“Last time you said that you broke my ovaries.”
My balls tightened at the memory. I laughed. “Yes, I did.”
The doors opened and the floor was busy, heavingwith people on headsets, people in glass-fronted meeting rooms, people everywhere, going about their business. Going about my business.
She followed with quick steps, nipping into my side as I weaved a path through the clusters of desks, and everyone looked at us, staring with nosey eyes. I pointed out a segment in the corner, away from the main floor. My power team, my group of nineteen, engaged in a presentation by our top telemarketer, Daniel Dawson. I stood to the rear once we approached, and Katie stood close. I could feel the heat from her, the press of her shoulder against my arm.
“So, that’s rapport 101, in a nutshell. Carl will be able to give you the rest. Perfect timing.” He smiled at me.
The heads turned, and my protégés looked at me, and then looked at Katie. I could practically hear the cogs whirring.
I stepped to the front and patted the speaker on the back. “Thanks, Dan. Great job.” I smiled at the faces. “Good afternoon, all, I trust that was useful?”
A murmur of agreement.
“Good.” I gestured towards the blue-eyed girl in tattered jeans, all so aware of the blush of her cheeks. “This is Katie Smith,” I said. “She’ll be joining the programme. I hope you’ll all make her very welcome.”
She waved and smiled and they waved back and said a motley collection of greetings. All except one.
Verity.
Her face looked like a slapped ass. Her shoulders were rigid and her eyes were glowering, her mouth paused somewhere between outrage and surprise.
I wasted no time in settling the group back to their places, paired up in call buddy teams while they listened to the more experienced callers on the main floor. I put Katie with Ryan, our most promising contender, the guy who’d stepped up and belted out the Rocky track on day one, and she fell into partnership with him easily. I watched her relax, her expression bright and friendly.
She’d do just fine. I could feel it in my gut.
I was happily walking amongst the group when a set of pincer fingers pinched my arm.
“A word,” Verity said. “Now, Carl.” Before I run to my daddy like a pathetic little baby.
She glowered at Katie some more, shooting her looks that could kill, even though Katie remained oblivious, lost in concentration with her headset on.
“If you insist,” I said. “Lead the way, Miss Faverley.”
A firm grip landed on my shoulder, and I pretended to be surprised, looking around as though he’d come from nowhere. Like my eyes hadn’t followed him everywhere, chasing after the man who’d bruised my cervix while he walked the room, the man who’d put three grand in my bank account and his monster dick all the way inside me.The man I wanted.
He gave me shivers in this place, and they were good shivers. I’ve never had much of a boss thing going on, but maybe I’d never had the right boss. This one was already tickling my gut, that flood of butterflies that comes when you really want to fuck someone. Like you’re on a rollercoaster, dipping over the edge.
“We’re going,” he said.
“Now?” I looked around me at all the people still listening intently to their headsets.
“Now.”
I put my headset on the desk. “Where are we going?”
Carl didn’t answer, just started walking, and I shrugged and smiled at Ryan, who’d been so kind to me, who’d made me feel welcome. “See you tomorrow.”
He gave me the thumbs-up.
Carl didn’t answer me in the lift on the way down, nor on the way out through reception. He waited until we were back in the Range and out of the car park.
“Well?” I said. “Where are we going?”
“Town,” he said, simply.
“Town? Like Cheltenham town?”