Room w View Ch. 06

She was unusually quiet. I pressed her to see if something was wrong. After a moment's hesitation, she placed her beer on the counter. She turned to me and pulled me to her. I felt her large, soft body engulf me. Hugging me tightly, she said, "thank you."

I hugged her back. "For what?"

"For including me in the meetings with Jerome. Thank you for telling him that I was important. Thank you for treating me like a real person. Thank you for never making me feel bad about my appearance."

I thought I heard a catch in her breath. Annie was sobbing. I hugged her harder.

"Annie, I hope you know how important you are to me. I should be thanking you."

We stood holding each other for a long time. Finally, Annie got control of herself.

"Shall I order dinner?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm going to get a workout in. Surprise me with what you order."

I went to my room, stripped and looked out my window. For the time of year, it was rainy and cold. The weather reminded me more of the east coast rather than middle America. I thought I might also take a sauna and really relax.

I was just finishing my jumping routine in our small workout area, when Annie came in. By now, she was accustomed to seeing me naked. She would walk in while I was exercising, talk to me in the shower and never batted an eyelash if I walked around the suite naked late at night or in the morning.

"Food's here," she said. "Plus, I got a call from Agnes. She said the sale of the hotels just closed and that Jerome was singing our praises."

Toweling off, I said, "Did I just hear you say 'our praises'?"

"Yeah," said Annie, "how fucking crazy is that?"

I held my hand up and she high-fived me. I really wanted to hug her, but being naked I thought better of it. "Can supper hold for a bit?"

"Sure."

"Feel like a sauna," I said and began walking toward the small box.

I adjusted the heat and spread a towel on the bench. Sweat was dripping off my brow when the door opened. Annie stood in the doorway holding a towel in front of her.

"Do you mind?" she asked.

"Not at all."

Annie turned and spread the towel on the bench opposite me. There was no way I could avoid looking at her naked rear. Annie's calves were shapely and her ample thighs showed no cellulite. Her butt was broad, but looked firm. I'd go far as to say it was sexy. She was wide in the hips and narrow in the shoulders. Her thighs were thick and did not allow any glimpse of what lay between her legs.

After adjusting the towel, for much longer than was necessary, she called over her shoulder. "Have you seen enough and can I turn around now?"

"You think I was staring?" I asked, hoping she could hear the humor in my voice.

"God, I hope so. Either that or you passed out in shock."

"Turn around, Annie."

Slowly she turned. Standing still, she lifted her arms from her side and let me gaze on her naked body. She kept her eyes tightly shut.

I looked at every inch. Annie had a peaches and cream complexion and the skin on the rest of her was pink and glowed. Around her wide hips, she had ample flesh, but it did not sag nor were there rolls of fat. She had a neatly trimmed patch of dark between her legs. I was most surprised by her breasts. They were small, firm and exceptionally attractive. Pointing out slightly to each side, each breast was topped by a small rose-colored areola and a darker nipple. The image that finally formed in my mind was a sexy cherub.

"Annie, you can open your eyes and sit down. I'm done ogling."

"No shit, you actually ogled."

I laughed and said, "Yes, I did. And, I must say it was a mighty fine ogle."

Her smile increased the temperature in the small hot box. "Not grossed out?" she asked.

"God, no. If you weren't my assistant, I'd tell you how freaking hot you look."

"Oh, well, maybe we could sorta forget the assistant part for a minute," she said looking at me.

"Annie, you are freaking hot. I think you have a sexy body. And, since this is a one-time only time to say what we think, let me add that your breasts are phenomenal."

"God, I could so hug you right now."

"Uh, naked hugging is probably not a good idea. I'm having enough difficulty keeping things under control."

We both glanced at my crotch to see my semi-erection.

"You know, Kyle, this may come as a surprise to you, but I've seen hard-ons before."

"On any of your bosses?"

Annie howled. "Nope, can't say that's ever happened. But, if it did, so what? At the resorts I go to guys get them all the time. We mostly just ignore them and they go away."

Talking about erections didn't help and now I was totally erect.

"My bad," I said looking at my pole.

"Looks good to me," she said. We both smiled.

Annie and I enjoyed the heat for another few minutes.

"I'm baked," I said and stood. Fortunately, I was back down to half-mast. Annie sat and looked at what was now at eye level.

"Yeah, I need to cool down, too." I wasn't sure if that was a double meaning, so I let it slide.

We stepped into the cool air of the workout room. I looked once more at her sweat covered body and smiled. "You are beautiful, Annie. Now, let's get ready for dinner."

She walked toward her room. I watched her big butt bounce along. She must have sensed that I was staring and looked back over her shoulder. She smiled, looked at my now erect dick and turned to go to her room.

I took a quick shower in my bathroom and pulled on jeans and a shirt. Annie was dressed similarly and was fixing plates as I came into the dining room.

I poured a couple glasses of wine and we sat in the living room to eat the lasagna and salad she had ordered.

"So, can we still continue to work together?" she asked.

"I want to."

"Not freaked out?" she asked.

"No, not in the least. How about you?"

"I feel relieved, actually."

Frowning I asked, "How so?"

"Seeing you naked around here has not bothered me. I mean it hasn't interfered with our working relationship. But, I felt that I was not being honest with myself. I like being naked, too. So, I figured I'd take the chance. Now, we each have seen each other and I think that's good."

"Yeah. So, where do we go from here?" I asked.

"Well, I definitely think we should wear clothes when we're working, and when Alice is here. After hours, when it's just us, I'm open to being nude. That's how I am at home."

"Me, too. So, you're really ok with it. I mean I don't want to be creating any sort of hostile environment."

"Jesus, Kyle, stop thinking like a fucking lawyer. I am sure we are not going to end up in bed together. I do not think you are hitting on me or trying to be provocative. Neither am I, just so you know. I enjoy being nude and so do you. Let's leave it at that and not worry about anything else. We should just feel free to wear whatever."

I raised my wine glass. "To whatever."

"Yeah, whatever."

***

In spite of our pact to enjoy a relaxed dress code, Annie and I found ourselves immersed in so much work that we barely had time to think. Most nights we ate late, maybe had a beer and crashed in our separate beds. In the morning we might enjoy a nude breakfast, but mostly we rushed through the day.

By the second week in June, we opened our new office. Annie was still finalizing the décor, but I had my office operating. In addition to Alice, who was local, we imported a paralegal from the home office and one of the associates. I tasked the associate to check out the local firms and give me some options if any of them might make a good match for us. Agnes and I had decided to see if we could buy a medium sized local firm rather than build up an office one attorney at a time. By picking up a successful firm, we'd gain the person-power we needed and begin with an income stream from their existing clients.

Within a week the associate presented me with five firms that he thought could make good partners with us. I thanked him and asked him to close the door on his way out. I picked up the files and began reviewing them. When I reached the third folder, my heart stopped. He had presented the firm of Coplon, Graves and Williams. I already knew that the Williams in the name belonged to Ferry's father. When she returned, she joined the firm. Now, I was considering if her firm might be one we offered to buy.

After reviewing all of them, I narrowed my preferences to two. Ferry's firm was in that select group. I pushed myself to be sure I wasn't selecting her firm because of my feelings. In the end, they had the experience and the mix of clients that would be the right choice for us. I prepared a cover memo and then shipped the two recommendations to Agnes for her review.

Later that night as Annie and I stood naked in the suite's kitchen, I wondered how cruel fate could be. Was this a way to torture me or a path that could lead me to a renewed relationship with Ferry?

Looking at my naked assistant, I wondered what Ferry would think of this arrangement. I had a feeling she would think it to be another proof that I was a sick pervert. Still, I recalled how much I missed her. Remembering her tight body moving under mine, I let my hopes rise that maybe we could rekindle what we once had.

I felt her hand on my bare shoulder. "Earth to Kyle," Annie said.

"Huh, oh sorry. I guess I was spaced out."

"No shit," she said. "And, I think wherever you were was pretty hot."

I looked at her and shook my head in confusion.

She dropped her eyes to my crotch. I looked down to see my erection pointing at the ceiling.

"Sorry, Annie. I'm going to call it a night. See you in the morning."

"Is there anything I can do?"

I thought of asking her to suck me off and put me out of my misery, but I just leaned in and kissed her cheek, careful not to touch her with my hard-on.

"Thanks. I just need to be alone. Good-night."

With my door closed, I lay on top of my sheet. As I stroked myself with visions of Ferry, I ached to talk with Diana. As I finally fell to sleep with the remains of my orgasm drying on my stomach, I wondered if I really knew what I wanted. For a supposedly smart lawyer, I was seriously fucked-up personally.

To be continued.