring.

  It was that they were so boring she wanted to claw her eyes out. There were only so many different ways people should show you to prepare spreadsheets before you wanted to reach across the table and smash their laptop into a thousand pieces.

  But maybe that was just her hormones talking.

  Mr. Montgomery and Calvin leaned over a pile of notes together, deep in thought. A few other conference attendees seemed to be reviewing notes. Rebecca stared at the remnants of an entire day’s worth of coffee and snacks. A few of the attendees were talking about going out to dinner or to the hotel bar for drinks.

  All Rebecca could think about was going to sleep. She ignored the growing sensation in the pit of her stomach, gathered up her notes, and turned to leave.

  “Hey, where are you rushing off to?” It was Lynnette. Thin, slender, and always put-together, Lynnette was one of Rebecca’s favorite coworkers. She envied the way the woman always seemed so perfect.

  While most of the time, female employees from the same office would share a room at a conference, Lynnette had brought her husband and sprung for a private room. Rebecca was
n’t going to complain. She liked having an entire hotel room to herself. That said, she knew Lynnette must be a perfect roommate. There was no way she couldn’t be perfect.

  “I’m sorry,” Rebecca confessed. “I know everyone is going out, but I’m spent. Maybe I can get it together tomorrow, but I’m completely done.”

  “Don’t worry,” Lynnette smiled. “I get it. Gerald and I are going to order room service and hit the sack. These meetings seem to be a lot more challenging than I expected.”

  “No kidding.”

  “Okay, well, I’ll see you tomorrow morning bright and early. Don’t forget to bring your notes for your presentation.”

  “How could I forget?” Rebecca smiled halfheartedly, but inside she was dreading having to giving a speech in front of the other conference goers. Her company was working on a number of new and exciting projects that were important to the future of the organization, but she didn’t really care right now. She knew that she should, but she just couldn’t. All she wanted to do was sleep and forget that this entire year had happened.

  Feeling a little bad about being antisocial, but completely worn out, Rebecca headed upstairs to her room. Instead of the elevator, she opted to climb the four flights of stairs. A little exercise wouldn’t hurt her, but by the time she reached her room, she felt weak at the knees.

  Rebecca opened the door to her room and locked it behind her. A wave of cool air rushed over her. She was glad she’d left the air conditioner on before she’d headed to the meeting. Slipping out of her pantyhose, skirt, and blouse, she laid on her bed in only her panties.

  It had been weeks since she’d had sex.

  Hell, it had been months.

  She should have noticed, when Dennis started coming up with excuses to skip sex, that something was wrong. He had always assured her, though, that things were normal. He had always told her that everything was okay, but that he was tired, busy, or stressed.

  Rebecca closed her eyes and slipped off her bra. Her nipples immediately became erect in the cool bedroom air. She traced her hands over her slender stomach and up to her breasts. They weren’t big, by any means, but they were perky.

  And they felt wonderful beneath her hands. Pinching her nipples and rubbing her breasts softly, she thought about what it was like to be with someone else.

  It had been so long since she’d been with someone new.

  Calvin briefly popped into her mind, surprising her.

  What was it about him that made him seem so…delicious?

  Though they had their moments of disagreement, she couldn't help but find him attractive. He was so confident and self-assured. She just knew he was the type of guy who could show a girl a good time.

  Nothing would ever happen between them, she knew, but that didn’t stop her from thinking about what his cock would feel like gliding between her legs and into her pussy.

  She would kiss his neck, nibbling and biting as he pinned her heads above her head, playfully teasing her.

  Calvin’s hands were strong. She wondered if they would feel smooth or calloused as he traced a finger down her neck and over her breast, flicking her nipple slightly before burying it in his mouth.

  Rebecca slid her panties down and kicked them away, sliding her hand over her shaved pussy. Just because she wasn’t getting any didn’t mean she was giving up on taking care of herself. She still shaved and groomed herself on a daily basis.

  After all, she never knew what might happen.

  Fingering herself came naturally as she slid her index finger in and out of her wetness. She surprised herself with just how wet she’d gotten thinking about being with Calvin. Too bad he was probably dating someone. Oh well. She could still imagine, couldn’t she?

  And then there was Mr. Montgomery.

  Strong, dedicated, and powerful, he was one of her favorite people to fantasize about. Their office had a no-tolerance policy, so she knew that he would be off-limits to her forever. That didn't make him any less tasty to think about.

  What would Mr. Montgomery do to Rebecca if he had her alone for an hour?

  Two hours?

  Twenty minutes?

  He was older than her and more experienced. She had no doubt that he'd had his share of women in his day. Rebecca wondered what it would be like to be one of those women. Was he powerful and demanding in bed, the way that he was in the office? Was he subtle and gentle? Was he kind and quiet?

  Was he the type of man who would bend her over the desk and fuck her until she came? Or was he the kind of guy who would gently make love to her in bed?

  Completely consumed by her thoughts, Rebecca continued to finger herself with one hand and play with her tits with the other until she finally climaxed alone. Her orgasm, though good, was less satisfying than she had expected it to be.

  Exhausted physically and emotionally, she allowed herself to fall asleep on the lone bed in her room, drifting off into a sleep filled with fantasies and regret.

  Four

  Rebecca woke to the sound of someone knocking.

  She slipped out of bed and looked around sleepily for something to slip on. Remembering the complimentary robes in the closet by the door, she grabbed one and tied it on before opening her hotel room door.

  To her surprise, Lynnette was standing there with a confused look on her face.

  “Lynnette?” Rebecca asked. “What are you doing here?”

  “It’s 8:45,” she told Rebecca. “Mr. Montgomery sent me to check on you. Are you okay?” Lynnette tried to slyly peek behind Rebecca’s shoulder, as if checking to see if there was a man there.

  “Shit,” Rebecca muttered. “I completely passed out last night and forgot to set my alarm. I’m so sorry. Let me shower and get dressed. I’ll be down in twenty.”

  “Allrighty,” Lynnette said pleasantly. “I’ll let them know.”

  She turned away and Rebecca closed the door, feeling frustrated that she was performing so poorly on her trip. Why was she letting her anxiety about her relationship impact her work? She had been doing fine when she was in the office, but something about being alone, away from home, and in a hotel room was making her feel off her game.

  She had to hurry up. Her presentation was at 10 and showing up late wasn’t exactly the best way to make friends at the conference. Running through her presentation in her mind, Rebecca quickly showered. As she allowed the hot water to pour over her body and slip over her, she couldn’t help but wish someone was in there with her.

  Mr. Montgomery came to mind, briefly. Rebecca tried to push the image of her boss out of her mind, but she couldn’t. He was so tall and strong. He was powerful. He had an amazing voice and he always made her feel…was dominated the right word? It shouldn’t be, but she thought it was. He was very in control of every situation and Rebecca liked it.

  She wouldn’t mind losing control to him sometime.

  Unfortunately for Rebecca, she knew he was happily married. While she wasn’t exactly a moral saint, she also knew it was one thing to cheat on a boyfriend and another to cheat on a spouse. She didn’t want to be the other woman. She had no desire for that. Pushing Brian out of her mind, Rebecca dressed, grabbed a protein bar from her bag, and headed downstairs with her notes.

  Her first meeting today was in a large banquet hall. While she was going to sit with her group, Rebecca was glad that it was a large enough room that no one noticed her sneaking in late. When she sat down at her company’s table, Brian shot her a pissed-off look.

  “I’m sorry,” she mouthed silently with a shrug.

  She knew she’d pay for it later.

  Calvin seemed amused at her tardiness. A sly grin twinkled at the edge of his lips, as if there was a joke or snide remark he was trying to get out. Rebecca looked away from him. The last thing she needed today was distractions. She needed to focus. It wouldn’t be long before it was her turn to give a presentation.

  While Rebecca never dealt with stage fright, she did deal with wordiness. Her stack of note cards w
ould help her to keep her presentation short, concise, and brief, giving only the necessary information about her company’s latest project and what the rest of the organizations present could expect from them in the coming year.

  The minutes seemed to creep by until there were only a few left until the presentation. Brian came quietly over to Rebecca and leaned down to whisper to her.

  “Are you all set, Beck?”

  “Yes, Mr. Montgomery. I’m so sorry I was late. It won’t happen again, I just-“