The Mouse

"Well, I have half-brothers." Minerva hesitated, then said, "I have something I need to tell you."

The two of them sat together on her sofa. "What is it?"

"You can't tell anyone. It's a secret."

"Okay. You can trust me."

Minerva sighed. "My father is Matt Mason, my boss. I tracked him down when my mother was dying. He wanted to take care of me somehow, so he gave me a job."

Landon sat for a second, taking in the new information. "So your half-brothers..."

"I know about them. They're teenagers. But I've never met them. My father, he, umm, hasn't told them, or his wife." Minerva started to tear up. "I'm a secret. An illegitimate child. No one knows... except your dad."

"My dad knows? How?"

"He said he's friends with my father."

Landon nodded. "They've been friends for years. Decades, even. I guess your father must have confided in mine." He took Minerva's hand in his. "Do you want it to become public?"

"Sometimes. I want him to be proud of me, you know, in front of others. And I want to meet his family," she admitted. "But I don't want to be the one that breaks up his family. And I don't want people to think the only reason I got my job is because he's my father."

"I understand that. That's why I don't work for my father, actually. I don't want people to think that of me." He paused. "But how do you know you'd ruin his family? Maybe they'd love you. I know I do."

"You... you love me?"

Landon had said it, and he'd meant it, but hadn't meant to say it openly just yet. Still, there was only one way to respond to her question. "Yes. I'm falling in love with you, Min."

Minerva's eyes watered, but she smiled. "I think I love you too. I've never met a man like you, Landon."

He took her face in his hand and pulled it to his, and kissed her. In that magical moment, Minerva knew that this was what she wanted. This feeling, with this man, for as long as she could have it. And more. For the first time in her troubled life, she imagined more.

Sure, she'd had fantasies. But they were only that. She now allowed herself to imagine this potential future, this attainable outcome. She moaned into Landon's mouth, and pulled her body closer to his, until there was no longer space between them.

Landon felt her push her body to his. He paused in their kissing. "Do you..." he started to ask, but didn't know how to finish the sentence.

It wasn't necessary. She answered anyway, "Yes." She stood, and pulled him towards her bedroom. Once there, she turned away. "Would you?"

Landon found the zipper on Minerva's dress and slid it downwards. Once that was done, she slid it off, showing the pale skin of her back, contrasting with dark blue panties. She bent and picked up the dress, still facing away, and Landon couldn't avoid admiring her small rear end.

Only after hanging up the dress, did she turn around, hands covering her small chest. "I don't... I'm not..." she said, blushing.

Landon put his hands on her bare shoulders and kissed her again, silencing her. "You're beautiful," he told her. Those two words, said in full sincerity, were enough to calm her fears. Landon also unbuttoned his shirt. When it opened, Minerva felt herself smile. His chest wasn't too hairy, not too chiseled, but showed some muscle tone and a light covering of hair.

When his shirt was disposed of, he opened his arms. "Come here," he offered, and she went to him, still covering herself. His arms wrapped around her, bringing his warmth to her body. He kissed her cheek and whispered to her, "You know I'd never hurt you, right?" She gave a quick nod. "We don't have to do anything, if you don't want to."

"I want to," she said, looking up into his eyes. "It's just, I've never..." she trailed off.

"It's okay. I'm no expert. We'll take this one step at a time."

"Okay."

"Move your hands," he said. It was soft, more of a suggestion than a command. "I want to see you."

She did, and Landon got to see her small breasts for the first time. Barely anything there, but enough for her petite body. Her bright pink nipples stood out away from her body. Landon cupped one breast in his hand. "You're so lovely," he said, and kissed her again.

The new sensations were wonderful to Minerva. She was still nervous, but Landon made her feel comfortable. She moaned as his other hand cupped her other breast, and his first one slid down, around her body, and rested it on her satin-covered bottom. He brought her small body against his, flesh against flesh.

She realized something in that moment. She felt his hardness through this pants, pushing against her belly, and was internally thrilled. 'He's excited for me!' she thought happily, 'this handsome man really thinks I'm sexy!' Just that thought made her press into his kiss further.

As he continued to kiss and tease her, Minerva felt her curiosity build. She backed away, breaking the kiss, and brought her hands to his waist. "Can I?" she asked meekly. "I want to see it."

Landon just smiled and nodded. He helped her unzip the black pants and slide them down, revealing tight grey boxer briefs, made only tighter by the bulge they contained. When Landon's pants were on the floor, Minerva pulled his boxers down and discovered the treasure she sought, pointing happily towards her.

"I've seen, umm, you know, videos," she explained, as she wrapped a small hand around his shaft. "But never the real thing."

"Just be gentle," Landon advised.

Minerva knelt and examined his penis thoroughly, then laughed at herself. "I feel more like a doctor than a lover."

Landon laughed too. "Try putting the head in your mouth." Minerva did, then ran her tongue around it. Landon shuddered. "Yes, like that." He guided her patiently, and she gradually took more of his length into her mouth. She knew she couldn't take too much, and certainly wasn't brave enough to try taking him in her throat, but she was enjoying herself as she made him groan.

"Okay," he said, and she stopped. "If you keep it up too long, I'll finish before I can get you started," he told her. "I want to make sure I take care of you, too."

He brought Minerva back to her feet, and laid her on the bed on her back. "I'll be gentle," he reassured her, and she nodded, her eyes wide. His hands slid up her legs and grabbed her panties, and slid them slowly down and off. Then he pushed at her thighs, separating them to show what was hidden between. Minerva's hair there was closely trimmed, but still very visibly red. As he neared her flower, he noted the glistening wetness already there.

He glanced up at her face, seeing her closely watching him. He looked back down and placed his left hand gently on her inner thigh. His right hand fingers stroked her there, and she gasped. Her legs flinched, but she kept them open for him.

He stroked her up and down there, feeling her wetness build. He looked up again, and smiled. "Okay?" he asked, and she nodded, eyes still wide. He pushed a single finger inside, and she inhaled deeply. Her inner walls gripped his finger. He withdrew it and put it in his own mouth. "Tasty," he told her.

When he'd slide the finger back into her, he also leaned in and kissed her there. It didn't take long for him to find her joy button, and he teased it with his tongue. "Oh, Landon," Minerva moaned. Her head leaned back on her pillow, finally breaking her eye contact with what he was doing.

The waves of pleasure only increased. She closed her eyes and felt him slide a second finger inside of her canal. She was buzzing with an emotional and biochemical high. "So close," she whispered, "almost there." Then Landon moaned against her clit, and the vibrations set her off. Minerva suddenly tensed up and squealed. Her legs shot closed as a result, trapping Landon's face in her heavenly garden.

When she'd relaxed enough to open her legs again, he gave her one more long lick before moving himself upwards, over her body. She chuckled, "Sorry about that."

"I don't mind being stuck there," he said with a big smile. "Hey, I know you said you've never done this before, but I didn't feel any, you know, barrier."

Min grinned slyly in her post-orgasmic state. "I've never been with a man before," she explained, "but that doesn't mean I've never experimented by myself."

Landon grinned back. "You're a sexy little minx."

"Yes," she sighed. "Now I want this," she said, reaching for his member, "inside me. Do you have, umm, protection?"

Landon jumped off the bed to look for his pants. Finding the condom from his wallet, he moved back to her. "Do you want to?" he asked, offering her the package.

She nodded and took it from him. Thirty seconds later, his shaft was wrapped in latex, and Minerva was giggling at the experience. She kissed Landon again, playfully, and pulled him back into bed. "I'm ready," she told him.

Landon pressed his body to hers and lined himself up. "I'll go slow," he said, and she nodded. Then he pushed himself into her wet entrance, and she felt a stretching like she'd never felt before, and she cried out. She was so tight, but he was partly inside her now.

"Stop a second," Minerva gasped. He felt so big already, but there was more cock still outside of her. How was he supposed to put more in? The biology was mind boggling, but she knew it was supposed to fit. When she'd had a minute, she nodded. "Okay."

Landon pushed deeper. In a bit more, then out a bit. Then again, and again, until she realized he was fully inside, and his pelvis was touching hers. "You're so big," she groaned.

"You're so tight," he responded. "God, this feels wonderful."

"It feels amazing," she said in agreement. "Keep going."

Landon pumped his hips slowly, savoring every centimeter of her warm tunnel, every small cooing noise that escaped Min's lips. He looked into her eyes, and she looked back into his, observing every distinct feature of his lovely face.

Then he lowered his head to the left side of her neck. While maintaining his rhythm, she felt his gentle kisses and nips there, and it drove her to another level. Then he kissed her ear, and whispered, "I've never met someone as brilliant," another kiss, "or beautiful," another kiss, "or absolutely sexy as you." The combined sensations of their love making and his hot breath in her year made her reach her peak. "Landon, OH!" she cried, and her entire body seized up. Her muscles squeezed his rod, and it took all his focus to keep from spilling in that moment.

Landon stayed inside her, but paused to give her time. When she'd overcome the throes, she grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him hard. "Oh my God," she said breathily. "That was the best ever."

"I loved watching you," he replied.

"Now, your turn," she said. "I want you to... to fuck me."

Landon was a bit surprised. "I think that's the first time I've heard you swear."

"I don't make it a habit. But I might have to now. Fuck me, Landon." She moved her hands to his hips and pulled him into herself. "Fuck me hard."

"As you wish," he replied. Then, bracing himself on his arms, he rammed into her rapidly.

"Oh! Yes! Like that! More!" Minerva yelped. He gave her all of his length on each forceful thrust, and each motion made her give a small grunt. Her small breasts shook, as did her bed. "Keep going! I'm gonna..."

"Me too," he said, and increased his speed.

She was breathing heavily. "I'm..."

"...coming!" He grunted, and unleashed his seed into the condom. She felt him throb inside her, and she came too. Together, they had made love. He pulled out and laid beside her, out of breath.

She took the opportunity to examine Landon's penis, putting her hand on the outside of the condom, full of his spunk. "It's so warm," she commented. "I imagine it would be warm like that in me, too."

"Yeah," Landon said. "Something to try another day?"

Minerva rolled into him. "We just got done, and you're already planning next time?"

"Wishful thinking."

She kissed him, then cuddled into his body. "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course. I'll stay as long as you'll have me."

Minerva nodded. "I love you."

"I love you too."

----

Sunday, Landon summoned his driver to bring fresh clothes, and then take the couple to a little diner for brunch. Afterwards, as he walked her to her apartment door again, he kissed her and promised to be in touch. She smiled brightly, knowing he would. She'd found a loving, kind, intelligent, handsome man. She tried not to sing Disney princess songs as his car drove off and she waved goodbye. She was on top of the world.

Monday morning was a completely opposite feeling. She walked into the office at 7:30, her usual time. Normally the place was peaceful until closer to 9. Today, there was chaos.

"Minerva!" Mr. Mason yelled when he saw her come in. "In my office, now."

When she'd gone in, he told her the problem. "Your friend Lani screwed us. Our finances are completely hosed."

"What?" Minerva said, shocked. "No. She wouldn't do that."

"She did it. These reports," he held up a stack of papers, "are all bullshit, and all of them are signed off by her. We're bleeding money and she's responsible."

"That can't be true."

"Why can't it be true? Because she's your friend?"

"Yes. But it can't be true because I've checked her work. And we can ask her to verify it."

"I already called her. She's fired."

"Fired?!"

"When I find more proof, I may press charges too."

Minerva started to shake. "She didn't do it. I trust her."

"Well that makes one of us. And now my finance department is trying to track down missing money and one of their own employees." Mason slumped grumpily into his chair.

"Wait, what did you say?" Minerva quickly asked. "You're missing a finance employee? Was it Peter Crandall?"

Mason looked at her. "How could you know that?"

Minerva recalled what she'd overheard at the party on Saturday, and repeated it for him. "And Tiffany was with him."

"Hmph. She's not here yet either. Are you sure that's what he said?"

"Positive," she said. "And I think I can prove it. Do you trust me?"

The look she gave him was suddenly confident, unlike what she usually looked like in his commanding presence. It struck him. "I trust you. If you can't trust blood, who can you trust?"

Minerva nodded. "Give me all the paperwork for the last few months."

"All of it? That's a lot of records."

She shrugged. "I can handle it. But I'll need help. I need to make a call to a friend." Then she looked at Mason, right in the eye. "But I have a demand. If I'm right, you hire back Lani."

"Done. Get to work."

----

An hour later, Minerva was seated alone in the conference room, surrounded by stacks of paperwork, when Landon walked in. "You rang?"

Minerva nodded. "I need an extra set of eyes. Lani's job is on the line. I need to prove she didn't commit financial fraud."

"What?" Landon asked, shocked at the situation. He eyed the stacks. "I'm in. But where do we start?"

Minerva quickly explained her ad hoc organizational system. The duo dove into a stack at a time, looking for irregularities. Anything that looked normal was filed away in one of the many boxes that she'd emptied earlier. Anything that looked even remotely abnormal was kept on the conference table.

Minerva pointed at one stack in particular. "Those are Lani's reports. The ones that Mr. Mason is finding questionable."

"I'd find them questionable too," said Landon. "This signature doesn't match that one." He held up two documents with different signatures.

Minerva frowned. "That one's not hers," she pointed at one. "The signature's wrong, and so is the formatting. Lani never writes like that." She glanced at it for a few seconds. "The math is wrong, too."

Landon smiled. "It's amazing how quick you can tell that."

"Someone must have forged Lani's signature," she surmised. She pulled out several reports and quickly sorted them into two piles. Thankfully, the imposter reports made up the smaller of the two stacks. Happy with their progress, the couple was able to get down to business, trying to prove their friend's innocence.

----

Tiffany had strolled into the office around noon. She'd called off that morning, feigning sickness, but she really just didn't want to be around as things were crashing and burning.

As she went towards her office, a secretary found her. "Mr. Mason wants to see you."

Tiffany shrugged. "In a minute, let me get into my office." She went to turn the handle, but it was locked.

A security guard appeared behind the secretary. She repeated. "Mr. Mason wants to see you. Now."

The guard, a larger man, escorted Tiffany upstairs into the executive office. Inside, Matt Mason sat behind his desk. Minerva stood beside him.

Tiffany ignored the girl and smiled at her boss. "Good morning, sir."

Mason huffed. "It's no longer morning, Miss Beaumont. Do you know why you're here?"

Tiffany didn't know, but guessed anyway. "Someone downstairs said there's been some trouble," she lied. "Do you need me to help fix a problem?"

"There is a problem, all right. But you're part of it."

The smile fell from Tiffany's face. "I... I don't understand, sir."

"Yes you do. You and Crandall." Mason scowled. "He's miraculously resigned and started working for our competitor. But that won't last long, I assure you. I'm filing charges of fraud. He won't work in business for the rest of his life."

That wasn't part of the plan, Tiffany thought. Peter was trashing the finances of Mason and Associates as he was jumping ship, but he didn't expect anyone to catch him. Especially since Lani was set up to be the scapegoat.

"And you, Miss Beaumont," Mason continued, "Neither will you. You're fired. And I'm filing charges against you too, for conspiracy."

"What?" Tiffany stuttered. "I didn't do anything."

"Yes you did. You forged Lani's signature on fake reports. Minerva was able to prove it was your work."

Tiffany glared at the quiet girl. "Her? You're going to believe the mouse over me?"

"Don't call my daughter a mouse," Mason fumed.

"Daughter?" Tiffany said, utterly stunned by that news.

Minerva was suddenly grinning from ear to ear. That was what she'd wanted to hear most of all. She wanted her father's recognition, and to know how proud he was of her.

"Now, get out!" Mason shouted. The security guard reappeared and escorted Tiffany away.

She spotted Landon and Lani in the hallway as she was being led away, but couldn't bear to speak to her, or really look at her.

Really, it had been Peter's plan. Tiffany had refused to go along with it at first. Lani was the perfect scapegoat but Tiffany refused to screw over her friend. But when she and Lani had fought over Landon and Minerva, that had broken her resolve. She forged Lani's signature and planted the false reports. Then she'd wait two weeks, and quit to go work with Peter. All that was ruined, simply by underestimating Minerva's uncanny ability.

Lani entered Mason's office tentatively. She'd been given an unwarranted tongue-lashing over the phone that morning, and was still skittish. Landon had to persuade her to come in.

"Lani, please, come in," Mason said, gesturing for her to sit. "I owe you a sincere apology. You were set up, and I took the bait. I never should have yelled at you like I did. I'm sorry."

Lani nodded, still wrapping her head around the situation. "Apology accepted."

"Naturally, you're not fired," Mason said, "I need people like you, now more than ever." Then he turned to face Minerva. "And for you," he said, "you've saved my company. I owe you most of all. I want to make you the new director of finance."

"Director?!" Minerva sputtered out. "Oh. Oh no. No. I don't want to be a director. I just want to do math, I don't want to manage people. I really appreciate it, but no."