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Fool's Reward Ch. 01

By: S-Des



This story is a sequel to Fool's Envy, which I wrote a number of years ago. It works as a stand-alone, but if you want to know more about Terry's history, you need to read that story first. Thanks to DawnJ for her suggestions and to all the people who took the time to share their thoughts about the original saga. 





"James, I'd like you to meet Michael. He's going to be our new rising star in charge of the production line."

Michael paused a moment to take stock of James as he leaned in and the two clasped hands in a firm shake. He knew immediately that the man was definitely sure of himself, if nothing else.

"Good to meet you, Mike," he said with a wide grin.

"Michael," the older man corrected him.

"Sorry, Michael," he replied a bit stiffly. 

Well, I know he doesn't like to be corrected, Michael thought. He better have his shit together, or he's not going to enjoy this at all.

"So I'll leave you two to get acquainted," Andrew said. "Michael is already up to speed on the product specifications. Why don't you introduce him to the team while tech support sets up his computer?"

"You've got it, boss," James chirped. He turned to Michael, extending his hand toward the production floor. With a friendly nod, Michael slipped on his safety glasses and fell in along side him.

"You're going to really like it here, Michael. We've got this place humming. It's a tight crew, and the new equipment has made everything fall into place."

"So I hear. Andrew speaks very highly of you and the rest of the workers." 

"Oh, we love the guy," James said respectfully. "He built this place, and he's the first one to jump in when anything needs to be taken care of. He's definitely hands on. I know you're going to want to put your stamp on things, but you'll want to hear him out. He's the kind of owner who knows his business from top to bottom, and everyone here understands he earned his success."

"Absolutely," Michael concurred. "I really wasn't interested in moving out here and starting over until I talked to him. The guy knows how to pitch his product."

They toured the plant, meeting many of the workers present, with James walking him through their procedures and the idiosyncrasies present in their production method. Michael was impressed, but played his cards close to the vest. He'd been through these introductions too many times to be loose with his opinions until he knew who he could trust to be discreet.

He was to be one of twelve people in charge of making the company work. His position was to oversee the largest portion of the workforce, but he had accepted a lower salary than he initially sought on the condition that if he could improve the procedures and save the company money, he would see a commensurate bump in pay and responsibility. Andrew really liked him, and Michael got the impression he was being groomed to eventually move up. He chose to leave his last job because the owners family wanted to control the business, even though they sorely lacked the qualifications or vision, but Andrew assured him that wouldn't happen here, since he had no kids of his own. 

It was a significant risk. Michael knew better than anyone that just because someone makes a promise, that doesn't mean it won't disappear the minute something better comes along. Still, Andrew was a great ambassador for his company, and Michael believed him when he said that the company was in more trouble than anyone knew, and he wanted someone with energy to have the kind of fire he used to feel to keep it growing. The only stipulation was that he couldn't cut the work force. 

Andrew was firm that his employees were more important to him than anything. Without children of his own, he involved himself in his employees' lives, and treated them like family. The last thing he wanted was someone to come in and get rid of good people just to save a buck. Not only did he dislike the practice, but it was short-sighted. Most of his best employees were people who'd risen from within. It was a business strategy he believed in, and it had made him quite wealthy. As he neared retirement, he wanted that business ethic to be continued in his company so his legacy would live on.

Michael accompanied James to the lunchroom, where they talked about the inner-workings of the company. James was more than happy to share what he knew. Michael let him feel important, vowing to believe only what he could later verify. Gossip in a company that size was bound to be half-truths at best. Any time James strayed into more salacious aspects of what was happening behind the scenes, Michael politely steered him to safer territory. It wouldn't be good for him to get a reputation as someone getting involved in people's personal drama, assuming any of it was even true.

Suddenly he noticed a woman enter the room and walk to the counter, where she picked up a tray and shared a laugh with several women already waiting. She was blond, average height with an amazing figure and looked to be in her late twenties. She was quite beautiful, but what made the biggest impression were her sparkling light blue eyes. It was an amazing image that took Michael's breath away. 

Lucky at business, unlucky at love, he thought glumly, knowing he'd never have a chance with a woman like that.

"Hello?" he repeated.  "Are you still with me?"

"I'm sorry," Michael replied, unable to tear his eyes from the beautiful young woman. "Who is she?"

James' eyes lit up as his expression changed to a particularly dark grin. "Oh, you mean Terry Davis?" Michael was powerless to do anything but nod, as the other man continued gleefully. "Yeah, she's a special one."

"What do you mean?" Michael asked, noticing a troubling implication.

"Oh, I'm not one to talk," James said ironically, since that's all he'd been doing for the last thirty minutes. "If you come out for drinks with us Friday you'll probably get the chance to see for yourself."

Michael's interest was piqued, but he decided not to pursue any more information about her from James. The man seemed to have some kind of dirt he wanted to share, and Michael didn't want to give him the satisfaction. He saw a ring on her finger, so assumed she was married, but chose to indulge the idea that she might be single and someone who'd be interested in a workaholic like him. Sadly, that was about as close to a relationship as he had achieved over the last few years. 

~~~~~

"Terry Davis?" Missy repeated with a curious tilt of her head.

"Yes. Why is it that people keep acting weird when I ask about her?" Michael asked, clearly frustrated. After the third time he queried someone who then seemed to be party to an inside joke, he decided to ask his secretary. As someone who fancied himself good at reading people, Michael had an instant respect for her when they had been introduced. In the days that followed, he found that judgment well founded. 

Not only was she very sharp, but she had her ear to ground when it came to watching what happened within the company. Unlike James, her interest was mostly professional and he could tell that she'd be an invaluable asset in helping him smoothly adapt to the culture of the organization. Still, it was taking a chance for him to ask, as he was risking his reputation as being a professional, brought in to be all business. 

"Well, she's a bit of an enigma," she said mysteriously. "She's a sweet woman who is very competent at her job. However, I don't think there's anyone here who has more rumors flying around about her. I can warn you that you should definitely not ask any male employees' wives. She's definitely persona non grata."

"Really?" Michael mused, clearly bothered. "I keep hearing about how she's good at her job, that she's a nice person, and a loyal employee, but everyone seems to think poorly of her without any real explanation why." He looked at Missy closely. "You don't know anything for a fact, do you?"

She shrugged. "No. I don't have a bad word to say about her. I just know that I keep hearing the same vague stories about her causing trouble with the guys in the company. I try not to put much stock in those things, but you know, where there's smoke..." 

"Yeah, yeah I know," he responded. "But she's not married?"

"She was, but she and her husband broke up a few years ago. She came to work here just after, trying to put her life back together. That's all I really know. You should ask Janie. She works closely with her in advertising."

"I don't know. I've been here less than a week and I'm already going to get a reputation as a skirt chaser." He looked at her sheepishly. "And a gutless one, considering the fact that I'm behaving like a teenager, asking everyone else about her. The next thing you know I'll be asking you to pass her a note," he moaned. 

"What I need to do is stop worrying about a woman I haven't even said hello to, and do my job instead." 

~~~~~ 

"Terry?" Janie said, her eyes rolling. "What do you want to know?"

Michael immediately regretted going back on his pledge to let the matter drop. "I don't know," he said noncommittally. "I've seen her around and she seems nice."

"She's wonderful," Janie said defensively. "She'd be a lot better off if you guys would leave her alone." 

"Woah, I didn't mean to offend. I was just asking." He held up his hands, surprised at her biting response.

"So you haven't heard the rumors?" she said accusingly. "That's not what prompted your interest?" 

"All right, we've gotten off on the wrong foot," Michael defended himself. "I don't know what's being said, but I honestly just thought she seemed nice. I'm not in the habit of chatting up women wearing wedding rings, so I thought I'd ask someone who knew her. Missy said you'd be the person to go to."

She studied him closely, trying to figure out the answer to some unspoken question. "Well, most of the time guys start asking me about her, it's because they've heard thing and have a preconception about her. If you are honestly asking me about her, I'll tell you that she's one of my dearest friends. She was hurt badly by her husband, and never got over it; hence the wedding ring." 

Michael looked at her hopefully. "Do you think she might be inclined to let me take her out? You know, if she's not seeing anyone." 

Janie sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, Michael. You seem like a good guy, but she really doesn't date much."

"All right," he said raising his hands in mock surrender. "It's just that I don't usually have much time for dating myself. To tell you the truth, she's one of the most stunning women I've seen. It's a bit intimidating. I thought maybe if I asked her friend I might get an idea of what to say to her."

Janie's expression softened. "What she needs is a good guy to help her move on. You seem like a nice person Michael. Andrew speaks very highly of you, and his word means everything to me."

He blushed, hoping her praise meant he was going to get some much needed assistance.

She looked straight into his eyes. "Michael, she is my friend and I love her." He beamed as he finally seemed to be catching a break. 

"You should probably avoid getting involved."

~~~~~ 

A week passed, but had done nothing to relieve the nagging feelings Michael was having about Terry. He tried to put her out of his mind by focusing on work or anything else that could occupy his time, but he kept coming back to her. 

There's something about that girl, he thought idly, watching the production floor from the second level. As if on cue, he saw her out of the corner of his eye walking out to speak with one of the bench technicians. He stared intently, trying to understand why he was so drawn to her. She was beautiful, but there were many attractive women at the company. There was a quiet confidence in the way she approached her job, but he knew that wasn't it either. 

For some reason that escaped his understanding, he felt drawn to her in a way that bordered on being inappropriate. None of his attempts to find out about her sated his need to know more. In the few times he had the chance to talk to her, he got the impression that she really was a kind, quiet person who seemed to put her job before her personal life. He could identify. Unfortunately, he hadn't had the chance to speak to her when there weren't others around, and had thought it unprofessional to instigate a meeting when she was busy working.

"I don't care how it looks, I need to do something about this," he said to no one in particular. 

Walking toward the stairwell, he lost sight of her on the floor. He hurried his pace, hoping to catch her before she went back to her office. He turned the corner and headed down the stairs quickly, only to see her turn the corner coming up the stairs, just ahead. His pace slowed, and they exchanged a nod and a smile, then passed without a word. He cursed himself for being such a coward. Stopping, he steadied his resolve and turned.

"Terry?" he called out, his voice sounding far too loud in the echo chamber of the stairwell. 

She stopped and turned, a pleasant smile on her face. "Hey Michael," she said, walking back toward him. How are you settling in?" 

"Everything's going great," he replied, his thoughts as far as possible from work. He leaned against the railing and studied her face. If anything, she was even more attractive up close. He felt his burst of courage failing as he looked into her eyes. He briefly considered stammering an excuse so he could walk away without embarrassing himself, but decided it was time to stop behaving like an awkward teenager. 

"How are you enjoying the job so far?" 

He smiled, wishing he could say exactly how much he liked it at the moment. "It's been a bit of a challenge, but I like it. This is a great company, and I'm really enjoying the team I'm working with. Plus Andrew is a great guy to work for."

"He is, isn't he? I'll tell you, I came here without much to offer, but he took a chance on me. He hired me personally, and made sure I felt welcome." 

Michael nodded, then realized in a panic that he had nowhere for the conversation to go. Their meeting had happened so unexpectedly that he hadn't thought beyond saying her name. He searched for something to say to keep the moment from ending. 

"I was wondering," he said, cringing on the inside. "If you'd like to have dinner after work some time." Her expression turned a bit dark, and she looked at him hesitantly.

"Well," she began, her eyes starting to avoid him.

Michael knew that if he couldn't get her to agree now, it would make the subject that much more difficult to bring up again later. Hurriedly he cut her off. 

"You know, I'm new here and haven't had the chance to check out the local restaurants. You could take pity on me and tell me where I could get a decent meal. Then it would only be fair for me to return the kindness and buy you dinner." 

She studied him for a second, still appearing to be doubtful about the prospect. There was something about the way she looked at him that pushed Michael to not take no for an answer. He still couldn't identify it, but his gut was screaming at him not to let the chance pass.

"Come on, give the new guy a break," he said with his most winning smile.

"Well, all right," she consented. "I'm free tomorrow night if you want."

It wasn't the enthusiastic response he'd hoped for, but a yes was a yes. Michael felt his smile grow, unable to restrain it. She suggested a restaurant, and he suggested a time, giving them both a couple of hours to get home and change before dinner. She resumed her errand, while he went to his office and closed the door, hoping Missy didn't hear his squeal of delight. 

~~~~~ 

Michael arrived at the restaurant just before seven. He went in and was seated, asking for a cold beer while he waited. His mind raced as he ticked off possible topics for discussion, anxious to avoid his stumbling in the stair well. His clumsiness almost cost him the opportunity to secure this date with Terry, he wasn't about to let it happen again. 

Just as the waitress brought him a second beer, he saw her walk into the room. His breath caught in his throat at the sight. She was wearing an elegant purple evening dress. It had a plunging neckline, was made of silk, and came down to just below her knees. Her figure was even more stunning than he thought. He assumed she tried to hide it as much as possible at work by dressing conservatively; probably to avoid unwanted attention. Michael had to force himself not to stare at her cleavage, which was drawing glances from all over the restaurant. Instead he studied her face, impressed by the way understated makeup accentuated her natural beauty. Her hair was pulled back into a pony tail, swaying with grace as she walked.

"Wow...just wow," he said, unable to find the words to describe her impact on him.

"Thank you," she responded, with just a hint of a blush. "This is nice. I'm glad you asked."

Michael realized that she was still standing while he remained sitting, so abruptly rose, moving to her side of the table and holding her chair.

"Thank you again," she said with a chuckle. "So have you been waiting long? I'm sorry, it took forever to get out of the house. I'm a little out of practice." 

"No, not at all. I just had a quick drink and you walked in. To be honest, I'm glad you're late." He waited while she gave him a curious stare. "If I'd been standing when you walked in like that, I'm afraid my knees would have given out." She laughed heartily, the sound warming his heart. 

They spent dinner talking about his life before coming to work for Andrew, her time at the company, and a little bit about what was happening with the business. Michael didn't want to disclose too much about his future hopes, and was very careful about asking her questions involving her past. From what he'd learned, she had been through a lot, and left it to her to talk about if she felt comfortable. 

Dinner ended and Michael walked her to the car. "I had a wonderful time, Terry."

"I did too, Michael. It was...unexpected." 

He leaned in to kiss her cheek, then sensing no reluctance, moved to her lips. She leaned her head back, accepting his advance. Within seconds she was returning his kiss passionately. His hands moved to her back, then one slid to her neck, caressing her soft skin where the dress parted. His lips nibbled at hers, causing the kissing to intensify. His tongue ran across her lips, then in between, encouraging her to respond. Michael felt her hands on his sides as she almost lost herself in the moment. 

"Wait," she stopped, pulling away from him suddenly. "I...I just can't. I'm sorry Michael, I just can't."  

Hurriedly she dug her keys out of her purse with shaking hands and let herself into the car. 

"Terry," he pleaded, "I'm sorry." 

He stood helpless, unable to process what had happened as she quickly shut the door and shot him a fleeting, unhappy glance before pulling away, leaving him standing alone and utterly confused.

~~~~~ 

Michael impatiently waited by the railing, watching the front entrance. He was so intent on watching for her that he didn't notice as James walked up to him. 

"What's up big man?" he asked jovially. 

Just what I needed, Michael thought in annoyance. "Hey James, how are you?"

"Good. I haven't seen you this week."

"I've been in meetings non-stop. There's a lot to catch up on, plus they've been pushing me for my initial suggestions to improve our production capacity." 

"That sounds daunting. Hey, why didn't you come out with us last Friday? It's practically an institution."

"I was going to, but still don't have everything set up in the townhouse. I never realized I had this much crap."

"Well, you should have been there. Terry made an appearance," he said with a chuckle. 


Fool's Reward Ch. 01



"Really?" Michael answered, trying to not to sound too interested. 

"Yeah, she doesn't make it out all the time, but when she does it's definitely a good time."

Michael turned and studied the younger man. He momentarily allowed his guard to drop due to his frustration. "Exactly what does that mean?"

James shrugged. "I'm not one to tell tall tales. Let's just say that the girl likes to party. It's never boring with her around."

"We're talking about the same Terry?" he said, frustrated. "The girl is a walking advertisement for mixed messages." 

"Oh, you just have to know the right way to talk to her. Come out Friday and if she shows up, you'll see."

"I'll think about it," Michael answered, troubled. What the hell is he suggesting? he thought, getting angry. That the girl who freaked out over a good night kiss is some kind of barfly? There is no possible way.

He was about to walk back to his office when he saw Terry walk in. She stepped through the door and immediately looked toward his office, where their eyes locked. Michael straightened up, ready to run down to talk to her, but she shook her head in an obvious warning not to bother. She turned away and hurried toward her section of the building, leaving Michael to wonder if he was losing his mind.

~~~~~ 

"What is with you," Missy said. "You've been a bear all day long." 

"I'm tired of everyone around here being satisfied with the way things are. I'm trying to make it better and feel like nobody is interested in cooperating." 

"Are you talking about work, or her," she said intuitively. 

Michael gave her a warning look, then went back to his reports.

"I talked to Janie. She said she warned you to stay away. Let me guess, you didn't listen?" 

"Missy," he said irritated. "Let's pretend for a moment I don't mind you prying into my personal life. Is there something that I should be aware of that nobody wants to tell me?"

"Nothing that I know for a fact," she replied. "Just that for whatever reason, she doesn't get close to anyone. I assume you found out the hard way that was the truth?"

"All right," he barked. "Forget what I said about me not minding. I think it's time for you to get back to your work."

"Look Michael, what's the rush? If you like her, why don't you let it happen naturally?"

That's an excellent question, he thought to himself. Why can't I just let it take some time?

"I've always had a knack for reading people," he fumed. "Maybe I'm just annoyed because I can't figure out what the deal is with her. No matter what I do, I can't get her out of my head. Then on top of everything, I keep hearing these rumors about her that seem impossible. I haven't felt this out of the loop since high school."

Missy empathized with him, but was sure nothing she could say would be welcome. She let him go back into his office, then picked up the phone.

"Hey Janie," she said cheerfully. "Do you have a second to talk? I'll buy you a cup of coffee in the break room?" 

"Sure, I've got a minute now. I'll meet you down there," her friend answered.

Missy hurried from her desk with a quick backward glance at Michael's door. She hadn't known him long, but instantly liked her blunt, plain-spoken boss. His interest in Terry seemed to be genuine, as was his frustration at whatever had been going on between them. She knew she needed to be careful about not stepping on anyone's toes, but thought she might be able to grease the wheels a bit. 

"Hey stranger," she said, almost running into Janie at the door to the break room. "How goes it?" 

Her friend gave her a suspicious stare. "Doing some recon for your boss, are you?"

Missy laughed at her insightful jab. "Guilty as charged." 

They grabbed two cups and sat in a corner where they wouldn't be disturbed. 

"Janie, do you know what's going on with Terry? I don't really know her, but Michael seems like he's smitten."

"You know I tried to warn him off," she answered. "I love Terry, but she's way too screwed up to see anyone right now. She isn't talking today, which I assume means that their date went badly." 

Missy looked surprised. "Date?"

"You didn't know?" Seeing her friend shake her head, Janie continued. "Yeah, they went out last night. Terry was talking about it before work ended yesterday. She seemed like she was looking forward to it, but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she sabotaged it."

"Well, whatever happened, Michael's been in a mood all day. I've been thinking about finding a reason to come to your side of the building to hide there." They shared a chuckle, then Missy became serious. "Janie, you know I don't pay attention to all the gossip around here about her, but I don't want Michael to get hurt. He's a really good guy. Is there any truth to it?" 

Janie looked at her friend sadly. "Quite a bit."

~~~~~ 

It had been a week and a half since the failed date. After several unsuccessful attempts to speak with Terry, Michael chose to throw himself into his work. In the quiet moments when he allowed his mind to wander, he would relive the kiss outside the restaurant. The feel of her body against his, of her lips, her eyes...

Damn it, he scolded himself. What is it about her and those eyes? What is wrong with me? Why can't I just let it go, at least for now?

He was lost in the confusing jumble when James walked up to him. "Man, somebody isn't a happy camper." 

Michael didn't have the resolve to verbally spar with his self-assured underling. Instead he just shrugged, and looked back to the floor, wondering if there was anything that needed his attention to give him an excuse to leave.

"You didn't make it out again Friday," James scolded him. "You know I'm going to stay on you until you have a beer with us. Besides, I've seen the way you look at Terry. You'll get a whole new perspective if you come by."

He sighed, too depressed to attempt to decipher the hints. "Was she there last week?"

"No," James admitted. "Like I said, she's not there every time, but when she is, we have a blast! Come on, it'll do you good to get out. This moping is bad for moral. You're going to make people wonder if the company is going under." 

"All right," Michael surrendered. "I'll definitely stop by this Friday. Where and when?"

James wore a triumphant smile. "You won't be sorry." 

~~~~~ 

Friday afternoon, Michael prepared to leave work and head home for a shower. He informed Missy he was leaving a little early and that he was going out with the guys. Her reaction was troubling, as she subtly tried to convince him that he wasn't going to have a good time. 

"Those guys get way out of control," she warned. "I just don't think that's your scene." 

He regarded her suspiciously. "Is there something you're trying to tell me?"

"Look Michael, I'm worried you're going to get hurt. Whatever is going on is something I know you're not going to approve of. If you want to go out, why don't you come with Janie and me? We're doubling with our husbands for dinner and a movie."

"I appreciate the concern, but I can take care of myself. To be honest, I think it's time I checked out this 'wild party' I keep hearing about. Better to know the truth, right?" he said, not actually believing his own platitudes. 

She watched him go, hoping that Janie's concerns were unfounded. 

~~~~~ 

Michael walked into the small bar around nine. He had planned to be there much earlier, but got held up on his way out of work, then again at home. Then he had to get dinner. He wondered if he was just unconsciously stalling. Suspicions aside, a night of drinking with the guys really wasn't his scene. The thought of spending the night on a bar stool next to a drunken James bragging endlessly was enough to make him want to turn and leave. But he couldn't get the claims about Terry showing up out of his mind. Was she really that wild, or was it nothing but male bravado run amuck?

"Hey," came a cheer from his right. "There's our boss-man," James said to a group of seven guys made up of men from the floor and a few from middle-management. They rose and welcomed him, ordering a beer while they chatted. 

James leaned in close so no one could hear. He spoke in a sing-song tone that reminded Michael of someone giving a treat to their pet. "Guess who's here?" 

"Terry?" he asked, far more enthusiastically than he intended.

"Yup, and she's already half in the bag. Trust me my friend; you're going to get a show tonight."

Michael was disturbed at the suggestion that she might be taken advantage of. 

James saw his expression and held up his hands. "No, no...nothing like that. It's just that when she drinks, she really lets her hair down. She's liable to do anything. It's always quite a show. She comes here every few weeks to blow off steam, and is an entirely different person. Then by Monday, she's back to normal. Hell, she'll barely talk to anyone who was here. Trust me, if you have the hots for her, you'll want to be here." 

Michael excused himself to go to the bathroom, and used the time to think. Could the beautiful woman he felt so strongly for really act the way James was implying? Exactly how far was he talking about? He wasn't a prude, but was quickly getting the impression that Missy had been right. This was more than he wanted to know. Again the thoughts intruded on him that he had completely misread her, which almost never happened to him.

Maybe I should just go, before I see something I'm going to regret, he reasoned. It was no use. He had to know what the truth was, and if it was time to cut his losses and forget the mysterious young woman.

He walked out of the bathroom and immediately noticed Terry talking to the guys at the bar. Nonchalantly, he walked to the corner of the room, where he found an empty table to sit at that provided him a clear view of them. It felt awkward to be spying, but she had refused to talk to him since the night at the restaurant, and he wasn't sure she'd welcome his presence. Also, if things went in a way he wasn't comfortable with, he wanted to be able to leave with his dignity. 

James walked up to an obviously inebriated Terry, and took her hand. He nodded toward the dance floor, but she shook her head and resisted. He leaned in with a stern expression and said something to her, and she responded by immediately setting down her drink and following him with her head down. Michael watched as he danced the rest of the up-tempo song with his hands roaming all over her body. As soon as it ended, the DJ started a slow song, and James pulled her close, moving her arms around his neck, then letting his hands slide down her back to settle on her ass. 

He wasn't subtle as he squeezed and massaged her as they swayed, his head settling into the nape of her neck. He slowly dragged his lips across her skin, then left soft kisses. Michael could see that he wasn't lying. Terry was obviously responding to his advances. Sadly he wondered if he'd have to watch the girl he so badly wanted to be with go home with the guy he had the least personal respect for within the company. 

The dance continued, with James becoming even more aggressive. One hand rose between them and settled on the side of her breast, his thumb strumming her nipple through her dress. She again tried to object, but he answered her with an expression that clearly didn't leave room for debate. Michael watched in shock as she returned her hands to his neck, using her arms to block everyone's view but making no effort interfere with his actions. 

The song ended and he assumed she'd go back to the bar with James for a drink. Instead he was surprised to see Marty, a forty year-old man from human resources step up to take his place. James held Terry's hand over her head and spun her into the older man's arms, and she meekly accepted the handoff and allowed herself to be pulled in close. 

Marty wasted little time with formalities, holding her head steady with one hand while devouring the exposed areas of her neck and chest. His other hand moved to ass, as he tried to remember to sway to the beat to at least give the appearance of dancing. Michael noticed that neither man had bothered trying to kiss her, instead immediately manhandling her like a piece of meat. It was beyond his understanding. 

"So do you like the show so far?" James said beaming. "She's quite the hot number, don't you think?"

"I don't understand," Michael responded. "Why is she acting like that. She's never given any indication..." he stopped as he realized he almost revealed their ill-fated date to the man who'd just gotten to second base with her in the middle of a crowded room. 

"It's all in how you talk to her. Terry likes getting a bit drunk, then being told what to do. She gets off on it. It's weird because she's not like that at work at all. She won't even date anyone who comes here, but once she's had a couple drinks, all bets are off." He didn't even attempt to disguise his disdain for her. 

"How far does this go," Michael asked, not really wanting to know the answer. 

James expression turned malevolent. "We'll have to see, now won't we? Would you like a turn? I can promise you she'll be up for it." 

"No," Michael said, trying to conceal his disappointment. "This is definitely not my scene. I'm just going to finish my beer and head home. It's been a long week." 

"Are you sure? I've got some ideas about what I'd like to do tonight. You never know with her, but I'll bet something really interesting is going to happen."

"I'm sure. The wild party thing just isn't for me. I had enough of it when I was younger." 

James appeared to be disappointed. "Well, suit yourself. She really is something once she gets going."

He wandered back to the bar to watch the song end. While they had been talking, Marty had managed to also slide his hand to the side of her breast, as he had been stroking her hip, slowly pulling the dress up, then letting it fall. Michael wanted to leave so badly he couldn't stand it, but found himself frozen to the spot, unable to comprehend his indecisiveness. 

The couple returned to the bar where they had a drink, then another would-be suitor took her to the dance floor. Luckily there were a dozen couples out there, or the scene would have been even more conspicuous. By the time the fourth partner took over, Terry was showing signs of arousal so obvious, they were readily apparent even across the room where Michael sat. Her eyes were glassy, and she seemed content to melt into her dance partners' arms, allowing him to take any liberties he liked. 

As the song was playing, James walked over to the DJ and slipped him a twenty, pointing out toward Terry and her current partner. The man smiled and high-fived him. The song ended, and the DJ killed his brighter lights, settling for strobe ones using colors and lasers, leaving the dance floor much darker. The next song that came on had a grinding beat, and was obviously something to enhance Terry's current mood.

James spun her into his arms, sliding his hands down her body on the sides until they reached her lower legs, then he brought them back up. He sensuously slid his fingertips over her knees, then to her thighs, until they disappeared under her sun dress. His hands were busy caressing her out of sight, as the dress rode up dangerously high numerous times. He spun her again so she was facing the bar, her back to him, then slowly dragged his hand up the front of her thigh, pulling her dress with them. It reached high enough to expose her panties to anyone watching from the bar, along with his hand, which was currently settled over her sex moving in a rough, circular motion.

He urged her head to the side as he aggressively kissed and bit her neck, moving both hands back over the dress and up to her breasts. He stroked them without attempting to be coy, grinding his groin against her from behind. James spun her toward him and picked her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist. His hands disappeared under her dress again, now stroking her toned buttocks while his mouth searched out her breasts over her top. 

Michael looked around to see if anyone from the bar was going to object to the lewd display, but found that the male bartenders were as fascinated as the rest of James' group. The waitresses avoided the scene, choosing to ignore the spectacle. 

He put her back down, straddling his leg as he ground against her sex. With a start, Michael realized that the song had already changed twice without him noticing, although the beat remained almost the same. These songs were for one purpose; seduction.

James continued to force her against his leg as his hand stroked her breast. He looked over her shoulder at the rest of the group at the bar and gave them a quick nod of his head. Michael watched as they all got up and took their drinks into the small game room. As soon as Marty returned and nodded, James spun Terry away from him again, taking her by the hand and leading her off the dance floor. After watching them walk through the doorway, Michael followed, unsure why he was drawn to the scene, but unable to walk away. 

There were two men from work standing shoulder to shoulder at the doorway, blocking the small room from the view of the rest of the bar. Michael tapped one on the shoulder and indicated he'd take the man's place so he could go in. With a smile, the man gladly accepted the offer. 

The room was just large enough for a pool table, an area for two dart boards, and space to walk around each. James had Terry sitting on edge of the table, still grinding against her as he nibbled her ears, neck and shoulders. His eyes widened at the sight of Michael, then narrowed again as his hands worked in front of him. He was kneading her breasts, keeping her close to an orgasm but not allowing her to finish. He released one hand and let it wander to her shoulder, where it slowly slid the strap of her dress off, then returned to caressing her while he repeated the action with the other hand. 

Her dress slid lower, exposing her bra, before falling to her waist. James lowered his mouth, kissing her exposed flesh while reaching around and quickly unsnapping the clasp. His fingers dragged the straps with them as the moved forward, her bra coming off completely in front of all nine men. Terry's head rolled back in ecstasy as his lips fastened around her exposed nipple, both his hands sliding up the inside of her thighs. She made an audible moan above the din of the music when they reached their goal, and James said something in her ear.

She shook her head no, and he simply moved one hand to her chin to force her to look at him, then repeated himself, his other hand never ceasing it's movements out of sight. Her head drooped forward in submission as she used her hands to lift herself slightly off the table. James moved both hands back to her lap, and made a quick downward motion, triumphantly raising one hand with her panties twirling around his outstretched finger. 

He stopped making any effort to simulate seduction, instead putting a hand in the middle of her chest and firmly pushing her back until her upper body was lying on the table, her eyes staring at the light above. He grabbed her legs one at a time and hefted them over his shoulders, completely exposing her and reached down to free himself. He rubbed his erection up and down her lips making her moan even louder, then thrust forward, sliding inside her until their hips met. 

The table creaked as he thrust faster and harder, pushing her toward the previously anticipated orgasm. When it hit, he had to cover her mouth with his hand to prevent her from screaming. Michael watched miserably as her body arched off the table in an explosion of physical release. Having given her what she craved, he wrapped both his arms around her thighs and lifted slightly, allowing himself to hammer her mercilessly until his own climax approached. He dropped her legs and pulled her body up his as he came inside her. 




Fool's Reward Ch. 01



After savoring the sensation for a moment, he relaxed his grip, allowing her to slowly fall back to the table, basking in the afterglow. He stepped back only to have his place immediately filled by another man, who pulled her off the table, then spun her around, pushing between her shoulders until she was face down on the cloth. He took her from behind with no effort to be gentle. It was hard and fast movements until he also came. His place was taken by another, who was happy to take her in the same position.

"Somebody get this bitch a cock to suck," James jeered. Quickly a volunteer got on the table and sat in front of her, releasing himself and pulling her forward until her mouth engulfed him. He grabbed her with both hands by the hair and forced her head up and down his shaft. She was locked into place as her hips were trapped between the table and the man behind, now seeking his release. When he came, James stepped back for another turn. 

"I'm gonna show you guys how to treat a whore," he bragged. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head up close to his. "Do you want me to fuck your ass, Terry?" 

She shook her head unconvincingly. He squeezed her breast drawing a loud moan. "I said, do you want me to fuck your ass, you worthless slut?"

Her head nodded submissively and she allowed herself to be pulled back to the man sitting on the table. As he pulled her mouth back over his cock, her eyes locked on to Michael's. His reaction to the scene was visceral, but he hadn't been able to force himself to walk away. She continued to stare at him as the man resumed pulling at her hair to satisfy himself. James slid himself inside for several thrusts, then moved his erection to her anus, then began pushing. 

Michael had finally seen enough and was so disgusted he forced himself to walk away. As he turned, something caught his eye, forcing him to look again. Peering closer at her, he saw a single tear fall down her cheek. He stared as her eyes brimmed until they overflowed and rained down unchecked. None of the men took notice, too intent on watching the scene and preparing to take their turn.

Suddenly it all became clear to him. Why from the moment he saw her he was so drawn to her. Why he had been unable to make himself wait to know her better. Underneath her beauty and confident exterior, his ability to gauge people had picked up on the sadness and shame she was hiding below the surface. Her body was getting what it craved physically, but he could clearly see in her eyes the toll that the demeaning treatment was taking on her. He looked at her face and instantly saw the pain she was in; the pain his gut had been screaming at him to recognize since the day he met her. It compelled him to move without thinking.

Hurrying into the room, he ran around the table and grabbed James, pulling him off of her, shoving him into the wall. Shocked, the man on the table let go, and she rolled off, falling to the floor where she gathered her clothes with shaking hands. 

"What the hell?" James bellowed. "She wants it. She's just a fucking whore," he said stepping forward, only to be met with a right hook to the temple that put him on the floor, still naked from the waist down. 

"Anybody else have something to say?" Michael seethed. They all took an involuntary step back and he reached down to grab Terry's hand. "We're leaving; now!" he hissed.

She acquiesced without a saying a word. He led her from the room, through the bar and out the door into the night. 

"I've got my car," she complained, trying to pull away as they approached his vehicle. 

"I don't care," he said, barely containing the adrenaline coursing through his body. "You are going to my house and you are going to tell me what the hell is going on."

She melted into the passenger seat, covering her face with her hands, unable to stop sobbing. 

A short time later Michael pulled into the driveway of his townhouse. He paused, finally coming down from the rush of emotions he'd felt at the bar. He took stock of Terry and immediately felt guilty for his harsh tone. She was a wreck. Tears had caused her makeup to run all over her face, she was carrying her underwear in her hand, and she was obviously still quite drunk.

~~~~~ 

He helped her from the car and they slowly walked to the door. Once inside, he asked her to sit on the couch while he made coffee. Within minutes he was back, but she had already passed out. Shaking his head, Michael went to the closet and got pillows and a blanket. He tried to make her comfortable, then turned off the lights and headed up the stairs. 

It can wait until tomorrow, he thought. But she's not leaving this house until I get answers.

He went to bed, only to toss and turn until late in the morning, wondering how she was going to explain what happened. When sleep finally came, it was restless and left him on edge and unsatisfied. 

~~~~~ 

Michael woke with a start. He looked around, feeling confused and sat up trying to shake the unsettling dreams from his head. Once he cleared his head, his first thought was that Terry might have fled. While she wasn't exactly a prisoner, he had committed a felony for her, and she was damned well going to explain her actions. Nothing about the night made sense, even in the cold light of day. It was a jumble of anxiety and emotional turbulence. 

The only thing he knew was that he was now in it up to his neck, and had to know everything to figure out what to do next. He crept down the stairs, afraid he'd find her gone, but she was still there, sleeping soundly. He went into the kitchen, trying not to disturb her while he made coffee and some breakfast. When he was done, he put everything on a tray and walked back into the living room finding her still in the same position. 

He set the tray down on the coffee table, then sat next to her, putting his hand on her hip and gently shaking her.  She began stirring, slowly stretching and willing herself to move. Suddenly the memory from the previous night intruded and she sat up abruptly, looking around in confusion. Her eyes settled on Michael and immediately she threw her arms across her breasts reflexively, even though she was still wearing her dress and was covered by a blanket.

"Easy," he said softly, trying to put her at ease. "You're safe here. I just brought you some breakfast." 

Terry looked at the food, clearly still confused from waking up in a strange environment. "How did I get here?" she asked slowly.

"I brought you home after that scene in the bar," he said, a bit more harshly than he intended. Again he cursed his lack of tact when her face reflected the painful memory. "Oh God," she sobbed, putting her hands over her face. 

"Here," he said, handing her a cup of coffee. "Drink this. It'll help." 

He waited patiently while she sipped her coffee and nibbled at the food he put out. She was remembering snippets of the night, but had been so drunk that much of it was still a blur of unintelligible images. After finishing all she could, she asked where the bathroom was, and left to clean herself up. 

As she shut the door, Terry looked at herself in the mirror, horrified at the person staring back. Her makeup was smeared, hair disheveled, and there were traces of what she assumed was dried semen on her skin and her clothes. Sliding her dress off, she found more on her skin around her pelvis. There were bruises on her thighs, shoulders, and around her neck and breasts where the men had bitten or twisted hard enough to leave reminders of the night's activities. 

She held her head in her hands as more images flashed through the night, including the vague recollection of her facing everyone at the bar as she was exposed to them by James. She remembered being ushered into the room with the pool table, and of the men who used her in there; men who she wouldn't have been remotely attracted to under any other circumstances. 

In the cold light of day, the thrill that she felt at being used that way was gone, leaving in it's place the knowledge that she was nothing but a toy for those men; not worthy of someone who really cared about her. The images continued to assault her, seeming to grow more horrific with each new one. 

She thought about her life over the last three years; her wonderful marriage ending due to her inability to suppress her desires, leading to the loss of the man she believed she would grow old with. Her estrangement from her loving parents. Years worth of horrible choices, using alcohol as an excuse to do things that made her hate herself the next day. Almost three years of living alone, not believing that her life could ever recover. 

Without any conscious thought, she flipped open the medicine cabinet, aimlessly looking through the bottles within. One caught her attention and she reached for it idly, reading over the label. 

It would be so easy, she mused, emotionless. One bottle of pills and I could go to sleep. This entire nightmare would go away forever. I'd never have to think about the terrible things I've done. Just a few minutes... She opened the lid, staring at the tiny pills with a detached fascination. 

More images flashed through her mind culminating in some man she didn't even know forcing her head down in his lap as James forced himself inside her in a way she had never even shared with the man she vowed to spend her life with. 

Terry shook her head, trying to force the memory away. When that failed, she poured the contents of the bottle into her hand, unable to focus, desperate to stop the pounding in her head.

The last picture that jumped into her mind's eye was of Michael's disgusted stare as he watched her degradation. The only man she had met since Steve left who made her feel something real; made her feel like she was worth caring about. The look on his face was burned into her mind, and reflected the loathing she felt toward herself as she looked at the whorish appearance in the mirror. 

Her hand brought the pills up to her mouth and she opened wide, trying to take them all at once.

~~~~~

Michael sat impatiently on the couch awaiting her return. He wanted to give her as much time as she needed, but was afraid if he waited too long, she'd close herself off and refuse to talk. He desperately wanted to help her, and despite the scene in the bar, felt the need to protect her from whatever demons were causing her to act so self-destructively. 

He was roused from his thoughts by the floor creaking, signaling her return. "Terry," he began, but stopped as he caught sight of her pale, fragile appearance, her entire body trembling as she held onto the wall for support. "What's wrong?" He asked, alarmed.

"Help me," she sobbed...



To be continued...



Fool's Reward Ch. 02



I put this story in LW because the lead character is the wife from the prequel story. You will need to read chapter one before starting this. I wrote this is for all the readers who asked for an ending to Terry's story from Fool's Envy. Thanks for reading.

"Help me," she sobbed, her knees buckling. 

Michael jumped to his feet. "What's wrong?" he repeated, running forward; catching her before she tumbled forward. 

His arms closed around her and they both sunk to the floor. Tears filled her eyes and began streaming down her cheeks. She pulled herself against him for comfort and began to cry in a way that she hadn't since her husband had left her. The images assaulted her again, but instead of recoiling, she forced herself to face them, using Michael's presence as a source of strength. Turning, she forced herself to look him in the eyes.

"I did something stupid," she whispered through the tears.

He looked at her perplexed for a moment, then slowly a thought crept into his head. Releasing her, Michael turned and hurried toward the bathroom. He looked inside to see the empty bottle of sleeping pills in the sink. His heart leapt into his throat.

I've got to call 911! he thought in a panic. 

His eyes scanned the room one last time as his mind raced. Then he noticed something floating in the toilet. He stepped forward and breathed a sigh of relief that brought tears to his eyes. 

Slowly he walked back into the living room and saw that she had moved to the couch, where she sat, curled into a ball like a child. Her sobbing had subsided, although her hands still shook uncontrollably as she unconsciously fidgeted with her hair. 

"You didn't swallow them?" he said hopefully, putting his hand on her shoulder. 

"I did, but I threw them up," she sobbed. "About two seconds after I swallowed I thought about all the people I would hurt, of how selfish I was being and I panicked." She looked at him with real terror in her eyes. "I didn't even know that really worked. It was the most frightened I've ever been in my life."

He sat down next to Terry and took her hand. "Just the people you'd hurt? You never thought about what you'd be throwing away?"

She looked at him, exasperated. "Yeah, my life is so wonderful that it'd be terrible not to get to experience more of it. Monday at work will be a memory I'll treasure forever. How many people do you think they'll tell before then? How do you think people will look at me, wondering what it must have looked like; hoping I'd do it again so they could be there too? It's not like you didn't already hear the rumors. Isn't that why you asked me out?"

He sighed, suddenly comprehending how difficult his task with her really was. "I asked you out because I thought you were one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. You were also kind, friendly, well-liked and intelligent. "Plus..." he trailed off, not sure if it was wise to broach the subject.

"Plus what," she asked, curiously.

He thought carefully about how to phrase his answer. "I saw something in you, Terry. It was something I didn't even understand until last night, but it was something that touched me."

"Last night?" she repeated, guardedly.

"I saw that inside, you were hurting. I mean really hurting. It was in your eyes the whole time. You were so sad it was palpable, but you kept trying to pretend you were ok for everyone else. It made me want to be closer to you.

She frowned. "You mean you felt sorry for me?"

"No, that's not it at all," he said quickly. "I realized how much more there was to you beneath the surface. It's easy to be attracted to how you look, but there was a person there full of sadness and fear and joy. She was fascinating and everything I wanted to have in my life one day." 

"Oh," she said with a surprised look on her face

He smiled bashfully. "I just mean you were the type of person I wanted to get to know in case that could turn into something someday."

She brightened slightly at his words. "That's...I don't know what to say. I'm sorry if I misjudged you. I was so horrified that you saw what happened last night. Even as drunk as I was, it's the one thing I remember clearly. It was the worst thing I could imagine." 

"Terry, there is a lot we should talk about, but I promise you don't have to worry about my opinion of you. I haven't seen anything that made me feel that I didn't want to be around you. I just want to know why." 

"Why," she repeated, obviously overwhelmed at the prospect of an explanation. "Where could I possibly start?"

"Why not start at the beginning? We have as much time as you need. I'm not going anywhere," he said reassuringly. "Let me get you something warm first. It'll give you a minute to clear your head. Tea or coffee?"

"I've had enough stimulation for the day. Tea would be fine."

Michael went into the kitchen and made them a pot of tea, trying to give her enough time to collect herself. He knew she was fragile and he didn't want to push, but there was no way he would let her go home after what she had tried. 

Several minutes later he walked back into the living room with a tray. He sat and poured her a cup as she studied him, wondering if he really did care that much, or if he was going to eventually walk away from her too. Terry shuddered at the thought of what she almost did, and decided she had to take a chance. Things had finally gone too far, and she knew she needed help. Trusting him went against everything she had come to believe, but there was something so sincere about him that it made her want to take a chance. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.

"I was married for several years," she said, startled by how thin her voice sounded. We were very happy. Unfortunately I had a friend who convinced me that I was missing out on something. She really opened my eyes to how powerful sex could be, and she talked me into spying on her and her husband. That led to her giving me ideas of things Steve and I could try in the bedroom to spice up our lives. Then she made the suggestion that I should talk him into..." she trailed off, unsure if she could actually say the words out loud.

"She wanted you to swap with her and her husband?" Michael said, surprising her.

"How did you know? Oh yeah, the rumors," she sighed.

"No, it just seemed logical," he corrected her. "I never asked anyone about the stories concerning you, and had no interest in what other people had to say. I wanted to find out for myself." 

"Well you sure found out, didn't you," she said bitterly. Noticing his disapproving stare, she picked up her story.

"Yes, she and her husband were swingers. They wanted us involved in their lifestyle. I didn't know about all of it, but the things she discussed with me I wanted to try. The problem was I knew my husband would be difficult to convince. After a few weeks I let the anticipation build to the point where I wanted it so much that I was willing to trick him into it to get my way. I really believed it would be so exciting that it would make our marriage more fulfilling. Unfortunately it went badly, and it made him despise me. He left, and found someone else to pick up his life with in just a few months. Our marriage was over just like that, and he replaced me with someone better." She raised the cup to her lips, her hands still trembling, and took a sip from her drink to steady her nerves. 

"After that I just couldn't move on. I was so ashamed of myself. I had sabotaged a wonderful marriage with the man I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with. As much as he loved me, I chased him away because I was..." she stopped, seeing Michael's frown, "Because I couldn't control myself." 

"Everything fell apart after that. There was a rift between me and my family. I lost my job. I even lost most of my friends who knew us as a couple." Her expression because decidedly uncomfortable, but she continued. "I couldn't make myself trust men again." 

Michael shook his head. "I don't understand. It was difficult for you, but why let it interfere with so much of your life? Your family? What did that have to do with it?"

Her temper flared. "You think it was easy for me to tell my father that my marriage was over because I was such a whore I needed to fuck the guy next door? I didn't even sneak around to do it. I tried to arrange it so my husband could watch us together, then I could watch him screw the guy's wife. Do you have any idea how he and my mom looked at me? The horror at what their little girl had become?"

He touched her hand with a contrite expression. "Terry, I'm sorry. I didn't know." 

"No, I'm sorry," she answered. She put her hands to her face, wishing she could block out the memories. "It was a never-ending stream of horrible humiliations. I couldn't face people, so I tried running away from them and starting over. But I couldn't date anymore. I'd just come home every night, sitting in this house alone with all the memories. That's when I started drinking."

"I'd go out and get drunk, then usually do something stupid that would just make things worse. I would feel so guilty that I would refuse to do anything but stay at home by myself for weeks, but I'd feel so miserable that I'd eventually give in and do it again. I couldn't stand myself, but I kept making the same mistakes. I just couldn't stop what I was doing."

Michael softly touched her face, forcing her to turn and look at him. "So why not let someone in?"

"Who would want me?" she cried. "I had already screwed up my marriage. I was running around taking strangers home from the bars. My personal life was a complete mess. No one could trust me. I couldn't even trust myself." 

He thought long before replying. "And that's how you met James?"

She nodded her head. "When I started working with Janie, I avoided all the guys. They would hit on me and I just kept thinking how disgusted they would be if they knew the truth. Then I made the mistake of going to one of their after work parties. I got a little drunk and let him take me home. Afterward he assumed I'd just be with him any time he wanted, but the truth was that I despised him because of the way I behaved with him."

Terry looked down in self-loathing. "The strange thing was, the more I detested him, the more it turned me on to be around him. He would order me around and I felt like I couldn't make myself say no. I could turn it off while I was at work and around everyone else behaving normally. But when we were alone, he knew just what to say to make me do what he wanted."

"Sometimes he'd push the envelope, other times he was satisfied with just hooking up. What happened last night..." she stopped and looked at him in dismay, "It was more than I thought I was capable of. Once he started in on me, I was completely out of control and just went along with everything." Her gaze turned pleading. "What is wrong with me?"

Michael pulled her close and let her cry against his chest. Whatever his thoughts were about her story, he knew they needed to wait for later. She needed to vent, and needed to be sure that it was safe to do so with him. But there was something even more important that he had to take care of.

"I'll be right back," he said soothingly. "Have some more tea and try to relax."

He jogged up to his bedroom and went through his contact information to locate Missy's phone number. He dialed the cell phone, sneaking back to the stairwell to make sure she was downstairs before he shut the door. 

~~~~~ 

Michael was sitting on the couch when the doorbell rang. He quickly rose and hurried to the door. 

"Hey Janie," he said, relieved she was able to make it over so quickly. "She's in the shower. 

"I'll be right back," she called out, heading up the stairs in the direction he indicated without a backward glance.

She entered the bedroom, and walked to the bathroom door. Hearing the water still running, she decided that it could wait while Terry finished. She moved to the bed and sat on the corner, nervously smoothing her slacks. 

A few minutes later the door opened and Terry walked out, wrapped in a towel. She froze, seeing the unexpected visitor. 

"Janie, what...what are you doing here?" she stammered. 

Not saying a word, Janie rose and walked to her friend, throwing her arms around her and began to cry. They held each other wordlessly, Janie trying to reassure the younger woman. She stepped away and sat back down, patting the spot next to her.

"What are you doing here?" Terry repeated.

"I'm here for my best friend, you jerk," she said through her tears. 

"What did he tell you?" 

"Don't worry, he was very discreet. He told me something very upsetting happened and he insisted you come stay the night. Then he told me what happened this morning."

Terry's expression darkened. "He shouldn't have done that."

"The hell he shouldn't!" Janie scolded. "He barely knows you and he's supposed to take responsibility for making sure you're ok? I'm your friend. You should have called me before you did something so stupid. You at least should have called afterward. Don't you understand how much I care about you?"

"I just didn't want..." Terry started, but didn't know how to finish.

"You didn't want to risk me being like your friends from before who abandoned you when you needed them? Is that what you were going to say?"

Terry looked away, too embarrassed to meet her friend's glare.

"I don't care how much you've tried to keep me at arm's length. You are my best friend. I've put up with your idiotic stunts because I knew you wouldn't listen to me but I loved you anyway. I did everything I could to show you that you could trust me, but you still won't let me in. I don't care anymore. I'm here whether you like it or not, and there's no way in hell I'm leaving unless you're coming with me."

The rebuke stunned Terry. She looked at her friend in wonder. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I mean it, knucklehead," she laughed, pulling Terry close and sharing another long embrace. 

"All right," she said affectionately, "get your ass dressed and I'll talk to you downstairs." 

Terry watched her walk out the door, wondering how she could have been so blind for so long. 

~~~~~ 

"She'll be down in a minute," Janie said, trotting down the stairs. She walked up to Michael and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for taking care of her." 

He blushed profusely, then backed away. "I've got to get started. It's going to be a busy day." With a smile he added, "You'll keep her here, right?" 

"I promised, didn't I? Janie replied. "Aren't you going to tell me why?"

"Nope," he answered with a mocking grin.

~~~~~ 

"Just a minute," came the gruff reply to the constant knocking. "What?" James said as he swung the door open, his expression turning hostile as he saw Michael. 

"What do you want?" he hissed. 

"Nice shiner," Michael replied evenly, refusing to let his emotions rise to the surface.

"Fuck off. We're not at work and you don't get to tell me what to do. You're lucky I didn't call the cops on you. My head is killing me. 

Michael sighed. "Yeah, go ahead and call the cops. Let them know you were having sex in public with a drunk woman who may or may not have been willing. Then tell them how I hit you. We'll see how that plays out."

"May or may not?" he said incredulously. "Go fuck yourself. She wanted it. I should know, I've been fucking her long enough." 

"Well James, that's your story and you should definitely stick to it. I'm sure they'll take your word for it." 

He frowned, seeming to consider the possibilities. "Are you threatening me?"

"About that?" Michael answered. "No. I'm going to threaten you about this." Noting James's concerned expression, he continued. "We are going to have a group meeting on Monday. I'll discuss what happened and what we are going to do about it there, with everyone present. My concern is what you idiots might say between now and then. So what you're going to do is call your little posse, and tell each and every one of them that they are going to keep their fucking mouths shut until we talk. If any one of you talks to anyone and I hear about it, I will make it my mission in life to destroy your miserable little lives. Are we clear?"

James studied the older man, trying to discern if there was any hint of weakness or doubt about his claims. Seeing none, he conceded. "Ok, I'll make sure everyone keeps their mouths shut until Monday. But this bullshit about you getting to tell us what we can do on our private time isn't gonna fly. You might think you're being Prince Charming on your white horse, but you don't have shit to say about Friday night." He stopped, adopting a more aggressive posture. "Or any of the other times I fucked the little bitch."

We'll see about that, you punk, Michael thought. "Just make sure you talk to all of them and that they understand. You might think you know everything, but you don't. You will all be held responsible for anything that is said by any one of you about last night, or about her in general."

"Fine, now get the hell off my porch," he yelled, retreating inside and slamming the door.

Michael smiled at the small victory. One down, one to go,.

~~~~~ 

He pulled up in front of the modest two story home, wishing he could have had a drink first. This was a very risky move, but Michael believed it was key to making sure Terry would be all right. Just because she had chickened out once doesn't mean that she wouldn't feel so much regret that alone in her home she might not be tempted to finish the job. The only other option would have been to contact the authorities so she would be forced to seek professional help, but that would end any trust she might have started to feel for him. He simply couldn't take that chance.

Michael knocked on the door nervously, struggling to find the confidence to make this gamble work. 

The door opened and a gray haired man stepped out. "Can I help you?" 

"Mr. Carlson? I'm here to talk to you about your daughter."

~~~~~ 

Janie sat on the couch dumfounded as Terry opened up to her about everything that had been happening. She knew that her friend was self-destructive, but the truth was more than she could have imagined. The incident from Friday was so horrible that Janie couldn't listen without bursting into tears again. She recognized some of the impulses in Terry as she related the stories, but the actions were completely outside of Janie's frame of reference. It was like listening to a drug addict describing the degrading things they had done to get high.

"Did Michael say when he'd be back?" Terry asked. She couldn't explain it, but even with her friend next to her, Terry felt vulnerable without him there. It had been so long since she trusted anyone, but he had found a way to get inside a little. Deep in her gut she was starting to believe that he would look out for her no matter what. 

She was also anxious to get home and into her own clothes. When she was getting out of the shower she took one look at the torn, stained dress and knew she'd never wear it again. Instead she had borrowed a jogging suit and curled up on the couch next to Janie, delighting in the closeness she had denied herself for so long. 

"I'm back," Michael's voice rang out. He walked through the door, and looked into the living room. "How's it going?"

"I'm much better, thank you," Terry answered. "But I'm glad you're back...er, you know, because I have to get home," she stuttered, exchanging an embarrassed grin with Janie. 

"Home?" he said incredulously. "I was going to cook dinner!" Both women looked at each other, then enthusiastically voiced their approval.

They moved the conversation into the kitchen, where they talked while Michael prepared the most impressive meal he knew how to cook. As he was working, he'd periodically study Terry to attempt to gauge her mood. He was still going to insist she not be alone tonight, but was unsure how he'd go about convincing her if she refused to agree. 




Fool's Reward Ch. 02



"And here we go," he proudly declared, bringing the pasta dish to the table. Grabbing a bottle of wine, he quickly set the table and they started eating.

"Oh my gosh," Janie said. "This is amazing!" 

Terry nodded appreciatively. "This is wonderful Michael. Thank you." He looked carefully at her, realizing that she stressed her statement too much for it not to be a message about more than just dinner. 

"You're very welcome," he replied, being careful to use a similar overly-expressive tone. He knew she understood by the secret smile she gave him. It was the most peaceful she had looked since waking up, and he enjoyed the eye-contact, allowing himself the opportunity to study her at length. He still marveled at the way she expressed so much with just a look. It made him wonder what she would be like if he could ever get through the wall she had so carefully constructed.

Careful, Michael warned himself. She's really fragile and doesn't need you adding to the things she's dealing with right now.

Forcing himself to continue eating, he settled for enjoying the playful banter the girls were engaging in. The day had gone better than he had dared to hope for after the frightening start. Terry seemed to have bounced back in a way that was remarkable. Now he needed to find a way to make sure she would stop hurting herself.

"Ok, that's it. I surrender." Janie said, pushing herself away from the table. "I can't eat another bite."

"Absolutely," Terry concurred. "Michael, it was wonderful, but I need to get my car and go home." 

Noticing his concerned expression, Janie quickly added, "Why don't I take you? That way you can show me the house? My husband promised he'd watch the kids, so I can stay late." She nodded in an unspoken signal to Michael, he returned the gesture. 

"Ok, if you two insist on leaving me here all by myself," he whined pitifully. 

"Oh, poor baby," Janie joked. 

The girls rose and Terry gave her friend a pointed stare. 

"All right, I can tell when I'm not wanted," she said. "Michael, dinner was wonderful." She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, whispering in his ear, "Missy was right. You are a really good guy." 

She walked through the door to the living room. Terry watched until the door closed behind her, then approached him.

"I mean it," she said sincerely. "Thank you for everything." She also kissed his cheek, then leaned heavily against him, wrapping her arms around him tightly and refusing to let go. "I don't know how I would have made it through the day without you." 

"I'm just glad you're ok," he replied, savoring the feel of her body against his. Shaking himself from the delicious sensation he pulled back slightly to peer into her eyes. "But you owe me a favor." 

"What favor?" she asked suspiciously.

"Lunch. Tomorrow. One o'clock. Right here." 

She smiled gratefully. "Are you cooking again?" 

Michael laughed. "Sorry, you've had the only thing I can cook by myself. I'm going to have to pick something up." 

"I'll be here," she said, pulling him back into the embrace, allowing her head to rest against his chest. "I promise."

A few minutes later, Michael watched them both walk to Janie's car. He closed the door and leaned his forehead against it, emotionally exhausted. 

So far so good.

~~~~~ 

Michael hurried around the kitchen, desperately trying to get everything in place in time. Seriously, I can't fuck this up, he reminded himself. 

The doorbell rang, startling him from his chores. Shit, she's early! he thought frantically. 

He quickly scanned the dinning room and decided it was close enough. Hurrying toward the door, he nervously ran his hand through his hair, then smoothed out his shirt. He stopped before opening it, forcing himself to take a deep breath to calm down.

"Hey you," Terry said cheerfully, her face showing little evidence of the stress from the day before. 

"Hey yourself," he answered, unable to disguise his open admiration for how beautiful she looked. 

"Well thank you," she replied to the unspoken compliment, walking past him, tenderly touching his cheek with her hand. She walked to the living room and set down her purse. 

"Michael, I wanted to talk to you about yesterday."

"Oh?" he responded with a quick glance at his watch, wondering how to steer the conversation away from more talk about the events of Friday or Saturday morning.

"Not that," she said, seeing his expression. "It's about Janie." 

"Oh, that." He shuffled nervously. He had assumed that part of his plan had been fine as far as she was concerned. If she was upset about that, today would be ruined.

"I wanted to say thank you," she said, putting her hands on his shoulders and staring into his eyes. "She and I have been close, but I never really let her in. We talked while you were gone, then most of the night. I told her pretty much everything about what's been going on and she...well she accepted me without judgment. It really meant a lot to me and I have you to thank for it." She leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.

"I'm just glad it helped," he replied modestly. "Seriously, when we talked at work, I could tell how fond of you she was. She was also really fierce about protecting you. You don't really know me and I knew you needed someone to talk to, so she was the obvious choice. You just have to believe me, I only told her about the pills because I was extremely worried about you. I didn't tell her anything else, and wouldn't discuss anything we talk about with anyone. That's a promise."

She nodded her understanding and put her arms around him, immediately confirming her feeling of safety in his embrace. Michael hoped she would remember his words. It was important that she believed him.

"So what's for lunch?" 

"Right this way, M'lady," he gestured toward the kitchen.

Terry stopped as she walked through the door. "Wow. Everything looks great!"

The table was meticulously set with a beautiful tablecloth, fancy silverware, and several courses of Italian food still steaming in glass dishes. There was also a bottle of wine and desert. 

He smiled, pleased his efforts had been appreciated. Stepping over to the table, he slid out her chair and waited. She sat, touching him on the arm in appreciation of the courtesy. They ate quietly, enjoying each other's company. 

After putting it off for most of the meal, Michael decided he couldn't wait any longer. 

"Terry, can I ask you something?" 

She looked at him pleasantly. "Sure." 

"What are you going to do about your parents?"

Her expression darkened and she set her fork down. "I honestly don't know, Michael." 

"Look, I don't want to pry, but you know I lost both my parents very young. You can't just keep waiting to fix this situation. I know from what you've told me how much they mean to you."

"Yes, which is why this is so difficult. I let them down. Not just a little bit, but I betrayed everything they believe in. I destroyed my marriage, and had to explain why to them in humiliating detail. You have no idea how terrible it was. Excuse me," she said, covering her eyes and rising.

"Wait," he softly scolded, taking her by the shoulders. He stared at her, waiting patiently until she returned his gaze. "Terry, you staying away from them is obviously a big part of the reason that you've felt so alone and vulnerable. If you really want to change your life, you're going to have to face them and try to fix it." 

"I don't know where to start," she admitted, trying to move toward her seat. 

Not knowing what to say, he settled for pulling her against him and holding her. They stood wordlessly, Terry clinging to him for strength. Suddenly the doorbell rang. "Excuse me," Michael apologized, heading to the front door. Terry sat down and jabbed at the delicious pie, now finding her appetite gone. When he walked back through the door, he appeared to be agitated.

"What's wrong?" she asked. 

"Come with me for a second," he replied. "I need you to see something."

Curiously, she rose and walked with him into the living room. As she stepped through the door, she froze, stunned by the sight that greeted her.

"Mom, Dad?" she said. "I don't understand." 

Her father answered. "Your friend Michael invited us. He said you would be here and that we could talk." 

Terry looked at Michael suspiciously, "What did he..." her voice cut off suddenly as he squeezed her hand. He gave her a subtle shake of the head. 

"I thought that today would be ideal for having a talk and getting things back to normal," he said earnestly. "After all the wonderful things you've told me about them, I knew how important it was for you to try to work things out." She gave him a bewildered look, unable to process the surprise or how he had pulled it off. 

He leaned close to her and whispered, "Stop being afraid."

She stared, her lower lip trembling as she searched for the words that could explain her feelings to her parents, obviously both in pain at the schism in their family. "I don't know what to say," she said, her fragile voice cracking. "I am so ashamed."

"Honey," her mother said, stepping forward and pulling her daughter into a deep embrace. Terry stiffened slightly at the contact. "Nothing matters as long as you are all right. You mean everything to me." 

"That goes double for me," her father added. "I love you sweetheart." He stepped forward and kissed her on the forehead, wrapping his arms around them both. 

Michael watched her, hoping looking for a sign that she was at peace with his plan. He was sure it was what she really wanted, but whether she would cooperate or resist was anyone's guess. Seconds seemed like minutes as he watched for her reaction, knowing that a negative one would be an enormous setback for her, and effectively end any chance he had to be with her. 

Terry finally opened her eyes, her tears freely falling. "I'm so sorry," she pleaded. "I couldn't bear to face you. I let you down."

"Never," her father replied. "Not for one second of your life."

He watched as her chest heaved from her sobbing, and she squeezed tighter against her parents. She seemed to be trying to lose herself in the embrace, hoping to block out the world that had beaten her down over the last few years.

Michael breathed a sigh of relief, feeling his own tears coming. He silently slipped into the kitchen, not wanting to disturb the tender moment. One last glance at her face confirmed the lines of stress had disappeared completely and she finally looked contented. He hurried through the door, resisting the urge to cheer.

~~~~~ 

"Thanks again, Michael. I can't tell you what this means to us," Ben said, clasping his hand. 

"Bless you," added Stacy. 

Michael tried to reply, but the words eluded him. Their gratitude was simply overwhelming. They turned and left with Terry following them to their car for one last hug. He watched as their embrace lingered, none of them seeming to want to let the moment go. Finally she stepped away and waved with promises of coming over very soon as they backed out of the driveway and headed off. 

She watched until they were out of sight, then turned and strode purposefully toward the door. Michael watched her, unable to gauge her expression, a little concerned about what she might say. She walked up to him without a word and threw herself into his arms, kissing him firmly. 

Surprised, he stumbled back into the door before regaining his balance. They stayed locked together, Michael still reeling from the unexpected reaction. Terry was the aggressor; turning her head from side to side, opening her mouth and making small nibbling movements across his lips before her tongue slipped into his mouth, her hands pulling his face against hers. 

The feel of her unbridled passion snapped him out of his momentary confusion. He returned her kiss just as fervently. Her body melted against his making him aware of the swell of her breasts, and the crush of her pelvis against his. His hands dropped to her waist, running up and down her sides. He stumbled back through the door and shut it behind him, pinning her against the inside and placing his hand on the back of her neck, holding it still while his lips trailed across her cheek to her earlobe, then to her throat. 

He moved a hand to her breast, his thumb tracing circles around the nipple. Her throaty moan was all the encouragement he needed to let his other hand roam to her hip, his fingers working their way further back to caress her buttocks. Michael's passion was close to overriding his ability to reason. Suddenly he pulled back.

"Wait," he protested. "I can't." 

"Huh," came the confused reply. 

"Terry, this isn't right." 

Her expression faded to one of hurt and embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I just..." she stopped, turning away to hide.

"No, no," he said, gently turning her face back to his. "I just wouldn't feel right because of what happened yesterday. I wouldn't want you jumping into something because of all you've been through. If we take this further, I want to make sure it's because it's what we both want." 

She gave him a sly look. "So you're saying this isn't what you want," stroking his erection through his slacks. 

He hesitated, teetering dangerously close to losing his nerve. He wanted her so much. 

"No," he said reluctantly. "It's not. Not right now, at least," he added returning her grin. Michael gently removed her hand. "We'll revisit the subject again sometime soon."

"Okay," she conceded. "You're probably right. This hasn't been a banner week for me making decisions. But I want you to know that the offer is sincere, and it will be repeated when things are a bit more stable." She kissed him again, appreciative that he continued to put her welfare above everything. 

"I should probably go home and take a cold shower," she said laughing. Her expression suddenly darkened, as a troubling thought leapt to her mind. "I need to prepare myself for tomorrow. It's going to be a really tough day." 

Michael stroked her hair. "I wouldn't bet on that." She stared at him, confused. 

"I ran a couple of errands yesterday. Trust me, nothing is going to be said about Friday night." Terry still looked unconvinced, so Michael filled her in on the details of his visit to James's and what was still to come.

"Do you think it will work?" she said hopefully. "I really love it there. If things get worse for me, I don't know if I can deal with it. I want to move on with my life, and that's going to be impossible with everyone knowing the things I did."

"I have no doubt," he replied confidently. "But, since you are going early to go take that cold shower, I have time to run one more errand tonight, just to be sure." She was about to ask what he meant, but he cut her off. 

"Sorry, I can't let you in on all my secrets," he teased. "How would I keep the mystery in our relationship?" 

"So we have a relationship?" she asked coyly. 

"I certainly hope so," he quickly responded. "Your mother already said she approves of me."

~~~~~ 

Michael approached the door to the conference room apprehensively. He had to play the situation just right, or everything could fall apart. The entire weekend had felt like a high-wire act, and he hoped that this could be the end of it so he could get to know Terry at a normal pace, to see if there was something real there to build on. He hoped so. She seemed too good to be true, assuming her commitment to addressing her trust issues and the chaos it had created in her life was sincere. 

He knew he couldn't be too emotional. It would give the men inside power over him. Michael was certain that they would try to use that power because they would resent his actions Friday and what they were about to experience. He also knew that he couldn't overplay his hand, because if they chose to call his bluff, it would be extremely damaging to him to have to prove them wrong. There was no question that he was ready to cause that damage if necessary, but everything would be better if he could manipulate the situation correctly.

Pushing open the door, he saw all the men present. They had been talking, and turned toward him with an air of defiance. Ignoring their attitudes, he walked to the head of the table and began.

"Gentlemen, this meeting is not about what happened Friday night, or about any night before then." There were a few confused murmurs, so he pressed on. "This meeting is about loyalty; loyalty to this company."

"Andrew Stanton sees this company as a family. When he hired me, it's what he desperately tried to convince me of. A family doesn't treat its members the way you've been treating Ms. Davis, and it most certainly wouldn't then go around destroying them by spreading rumors about personal behavior." He looked directly at James. "Especially when that behavior happened away from work on your own time."

"My goal here is to make sure that what happened away from work stays between us, and never comes to light. This is for her benefit, but even more for yours." 

"That's crap," James spoke out. "This is about you covering for some girl you have the hots for." There were more murmurs of support, but Michael noticed they were fading.

"You might think so," Michael continued," but you'd be wrong. If I fired all of you today," he paused while the men looked around in alarm, "this company would be worse off. My loyalty is to the company, and all of it's employees. It's my job to protect Ms. Davis from salacious gossip, and to protect you from forcing me to take action due to your behavior."

James challenged him. "You don't have the power to fire us. This is a bluff." 

"Oh no," Michael countered. "That's where you're wrong. I can, and I will fire you if it's necessary. Not only that, I will make sure that any job you are hired at in the future will be without a reference from this company. Not only would that be an awkward conversation to have, but I make you this promise...if I ever hear one of you spoke ill of Terry, I will personally make sure that any company you work for in the future will somehow be made aware that your employment here was terminated after an incident involving the sexual assault of a co-worker."

The room broke into open bedlam. "You can't do that!" James bellowed. "That's illegal." 

"Yes it is," Michael said calmly. "And I'd love to see you prove that rumors spread at your new company had anything to do with me. I'm sure all of you here are familiar enough with the concept that the harder you fight against a salacious rumor, the more attention you draw to yourself." The room grew quiet as the men considered his statement, and realized the truth in it.

"This is how it's going to be. Friday night never happened, gentlemen. It will never be spoken of outside of this room again. I would discourage you from talking about it with each other on the off chance that you could be overheard. If any rumors surface, I'll know they came from one of you. Also, Ms. Davis has indicated that she doesn't wish for anything like that to happen again, and I expect you to honor her wishes and show her the same respect inside these walls that you do for any other coworker. If any of you violate these terms, you will all be held equally responsible and face the same consequences."

James stood. "It's a good threat Michael. I'll grant you that. But you're forgetting one thing. You don't have the power to fire all of us. Maybe me, but that's it and I'd fight you tooth and nail. What's that going to do for your girlfriend and her privacy?"

They were all startled by the sound of the door opening. "Hello gentlemen," Andrew said, stepping inside. "What's this meeting about?" 

Michael shrugged nonchalantly. "Just discussing loyalty and motivation." 




Fool's Reward Ch. 02



Andrew smiled. "Well, those are two of my favorite subjects. It's good to see you staying on top of things, Michael." He turned to the others. "Since you are all here, I'd like you to be the first to know that I've decided to step down from my duties and take a smaller role with the company. Michael here will be taking my place, a bit at a time until such time as he feels ready to fully take over the reigns." He looked purposefully at each man's face. "So I guess you'll all be working for him from now on. You better be on your best behavior."

He turned back to Michael and nodded toward the hallway. Michael turned back toward the room. "Excuse me a moment, won't you?" He took secret pleasure in the shocked faces staring back at him. 

"So how is it going?" Andrew asked as Michael closed the door.

"They seem to be taking me seriously, sir."

"Good. I want this done, and done forever."

"Yes sir. And Mr. Stanton..." 

"Andrew," he interrupted.

"Yes sir, Mr. Stanton," Michael replied respectfully, ignoring the older man's rebuke. "Thank you again for your confidence." 

"Michael," he said fondly, "When I hired you I thought I saw in you the man who could take this company to the next level. When you and Janie came over last night to try to salvage this mess, I realized I was right. All I did was speed up the process a bit. You'll still have to prove yourself before things are finalized, but I have no doubts you will do it with ease." 

"I want my company in the hands of someone I can trust to run it in the spirit I've established. You've proven to me that you are the right man. I already knew that you were qualified to do the job, it was just a question of making sure you were a strong enough man to make the difficult decisions. You've proven that without question. Now go finish the meeting, then take that lovely woman to dinner. I expect you two to join my wife and I for a weekend at our summer home as soon as you feel it's appropriate. I've always admired her." 

He leaned close and whispered, "She was the most beautiful woman I've ever hired, and one of the sweetest. If I was thirty years younger and single, you'd have a hell of a fight on your hands." He then winked. "And if you ever tell my wife I said that, you'll be working on the assembly floor for the next five years." 

The two men laughed, then shook hands. Michael watched him go with unmatched admiration for the man's heart. He broke his promise to Terry for the one and only time, he swore to himself. Janie and he had spoken to Andrew about her problems, stemming back to her divorce before being hired, and the way she was treated at work because of the stories told about her. It turned out that the older man was quite fond of her, although he hid it to avoid the appearance of favoritism. He was outraged at what had happened, and pledged any help that Terry might need to recover from her personal problems.

It was his idea to announce the change of leadership. When he heard the situation and Michael's desire to not only solve it, but do so in a way that didn't harm the business, he knew his instincts in choosing a successor had been correct. Announcing it now was premature, but would give him the authority necessary to resolve it without needing to involve anyone else. It would also allow him to finally get away from the business without worrying about what might happen. He loved the company, but it was virtually impossible to do his job and not be forced to make compromises with his personal life.

Michael sighed, knowing that this was the first of hundreds of these kinds of fires he'd be putting out over the years. It was daunting, but a challenge he relished. Now his first test would involve separating his personal feelings as well as Terry's from what was best for the company. Not only that, but he had the added pressure of knowing Andrew was watching this one closely. Just because he told a group of employees what his plans were, didn't mean they couldn't be changed if Michael failed. 

He pushed open the door and stepped back inside. "All right, where did we leave off?"

No one spoke, the shock of Andrew's appearance taking the fight out of the men. He surveyed the room, making sure he had their undivided attention. 

"What I said before was true. I am here to take care of everyone in the company, which includes you. This company doesn't run as well without you men. I need you to make this place a success. Obviously I have strong feelings about the situation, but I will put them aside if you are willing to live with the condition that you keep your mouths shut to avoid harming Ms. Davis, or other women here who might feel threatened by what happened that night, or what might happen with loose talk later." 

"So I'm going to let you decide what you want to do. When you're ready to talk to me, I will be in my office ready to listen."

He turned and walked out, feeling he'd given the situation his best shot. Now he had to trust in them to do the right thing.

Twenty minutes later, Missy knocked on Michael's door. "James is here to see you, sir." 

"Tell him to come in," he answered, waiting impatiently at his desk.

A somber, defeated James walked into the office. Michael gestured for him to sit.

"Well?" he asked.

"Everyone has agreed. There will be no discussion of Friday's events, and no more talking about the things that have happened involving her."

"James, can I be honest with you?" 

"Sure," he replied, looking agitated.

"I don't like you. Never have. The moment I met you, I thought you were too obnoxious, too boastful, and over-confident. This situation has cemented those feelings." 

"So now what?" he asked, looking like he expected the worst.

"Well, we have two choices. Number one is that you leave the company and seek a job situation where you don't have so many conflicts with your boss."

"And number two?"

Michael sighed. "Number two is going to be a lot more difficult, for both of us. Sit down, please."

~~~~~ 

"Terry, someone's here to see you," Janie called out.

Opening her office door, Terry was shocked to see James standing there, looking sincerely contrite. 

"I...I" she stammered, unable to form the words.

"Terry, can I please talk to you for a moment?"

She looked at Janie, unsure of what to do.

"Please?" he repeated.

"Sure, come in." She stepped back and waved him into her office. She regarded him warily. 

"Listen," he said, looking uncharacteristically nervous. "I want to apologize about Friday night. I know I pushed it too far." 

She fought the urge to look away in shame, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "I was there too. I could have stopped you if I had really wanted to. What I did was stupid, but I'm not going to pretend I wasn't an active participant. But you need to know; that part of my life is over. Friday was a wake-up call, and I need to change before something happens that can't be dealt with over an apology." 

"I understand. The thing is Terry, I like you. I've always liked you. You're a beautiful woman and I wanted to be closer to you from the moment I saw you. But you weren't interested in me and it hurt. So when I found out you would be willing to be more...open to things under the right circumstances, I guess I felt like it was fine to take advantage of the situation. To be honest I was always a little angry that you'd be willing to hook up when you were drunk, but didn't even want to have a cup of coffee when you were sober."

Her eyes got wide. "James, that was never about you. It was about how I felt about myself for doing those things." 

"I think I get that now," he said, sounding sincere. "I swear to you, I never meant for anything I did to hurt you. It seemed like you enjoyed it, although I should have realized you weren't from the way you acted afterward. 

"There's more," he said, looking ashamed. "I told some people around here some of the things that happened. It was nothing but vindictiveness on my part because I was upset about you refusing to even be friends after...well, you know," he stammered. "For that I'm very sorry. It won't happen again, and I promise that I'll do everything in my power to disavow any stories about you that people choose to say in front of me. And you won't have to worry about me hassling you here. Once I leave this office, I promise I won't ever bother you again unless you talk to me first." 

She looked at him in stunned silence. This was a side of him she had never seen before. For the first time since she met him, he was actually treating her like a person who he respected. 

"I don't know what to say," she answered. Terry could feel the blood rushing to her face, and her eyes tearing up. 

"Say you forgive me? At least maybe some day?" he asked, looking at her hopefully.

~~~~~ 

"So how did it go?" Michael asked. 

James shrugged noncommittally. "She forgave me; right there on the spot. You were right. She's a better person than I am." 

"That much I knew," Michael said with a sly grin. "James, it means a lot that you decided to stick it out. You and I have our problems, but you are without a doubt one of the most promising talents in the company. I won't forget this." 

"Thank you sir, but to be honest, I didn't do it for you." 

"I appreciate you being candid," Michael said. "And it lets me know I made the right decision." He rose and the two shook hands. 

James walked toward the door, then paused to look back. "If it works out between the two of you, you'll be the luckiest son of a bitch I know. She really is special."

Michael smiled comfortably. "On that, we are in complete agreement." 

~~~~~ 

The ringing of his phone startled Michael from his thoughts. "Yes?" 

"Terry is here to see you," Missy announced.

"Thank you." He rose and strode quickly to the door. He opened it and noticed her aggravated expression. 

"Hey you," he said with a smile. 

"Hey yourself," she answered, pushing past him into the office. "What did you do?" she asked accusingly. 

"Who me?" he said, trying to draw a laugh from her. Seeing that he failed miserably, his expression turned serious. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Are you going to tell me that you didn't have anything to do with it? Seriously?"

"Ok, I surrender. I had the talk and maybe I went a step further than I told you I would." 

"I'd say," she answered, crossing her arms in front of her chest defiantly. 

Michael sat back on the desk and studied her. "You're right. The truth is, I had a long talk with him and told him that even if he was a gigantic pain in my ass, he was very good at his job and I was willing to put my personal feelings aside if he wanted to stay. In fact, I indicated that once my job was free, he would be the person most qualified to take it."

"And that's all?" she said suspiciously.

"We might have talked about you a bit." Seeing her raise an eyebrow he quickly added, "but nothing that violated any confidences." 

"So he just felt so bad that he wanted to come apologize?"

"Actually, he did. He had convinced himself that what was going on was harmless, but he didn't think about the fact that it could be hurting you. When I pointed that out, he really did feel badly about it. So I told him it would be good for him to get it off his chest." 

"And nothing else?" she said, clearly not convinced.

"You mean like me threatening to change his job title to the guy who sweeps the parking lot?" 

"No, I mean was there anything else?" she demanded, not showing interest in his humor.

"I told you before," he answered, "it's important to keep the mystery alive." 

"Argh!" she growled, taking him by the face and pulling him close, kissing him fiercely. "You're lucky I like you." 

"You're welcome." 

A confused look crossed her face. "Wait, what do you mean when your job is free?"

~~~~~ 

Michael pulled up in front of the two story house at the end of the cul-de-sac. He got out of the car and walked to the door, carrying a bouquet of roses and whistling happily. The rest of the week at work had gone incredibly well. Everyone kept their word, and there were no stories flying around about the wild night at the bar. James had even started to kill the previous rumors, many of which he had started in the first place. The entire company had heard about Andrew's announcement, and Michael's efforts to streamline production were gaining traction. He found that the news he'd be in charge one day managed to motivate a lot of people to cooperate. 

Andrew had been thrilled at the way things worked out. He really was fond of Terry, and was happy that the business he started was no longer a place where she was made to feel ostracized. Missy and Janie had done wonders in convincing people who hadn't gotten to know Michael yet see that he was someone they could trust with their problems and concerns. 

Things with Terry continued to get better every day. Michael had managed to break through the wall she had built, and unconstrained by her fears and guilt, they had grown inseparable after only a week. Every day they spent as much time together at work as possible. Every night they were together until it was so late they feared neither would be able to make it to work in the morning. Despite their mutual attraction, they forced themselves to take their time getting physical to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on the budding relationship. 

Michael was certain at this point that Terry was the woman he'd been waiting for. Everything flowed so easily between them that it was difficult not to feel like they'd been dating for months instead of just days. He tried not to get ahead of himself, but he'd never been more sure of anything in his life than of her feelings for him. He knew the only thing that could harm their relationship was her doubts about herself. Although she had definitely turned the corner and was accepting support from her family and friends, there was still a part of her that believed she was capable of sabotaging that happiness for no good reason. 

He reached the door and knocked, pushing the swirling thoughts from his mind. Tonight was going to be about nothing but them enjoying each other. Neither had any plans for the weekend, so they could relax and enjoy their time together. The door opened and Terry stepped into the light, drawing a low whistle of approval from him.

"Well thank you." 

"You're welcome," he responded, handing her the roses and leaning in to kiss her briefly. 

"They're beautiful!" she exclaimed. "Come on in. I'll go put them in water." 

He looked around at the house, noticing that it lacked the spark that she displayed when she allowed herself to be free of her doubts. It had no life, and didn't reflect her personality at all. 

"What do you think?" she asked, coming back into the room.

"It's nice," he answered noncommittally. 

"Gee, that sounded sincere." 

"Sorry," he apologized.

"Don't be. You're right. This place is a museum to my old marriage. I don't know why, but I never could change things here. It's not like I ever believed he'd come back, but part of me just couldn't let it go. This isn't me anymore and I'm going to get rid of it as soon as possible." 

"Well, if you need a place to stay..."

"No thank you, I'm going to enjoy my new life on my terms. But," she said, eyeing him slyly, "if you feel like giving me the option to crash every now and then, I might be predisposed to taking you up on the offer."

Michael put a hand behind her neck, pulling her close. "I can pretty much guarantee it," he said, leaning in to kiss her. 

"Hey, none of that. I have dinner waiting for us."

Michael grumbled, but allowed her to lead him to the dining room. They enjoyed a dinner together, slipping into a casual conversation that again reminded him of how easily they seemed to click. He hadn't shared with her much of his dating history. The truth was that his gift for reading people had proven to be a huge impediment to finding someone to be with throughout his life. He usually knew by the second or third date if he could coexist with a woman on a long term basis. If the answer was no, he usually lost interest, no matter how attracted to her he happened to be. 

Michael had begun to wonder if he would ever meet someone compatible, since at 35 he hadn't even come close. From the minute he met Terry however, she had caught his eye in a way that no woman had before. The more he learned about her, the more fascinated he was. Her unpredictability and zest for life touched him in an unexpected way. He cursed her ex-husband for his short-sightedness in dealing with the remarkable woman. His departure had left her scarred and unsure of herself. But what Michael had found made him believe that there was a woman inside who was beyond his wildest expectations of a partner to spend his life with. 

Stop getting ahead of yourself, the voice in his head scolded. We're a long way from that. I'd be thrilled to just spend the night at this point; even just to hold her until morning. 

He tried not to allow frustration to set in, but everything else was moving so fast, it was difficult to hold back his desire to make love to her. He knew waiting was the best chance for them to have long-term success together, but that didn't make it any easier to walk away when she pressed her body against his as they kissed. Every curve was already seared into his memory, although he yearned for seeing it in an intimate setting instead of the one memory he had of seeing her without her clothes.

"Could I get a beer?" he asked, desperate to stop the cacophony of thoughts streaming through his head. 

"Are you all right?" 

He sighed, "You know, the truth is, I can't stop thinking about everything that's been happening between us. It's just been amazing, and it has me on edge." 

She looked confused. "Why on edge?" 

"Because you are so spectacular that I can't take it all in. I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but it's all I can do not to grab you, drag you upstairs and throw you down on the bed. 

"Wow," she giggled, "You really do need a beer." 

They both laughed heartily as she went to the refrigerator. It took extra time as she appeared to be having trouble finding any. He was about to tell her not to worry about it as she continued to fidget with the contents. Finally she turned with the drink in her hand, plus a surprise. She had unbuttoned her blouse all the way to the bottom. He stared at the exposed flesh hungrily. The curves of her breasts were only partially concealed by the fabric as it hung loosely off her shoulders. It opened wide at the bottom, showing her flat, toned stomach.

She slowly lowered herself to his knee, straddling it as she sat down and rubbed the ice cold bottle across her shirt where her breast lay beneath. She looked down and gave him a devilish smile. 

"Oops, look what I did," she whined in an innocent voice, pointing at her nipple, now clearly visible through the material. 

"Oh Terry," he groaned, unable to disguise the naked lust he felt for her. His hands reached out, fingertips sliding the material apart, exposing her breasts fully; her pink nipples already erect. He leaned in, taking one of her nipples between his lips, alternately nibbling and sucking the sensitive bud. 

"Yes," she moaned, running her fingers through his hair encouragingly.

Michael stood up unexpectedly and holding Terry securely, laid her down on the table. Her blouse slipped off her chest, fully exposing her. He leaned in and ran his tongue around her nipple, then took as much into his mouth as he could. She held his head in place, enjoying the sensations as his hands worked on her belt. As soon as it opened, he popped the button of her jeans, then slowly slid the zipper down; grazing her mound with his hand.