A note to readers:
This is a long story that unfolds chapter by chapter through the eyes of two protagonists -- Mark and Elsa, and as in many of my other stories involves a growing spate of horny characters. Every ten chapters or so I will provide a short summary at the start of that episode to bring new readers up to date. This story could appear in a number of genres (Loving Wives, Incest, Lesbian, Fetish, and more) depending on the chapter, but the overall theme is Group, so I have applied this moniker to all chapters. The story is still being written, yet I intend to post a new chapter every couple of days. Enjoy.
Chapter 2 -- Discovery And an Unexpected Aftermath
Mark
Sheila stood at my office door smiling at me. "Pardon me for making an observation, but you are very different today. I don't know what happened to you over the weekend, but ... well, you've changed -- in a good way, of course."
I tried to sound gruff, my usual business-as-usual demeanor; "What's that supposed to mean?" I frowned in her direction to discourage any derision.
She laughed, confident that she was one of only a very few people that could get away with laughing at me, "Well, you're smiling more, you're easier to get along with, and you seem to have noticed at least a dozen nice things about me and the others in the office since you arrived. Now, THAT's unusual, and very nice, I might add. The whole time I've known you I don't think you ever complimented me six times in one morning until today."
I confessed, "Well, ... I had another date with Elsa. I'm seriously interested in her ... and this is a 'no tease' zone." In the eight years since I'd hired Sheila she had become so much more than a vital aide; she was my confidant and source of wisdom, especially when it came to interpersonal relationships, be they with men or women.
Sheila knew I dated occasionally, and even knew from my throwaway comments that I'd had a couple of disastrous relationships in my early twenties. Other than those, this was the first time I'd mentioned any kind of a love interest. I'd even studiously avoided second or third dates with women.
Sheila grinned, "Well, it's about time. You two seemed so nice together when I first met her, although she was sad about her breakup."
"Oh, she's better than fine now. I think I'm in love with her, and the feeling seems mutual."
She teased, "And you've screened her for gold digging, of course?"
I frowned. "I did; Andy and Lucas helped. Now that I know her, she'd never do that. Besides, right now, she doesn't even know I'm who I am."
Sheila frowned, "What do you mean?"
"I haven't even hinted that I have money, or that I am anything other than a mid-level guy who works for this company."
Sheila rolled her eyes, "Oh boy! You are on very thin ice, Boss," Sheila stated coldly with her head cocked to one side. "A relationship is built on trust and openness. You're hiding things from her. She won't like that." Sheila's use of the term 'Boss' was a signal about her unhappiness with what I was doing.
I shook my head, "No, I think she'll understand why ... that I had to be sure it wasn't about my money and status."
Sheila headed for the door, "Well, you'd better tell her very soon."
I was left thinking about that for a minute, but then I had a video conference call with our Silicon Valley plant about some quality control issues and a lot of finger pointing.
I got Andy, my chief of staff and aide, to find me a great resort on the river and to outfit the place in a way that would make it a romantic hideaway for a day-and-a-half. He filled me in on the details on the flight back to our headquarters from Toronto on Friday night. Security had gone down that morning to check the place out and secure a perimeter.
Once on the ground, I traded cars and drove Andy's son's Jeep to my condo, so I'd have it the next morning. I liked the car and decided I'd make them an offer for it. Driving the open car would frustrate my security detail, but I was getting tired of hiding away. I wanted some fun. I deserved some fun. I had worked sixteen to eighteen hours a day for twenty years. Something had to change.
When I got to my condo, my butler-valet had already prepared a roll-on suitcase for me filled with casual clothes and some beach attire. The valise sat open for my review on a chrome luggage rack just outside my walk-in closet. A number of the items were brand new. After swapping a couple of things, I was set for the weekend.
I picked Elsa up Saturday morning at nine o'clock, per plan, and at noon we were a hundred miles away sitting in a riverside dive called the Fish Shack having fish and chips. She loved the accommodations, but worried about the price of things. I assured her that I could afford the fried fish, knowing that she had been referring to the rental mansion and not the food. I further told her that I was good for the money and not to worry, but she did. I figured I'd tell her about me later in the day when we weren't in public.
We walked the riverside beach path back to the rental house, changed into swimsuits and went back out. We laid out towels in the sand and then went frolicking into the chilly water. Back on the towels, we started to canoodle, and that led to some discreet petting, and then we went inside the rental house and made love for the rest of the afternoon, even falling asleep in each other's arms for a short nap.
We did dinner at an upscale restaurant we could walk to. When I'd talked to Andy about this place, he suggested I advance order our meals, so when we arrived we just sat down, and the wine and other courses just arrived per plan. Elsa was pleased and impressed, plus I'd had the chef prepare her favorite beef dish -- a beef bourguignon in a red wine sauce that just made the meal melt in your mouth it was so succulent.
Elsa had stars in her eyes, when we finished and went back to the house. We made love twice more, and then slept together for the first time. In between, there were a lot of words about love and forever from each of us. I could have sworn that our hearts started to beat in time with one another we were becoming so close to each other.
I doubted I could love anybody more than I felt about Elsa, and she told me the feeling was more than mutual. This train was speeding down the tracks. We even teased each other about who loved whom more. I felt everything was heading in the right direction.